Winning the Spinster's Heart (Clear Creek Brides #1) - Kit Morgan Page 0,38

laughed. “You don’t need to give us a count, Grandma.” He patted Adele’s shoulder. “We just came to see if you needed help with anything. We can recruit folks for you if you want.”

Grandma looked at his hand and smiled. “It’s fine. I have everything under control.” She smiled at Adele. “Why don’t you two take a break and have some lunch at the hotel?” She stepped onto the porch and looked at the decorations they’d put up. “Those are mighty pretty. This is going to be fun! It’s about time we had something to do around here besides the town picnic and the Christmas play.”

At this point, Adele had to agree. “You heard about the musicale?”

Grandma laughed. “Oh, child, who hasn’t? I swear Merritt O’Hare is about to go around the bend any day now. And poor Ruby …”

Liam cleared his throat. “Well, we’d better be going, lots to do.” He took Adele’s arm and steered her off the porch.

Grandma waved, then went back into the house, laughing all the way. Adele had the distinct impression the old woman knew something they didn’t. Did she want to know what?

“Come on,” Liam said. “Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“To the hotel for lunch, what else?”

She looked at his hand on her arm, felt the heat of his palm through her sleeve, and wondered what it would be like if he held her hand? “I don’t know …”

“Aren’t you hungry?”

Her stomach picked that moment to rumble. She rolled her eyes in annoyance. “I guess I am.”

To her surprise, he looped her arm through his and started off. It was all she could do to stay upright as tingles raced up her spine. In all the years she’d known him, they’d never walked arm in arm before, not even as a joke. She didn’t know why not – it was a perfectly ordinary thing to do. Was it because he was in a good mood today? Was he having fun with all of this? He’d acted like this before, then just as quickly his mood would change.

Father had already written Uncle Duncan to ask if he’d mind a houseguest. They’d hear back in a month or two, and with any luck she could plan her trip soon. If everything worked out right, she wouldn’t be here when Liam left.

Only now she was doubting that was a good thing. Or if her heart could take it.

“What’s the matter?” he asked when they reached the hotel.

Adele looked blank, even as her heart skipped a beat. For Heaven’s sake, all he did was ask her a question – that shouldn’t give her palpitations. The only thing that should make her react this way would be … oh, no! It couldn’t be that. Could it?

“Adele?” His voice was gentle and concerned. “What’s wrong?”

She looked into his eyes. Oh, Liam, why do you have to be so … well, not perfect, maybe, but close enough? Why couldn’t you still annoy me? “It’s nothing,” she finally lied.

He smiled warmly, patted her hand and led her into the hotel. And all the time Adele was sure he knew she was fibbing, and maybe why.

Chapter Thirteen

“I’m so excited,” Liam’s mother exclaimed. “I’m more excited about this dance than I’ve ever been about the town picnic or Christmas play!”

Liam smiled and watched her from the bedroom doorway. She’d pulled out her best dress and added white lace to the sleeves.

She held it against her, admiring her reflection in the full-length mirror, then turned to him. “Well, what do you think?”

He entered his parents’ bedroom and kissed her on the cheek. “You’ll be the belle of the ball, Ma.” He fingered the thin calico. “You should have a new dress.”

She carefully laid the dress on the bed. “Something new would be nice. But there was hardly time to sew anything.”

“What about a ready-made dress? Mrs. Dunnigan carries some made by the Weaver women.”

“I couldn’t wear one of those. Goodness, they’re too fancy for me.”

He took his mother’s hands in his. “Nothing’s too fancy for you.”

She looked away. “We couldn’t afford it, son. Things are tight as it is.”

“What about the money Caleb sends?” Though he already knew the answer. She was saving it for a rainy day. All the more reason for him to strike out on his own, get a good job in a big city and be able to send money home too. In time, maybe they could even sell the farm and join him.

“You know it’s tucked away.” She smiled at him. “Why