Secretly Smitten

by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Denise Hunter, Diann Hunt

  Sally shrugged. “It’s a good idea, that’s all I know.”

  “It’s working well for the people in that article,” Debbie said.

  “I like the idea of sheep,” Maria joined in.

  The ladies went back to knitting while Tess and Zoe followed Anna into her office. Anna tucked away some shipping receipts in folders and stuck them in a cabinet. She turned to see her girls standing there.

  “Something on your minds?” she asked.

  “Well, it’s that whole thing with Aunt Violet and Grandma and David,” Tess said.

  Anna sighed. “Now, girls—”

  “Come on, Mom. Grandma has the right to know,” Zoe said.

  “I think so too,” Tess chimed in.

  “I’ll think about it,” Anna said, making a full resolve in her spirit to leave things alone. It would be best for everyone.

  “Here’s your grocery delivery,” Anna said, unpacking the food from the sacks onto Michael’s kitchen countertop.

  He tried to hobble over and help her, but she shooed him away. “I can handle this. I’ll make you a sandwich while I’m here.”

  “I told you I’m much better. You don’t need to wait on me.” No longer using his crutches, he limped over to the table. “I’m going to drive into town later today.”

  “You think you’re ready?”

  “Yeah, I do.”

  “Well, just be careful and don’t push too soon. I’m just down the road if you need me to pick up anything for you.”

  He watched her as she carefully unpacked the groceries and put them away. She truly had a servant’s heart. Unfortunately, from the way he saw it, she had no interest in him other than as a neighbor in need.

  She placed the plate with his sandwich and chips on the table, along with a glass of iced tea. “While you eat your lunch, I’ll get your mail.”

  “You’re spoiling me.”

  “Don’t get used to it; it’s short-lived. You said so yourself.” She pulled on her coat. “Be right back.”

  He was beginning to wish he hadn’t said anything. But he couldn’t fake it. Maybe he’d bang his foot again so she’d keep coming . . . Something about Anna kept drawing him to her.

  “Oh my, it’s getting colder out there,” she said, brushing the snow from her hair. Taking off her shoes, she walked over and handed Michael the mail as he sat on the sofa in the living room.

  “Thanks.” He thumbed through the envelopes and spotted one marked RETURN TO SENDER. He sighed.

  “Something wrong?”

  “What? Uh, oh no, nothing’s wrong.” Should he tell her? She was a friend and had done so much for him.

  “Are you sure?” Anna sat down in the recliner facing him.

  Another sigh. “I have a son. I was gone a lot when he was growing up, and he resented me for that. When his mom died, he blamed me for that too. She died of a heart attack, but despite what the medical personnel told us, Christopher couldn’t help thinking if I’d been home and we’d gotten her to the hospital sooner . . .”

  “I’m so sorry. Relationships can be tricky.”

  “Yeah. He’s twenty-two now. I haven’t seen him for five years. I send letters to his last known address, but they always come back.”

  Compassion filled her eyes, and Michael wondered if he’d revealed something too personal. Anna didn’t need to hear about his problems. No doubt she had some of her own.

  “Well, that’s enough about me—”

  “I’m truly sorry, Michael. I’ll pray for you and your son. Did you say his name is Christopher?”

  “Yes. Thank you.” It touched him deeply that Anna offered to pray for them.

  A moment of silence hovered between them.

  “Now, fair is fair. I’ve told you the woes of my family. Do you have anything you want to tell me?” he asked.

  “As a matter of fact”—she paused and licked her lips— “I do.”

  Anna relayed the earlier conversation she’d had in her shop about the sheep. She waited a moment. “Of course, I’m praying about it. But it’s such a big undertaking. I don’t have the facilities for it. While it seems like a good idea, it also seems out of reach.”

  Michael rubbed his jaw. “Well, now, I don’t know about that.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “If you’re really interested, I have five acres of ground with a barn, no house, at the edge of town. I bought it at a good price as an investment before my mom got sick. Thought I’d let the equity build up and then sell it. If the railroad comes to town, it should turn a good profit. Anyway, it’s idle for now. You could take your sheep there and care for them. See if you like dealing with them or if it’s too much hassle.”

