Read Online Huckleberry Harvest by Jennifer Beckstrand - Free Book Online Page B

felt a glimmer of sympathy for Noah. Was that why he’d broken up with Kristina? If what he said was true, Kristina had certainly made a pest of herself. He’d told Mandy on the first day they’d met that she didn’t know the whole story.
    She felt more ashamed than ever. Had she accused Noah unjustly?
    Nibbling on her bottom lip, she thought of poor Kristina. Her best friend had certainly made a fool of herself over a boy she loved, but who was Mandy to judge Kristina’s behavior? She had no idea how silly she would be if she were ever in love.
    And Noah had broken up with Kristina using a text message. His behavior was still inexcusable.
    But so was Kristina’s. Kristina might have been in love, but there were still certain acceptable behaviors toward boys, and spying on them was not an acceptable behavior. She’d told Kristina as much yesterday when she took her home in the buggy, soaking wet and mad as a, well, as a wet hen.
    Kristina was fortunate that Mandy had come to Bonduel. Mandy knew how to fix things, make everything all better. She could teach Kristina the right way to attract a boy and the proper way to behave herself. In the end, Noah might decide he wanted her back. Mandy could be very persuasive.
    “I truly am sorry, but you have to understand that Kristina is not thinking rationally. What girl in love is ever rational?”
    At the mention of love, Noah’s expression hardened to stone. The trace of softness that she had seen only moments before disappeared. She should have left Kristina’s feelings out of it. She’d ruined the entire apology.
    He set the cookie dough on the cupboard next to the sink. “I’ll get to work on the stove. Denki for the cookies.”
    “You’re welcome,” she mumbled. She didn’t feel any better than before Noah had come. She shouldn’t have bothered making cookie dough. If Noah Mischler’s heart could have been touched, he would have shown it by now.
    She immediately grabbed the broom from the closet and began to sweep the great room. She promised Mammi that the floors would be spick-and-span by the time she returned home. Mammi had invited another set of boys over for dessert and games tonight. The floors had to sparkle.
    Noah knelt down, opened the oven door, and shined a flashlight into the interior. He took a wrench from his box and tightened something at the back of the inside. He looked as if he knew what he was doing, but Mandy couldn’t be sure. She wasn’t altogether certain that Noah wouldn’t blow up the house if he carelessly connected a pipe to the wrong thing. If he knew she was checking up on him, he might take greater care in hooking up everything the right way.
    Leaning on her broom, she knelt next to Noah’s toolbox on her good knee. She peered into the oven where Noah worked, unable to see a whole lot since his body was in the way.
    He sensed her presence and turned his head to frown at her. “Don’t like the way I’m doing it?”
    She felt a twinge of guilt for offending him, but better a little discomfort than a house fire. “I don’t want an explosion in Mammi’s kitchen.”
    He sat up and turned off his flashlight. “You promised not to spy on me again.”
    His accusation struck her nearly mute. “Oh . . . I wasn’t . . .”
    He sighed and slumped his shoulders. He didn’t seem angry with her. “You don’t think I’ll do a good enough job for your grandparents.”
    “I just . . . I don’t know you. Why did Dawdi hire you? Do you have any experience or training?”
    Fire flickered in his eyes, but he smothered it and growled in exasperation. “Here,” he said, handing her his wrench. “Come on this side, and I’ll let you do this part.”
    She shook her head. “I don’t need to do that. I just want to be sure . . .”
    “If you want something done right, you should do it yourself.”
    She dropped the wrench into his box and stood up. “No, no. I’m fine. Just do what you need to do.”
    He took hold of her hand and