How to Knit a Love Song by Rachael Herron Page B

leaning on the register. “Might be surprised to see you though.”
    “It’s been a while, but not that long.”
    Old Bill shrugged.
    “It’s not like I went anywhere. Damn.”
    Bill picked up a rag and wiped the glass-topped counter.
    Cade strode through the diner to the side room, which was reserved for parties in the evening, and unofficially, for the farmers in the morning. It had four tables, a commanding view of the street, and its own coffee carafe, which Shirley kept full most of the time. If she was too busy, the guys would brew their own, but they grumbled about it.
    Most of the regulars were here. It was a good time for it. Nine thirty: all their chores were done. Some of the guys had hired help that did the grunt work now that they could finally afford it, but they still kept the real hours, waking at four or four thirty. The meal they met over looked like breakfast, but acted more like lunch.
    The core group was here: Pete, Jesse, Landers, Hooper, and Stephens.
    And every one of them looked startled as he walked in the back room.
    Cade sat in his usual seat, next to Stephens.
    It remained quiet. Stubbornly, Cade didn’t break the silence. He helped himself to a cup of coffee, and when Shirley came for his order, he pointed at his regular plate of eggs and sausage on the plastic menu. “And a blueberry muffin. Please.”
    Shirley nodded and bustled back into the main dining room.
    Finally, after another long silence, Pete said, “Alpacas?”
    The entire room broke into guffaws. They roared. The higher the volume of their laughter got, the redder Cade’s face became.
    “You’ve been just waiting for this, haven’t you?”
    “Man, we thought you was never gonna come in here. We been dyin’ for you to come by. It’s been weeks!” Stephens raised his coffee cup as if toasting Cade.
    Landers said, “So Mort finally got to you, huh?”
    Hooper said, “I knew he’d get someone to take those critters, but I never woulda figgered it to be you, son.”
    Jesse laughed so hard he went into a coughing fit. He hid his face behind his blue bandana.
    Cade shook his head. “Hell, no! It wasn’t me.”
    The men’s laughter rose again.
    “No, really! It wasn’t me! Mort suckered the girl who’s taking over the cottage.”
    The laughter died, leaving only Jesse spluttering.
    Landers said, “We heard something about that, but we didn’t believe it. Did Eliza really give away the ranch?”
    “Not the whole thing. But yeah, the cottage. And its land.”
    “But that’s smack in the middle of your property.”
    “It’s only mine since she died. It’s not like it was always mine.”
    Pete slammed his coffee cup onto the table, coffee spilling over its sides. “That’s been your land for ten years, ever since she left. We all knew she was never coming back.”
    Landers said, “And now you have alpacas?”
    “Like I said, that’s all her. I’m not touching them. If they die, she’ll have to hire someone to cart them off.”
    Stephens said, “I hear she’s cute.”
    Cade nodded. “The female alpaca is kinda cute, yes. I’d agree. But I still don’t like her.”
    Jesse folded his handkerchief. “But do you like the girl? I saw her down at the Laundromat. She’s just my type, if I do say so.”
    Landers poked Jesse with a fork. “Just your type if she likes eighty-year-old men with consumption.”
    “I’m only sixty-five. And it’s asthma.”
    Stephens said, “So, Cade. Is she? Pretty?”
    Cade inclined his head in a half nod. They weren’t going to let this go, so he might as well meet them halfway. “She’s pretty. I guess you could call her really pretty. But she’s annoying. Way too excited about everything. Why was she at the Laundromat? I have a washer and dryer.”
    “Excited is a good thing, son.”
    “Not like that. She’s just a little…enthusiastic. And I don’t want her there.”
    “She’s moving into the cottage?”
    “As soon as she can fix it up.”
    “You