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“Hi,” Jacob waved at him with a weak smile.
Avery handed the driver the suitcase and gave Jacob a big, monster bear hug before watching them all pile into the black SUV and drive away taking her heart with it. She knew that she would get through this. She had to; she didn’t have a choice. But it wasn’t going to be easy.
For the first time ever, she was upset that she’d gotten all caught up on work. It was crazy how much easier running one property was compared to running three.
Tears filled her eyes as the Cadillac turned and was no longer in view.
She was turning to go back inside when her mom appeared beside her with her large purse slung over her shoulder and pulled on her arm toward the car. “Come on.”
“Why? Where are we going?”
“To the knitting club I told you about.”
“Wait, you were serious?” Her mom mentioned that she was going to take her to a knitting club, but she thought she was kidding.
“Yes! I saw Doris today and told her that your lyin’, cheatin’, two-timin’ ex was going to take your son away from you for three weeks, and she said you needed to go to the Needlepoint Mafia meeting tonight.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Avery said sarcastically as she wiped the tears from beneath her eyes as she climbed in the passenger seat. This was a small town, and the last thing she needed was for everyone to know what Jude did. She didn’t want people to look at her with pity or as a woman scorned. It really hadn’t burned that bad, or at all. “There is one problem with this plan, I don’t know how to knit.”
Well, that wasn’t true. She knew the basics, thanks to her mom who had picked it up when she toured. She said that and romance novels had helped her pass the time.
Her mom waved her hand dismissively. “It’s just a stitch ‘n bitch.”
“Stitch and bitch?”
“It’s more of a socializin’ club. ‘Cept, Ididhear that you’re not allowed to talk.”
“Wait, it’s a knitting club but you can’t talk?”
“You can, but it’s frowned upon.”
Avery was more confused by the second. But she figured anything would be better than sitting at home feeling sorry for herself.
In less than five minutes they pulled up in front of the Whisper Lake community center and for some reason, Avery felt nervous as they walked inside. She remembered Karen Carpenter, not the singer, telling her about these meetings being exclusive, invite-only when she was staying at the B&B. She remembered it because the name had stuck out to her. The Needlepoint Mafia—that wasn’t a name you’d forget.
Avery and her mom walked in and she saw that it was filled with about forty women and it was pretty quiet. There were a few murmurs of talking, but no lively conversations. A woman who reminded her of Mrs. Santa Claus greeted them, “Hello Blanche, I’m so glad you could come. And you must be Avery.”
“Hi.” Avery lifted her hand in a wave.
“I’m Mrs. Dobrinski, but you can call me Mrs. D. Why don’t you head over to the kid's table.”
“The kid's table?”
Mrs. D pointed at a group of women who all looked to be around Avery’s age. She recognized one of them as Kennedy Dawes, who was the realtor that Avery spoke to when she inherited the castle and had considered selling it.
Her mom handed her a ball of yarn and two knitting needles. “Have fun, darlin’.”
Avery felt like the new kid at school as she joined the group. “Hi, I’m—”
“Avery!” Kennedy exclaimed as she stood garnering a chorus ofshhhsfrom the room.
“We’re really not allowed to talk?” Avery whispered as Kennedy pulled her into a hug.
“It’s frowned upon,” Kennedy responded using the same phrase that her mom had, speaking in a quiet tone. Kennedy motioned to the empty seat and introduced Avery to the group, continuing to speak in a whisper.
Kennedy motioned to the pretty blonde at the end of the semi-circle “This is Chrissy, she is a super mom of four amazing kids, just started an event planning business and is now my sister-in-law.” Then she pointed at the woman Avery had sat next to who she recognized as the hair and makeup person who worked on the show. Avery had been impressed with her 1940’s pinup style. Tonight she was wearing a tight white t-shirt that had a ball of yarn with two hooking needles stuck through it that said I’m a Knotty Knotty Hooker below it. “This is Jess, she is a badass makeup artist and hair stylist who owns The Mane Attraction.
“And this is Laura. She is the mom of the most adorable twins Jackson and Jasmine and owns the Snack Shack. She is my bestie and, like Chrissy, also my new sister-in-law.” Kennedy lifted her hand displaying a diamond ring she was wearing.
