Rosemary Opens Her Heart: Home at Cedar Creek, Book Two Read Online Free PDF Page B

planning how to arrange a chat, the kitchen door opened and Aunt Abby
     stepped out with a young girl close behind her. Rosemary followed them, holding Katie
     against her hip—and wearing a wide smile that made her face glow like a springtime
     day. Abby’s expression told him she was on a mission, and when she waved at him, Matt
     couldn’t help grinning. Was she helping his cause without even knowing it?
    “Matt, have you met these girls from Queen City?” Abby called to him. “We’re on our
     way over to the store, to see the spring fabrics and baking utensils Sam just got
     in.” As the four of them stopped in the lane, Abby placed her hand on the girl’s shoulder.
     “Titus, I’ve had the nicest time getting to know your family. They’ve been such gut
     help to us. Matt, this is Titus’s daughter, Beth Ann—”
    “Nice to meet you, Beth Ann,” Matt said. She looked to be all legs and arms, like
     a young foal, yet anyone could see she was excited about going to the mercantile.
    “—and this is Rosemary Yutzy and her daughter, Katie,” Abby finished.
    Matt’s heart was pounding, and he reminded himself not to say anything stupid. “Katie
     came over to play with Panda and Pearl earlier,” he said, tweaking the toe of her
     tiny shoe. “We’re glad youcame today, Rosemary. Titus was saying you’d probably like to see the mercantile,
     and it’s just like Aunt Abby to make all the right things happen.”
    Matt held Rosemary’s gaze until she lowered her eyes. Was that a blush on her cheeks,
     or was that wishful thinking on his part?
    “Abby’s been mighty nice to us,” Rosemary murmured. “Beth Ann loves to sew, and she
     wants to see the nook where Abby runs her Stitch in Time business.”
    Titus, who had been following this conversation with great interest, fished his money
     clip from his pocket. “You girls get yourselves something you’ll enjoy,” he said as
     he handed Rosemary some folded bills. “And if you see things you might want later—for
     making us some clothes or stocking the kitchen—we’ll have Matt bring them. He’ll be
     hauling a couple of rams to our place as soon as I pick out two of my yearlings for
     him.”
    Matt’s pulse surged. “If you need help loading your packages into the carriage, Rosemary,
     let me know,” he said. All of a sudden, it seemed that everyone around him was making
     his fondest wish come true. Who could have known Zanna and Jonny’s wedding day would
     turn out so well for him, too?

Chapter 4

    A bby opened the back door to the Cedar Creek Mercantile. “The sign out front says we’re
     closed for the wedding, so if we come in this way, folks on the road won’t expect
     us to let them in,” she explained as they stepped inside. “This is our workroom, where
     we fill resealable plastic bags with spices and cookie sprinkles and whatnot. We store
     our bulk nonperishables in the warehouse to our left. That door leads to the main
     store.”
    Beth Ann walked ahead of her and stopped in the doorway with a delighted gasp. “Oh,
     Rosemary, look!” she said. “Two levels of shopping! And it’s so much homier than the
     big discount store in Kirksville, ain’t so?”
    Abby chuckled. She had known in an instant that Beth Ann would buzz like a honeybee
     when she saw the new spring fabrics and all the craft supplies Sam kept in stock.
     “Take your time,” she encouraged the girl. “The fabrics are to your right.”
    “Jah! And look at those colors—like spring flowers!” Beth Ann exclaimed as she hurried
     into the main room. “Oh, Rosemary, you would look so pretty in that shade of lavender
     over there. It reminds me of wild thistles.”
    Rosemary glanced apologetically at Abby. “You’re probably right, Beth Ann,” she called
     after the girl, who was rushing down the aisle. “But that’s hardly a proper color
     for me to wear. Pick out fabric for your own new dress, and we’ll get a length of
     Triblend to make