The Teacher's Bride by Kathleen Fuller

Author:Kathleen Fuller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2018-10-16T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

They hired you?”

Ruby put her hands on her hips as she glared at Chris, although now she was wondering why she’d told the school board she’d be glad to inform him about their decision. After all, she had to talk with him anyway. “Don’t sound so shocked.”

He leaned on his crutches. “You’re telling me this before kaffee.”

“I didn’t realize kaffee was that important to you.”

“It is when I’m awakened before sunrise.”

Oh. Ruby bit her bottom lip. Perhaps she should have waited until after breakfast. She’d been up for more than an hour, excited to get started on her new job. She’d talked so nonstop on the way home from Freemont’s house that Timothy had to tell her to be silent for a few minutes. He’d said it good-naturedly, though, and she had thanked him for giving her his vote.

“I won’t let you down,” she’d insisted. He only nodded in response, and she knew he had some reservations. She didn’t blame him since she’d had some herself, but she was going to make sure this job went well for her and the students.

“I wanted to get a head start,” she said, her smile hopeful. A man as dedicated to his job as Chris Ropp would understand that. “I’m ready and reporting for duty.”

He gave her a bleary-eyed look. His hair stood up on end, even more untamed than during their lesson on Saturday. He also needed a shave. He was wearing a T-shirt and jeans and looked nothing like a buttoned-up, stick-in-the-mud teacher. Standing this close to him, she realized he smelled nice—like fresh laundry hanging on the line.

“Come on in,” he said, his voice weary. He turned, his crutches thumping on the floor as he headed for the kitchen. “I’ll get the kaffee started.”

She eyed his crutches. He looked tired and unsteady on them. “Let me do it for you,” she said.

He glanced at her over his shoulder. “I can handle it,” he said, his tone sharp.

“Fine,” she muttered, following him into the kitchen.

Chris hobbled to the stove and picked up the percolator. The coffeepot dangled from his fingers as he gripped the crutch handles, and he nearly lost his balance taking the few steps to the sink.

Ruby took the pot from his hand. “You should sit down,” she said. “You don’t want to make yer injury worse.”

He nodded and hobbled to the table. She filled the pot with water, saw the coffee container near the sink, and put three scoops in the metal basket before she placed it back in the pot. She glanced at Chris as she set the percolator on the stove. He was hunched over in his chair, an unusual posture for him, and his face was twisted with pain. She turned on the gas burner and then went to him.

“Yer ankle must hurt a lot.”

He started to shake his head, but then stopped. “No use in lying,” he mumbled, switching to English. “It does hurt.”

“Did they tell you to prop it up?”

“Yes.”

“Then why aren’t

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