Yesterday's Roses by Heather Cullman

Author:Heather Cullman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Media Young Readers
Published: 2015-03-16T14:47:59+00:00

Chapter 14

“Life just keeps on getting better” Hallie mumbled sarcastically as a fat raindrop pelted her on the head. She rolled her eyes toward the heavens above and heaved a long-suffering sigh. Oh, great! It looked as if they were in for a storm, and if those quickly gathering clouds were an accurate indicator, there was no way she would make it back to the Mission House before it broke.

As if to confirm her fears, a silvery flash of lightning streaked across the sky, followed closely by an ominous clap of thunder. Hallie started nervously. Lord! There was nothing she hated more than thunder!

Except the wind. And those cold gusts were tearing at her unbound hair with the violence of a scalping Indian. With a snort of exasperation, she paused in midstride for what seemed like the hundredth time and shoved the tangle of curls out of her face. As she tucked a particularly stubborn ringlet behind her ear, Hallie caught sight of her reflection in a shop window. If she hadn’t felt so utterly miserable, she probably would have laughed.

With her hair snaking in fiery tangles around her face and her eyes red from crying, she bore an uncanny resemblance to the illustration of Medusa in her book of mythology. Hardly the type of woman to incite uncontrollable lust in a man, she thought bitterly as she turned away.

Yet that was exactly what had happened less than an hour ago. Hallie cringed inwardly at the shameful memory. She had behaved just like the wanton creature Lavinia Donahue had accused her of being, falling easily under the spell of Jake Parrish’s enchanting kisses. And to think that she had let the man fondle her in such an intimate fashion …

Hallie shivered and wrapped her arms around herself as the wind cut through the thin wool of her gown. She’d been so mortified by her passionate display that she had fled Jake’s house without stopping to retrieve her reticule or bonnet from the floor. Nor had she attempted to collect her coat, something she was now regretting.

“Oh, double damn,” she swore beneath her breath as another booming report of thunder rocked her senses. Fine kettle of fish she was in now!

Of course, it would be her own fault if she got soaked to the skin, caught a nasty cold which developed into pneumonia, and died a miserable death. A sob caught in her throat at the tragic thought. What would Jake do when he heard the news? Would he be moved enough to shed a tear or two over her untimely demise?

The very notion made her imagination soar to melodramatic heights. In her mind, Hallie pictured a tender scene where a brokenhearted Jake Parrish wept while she weakly uttered her last—albeit brave—words. He would cradle her in his arms and beg her to live, to stay with him always. And then, through the power of love, they would defeat death together.

She released a sigh at her fanciful musings. She had definitely read one dime novel too many.

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