“That was a little different, since it was during business hours, and she was at her desk facing the monitor screens rather than after hours logging in on a phone while at Lou’s surrounded by nosy Butterflies.” Cole slid his hands into his jeans pocket and gave the women a pointed look.
“There is that,” Sophie agreed, then giggled. “Maybe she’ll look at the camera and stick her tongue out at me.”
“Isabelle?” Cole snorted. “I wouldn’t count on it.”
“Stranger things have happened.”
“Like us grabbing our dinner and heading to the farm where we’re supposed to be?” Cole asked, glancing at his watch.
“You can’t leave now. It’s just getting interesting,” Ruby said, gesturing to the phone. “This is good stuff. Do you see her laughing?”
“Yep.” Cole nodded. “At him. Poor guy.”
“But she’s laughing, and, if it is at him, he doesn’t look as if he minds,” Sophie assured. “Besides, his goof-ups are intentional. Sarah says he sews like a dream. I just adore that he has my sister smiling.”
“Your fiancé would be smiling if we’d eaten our dinner on time.”
“You’re not going to starve if you stay just a few more minutes.” Maybelle gave a look that said he and Sophie weren’t leaving until she said they could.
Cole’s stomach grumbled. “I might.”
“If you don’t want to wait, you can go ahead. We don’t have to do takeout. Either way, I’ll make our delay up to you with some of my sugar cookies,” Sophie promised, not lifting her gaze from the phone screen as Zach did something that had Isabelle laughing again.
Eyeing the women around the phone, Cole leaned his head against the booth’s back. “If Zach made it through Ranger training, I guess he can handle a few nosy Butterflies and their beautiful accomplice.”
“If he can’t, he’s not the right man for our Isabelle.” Aunt Claudia patted Cole’s shoulder, then became distracted by the screen. “Now, go ahead and eat, so you’ll quit talking about leaving. Oh, what’s in that bag Isabelle just picked up off the counter?”
“Zach bought Bobbin a present.”
Rosie snorted. “He should have brought Isabelle a present.”
Cole shook his head. “Isabelle is more impressed by things being done for those she loves than by someone doing something for her.”
“Very observant,” Maybelle praised. “Zach made the right choice, which is a good thing, since he has major points against him where Isabelle is concerned.”
There was another collective Butterfly sigh. They watched Isabelle open the bag, glance inside, then glance up at Zach with a horrified expression.
“What did he give her?” Maybelle wanted to know.
“He said it was catnip, but I don’t think that’s what it is,” Sophie said.
Ruby scratched her head. “Does Carrie sell anything that warrants that look?”
“Whatever it is, Zach thinks it’s funny,” Aunt Claudia pointed out. “Do you see the smirk on his face?”
“I do. What a cutie.” Rosie fanned herself. “That dimple is just like Christmas morning twenty-four seven.”
“Shh, Lou might hear you,” Aunt Claudia warned.
Waving her hand dismissively, Rosie giggled. “Wouldn’t matter. He knows my eyes are perfectly fine, but that my heart belongs to him. That man is the best.”
“He must be to put up with you,” Maybelle said, causing Ruby and Claudia to snicker.
Rosie gave her a tight smile. “Hmm, that’s what I was thinking about John.”
“John and I are just friends,” Maybelle insisted.
“You looked quite cozy during your bird-watching adventures.”
