Garters

Esme Crabb has no patience for flirtation. Raised in the hills, she sees herself as far more sensible than her giddy sisters, and she knows a family needs a husband who can keep it fed. Her plan is practical: find a steady, reasonable man and marry him.

Her choice falls on Cleavis Rhy, who seems to meet every one of her requirements. She makes her move in his general store, surrounded by barrels of crackers and shelves of preserves. Esme soon discovers that setting her sights on a man like Cleavis is a bolder undertaking than she expected, one that stirs up the entire town and unsettles her own feelings along the way.