Page 76 of Love's Harvest
Sarah laughed and gave them each a hug.“We’ll be eating dinner in a little while.So, you’re free to play some more.”
“Come play with us, Aaron,” Mia said.
He shook his head.“I already did.It’s time for me to talk with your mother.”
“Okay,” said Emily.“Maybe you will read us a book at bedtime.”
Aaron ruffled her hair.“Okay.”
Sarah slid the casserole into the oven and turned to Aaron.“I’m going to have a glass of wine.Would you like one?”
“Yes.Emmett called to see how I’m doing.I asked him about having alcohol.He said a small amount was okay.He also suggested I stay here with you for at least a couple more days.He’s pushing that idea because I didn’t make a trip to a hospital, and he wants to be overly cautious.”
She poured wine into two glasses, handed him one, then sat at the kitchen table opposite him.
“How did your day go?”she asked.
“Lucy’s really nice and was there whenever I needed anything.She said she likes fussing over people.You’re lucky to have her babysit for the girls.”
“I think so too.How were the girls today?”Sarah asked.“A little too rambunctious for you?”
“They’re active girls,” Aaron said.“You’ve done a nice job with them.”
Sarah smiled at him.“Thanks.That means a lot.”
“Did you find everything you needed here at the house?”Sarah asked.At his nod, she continued.“By the way, I told the girls’ teachers you were staying here to recuperate.That’s all.”
He studied her with a puzzled expression.“I guess we don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea about us.Right?”His tone had an edge to it.
“We may have tried to rush things earlier.I don’t want you to feel pressured into anything.And I certainly don’t want the girls to get hurt.”
Aaron looked away and studied the outdoors through the sliding glass door which led to the deck and beyond it to the woods and the river.When he turned back to her, his eyes held a sadness she hadn’t seen in a long time.“I thought we had something special, Sarah.”
“I did too, but then you mentioned we were just friends, and I realized that was true.We’re friends.Good friends.Valued friends.”
“I thought you wanted more than that,” Aaron said.
“I do, but I’ll wait until I know for sure that you do too before I announce it to anyone else.”
Aaron studied her but didn’t say anything.
Sarah had too much on her mind to worry about it.Dani’s partnership needed to be settled, and she had to help her parents take off to Florida as they wanted.All that was between them staying here and their departure was her father’s visit to the doctor.She’d admit it to no one, but she was nervous about it.What if her father wasn’t okay?Or what if the doctor gave the go-ahead and something awful happened to him in Florida?
Dinner was a reasonably quiet affair.The girls were tired from going back to preschool after a long break and conversation was merely polite between Aaron and her.
After dinner, Sarah got the girls in the bathtub and later, in their nightgowns they raced to Aaron’s room.
“Story time!”announced Mia.
“Will you read us this book?Please?”Emily said.
“Sure,” said Aaron.
Mia and Emily sat on either side of him and leaned in to look at the book about a bear roaming around a shopping mall at night.The sight touched Sarah’s heart.
When he was through reading the book, Mia said, “One more.”
Sarah waited to see what he would say.
