Read Online Dear to Me by Wanda E. Brunstetter - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Wanda E. Brunstetter
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look pretty tonight.”
Heat radiated up the back of Melinda’s neck and spread quickly to her cheeks. “I don’t think I look much different than the last time you saw me.”
He leaned in closer until she could feel his warm breath tickle her ear. “You’re the prettiest woman I know.”
“Danki, Gabe.”
“Do you want to open my gift now or wait until later?” he asked, lifting the paper sack he held in one hand.
“I guess it would be best to wait and open all my gifts at the same time.”
“Jah, okay.”
Gabe leaned closer and studied Melinda so intently her toes curled inside her black leather shoes.
“Hey, Gabe! What are you up to?”
Melinda whirled around to face her brother. “Isaiah, you shouldn’t sneak up on people like that.”
“I wasn’t sneakin’. I just happened to come around the house in time to see the two of you makin’ eyes at each other.”
Gabe ruffled Isaiah’s hair. “You’re right—we’re caught.”
“Why don’t you go see if Papa Noah needs any help?” Melinda suggested.
Isaiah squinted. “I’ve never figured out why you call him that. Can’t ya just say, ‘Papa,’ without addin’ the Noah part?”
“I was seven years old when Mama married Papa Noah. He’s been like a daed to me all these years, but he’s not my real father. So I’ve always thought it best to call him Papa Noah, and he’s never complained or asked me to call him anything else.”
“Suit yourself,” Isaiah said with a shrug. “Guess I’ll mosey around back and see what’s cookin’.”
“We’ll be there soon,” Melinda called to his retreating form.
Gabe reached for Melinda’s hand and drew her aside. “As I was saying before Isaiah came along—”
Two more buggies rolled into the yard just then, and Gabe released a moan. “Guess what I wanted to say will have to wait until later.” He gave Melinda’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Maybe after the party winds down, we can take a walk.”
She nodded. “I’d like that.”
As Susie stepped down from her parents’ buggy, she spotted Melinda and Gabe holding hands as they stood in the yard together. Oh, how I wish I had a boyfriend, she thought dismally. If there was only someone to hold my hand and look at me with the tenderness I see whenever Gabe looks at Melinda.
“Something sure smells good,” Susie’s dad said, sniffing the air. “I’ll bet Noah’s been cooking up a storm.”
“Besides whatever meat he’s barbecuing, it’s a pretty good guess that either he or Faith has made some other tasty dishes,” Mama put in.
Papa smacked his lips. “When I talked to Melinda the other day, she said there would be a batch of homemade ice cream to go with the cake Noah baked for her birthday.”
“That sounds good to me,” Mama said with a smile. “Don’t you think it sounds good, daughter?”
Susie shrugged.
“What are you looking so glum about?” Papa asked as he un-hitched the horse from their buggy. “We’re at a party—a celebration of Melinda’s nineteenth birthday. You ought to be smiling, not frowning like you’ve got a bad toothache, for goodness’ sake.”
Susie forced her lips to form a smile. “Is that better?”
“Much.” Mama nudged Susie with her elbow. “Let’s head for the house and see if Faith needs our help with anything while your daed gets the horse put in the corral.”
As they started walking toward Faith and Noah’s house, Susie cast a quick glance in the birthday girl’s direction. Melinda was so busy talking to Gabe that she hadn’t even noticed them. Susie was tempted to stop and say a few words, but she decided Melinda might not appreciate having her conversation with Gabe interrupted. So she hurried to the house behind her mother, knowing the best thing she could do to get her jealousy under control was to keep her hands busy.
Melinda bit into a piece of moist chocolate cake and savored the moment. Her
Heat radiated up the back of Melinda’s neck and spread quickly to her cheeks. “I don’t think I look much different than the last time you saw me.”
He leaned in closer until she could feel his warm breath tickle her ear. “You’re the prettiest woman I know.”
“Danki, Gabe.”
“Do you want to open my gift now or wait until later?” he asked, lifting the paper sack he held in one hand.
“I guess it would be best to wait and open all my gifts at the same time.”
“Jah, okay.”
Gabe leaned closer and studied Melinda so intently her toes curled inside her black leather shoes.
“Hey, Gabe! What are you up to?”
Melinda whirled around to face her brother. “Isaiah, you shouldn’t sneak up on people like that.”
“I wasn’t sneakin’. I just happened to come around the house in time to see the two of you makin’ eyes at each other.”
Gabe ruffled Isaiah’s hair. “You’re right—we’re caught.”
“Why don’t you go see if Papa Noah needs any help?” Melinda suggested.
Isaiah squinted. “I’ve never figured out why you call him that. Can’t ya just say, ‘Papa,’ without addin’ the Noah part?”
“I was seven years old when Mama married Papa Noah. He’s been like a daed to me all these years, but he’s not my real father. So I’ve always thought it best to call him Papa Noah, and he’s never complained or asked me to call him anything else.”
“Suit yourself,” Isaiah said with a shrug. “Guess I’ll mosey around back and see what’s cookin’.”
“We’ll be there soon,” Melinda called to his retreating form.
Gabe reached for Melinda’s hand and drew her aside. “As I was saying before Isaiah came along—”
Two more buggies rolled into the yard just then, and Gabe released a moan. “Guess what I wanted to say will have to wait until later.” He gave Melinda’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Maybe after the party winds down, we can take a walk.”
She nodded. “I’d like that.”
As Susie stepped down from her parents’ buggy, she spotted Melinda and Gabe holding hands as they stood in the yard together. Oh, how I wish I had a boyfriend, she thought dismally. If there was only someone to hold my hand and look at me with the tenderness I see whenever Gabe looks at Melinda.
“Something sure smells good,” Susie’s dad said, sniffing the air. “I’ll bet Noah’s been cooking up a storm.”
“Besides whatever meat he’s barbecuing, it’s a pretty good guess that either he or Faith has made some other tasty dishes,” Mama put in.
Papa smacked his lips. “When I talked to Melinda the other day, she said there would be a batch of homemade ice cream to go with the cake Noah baked for her birthday.”
“That sounds good to me,” Mama said with a smile. “Don’t you think it sounds good, daughter?”
Susie shrugged.
“What are you looking so glum about?” Papa asked as he un-hitched the horse from their buggy. “We’re at a party—a celebration of Melinda’s nineteenth birthday. You ought to be smiling, not frowning like you’ve got a bad toothache, for goodness’ sake.”
Susie forced her lips to form a smile. “Is that better?”
“Much.” Mama nudged Susie with her elbow. “Let’s head for the house and see if Faith needs our help with anything while your daed gets the horse put in the corral.”
As they started walking toward Faith and Noah’s house, Susie cast a quick glance in the birthday girl’s direction. Melinda was so busy talking to Gabe that she hadn’t even noticed them. Susie was tempted to stop and say a few words, but she decided Melinda might not appreciate having her conversation with Gabe interrupted. So she hurried to the house behind her mother, knowing the best thing she could do to get her jealousy under control was to keep her hands busy.
Melinda bit into a piece of moist chocolate cake and savored the moment. Her
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