from a distance. She thought about that for a moment.
They really hadn’t acted like a couple, but then maybe she was just fooling
herself.
Colleen pulled her coat on and
prepared to go to the grocery store. Her thoughts returned immediately to Adam
and the last few days together. He had a sweet tooth, and his favorite way of
appeasing it was to go out for ice cream. He’d invited her out twice, and even
though the evenings were getting much cooler and ice cream wouldn’t have been
her first choice for a dessert, Colleen hadn’t turned him down.
She closed the door and headed
down the quant dirt street toward the only grocery store in town. Colleen ducked
her head against the sharp wind and made a mental note to get more hot
chocolate. Once more Adam invaded her thoughts. He’d invited her to dinner the
night before. She wished she’d taken him up on the date.
“It wasn’t a real date,”
Colleen whispered to herself. It was an invitation, not a date. Adam only
appreciated the change in Jenny. His request was because of gratitude, not
romantic interest, Colleen told herself as she pushed the door open and entered
the citrus-scented store. She picked up a small red basket and made her way to
the produce section.
Just when she had convinced
herself Adam wasn’t really interested, a small voice nagged at her. If he’s
not interested in you, then why did he start attending your church and sitting
by you during service?
She felt the gentle pull of a
smile as it touched her lips. He had started attending First Community Church
And he did sit by her.
“Hello, Colleen, Isn’t the
weather turning nasty?”
Colleen looked into the soft
brown eyes of Cassie Masters. She held the smile in place. “Hi Cassie. It is
getting cold out there.”
“Daddy says it’s going to be a
harsh winter. I hope he’s wrong.” She rested a protective hand on her stomach.
“It wouldn’t do for me to catch a cold in my condition.” Cassie’s voice held a
far-off dreamy texture to it.
She knew she was being nosey,
but Colleen couldn’t stop the words from popping from her lips. “Are you ill?”
Cassie looked up at her as if
she’d forgotten she’d been talking to her. Colleen watched a soft smile form at
the woman’s lips.
“Oh, I just have to tell
someone besides Adam.” Cassie looked around and leaned toward Colleen. “Please
don’t tell anyone, but…” She paused, looked around again and whispered, “I’m
pregnant.”
The way her brown eyes
sparkled told Colleen that Cassie was a little more than thrilled about the
prospect. “Please don’t tell anyone. Daddy would have a fit. So far the only
one who knows is Adam. He took the news in stride and has been helping me keep
it a secret.”
Colleen didn’t know what to
say. She wondered if her face showed the amount of shock she felt at the news.
They weren’t even married, and Cassie was acting as if having a baby out of
wedlock was the best thing in the world. “I won’t say anything to anyone. Adam
knows?” She asked the last to make sure she’d heard Cassie right.
Cassie picked up a tomato and
gave it a little squeeze. “Oh, yes. He’s been real good about helping me with…”
She looked around again and then continued, “The doctor’s appointments and
stuff.”
Colleen chose two tomatoes and
put them into a plastic bag. She felt as if someone had kicked her in the
stomach.
She silently prayed in
anguish. Why, God? Why can’t I find someone to love me?
“No, I don’t want to go out
with you, Adam Walker.”
Adam stared into Colleen’s
flashing green eyes. Her face radiated pure anger. Now what had he done? He did
a mental inventory. Nothing came to mind except asking her to dinner at the
Handlebar Restaurant. What was wrong with her?
“I can’t believe you
They really hadn’t acted like a couple, but then maybe she was just fooling
herself.
Colleen pulled her coat on and
prepared to go to the grocery store. Her thoughts returned immediately to Adam
and the last few days together. He had a sweet tooth, and his favorite way of
appeasing it was to go out for ice cream. He’d invited her out twice, and even
though the evenings were getting much cooler and ice cream wouldn’t have been
her first choice for a dessert, Colleen hadn’t turned him down.
She closed the door and headed
down the quant dirt street toward the only grocery store in town. Colleen ducked
her head against the sharp wind and made a mental note to get more hot
chocolate. Once more Adam invaded her thoughts. He’d invited her to dinner the
night before. She wished she’d taken him up on the date.
“It wasn’t a real date,”
Colleen whispered to herself. It was an invitation, not a date. Adam only
appreciated the change in Jenny. His request was because of gratitude, not
romantic interest, Colleen told herself as she pushed the door open and entered
the citrus-scented store. She picked up a small red basket and made her way to
the produce section.
Just when she had convinced
herself Adam wasn’t really interested, a small voice nagged at her. If he’s
not interested in you, then why did he start attending your church and sitting
by you during service?
She felt the gentle pull of a
smile as it touched her lips. He had started attending First Community Church
And he did sit by her.
“Hello, Colleen, Isn’t the
weather turning nasty?”
Colleen looked into the soft
brown eyes of Cassie Masters. She held the smile in place. “Hi Cassie. It is
getting cold out there.”
“Daddy says it’s going to be a
harsh winter. I hope he’s wrong.” She rested a protective hand on her stomach.
“It wouldn’t do for me to catch a cold in my condition.” Cassie’s voice held a
far-off dreamy texture to it.
She knew she was being nosey,
but Colleen couldn’t stop the words from popping from her lips. “Are you ill?”
Cassie looked up at her as if
she’d forgotten she’d been talking to her. Colleen watched a soft smile form at
the woman’s lips.
“Oh, I just have to tell
someone besides Adam.” Cassie looked around and leaned toward Colleen. “Please
don’t tell anyone, but…” She paused, looked around again and whispered, “I’m
pregnant.”
The way her brown eyes
sparkled told Colleen that Cassie was a little more than thrilled about the
prospect. “Please don’t tell anyone. Daddy would have a fit. So far the only
one who knows is Adam. He took the news in stride and has been helping me keep
it a secret.”
Colleen didn’t know what to
say. She wondered if her face showed the amount of shock she felt at the news.
They weren’t even married, and Cassie was acting as if having a baby out of
wedlock was the best thing in the world. “I won’t say anything to anyone. Adam
knows?” She asked the last to make sure she’d heard Cassie right.
Cassie picked up a tomato and
gave it a little squeeze. “Oh, yes. He’s been real good about helping me with…”
She looked around again and then continued, “The doctor’s appointments and
stuff.”
Colleen chose two tomatoes and
put them into a plastic bag. She felt as if someone had kicked her in the
stomach.
She silently prayed in
anguish. Why, God? Why can’t I find someone to love me?
“No, I don’t want to go out
with you, Adam Walker.”
Adam stared into Colleen’s
flashing green eyes. Her face radiated pure anger. Now what had he done? He did
a mental inventory. Nothing came to mind except asking her to dinner at the
Handlebar Restaurant. What was wrong with her?
“I can’t believe you
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