  Michael couldn’t deny his excitement at the possibility. It would give him more time to be with Anna, get to know her without the pressures of dating.

  “I’ve been doing some work out there, so I have electricity in the barn,” he continued. “There’s a well, so you’d have no trouble with water. You’d just need to get hay, some minerals, whatever it takes to keep sheep healthy, and you’re good to go.”

  “Wow. I didn’t see that one coming.”

  “It might not be a perfect setup, but it would work. And with me working part-time, I’d be happy to help when I got off work.”

  “No, no,” Anna said. “I’ll not have you doing my work. And we’d need to settle how much I would owe you, all that.” She sighed. “I just don’t know.”

  “Anna Thomas, after all you’ve done for me, you won’t let me offer my land to you. That’s what friends do. And that land is doing nothing for anyone right now.”

  “But this would be ongoing. I could never take advantage of you that way.”

  “Look into it,” he suggested. “Decide how many sheep you’d need to start with. Research the best kind of sheep for your needs, check out the price for each one. Since it’s wintertime, they won’t be grazing outside, so you’ll need to check into the cost of hay. I’m sure you could learn a lot by talking to some farmers in the area. Once you check on all that, if you’re still interested, let me know. I’m sure we can work out something.”

  “That’s a good idea.” She grabbed her handbag.

  “And check with Phil McCreedy at the farm up the road. Any guy who makes milk deliveries with a horse and buggy for a bit of nostalgia knows how to think outside the box. I’ll bet he could give you some pointers.”

  “That’s another good idea. Thanks.” She stood. “I guess I’d better be going. Let me know if you need anything else.”

  “Thank you, Anna,” Michael said, standing.

  Anna turned back around. “Also, if you could help me pray about this, I’d appreciate it.”

  “You got it.” He waved and closed the door behind her. He would pray about it, all right. Hopefully, his wouldn’t be a selfish prayer.

  Anna trudged through the melting snow and considered the train depot building. It looked like everyone in town had turned up for the workday. The RailAmerica people would be here soon to evaluate whether Smitten would get one of the stops on the line. And why shouldn’t it? It was the most beautiful depot she had ever seen. Clay-colored bricks, green doors. Securing the deal with RailAmerica could change everything for the town. They’d have so much to celebrate at the upcoming bicentennial. Aunt Violet and the committee had been working hard for months to make sure they did the town proud.

  The unseasonably warm temperature this weekend hovered in the midforties. It was a far cry from the cold and snow they’d been having. With the bright sunshine and slight heat wave, it seemed a perfect day for another town workday.

  Anna joined the other ladies in setting up food on the oak counter at the ticket office in the depot.

  “What ya got there?” Clad in jeans, a warm jacket, a scarf, and gloves, Michael stepped up beside her.

  “Michael, what are you doing here?”

  “What? I’m a good citizen. I want to help out on workday.”

  “But
your ankle—”

  “Is fine. I’ve been down long enough.” He pulled off his jacket, scarf, and gloves and placed them in a pile with others. “Besides, pounding nails on a hardwood floor is not going to hurt my leg—unless, of course, I hit it with a hammer.”

  His grin caused her heart to somersault—again. “I guess you’re right.” She held up her pot. “To answer your question, this is chili. I thought we might get hungry while we’re working.”

  “Leave it to you to think of that.”

  She hoped his comment didn’t mean she always thought about food.

  “Not just me. My daughter Zoe brought cupcakes, Natalie brought gluten-free cookies and coffee, and Shelby Majors brought hot tea and scones. Oh, and Aunt Violet brought sandwiches, and let’s see, Ellie Draper brought some candy from Sweet Surrender. Everything will be laid out buffet style.” She pointed toward the counter. “Help yourself when you want something.”

  “Sounds like you ladies have thought of everything. Once you put the food out, grab a hammer and come join me— unless you have your heart set on washing walls.”

