Dakota Love (49 page)

“What she said about the Joy group is true, but she’s also being modest about her knowledge of quilting.” Walt rapped the table with his knuckles. “Her quilts win first place at the county fair every year.”

“Congratulations. That’s wonderful.” Lil patted Sandy’s shoulder before taking a seat across the table from Walt.

“Thank you.” Sandy looked at Lil. “I’m sorry to stare, but have we met before?”

“I don’t think so. But I’ve been a nurse for many years, so maybe…” Lil shrugged.

“What’s your last name?”

“Hayes.”

“Lil Hayes. Is that your maiden name?”

“Yes, it is.” Lil smiled.

“Even that sounds familiar. Do you ever enter quilting contests?”

“No, can’t say that I have.”

“Well, I know you from somewhere, those beautiful green eyes of yours and your name. My memory isn’t what it used to be, but it will come to me. Now let’s get down to business.”

“I thought for sure I’d get a good report.” Walt stared absently out of the passenger window.

“You did get a good report. The doctor said you were right on track for healing.” Lil chided him for putting a negative spin on his prognosis, although she’d hoped for better news, too.

Walt turned toward Lil and jerked his head toward the walker resting against the backseat. “I thought I’d be rid of that and back to using my quad cane or…”

“I know you think you’re ready to try walking on your own.” How many times had she caught him walking around the kitchen without his walker yesterday? “But you’ve relied on a cane for years to offset your limp. You may have to relearn your body’s center and balance.”

She earned a frown for her reasoning.

“You know I’d be more help around the hotel if I could use a cane instead of a walker.”

Lil nodded. “That’s true, but Sandy seems to have things organized, so all you’ll have to do is check people in and fold the dried towels.”

Walt chuckled. “She’s a dynamo in the organization department. Because of her abilities, the soup dinner fund-raisers go off without a hitch and the church rakes in quite a profit.”

“Do you usually serve hot breakfasts?” Lil eased off the gas and hit the brake as the light ahead turned red.

“Nothing more than toast or instant oatmeal. You don’t mind coming over early and popping the egg casseroles in the oven, do you?” To look at her, Walt turned the best he could in his seat.

The sunshine through the windshield couldn’t hold a candle to the light in his eyes. Unable to break her stare, Lil noted how the sun’s rays brought out the green flecks in his hazel eyes.

She jumped at the loud honk behind her. “Oops.” She felt warmth crawl up her neck as she pressed the gas. Walt’s car roared through the intersection.

“Ease up there, Speedy.” Walt grabbed the handle above the door with one hand, bracing against the dashboard with the other.

As the car resumed its normal pace, Lil swatted at Walt’s arm. “It wasn’t that bad.”

Walt crossed his arms over his chest and smiled. “You need to turn left at the next light.”

“I see it. It’s a good-sized store. I thought it might be smaller, more like a quilter’s boutique.” Lil steered the car into the turning lane.

“No, really it’s a full-blown fabric store, not just a quilt shop.”

Lil pulled into a handicapped parking spot. She lifted his placard from the console and hooked it to the rearview mirror.

Walt pulled his door handle.

“Just a sec and I’ll get your walker.” Lil exited the car and rounded the back.

Walt had the door open, turning with his knees together as Lil retrieved, then opened the walker, and locked it into position. She stepped back, allowing Walt the space to get clear of the car door.

“Doesn’t seem right, you opening and closing my car door. I should be doing that for you.” Walt guided his walker to the slanted part of the sidewalk.

Wind seasoned with a hint of moisture blew a littered plastic store bag along with sandy grit through the parking lot, causing Lil’s eyes to water.

“Everyone needs help now and then.” Lil stepped from the parking lot to the sidewalk then waited at the quilt store entrance while Walt made his way to her side. “I think we got lucky with the weather today. No rain.”

“Considering the forecast, I thought we’d be fighting rain-slicked roads today, but no precipitation nor freezing temperatures yet.”

Lil shivered despite her heavy fleece jacket. “But it’s getting there.”

