Read Online Candy-Coated Secrets by Cynthia Hickey - Free Book Online Page A

anytime. Had to make a stop.”
    Aunt Eunice frowned. “A person would think getting home to me would be more important.”
    My uncle’s truck pulled in front of the house. Aunt Eunice and Uncle Roy were proud of their twin Chevys. When he stopped in front of us, his grin cut from one ear to the other. Aunt Eunice crossed her arms and glared.
    Her face softened a bit when Uncle Roy emerged from his truck with a dozen red roses. Tears ran down her cheeks when he bowed before her as if she were royalty. “I missed you, Eunice. Lord’s work or not, a month is too long to be away from my girl.”
    “Oh, Roy.” She grabbed the roses and buried her wet face in their petals. Uncle Roy could show Ethan a thing or two in the romance department. He hadn’t brought me anything.
    “My turn.” Ethan approached Roy and helped him to his feet. “Roy Meadows, I’d like to ask you for Summer’s hand in marriage.” He clapped a hand on my uncle’s shoulder. Did I say Ethan lacked in romance? I thought my eyes would bug out of my head at his old-fashioned way of proposing.
    Uncle Roy returned the gesture. “I already gave my blessing, son.” He turned to wink at me. “And my condolences. You’ll have your hands full.”
    Ethan knelt before me and fished in his pocket. My hand fluttered to my face like one of those silly beauty pageant winners fanning at misty eyes. He took my hand in his, his touch warm and gentle. “Summer, I know we’ve spoken about this, but I’ve never really asked you properly.” He held out a black velvet box. “Will you marry me?”
    Lord, catch me. I’m going to fall. I grasped the wooden arm rail of the swing.
    Ethan opened the box to reveal a gold band with diamonds and roses entwined. My breath came in short gasps.
    “Do you like it, Summer? I had it made special.”
    “Oh, Ethan.” My words barely rose above a whisper. I wished my parents were alive to see this. They would’ve loved Ethan. “It’s beautiful. I’d be proud to be your wife. It’s been my dream for as long as I can remember.”
    He whooped as he rose then gathered me in his arms. He whirled, making my world, and my head, spin. “You are my dream, Summer.”
     
    Aunt Eunice prepared an early dinner before we headed to the fair, and Uncle Roy puttered in his shed. I curled up against Ethan on the porch swing. My heart overflowed with love for him and thanksgiving to God.
    After my adventure the past summer, we’d spoken of marriage in our future. Just speaking of it had been enough for me. But Ethan on bended knee after requesting permission from my uncle was better than any childhood dream. I sighed and snuggled closer, breathing in his musky cologne.
    With a slight push of his foot, Ethan set the swing in motion. “Happy?”
    “I could burst.” My cheeks hurt from the stretch of my smile.
    He tightened his arm around me. “The thought of something happening to my Tinkerbell scares me. I’m afraid I may not always be there when you need me.”
    I lifted my head. “Maybe not, but God will. We need to trust each other to Him. You know that, Ethan. You teach Sunday school.”
    “But I’m also a man.” Ethan kissed my forehead. “One who has now been trusted with a valuable gift.”
    “I’ll be careful. I won’t go looking for trouble.”
    “No, but it usually comes looking for you.”
    He was right. It had a way of finding me, whether I looked for it or not. Was the word tattooed across my forehead, or did I have a sign around my neck that said Come and get me ?
    The past summer, I’d actively looked for the culprit responsible for burying a fortune in diamonds beneath my Midnight Blue Rose bush, mainly to prove I wasn’t the empty-headed, pampered girl everyone treated me as. Once it became obvious my family could be endangered, I’d tried to back off. The culprit hadn’t let me. He’d sought me, whispering words of adoration, intending to steal me away from my home and family to make me “his