Huckleberry Hearts by Jennifer Beckstrand Page B

I’ve got an eight o’clock patient tomorrow.”
    Had she hurt his feelings? Not likely for a guy like Dr. Reynolds. But she had shaken his aggravating confidence. The doctor was very good at picking up on her nonverbal cues, and she appreciated that he wasn’t the pushy type, at least as far as she was concerned. How many guys at school even knew how to take “no” for an answer?
    He took his coat, put it on, and pulled his keys from the pocket. “Thanks for feeding me.”
    â€œThank you for dropping by to see my mammi. She acts cheerful enough, but I know she’s worried. She probably mentioned your name a dozen times after we came home from the hospital. She has a lot of confidence in you.” She let a wisp of a smile play at her lips just so he knew there were no hard feelings. “And so do I.”
    Her praise seemed to make him happier than a whole plate of fried chicken. “I’m glad to hear it. I’ll do my best to live up to it.” He took the lantern from the roof of his car, handed it to her, and unlocked his car door manually with the key. His automatic lock was probably broken like hers. It had been that way for years.
    â€œYou locked your car? In Bonduel, Wisconsin?”
    He gave her a wry grin. “Old habit. I’m from California, remember?”
    â€œIf you start to slide, turn your tires in the direction the back of your car is sliding. That might help you arrive without wrapping yourself around a tree.”
    â€œFifi.”
    She arched an eyebrow.
    â€œThat’s what I named my car,” he said.
    â€œMine’s The Beast.”
    He rested his arm on top of his open car door. “Fifi and The Beast. Sounds like a grunge band.”
    â€œOr a Disney movie.”
    He chuckled. “Is your key the basic kind like mine?”
    She took her key chain out of her coat pocket and jangled it in front of his face. “The automatic lock doesn’t work anymore.”
    â€œMe too. How have we survived this long?”
    The keys slipped from her hands and into the snow. Dr. Reynolds bent over and picked them up then paused to examine the acrylic charm dangling from the ring. “What’s this?”
    â€œOh, nothing. Proof that I’m an art history geek. It’s a painting by George Frederic Watts.”
    The doctor held it up for a better look. “A knight in shining armor.”
    â€œSir Galahad. One of my favorites. Watts captures the essence of Tennyson’s poem. ‘My strength is as the strength of ten because my heart is pure.’” She cleared her throat and took the keys from his outstretched hand. No need to bore Dr. Reynolds to death. “I should be going in now.”
    The doctor smiled. “See you on Saturday, Miss Coblenz.”
    Rational or not, she found herself looking forward to it. He shut the door and started his car, which made the same high-pitched squeaky groan that Cassie’s did when she started hers.
    She had no problem with Dr. Reynolds coming to the auction on Saturday. He was charming and funny, and her expectations were so low that he couldn’t possibly disappoint her. Besides, he was coming because Mammi wanted him to, not Cassie. She might be able to spend much of the day at the auction without his really noticing her.
    She marched to the house with all due speed. Something told her that she wouldn’t escape his notice that easily. Her rebellious heart pounded with anticipation.

Chapter Seven
    Cassie lifted her arms and pulled the dress over her head. All things considered, it wasn’t too bad. Mamm, in a flurry of excited meddling, had brought it over yesterday. She had told Cassie that she wanted her to be in Plain dress for the auction so as not to shame the family. That was most of the truth. The other part of it was that Mamm still held out hope that Cassie would fall in love with an Amish boy, specifically Elmer Lee Kanagy, and return to the fold so