Harvest of Blessings by Hubbard Charlotte

Author:Hubbard, Charlotte
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2015-02-24T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

“Denki again for takin’ my busted wheel,” Ira said as he closed the trunk of Nora’s BMW. “Hope those folks in Cedar Creek will want to put stuff in your store, too.”

Nora put on a smile as Ira returned to his work inside the mill. She was hoping to get on the road rather than lingering with Luke, but he had other ideas.

“So are you going to tell me what’s wrong, or do I have to nag it out of you?” he asked in a low voice.

Nora sighed. Why had she thought Luke wouldn’t notice the dark circles under her red-rimmed eyes? Her pale complexion had never allowed her to hide crying jags any more than she could keep her temper from flashing in her eyes. “Just another run-in with my dat yesterday.” She shrugged, hoping he’d get the hint.

“And that’s why Millie isn’t going with you? Because Gabe got all bent out of shape about her riding in your car, picking up on your English ways?”

There you have it. In Willow Ridge, your business is everyone’s business—or else Luke’s a really good guesser.

“Everyone at the Brennemans’ witnessed our confrontation, and listened as Bishop Tom threatened to shun Dat for not forgiving me,” she added in a voice that sounded dangerously close to breaking. “But worse than that, he shattered Millie’s hopes—and Mamm’s—because he still forbids me to go to the house. And—and—”

Nora folded in on herself, covering her face with her hands as her shoulders began to shake. “I’m sorry, Luke. I didn’t mean to burden you with—”

“Burden me?” He exhaled his frustration and wrapped her in his arms. “What is his problem? Why can’t your father let go of something that happened more than sixteen years ago—especially because you couldn’t control what that perverted bishop did to you?”

“Ah, but Dat thinks I surely must’ve brought it on, because Tobias Borntreger was a friend of his. There were no witnesses, and Tobias is dead, so of course, since Tobias couldn’t have been the villain, I made up the whole story,” Nora explained shrilly. “As if I would seduce a sneaky, manipulative, smelly old geezer who was my dat’s age. Yuck!”

For a few moments Nora allowed herself the luxury of being enveloped in Luke’s strength and warmth, even though she sensed she was becoming dangerously infatuated. Luke Hooley was a nice guy, but he didn’t have the best reputation for committing himself to anyone—not that she wanted commitment from another man. She wasn’t sure what she wanted right now, except a glimmer of hope that she could become close to her daughter and could reunite with her mother, who were every bit as stymied by her dat’s behavior as she was.

“Well, at least Millie looks like you instead of like her father,” Luke replied in a lighter voice. “But I’m not going to let go of this, Nora. It’s not fair that your father can ruin everything you’ve come back to reestablish, and—”

“Please don’t get involved,” Nora pleaded as she wiped her eyes.

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