The Christmas Switch by Julia Ridgmont

Author:Julia Ridgmont [Ridgmont, Julia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-11-28T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Calvin watched in amusement as Rachel’s feet stumbled and she quickly grabbed hold of the nearest chair at the table. “Pardon?”

He hadn’t meant to startle her, hadn’t even meant to ask such a question, but it popped out before he could curb it. Because the truth was, the more time he spent with her, the more he liked her. And he suspected her feelings were leaning that way toward him as well. Only time would tell.

Time seemed to be the one thing they had plenty of. The snow hadn’t let up all day, and from the darkness outside, he suspected tomorrow would bring much of the same. Aside from worrying about his animals, Calvin realized he was enjoying this unexpected respite from every day cares.

He couldn’t seem to get enough of Rachel’s lovely face. Her wide forehead that peeked out from her pulled back hair, the curve of her cheek, even the birthmark on her left jaw. It was just part of her. He hardly noticed it anymore. And those tendrils of hair that had come loose from her bun as she was cooking made her look less severe, more approachable. More feminine. Not that she didn’t already look feminine. He had noticed her curves a long time ago.

It took awhile for Calvin to realize everyone was staring at him, waiting for something. What had he missed during his woolgathering?

Chuckling, Rachel repeated, “I said, of course, I like you. You’re my friend.”

He grunted. Friend, huh? Did he want her to become more than that? Unbidden, the thought came that neither of them might have any choice in whether they became more than that or not, although his gut no longer tightened at the prospect of having to marry her.

“Er, good.”

He picked up a platter of turkey along with the serving fork when Rachel’s soft “Mm-hm” gave him pause. Meeting her amused grin, she said softly, “Will you please say grace?”

Ignoring the giggles of the children, he slowly put the platter down and reached for Abigail’s hand on his right and little Genevieve’s on his left. Their soft, pudgy fingers encased in his large, rough hands brought back too many memories of helping Wanda care for Johnny as a toddler, and Calvin almost pulled his hands away. “Dear Lord, we are grateful for the bounty which Thou hast provided us, and ask a blessing upon us on this special day when we remember the birth of Thy Son. In His holy name, amen.”

“Amen,” the others said, and then they began passing around the dishes of mashed turnips, rolls, turkey and gravy, and of course, pumpkin pie.

All the while, Calvin thought of those early days of his marriage. From the minute Johnny was born, Wanda could hardly keep up with him. Calvin had taken Johnny under his wings and taught him just about everything he knew about horses by the time the boy was five, just to keep him out of his mama’s hair.

Accepting the heavily laden bowl of gravy from

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