were settling
down with a brood of your own."
"Maybe…" Jake winked and watched to see if
Sammie Jo and Clay were listening. Sure enough they were.
"So…Emma says you've been seeing Samantha…"
Hannah pinked as Rusty elbowed her under the table.
"Oh that was tactful," Rusty laughed.
"Yes, I have. She's a wonderful lady." Jake
raised his voice to be sure they heard him.
Sammie Jo nudged Clay and he nodded.
Jake smiled with satisfaction.
"How's Selma? I haven't talked to her since
she moved here," Hannah asked, to change the subject.
"Selma is thoroughly enjoying being here
again. She's right back to her bridge party and quilting and all
the things she used to enjoy." Jake helped himself to the chicken
in front of him.
"Samantha must be relieved to see her
enjoying herself again," Hannah said as she passed the gravy.
"She is, but she still frets over her a
lot."
"That's only natural. Selma has been through
a lot." Hannah defended.
"Oh I agree, and if I'm not mistaken, Selma
is happy about it too." Jake laughed.
Deke started talking about the cattle then
and no more was mentioned about Samantha at the dinner table to
Sammie Jo's and Clay's disappointment.
But while the dishes were being done, Hannah
excused herself to the barn and cornered Jake again. Jake knew
Hannah well enough to know her concerns wer genuine.
"Jake, Emma told me about you and Samantha
planning to teach Sammie Jo a lesson but I have to know something.
Samantha is my friend, and I don't want to see her hurt from all
this. If you are just using her to get at them, well, would you
just tell her?" Hannah asked.
Jake stopped spreading the hay around the
barn and looked at his sister-in-law seriously. "Hannah, I would
never hurt Samantha. She really is a wonderful lady. I promise
you…that is not my intention."
"Then you do like her?" Hannah's eyes
softened on him.
"Very much…." Jake responded, not looking at
Hannah any longer.
"Oh…I'm so glad."
"I've known her a long time, Hannah." Jake
turned to look at Hannah and smiled. "In school though, we sort of
crossed paths but never really got to know each other. I think that
was a huge misunderstanding on both our parts."
Hannah nodded and stared at him a long
time.
"What's wrong…have I got my hat on crooked or
something."
"Deke told us about you not taking the
partnership," Hannah's brows almost crossed.
"Wow, I knew you were direct, just didn't see
this one coming from you. You don't beat around the bush, do you
Hannah?" Jake chuckled. "I like that, nothing better than a
straight out cross examination."
"No…I'm sorry. I have always been a little
blunt, I guess. Forgive me. But aren't you passing up a huge
opportunity?"
Jake shrugged and began spreading the hay
again, "I don't think so, no."
"But with a job like that you'd be
financially set," Hannah frowned.
"That's probably true. But money isn't
everything Hannah!"
Hannah nodded slowly and stared. "You really
are a strange one, Jake. I mean, here you are thinking of starting
a future with a woman and you aren't taking what is right in front
of you. Please don't misunderstand, Jake, but Samantha was married
to a policeman once, and it was rough on her. I'm not sure she
could go through that again."
Jake finally stopped what he was doing and
came to stand in front of Hannah. He saw the real concern in her
face and wanted to put her mind to rest. "I realize that. We've
talked about it."
"Then she knows you aren't taking the
job?"
"She knows."
Hannah threw up her hands and shrugged, "Well
then, there's nothing left to be said I guess."
Hannah started back toward the house but Jake
stopped her, "Hannah, don't worry so much. I know what I’m
doing…And your concern is really appreciated. There is nothing like
family worrying about you to make you feel appreciated."
Hannah tried to smile, but it didn't seem to
reach her lips. She nodded and left.
Jake shook his head and smiled. His
family….they sure did love him!
***
That
down with a brood of your own."
"Maybe…" Jake winked and watched to see if
Sammie Jo and Clay were listening. Sure enough they were.
"So…Emma says you've been seeing Samantha…"
Hannah pinked as Rusty elbowed her under the table.
"Oh that was tactful," Rusty laughed.
"Yes, I have. She's a wonderful lady." Jake
raised his voice to be sure they heard him.
Sammie Jo nudged Clay and he nodded.
Jake smiled with satisfaction.
"How's Selma? I haven't talked to her since
she moved here," Hannah asked, to change the subject.
"Selma is thoroughly enjoying being here
again. She's right back to her bridge party and quilting and all
the things she used to enjoy." Jake helped himself to the chicken
in front of him.
"Samantha must be relieved to see her
enjoying herself again," Hannah said as she passed the gravy.
"She is, but she still frets over her a
lot."
"That's only natural. Selma has been through
a lot." Hannah defended.
"Oh I agree, and if I'm not mistaken, Selma
is happy about it too." Jake laughed.
Deke started talking about the cattle then
and no more was mentioned about Samantha at the dinner table to
Sammie Jo's and Clay's disappointment.
But while the dishes were being done, Hannah
excused herself to the barn and cornered Jake again. Jake knew
Hannah well enough to know her concerns wer genuine.
"Jake, Emma told me about you and Samantha
planning to teach Sammie Jo a lesson but I have to know something.
Samantha is my friend, and I don't want to see her hurt from all
this. If you are just using her to get at them, well, would you
just tell her?" Hannah asked.
Jake stopped spreading the hay around the
barn and looked at his sister-in-law seriously. "Hannah, I would
never hurt Samantha. She really is a wonderful lady. I promise
you…that is not my intention."
"Then you do like her?" Hannah's eyes
softened on him.
"Very much…." Jake responded, not looking at
Hannah any longer.
"Oh…I'm so glad."
"I've known her a long time, Hannah." Jake
turned to look at Hannah and smiled. "In school though, we sort of
crossed paths but never really got to know each other. I think that
was a huge misunderstanding on both our parts."
Hannah nodded and stared at him a long
time.
"What's wrong…have I got my hat on crooked or
something."
"Deke told us about you not taking the
partnership," Hannah's brows almost crossed.
"Wow, I knew you were direct, just didn't see
this one coming from you. You don't beat around the bush, do you
Hannah?" Jake chuckled. "I like that, nothing better than a
straight out cross examination."
"No…I'm sorry. I have always been a little
blunt, I guess. Forgive me. But aren't you passing up a huge
opportunity?"
Jake shrugged and began spreading the hay
again, "I don't think so, no."
"But with a job like that you'd be
financially set," Hannah frowned.
"That's probably true. But money isn't
everything Hannah!"
Hannah nodded slowly and stared. "You really
are a strange one, Jake. I mean, here you are thinking of starting
a future with a woman and you aren't taking what is right in front
of you. Please don't misunderstand, Jake, but Samantha was married
to a policeman once, and it was rough on her. I'm not sure she
could go through that again."
Jake finally stopped what he was doing and
came to stand in front of Hannah. He saw the real concern in her
face and wanted to put her mind to rest. "I realize that. We've
talked about it."
"Then she knows you aren't taking the
job?"
"She knows."
Hannah threw up her hands and shrugged, "Well
then, there's nothing left to be said I guess."
Hannah started back toward the house but Jake
stopped her, "Hannah, don't worry so much. I know what I’m
doing…And your concern is really appreciated. There is nothing like
family worrying about you to make you feel appreciated."
Hannah tried to smile, but it didn't seem to
reach her lips. She nodded and left.
Jake shook his head and smiled. His
family….they sure did love him!
***
That
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