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CHAPTER THIRTEEN

A nnie tried to explain away another kiss.

Why was she being so foolish? The more she cared, the more chance of being hurt.

Something she must guard against. Nevertheless, she rose Saturday morning with a smile on her lips.

And why not? The sun was shining, the air was fresh, Evan ran about like an ordinary boy, Grandfather moved easier, and Hugh?—

Hugh. She could not decide what to say about Hugh, so she pushed the name aside. Only it didn’t go away. He stuck dead center in her thoughts.

It meant nothing.

With a start, she realized she pressed her fingertips to her lips. She jerked them away and hurried to the kitchen to start the day. She had much to do. Make raisin pies, prepare a roast...

Her thoughts drifted off in a different direction.

Perhaps after supper, she could get everyone gathered around the table to work on the figures for the Christmas story.

The dough ornaments had turned out rather well.

All they needed was yarn or ribbon to hang them, and she meant to make that a family activity.

There were gifts to prepare. Months ago, she’d started making things for her family.

The Marshall family. Now, she needed to make gifts for the Arness family.

Would she be Mrs. Arness by Christmas?

The coffee sputtered, and Grandfather hobbled into the room, Hugh, Evan, and Happy at his heels. Annie pulled her thoughts back to the here and now, determined she would concentrate on the present moment.

She poured cups of coffee for the men, carefully avoiding Hugh’s eyes.

She didn’t know what she might see and didn’t want to know.

Coward, she scolded herself as she returned to the stove.

Ma and Pa would be disappointed to know she was running from a problem.

They’d raised her to confront difficult tasks and overcome her fears.

She did not like having to admit there was one fear she refused to confront. Her fear of loss. How was she to face it when it was so threatening?

With no answer to her own question, she threw herself into the activities of the day, finding it easier to think clearly when Hugh retired to his office to work on his sermon.

What would he preach on? Would she be able to hear him?

She eyed Evan. How would he handle going out in public? One way to find out.

“I need to go to the store,” she announced. She needed to purchase fabric to make Evan a new shirt and some yarn to knit mittens for him. “Evan, would you like to come with me and pick out a candy stick?”

The boy’s eyes widened with eager anticipation of the candy, and then, realizing that she’d asked him to accompany her, he shrank back, wrapping his arms around Happy’s neck.

“We won’t be long.” She held out his coat, hoping, praying he would agree to accompany her.

Grandfather watched, his expression encouraging. “There are a dozen different flavors of candy stick,” he said. “I always wonder how I can take just one.” Grandfather kept talking softly as Annie waited, giving Evan plenty of time and space to make up his mind.

Finally, he rose and slipped his arms into the sleeves of the coat. She gave him a woolen hat and woolen mitts to put on as feeling rather pleased at Evan’s agreement, she hurried into her own outerwear.

They reached the entrance.

“Happy, stay.” The pup sat back with a whine.

Evan pulled on her hand and looked at the dog.

“No, he can’t go. Dogs can’t go in the store, and Happy isn’t well enough trained yet to be left outdoors to wait. He might run into the street and get hurt.” She opened the door.

Evan hung back.

“You can pick out candy sticks for your papa and for Grandfather, too,” she said.

He nodded, squeezing her hand as hard as his little fingers could and they went outside and began the journey to the store.

Thankfully it wasn’t far because Evan started to quiver within ten steps.

By the time they reached the intersection of the two main streets of Bella Creek, she wondered if he’d forgotten to breathe.

In an attempt to ease his fear, she told him about Kate and Isabelle coming to town with the doctor earlier in the year.

She didn’t explain that they had come to replace the doctor who had left after a devastating fire in Bella Creek.

She went on to explain how Dawson had fallen in love with the beautiful Isabelle, and then Conner had fallen in love with the practical Kate.

“And Aunt Sadie was the teacher. She and Logan rescued three children and ended up falling in love and becoming parents to the children.”

She stared at the schoolhouse. Logan and Sadie had been thrown together because of the children. Until then, they’d had little interest in each other. She wondered if she remembered correctly that they’d tried to avoid each other on several social occasions prior to the arrival of the children.

Had the young ones been the catalyst for them falling in love? Or were their feelings ripe and ready all the time and simply needed a reason to ignore their caution and reserve?

