Read Online Kelly's Chance by Wanda E Brunstetter - Free Book Online
Authors: Wanda E Brunstetter
Tags: Fiction
Ads: Link
pleased about her drawings being sold.
Maybe she suspects I’m the one who bought the pictures. But how could she know that? He’d been careful not to give her too much information, so she couldn’t have guessed he was the one. He hadn’t actually lied to her, but he didn’t see the need to tell Kelly he was the one either. She might have taken it the wrong way.
Seeing Kelly again had only reinforced the strong feelings Mike was having for her. When their hands touched briefly during the money exchange, he had felt as though he’d been struck by a bolt of lightning. Had Kelly felt it, too? Could that have been the reason for her sudden departure? Or maybe she just needed to get back to work. The canal boaters always seemed to be in a hurry to get to and from their pickup and delivery points. That was probably all it was. Kelly’s dad had no doubt told her to hurry, and she was only complying with his wishes.
How am I going to get to know Kelly better if she stops by the store only once in a while, then stays just long enough to buy something and hurries off again? Mike closed his eyes. Lord, would You please work it out so Kelly and I can spend more time together?
Mike was still standing behind the counter, mulling things over, when Amos McGregor entered the store.
“Mr. McGregor, your daughter was just here buying some cough syrup for your wife.”
“Don’tcha think I know that?” the boatman snapped. His bright red hair stuck out at odd angles, like he hadn’t combed it in a couple of days, and dark circles rimmed his eyes.
Mike shrugged. It was obvious the man wasn’t in a good mood, and there was no point in saying anything that might rile him further.
“The wife’s been sick for a couple of days,” Amos mumbled. “That left me stuck doin’ most of her chores.” He stuffed his hands inside the pocket of his dark blue jacket and started for the back of the store.
“Can I help you find something?” Mike called after him.
“Need some of that newfangled soap that floats,” came the muffled reply. “I told Kelly to get some, but as usual, she had her head in the clouds and forgot.”
Mike skirted around the counter and went straight to the shelf where he kept the cleaning supplies and personal toiletries. “Here’s what you’re looking for, sir,” he said, lifting a bar of soap for the man’s inspection.
“Yep. That’s it, all right.” Amos shook his head slowly. “I dropped our last bar overboard by mistake and didn’t wanna take the time to stop and fish it outa the canal.” He grabbed another bar of soap and marched back to the counter. “Better to have a spare,” he muttered.
Mike nodded and slipped the cakes of soap into a paper sack. “Good idea.” He handed the bag to Amos. “Need anything else?”
“Nope.” Amos plunked some coins on the counter and started for the front door.
“Feel free to stop by anytime,” Mike called after him. “And if you ever need a place to spend the night, I’ll gladly let you stable your mules in my barn.”
The boatman mumbled something under his breath and shut the door.
Mike shook his head. “I wonder why that man’s such a grouch? No wonder Kelly acts like a scared rabbit much of the time. Guess I’d better pray for the both of them.”
Chapter 9
***
On Saturday evening, much to Mike’s surprise, Kelly and her mother stopped by the store.
“That cough syrup you sold Kelly a few days ago sure helped me sleep,” Dorrie said as she stepped up beside Mike, who’d been stocking shelves near the front of the store.
Mike smiled. “I’m glad to hear that, Mrs. McGregor. Are you feeling better?”
She nodded. “I’m back to doin’ most of my own chores, too.”
Mike glanced at Kelly out of the corner of his eye. She was standing by the candy counter, eyeing something she was obviously interested in. He started to move toward the young woman, but Dorrie’s next words stopped him.
“Amos
Maybe she suspects I’m the one who bought the pictures. But how could she know that? He’d been careful not to give her too much information, so she couldn’t have guessed he was the one. He hadn’t actually lied to her, but he didn’t see the need to tell Kelly he was the one either. She might have taken it the wrong way.
Seeing Kelly again had only reinforced the strong feelings Mike was having for her. When their hands touched briefly during the money exchange, he had felt as though he’d been struck by a bolt of lightning. Had Kelly felt it, too? Could that have been the reason for her sudden departure? Or maybe she just needed to get back to work. The canal boaters always seemed to be in a hurry to get to and from their pickup and delivery points. That was probably all it was. Kelly’s dad had no doubt told her to hurry, and she was only complying with his wishes.
How am I going to get to know Kelly better if she stops by the store only once in a while, then stays just long enough to buy something and hurries off again? Mike closed his eyes. Lord, would You please work it out so Kelly and I can spend more time together?
Mike was still standing behind the counter, mulling things over, when Amos McGregor entered the store.
“Mr. McGregor, your daughter was just here buying some cough syrup for your wife.”
“Don’tcha think I know that?” the boatman snapped. His bright red hair stuck out at odd angles, like he hadn’t combed it in a couple of days, and dark circles rimmed his eyes.
Mike shrugged. It was obvious the man wasn’t in a good mood, and there was no point in saying anything that might rile him further.
“The wife’s been sick for a couple of days,” Amos mumbled. “That left me stuck doin’ most of her chores.” He stuffed his hands inside the pocket of his dark blue jacket and started for the back of the store.
“Can I help you find something?” Mike called after him.
“Need some of that newfangled soap that floats,” came the muffled reply. “I told Kelly to get some, but as usual, she had her head in the clouds and forgot.”
Mike skirted around the counter and went straight to the shelf where he kept the cleaning supplies and personal toiletries. “Here’s what you’re looking for, sir,” he said, lifting a bar of soap for the man’s inspection.
“Yep. That’s it, all right.” Amos shook his head slowly. “I dropped our last bar overboard by mistake and didn’t wanna take the time to stop and fish it outa the canal.” He grabbed another bar of soap and marched back to the counter. “Better to have a spare,” he muttered.
Mike nodded and slipped the cakes of soap into a paper sack. “Good idea.” He handed the bag to Amos. “Need anything else?”
“Nope.” Amos plunked some coins on the counter and started for the front door.
“Feel free to stop by anytime,” Mike called after him. “And if you ever need a place to spend the night, I’ll gladly let you stable your mules in my barn.”
The boatman mumbled something under his breath and shut the door.
Mike shook his head. “I wonder why that man’s such a grouch? No wonder Kelly acts like a scared rabbit much of the time. Guess I’d better pray for the both of them.”
Chapter 9
***
On Saturday evening, much to Mike’s surprise, Kelly and her mother stopped by the store.
“That cough syrup you sold Kelly a few days ago sure helped me sleep,” Dorrie said as she stepped up beside Mike, who’d been stocking shelves near the front of the store.
Mike smiled. “I’m glad to hear that, Mrs. McGregor. Are you feeling better?”
She nodded. “I’m back to doin’ most of my own chores, too.”
Mike glanced at Kelly out of the corner of his eye. She was standing by the candy counter, eyeing something she was obviously interested in. He started to move toward the young woman, but Dorrie’s next words stopped him.
“Amos
Similar Books
