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wouldn’t expect you to be there to meet me.”
    His nod was abrupt. “All right. Sign me up.”
    She handed him the form, which he folded and stuck inside his shirt pocket. Taking his bags, he started to leave.
    â€œIt was nice to meet you, Jeb.”
    â€œYou, too,” he replied brusquely and headed out the door.
    Once he’d deposited his groceries inside his truck, he walked over to Sarah’s store. No doubt his manipulating older sister would gloat when she saw him, but that was a small price to pay. This visit had a purpose: He didn’t like being coerced and he wanted to be sure she understood he wouldn’t allow it again. That aside, he wanted to tell her how nice the quilt shop looked and dammit all, he was proud of her. Not that he intended on letting her know it, at least not right away. He was in town, but he wasn’t happy about it, especially now that he realized why she’d worked so hard to get him there.
    Sure enough, shock flashed in her eyes before she recovered enough to greet him with a wide, sassy smile. “Well, well, if it isn’t my reclusive brother. What brings you to Buffalo Valley?”
    â€œAs if you didn’t know,” he snapped.
    â€œLovely to see you, too,” she said sweetly, disregarding his irritation. “This is the first time you’ve been in my shop, isn’t it?”
    He glanced around. Bolts of fabric lined two walls, and a large table dominated one end. Sewing machines, quilting frames and stacks of books were arranged throughout the room. She’d done a good job, making the place look both professional and comfortable.
    â€œIt was a big step for me, moving the business out of the house, but it’s gone well so far.”
    â€œDon’t change the subject,” he countered, refusing to be distracted by her genuine joy at seeing him. “I know what you’re up to, and I’m here to tell you it isn’t going to work, so stop. Understand?”
    â€œYou met Maddy.” Sarah did nothing to disguise her glee. “Isn’t she wonderful?”
    He ignored the question, although he had the feeling his sister was right about the other woman. “What in the world would convince someone from Savannah to buy a grocery store in North Dakota?” he asked instead.
    â€œWell, for one thing, her friend is here. Lindsay.”
    Calla might have been keen on Lindsay Snyder, but his sister had shown no such enthusiasm. In the beginning, Jeb had attributed it to the natural reserve, even suspicion, most folks in North Dakota felt toward newcomers. Even if Lindsay had roots in the community, that didn’t explain her interest in the town.
    â€œI thought you didn’t care for the new schoolteacher.”
    â€œI like her,” Sarah said.
    â€œThat’s not how it looked to me.” As far as he could tell, Sarah had never said anything against Lindsay Snyder, but she hadn’t gone out of her way to welcome her, either.
    His sister sighed and shifted one fabric bolt, exchanging it with another. “First,” she said, her words stiff, “I never figured Lindsay would last the winter. But she did.”
    â€œApparently she intends on making a life here, since she married Gage Sinclair.”
    â€œTrue.” Sarah avoided his eyes, which suggested that the subject made her uncomfortable. “I guess it has more to do with Calla than anything.”
    â€œCalla?” Jeb didn’t know what to make of that. Then it occurred to him—his sister was jealous of the new teacher’s relationship with Calla. So often these days, Calla and Sarah were at each other’s throats. Calla didn’t like the fact that her mother was seeing Dennis Urlacher, and Sarah disapproved of Calla’s clothes and hair and typical teenage attitude. More than once, Jeb had wanted to suggest she “chill,” as Calla put it, but in the end, always decided not to get