Trent hacked the first pineapple free from its plant and took it to the worktable at the end of the greenhouse. They’d brought a large platter out with them so they wouldn’t have to wait to taste it.
He cut off a section and held a dripping chunk of yellow fruit out to her. She took it between her fingers and waited while he cut his own. Years of work came down to this moment. Soon after he’d begun his plans in earnest, Trent had offered to buy her a pineapple so she could taste one, but she’d told him she’d wait and let his pineapples be the first she ever tasted. At the time she didn’t know how long they took to grow. Now she just hoped she liked it and didn’t cast up her accounts the moment it hit her tongue.
“Shall we?”
Trent tapped his piece of pineapple against hers, and they both took a large bite.
Adelaide didn’t know what she’d expected, but that wasn’t it. The tart-and-sweet flavor hit her tongue and then seemed to swell through her whole head. “That’s fabulous,” she cried before popping the rest of the chunk into her mouth.
Trent laughed and cut the rest of the fruit up to share with the staff who had gathered for the occasion. It was the first taste of the exotic fruit for more than one person, and it was fun to watch the looks that ran across their faces.
Before long though, she really needed that chair.
And perhaps the midwife.
“Trent.”
“Yes, my love?”
“I think I need to go to the house. And for the last time, we are not naming this child Pineapple.”
Acknowledgments
Dear Reader, you have no idea the small but intense village required to put this book into your hands. It would absolutely never have happened without the blessing of the Lord and the support of my husband and kids. The shout-outs to them may get repetitive, but they fall short of the acknowledgments my family deserves. Seriously. I could write this entire section on that small group of people, but then you wouldn’t read it and all the other important people wouldn’t get thanked.
Another constant in my writing is my amazing beta readers, who really worked for their thanks on this book. Your honest feedback made all the difference, even when it made me grumble. Your willingness to read the second draft after the train wreck of the first draft continues to humble and amaze me.
To my Aunt Delana, who feeds and shares my obsession with Rolos, thank you for providing fuel for the editing process.
To Trent’s fan club, I hope his story lived up to your expectations. If not, well, they were a little daunting to begin with. I love you all, though, and you are the reason I get up every day and write. You are also the reason I don’t go to bed so that I can meet my deadlines.
Take a moment to marvel over the artistic talents of the Bethany House cover art team. Thank you all so much for bringing Adelaide and Trent to life in a way I never thought possible, right down to Adelaide’s unfashionable bangs. I’m convinced you all are truly magicians. Hugs to the rest of the Bethany House team as well, for believing in me and this book and walking through the process with me.
Finally, I’d like to thank HP, for making a laptop sturdy enough to handle everything I’ve thrown at it. This book was written in about fifteen different locations and would never have gotten finished without the ability to write anywhere with a laptop that has held up to dance class, car lines, and being stepped on by a five-year-old.
Kristi Ann Hunter graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in computer science but always knew she wanted to write. Kristi is an RWA Rita® Award winning author and a finalist for the Christy Award and the Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Award for Excellence. She lives with her husband and three children in Georgia. Find her online at www.KristiAnnHunter.com.
Books by Kristi Ann Hunter
HAWTHORNE HOUSE
A Lady of Esteem *
A Noble Masquerade
An Elegant Façade
An Uncommon Courtship
*e-novella only
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An Uncommon Courtship Page 33