Page 45 of A Sweet Deal for the Cowboy

“What if we got a flat sheet and just tucked it in?” she said.

“Do youseeany twin flat sheets?” Because he didn’t.

“Yeah.” She pointed down at a single tangled sheet sandwiched between two afghans.

It was pink. And stained.

He growled. “I can’t do this.” He took a step back and looked around. “I don’t have another plan, but this isn’t happening.” He wasn’t going to welcome these kids into his home with stained floral moth ball sheets.

She touched his arm. “It’s really okay. It’s not forever. I’ll go to Walmart just as soon as I can.”

He shook his head so hard that his neck popped. He rubbed at it as he said, “No.” He clearly remembered how hand-me-downs had made him feel—and they hadn’t made him feel wanted.

And he’d never had to deal with hand-me-downs this awful.

“Okay, let’s stick with the flat sheet theme.” She side stepped to put herself in front of the king sheets, where the selection was more substantial.

“Of course. Why didn’t I think of that?” Good, now he felt stupid too.

“We’ve sort of had a lot to think about lately.” She grabbed a baby blue sheet and shook it open. She held it up for inspection. “I don’t see any red flags. Do you?”

He chuckled. “No. It looks like it’s never been used.”

“Good.” She crumpled it up and shoved it into his chest.

He laughed as he took it. And then he watched his new wife tear the king-sized sheet shelf to shreds in pursuit of another prize.

She found one—this one blood red—and slapped it into his chest without looking at him. “Check that,” she ordered.

Amused, he unfolded the sheet to make sure there wasn’t a dead hamster hiding inside a crease. By the time he’d finished his check, Nova was inspecting a hot pink number that still had creases from the package. She curled her lip. “This one is scratchy, but it looks brand new.” She tucked it under her armpit and grabbed for another. “Hey, look! An actual fitted sheet!” She looked at him. “This would fit the queen!” She sounded unreasonably excited.

She didn’t wait for him to agree. She just balled it up and shoved it under her arm with the other. “Okay, that’s good for fitted. I’m assuming we can save top sheets for when we go to Spearfish?” She hesitated, and her cheeks grew a little pink. “Or I can go to Spearfish alone. Anyway, top sheets?”

He shook his head. “I think top sheets can wait.”

“Good. Let’s see if the blanket selection is any better.”

He turned to look at the blankets behind them, but she spun around three times before noticing that the blankets had been stacked opposite the sheets all along.

“Oh.” She gasped.

“How does Conley feel about camo?” Gunner asked.

“He loves it.” She said this with such enthusiasm that he thought it likely that she was trying to be ironic. She grabbed it off the shelf and shook it out for inspection. A giant ball of hair fell out—

Thinking they’d finally found the hiding hamster, Gunner jumped back and let out a little yelp that he wished had sounded manlier.

Nova, who hadn’t startled at all, seemed to find the hair ball a disqualifier because she shoved the blanket back onto the shelf. “He hates camo.”

She decided instead on a faded floral comforter—what was it with these bedding designers and their ugly roses; a blue comforter that had been ripped and patched with pink fabric so that both genders would hate it equally, and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle throw that wouldn’t reach a tall kid’s toes.

“Those stupid turtles were popular when I was a kid,” he said. He’d meant that it was an old blanket, but he didn’t think he’d clearly communicated that message because she flung it over her shoulder and said, “Well, now they’re making a comeback.” She looked at his armload and then up at his face before saying, “We should have gotten a cart.”

Yeah, he would have thought of that if this store had carts. “That’s it, though, right?”

She shook her head. “Pillowcases.”

He groaned. He wasn’t sure he had the energy for pillowcases.

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