Read Online Linda Ford by Once Upon a Thanksgiving - Free Book Online Page B

but there are those who would learn to love him for his sake. I’m sure of it.” Her voice rang with determination and a bunch of things she couldn’t hide—longing for him to stay, a promise to stand at his side on Joey’s behalf and so much more.
    “I wish I could believe you, but—”
    She pulled at his arms, forcing him to face her. “You can. Stay. Give people a chance to accept him. And you.” No doubt her eyes revealed everything she felt, but she didn’t care. She wanted him to stay. For Joey’s sake, of course. For his, too. But mostly for her. She wanted a chance for this fledgling feeling of love to grow and mature. Please, God, let him see we can have something worth staying for.
    His eyes darkened with pleasure. His grasp on her hands tightened, and his smile flooded with what she hoped was love, or at least affection. Then without warning his expression flattened, grew hard. “You make me want to stay, but believe me, there are reasons I cannot.” He pulled her to his side and they continued to skate toward the bonfire.
    Why? The question clung to the tip of her tongue. She stared straight ahead, seeing nothing but a shiny blur. Why couldn’t he stay? Or at least tell her his reason?
    “Kathleen, I’m sorry.” Neither of them broke stride in their skating rhythm. “Please believe me when I say I would stay if I could. I would stay for you.”
    She sniffed, finding small comfort in the hopeless words. She was almost relieved they drew near to the others and Joey shouted out a greeting and raced to their side.
    “Hi, Buck. You were gone long time.”
    “It didn’t seem long to me.” He squeezed Kathleen’s hands to signal his reason. Having him acknowledge he wanted to stay only deepened her pain.
    She smiled and chatted as they gathered togethertheir belongings, threw snow over the fire to douse it and returned to the wagon. The trip back to town seemed to take longer than the trip out had, and yet was over before she could think of anything to say to convince Buck that surely the reasons for staying outweighed his reasons for leaving.
    They unloaded the children and picnic remnants at Rosie’s. Buck turned to Kathleen, his eyes full of regret. “I’ll give you a ride home, then return the wagon.”
    “Fine.” She bid the others goodbye. She had only a few minutes to make any sort of appeal. She barely waited for him to sit beside her on the wagon. “I had hoped you might have some regard for me. That our kiss meant something more than a man and a woman falling inadvertently into each other’s arms.” She made no attempt to keep the hurt from her voice.
    “Kathleen, I should not have kissed you, but I don’t regret doing so. I do have feelings for you. But I have no right to them.”
    They both faced forward, mindful they rode through a town full of windows.
    “You have the same rights as anyone else. The right to make a home where you choose. We are all equal in God’s eyes.” She left it there. How many ways could she tell him, ask him to stay without shamelessly begging? Truth is, she would beg if she thought it would make a difference.
    “Not everyone is equal in man’s eyes.” His tone was brittle. Suddenly he turned the wagon off the roadin a direction that took them away from her home. “I have to tell you something.”
    He drove away from town and pulled to a halt beside some sheltering trees, sending protesting birds away. He leaned over his knees. His jaw muscles clenched and unclenched. With a deep sigh he turned.
    She cried out at the despair lining his face. “What is it?”
    “I wish I could stay. I’ve found something here with you I’ve wanted all my adult life, though I didn’t know what it was I longed for.” His expression softened as he let his gaze drift over her face.
    “I’ve found something, too.” She didn’t want to lose it.
    Buck rolled his head back and forth in a gesture so full of sadness and defeat that she clutched his arm. He