to, and we have fun together. That’s all. Speaking of which, I’m thinking I’d like to stay in town this weekend and not go with Gram and Pops to Vermont. Would that be OK?”
“You’ve had this trip planned for months,” Kate said. “How do you think they’d feel about being thrown over for a boy?”
“Gram would be cool,” Vanessa insisted. But then her face fell. “Pops wouldn’t. I guess I’m stuck.” She turned around and moped against the counter. Then her eyes fell onto Annie’s valise. “Hey, cool suitcase.”
“Thanks,” Annie said. “I used it for the movie, and now I’m going to use it for carrying home some yarn. I’m embracing the green movement and not using plastic bags. Well, not today anyway.”
“Some of our customers bring cloth shopping bags in here,” Kate said. “But a valise will be a first.”
“I forgot my cloth bag,” Annie said. “I guess I’m still new to being environmentally responsible.”
“Her grandkids are making her do it,” Alice chimed in.
Laughing, Annie admitted that they were.
Vanessa leaned closer to look at the small suitcase. “That is really a cool bag. I love the color, and it’s so retro. Do you think I could borrow it for this weekend trip? It would be a perfect overnight bag.”
Annie looked down at the valise. “I guess that would be fine. The locks are broken, but it closes fine. You weren’t going to use it for checked baggage on a plane anyway, right?”
“No, I’m using it for crammed baggage in my grandparents’ car,” Vanessa said taking the valise and giving it a hug. “Thanks a ton. I really like it. It’s all yummy chocolate and caramel.”
Annie smiled. “That’s what I liked about it too. I guess we sweet-tooth travelers have to stick together.” Then she looked at her empty hands. “Now I don’t have a bag for my yarn.”
Alice laughed. “No problem, I’ll go get the other suitcase.” She pointed at Vanessa. “No falling in love with this one too.”
“I promise,” Vanessa said. “Mom, can I go put this in the car and then walk down to Maplehurst Inn? I promised to meet Logan there for a hot cocoa next to the fire.”
“That’s fine,” Kate said. “Tell Logan I said hi.”
“I’ll walk out with you,” Alice said. “I’ll be right back with the other case.”
As soon as the two had left the shop, Kate pulled out her cellphone. “Just a sec,” she said to Annie. Annie smiled as Kate called Linda Hunter and asked her to keep an eye on Vanessa when she got to the inn. “Vanessa has pretty good sense, but that young actor is awfully good looking,” Kate said into the phone. “I just don’t want her getting any ideas about going upstairs to his room.”
Linda must have promised to keep an eye on them because Kate smiled and thanked her before slipping the phone back into her blazer pocket and turning to help Annie. Annie picked up more of the fine crochet thread she was using for her filet crochet runner, and then looked over a new display of baby-weight yarn that had metallic strands twisted in.
“I love this,” Annie said. “You know, I think I have the perfect pattern for this. You talked me into it last summer. The lace sweater vest?”
“The one with the nice long points at the front hem?” Kate said. “I love that one. I think you’re right, this yarn would be great for it. Are you going to make one for yourself or someone else?”
“Myself,” Annie said. “I’ve made all my presents.” Then she felt the nudge of guilt about Herb’s gift, but mashed it down. Whatever she gave her son-in-law, he definitely wouldn’t want a lace sweater vest.
“You should get the blue,” Kate said, pulling Annie out of the small guilt attack. “It would be perfect with your coloring.” Kate helped her pick out enough skeins in the same dye lot to do the vest.
When Alice came back, Annie piled the yarn into the small suitcase. The women chatted for a while, and Alice picked out
“You’ve had this trip planned for months,” Kate said. “How do you think they’d feel about being thrown over for a boy?”
“Gram would be cool,” Vanessa insisted. But then her face fell. “Pops wouldn’t. I guess I’m stuck.” She turned around and moped against the counter. Then her eyes fell onto Annie’s valise. “Hey, cool suitcase.”
“Thanks,” Annie said. “I used it for the movie, and now I’m going to use it for carrying home some yarn. I’m embracing the green movement and not using plastic bags. Well, not today anyway.”
“Some of our customers bring cloth shopping bags in here,” Kate said. “But a valise will be a first.”
“I forgot my cloth bag,” Annie said. “I guess I’m still new to being environmentally responsible.”
“Her grandkids are making her do it,” Alice chimed in.
Laughing, Annie admitted that they were.
Vanessa leaned closer to look at the small suitcase. “That is really a cool bag. I love the color, and it’s so retro. Do you think I could borrow it for this weekend trip? It would be a perfect overnight bag.”
Annie looked down at the valise. “I guess that would be fine. The locks are broken, but it closes fine. You weren’t going to use it for checked baggage on a plane anyway, right?”
“No, I’m using it for crammed baggage in my grandparents’ car,” Vanessa said taking the valise and giving it a hug. “Thanks a ton. I really like it. It’s all yummy chocolate and caramel.”
Annie smiled. “That’s what I liked about it too. I guess we sweet-tooth travelers have to stick together.” Then she looked at her empty hands. “Now I don’t have a bag for my yarn.”
Alice laughed. “No problem, I’ll go get the other suitcase.” She pointed at Vanessa. “No falling in love with this one too.”
“I promise,” Vanessa said. “Mom, can I go put this in the car and then walk down to Maplehurst Inn? I promised to meet Logan there for a hot cocoa next to the fire.”
“That’s fine,” Kate said. “Tell Logan I said hi.”
“I’ll walk out with you,” Alice said. “I’ll be right back with the other case.”
As soon as the two had left the shop, Kate pulled out her cellphone. “Just a sec,” she said to Annie. Annie smiled as Kate called Linda Hunter and asked her to keep an eye on Vanessa when she got to the inn. “Vanessa has pretty good sense, but that young actor is awfully good looking,” Kate said into the phone. “I just don’t want her getting any ideas about going upstairs to his room.”
Linda must have promised to keep an eye on them because Kate smiled and thanked her before slipping the phone back into her blazer pocket and turning to help Annie. Annie picked up more of the fine crochet thread she was using for her filet crochet runner, and then looked over a new display of baby-weight yarn that had metallic strands twisted in.
“I love this,” Annie said. “You know, I think I have the perfect pattern for this. You talked me into it last summer. The lace sweater vest?”
“The one with the nice long points at the front hem?” Kate said. “I love that one. I think you’re right, this yarn would be great for it. Are you going to make one for yourself or someone else?”
“Myself,” Annie said. “I’ve made all my presents.” Then she felt the nudge of guilt about Herb’s gift, but mashed it down. Whatever she gave her son-in-law, he definitely wouldn’t want a lace sweater vest.
“You should get the blue,” Kate said, pulling Annie out of the small guilt attack. “It would be perfect with your coloring.” Kate helped her pick out enough skeins in the same dye lot to do the vest.
When Alice came back, Annie piled the yarn into the small suitcase. The women chatted for a while, and Alice picked out
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