The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club - 02 - The Tattered Quilt by Wanda E. Brunstetter Read Free Book Online Page A

“A gopher? What are you talking about?”
    “You know. Having another guy to take care of the odd stuff, like picking up the old shingles, instead of us having to do it,” Jan explained. “Someone who’d bring us stuff when we’re working on the roof. Tools and such. Like I said, a gofer.” He grinned. “They’d go fer this and go fer that.”
    Terry chuckled. “Oh yeah…that kind of gopher.”
    Jan thumped Terry’s arm. “Well, since we don’t have one, I think we oughta get these old shingles picked up.”
    “Guess you’re right. I’ll just have to make plans to go riding next Saturday. Do you and Star want to go along?”
    Jan shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ll have to wait and see what she’s up to. She may have to work, or she could be in Fort Wayne, visiting her mom and stepdad.”
    “Do you ever wish you and Bunny could’ve gotten back together?”
    “Sometimes.” Jan sighed. “But I guess it’s better this way. There was a certain kind of chemistry between me and Bunny when we were teenagers, but after Star was born, her mom changed. She couldn’t have really loved me back then if she could just run away and take our baby without looking back or letting me know where she was going. Even if Bunny had tried to start something up with me after Star came back into my life, I don’t think I could have ever trusted her again.” He groaned. “I’m not sure marriage is even right for me. Think me and my dog, Brutus, are better off without a wife telling us what to do.”
    “I know what you mean.” Terry slapped his knee. “Don’t think I’ll ever tie the knot.” He slowly shook his head. “Not with the way things turned out for my folks.”
    “It’s a shame they split up after being married so many years,” Jan said, running his finger over the film of dirt clinging to the dashboard of his truck. “Figured after they’d gone to see a counselor that things might get better.”
    “Yeah, me, too. They were doing better for a while, but then Dad started drinking pretty heavy, so Mom kicked him out.”
    Jan gave the fingers on his left hand a good pop. “Life is full of disappointments, ain’t it?”
    “That’s for sure. Sometimes it stinks.”
    “But some things we just can’t change, and right now we’d better quit yammering and get to work.” Jan opened the truck door and stepped out.
    Terry hopped out, too, and went around and opened the back of the utility trailer. The sooner they got the shingles picked up, the sooner he could return to the single-wide trailer he rented from his uncle Ted. Not that there was anything great waiting for him there. It would just be nice to flake out for the rest of the day. Sometimes he wished he had a home of his own—maybe a log cabin surrounded by trees.
    Maybe I oughta look into buying a small piece of land
, Terry thought.
Then I could start building a cabin during my free time
. He grabbed some shingles and pitched them into the trailer.
Well, I can’t think about that right now. I’ve got work to do
.
    Terry and Jan had only been working a short time, when a sporty looking, silver-gray car pulled into the yard. A slender young woman with short blond hair worn in a bob stepped out of the car. She was dressed in beige slacks and a rose-colored pullover sweater that showed off her womanly curves. She glanced up at the house, then opened her trunk and removed a cardboard box. Glancing briefly at Terry and Jan, she headed for Emma’s house, walking with an air of confidence.
    “Now there’s a real looker,” Terry said, as the woman stepped onto the porch.
    Jan rolled his blue eyes. “She’s probably here for Emma’s quilt class, and don’t get any dumb ideas, ’cause she’s most likely married. Even if she’s not, she looks too sophisticated for a guy like you.”
    “What are you sayin’, man? You think I’m not good enough for someone like her?”
    “I ain’t saying that at all. Just don’t think you’d have anything in