Pursued by Liz Bradford

Author:Liz Bradford [Bradford, Liz & Bradford, Liz]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Hewlett-Packard
Published: 2019-05-29T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

When the service was over Amelia was relieved. Maybe it was just because she liked having Caleb back by her side. She smiled at him, and he squinted his eyes, cocking his head to the side.

“What?” she asked.

“That’s what I was going to ask you.” He leaned a little closer to her. “You okay?”

The air got stuck in her lungs. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“If you say so. What’s your plan for lunch?”

She shrugged.

Becca turned towards them. “Did someone say lunch? Why don’t y’all come over for lunch?”

“Becca?” Amelia raised her hand to her mouth in fake horror. “Did you just say y’all?”

Caleb chuckled.

Becca’s eyes grew wide. “Oh, no… I did.”

They all laughed.

Jared stepped closer to them. “What’s so funny?”

Caleb explained and then said, “But I like the lunch idea. Amelia?”

She looked at him. Who was she to say no? “I don’t know…”

His classic cheesy grin took over his face.

She giggled. “Of course, silly.”

After saying good-bye to her parents and getting the kids from their Sunday School classes, the four of them and the three children headed to Jared and Becca’s for lunch.

Amelia wiped her mouth on the napkin and placed it on her empty plate. “Thanks for lunch, guys. Best pulled pork sandwiches I think I’ve ever had.”

Becca smiled. “I’m glad we got to share ’em with you.”

The kids had already disappeared upstairs, and the guys stood up from the table and cleared the dishes leaving Becca and Amelia alone at the table. Becca leaned forward towards Amelia. “Looks like you and Caleb are getting cozy.” She raised her eyebrows.

Fire rushed into her cheeks. “We’re just friends.” She lifted her empty sweet tea glass to her cheek.

“Right. You keep telling yourself that.”

Amelia stood and almost knocked her chair over. “I think I’m going to go check and make sure Carter isn’t causing the girls any trouble.” She set her glass on the counter and could barely keep herself from running out of the room. When she reached the stairs, she slowed her pace. She didn’t need to rush back to Becca’s inquisition.

She neared Callie’s door at the top of the stairs and heard the girls talking in serious voices. She paused outside the door.

Callie’s voice was soft and sweeter than Amelia had ever heard from the exuberant six-year-old. “It’ll be okay. You know, I didn’t have a dad for a long time, and I was okay.”

Amelia closed her eyes. Not only were the girls getting along, Callie was comforting Molly. Amelia thought her heart might explode.

“But your dad came back. Mine can’t.” Molly’s voice cracked.

A vice tightened around Amelia’s chest.

Callie said, “But maybe you’ll have a new dad one day. I actually thought Uncle Caleb could have been my dad before I met my real dad. He’d make a great dad.”

“He would.”

The girls went back to playing. Amelia leaned against the wall and slid down it until she was sitting on the stairs. Her heart had no idea what to do with that last bit. Could something actually happen between

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.