Page 51 of Wrapped Up in Christmas Hope
“Thank you. I needed that.”
Andrew walked into the quilt shop where a second, smaller sew-in was going on in full force. He’d heard from Cole that they hoped to finish up several more quilts, and if they managed to hit their target, they’d be able to award Quilts of Valor to every eligible resident at Pine Hill Assisted Living.
It was a lofty goal, but the Butterflies, Sophie, Sarah, and Morgan were a determined group, and they still had a few weeks prior to the scheduled presentation date. Sophie even put Cole to work maneuvering a joystick that apparently ran one of the quilting machines. His friend nodded in his direction, but kept his eyes glued on the screen that showed the pattern he was to follow. Andrew’s gaze lingered on Morgan. He’d not seen her since the lunch at her grandparents nine days ago.
“I’ve found sleigh-pulling reindeer,” Andrew announced.
Several people responded with “That’s wonderful!” and “That’s great!”
“There’s a catch,” he admitted, coming over to where his grandmother and Rosie were laying out completed quilt blocks.
“Isn’t there always?” Maybelle asked, waiting expectantly for him to elaborate. “No, put that one up there,” she instructed, pointing for a block to be moved to another section of the quilt.
As his grandmother moved the square, Andrew told them, “Someone will have to go pick them up.”
They all stopped what they were doing to look at him.
“Pick them up?” his grandma asked.
“Where are they?” Maybelle wanted to know.
“Can’t we just have them delivered?” Rosie wondered.
“East Kentucky and no, having them delivered isn’t an option.”
“In the mountains?” Morgan asked, keeping her gaze averted from his as she straightened a stack of material.
Andrew nodded. “Their owner used to run a Christmas village in a resort town. They took this winter off for health reasons and decided to permanently retire.”
“He has reindeer?” Cole asked, having stopped the quilting machine to come over to join the group.
“Eight of them.”
“Just eight? What about Rudolph?” Rosie asked, her lower lip going out in a pout.
“No Rudolph. Sorry.”
Rosie sighed. “Well, I guess the other eight will do.”
“I guess they will have to do,” Maybelle huffed, giving her friend a look that implied she wasn’t all there.
“Mr. Harvey has said I can borrow his truck and horse trailer to go get them.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful, Andrew!” his grandmother said. “You’ve thought of everything.”
Maybelle eyed him suspiciously. “Why do I feel there’s another catch?”
“The owner has another offer to buy the deer. If I don’t pick them up this weekend, he’ll sell to them to the other buyer come Monday morning.”
“Sell them?” Rosie’s eyes widened. “I’m buying the reindeer rather than hiring them? What am I going to do with eight reindeer once my wedding is over?”
“You wanted reindeer, so I found reindeer.” Andrew shrugged. “But Mr. Harvey has agreed to take care of them at least until after the wedding. If they’re well-behaved, he’s willing to add reindeer to his Christmas activities at the farm and take them off your hands permanently. Everything hinges on whether or not they’re as great as the owner assures me they are.”
“Looks as if you’re buying eight reindeer,” Maybelle told Rosie, sounding highly amused.
“Rosie’s reindeers,” she contemplated. “that does have a nice ring to it. “Maybe I’ll keep them.”
“No,” the other women all said at once, then looked at each other and laughed.
