Read Online Patchwork Bride by Jillian Hart - Free Book Online Page B

away from her and gave Minnie his attention.
    “Meredith!” Fiona waved, trudging through the snow, her lunch pail swinging from one red-mittened hand, her book bag from the other. “I just finished blanketing Flannigan. Could you believe all the vehicles stuck on the road? I didn’t think you would make it.”
    “We have a new driver who is surprisingly competent.” Surely Shane could hear her. He was merely feet behind her, helping Minnie from the buggy, so close the hair on the back of her neck tingled.
    “So I see.” Fiona, happily engaged, glanced curiouslyat the hooded figure who was mantled with snow. “Oh, he’s good-looking.”
    “Is he? I thought so when I first met him, but then I changed my mind.” He was beyond what a sane woman would call handsome; he was magnificent. The steady strength, the quick world-changing grin added to his gentle manner would make the toughest female look twice. But she could not bear to let him think she thought him so fine.
    “Isn’t he your type?” Fiona asked. “Handsome, rugged, very manly?”
    “My type?” Please, don’t let him have heard that, Lord. She glanced over her shoulder to see Shane handing Minnie her lunch pail with a big brother’s kindness. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
    He had heard her.
    “Oh, he’s all right,” she said, letting her voice lift on the wind, knowing full well Shane could hear her. “But he’s not fine enough to interest me.”
    “Meredith! What a thing to say, and I think he heard you.” Dear gentle Fiona was shocked. She skidded to a halt, jaw dropped, eyes wide with a sad censure. “I’ve never known you to be mean before.”
    “I—” The excuses died on her lips. Cold quivered through her, burrowing deep into her bone marrow and further, as if into her soul. She’d only meant him to know that she hadn’t been thinking about romance, that she hadn’t been hoping he was interested in her. She wanted him to know that he’d hurt her, but the words had come out wrong, and now she’d made matters worse.
    The man drove her crazy.
    Shane’s gaze fastened on hers, holding her prisoner as time stilled. Snowflakes tangled in her lashes, but she could not break away from the compelling mix of hurt and sadness darkening the wondrous blue of his eyes. She could feel his emotions as clearly as her own. It was the oddest sensation. The connection they’d forged upon first sight remained, but it was wounded, no longer light and full of laughter but of something grave.
    I’m sorry, she wanted to say, but before she could, he broke away. The wind gusted and the snow fell harder as if even God were ashamed and trying to steal him from her sight.
    “Fiona! Meredith!” Scarlet Fisher emerged from the storm, her bag swinging from her shoulder, her beautiful red hair dusted with snow from her walk through town. “Who was that?”
    “Nobody.” The word was out before she could stop it. Meredith drew her scarf over her face. She could hide her humiliation from her friends, but not from herself. How could she have done such a thing?
    “He’s almost as handsome as Lorenzo.” Scarlet shook the snow from her knit cap and fell into stride alongside them. Snowballs flew over their heads and little kids darted into their path as they waded through the yard toward the schoolhouse’s front steps. “Is he Eli’s replacement?”
    “He must be,” Fiona replied, “although Meredith doesn’t seem to like him.”
    “What’s not to like?” Scarlet asked. “Did you see his shoulders? He looks like a hero out of a novel.”
    “You always say that.” Fiona rolled her eyes, althoughshe was smiling. Ever since she had become engaged at Christmastime, she had been a lot happier. It was good to see. “Sometimes men like that are even real.”
    What they needed was to change the subject, Meredith decided and took charge of the situation. “Did either of you figure out the last math problem in our homework