AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hannah!” Olivia exclaimed. “Come meet our new neighbor!”
* * *
Jake knew Olivia and Ryan from the ranch, but didn’t understand the relationship between them and the girl from the grocery store. She was the last person he would have expected to see in this kitchen.
Olivia had shown up at his place after he moved in, asking him to dinner. He had politely declined. But when he ran into her at church, he couldn’t refuse in front of his mother.
Olivia turned toward Hannah, who looked like a deer caught in headlights. “Jake’s working over at Broken Eagle Ranch, building a new barn.”
“Who’s this?” he asked, nodding his head toward the baby.
“This is Mae.” Olivia made kissing noises at the baby and took her from Hannah.
“Hi, Mae.” Jake waved and smiled. She waved back, then twisted to get free.
“Time to sit at the table.”
He glanced at Hannah again, and vague memories stirred. Stories about Troy Higgins getting a young girl pregnant, and then behaving like an ass over it. He couldn’t stand any of the Higgins, but most especially that little pipsqueak, Troy. The kind of person who acted entitled just because he existed. Who wasn’t ashamed to use his hands on a woman. Who reminded Jake of his father.
How did women ever fall for guys like Troy?
Especially Hannah. He thought about how she had stood with her chin raised, looking Troy straight in the eye while he yelled at her. How she didn’t show an ounce of fear, even when he swore and grabbed at her. She was steady and calm, and not afraid to speak her mind.
Olivia turned to Jake. “Do you know Hannah and her daughter, Emma?”
“We’ve met,” he said, wishing he could apologize again, even though he knew he had done the right thing. The heat radiating out of her eyes was pure disdain.
“This looks great,” he said, turning away. The table seemed to be lined with half of Prairie Valley’s population, the children at a separate table in the kitchen.
He glanced at Hannah often while he ate. He noticed her keeping an eye on a young girl he knew must be her daughter. She was the spitting image of Hannah.
“So, Jake, when did you return from Afghanistan?” Olivia asked.
“I was discharged a couple years ago.” He had been in Germany since then, recovering.
He had been lucky, the doctors said. That what he felt was called survivor’s guilt. All he knew was that he didn’t want to close his eyes, because his friends, his brothers, lay dead behind his lids.
“How do you like ranching so far?” Rosie asked.
He let out a chuckle, thinking about how sore he was after working all day on the Gunderson barn, only to come home and work the ranch in the evenings. “It’s a lot harder than I expected.”
The conversation moved on to ranching. He couldn’t help stealing glances at Hannah. Once she caught him looking at her, but he just smiled and nodded, hoping she wasn’t still too upset, wishing he could ask. As dinner wrapped up and the table was cleared, he tried to get her attention. But with so many people everywhere, he never got the chance, and she appeared to be doing everything she could to avoid him.
Maybe he could talk to one of the Gundersons about the situation. Not that Hannah Destin and her life were any of his business, but something about Troy made him very uneasy.
* * *
The Boudreau women sat on the living room rug around boxes and albums of photographs. Hannah pulled the price sticker off one of the new picture frames Rosie had bought.
Jake had said nothing about the fiasco at work, for which she was grateful. She hadn’t told anyone yet, but she’d have to tell Emma sooner rather than later. Her afterschool program would have to be the first thing to go. She’d also explain that the babysitting money was for Emma to use, but use wisely. It would be all she’d have for spending money, for clothing, fancy snacks, and any other extras that were outside their new budget.
“This is a really neat idea,” she said to Olivia. The frames of family pictures would be the centerpieces for the tables at baby Mae’s christening.
“It’ll get people talking.” Georgie held up a picture of Olivia in Maggie’s arms. “Look at her cheeks!”
“Ugh, I was a fat baby.” Olivia scowled at the photograph.
“You were adorable.” Rosie plucked the picture out of Georgie’s hand and cooed over it.