  Words stuck in her throat as she watched his back turn to her. He’d asked her to join him? What did that mean? She didn’t want the fine community of Smitten to get the wrong idea. Then again, maybe she was assuming too much. They had reached a certain level of friendship.

  Once the chili, plastic bowls, spoons, drinks, and cups were set out, Anna grabbed a hammer and scanned the room for Michael. She’d forgotten to ask him if he would be working in the freight room or the waiting room. She spotted him in the waiting room and then hesitated. He was talking to Heather DeMeritt, a young single mother from their church. Heather was thin, with long blond hair and a beautiful smile. She worked hard to provide for her two-year-old son.

  “Hi, Mom.” Prybar in hand, Zoe stepped up beside her, with William close behind.

  “Hi.” Anna hugged them both. “Glad you could come. What’s your job today?”

  “We’ll be prying up molding in the ticket office,” William said.

  Before Anna could respond, the wooden floor creaked as Heather’s toddler rolled by in a shiny new wagon that Nick and Shelby Majors’s daughter, Willow, was pulling.

  They all smiled. “Looks like someone got a new wagon,” Anna said.

  “Oh yeah, he got it from Parakaleo Pal,” William said with a smile.

  “Who?”

  “Somebody has been anonymously helping single mothers in the area—donating money, food, something for the kids—and leaving a card that says Parakaleo Pal,” Zoe said.

  “I think it means ‘encourager,’” William added. “It’s pretty cool, if you ask me.”

  “I would agree,” Anna said. “Quite a mystery, though. Kind of fun.”

  The sound of hammers pounding on wood echoed through the room.

  “Yep.” Zoe grabbed William’s hand. “We’d better get to work before they fire us.”

  “Slave driver,” he said with a laugh.

  They waved good-bye to Anna. She took a deep breath and walked over to where Michael sat on the floor, tapping a nail into submission.

  “Did you notice Phil McCreedy was here?” Michael asked, running his hand across a nail to make sure it was even with the floor’s surface.

  Anna eased onto the floor. “Oh?” She looked around until she spotted him.

  “You ought to talk to him while you have him here. Maybe you could set up an appointment to meet with him about your spinning idea.”

  Anna considered that.

  “With sheep of his own, he’s bound to be helpful.”

  “Sheep? Did I hear someone talk about sheep?” Pastor Walden groaned as he dropped to the floor. “Not as young as I used to be,” he said with a laugh.

  “Hello, Pastor.” Anna explained the sheep concept.

  “Impressive idea. I’ve always thought you were a savvy businesswoman, Anna. The way you’ve built that business from the ground up always impressed me. You’re really an inspiration, you know. We could use more creative thinking like that. Especially if that train comes to Smitten like we hope it will!”

  Mrs. Walden called him over to help cut plastic to cover the electrical outlets and vents. “Guess I’d better go.” He stood, then turned back to Anna. “If you decide to get sheep before Christmas, I could use some for the live nativity the church is planning. Let me know.”

  The pastor hurried off, and Anna could feel Michael watching her with something akin to admiration in his eyes. It made her uncomfortable.

  “So, another reason to go for it. You’d be helping the church out if you got those sheep,” Michael said.

  Anna laughed and swatted at him. “You’re no help.”

  “Hey, cut that out or they’ll dock your pay.”

  Anna warmed to the playful bantering. “I think I’ll grab a broom and sweep where I can,” she said, standing.

  “Was it something I said?”

  “No, no. I thought I’d work my way over to Mr. McCreedy.”

  “Good idea,” Michael said, but he looked disappointed. She knew she shouldn’t get all smug about that, but it did her heart good to have a . . . friend.

  As Anna headed toward Mr. McCreedy, Zoe intercepted her. “Did you talk to Grandma yet? She’s here if you want to. She’s taping plastic around the wall outlet over there.”

