“I bet it was that evil corgi that lives next door with Eva Taylor. She thinks she’s better than the rest of us here in Honey Grove because her husband was a general in the Army, and they were in England for all those years. I hear she even has tea twice a day and keeps to English traditions.” Gracie’s tone went from a whine to dripping icicles in less than a minute and then back to just above a whimper. “My poor Fifi has to raise half-toy-poodle and half-corgi puppies. They’ll be so ugly that I won’t be able to give them away, and I’ll have to keep them so Fifi won’t be upset with me. Can you come over and be sure that she’s all right?”

“Of course I will. What time is good for you?” Stevie asked.

“I’ve got a hair appointment in thirty minutes and a lunch with the Ladies Auxiliary at the church. Would two o’clock work, and do you think I should leave Fifi that long?” Gracie asked.

“Fifi will be fine, and I’ll come by at two,” Stevie said.

“That’s wonderful,” Gracie sighed. “I’m so sorry to hear about your mother’s house. I heard that you’re living out there at the Sunflower Ranch in the bunkhouse with Cody Ryan. I don’t like to gossip, but…” She hesitated and then went on, “Do you think that’s a good idea? Folks in small towns talk. Not that I would ever say a word, but there’s already rumors going around about you and Cody.”

Stevie rolled her eyes toward the ceiling and tried to keep her voice from betraying the way she really felt about people prying into her business. “I can take care of myself, Miz Gracie, but thank you so much for caring about me.”

“It’s the least I can do since your mother and I were such good friends,” Gracie said. “But if things don’t go well out there, I’ve got a spare bedroom I would be glad to rent to you.”

“Thank you, again. I’ll see you at two,” Stevie said and ended the call. “Like I’d rent a room from her. I’d be crazy as a loon before dark on the first day.” Stevie fumed as she picked up her crutches and headed out to the corral where the alpacas were kept these days. From the back door of the barn, she watched the two crias play for a few minutes, then closed the door and sat down on a bale of hay to pet Dolly and the kittens that had come out to greet her.

Her phone rang again, and the cats all scattered. Stevie pulled the phone from her hip pocket and a wide smile lit up her face when she saw Cody’s name on the screen. “Are you there yet?” she asked.