A bell jangled as Lil pulled open the door to allow Walt to pass through.

“Be with you in a minute,” a muffled voice called.

An aromatic mix of lot-dyed cloth fragranced the store. Lil paused and eyeballed Granny Bea’s interior.

“This is quite a place.” Two tiered shelves covered one wall, filled to capacity with bolts of fabric in every hue imaginable. A large N
OTIONS
sign hung over a far corner that housed peg boards filled with sewing tools, thread cases, and book racks.

Various styles of sewing machines, cabinets, and chairs lined the opposite walls. A cutting counter divided the room. Circular shelves holding bolts of print fabrics were scattered throughout the store. Like wildflowers that popped up in a field, quilts of all shapes, sizes, and patterns dotted displays all over the store.

“I like this.” Lil, having stopped beside a circular shelf not far from the entrance, put her hand on her hip, purse swinging at her wrist.

Walt turned. “Sarah put that display together.”

A freehand wall quilt hung suspended above a circular shelf filled with bolts of fall colors and prints. A tree was appliquéd in the center of the quilt. Various-colored leaves fell around it, the machine stitching giving the appearance of a windswept motion. The material for the back matched the leaves.

“Look at that! The quilter cut the leaves from the fabric and sewed them to the top. How clever.” Lil reached up and smoothed a corner of the quilt between her thumb and fingers.

“Caroline made that one.” Mark popped up from behind a display case of thread.

“I told Lil about Caroline and your mom and you. Well, all the quilters I know. Lil’s a quilter, too.”

Walt’s eyes shined with pride as he looked over at Lil.

A tiny thrill sent a warm shiver through her at Walt’s boasting. Lil thought about including Walt in the quilter category since he helped her, but reconsidered. His pride was bruised enough at not being able to run his business on his own.

Mark and Walt walked toward the cash register counter while Lil continued to peruse the store.

“I didn’t get a good report today.”

“What? Why?”

“Walt!” Lil raised her voice to megaphone decibel as she called across the store. “I told you in the car not to say it that way. You’re causing Mark undue concern.”

“Stop eavesdropping, Lil, and shop.”

The snappy tone turned Lil in her tracks. She started to march to the register counter when she saw a wide smile on Walt’s face.

“I knew that’d get you going.”

Lil screwed her face into her best don’t-mess-with-me-man look as she approached the men. “Your uncle is progressing as the doctor planned; however, he still needs to use his walker.” She turned to Mark with a reassuring smile.

Mark put a hand to his chest. “Uncle Walt, you had me worried.”

“I want to use my cane.”

Lil snorted. “He tries to walk around without any aid. I caught him at it four times yesterday.”

“Stop tattling on me.” Walt scrunched his face. “I just really wanted to be able to use my cane. It’s hard to run a business using this.” Walt lifted the walker from the floor and shook it.

“Wait a minute, what do you mean? You closed the hotel for four weeks.” Mark crossed his arms over his chest and rocked back on his heels. “Actually, let’s start at the beginning. What exactly did the doctor say?”

Walt sighed. “That I’m healing normally but I need to use the walker for at least two more weeks.”

“That’s good news.” Mark released his arms. “Do you need a chair?”

“No, thank you. My stamina is back.” Walt peered around Mark. “Where’s Sarah? Is she feeling okay?”

“She’s doing great. Today is her day off. Now, stop changing the subject. What’s this about running your business?”

“A good man went to be with the Lord. He and his wife had just downsized and moved into those new senior-housing apartments. They have four children who need a place to stay. Sioux Falls is too far for a grieving family to drive every day.”

“Are you sure you’re up to it?” Mark looked to Lil for reassurance.

She nodded. “I think so. Sarah had the rooms all cleaned and ready to go. The ladies’ group at Walt’s church are donating breakfast casseroles and helping with the daily cleaning.”

