black eyes wouldn’t set gossipy lips flapping.
She pushed aside the unwelcome memories and gave a weak laugh. “I don’t even know the man, Ellie.”
“That young man didn’t even have the decency to hide his infatuation. He was way too bold, if you ask me,” Ellie insisted as she steadily beelined for a towering pine tree, its tall, weighted branches stretching wide. Cautiously sidestepping exposed roots, she turned and leaned heavilyagainst the trunk, her cheeks flushed as though she’d just walked miles.
“Miss Ellickson, is my wife fussing over you like an old mother hen?” Aaron teased from behind her.
She turned to see an amused, boyish grin plastered across Aaron’s face. Bowing her head, she took in the invigorating scent of fresh pine needles beneath her feet. “She’s just keeping a watchful eye on things.”
“I’m not the only one keeping an eye on things.” Ellie hooked an arm through her husband’s, snuggling up next to him. “Darling, you’re going to have to speak with Ethan Hofmann. He’s acting like a foolish schoolboy. He could hardly take his eyes off Katie during church.” When she hooked Katie’s arm also, Katie couldn’t help but smile.
Aaron winked at her as he patted his wife’s hand. “I’m sure Katie can take care of herself.”
Katie swallowed hard and schooled her expression. Had Aaron known how brutally untrue those words really were he never would’ve said them. She’d tried to fight Frank Fowler off, but her meager five feet four inches was no match to Frank’s size and his evil determination.
“But if you ever do need help or have any concerns, Katie, just let Ben, Zach or me know. Joseph, too. He may not be able to see right now, but he’s always had a way of bringing order to things without bruising a single knuckle. People around these parts think twice about crossing him.”
Ellie sighed, slumping her shoulders. “Well, I still think you should talk with Ethan about this. After all, Katie’s a young, beautiful unmarried woman. The single men around here seem to lose all common sense when it comes to someone like her.”
Giving Ellie’s hand a warm squeeze, Katie pulled away. “It’s fine. I didn’t notice the man.”
That was true. She hadn’t noticed him because she couldn’t seem to take her eyes off Joseph.
Glancing momentarily back at the church, she spotted him standing alone, and her heartbeat quickened inside her chest.
“Ellie-girl, I think you’ve about worn yourself out for one day,” Aaron cautioned in a most gentle and loving way. “I’m gonna get you back home where you can rest. And don’t you go arguing with me either.” Katie turned to see Aaron wrap an arm around his wife’s slight shoulders, then gently settled her back against the tree. “Stay here while I check on Joseph, then we’ll be on our way.”
“I’d be glad to do that,” Katie offered, noticing, too, how Ellie appeared nearly spent. Her face was flushed and her brow beaded with perspiration. “Really. It’s no trouble at all.”
“Are you sure? I just want to make sure he’s all right.” Aaron glanced around the churchyard. “I thought Ben would be out here by now.”
Katie gave Ellie a quick hug, then turned to Aaron. “Just get Ellie home. I’ll check in with Joseph.”
“Good enough.” Aaron nodded.
“We’ll have you out for supper some night this week,” Ellie offered as her husband swept her up in his arms. She hooked her arms around her Aaron’s neck, her laughter resounding like a bird’s joyous spring song as he carried her toward their wagon.
Smiling, Katie waved. “I’ll look forward to that.”
Walking toward Joseph, she stared through a shimmer of tears, wishing that she, too, could know that kind of love.
But who would ever want her the way she was…used?
That horrifying reality never seemed to lose its sharp sting. Her heart clenched with overwhelming sadness, but she couldn’t give in to it.
Ignoring the
She pushed aside the unwelcome memories and gave a weak laugh. “I don’t even know the man, Ellie.”
“That young man didn’t even have the decency to hide his infatuation. He was way too bold, if you ask me,” Ellie insisted as she steadily beelined for a towering pine tree, its tall, weighted branches stretching wide. Cautiously sidestepping exposed roots, she turned and leaned heavilyagainst the trunk, her cheeks flushed as though she’d just walked miles.
“Miss Ellickson, is my wife fussing over you like an old mother hen?” Aaron teased from behind her.
She turned to see an amused, boyish grin plastered across Aaron’s face. Bowing her head, she took in the invigorating scent of fresh pine needles beneath her feet. “She’s just keeping a watchful eye on things.”
“I’m not the only one keeping an eye on things.” Ellie hooked an arm through her husband’s, snuggling up next to him. “Darling, you’re going to have to speak with Ethan Hofmann. He’s acting like a foolish schoolboy. He could hardly take his eyes off Katie during church.” When she hooked Katie’s arm also, Katie couldn’t help but smile.
Aaron winked at her as he patted his wife’s hand. “I’m sure Katie can take care of herself.”
Katie swallowed hard and schooled her expression. Had Aaron known how brutally untrue those words really were he never would’ve said them. She’d tried to fight Frank Fowler off, but her meager five feet four inches was no match to Frank’s size and his evil determination.
“But if you ever do need help or have any concerns, Katie, just let Ben, Zach or me know. Joseph, too. He may not be able to see right now, but he’s always had a way of bringing order to things without bruising a single knuckle. People around these parts think twice about crossing him.”
Ellie sighed, slumping her shoulders. “Well, I still think you should talk with Ethan about this. After all, Katie’s a young, beautiful unmarried woman. The single men around here seem to lose all common sense when it comes to someone like her.”
Giving Ellie’s hand a warm squeeze, Katie pulled away. “It’s fine. I didn’t notice the man.”
That was true. She hadn’t noticed him because she couldn’t seem to take her eyes off Joseph.
Glancing momentarily back at the church, she spotted him standing alone, and her heartbeat quickened inside her chest.
“Ellie-girl, I think you’ve about worn yourself out for one day,” Aaron cautioned in a most gentle and loving way. “I’m gonna get you back home where you can rest. And don’t you go arguing with me either.” Katie turned to see Aaron wrap an arm around his wife’s slight shoulders, then gently settled her back against the tree. “Stay here while I check on Joseph, then we’ll be on our way.”
“I’d be glad to do that,” Katie offered, noticing, too, how Ellie appeared nearly spent. Her face was flushed and her brow beaded with perspiration. “Really. It’s no trouble at all.”
“Are you sure? I just want to make sure he’s all right.” Aaron glanced around the churchyard. “I thought Ben would be out here by now.”
Katie gave Ellie a quick hug, then turned to Aaron. “Just get Ellie home. I’ll check in with Joseph.”
“Good enough.” Aaron nodded.
“We’ll have you out for supper some night this week,” Ellie offered as her husband swept her up in his arms. She hooked her arms around her Aaron’s neck, her laughter resounding like a bird’s joyous spring song as he carried her toward their wagon.
Smiling, Katie waved. “I’ll look forward to that.”
Walking toward Joseph, she stared through a shimmer of tears, wishing that she, too, could know that kind of love.
But who would ever want her the way she was…used?
That horrifying reality never seemed to lose its sharp sting. Her heart clenched with overwhelming sadness, but she couldn’t give in to it.
Ignoring the
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