Page 7 of Love's Harvest
Aaron followed Sarah out of the restaurant and took her elbow.“Glad you could have this time off.I meant what I said about wanting to take the girls apple picking.”
She wondered if he was lonely.Growing up, he’d always been a bit of a loner but had never been without friends.
“I know you’ve had a hard time in the past few years, but I’m hoping we can renew our friendship,” he said quietly, keeping pace beside her.
She stopped and gazed at him.“I’d like that very much.But, Aaron, I don’t want you to get too close to me.I’m not who you think I am.”
His warm gaze washed over her.“No matter who you think you are, I know what’s inside you.That’s all that matters to me.”
Sarah turned away from him, feeling unworthy of his kindness.If he’d ever seen how frustrated, how unsympathetic she’d sometimes been to her husband’s constant wars with himself and sometimes with her, he’d never want to see her again.
Aaron placed a hand on her shoulder.“The past is the past, Sarah.It’s time for a new beginning.”He forced her to face him.
Seeing his caring expression, tears filled her eyes.He was much too good for her.
Though they didn’t talk the rest of the way to her cabin, he held her hand.When they reached it, they faced one another.
“I’m not giving up on you,” Aaron said quietly, kissing her on the cheek.
The front door of the cabin opened, and Misty stood there.“Ah, I’m glad you’re back.The girls are just getting ready for bed.”
Emily and Mia came up behind her and grinned.“Aaron!I see you!”cried Mia.
“Me, too,” said Emily.
“Hello, girls,” said Aaron sweetly.“Sweet dreams.”He’d seen them enough times to have them call him by name.Mr.Collister was too formal.And Sarah thought the use of “uncle” was a little creepy.
“Thanks for walking me home,” Sarah told him.“Perhaps, we’ll see you on Sunday, weather permitting.”
“I’ll see you on Saturday regardless of the weather,” he said.
“Yes, of course,” she answered.“It should be a fun party.”
“’Night,” said Aaron, before trotting back the way they’d walked.
Sarah went inside the house and took hold of the girls’ hands.“I’ll be right back,” she said to Misty.“We have a new woman in town.”
Sarah kissed each girl and left their room to speak to Misty, who was waiting for her in the kitchen.
“A new girl in town?What’s she like?”Misty asked.
Sarah described her and said, “Ross brought her to the group gathering at Jake’s, so she could meet people her age.She seems nice, but there’s an edge to her that I can’t explain.She’s here as a single looking for someone.”
“In this group, people are always pairing up.It’ll be interesting to see what happens,” Misty said.“We need to add some more men to the group.”
“Damon and JayJay are both single.That should help.And Brooks Beckman is available.”
“And adorable,” said Misty.“I thought he’d be perfect for Hazel, but that didn’t work.”She cleared her throat.“I don’t want to pry or push, but I hope you and Aaron can finally get together.I know you and he were a couple in high school.Is there anything between you now?”
Sarah leaned against the kitchen counter and let out a long sigh.“He deserves better than me.I failed him once, and I don’t want to do it again.”
“Failed him?What do you mean?”asked Misty.“You went to college, and he stayed home to grow his business in Lilac Lake.That’s not failing him.”
“It didn’t take me long to hook up with the man who wanted to marry me.I even left college to do so.I had to finish my business degree online.If I’d waited, so many bad things might not have happened.”
“And the girls?”asked Misty gently.
“They’re the bright spots in my life.They were then, too, though I sometimes wonder if I’d been able to focus on my husband more, things might’ve ended differently.”
