Flint Hills Bride by Cassandra Austin Read Free Book Online Page A

almost drowned.”
    “You didn’t almost drown.” He stopped and turned to face her, his hands on his hips. She choked back a giggle. “You convinced Christian that you had almost drowned so he’d let you off the hook. You know, I missed a trip to town because of your harebrained scheme.”
    “If it was so harebrained,” she asked with mock exasperation, “how come you went along with it?”
    “Well,” he said, turning to walk at her side again. “I didn’t know it was harebrained until the boat sank.I really thought I could build a boat. I didn’t see how it could be so hard.”
    Emily, still smiling, rested her head against his shoulder as she walked. “Dear Jake. You took the blame for other things, too, didn’t you? Like the Indian-war-paint incident and riding the sled down the icehouse roof?”
    “Now that one scared me.”
    “And then there was the great wilderness adventure.”
    Jake groaned. “I’d forgotten that one. We thought if we walked west for a couple days we’d be in the California goldfields. Never mind that we were about twenty years late.”
    “I pictured great cornfields growing gold. That’s why I stole Christian’s knife, so I could cut it.”
    “Telling Christian that you said you knew the way didn’t seem to keep me out of trouble.”
    “Jake, you must have been twelve or thirteen. You should have known better.”
    He turned toward her again, all but taking her in his arms. No, it was just her imagination. He was only resting his hands lightly on her shoulders. “That’s just it, Emily,” he said. “I did know better. I always knew better—or usually, anyway. But you could convince me of anything. Emily—”
    She took a step away. “You promised not to get serious.”
    He smiled then, more tender than teasing. “You’re right. Are you ready to go back?”
    “Yes, I think so,” she said.
    He was quiet all the way home. Emily found herself lost in memories of their shared childhood. Therehad always been a gentleness about Jake she hadn’t truly appreciated as a girl. She was lucky to have such a friend.
    He took her to the kitchen door instead of the back door where the coats were hung. “It’s warmer in here,” he said. Once inside, he took her cloak and gloves and turned her over to his mother, who recommended a cup of hot tea.
    Emily warmed herself near the kitchen stove while she waited for the water to boil. She found herself wishing Jake would hang up the coats and return to share the tea with her, but he didn’t. He must have gone back outside to resume whatever chores he had interrupted for their walk. It was difficult to explain her disappointment. Perhaps he distracted her, kept her from dwelling on her worries, kept her from missing Anson.
    Dinner was a quiet affair. Christian made no more reference to Anson than Jake had. Trevor was still shy of Emily, though he let her hold him and feed him for a little while. Willa declared the noodles Martha had fixed her favorite and was so busy eating she was noticeably less talkative. Christian and Lynnette talked and teased each other, making Emily feel even more lonely.
    Escaping before dessert, she sat on her bed and stared across the room without seeing it. This place, with its memories and its laughter conspired to confuse her. Things had been so much clearer in town. There she knew she loved Anson and he loved her. They were meant to be together. Her parents were the enemy, keeping her from happiness.
    Here, so far from Anson, her love—and his—were less certain. Their chances of having a future like Christian and Lynnette seemed remote. Anson wasn’t much like Christian. But then, she wasn’t just like Lynnette, either. They would find their own way, their own life.
    Somehow, even to herself, the argument seemed weak. She felt tears spring to her eyes and brushed them away. Tears, there always seemed to be tears! And often at the oddest times. Holding Trevor did it the fastest.
    Things had to work