Page 67 of Montana Bride By Christmas
“I need to go to the store,” she announced. She needed to purchase fabric to make Evan a new shirt and some yarn to knit mittens for him. “Evan, would you like to come with me and pick out a candy stick?”
The boy’s eyes widened with eager anticipation of the candy, and then, realizing that she’d asked him to accompany her, he shrank back, wrapping his arms around Happy’s neck.
“We won’t be long.” She held out his coat, hoping, praying he would agree to accompany her.
Grandfather watched, his expression encouraging. “There are a dozen different flavors of candy stick,” he said. “I alwayswonder how I can take just one.” Grandfather kept talking softly as Annie waited, giving Evan plenty of time and space to make up his mind.
Finally, he rose and slipped his arms into the sleeves of the coat. She gave him a woolen hat and woolen mitts to put on as feeling rather pleased at Evan’s agreement, she hurried into her own outerwear.
They reached the entrance.
“Happy, stay.” The pup sat back with a whine.
Evan pulled on her hand and looked at the dog.
“No, he can’t go. Dogs can’t go in the store, and Happy isn’t well enough trained yet to be left outdoors to wait. He might run into the street and get hurt.” She opened the door.
Evan hung back.
“You can pick out candy sticks for your papa and for Grandfather, too,” she said.
He nodded, squeezing her hand as hard as his little fingers could and they went outside and began the journey to the store. Thankfully it wasn’t far because Evan started to quiver within ten steps. By the time they reached the intersection of the two main streets of Bella Creek, she wondered if he’d forgotten to breathe. In an attempt to ease his fear, she told him about Kate and Isabelle coming to town with the doctor earlier in the year. She didn’t explain that they had come to replace the doctor who had left after a devastating fire in Bella Creek. She went on to explain how Dawson had fallen in love with the beautiful Isabelle, and then Conner had fallen in love with the practical Kate. “And Aunt Sadie was the teacher. She and Logan rescued three children and ended up falling in love and becoming parents to the children.”
She stared at the schoolhouse. Logan and Sadie had been thrown together because of the children. Until then, they’d had little interest in each other. She wondered if she rememberedcorrectly that they’d tried to avoid each other on several social occasions prior to the arrival of the children.
Had the young ones been the catalyst for them falling in love? Or were their feelings ripe and ready all the time and simply needed a reason to ignore their caution and reserve?
Was looking after Evan doing the same thing for her?
She shook her head. How could she think such things? Yes, she and Hugh had kissed. Twice. She hadn’t minded it one bit. Truth be told, she found it rather pleasant. That didn’t mean either one of them was ready for love.
She hurried onward, determined to ignore such foolishness. No one was in the store but her Uncle George and he greeted them warmly. “How is Grandfather?”
“Doing better now the weather has changed. You should come and see for yourself.”
“I’ll do that. Now, what can I do for you and this handsome young man?”
Evan shrank back. A faint whimper came from him.
Please, God, don’t let this drive him back into his hard little shell. “Evan would like a candy stick for himself, Grandfather, and his papa. I need three yards of that fabric.” She pointed it out, having seen it before. “And that yarn.” While Uncle George prepared her purchases, she led Evan to the colorful array of candy jars on one end of the counter.
“Which would you like?”
His shoulders were high and tight, his expression tense.
She placed her hand gently on his shoulder, the tension beneath her palm making her want to pull him into her arms and comfort him. But he’d not let any of them do more than touch him, and she didn’t want to push him too hard.
“See how many flavors there are to choose from? Maybe Uncle George will have a treat for Happy as well.”
At the mention of his pup, Evan’s eyes focused, and he looked at the candy. He pointed out a red one for him, a golden one for Grandfather, and a green one for Hugh.
Knowing that he remembered the flavors she’d brought home, she could barely restrain herself from hugging him.
Uncle George brought a bone from the back and wrapped it for Evan to take home to Happy.
They left the store with their purchases. Two ladies stood on the sidewalk as they exited.
“Good morning, Miss Marshall.”