“We figured breakfast hours would be eight to ten, not the normal six to nine. If the folks don’t want to eat at the hotel, they can take the food the ladies donate with them to Jeanie’s. With the eight ladies cleaning rooms, Lil and I will only have to do the laundry.”

Lil caught Mark’s skeptical look. “I won’t let him overdo. And it might be good for him. He’s been pretty bored this past week.”

“So bored”—Walt walked to the counter and leaned on it—“I started helping Lil with a quilt.”

Mark burst out laughing. “I can’t believe that.”

“I am. I’m really good at fusing the pieces to the back. Tell him, Lil.” Walt waved his hand in the air.

“He is good at fusing on the quilt block pieces to the fabric, but he’s not patient waiting for me to finish my part so he can start again.”

“What quilt pattern are you making?” Mark winked at Lil when he addressed the question to his uncle.

“A Rose of Sharon.” Walt stood tall and puffed his chest out like a proud child who’d aced a spelling bee.

Mark’s low whistle echoed around the store. “That’s a detailed but beautiful pattern.”

“It’s for my sister’s fortieth wedding anniversary.” Lil smiled at Mark.

“Because that type of quilt represents romantic love and used to be given to new brides.”

Lil laughed at Walt’s adding the small piece of quilting trivia he knew to the conversation.

“And because”—Walt scrunched his face Lil’s way—“she lost her sister’s favorite quilt.”

Mouth open ready to defend herself, Lil heard her cell phone ring, so she wagged a scolding finger toward Walt as she stepped away from the men. Squinting to see the small numbers, she realized it was Tiffany. She darted down a clearance aisle while the phone jangled in her hand.

Talk about bad timing. Lil hesitated then declined the call. She’d let it go to voice mail. As much as she wanted to leave, Walt still needed a full-time nurse and the hotel guests would be another diversion from her budding feelings.

The men’s laughter drifted through the store. From her vantage point she could see Walt. Dressed in dark denim bib overalls and blue plaid flannel shirt, with his face lit with laughter and life, no one would guess that he recently had surgery.

He is so handsome and fun
. Lil leaned her arms on the bolts of cloth in front of her.

A loud beep broke her dreamy staring, alerting her she had a voice message. The cell phone noise drew Walt’s attention. He looked up. Instinctively, Lil looked down, not wanting him to know she’d been gazing his direction.

Her gasp cut through the store.

Lil couldn’t believe her eyes. She gasped again.

“Is everything okay back there?” Mark called.

“F–f–fine.” Lil pulled the bolt from the shelving. She found the end and separated the cloth to a single layer, then worked the soft yet grainy fabric between her thumbs and fingers.

The cloth wrapped around this bolt looked and felt like the old-time flour sack material. And not just any flour sack material either. The yellow background was more vibrant, but the white flower pattern, the same as the flour sack fabric, burned in her memory.

“Do you like that?”

Concentrating on the bolt of cloth, Lil’s upper body jerked in a jumping fashion. “Oh! I didn’t hear you walk over.”

“That’s apparent. We didn’t mean to startle you, Lil.”

“It’s okay.” Lil lifted her face to Walt’s rounded hazel eyes filled with concern.

“Are you sure, because you look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Walt’s bony hand covered hers resting on the fabric.

“I kind of feel like I have.” Lil turned to Mark. “To answer your question, I don’t like it. I love it. It’s almost an answer to a prayer.”

“I special ordered that for a quilt repair job, but it wasn’t the right color—”

“Let me guess,” Lil said, shock shaking her voice. “The yellow’s too dark.”

Mark’s wide-eyed expression mirrored Walt’s.

“What’s going on here?” Walt tapped his walker against the floor for emphasis. “Now you’re both wearing eerie expressions.”

L
il didn’t even glance his way. She hugged the bolt of fabric to her as if being reunited with a long-lost love. Anger and hurt tied together in a knot in Walt’s stomach. He didn’t like to be left out, especially where Lil was concerned.

“Was the quilt a Lily of the Field pattern made out of flour sack cloth?” Lil’s lips quivered as she waited for Mark’s answer.