Page 7 of Treasured

She blushes and smiles back at me. "They are great guys. I'm very lucky."

"Wait a minute," I say. "I thought they were supposed to marry Jenny. I can't remember her last name." Then as soon as I say it I clamp my hand over my mouth and turn to Tori. "Ohmygod, maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that," I mumble against my palm.

Tori laughs. "Nothing to feel bad about," she says and I like her even more because she's kind about my screw up.

"That Jenny left my cousins standing at the altar. It was the worst sort of humiliation. But I fixed 'em up with Tori here and the rest, as they say, is history. Not that they ever give me any credit for it."

"We hardly have time since you're always giving yourself credit," Tori says and everyone howls with laughter.

Boots blushes a bit but then joins in the good-natured fun. I relax.

"Whatcha gonna make?" Boots asks me.

"I hadn't really thought about it," I reply. "Aunt Max just told me about this an hour ago."

"We're glad you're here," Tori says. "I'd be happy to help you pick out a project." She holds up a sock that's the size of a Christmas stocking. "I'm making some socks for Grizz," she says.

It's an impressive project and given the size, she's in for a long commitment.

"You probably don't want me to help you," Presley says, looking forlornly at the hat she's working on.

"Maybe I'll just observe today," I say. No point diving into a new project if I'm not going to be here long, though I don't say that to the group.

"Oh no. You need to make something," Boots insists. "I'll find you a project."

"I don't know how to knit," I call after her, but she just keeps going. As usual.

"So, you left Eagle Canyon?" Presley asks. She's set her knitting aside to look at me. "I've never heard of anyone leaving. I bet you're glad to be back. I just love it here. It's so peaceful and everyone is so nice."

"I agree," Tori says. "I never imagined a place like this existed in real life. Only in books or movies."

"Not to mention having two husbands," Cassie says with a sly smile and the others erupt in giggles.

When was the last time I heard so much laughter?

Maybe there is something special about being back in Eagle Canyon.

Boots comes over with a big ball of fuzzy yarn in her hands. "Here, it's a new kind of yarn. You just put the loops together and you can knit without knitting needles. I'll show you."

Boots pulls up a chair on the other side of me and draws out a long length of the yarn which is thick and has little loops in it. Her fingers fly as she starts pulling the loops through each other and in just a few moments, it starts to look like a knitted square. "Here, you try." She drops the pile of yarn into my lap and coaches me through the process and soon I have a row of stitches. It's oddly satisfying.

"Thanks," I say. "This is fun."

"Maybe I ought to try that," Presley says. "I'm hopeless at knitting. Though I love coming to the group. It's fun to get to know everyone and hear all the latest gossip."

"Speaking of gossip," Boots says, giving me a pointed gaze, "do your fated mates know you're back?"

I suck in my breath in a loud wheeze and everyone in our little group stops what they are doing and turns to look at me.

"Oh, my. I need to hear more about this," Shelby says.

"Sort of looks like you caught Tracy off guard, Boots," Tori says. "You don't have to answer her if you don't want to. It's really none of our business."

"But..." Boots says and then Tori shoots her a gaze that actually makes Boots stop mid-sentence. Boots blows out a breath and gives me a sad puppy-dog-eyes look. "I'm sorry, Tracy. I just thought, you know, since you were fated mates and all that..." Boots' voice trails off.

"Yeah, it's not any of our business," Presley says. "But if you want to talk, remember our motto."

"What happens at Stitch and Bitch stays at Stitch and Bitch," everyone around me says in unison followed by more laughter.

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