have expected the daughter to be tall and straight-shouldered, slender, with what appeared, in the snug-fitting jeans she'd been wearing, to be long, very nicely shaped legs.
Winnie’s gray hair and hazel eyes hadn't prepared him for the daughter's blue eyes and shiny blond hair. She wore it in a neat French braid but little wispy curls escaped, making him curious as to what it would look like if she left it unbound.
He hadn't really been attracted to a woman since Carol had died. Hadn't felt that little kick in the gut a man feels when he meets a woman who appeals to all his male instincts. But today, he had actually thought of asking Marly Hanson to go out with him.
He liked Winnie. And Marly's daughter seemed a well-adjusted, well-cared-for child, happy, considering all she had been through. If Marly was anything like either one of them, he might be interested in getting to know her, maybe even taking her out.
But a date was a major step. The barbecue was a compromise. Safer. No pressure on either of them. If they didn't get along, she’d go home and that would be the end of it.
And it was clear Katie would enjoy it.
He watched the kids play and felt a pang because he and Carol hadn’t been able to have more children. Maybe it would happen if he ever remarried. It didn't seem possible at the moment, but there was always a chance.
Life had a way of going in directions you didn't expect.
It had already happened to him once; it could happen again.
Reed wasn't sure how he felt about the notion.
Winnie ended up taking Katie to church on Sunday morning while Marly stayed home and worked on some of her lesson plans for the class she would be teaching in Detroit in the fall. Or at least that was what Marly had said.
It made Winnie sad to think that her sins had driven her daughter away not only from her but also from God.
Sitting in the long mahogany pew, she reached over and squeezed Katie's hand. The child had been quiet throughout the service, the subject of which had been forgiveness. Years ago, Winnie had forgiven Marly for running away, for leaving a hole in her heart that still hadn't mended. She just wished her daughter would consider forgiving her.
As the service came to a close, the Reverend Gains walked up the aisle and stepped out onto the porch in front of the tall, arched doors to greet his flock as they departed. Winnie urged Katie up from the pew and wandered along with the congregation toward the door.
The church was old and lovely, with an old-fashioned tall, white steeple and stained glass windows that let in rainbow-colored light. Katie adjusted her knit cap, this one blue to match her Sunday church dress, and they slowed as they reached the minister, who conversed with several members of the church.
He turned, smiled in Winnie’s direction. “Hello, Winifred.”
“Reverend.” He was a tall, heavyset blond man with warm brown eyes and the kind of smile you could trust. “And this must be your granddaughter, Katie. You mentioned she was coming for a visit.”
“That's right. Katie, say hello to Reverend Gains.”
“Hello, Reverend.”
The minister glanced around and Winnie knew he was looking for Marly.
“Mom didn’t come,” Katie told him. “She said the steeple would probably fall off if she went back to church after all these years.”
The reverend just smiled. “I remember your mother. Tell her I said we're willing to take our chances. Tell her my wife and I would both be pleased to see her in church again.”
“I'll tell her but I don't think she'll come.”
Winnie led Katie away, glad her granddaughter wasn't as antisocial as Marly had become. Maybe tonight would be better.
She found herself smiling. Her daughter might try to pretend otherwise but she was still a beautiful young woman and Reed Bennett was an extremely attractive man.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if—
Her chest clamped down as if she were suffering one of her asthma spells. Unless something changed, Marly wouldn’t be staying in Dreyerville long enough for something wonderful to happen.
The joy Winnie had been feeling slowly melted away.
The barbecue that evening went smoothly. The weather cooperated by remaining unseasonably warm and to her dismay, Marly discovered she was actually enjoying herself.
“This chicken is wonderful,” she said to Reed, who sat across from her at the picnic table out in his backyard. She licked sweet red barbecue sauce from her fingers. “I’ll