“That’s right!” Jim said excitedly. “I heard Annabelle is engaged.”
“Hey, I just heard myself. Who told you?” Ryan asked.
“It’s all over the church,” he informed. “You know how it is.”
“No, not really,” Ryan said crossly, somewhat dismayed that Annabelle had told others about her engagement, before her own brother.
“Congratulate her for me, will you?” Jim said.
Ryan nodded.
“I’d better get back to my table,” Jim said, but turned to Holly. “If you’d like to come to church Sunday, I could always drive you. Maybe we could go to lunch after…”
“I appreciate the invitation,” she said, smiling gratefully. “But I’ll need to talk to my sister…” She suspected Brianna had never attended church before and knew she needed to sit down with her and have a conversation about going. Besides, she wasn’t about to go off with someone—anyone—and leave her sister behind.
“The invitation extends to her too, of course,” Jim assured her.
“Thank you.”
Jim pulled out a business card and passed it to her. “Will you call me if you’d like me to pick you up?” He smiled winningly. “I know you’ll enjoy the service.”
“I will,” she assured him.
He gave a salute and walked away. She couldn’t help notice Ryan scowling after him.
“We should get going,” Ryan said, and she felt his hand on her low back. She felt an odd stirring sensation as his hand skimmed her blouse when he reached for the door knob.
She caught sight of his profile, presently set in a frown. She wondered what had put him in a dour mood. Had his sister’s engagement taken him by surprise? He seemed hurt to hear others had been told about Annabelle’s engagement before him.
Or, had he seemed upset when Jim had invited her to his church, and to join him for lunch after? Surely she had imagined that he appeared to react negatively to the invitation.
When he turned toward her briefly, she smiled nervously, and when he returned her smile, she definitely felt the pull of attraction between them. It was the last thing she expected.
Chapter Seventeen
“So, Brianna, I’ll see you at eight a.m.,” Annabelle said cheerfully. “I could really use your help around here.”
“I’ll be here,” she assured her. “I can’t wait.”
Ryan, who was sitting in the recliner in the living room, rose from the chair. “I told your sister earlier that you’re welcome to ride our horses whenever you’d like.”
Holly, sitting on the nearby sofa, couldn’t help frowning. Ryan noticed. “Is there something wrong?”
“Is … riding horses like riding a bike?” she asked, and turned toward her sister. “You haven’t ridden for awhile…”
Brianna laughed. “You worry about everything,” she accused good-naturedly. “You don’t need though. I’ll be careful and take it slow.”
“I’ll stay close to her,” Annabelle assured her. “My horses are well-trained, so you don’t have to be scared.”
Holly nodded, relieved.
“What are you going to do tomorrow, when I’m gone?” Brianna asked, suddenly realizing she was leaving Holly all alone for much of the day.
“I’ll probably start working on the rocking chair. And don’t you worry about me either. I’ll be fine.”
“Maybe Holly would like to learn to ride,” Ryan suggested, turning toward her. “You could always join Brianna in the morning for a quick lesson.”
Holly attempted a smile. While she was pleased Brianna was passionate about horses, she felt no such inclination. “Oh, I think I’ll leave the horseback riding to my little sister.”
“Please, Holly,” Brianna implored. “I’d love for you to learn. We could ride together.”
Holly hated to disappoint her sister, particularly since their relationship had been so strained only a couple months before. They’d come a long way since moving to Washington. It was apparent Brianna wanted to share her love of horses with her. She considered it a means for them to spend time together.
“Okay,” she said, attempting a smile. “I’ll … try.”
Annabelle clasped her hands together. “Wonderful! We’re going to have so much fun.” She sought her brother’s gaze. “Hey, maybe after Holly’s riding lesson, you could show her around. I bet she’d enjoy seeing some of the sights around here.”
Ryan appeared surprised by his sister’s suggestion, but rallied quickly. “Uh, sure. Holly, would you care to do a little sight-seeing tomorrow?”
She met his gaze, determined to retain eye-contact, although she was embarrassed. Annabelle had put him on the spot, and she didn’t want him to feel trapped.
“I’m sure you have a busy day tomorrow,” she said. “I’d hate to intrude on your time.”
“He’s free,” Annabelle asserted, grinning at her brother.
Holly looked between brother and sister. To his credit, Ryan blanked his face and if he was feeling put-upon by the forced invitation, he didn’t show it. His sister, on the other hand, looked like the cat that had swallowed the canary.
“I’d be happy to show you around,” Ryan said finally, directing his words to Holly. “It would be fun for me too. I’ve been away for so long.”
“You chose to leave,” Annabelle said crisply, and both Holly and Brianna sensed the shift of energy in the room. It was evident the siblings had some underlying issues between them.
“Well, we should get out of your hair,” Holly said cheerfully. “I guess we’ll … both … see you tomorrow.”
“First thing,” Annabelle said.
Both Ryan and Annabelle saw them to the door. When they said their goodbyes, and the door closed behind them, Holly had a sneaking suspicion the siblings were about to have a heated conversation. She desperately hoped it didn’t have anything to do with her.
