* * *
A burst of joyful laughter pulled Ellie’s attention from the strawberry bush to her six-month-old nephew. He waved a dandelion then laughed as the seeds vanished into the air. Ellie caught his gaze and grinned. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone have so much fun with a dandelion before.”
Kate watched her son lunge toward Ellie. “Pretty soon he’ll be crawling and getting into everything. That’s when the real fun will start.”
Ellie dropped another berry into the large pail then picked up her nephew and deposited him in her lap. He squirmed until his back rested against her stomach then smiled up at her. “You’re like a ray of sunshine, aren’t you, little Matthew?”
She glanced up to find Kate watching her curiously. “You’ve been pretty quiet until now, Ellie. Is everything all right?”
“I was just thinking about how Ma used to take us berry picking.” She reached a bit deeper into the bush for more berries.
“That was fun, wasn’t it? I’m a little surprised you remember it. You were so young.”
“Not too young to cause trouble,” she said, then wished she hadn’t when it immediately made her think of Mrs. Greene.
Kate laughed. “No. You were never too young for that.”
Ellie bit her lip. She hated that Mrs. Greene seemed to know something about her that she didn’t know about herself. Or rather—something she’d tried to keep from knowing. Surely, those mysterious “consequences” of her actions couldn’t have been that bad. Then again, telling the whole world Mrs. Greene’s secret had been bad enough. What could top that?
She steeled herself before quietly asking, “Kate, did you ever get the feeling that our parents might have been disappointed in me for some reason?”
“What? No. Why do you ask?”
She shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. It’s just a feeling I get sometimes. Or maybe it’s a memory.”
Kate frowned and surveyed her searchingly. “Our parents were just as proud of you as they were of Sean and me.”
I don’t think she knows. She’d finished school by that point so she wasn’t there when I spread the rumor. Sean might remember it happening but I don’t think he knows I started it, either. My parents and Mrs. Greene were the only ones who knew where it originated. But what were the consequences for my family?
“There you go looking pensive again. What are you thinking about now?”
She groped about for some other subject and went with the first thing that came to mind. “Just that I need to start planning what I want to achieve as a maiden aunt for the rest of my life, since my Bachelor List scheme didn’t work.”
Kate rested her berry-stained hand on her knee in exasperation. “You don’t need to give up on a husband. You just need to be patient and stop worrying about it.”
“I’m not worrying. I’m planning for the next practical step.” She grinned teasingly. “I figure I’ll need to find a house in town and take in a few cats to keep me company.”
“Stop it, Ellie. This is serious.” Kate’s fiery blue gaze met hers. “We are long overdue for a talk. I have a few things I need to set straight with you.”
Matthew dropped his dandelion. “Uh-oh.”
Ellie picked it up for him then eyed her sister as she whispered, “Brace yourself, Matthew. Your ma’s on the warpath.”
Kate ignored her but narrowed her eyes. “You are twenty-one years old. That is entirely too young to start planning a life alone. Can you look me in the eye and tell me you know without a shadow of a doubt that God called you to be single?”
“No.”
“Then you need to start praying that God will lead you to the right man or make it clear that you aren’t supposed to have one.” Kate leaned forward to catch her hand. “Ellie, dear, I want you to be honest with me about something.”
Ellie decided it was best to stick to one-word responses. “Anything.”
“I know what Ms. Lettie thinks and I know what the town thinks, but what are your feelings toward Lawson? Tell me the truth. There is no right or wrong answer.”
Ellie sighed. Of course Kate would ask that. She was getting plumb tired of it being mentioned and having to think about it so much. Yet, as she stared back into her sister’s eyes she didn’t see laughter or teasing, she saw only concern. She tightened her grip slightly on Kate’s hand then shrugged lightly. “We’ve always been friends.”
“I know,” Kate replied softly as Matthew used both of his hands to pat theirs.
“It’s only since he returned that...” Ellie searched Kate’s face for a moment, wondering if she should let her sister in on the emotions she’d barely acknowledged to herself. “That I’ve started to like him as more than a friend.”
Kate’s eyes widened and a slow smile spilled across her face. Her voice was low as though they were sharing secrets. “You aren’t pulling my leg, are you?”
“No!” She covered her mouth then laughed at her vehemence. “I’m not saying I’m in love with the man.”
“But there’s potential.” Kate glanced past her at the sound of girlish giggles. “Grace and Hope, y’all are not too far away for me to see you throwing berries at each other. Pick up each one of them and put them in the pail where they belong.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the sisters chorused.
Ellie shrugged. “I’m afraid I’m just being silly.”
“You aren’t.”
“Oh, but I am! You don’t seriously think he’d be interested in me, do you? I certainly don’t. I thought for a moment he was going to kiss me the other day but now I think I was just imagining it.”
“If he might have almost kissed you, why don’t you think he’d be interested in you?”
“I have no delusions about myself. I know what I am and what I’m not. I’m not nearly as beautiful as Lorelei. I don’t have it all together like you. I’m not nearly as nice as Ms. Lettie.” She brushed an errant tear away and frowned. “I have no idea why I’m crying.”