  “I see her,” Anna said. She was feeling good and didn’t want to engage in what was sure to be a tension-filled conversation with her mother. “I’ll talk to her about it later. Right now, I need to talk to Mr. McCreedy.”

  “Mom, this time is perfect. She’s sitting alone.”

  “This isn’t the time or place to deal with family matters, Zoe. I’ve got business to attend to. I’ll talk to her later.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Late Sunday afternoon after the family left, Anna stepped into the coffee shop. The heated room and coffee smells wrapped around her like a warm greeting. She bought a mocha and found a seat. She’d gotten hooked on the chocolaty confection when Zoe worked here. She was savoring the heat and the flush from her sip when Michael walked through the door. He spotted her, waved, and went to order his coffee.

  Anna tried to quell the unsettled feeling in her stomach. Her body was playing mutiny with her. She had no feelings for this man other than friendship, and that was the way it would stay. Not just because he was military—he was proving himself different from her ex-husband, and she found the gentle giant in him hard to resist. Still, how well did she know him? Before they’d gotten married she thought she knew her husband. Look where that got her.

  Besides, she was doing just fine on her own.

  “Mind if I join you?” Michael asked, making her heart jump.

  “Not at all. Have a seat.”

  Anna, don’t act so eager.

  “Please don’t think I’m stalking you. I just thought it was a perfect day for some serious espresso.”

  Anna laughed. “I lean toward the mochas.”

  He eased into an overstuffed chair beside her. “How did it go with Mr. McCreedy?”

  “You won’t believe it! He told me he would give me four of his sheep ‘on loan’ through January to see if I can handle it, if I like it, whatever.”

  “That’s generous of him.”

  She took a sip of her mocha. “Well, there is a catch. If I decide to buy sheep, I have to buy his.”

  “If you decide to take them, I can go with you to get them. We can use my truck.”

  Her heart kicked at his offer. It was almost as if he wanted to be with her. “That would be great. I’m going to contact a lady I found online who has taught spinning for years. She has videos you can subscribe to that teach you everything you need to know.”

  “That sounds like a good idea.”

  “McCreedy has Shetland sheep, which is the kind I want. I researched it some already. They have soft, warm wool. Makes good yarn. I might add Merino sheep later, if I decide to do this.”

  “Soun
ds like you’re seriously considering it.”

  She liked the way he listened intently to her plans. “Crazy as it sounds, I am. It sounds like a fun challenge, and I think it would give the business an edge.”

  “Hey, why don’t I take you out to my acreage and you can look around the barn, all that, to see what you think.”

  Her stomach tossed again. Was it from anticipation about the sheep or about being alone with Michael? She didn’t know. “That would be great.”

  Anna left her coffee behind and climbed out of Michael’s truck. A slight dusting of snow covered the ground as new flakes spilled from the sky. The gray wooden barn in front of her was spotted with peeling paint, but the hardware on the doors was new. It seemed in good enough condition. Cobwebs laced corners and spiders scurried about. A couple of empty stalls had bits of hay debris and earth that had been scooped into a pile. Obviously, Michael had already been out here and started working. He’d have the barn as sterile and tidy as his house in no time. The faint smell of old dirt and manure lingered.

  “Isn’t it great?” Michael said.

  “It would be perfect for the sheep, Michael. Thanks for the offer.”

  “You’re welcome.” He looked around the barn. “You know, I always wanted a place out in the country with a barn and some livestock.”

  “Really? Think of the work.”

  He shrugged. “A little work never hurt anyone. And I have the time. Remember, I only work part-time at the slopes. I do that for a reason.”

  “Oh?”

  “I have enough money to enjoy a comfortable life with my military pension. Listen, I was a workaholic when my family was here. I won’t make that mistake again. I’m trying to make time for what matters.”

  The way he looked at her then made her feel flushed. Though what he said sounded good, she braced herself against it. Once you gave your heart away, people changed.

  Friends. They were just friends.

  His gaze on her was intent. “I just wish I had realized all that before I lost my wife and son. But I didn’t know the Lord then. That’s made the difference, of course.”