Page 40 of What the Cowboy Wants
Late Friday morning,Rose walked out of the bookshop in Marietta.She would need to go to Bozeman for the supplies of paper and pencils she really wanted but for the moment she had to make do with what Marietta had to offer.
Nowadays, there were numerous new software programs interior designers could use.She liked combining her hand sketches with the program she had.Putting her ideas on paper had always been one of the aspects of her job she’d found most fulfilling.Sometimes she didn’t have a clear idea when she started, but as her hand touched the paper, ideas would just pour out and the whole picture would fall into place.
If only life worked that way.Sighing, she quickly looked up and down Main Street before she crossed to the other side.She wanted to pop into the yarn shop before she went home.Her evenings were wide open and she wanted to knit something.Shaking her head, she grinned.For one who hadn’t known anything about kitting or crocheting, she was very excited to test her new skills.
As she reached the opposite sidewalk, a man with a cowboy hat on his head and a smile on his face was looking her way.He seemed to be waiting for her.As she hesitatingly neared him, he took off his hat and stepped closer.
“I don’t usually accost a pretty woman in the street,” he said with a Texan drawl and a crooked smile, “but I don’t know how else I’m supposed to ask you to go to the dance with me on Saturday night.”He put out his hand.“Nash Johnson.I know Hunter Grant, if that helps.”
Rose couldn’t help it, she laughed as she shook his hand.“Nice to meet you, Nash Johnson.”
He beamed.“Mighty happy to meet you too, Miss Rose Dalton.”
“Rose will do.”Smiling, she pulled back her hand.“I’m going with Willow Weston and her mother.”
He looked crestfallen.“I can’t persuade you to come with me?”
“Tell you what.I’ll save you a dance.”
The smile was back.Putting back his hat, he winked.“I’ll take it.See you tomorrow.”
Smiling, she entered the yarn shop to find Ellie and five other women standing at the window.It took her another minute to realize they’d been watching her.
“I don’t believe it,” she gasped.“You’ve been spying on me?”
“Well,” Ellie grinned.“There’s a bet doing the rounds.So, are you going with Nash to the dance?”
All the other women looked at her expectantly.She’d seem most of them at times in the yarn shop but she didn’t know them.This was probably exactly the kind of thing her friends had told her about.In a small town everyone knew everything about everyone else.
Shaking her head, she laughed.“I’m saving him a dance, that’s all.”
Within minutes, everyone except Ellie had left.
“They’re on their way to tell the rest of the town what they’ve heard, aren’t they?”Rose sighed.
Ellie chuckled.“Within an hour—if that long—everyone in and around Marietta will have heard the news.Well, various versions of the news, of course.Do you have time for tea?”
“Always.How are things in the shop?”
As Rose listened to Ellie, she noticed yarn she hadn’t seen before.
“Aah, so you’ve seen the new yarn.”Ellie smiled as Rose picked up a ball.
“Oooh, Ellie, these are gorgeous.I was thinking of trying my hand at an Aran sweater.You know, with your help and videos, I’ve learned to knit while I worked here.I’ve also read a lot about knitting an Aran sweater.Every stich has its own meaning.Apparently though, it’s more folklore than the truth, but I love the idea of knitting something with some sort of meaning.”
“Well, let’s see,” Ellie said as she picked up a file with patterns.“I only have Aran patterns for men, but the small size might work for you.Or you could try and find something similar online.”
Ellie looked over her shoulder as another woman entered the shop.She handed the file with patterns to Rose.“Have a look while I help this client.”
The first pattern Rose saw as she opened the file, was of a beautifully knitted Aran sweater for a man.This was the one.Excited, she found the yarn she would need to knit it.
Cooper would look gorgeous in this.Sighing, she shook her head.Of course, the first person she would think of was Cooper.No matter how hard she tried, he was always on her mind.Cowboys would probably not be seen dead in one, anyway.This would be for her dad, though; he would be so surprised to learn she could knit.
The other client left, and Rose took the items to Ellie.“I’m taking these, please, Ellie.Now that I’m not on social media all day, I actually have enough time for work and hobbies.”
As Ellie put the yarn and pattern in the bag, she looked at Rose.“A man’s sweater?”
“For my dad.I don’t think I’ve told you they’re coming to visit.”