She couldn’t imagine why it would, but Annabelle seemed intent on throwing her and Ryan together. She doubted he had any trouble attracting women. Maybe Annabelle was simply one of those women who felt compelled to play matchmaker. Maybe she’d found happiness with Harrison and was determined her brother find his other half.
She almost laughed aloud. She sincerely doubted she was it. With a heavy debt looming over her head, she was hardly a catch. Anyone who took her on as a wife would assume her debt, and she wouldn’t feel comfortable with that fact. It’s why she had steered clear of romantic entanglements in the past. Until she was free of debt, she wouldn’t assume to date some unsuspecting fellow.
Besides, she had a sister to raise. For the next two-and-a-half years, and probably a few years after that, she intended to devote herself to Brianna. She was determined to assure she reached adulthood, healthy and happy, confident, and reliant on God. She wanted nothing more than for Brianna to have a close relationship with Jesus Christ.
Although she hadn’t hidden her faith from Brianna, or refrained from praying in front of her, she hadn’t directly addressed the girl about Him. It was time. Particularly since they’d been invited to church on Sunday.
She remembered Jim giving her his phone number. If he’d invited her to church, and hadn’t suggested picking her up and going to lunch after, she would have been feeling very eager about attending. For whatever reason, she just didn’t feel inclined to go with him, or to join him for lunch.
He seemed perfectly nice. Was good looking, in a blond, boyish way, but…
“Holly, Holly,” Brianna said, sounding frustrated. “Are we going to stand out here all night?”
She shook her head. “Oh, sorry. Wow, I must be preoccupied.”
They climbed into the car and on the short drive home, Brianna watched her suspiciously. “You’re thinking about Ryan, aren’t you?”
“No! I mean, I…”
She giggled gleefully. “You are! And I don’t blame you. He’s hot.”
Holly took a deep, shoring breath. “Yes, he’s a handsome man, but…”
&nb
sp; “What?”
“I have no interest in a relationship with anyone right now,” she said. “I have too much to think about right now.”
Brianna furrowed her brow. “What do you have to think about? I get the feeling Ryan likes you, and I think…” She pinned her with a knowing look. “I think, you’re attracted to him.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it’s how you steal little glances at him, and you get quiet around him, and sometimes even tongue-tied…”
“I do not get tongue-tied,” she cried. “I…”
Brianna laughed delightedly. “It’s okay, Holly. You’re just a little out of practice. Liking Ryan will get easier—seem more natural—as time passes.”
Holly couldn’t hide her frustration. Even if she did have feelings for the man, she didn’t need her little sister offering relationship advice. She decided to change the subject.
“Brianna, how would you feel about attending church on Sunday? We were invited by…”
“Ryan and Annabelle?” she cut in.
“No, actually, one of Ryan’s friends invited us.”
“Who?”
“His name is Jim.”
Brianna appeared taken aback. “You mean, some guy invited you somewhere when he knows Ryan…?”
Holly pressed her eyelids closed but promptly remembered she was behind the wheel. Her sister could wear her out at times. “Jim asked us to attend his church. It had nothing to do with Ryan.”
“But when did you meet this guy?”
“At the pizza place, with Ryan.”
“So, you’re telling me, you were at the pizza place with Ryan and some guy just walks up to you and invites you to church?”
“Brianna,” she said in a scolding tone. “I was not with Ryan. And Jim was being neighborly.”
“So you’re going?”
“Well, I don’t know,” she said, as she pulled her car in front of her house. “I wanted to talk to you first. I wanted to ask you how you feel about starting a church.”
“Do you intend to join this church?”
“I don’t know yet. We’ll have to see if we’re a good fit and if it’s a good fit for us.”
They climbed out of the car and started for the porch. Once there, Brianna said, “I’ve never been to church.” She narrowed her eyes, as if thinking. “Mom tried to talk Dad into going to church. He was thinking about it.”
Holly felt her heart surge. Maybe her father and his wife had sought a relationship with God, after all.
“Yeah,” Brianna continued, “Mom said it would be a good way to network. Dad was thinking about starting his own business.”
Holly sighed. It was hardly a good reason to attend church. Where did God fit into that particular picture? she wondered.
Holly refocused the conversation on Brianna. “What do you think? Do you want to go?”
“I don’t know how I feel about going with a stranger,” she admitted. “I mean, all you know about the guy is that he’s Ryan’s friend and he goes to church.” She gave a shrug. “But, I guess it’s not as if he’s interested in you.”
Holly made a guilty face. “He did ask me out to lunch after.”
“Wow!” Brianna cried. “You can’t go out of the house without some guy asking you out.”
“That’s not true.”
“What about that red-headed guy at the grocery store? He asked for your number, remember?”
Holly gave a dismissive wave. “We’re not talking about the red-headed guy, or Jim, or even Ryan. I want to know how you feel about going to church with me. I haven’t hidden the fact that I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ…”
“But do you want a relationship with a living, breathing human male…?”
“Brianna, please. Will you focus?”
“Okay, yes. I’ll go to church, but to be really honest, I’d prefer the two of us go together. It’s going to be new for me and I’m kind of self-conscious around strangers. Would you be too upset if…?”
