A Wild Goose Chase Christmas: Quilts of Love Series Read Free Page B

other hand. “Here you go.”
    “Gee, thanks.” Max didn’t seem impressed by her altruistic gesture.
    His grandfather was another matter. “Thank you, Izzy.” Before she knew it was coming, he grabbed her in a hug, squeezing tighter than she expected he could and crushing Gran’s gift between them. Then he whispered in her ear. “Come visit me, and I’ll tell you everything I know about the quilt.”
    Over his shoulder, she saw Max roll his eyes toward the ceiling. He’d heard, but she didn’t want to let Virgil know that. The man was already certain he was being watched. No point in confirming it.
    “I will,” she whispered back. She handed him the umbrella. “Stay dry.”
    He grinned at her. “What’s the fun in that?”
    Max took his coat back and spread it over his head like a tarp. But when he made it to the threshold, he turned around one last time. “Take good care of it,” he said, jutting his chin toward the quilt. “And don’t do anything foolish, like putting it up on eBay.”
    Izzy had a few choice words for him but decided to keep them to herself. She stepped forward, putting her free handon the side of the door. “Good-bye, Virgil. It was a pleasure meeting you.”
    They walked out and she shut the door behind them. A moment later, she heard whistling, then the opening lyrics of “Singing in the Rain.” Izzy kneeled on the couch, setting the box beside her, and peeked out through the window sheers. Max strode quickly down the driveway, head down and steps sure, toward the curb where he’d parked his car. Virgil trailed behind doing a respectable Gene Kelly impression, swinging the open umbrella like a dance partner and purposely stomping into a puddle. With a chuckle, Izzy fell back against the cushions. What an odd pair those two were.
    Her eyes rested on the quilt beside her. Speaking of odd pairs … why in the world had Gran decided to give her this quilt? If it was a family heirloom, shouldn’t it go to Izzy’s mother?
    “Not if she wanted it to stay in the family,” Izzy said to herself. If there was any monetary value in the quilt, her mother’s first thought would be to sell it, and Gran would have known that. But could it really hold anything more than sentimental value? Carefully, Izzy lifted the heavy layers of material from the box. As she did, a folded piece of paper fell out and fluttered to the floor.
    Izzy smiled. A message from Gran. Of course she wouldn’t give Izzy a present with no card, no explanation at all. She picked up the paper, spread it out flat, and read.
    My Sweet Izzy,
    I’ve entrusted my dear friend Virgil with this family heirloom. The fact that you are reading this means I’ve gone to Glory, and Virgil has given it to you. I’d hoped to do it myself, but obviously the Lord had other plans. You maybe wondering why I chose to give you this gift. It is because I believe you are the one person who will truly appreciate it. The quilt holds the key to a treasure beyond price. It has a rich history, and by understanding it, you will have a richer, fuller future.
    I pray the Lord will bless you and keep you until we are together again.
    All my love,
    Your Gran
    Tears rolled unchecked down Izzy’s cheeks. She gasped as the first one dropped from her chin and landed on the quilt, leaving a dark spot on the off-white background. If this was as old as she thought it was, it had no doubt seen its share of tears, but Izzy didn’t want to add to them. She swiped the back of her wrist across her eyes and set the quilt to one side. Gran’s letter hadn’t told her much about the family heirloom, but it had reinforced two very important facts: first, her grandmother loved her. Second, there was no way on earth Max Logan was getting his hands on this quilt.

    “If she thinks she can keep that quilt, she’s crazy.” Max shook his head and gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, but the smells of wet leather