Chances by Nowak Pamela

Author:Nowak, Pamela [Nowak, Pamela]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: In the Moment Historicals
Published: 2013-08-01T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Sarah stood in the Petterman kitchen, noting the evidence of Mrs. Winifred’s expert housekeeping in its sparkle. Her survey swept from the immaculate counter past Daniel’s lean frame, straight into the expectant gazes of Kate and Molly. Bright afternoon sunshine lit the tidy room, bouncing off the girls’ faces. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward and smiled at them. She was going to do whatever it took to have fun at this challenge, even if it killed her.

“Papa said you wanted to do something special with us,” Kate said, a rare hint of playfulness lighting her eyes. “He suggested you might like to bake cookies.”

“Oh, he did?” Sarah lifted an eyebrow in satisfaction. While baking cookies wasn’t her favorite activity, it was something she knew how to do. Given an adequate recipe, she could make a darned good cookie, maybe even one that would melt in Daniel’s mouth. If the other challenges were this easy, the week might not be so bad after all. “Shall we get started?”

Kate’s mouth stretched into an uncharacteristic grin. “Papa said he didn’t think you’d like spending your Sunday afternoon in the kitchen.”

A tiny prickle of foreboding jabbed at Sarah. Things couldn’t be this uncomplicated. “Your father’s right. Baking cookies is a perfect challenge for me. I’m not exactly a kitchen kind of person.”

“I thought as much,” Daniel said from the doorway, “so I told Mrs. Winifred to show you to the kitchen. After all, this isn’t really about what you’d like to do.” He leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms. “I think a day in the kitchen will work fine for both of us.”

Sarah felt her mouth go dry. Drat it all, it was too easy. She’d forgotten about this being Daniel’s challenge, too.

Daniel’s eyes narrowed. “We did have to do these things together, didn’t we?”

She stared at him. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear the man looked smug. Smug. Displeasure picked at her. Play her for a fool, would he? She marched across the kitchen and glared up at him. “Are you trying to cheat already?”

His mouth fell open with a huff of air. “I’m not trying to cheat. You’re the one who said we had to do things together.”

Sarah shook her head and paced across the room, ignoring the girls’ questioning expressions. “Baking cookies is hardly the sort of challenge I had in mind for you. It’s too conventional and you know it.”

He shrugged. “So, we do separate activities.”

“I think not.”

“Then we bake cookies. It will be a new experience for me. The girls will tell you that.” He uncrossed his arms in a gesture of frustration. “Besides, it’s Sunday. This is about as unconventional as we can get on a Sunday.”

“I’m sure there are plenty of other things to do.”

“Such as?” He stared at her, waiting.

“How am I supposed to know? Something besides staying in your own house doing something as wholesome as baking.”

“Papa?” Molly interrupted. She stepped forward, her brown curls swinging in defiance, and gazed up at him.

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