Page 46 of Montana Bride By Christmas
“How is Ida?” she asked, fear creeping into her voice.
“She’s got pneumonia, and it was touch and go through the night, but doc says she’ll make it.”
“I prayed for her throughout the night.”
“God hears and answers.” What would her prayers sound like if she prayed for him? “Did you pray for me as well?” He had not meant to ask the question aloud. He let his gaze return to her, watching for her reaction, pleased to see her cheeks turn rosy.
She ducked her head and whispered. “I did.”
“What did you request of God?” Perhaps if he knew, he could put his silly wishes to rest.
She raised her eyes to his, blue and clear and full of promise.
That’s what happened to a man’s common sense when he spent most of the night sitting at the bedside of a very ill woman.
Her smile trembled. “I prayed if you’d left you weren’t out in the cold, maybe hurt or lost, and if you were still at the Lewis’s, you would have wisdom to know how best to comfort and encourage them.”
People prayed for him. People like Stewart Caldwell and his wife. People like Grandfather Marshall who had an interest in seeing that the town of Bella Creek flourished as he’d planned. And other people had prayed for him to find Evan.
None meant as much as Annie’s prayers. Could it really matter to her if he got home safely? Well, of course, it did. She would have no reason to be here if he didn’t. But despite his best resolve, he let himself believe she’d been concerned about him.
He fought a futile inner battle between the hope she’d care that much about him and the fear that she’d be disappointed in him. Would his mother’s words never leave him? It wasn’t justhis mother, he reminded himself. No longer would he risk being judged a failure.
All that mattered to him now was being enough for Evan.
Why did the argument sound weak to his own ears?
CHAPTER NINE
Annie tried to shake off the feeling of bliss that surrounded her at Hugh’s return and at the way he looked at her. It wasn’t even light out. Had he ridden home in the dark just to be here? She knew she should rearrange her thoughts, but she was so very glad to see him back safe and sound; it was all she could do not to rush over and give him a hug.
She settled for wrapping her arms around herself.
“How was Evan?” he asked, bringing her back to the reality of why she was here and why he hurried home. “Did you manage to get him to bed?”
“Let’s go in the kitchen, and I’ll tell you all about it.” She hurried ahead of him, knowing if she waited, she would be reaching for him and hanging on for dear life. Hearing his footsteps behind her, she rushed to the stove, added more wood, and filled the coffee pot.
He sank onto the chair. “I half expected to see him still there.” He indicated the corner Evan huddled in throughout the day.
The coffee wasn’t ready, but she couldn’t hold back any longer and she faced Hugh. “You should have seen him. He letme know he missed you.” She told how the boy had looked at Hugh’s empty chair. “When I said it was time for bed, I simply held out my hand. He took it.” She couldn’t stop smiling. It was all she could do not to laugh aloud with the sheer joy of recalling the moment and sharing it with Hugh. His eyes were warm, his cheeks deeply grooved by his smile.
“We walked to the bedroom, and he put himself to bed.” She wouldn’t tell him that she’d lain under his quilt until Evan fell asleep. “I couldn’t believe it. I wish you’d been here to see it.”
“I wish I’d been here too.” He didn’t say to see Evan’s progress. In fact, the way his eyes sought hers and filled with the warmth of a summer evening, she allowed herself to think he might have wished he could be there because of her.
The coffee sizzled, and she turned to pull it from the heat. She waited for the grounds to settle, then poured him a cup and handed it to him.
His fingers touched hers. His gaze brushed her. The world seemed full of promise and possibility. She tried to tell herself she was overtired, overexcited, over everything to think such foolishness but her mind remained unchanged.
Hugh took the cup and set it on the table. He yawned. “Sorry, I was awake all night.”
She stepped back, rebuked by her lack of thought. “Why don’t you go lie down for a bit? Evan might feel better to wake up and find you there.”
He took a huge sip of coffee and yawned again. “Maybe I will. You’ll be okay?”
She’d been fine all night, but it melted a corner of her heart for him to ask. She patted his arm. “I think I can manage. You go ahead.”
He grinned. “I know you can manage. That isn’t what I meant at all. I only meant—” He got to his feet and shrugged. “I’m so tired I’m not making any sense.”
