see Micah and the Sawyer group, three teenage boys and their father, returning from their three-day trip up Mount Moran.
“How was the trip?” she asked.
“Sweet!”
“Cool!”
Mr. Sawyer gave a thumbs-up, while the shortest teen simply smiled and nodded.
Micahs hair was damp around the collar, and his clothes were smeared with dirt.
“I’m starving,” said the oldest boy.
“Me too!” chimed his brother.
“You guys are always starving.” Mr. Sawyer tousled their heads and pointed them toward their room for a shower.
“Thanks, Micah!” One of them said, with no prompting whatsoever. “This has been the coolest vacation ever.”
“You guys did great. Now go get a shower so I don’t have to smell you anymore.”
They snickered and returned the compliment.
“They’re probably right,” Micah said. “It’s been a pleasure, Dave.” He shook Mr. Sawyer’s hand. “See you at dinner.”
Hanna had a feeling Mr. Sawyer was hanging behind to talk to her, and she was right.
“Ms. Landin, I just wanted you to know what a treasure of an employee you have there. He told us it was his first trip with Higher Grounds.”
“Thanks for telling me. That’s good to hear.”
“I own my own business, and I know how hard it is to find reliable people. Just wanted you to know he’s a keeper.”
Hanna laughed. “Well, thanks. I appreciate it.”
He left, presumably for a shower of his own.
“I knew he was the right choice,” Gram said from her spot on the chair. “God doesn’t make mistakes.”
Hanna released a long breath. She’d believed all along Micah would be great with the customers, but hearing it firsthand eased her mind. That was the last untried aspect of her plan, and now it seemedeverything was right on track for a successful season. “I think we’re going to be all right, Gram.”
“Speak for yourself, child. Personally, I’m dying for that cup of tea.”
Hanna laughed. “Oh, Gram.”
Micah entered from the hall, still in his hiking wear, and carrying the silver kettle. “Is someone missing something?”
“There it is,” Hanna said, going to retrieve it.
“Where on earth was it?” Gram asked.
“Would you believe on my nightstand?”
“Oh my. How did it get there?”
Hanna felt the smile leave her face. Gram had cleaned Micah’s room yesterday morning and had undoubtedly brought it in there.
“Let’s just be glad we found it,” Hanna said and felt Micah’s intense perusal.
“I’m the only one who’s been in your room, so it must’ve been me,” Gram said. Her brows drew down over her eyes and formed a crease between them. “Now, why in the world would I have brought a kettle in there?”
Micah squeezed Gram’s shoulder. “I’ve been known to sleepwalk,” he said with a smile. “Maybe I decided to have a cup of tea in the middle of night.”
It was a nice try, but Hanna knew he was just trying to ease Gram’s mind. She didn’t know about the sleepwalking, but he didn’t even drink tea. He kidded around with Gram for a moment until she seemed to for get the incident, then went off to take his shower. The way he’d handled Gram touched her heart.
Hanna watched him go and wondered how else he would surprise her.
Natalie checked her watch, noting that a whole three minutes had passed since the last time she checked. She sipped her Diet Coke.
The waiter appeared again. “Would you like to continue to wait or go ahead and order?”
“I’ll wait.” Her smile was forced, her lips stiff.
Leave it to Keith to be late for their first date in over a year. Hanna, bless her heart, had offered to watch the boys, and Natalie had been too desperate to refuse.
In the two weeks since the confrontation, she’d gotten nowhere trying to discover the truth. Keith’s pants became a crime scene as she rooted through pockets prior to tossing them in the laundry. Each night as she lay in bed, she quietly picked up the bedroom receiver and listened to see if he
“How was the trip?” she asked.
“Sweet!”
“Cool!”
Mr. Sawyer gave a thumbs-up, while the shortest teen simply smiled and nodded.
Micahs hair was damp around the collar, and his clothes were smeared with dirt.
“I’m starving,” said the oldest boy.
“Me too!” chimed his brother.
“You guys are always starving.” Mr. Sawyer tousled their heads and pointed them toward their room for a shower.
“Thanks, Micah!” One of them said, with no prompting whatsoever. “This has been the coolest vacation ever.”
“You guys did great. Now go get a shower so I don’t have to smell you anymore.”
They snickered and returned the compliment.
“They’re probably right,” Micah said. “It’s been a pleasure, Dave.” He shook Mr. Sawyer’s hand. “See you at dinner.”
Hanna had a feeling Mr. Sawyer was hanging behind to talk to her, and she was right.
“Ms. Landin, I just wanted you to know what a treasure of an employee you have there. He told us it was his first trip with Higher Grounds.”
“Thanks for telling me. That’s good to hear.”
“I own my own business, and I know how hard it is to find reliable people. Just wanted you to know he’s a keeper.”
Hanna laughed. “Well, thanks. I appreciate it.”
He left, presumably for a shower of his own.
“I knew he was the right choice,” Gram said from her spot on the chair. “God doesn’t make mistakes.”
Hanna released a long breath. She’d believed all along Micah would be great with the customers, but hearing it firsthand eased her mind. That was the last untried aspect of her plan, and now it seemedeverything was right on track for a successful season. “I think we’re going to be all right, Gram.”
“Speak for yourself, child. Personally, I’m dying for that cup of tea.”
Hanna laughed. “Oh, Gram.”
Micah entered from the hall, still in his hiking wear, and carrying the silver kettle. “Is someone missing something?”
“There it is,” Hanna said, going to retrieve it.
“Where on earth was it?” Gram asked.
“Would you believe on my nightstand?”
“Oh my. How did it get there?”
Hanna felt the smile leave her face. Gram had cleaned Micah’s room yesterday morning and had undoubtedly brought it in there.
“Let’s just be glad we found it,” Hanna said and felt Micah’s intense perusal.
“I’m the only one who’s been in your room, so it must’ve been me,” Gram said. Her brows drew down over her eyes and formed a crease between them. “Now, why in the world would I have brought a kettle in there?”
Micah squeezed Gram’s shoulder. “I’ve been known to sleepwalk,” he said with a smile. “Maybe I decided to have a cup of tea in the middle of night.”
It was a nice try, but Hanna knew he was just trying to ease Gram’s mind. She didn’t know about the sleepwalking, but he didn’t even drink tea. He kidded around with Gram for a moment until she seemed to for get the incident, then went off to take his shower. The way he’d handled Gram touched her heart.
Hanna watched him go and wondered how else he would surprise her.
Natalie checked her watch, noting that a whole three minutes had passed since the last time she checked. She sipped her Diet Coke.
The waiter appeared again. “Would you like to continue to wait or go ahead and order?”
“I’ll wait.” Her smile was forced, her lips stiff.
Leave it to Keith to be late for their first date in over a year. Hanna, bless her heart, had offered to watch the boys, and Natalie had been too desperate to refuse.
In the two weeks since the confrontation, she’d gotten nowhere trying to discover the truth. Keith’s pants became a crime scene as she rooted through pockets prior to tossing them in the laundry. Each night as she lay in bed, she quietly picked up the bedroom receiver and listened to see if he
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