“No,” Holly assured her, actually relieved. She felt better about attending church for the first time with Brianna, without pressure on either of them to force any aspect of the situation. When she chose a church here, she wanted it to be her church home for years to come.
Finally inside the house, Brianna followed Holly into the kitchen. She poured them both a glass of water. “Holly, what if you fall in love with … say … Ryan?”
“Brianna!”
Holly sighed loudly. Her sister was relentless. “Okay, hon, listen to me. Even if I wanted a relationship with Ryan, or anyone, I wouldn’t feel right entering into one considering…”
“Considering what?” Brianna asked, watching her as if she were a space alien.
“Considering I’m in debt. I can’t expect a man to assume my debt.”
“But if you’re in love…”
“Brianna, can we not talk about this, please?”
“But Holly, if someone loves someone, they wouldn’t turn away from them over money.”
“Actually, they might. It’s a lot to ask someone to assume one’s debt.”
“But Ryan is rich.”
“You’re making assumptions,” Holly told her. “Ryan and Annabelle are residing in their family’s home. We know absolutely nothing about their finances or for that matter, anything else.”
“I like them.”
“I do too. It was nice of Annabelle to ask us over for dinner.”
“I get the impression she isn’t much of a cook.”
“Neither am I,” Holly admitted.
“I’m pretty good,” Brianna said.
“Yes, you are,” Holly said. “Far better than me. Maybe I’ll learn from watching you.”
Brianna beamed at the compliment. “I can’t wait to teach you to ride too. I just know you’re going to love it! Maybe we can both get a horse. We can ride together all the time.”
Chapter Eighteen
The following morning, the women arrived at the McGraw home. Holly couldn’t seem to manage to get a handle on her nerves. She wrung her hands as she and Brianna stood on the front porch, awaiting someone to answer the door.
It was Ryan who finally flung it open. He greeted them with a big smile. “My sister is always running late.” He glanced at Brianna. “Remember that. If she tells you she’ll need you here at eight, you might want to head over around eight-thirty.”
Brianna glanced over at the Holly, who was notoriously punctual. “I don’t think Holly would let me be tardy for any reason,” she said with a wince.
Ryan stepped aside to allow them inside. “Okay, then. You can always arrive on time and raid the fridge. Feel free to have a seat at the kitchen island and enjoy a leisurely breakfast while you wait for her. If you happen to make pancakes, don’t hesitate to cook a couple extra for me.”
“I’m not as bad as you’re making me out to be,” Annabelle said, shooting her brother a look of daggers as she joined them. She turned away from him and grinned broadly at their guests. “Are you girls ready for your first ride at the McGraw place?”
Brianna clasped her hands together. “I can’t wait. It’s been so long since I’ve ridden a horse.”
“And you, Holly?” she asked.
She forced a smile. “I’m … ready. I … think.”
Ryan, beside her, laughed. He was standing close and she heard the deep timbre of his voice and felt the heat radiating from his recently showered skin. His cologne tantalized her nose.
She swallowed hard and took an instinctive step away from him. She noted then he was dressed in jeans and a cotton cowboy shirt. Cowboy boots rounded out the very Western outfit. He looked so handsome, he took her breath away.
“You look great, Ryan,” Brianna cried. “Like a real-life cowboy!”
“I am a real life cowboy,” he said, feigning indignation.
Annabelle cleared her throat in dramatic fashion. “Uh huh.”
“Hey, I can rid
e with the best of ‘em.” He grabbed Holly’s hand. “Come on. I’m going to be your instructor this morning.”
She felt her heart flip, and then twist. She wasn’t certain she wanted to spend time with him. The attraction between them was almost palpable, particularly when their hands were linked. His warmth radiated up her arm and she resisted the urge to move even closer to him.
Outside, he walked briskly toward the barn. He realized she was practically running to keep up and slowed down. “Sorry,” he said with a smile. “I guess I’m looking forward to a morning of riding with you.”
“Oh, well, I’m not sure…”
He gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll be right behind you.”
***
Holly felt her back pressed against Ryan’s hard chest. He’d rolled up his sleeves and she couldn’t help but notice the fine dusting of golden hair on his tanned forearms. When he urged the horse forward with the press of his legs, it launched forward and she was propelled backward. Ryan braced her by tightening an arm around her.
When he said he was going to be right behind her while riding, she had believed he meant he’d be on a horse and following behind her. She had no idea he was going to put her on the same horse with him.
As disconcerting as it was to be so close to him, she had to admit, she felt some relief she wasn’t responsible for directing the movements of such an immense animal. Despite the horse’s size, with Ryan behind her, she felt … safe.
She realized she hadn’t felt anything, courtesy of a man, for some time. She always looked to God for her security, but suddenly wondered, had He brought Ryan into her life for a reason?
She was adamant she wasn’t ready for a relationship—it’s what she constantly told herself—but maybe the good Lord had other ideas. “Lord, help me to know what you want for me,” she prayed.
She was unaware that she’d spoken the words aloud until she heard Ryan chuckle. “Are you praying?” he asked. “Are you that scared?”
“I’m scared all right,” she murmured, and then groaned, since once again she’d said the words aloud.
By Summer's End (Christian Fiction) Page 11