Read Online Chance Of A Lifetime by Kelly Eileen Hake - Free Book Online
Authors: Kelly Eileen Hake
Ads: Link
Bryce hauled Jamie out of the pile and deposited him in Daisy’s arms. He grabbed the rake he’d probably used in the first place and busily set about reconstructing the pile. He reached for Jamie, and Daisy willingly gave him up.
“Wait.” Bryce sat Jamie down where he could lean up against the wall. “I think something’s missing.”
Too late, Daisy realized what Bryce intended as he headed her way. She let out a flustered “Eek!” as his strong hands closed around her waist. She didn’t have time to enjoy the sensation before she went sailing through the air and crunching through the leaves.
“Bryce Chance!” she blustered, struggling to extricate herself.
“Yes?” He stood over her, holding Jamie.
“This was supposed to be for Jamie.” She tried to scowl but couldn’t manage it in the face of her baby’s delighted smile.
“You’re right.” Bryce jumped in beside her, sending Jamie crashing though the leaves and into her arms.
She laughed so hard her sides hurt, and Jamie giggled right along. Finally, she was able to stand up and move Jamie to the edge of the pile. She needed to go check on dinner. She was about to tell Bryce as much when he started climbing out of the flattened mess, but then she changed her mind.
“Your turn.” She planted her hands on Bryce’s broad shoulders and shoved until he toppled back.
Jamie’s laughter rent the air once more as he scooched over and pushed more leaves on top of Bryce. Daisy couldn’t remember the last time they’d had so much fun.
“Whew,” Bryce breathed as he leaned back and stretched. “I’m so full I couldn’t eat another bite.”
“I should hope not!” Daisy smiled to soften the words.
“Nothin’ left even if yore stomach could hold it.” Miz Willow looked at the empty dishes on the table.
The healer has a point
, Daisy reflected. Bryce, alone, had packed away three biscuits slathered with butter, two bowls of stew, and almost half of her fresh-baked apple pie.
She watched as he gave his stomach a satisfied pat, only to have a wince crease his face.
“Too full, Bryce?” She knew he was startled by the look he gave her.
“Nah. Can’t get enough of your fine cooking, ladies.” Bryce held up his left hand. “Stubborn splinter.” He massaged the area around the wound.
“Why didn’t you say so?” Miz Willow straightened up and came back with tweezers and some witch hazel. She filled a bowl with warm water. “Put yore hand in that for a mite, and the wood’ll swoll up so it cain be picked out. Daisy’ll hafta do it.” The old woman looked ruefully at her hands, so gnarled with years of work and late rheumatism.
Daisy cleared the table as Bryce obediently stuck his hand in the bowl. It didn’t fit, so he stuck his palm into the water with his fingers rising up out of the bowl.
I hope I cain get it without hurtin’ him
, Daisy fretted.
I should, after all the time I done spent doin’ fine needlework
.
The memory of his hands on her as he caught the mirror and later taught her to use sandpaper sent a shiver down her spine. Keeping steady while she felt the strength in his work-roughened palms would be far more difficult than embroidering lace.
After Miz Willow declared he’d soaked long enough, Daisy patted the area dry and looked at the splinter. The offending piece of wood, now plumped with water, made a dark, jagged path down Bryce’s palm near his thumb. She slid her right hand beneath to hold it steady in the light before gingerly grabbing the edge of the wood with the tweezers. She held her breath as she tugged the splinter, having to work it to the sides a bit before it slid out. Blood filled the line made by the splinter as she cleansed the wound with witch hazel.
He didn’t flinch or make a sound, even though it had been the biggest splinter Daisy had ever laid eyes on.
Must’ve hurt somethin’ awful
.
He could hardly feel it. The second Daisy touched his hand, the pain lessened. When the
“Wait.” Bryce sat Jamie down where he could lean up against the wall. “I think something’s missing.”
Too late, Daisy realized what Bryce intended as he headed her way. She let out a flustered “Eek!” as his strong hands closed around her waist. She didn’t have time to enjoy the sensation before she went sailing through the air and crunching through the leaves.
“Bryce Chance!” she blustered, struggling to extricate herself.
“Yes?” He stood over her, holding Jamie.
“This was supposed to be for Jamie.” She tried to scowl but couldn’t manage it in the face of her baby’s delighted smile.
“You’re right.” Bryce jumped in beside her, sending Jamie crashing though the leaves and into her arms.
She laughed so hard her sides hurt, and Jamie giggled right along. Finally, she was able to stand up and move Jamie to the edge of the pile. She needed to go check on dinner. She was about to tell Bryce as much when he started climbing out of the flattened mess, but then she changed her mind.
“Your turn.” She planted her hands on Bryce’s broad shoulders and shoved until he toppled back.
Jamie’s laughter rent the air once more as he scooched over and pushed more leaves on top of Bryce. Daisy couldn’t remember the last time they’d had so much fun.
“Whew,” Bryce breathed as he leaned back and stretched. “I’m so full I couldn’t eat another bite.”
“I should hope not!” Daisy smiled to soften the words.
“Nothin’ left even if yore stomach could hold it.” Miz Willow looked at the empty dishes on the table.
The healer has a point
, Daisy reflected. Bryce, alone, had packed away three biscuits slathered with butter, two bowls of stew, and almost half of her fresh-baked apple pie.
She watched as he gave his stomach a satisfied pat, only to have a wince crease his face.
“Too full, Bryce?” She knew he was startled by the look he gave her.
“Nah. Can’t get enough of your fine cooking, ladies.” Bryce held up his left hand. “Stubborn splinter.” He massaged the area around the wound.
“Why didn’t you say so?” Miz Willow straightened up and came back with tweezers and some witch hazel. She filled a bowl with warm water. “Put yore hand in that for a mite, and the wood’ll swoll up so it cain be picked out. Daisy’ll hafta do it.” The old woman looked ruefully at her hands, so gnarled with years of work and late rheumatism.
Daisy cleared the table as Bryce obediently stuck his hand in the bowl. It didn’t fit, so he stuck his palm into the water with his fingers rising up out of the bowl.
I hope I cain get it without hurtin’ him
, Daisy fretted.
I should, after all the time I done spent doin’ fine needlework
.
The memory of his hands on her as he caught the mirror and later taught her to use sandpaper sent a shiver down her spine. Keeping steady while she felt the strength in his work-roughened palms would be far more difficult than embroidering lace.
After Miz Willow declared he’d soaked long enough, Daisy patted the area dry and looked at the splinter. The offending piece of wood, now plumped with water, made a dark, jagged path down Bryce’s palm near his thumb. She slid her right hand beneath to hold it steady in the light before gingerly grabbing the edge of the wood with the tweezers. She held her breath as she tugged the splinter, having to work it to the sides a bit before it slid out. Blood filled the line made by the splinter as she cleansed the wound with witch hazel.
He didn’t flinch or make a sound, even though it had been the biggest splinter Daisy had ever laid eyes on.
Must’ve hurt somethin’ awful
.
He could hardly feel it. The second Daisy touched his hand, the pain lessened. When the
Similar Books
