Page 3 of Love's Harvest
Mia held up a paper with the letter “C” on it.“I colored it.”
“Me, too,” said Emily, not to be left out.
“We’ll hang them on the bulletin board,” Sarah said, accepting the artwork.She kept a bulletin board in the kitchen where their art projects rotated from one to the next.
“Mine first,” said Emily, smiling at her sister.
Mia shrugged, not taking the bait for a battle.
Sarah didn’t interfere.She let them work out as many issues as possible on their own, but kept a close eye on them so thatthings remained equal between them.
On the walk home, the girls chattered about their day at school.Sarah smiled, listening to them.Having been an only child, she had longed for a sister, so seeing her two girls together now brought her happiness.
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When they entered the cabin, Sarah silently scolded herself for being such a late riser.They’d left in a hurry as usual, and things were chaotic, with beds unmade and dirty dishes in the sink.
She gave the girls a snack, quickly straightened up, and started a load of laundry.As she worked, she glanced out the windows several times.The woods leading to the river were filled with birds chirping happily.She noticed a couple of squirrels running across the grass and knew they were busy storing nuts for the winter.
When Sarah had dated Aaron in high school, he’d made her aware of the wildlife around them, and she’d learned how to identify different birds from their appearance and their songs.One reason she loved living in the woods was because of Aaron and all he’d taught her to enjoy in nature.With leaves changing color, it was a gift.
Her parents had insisted on installing a fence in the backyard so the girls could play outside.Although Sarah wanted them to feel free, she understood the danger of the nearby river.
Sarah had talked to her counselor about this very issue.She had to be wise and practical, but she knew she couldn’t become overly protective of the girls because she hadn’t been able to help her husband deal with the depression he’d struggled with for so long.
The doorbell rang, and Sarah hurried to answer it.Living in the same group of cabins as two of her friends gave her easy opportunities to spend time with them.
She opened the door to find Misty Owens standing next to Hazel Belmont.They both taught at the local elementary school.Though she’d known Misty for years, Hazel was new to her.Originally from a town outside New Orleans, her soft, southern accent was charming.
“Come on in.I’ve put the kettle on for tea, unless you'd like something stronger.I have a nice rosé, which my mother discovered a couple of months ago.”
“Wine sounds perfect,” said Misty.
“Yeah, it’s been a tough day,” Hazel said.“I thought I’d love teaching, but it’s much harder than I’d thought.”
“It’s exhausting, but I love it,” said Misty.Whereas Crystal was a pretty, pale blonde, her sister, Misty, had dark hair and olive skin.Crystal had watched over Misty from a young age when their own addicted mother couldn’t.Misty had left town and then returned after an abusive relationship.Now, she was happily in love with David Graham, who owned Graham Landscaping in town with his father.
Hazel was athletic and active, but she couldn’t shake the southern belle impression with her slow, sugary speech, long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, and her pants and frilly blouse molding to her long-legged, model’s body.
The girls rushed over to greet them.
Tired or not, both women greeted them warmly, asking questions about their day.
Once the three adults were sitting in the kitchen, they relaxed with a glass of wine.
“Are you going to the party on Saturday?”Misty asked Sarah.
“Yes.My mother is taking the girls for me, so I can come and go as I wish.”
“It’s nice to start the fall off with a get-together,” said Hazel.
“There’s no better place to do that than at the Lilac Lake Cottage.It used to be in terrible shape, but the three Gilford sisters have turned it into a stunning place,” said Misty.
“I remember the Gilford girls when they were little.They spent every summer here so they could be here with their grandmother,” said Sarah.
“Their grandmother owned the Lilac Lake Inn for years and recently sold it to an investment group, including Ross Roberts,” Misty explained to Hazel.“The three Gilford women inherited the cottage with the agreement to fix it up and to occupy it for at least six months of the year.That’s why Taylor stays there for as long as she can.Not a bad rule to have to follow,”
“I heard Taylor will be staying a few weeks while she’s working on a new book,” said Sarah.“Her husband, Cooper, will come from New York City as often as possible.But it gives us women a better chance of getting together with her if she’s here alone.”
