[Desert Roses 03] - Beneath A Harvest Sky by Tracie Peterson Read Free Book Online Page A

they aren’t out here in five minutes, I’ll go get them.”
    “So, Rainy, I saw you eying Duncan Hartford. I think you like him,” Sonny said, grinning from ear to ear.
    Rainy shrugged. “He’s a very nice man. Of course I like him.”
    “No, I mean you like him. As in, you’re interested in him for more than friendship.”
    Rainy’s head snapped up at this. She came to stand directly in front of him and lowered her voice considerably. “What makes you say that?”
    “Rainy, don’t forget I can read you better than most,” Sonny replied, leaning casually against the glossy black frame of the car. “I know you want to marry and have a family, and Duncan Hartford has many of the qualities you’re looking for.”
    “Oh, really? And how would you know what I’m looking for?” Rainy asked defensively.
    Sonny laughed. “Maybe because I’m your twin brother, or maybe it’s because we work together and spend a good deal of our time together, and maybe because you’ve told me about a million times.”
    Rainy gave him a sheepish smile at this. “I’m pretty bad, eh?”
    “Not bad—just specific.” He sobered a bit and took hold of her shoulders. “Look, sister of mine, I want you happy. I know you’re putting your future to prayer, but like Mom would say, you have to be willing to leave it in God’s hands in order for Him to be able to do anything with it.”
    “I know. But some things are harder than others to leave behind. I’m fast becoming an old maid. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life regretting my earlier choices for school and an education. I don’t want to come to the end of my life and find out I was wrong— maybe I can’t balance pursuing my passion for archaeology with the demands of a family.”
    “That’s not going to happen. God has been the one guiding your life. I remember how hard you prayed about college—about when to go and when to stop. Remember how much that one professor of yours wanted you to go for your doctorate, but you said no because that’s what you felt God leading you to do. Have you regretted that choice?”
    Rainy shrugged and Sonny dropped his hold on her. “I can’t say that I regret it because I’m confident it was the right thing at the time.”
    “Then trust that God has this issue under control.
    Duncan Hartford may well have come into our lives through the Detours in order for you to know his character even better than before. You’ve known the man for three years, Rainy. You’ve seen him conduct the museum tours and have spoken to him on hundreds of occasions. He’s always appeared respectable and upright—now maybe God’s giving you the opportunity to spend your days with him on the tour so you’ll know for sure whether or not his personality fits yours.”
    Rainy smiled. “And when did you figure this all out, little brother?”
    “You’re never going to let me live down the fact that I’m three minutes younger than you, are you?”
    “Not when it serves my purpose so completely.” She smiled.
    “Well, it serves my purpose not to give you an answer,” Sonny said, laughing. “I suggest you run ahead and get our guests. While you do that, I’ll find out what’s happened to Duncan, and hopefully we can get on the road within the next few minutes.”
    Rainy went in search of her charges, realizing that Sonny had gotten out of telling her when he’d given time to plotting a romance between her and Duncan.
    She had to admit he made a good point. She had prayed long and hard about all of the details regarding a man to love and spend her life with. And Duncan had been a constant in her life for the past three years.
    He was there for the tours she brought to the museum. He was often in La Fonda for his meals, and when she managed to be in town on Sunday, she saw him at the little community church not far from the Plaza. And now he was going to be on their trip to the Grand Canyon. Maybe God would— Running into the rock-hard wall