His heart lurched at the anguish on her face. Tears shimmered on her lashes. He stopped the team and pulled her into his arms, tucking her head under his chin.
“I did everything I could for my sister, and she still died. The baby was so tiny. A little girl. She . . . she never even took her first breath. There was nothing I could do.”
Jake held her at arm’s length and searched her face. “You attended her? Alone?”
She nodded. Her blue gaze searched his; her tears spilled over. “I must have done something wrong. What if it was my fault they died?”
“Shh.” Jake used his gloved thumbs to wipe her tears away and pulled her to him again, cradling her against him. “Please don’t cry. I know you did everything humanly possible to save her. It wasn’t your fault.”
Jake held her as she cried. He closed his eyes and breathed in the flowery scent of her hair, relishing the way she fit perfectly in his arms as if she was made for him and him only.
Never anyone else.
The intensity of his raw emotion shocked him, and he tightened his hold.
A long while later, she pulled away, her cheeks blooming. “I’m all right now.” She took a deep shuddering breath and reached to smooth her hair back. “I shouldn’t have gotten so upset.”
“Don’t worry.” Jake tilted her chin up. “I’ll let you know how they’re doing as soon as I can, okay?”
“Thank you.” She bit her lip and her chin trembled.
“Now don’t get all teary-eyed on me again.”
She sniffed, a faint smile brightening her face. “I won’t.”
He kissed her on the forehead and gave her one last hug, then picked up the reins. “Giddyap.”
They rode the rest of the way in silence. The streets were practically deserted on this cold Sunday afternoon. Jake stopped the team in front of the orphanage and helped Livy down. He held her by the shoulders, willing her to look at him.
She lifted her eyes, a questioning look on her face.
His gaze went to her lips before rising to capture her misty blue eyes again. He pulled her toward him. “Livy, I—”
“Not yet. Please.”
She touched his face, the tips of her fingers featherlight against his shadowed jaw. Then she drew out of his arms, turned, and hurried toward the front porch.
Jake watched her go, his heart heavy. Did she feel anything for him? She’d said, “Not yet.” That meant something, didn’t it? She opened the door and glanced back at him, wiggling her fingers in farewell, a soft smile on her lips. Jake jumped into the wagon, slapped the reins against the horses’ backs, and filled his lungs with a gulp of fresh, cold air.
A wave, a smile, and a “Not yet.”
That left a lot of hope for the future.
Chapter Thirteen
Luke wrung out the heavy mop one last time for the night.
Mr. Wong nodded his approval and carefully counted out a small handful of pennies.
The coins clinked against each other as he handed them over. Luke grabbed the change. It wasn’t much, but it would be enough for a loaf of bread. They would eat tonight.
“Wait.” The Chinese shopkeeper held up a crooked finger.
He shuffled to the little stove in the corner of the shop, right next to a neatly made cot. He wrapped something in several layers of oil paper and tied it with string. “Rice.”
“Thank you.” Luke saluted the old man.
“Tomorrow? Same time?”
“Yes, sir.”
Luke hurried through the darkened town, the bundle of rice clutched under his arm. He had to get to Emma’s before she closed and buy some bread. It would cost more than he had, but she’d let him have day-old bread for half price.
A movement caught his eye and he darted into the shadows of a barn. Two men came down the street about a block away, bundled against the cold. They laughed, and the bigger guy gave the smaller one a shove into the snow. Luke caught a glimpse of the smaller one’s face. Billy Johansen.
He didn’t get a good look at the other guy as they came by, but he knew he didn’t want Billy catching sight of him. Luke had seen Billy around the schoolhouse with the other children. Billy bullied people for fun. It was his way. Luke gripped the rice. He had more important things on his mind than matching wits—or fists—with that one.
Especially since Billy’s friend looked like he could wipe the floor with both Luke and Billy if