Simply You by Maggie Wild

Author:Maggie Wild [Wild, Maggie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780998696959
Publisher: Steel Rose Press

Chapter Eleven

Sarah was attempting to tame her hair that Friday evening when she heard a flurry of voices in the kitchen. Nicki was laughing, as usual, a teasing tone in her voice. Jennie chirped something, and then Sarah heard Michael’s low voice, his gentle round laugh. It was such a soothing sound. There was nothing forced about it, nothing fake, he wasn’t trying to impress anyone. She loved the easy way he laughed with his sister. She envied that kind of relationship.

She moved toward the open window and perched on the window ledge to listen. The sounds of the Midsummer Fair drifted in on the evening breeze as she strained to hear the conversation below. She couldn’t make out any words, but she could sense the teasing tone, the love between the siblings. She could have been quite happy to sit there all night and just listen to that music, the sound of loving people enjoying one another’s company. Amir had said he’d been to his mother’s for dinner. She pictured him sitting at Claudette’s immense dining room table with his family. She could imagine the rhythmic clink of silverware—real silverware—against bone china plates, the hushed tones of polite conversation, restrained laughter. She was glad she hadn’t been there. She could only imagine the icicles Claudette would have flung across the polished oak at her, the criticisms and judgements, thinly veiled as astute observations and flippant comments, their frozen barbs slicing into Sarah’s core.

A shriek rang out from the kitchen, followed by more laughter. What had Michael said this time to push Nicki’s buttons? Sarah slid on her shoes and took a long look at herself in the mirror. Not too shabby.

Suddenly she felt nervous, like a teenager going on a date. But this wasn’t a date… was it? Of course not. It was just an invitation to participate in the village fair. Warm, friendly people who wanted to make sure she had a memorable time while she was in their care.

So why did she suddenly feel uncomfortable?

She couldn’t deny that she liked Michael. He was an attractive man. But he was a farmer, for pity’s sake. A voluntary farmer, a man who’d chucked in a perfectly good life to subsist off the land. He was possibly deranged. Not to mention the very important point that she was engaged. To be married. To Amir. This was definitely not a date.

One night with a bit of dancing and some entertainment would do her a world of good.

She rummaged in the pocket of her pannier and pulled out some money. Folding it neatly, she pressed it into the pocket of her dress, gave her hair one last poke of submission and headed down to the kitchen.

Nicki was leaning in the doorway, her back to Sarah. As she brought a beer bottle to her lips and leaned back to take a swig, Sarah spotted Michael leaning against the kitchen table. She stopped in her tracks. He was dressed in jeans—clean, neat jeans that rested at his hips with a thick leather belt.

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