A Love For Keeps (Truly Yours Digital Editions) by Janet Lee Barton Read Free Book Online

Nate’s discomfort. She came over and offered her hand. “Good afternoon, Mr. Brooks, how nice to see you and your daughter again.”
     
    “Thank you, Mrs. Snow.” He looked around the room and lowered his voice. “It appears that the open house is a success. I think I should bring Natalie in another day to discuss her fabric choices.”
     
    “Oh no, Meagan would feel terrible if you do that. She doesn’t want to disappoint Natalie. The shop is due to close shortly. Why don’t you and your daughter come out to the kitchen with me? I just took some cookies out of the oven, but it is so close to closing I don’t believe we are going to need them.”
     
    “Oh, please, Papa,” Natalie said with the look that rarely failed to get a yes out of him. “I want to show Miss Snow the colors I decided on.”
     
    Nate nodded, and before long, he and Natalie were sitting at the kitchen table, eating warm cookies and watching Mrs. Snow start dinner. She reminded him of his mother. Becca and Sarah took Natalie under their wing, and Nate listened to them talk about school and church and any number of other things until Meagan rushed into the kitchen.
     
    “I am so sorry, Natalie. I wasn’t expecting so many people.”
     
    “It appeared to be a great success.” Nate smiled at Meagan. Her face was flushed, and she was smiling. One only had to look at her to realize that it had been a very good day for her and that she was very happy.
     
    She nodded. “I have appointments set up for the rest of the week with ladies who want to order some of their spring wardrobe from me! But I would love to see what fabrics you’ve chosen for your dresses, Natalie.”
     
    “Why don’t you and Natalie go do that now? Supper will be ready in about a half hour, and Mr. Brooks and Natalie can join us.”
     
    “Oh, we can’t intrude like that, Mrs. Snow,” Nate said, although the smell of the stew she was stirring had his mouth watering.
     
    “You won’t be intruding. We would like your company. Unless you are due to be somewhere else?”
     
    Nate shook his head. “No, we aren’t.” He’d told his housekeeper not to worry about dinner, that he would take Natalie to her favorite restaurant for dinner. Sharing a meal with the Snow women seemed a much better choice.
     
    “Please, Papa,” Natalie said. Apparently his daughter agreed with him.
     
    “Thank you, Mrs. Snow. We gladly accept your invitation.”
     
    He couldn’t remember the last time he had such an enjoyable evening. He watched as Meagan and Natalie discussed the colors and styles. By the time they’d settled on everything, Mrs. Snow was calling them to supper in the dining room. The table had been set with china and lit with both candles and gaslight. The atmosphere was warm and inviting.
     
    Once seated, Mrs. Snow asked Nate to say the prayer.
     
    He gladly obliged. “Dear Father, we thank You for this day and for the many blessings You’ve bestowed upon us. We thank You for the food we are about to eat. Most of all we thank You for Your Son and our Savior. In His name we pray. Amen.”
     
    He totally enjoyed the informality of the simple meal. The beef stew was well seasoned and served with a fresh salad. For dessert, they were treated to bread pudding. Nate was amazed that Mrs. Snow, even with the help of her daughters, could prepare such a meal and set so nice a table without the aid of hired help. Perhaps he’d been around the Connors family too long.
     

     
    During the rest of March, Nate and Natalie visited Meagan’s shop often, usually on a Saturday, but sometimes during the week. They had the first fitting of the first dress, then more fittings. By the time they arrived at the shop, Mrs. Snow, whom he’d found didn’t work on the weekends, was usually taking a pan of cookies, a cake, or a pie out of the oven. She never failed to ask them if they wanted some of whatever she’d baked.
     
    On the weekday fittings, they almost always were asked