Purls of Wisdom

By James Morgan

Yarn shop owner and ex-soldier Noah Miller never looks forward to the Christmas season. At least this year the break coincides with Hanukkah. But before his vacation, he has to survive the December rush.

When virgin knitter Finley Mason comes into the store desperate for yarn, needles, and lessons so he can win a bet against Hazel, a woman who must be his wife, Noah agrees to help him despite his better judgment—he usually hates teaching.

As the deadline to finish his roommate’s scarf looms, Finley falls in love with the reclusive shopkeeper, and he tries his best to woo Noah with all the magic of New York City at Christmastime. Noah could easily be swept away—if only Finley wasn’t straight and taken….

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2019 Advent Calendar "Homemade for the Holidays."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
• Release date: Dec 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781644057926

James Morgan

James "Jamie" Morgan MA, LPC-S, EMDR is the author of Master of Circumstance. Jamie is a family focused licensed therapist and counselor offering a wide variety of dynamic psychotherapy solutions to his clients. He is the owner of a group counseling practice in the greater St. Louis (My Family Counseling) and a former Air Traffic Controller in the US Navy. He and his family live in St. Charles County, MO.

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Table of Contents

Blurb

Dedication

Knit One

Purl Two

Knit Three

Purl Four

Knit Five

Purl Six

Knit Seven

Purl Eight

Knit Nine

About the Author

By Morgan James

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Copyright

Purls of Wisdom

By Morgan James

Yarn shop owner and ex-soldier Noah Miller never looks forward to the Christmas season. At least this year the break coincides with Hanukkah. But before his vacation, he has to survive the December rush.

When virgin knitter Finley Mason comes into the store desperate for yarn, needles, and lessons so he can win a bet against Hazel, a woman who must be his wife, Noah agrees to help him despite his better judgment—he usually hates teaching.

As the deadline to finish his roommate’s scarf looms, Finley falls in love with the reclusive shopkeeper, and he tries his best to woo Noah with all the magic of New York City at Christmastime. Noah could easily be swept away—if only Finley wasn’t straight and taken….

For LS, who read it first.

Knit One

NOAH COUNTED the five skeins of indigo bulky merino and made a note on his clipboard. Then he counted up the gray—only two balls left—and the green—one. He sighed. Time to make an order from Knit a Good Yarn.

He shifted to the medium weights and discovered the supply of Entwined’s worsted was equally low. Scowling to see the shelf so empty, he slashed at the paper. He couldn’t wait for Mark’s return—this week without him, during an exam crunch, had been most unpleasant.

Resettled behind his counter, Noah rummaged for the order sheets. New York’s grandmothers were emptying his shelves in the run-up to Christmas. He scowled at the paperwork. Any of the office drudgery that involved communication with other businesses was his least favorite. He was grumbling and writing when the bell jangled over the door—one of these days, he’d rip that damn thing off the frame—and a man came scurrying up to the counter.

Hello! I hope you can help me. I’m in a bit of a fix. I need a Christmas present, something knitted, but I’ve never knitted anything before in my life. And I know Christmas Day is fast approaching, but have you ever lived with someone after losing a bet? She’ll be insufferable! The man took a deep breath.

Noah blinked at him, registering flushed cheeks and bright blue eyes. Excuse me?

Er. I need to knit something and don’t know how. Please tell me you can teach me how! The man leaned on the counter and in to Noah, his full lips parted, his lashes fluttering.

Noah hated teaching others how to knit—the skill required patience, something he’d never been long on for amateurs or incompetents. Well, he wasn’t long on patience for most human interactions, really. He often gave thanks to a higher power he only reflexively believed in these days that yarn customers tended to be quiet introverts who loathed to talk or old ladies who carried the conversational weight.

This is a yarn store, not a school, Noah said dryly.

Blue Eyes—they really were startlingly bright—chewed his pink bow lip. Right, I am aware. Only I’m not sure where I could learn how to knit, and I don’t have any supplies, and surely you can help me in some way. Noah had the vague impression of a Marilyn Monroe type batting her lashes.

Noah sighed. I can sell you yarn and needles.

Yes, but— Blue Eyes widened his eyes and stared beseechingly up at Noah. Please? I have no idea what I’m doing, and it’s for a Christmas present. If I screw this up, I’ll be in the doghouse. You know how it is with Christmas, right?

Noah lifted an eyebrow. I’m Jewish. And gay. And single.

Startled, Blue Eyes leaned back, then waved his hands spasmodically. Er, oh, sorry for assuming, but—but surely you’ve had to give important presents before!

Noah inclined his head. He’d learned to knit at his father’s knee so he could gift a hat and scarf to his mother. What is it you were hoping to make?

She wants one of those tube scarf things.

I see. Noah put down his pen and regarded Blue Eyes. And why can’t you just buy her one? And leave me in peace?

Blue Eyes slumped. We made a bet, he mumbled. Or an agreement, I guess. He picked up the pen and wiggled it with an absentminded air. "She knits, you see, and I paint, and we got into a