Page 79 of Montana Bride By Christmas
Every day, he read from the devotional book Annie had given him and found his faith expanding. One portion especially encouraged him. “Enable me to be living more from moment to moment on Thy grace—to rely on Thy guiding arm with more childlike confidence—to look with a more simple faith to Thy finished work.” He discovered, he noted with a touch of irony, it easy to say these words and throw himself upon that childlikefaith when his life was full of hope. That gave him an idea for his sermon, and he soon had scriptures and notes outlined.
Feeling rather pleased with his life, when it was time to put Evan to bed, he turned to Annie. “Will you help me tuck him in?” She hadn’t accompanied them to the bedroom since Happy had arrived, and Evan went without a fight.
Her eyes flashed pleasure. “I’d like that.” She reached for Evan’s hand, and side by side, the three of them crowded down the hall.
“Why don’t we kneel by your bed and say our prayers?” she suggested.
To date, Hugh had prayed and then taken the boy to bed, but at his suggestion, Evan agreed. And the three of them knelt side by side, Evan in the midst. She draped her arm around Evan’s shoulders. Hugh did the same; the two of them united in caring for his son. His heart burgeoned with gratitude.
“Shall I go first?” Hugh offered a simple request for safety and a good night’s sleep.
As soon as he said Amen, Annie prayed. “God, bless each one in this house and grant us joy in Your love.”
Her words brought a lump to the back of Hugh’s throat.
“Me.”
His eyes jerked open as Evan spoke. His glance met Annie’s, as full of surprise and awe as he knew his was. He squeezed her arm. She smiled shakily.
“Thank you for Papa and my new mama,” Evan whispered. “Amen.” He bounced to his feet. Then, he knelt again and closed his eyes. “And Happy.” The pup wriggled at his name.
Annie reached for Evan and pulled him into a hug. The boy still stiffened at this closeness but relaxed enough to press his head to Annie’s shoulder. “Evan, I thank God for you. I love you.” She held him a moment longer, then turned him toward Hugh.
Hugh had never hugged the boy, afraid of frightening him, perhaps afraid of rejection. So far, he’d settled for squeezing the boy’s shoulders or patting his head but at the way Annie nodded and pushed the boy toward him, he knew she expected he would do so.
God, help him accept my affections. He opened his arms and pulled Evan to him, not surprised when the boy stiffened. When Evan melted against him, leaning his whole frame into Hugh’s chest, his heart threatened to explode.
Following Annie’s example, he whispered, “I love you, Evan.”
The boy rested in his arms a moment longer, then scurried to his mattress.
Annie pulled the quilt over him and kissed him on the forehead.
Happy curled into a ball beside Evan.
Annie stood up, smiling.
Hugh knelt beside the boy and his dog and kissed his son.
Evan closed his eyes, put his hand on Happy’s neck, and sighed.
Hugh reached for Annie’s hand, pleased when she took his and led them from the room. Wood lay ready in the fireplace. He waited for Annie to sit on the couch, then lit the fire.
His heart was too full to allow him to sit and he walked back and forth in the space between the couch and the fireplace. “He spoke a whole sentence. He prayed out loud.” The words caught in his throat, and he couldn’t go on.
Annie came to his side. She took his hand and faced him. “He’s going to be okay. Better than okay. I believe he will be stronger for what he’s had to overcome.”
“It’s all thanks to you.” He cupped his hand over her head as a wave of tenderness washed through him. “You’ve shown him it’s okay to trust people.”
“So have you.” He knew she’d avoided being with him the last number of evenings, perhaps not wanting to cross the boundaries they’d set, but his gratitude toward her needed expression. He pulled her to him and pressed his thumb to her bottom lip.
She closed her eyes and lifted her face. A clear invitation, and he brought his lips to hers, kissing her with a heart so full of emotion that he could barely breathe.
She sighed and brought her hands to the back of his head. Giving as much as receiving.
He reluctantly ended the kiss, and when she made no move toward leaving his arms, he pressed her head to his shoulder and his cheek to her hair. She stayed there, her arms around his waist.
“Pa should arrive any day,” she murmured. “A week from now, we should be getting married.”