“You’re crying because you’re being too hard on yourself. Stop comparing yourself to other people. You are a wonderful person, Ellie O’Brien. I can’t believe you don’t know that.”
“You have to say that because you’re my sister.”
“I have to say it because it’s true. I ought to know because I am your sister. I raised you, for goodness’ sake. I know you. I know you mean well even if what you do only seems like mischief to others. I know you have a wholesome beauty that you haven’t stopped long enough in front of a mirror to notice. I know you haven’t had a beau because you’ve been too busy trying to plan everyone else’s love life to care about your own.”
Ellie gave a watery laugh. “Why do you always say exactly what I need to hear?”
Kate smiled gently. “It’s not my words you needed to hear, silly. It’s God’s. You need to figure out what He says about you in His words because I know it doesn’t match up with any of the things you just said. His opinion is what’s really important—not mine or some man’s, right?”
“I guess,” she said with a frown. She should believe that. It just didn’t seem true. At least, it didn’t feel true.
“As for moving into town with a bunch of cats, I think we both know that’s just silly. This farm is Ma and Pa’s legacy. They left it to you and Sean as much as they left it to me. That means you have every right to stay here for as long as you want. Nathan and I are happy to have you here. I never meant to make you feel unwelcome.”
“You didn’t—I was just being silly.”
Grace bolted past them. “Papa!”
Ellie glanced up in surprise to see Nathan heading toward them on his mount with Lawson beside him on his own. Grace stopped abruptly as though suddenly realizing how she was supposed to approach the horses. Hope joined her as Nathan dismounted a few feet away. K
ate stood to greet her husband. “You have perfect timing. We’ve filled all our pails and could use some help carrying them to the house.”
“We’d be happy to help.” Nathan’s gaze flashed to Lawson then slid to where Ellie still sat with Matthew. “Wouldn’t we, Lawson?”
Ellie narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Nathan when Lawson quickly agreed. What was going on with those two? Lawson approached her with his hat in his hands. “How can I help?”
“Hold him for a minute.”
He looked a little panicked but took Matthew from her hands while she stood to her feet. She settled her nephew on her hip. Lawson picked up the huge pail before grabbing the reins of his horse. Kate and Nathan strolled ahead of them. The girls shared the saddle while Kate led the horses and Nathan carried the two large pails.
Nathan said something to Kate, who glanced back to look at them in surprise. A smile flashed across her face before she turned back around. Kate responded to Nathan. He actually winked at them. Ellie nearly winced, then risked a sideways glance at Lawson. He caught her looking. She wrinkled her nose. “Subtlety doesn’t exactly run in the family.”
He chuckled. A beat of silence hovered between them before Lawson cleared his throat. “There’s going to be a barn raising at the Sheppards’ place next weekend.”
“Yes, I heard Clay mention it.”
“I was wondering if you’d do me the honor...of going with me.”
It took a moment for the meaning of his words to process. By that time, they’d both stopped walking and she found herself in danger of getting lost in hazel eyes that shone with cautious hope. “Are you— Do you...”
“Maybe the town and our families aren’t entirely crazy. Maybe they are.” His chest rose and fell with a deep breath that rushed out in one sentence. “I think we should find out.”
“What does that mean?” Her heart was beating at a full gallop but her mind couldn’t seem to catch up.
“I’m not sure. We could just see what happens. If you don’t think that’s right then we can forget the whole thing—”
“No.” She bit her lip when the word escaped a bit too quickly and she forced herself to slow down. “I think that’s fine.”
“You do?”
She nodded.
“All right. Then we’ll just see what happens, I guess.”
“I guess so.”
Their eyes held for another moment before they started walking again. She wasn’t exactly sure how to classify the agreement she and Lawson had just come to. They weren’t exactly courting—or were they? Either way, it looked like the matchmaking might be starting to work, so she kept her mouth shut and played with the baby. Perhaps Kate was right and she didn’t need to give up on finding that transformative love she longed for after all.
Chapter Eight
Ellie stood outside the door of the church’s storage room while she waited for the arrival of the first entries into the box social. She saw Mrs. Greene arrive and hoped beyond anything the woman wouldn’t approach her. Of course, she had to be the first to follow Marissa Brightly’s instructions to check the picnic baskets in with her. Ellie greeted her pleasantly and tried to act as if nothing had happened that day by the courthouse. Mrs. Greene managed to do the same except for that knowing glint in her eye.
Ellie felt that look right to the pit of her stomach. She’d allowed her courtship with Lawson to become a welcome distraction from her fears but they were still there—taunting her when she tried to go to sleep. She couldn’t stand it anymore. She’d figure this out as soon as she could. Otherwise, Ellie would have to live not only with that feeling of guilt, but with Mrs. Greene lording over her with whatever special knowledge the woman had.
Amy Bradley and her younger sister, Isabelle, were the next to arrive. Ellie forced a cheerful greeting to her lips and ushered them inside the room so she could write down their names and a description of their lunch baskets for Pastor Brightly. Isabelle watched the proceedings with a curious smile. “Why are we being so secretive this year?”
