Read Online Raspberries and Vinegar (A Farm Fresh Romance Book 1) by Valerie Comer - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Valerie Comer
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designs and stuff.”
Sierra beamed. “I’ve always wanted to take it up. Maybe now that we’re living out in the country I’ll have time. Think she’d be willing to teach me?”
A slight movement from Jo caught Zach’s attention but, when he looked, her focus was on her food. He turned back to Sierra. “I don’t see why not. She’s part of a club that makes quilts for orphanages in Romania. You’ve met Gabe, at Nature’s Pantry?”
Sierra nodded.
“His parents retired early and went over there as missionaries.”
She leaned forward. “Oh, that is so cool! That would be even better than making them for myself or my family.”
Claire laughed. “At least we wouldn’t have to look at your early attempts.”
Sierra scrunched up her face at her friend.
Zach leaned back, grinning. Who would have thought he’d enjoy talking about quilts around a meal with these women?
Jo pushed her half-eaten stew away.
Domino whimpered in his sleep. A light scratching sound on metal followed, and a wee thump.
Zach glanced up, trying to place it. No one else must have heard it, because they all seemed focused on their food.
Sierra set her glass of water down with unnecessary force.
Claire turned to him. “So, tell us about your job. I hear you’re a veterinarian?”
“Yes, that’s right. Just got my license to practice a few months ago.”
The scratching turned into a scuffle. Domino cocked his head.
Zach frowned. “What’s that sound?”
The pup whimpered, his gaze trained on the garbage can beside the stove.
The girls exchanged glances. “Sounds like we caught another mouse,” Jo said at last.
He hadn’t heard a snap. And dead mice didn’t scratch.
“We got a live trap.” She took a deep breath. “We weren’t catching enough of them with the kind you brought over.”
Enough of them? What on earth did that mean? “How many have you caught?”
She poked her spoon around her bowl. “We’ve... um... kind of lost track. Too many.”
Claire snorted. “And yet not enough.”
“Are they reproducing in here, or are more coming in from the fields?”
Jo spread her hands. “How would we know? We haven’t found any more nests.”
A good start, anyway. “Have you located their entry point, then?”
She looked at him blankly. “Um. Like where?”
“Around water pipes, maybe. Places like that.”
She shook her head. “We haven’t found any big gaps.”
“It doesn’t take much. They can squeeze through nearly anything.” Surely the girls had done a thorough inspection.
“Claire stuffed some insulation around the pipes under the sink.” Sierra poked a thumb in the direction of the counter.
“That won’t stop them. They’ll push right past fiberglass.”
“Then what?” Jo leaned her elbows on the table. “We can’t seem to get ahead of them.”
“Steel wool works. Of course there’s no insulating value to it, but they won’t chew through the metal wires or push against it.”
Claire raised her eyebrows. “Even if we block more from coming in, there are still a gazillion in here somewhere.”
“You need a cat.” Zach grinned. “Grandma had a fat old tom named George. He certainly kept pests under control.”
Sierra poked her chin across the table. “Jo says she’s allergic.”
“Well, I am!”
Zach had another bite of stew. Nearly gone, to his regret. “A lot of people who think they’re allergic can adapt to one they live with. How severe are your reactions?”
“I get stuffed up and sneezy.” Jo narrowed her gaze at him.
Oops, looked like he’d touched a sensitive spot. “You could have tests done. If you wanted.”
“We don’t want a cat anyway.” Claire shifted in her seat. “They get on the counters and stuff. I don’t want cat hair in my food any more than I want mice around.”
So much for Mom’s idea of foisting off some of Mindy’s kittens. He pushed his bowl away slightly. “That was a great supper. Thanks.”
“Oh, there’s more if
Sierra beamed. “I’ve always wanted to take it up. Maybe now that we’re living out in the country I’ll have time. Think she’d be willing to teach me?”
A slight movement from Jo caught Zach’s attention but, when he looked, her focus was on her food. He turned back to Sierra. “I don’t see why not. She’s part of a club that makes quilts for orphanages in Romania. You’ve met Gabe, at Nature’s Pantry?”
Sierra nodded.
“His parents retired early and went over there as missionaries.”
She leaned forward. “Oh, that is so cool! That would be even better than making them for myself or my family.”
Claire laughed. “At least we wouldn’t have to look at your early attempts.”
Sierra scrunched up her face at her friend.
Zach leaned back, grinning. Who would have thought he’d enjoy talking about quilts around a meal with these women?
Jo pushed her half-eaten stew away.
Domino whimpered in his sleep. A light scratching sound on metal followed, and a wee thump.
Zach glanced up, trying to place it. No one else must have heard it, because they all seemed focused on their food.
Sierra set her glass of water down with unnecessary force.
Claire turned to him. “So, tell us about your job. I hear you’re a veterinarian?”
“Yes, that’s right. Just got my license to practice a few months ago.”
The scratching turned into a scuffle. Domino cocked his head.
Zach frowned. “What’s that sound?”
The pup whimpered, his gaze trained on the garbage can beside the stove.
The girls exchanged glances. “Sounds like we caught another mouse,” Jo said at last.
He hadn’t heard a snap. And dead mice didn’t scratch.
“We got a live trap.” She took a deep breath. “We weren’t catching enough of them with the kind you brought over.”
Enough of them? What on earth did that mean? “How many have you caught?”
She poked her spoon around her bowl. “We’ve... um... kind of lost track. Too many.”
Claire snorted. “And yet not enough.”
“Are they reproducing in here, or are more coming in from the fields?”
Jo spread her hands. “How would we know? We haven’t found any more nests.”
A good start, anyway. “Have you located their entry point, then?”
She looked at him blankly. “Um. Like where?”
“Around water pipes, maybe. Places like that.”
She shook her head. “We haven’t found any big gaps.”
“It doesn’t take much. They can squeeze through nearly anything.” Surely the girls had done a thorough inspection.
“Claire stuffed some insulation around the pipes under the sink.” Sierra poked a thumb in the direction of the counter.
“That won’t stop them. They’ll push right past fiberglass.”
“Then what?” Jo leaned her elbows on the table. “We can’t seem to get ahead of them.”
“Steel wool works. Of course there’s no insulating value to it, but they won’t chew through the metal wires or push against it.”
Claire raised her eyebrows. “Even if we block more from coming in, there are still a gazillion in here somewhere.”
“You need a cat.” Zach grinned. “Grandma had a fat old tom named George. He certainly kept pests under control.”
Sierra poked her chin across the table. “Jo says she’s allergic.”
“Well, I am!”
Zach had another bite of stew. Nearly gone, to his regret. “A lot of people who think they’re allergic can adapt to one they live with. How severe are your reactions?”
“I get stuffed up and sneezy.” Jo narrowed her gaze at him.
Oops, looked like he’d touched a sensitive spot. “You could have tests done. If you wanted.”
“We don’t want a cat anyway.” Claire shifted in her seat. “They get on the counters and stuff. I don’t want cat hair in my food any more than I want mice around.”
So much for Mom’s idea of foisting off some of Mindy’s kittens. He pushed his bowl away slightly. “That was a great supper. Thanks.”
“Oh, there’s more if
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