Was looking after Evan doing the same thing for her?

She shook her head. How could she think such things? Yes, she and Hugh had kissed. Twice. She hadn’t minded it one bit. Truth be told, she found it rather pleasant. That didn’t mean either one of them was ready for love.

She hurried onward, determined to ignore such foolishness. No one was in the store but her Uncle George and he greeted them warmly. “How is Grandfather?”

“Doing better now the weather has changed. You should come and see for yourself.”

“I’ll do that. Now, what can I do for you and this handsome young man?”

Evan shrank back. A faint whimper came from him.

Please, God, don’t let this drive him back into his hard little shell.

“Evan would like a candy stick for himself, Grandfather, and his papa. I need three yards of that fabric.” She pointed it out, having seen it before.

“And that yarn.” While Uncle George prepared her purchases, she led Evan to the colorful array of candy jars on one end of the counter.

“Which would you like?”

His shoulders were high and tight, his expression tense.

She placed her hand gently on his shoulder, the tension beneath her palm making her want to pull him into her arms and comfort him. But he’d not let any of them do more than touch him, and she didn’t want to push him too hard.

“See how many flavors there are to choose from? Maybe Uncle George will have a treat for Happy as well.”

At the mention of his pup, Evan’s eyes focused, and he looked at the candy. He pointed out a red one for him, a golden one for Grandfather, and a green one for Hugh.

Knowing that he remembered the flavors she’d brought home, she could barely restrain herself from hugging him.

Uncle George brought a bone from the back and wrapped it for Evan to take home to Happy.

They left the store with their purchases. Two ladies stood on the sidewalk as they exited.

“Good morning, Miss Marshall.”

Feeling Evan stiffen and hearing his faint whimper, Annie greeted them but hurried away without stopping to visit.

At home, Evan gave Grandfather his candy and Happy his bone. The pup was ecstatic and bounded back to the mat, where he attacked the bone with a great deal of vigor.

When Hugh joined them for dinner, Evan handed him the candy stick.

Hugh thanked him.

She waited until after the meal to indicate Hugh should go to the living room with her.

“He went to the store with me and picked out the candy himself.”

Hugh blinked. Opened his mouth and closed it again.

She grinned, enjoying his surprise. Might her success earn her another kiss? Now, where had that thought come from?

“He went to the store?”

“He was very brave.” She described Evan’s journey and behavior. Told about the two ladies on the street. “I don’t think he’s up to seeing a bunch of people yet.”

“I’m more than pleased with this step. Thank you.” Hugh squeezed her shoulder.

Heaven help her, she couldn’t keep from leaning into his palm, lifting her face, and wishing?—

No.

She straightened. “Well, I must get back to work, as I’m sure you must as well.” And she practically raced to the kitchen. Her nerves felt raw. When she heard the office door close behind him, she began to relax.

The afternoon sped by as she prepared food.

About four o’clock, Hugh came from his office.

She expected he wanted coffee and served him some with freshly baked ginger cookies.

He ate and drank, but when he finished, he didn’t return to his office.

Her movements grew more and more jerky as he stayed and stayed. Did he have something in mind?

“How did those doughy things we rolled and cut for tree ornaments turn out?”

She tried to think if he meant to make conversation or wanted to work on the decorations?

Did it mean he wanted to spend time with her?

The idea sent a spiral of longing through her before she could slam the door on such thoughts.

Somehow, she managed to pull a rational question from her brain. “Are you done in your office?”

“I believe I am and thought you might like to do some more Christmas preparation.”

Evan jumped up and went to his father’s side. There was no mistaking the eagerness in his face.

She could hardly say no to either of them and brought the tray of ornaments from the pantry.

Hugh chuckled. “I imagined misshapen unidentifiable objects, but these aren’t half bad.”

“Half bad?” She pretended offense. “They look very nice, don’t they, Evan?”

Evan looked from one to the other.

Annie watched him. Would he recognize teasing?

Then he nodded, his eyes sparkling.

She could have hugged him. Could have hugged everyone. He was a bright boy making wonderful progress.

They spent the next hour working on the Christmas ornaments and the figures for the Christmas story. It was a pleasant time creating together as a family and achieved all Annie hoped it would.