Secrets of a Midnight Moon by Jane Bonander

Author:Jane Bonander
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION/Romance/Western
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 2013-11-20T16:00:00+00:00

Anna had spent the afternoon at the river, watching the children swim. The ease with which they took to the water still amazed her. On the way back to the compound, she’d let herself think about the baby she’d lost, and her teary expression wasn’t lost on June, who passed on her concern to Summer.

After Anna helped Summer get dressed, they walked to the work area under the trees. Anna hesitated when she saw Nicolas sitting at the wooden table, laughing with Sky. When he saw her coming toward them, his smile disappeared, but he greeted her pleasantly and introduced her to his friend.

Anna felt a blush steal into her cheeks as she acknowledged the introduction. She knew Sky was remembering the first time he’d seen her, for his eyes lit up and his smile was too friendly.

“You are to be congratulated,” Sky said, his smile softening.

“I am?”

“On keeping your head yesterday.”

Anna glanced at Nicolas, who promptly looked away. “Oh. About the bear, you mean.”

Sky nodded. “I may not have had the pleasure to meet you if you had tried to run away.”

Anna brushed away the compliment. “Believe me, it wasn’t so much a matter of keeping my head as it was being unable to move my feet.”

Anna felt Nicolas’s eyes on her even when Summer crawled into his lap and helped herself to a noisy sip of his drink.

“Summer,” he chastised softly, taking the cup from her tiny hands. “You know you aren’t supposed to have pakami.” He looked up at Anna, his cold eyes belying the warmth in his voice. “June, bring Miss Jenson some pakami.”

He motioned Anna to sit, and she slid onto a stool between the two men. June brought her a cup of the bright red cider, then made a hasty retreat.

Anna tentatively took a sip. It was sweet. Very pleasant. She kept her eyes on her cup, nervously running her finger around the rim as silence hung over the table like a mantle of fog.

Summer craned her neck and looked up at Nicolas. “Nick not happy?” She reached up and patted his purple scar.

“I’m happy, Summer.” Nicolas took her tiny fingers and brought them to his lips.

Anna looked away, unwilling to watch this gentle side of him.

Summer frowned and looked at Anna. “Anya not happy. Anya cry when Summer swim.”

Anna almost choked on her cider. She looked over and found Nicolas pinning her with a probing glare.

“Oh,” Anna answered lightly, “I … it was nothing. I, ah … just had something in my eye,” she finished lamely.

“Anya cry,” Summer insisted.

“Oh, Summer, don’t be silly—”

Sky cleared his throat, interrupting Anna, much to her relief. “I, ah …” he stammered, “I’ll be in the shed.” He finished his drink, left the table and headed toward a small wooden shed behind the children’s dormitory.

The silence weighed heavily between Anna and Nicolas. Summer looked from one to the other. “Nick not happy?”

He gave Summer a loud kiss on the cheek and lifted her off his lap. “I’m happy, sweetheart.

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.