smoothed her white gloves over her fingers. "I guess he
has a right to his folly if he chooses it. Or, could be she's looking for a man
and a home."
Jesse wasn't so sure about the home part. He assisted his wife up
to the seat and climbed to take the reins and utter a command to the horses.
"Do you think Cay would want to ride with us?" Amy
asked.
Her question surprised him, but pleasure overrode any hesitation
about her intentions. "Whoa there. Whoa." He tied the reins to the
brake handle. "I'll see. Is he in the house?"
"No, he left a little while ago."
Jesse got down and loped to the barn, returning moments later with
Cay. Dressed in his good shirt and trousers, the boy scrambled into the small
seat at the rear. Jesse resumed his place beside Amy.
As they participated in the service that morning, Jesse rolled
Amy's words from earlier in the week around in his mind. She sat on his right,
as always, Cay to his left. She had said she was afraid he would get too
attached to his nephew and then Cay would leave. Was she thinking of Jesse
being hurt? Or was she protecting herself—because she'd been hurt by loss and
couldn't bear it again?
A Sunday morning never passed that Jesse didn't think of the
squirming fair-haired toddler who used to sit between them, sometimes falling
asleep on Jesse's lap with his thumb in his mouth. Did Amy think of Tim on
these mornings, too? Or had she completely erased every memory because of the
pain they caused? He knew Amy, the real Amy, knew her caring nature and her
tender heart. She wasn't locking out Cay because she didn't trust him or
because she resented the intrusion. Intentionally or unintentionally, she was
trying to protect them both.
But today she'd suggested that Cay ride with them. Jesse wanted to
reach over and take her hand, thank her without words. Is the Amy I remember
still I there? Is the girl I fell in love with and gave my heart to a ghost?
Come back to me, my love. My heart. Don't leave me here all alone.
Jesse prayed for strength. And for forgiveness.
And for strength to forgive.
Chapter Six
Sam had forgotten what it was like to be around a female other
than his daughter or Mrs. Barnes. Another week around Eden proved she was a
woman to catch a man's fancy and tickle it good.
The following Sunday they'd attended church again. Afterward she
sat beside him on the buggy seat as he headed the horses toward home. Wearing a
bright pink dress with a square-necked bodice that showed a man enough cleavage
to thoroughly addle his thoughts, she was a new spring flower on a late-fall
day.
She tucked her arm through his. "I don't even know where you
live, Sam."
"It's on past the station just a mile. Not far."
"A house?"
"A small one. Serves me well."
"I'd like to see it."
Sam glanced down at her uptilted face. Her beguiling smile was
irresistible. "Now?"
"Unless you prefer not. But I surely would enjoy the scenery
in that direction."
"The scenery looks just the same either way, but I don't mind
takin' you there."
She gave his arm a delighted little squeeze that unwittingly
pressed her breast against his arm. A tremor shot through his body.
A short while later his homestead came into view— the orchards to
the east and south of the house, a well in the yard and a red barn. "This
is it." He pulled the buggy up in front of the house. "I could fix us
some lunch if you want. I don't have much, but I can put together
somethin'."
"That would be most kind of you. I am quite hungry after a
whole morning of singing and praying."
She leaned on her crutch as Sam unhitched the horse and tethered
it where it could find dry grass.
He ushered Eden inside. The house was only two rooms—a wide
kitchen open to a sitting area, and a bedroom. The last years of their life
together. He and Vanessa had shared this little house, taking most of their
meals at the station but spending evenings and nights here.
Since Vanessa's death, Adele came over and cleaned for him and Amy
made sure
has a right to his folly if he chooses it. Or, could be she's looking for a man
and a home."
Jesse wasn't so sure about the home part. He assisted his wife up
to the seat and climbed to take the reins and utter a command to the horses.
"Do you think Cay would want to ride with us?" Amy
asked.
Her question surprised him, but pleasure overrode any hesitation
about her intentions. "Whoa there. Whoa." He tied the reins to the
brake handle. "I'll see. Is he in the house?"
"No, he left a little while ago."
Jesse got down and loped to the barn, returning moments later with
Cay. Dressed in his good shirt and trousers, the boy scrambled into the small
seat at the rear. Jesse resumed his place beside Amy.
As they participated in the service that morning, Jesse rolled
Amy's words from earlier in the week around in his mind. She sat on his right,
as always, Cay to his left. She had said she was afraid he would get too
attached to his nephew and then Cay would leave. Was she thinking of Jesse
being hurt? Or was she protecting herself—because she'd been hurt by loss and
couldn't bear it again?
A Sunday morning never passed that Jesse didn't think of the
squirming fair-haired toddler who used to sit between them, sometimes falling
asleep on Jesse's lap with his thumb in his mouth. Did Amy think of Tim on
these mornings, too? Or had she completely erased every memory because of the
pain they caused? He knew Amy, the real Amy, knew her caring nature and her
tender heart. She wasn't locking out Cay because she didn't trust him or
because she resented the intrusion. Intentionally or unintentionally, she was
trying to protect them both.
But today she'd suggested that Cay ride with them. Jesse wanted to
reach over and take her hand, thank her without words. Is the Amy I remember
still I there? Is the girl I fell in love with and gave my heart to a ghost?
Come back to me, my love. My heart. Don't leave me here all alone.
Jesse prayed for strength. And for forgiveness.
And for strength to forgive.
Chapter Six
Sam had forgotten what it was like to be around a female other
than his daughter or Mrs. Barnes. Another week around Eden proved she was a
woman to catch a man's fancy and tickle it good.
The following Sunday they'd attended church again. Afterward she
sat beside him on the buggy seat as he headed the horses toward home. Wearing a
bright pink dress with a square-necked bodice that showed a man enough cleavage
to thoroughly addle his thoughts, she was a new spring flower on a late-fall
day.
She tucked her arm through his. "I don't even know where you
live, Sam."
"It's on past the station just a mile. Not far."
"A house?"
"A small one. Serves me well."
"I'd like to see it."
Sam glanced down at her uptilted face. Her beguiling smile was
irresistible. "Now?"
"Unless you prefer not. But I surely would enjoy the scenery
in that direction."
"The scenery looks just the same either way, but I don't mind
takin' you there."
She gave his arm a delighted little squeeze that unwittingly
pressed her breast against his arm. A tremor shot through his body.
A short while later his homestead came into view— the orchards to
the east and south of the house, a well in the yard and a red barn. "This
is it." He pulled the buggy up in front of the house. "I could fix us
some lunch if you want. I don't have much, but I can put together
somethin'."
"That would be most kind of you. I am quite hungry after a
whole morning of singing and praying."
She leaned on her crutch as Sam unhitched the horse and tethered
it where it could find dry grass.
He ushered Eden inside. The house was only two rooms—a wide
kitchen open to a sitting area, and a bedroom. The last years of their life
together. He and Vanessa had shared this little house, taking most of their
meals at the station but spending evenings and nights here.
Since Vanessa's death, Adele came over and cleaned for him and Amy
made sure
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