“We’re just trying to liven things up. We’re also trying to spark some competition to raise a bit more money,” Ellie explained. “That schoolhouse roof needs a lot of work.”
“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Amy said as she set her basket down on the table.
Isabelle rolled her eyes. “You’re just happy Rhett won’t know to bid on yours.”
Ellie’s gaze shot to Amy. “What have you got against Rhett, anyway?”
“Nothing in particular,” she said with a vague wave of her hand.
“It’s just something in general,” Isabelle informed Ellie wryly. “Amy here has sworn off men since that Silas Smithson character left town without a word. I gave that resolve about two weeks but it’s lasted for a year now.”
“Amy, why didn’t you tell me?” Ellie must be slipping. How did she not already know this?
Amy shrugged and sent her sister an unappreciative look. “Well, I haven’t exactly been shouting it from the rooftops. Thank you, Isabelle. You don’t think it’s silly, do you, Ellie?”
“It isn’t my place to judge.”
“Isabelle, please take note of that statement and apply it the next time you want to give advice.” Amy squeezed Ellie’s hand gratefully then left the room.
Isabelle sighed. “I wish you would have said something in Rhett’s favor. She hasn’t been any fun lately. She wouldn’t have even entered a basket if Mother hadn’t insisted.”
“What’s wrong with her?”
“I wish I knew. She’s been in love with someone for the past few years and now it’s as though she feels nothing.”
“Who has she been in love with?”
“Who hasn’t she been in love with? My sister has fallen in love more times than I can count.”
Ellie chuckled. “Well, then, it’s good that she’s taking some time out from love. Perhaps it will help her figure out who she really loves.”
“Maybe so, but I’m rooting for Rhett.”
A few other women entered the room as Isabelle left, so it was a few minutes before Ellie stepped outside the door. She was surprised to find Chris waiting for her. He held up a basket. “This is Sophia’s.”
She frowned. “Why didn’t she bring it herself?”
“I wanted to talk to you.”
She almost asked why, then remembered what he’d said the last time he’d tried to talk to her. She glanced around for any sign of Lawson but he’d said he wouldn’t be able to come early. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“We’ve always been good friends, haven’t we? I thought that meant I could at least have a conversation with you.”
Her shoulders relaxed and she smiled. “You’re right, Chris. I’m sorry for being prickly. Let me check in that basket while you tell me what’s on your mind.”
“Are you really courting Lawson?”
She glanced up from her list to meet his gaze. “As far as I can tell.”
He frowned. “What does that mean?”
It meant she wasn’t sure. They were more than friends but less than a couple. As far as she could tell, that meant he liked her but didn’t want to be her beau yet. She couldn’t fault him for that exactly. No one else had shown even half as much interest in her...until now, apparently, when men kept coming out of the woodwork.
She eyed Chris thoughtfully. “Why do you want to know?”
“I was hoping that since you just want to be friends with me, you might be willing to tell me who my match is.”
She let the tablet fall to her side as she tilted her head. “Aren’t you moving on a little too fast for someone who’s supposed to be in love with me?”
His jaw tightened. “Don’t tease me, Ellie. It’s cruel.”
“I’m sorry, Chris. I
didn’t mean to be.” She sighed then leaned back against the door frame and crossed her arms with the tablet in front of her. “I haven’t figured out everyone’s match yet.”
“You mean I don’t have one.”
“Yet.”
He lowered his head in disappointment. “Did you give Amy one?”
“Did I give...?” she echoed, then met his gaze when he looked up. “Amy,” she breathed in realization. “Didn’t you two go to the harvest dance together last year?”
He crossed his arms and lifted his chin to stare down at her. “She threw me over for that fancy out-of-town fellow who broke her heart.”
“I remember.” She frowned. “Wouldn’t that have been right around the time you said you started developing feelings for me?”
Either her eyes were playing tricks on her or her friend was blushing. “Maybe.”
Her mouth fell open for a moment. She clamped it shut then placed her hand on her hip. “Tell me the truth, Chris Johansen. You were settling for me, weren’t you? I was your last choice.”
He just stood there, not giving an inch, then his arms slowly relaxed to his side. “I don’t suppose you could talk to her for me?”
“No!”
“I didn’t think so.” He handed her the basket then walked away.
She glared at his back for a moment then placed the basket inside the room, muttering to the Lord, “Of all the nerve, expecting me to fall at his feet when he doesn’t even care a whit about me and is in love with someone else entirely.”
“Who’s in love with someone else?” Lawson’s deep voice asked from the door. “I hope you don’t mean me.”
She gave a startled jump then whirled to face him. He lifted his eyebrows to prod an answer from her and she realized she hadn’t given him one. “I don’t.”
“Good, because it wouldn’t have been true.” He surveyed the room filled with baskets. “Are you going to tell me which one of these is yours?”
She shook her head. “It’s against the rules. Why don’t you help me move all of these to the sanctuary? It’s almost time to start.”
A Texas-Made Match Page 9