Read Online Seasons of Sugarcreek 03. Autumn's Promise by Shelley Shepard Gray - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shelley Shepard Gray
Ads: Link
know each other, right?”
“Jah.”
“We do,” Robert said.
Again, it was Gretta who seemed intent on smoothing things between them. “We all know each other, of course, Lilly. Now, what is that in Robert’s basket?”
“He bought me a kitten.”
Gretta’s face softened as she reached out a finger and gently rubbed the kitten’s fur. “She’s a sweetheart, for sure. And look how glossy and shiny her black fur is! Why, I don’t see a speck of white.”
“Jah,” Joshua agreed. “It’s a right, fine cat.” But Lilly noticed his voice was strained…and that there was a thick coat of tension between him and Robert. Josh kept looking at Robert in a funny way, and seemed almost tentative toward her.
“Josh, is everything all right?” she asked.
“I’m not sure.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Nothing that can be said here.”
Gretta’s chin lifted. “Everything is perfectly fine. Joshua is being silly.”
“Perhaps,” her husband murmured.
When Robert said nothing, only continued to look pained, Lilly stepped toward Josh. She knew what was wrong—he didn’t like her with Robert. He didn’t like the two of them as a pair.
But he wasn’t her father, and she sure didn’t need his permission or acceptance to go to the farmer’s market with a friend. “Stop acting like this,” she chided. “I’m not doing anything wrong, you know.”
“Perhaps not.”
“Perhaps?” She placed her hand on his arm. “Josh, I can’t believe you’re acting like this. I’ve done my best to be supportive of you, you know. I thought that’s what friends did.”
“Friends do…but there’s other things to think about, too.”
“Such as?” But instead of replying, he turned away. With the movement, her hand fell. “Josh. Gretta. You’ve got to tell me, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing at all,” Gretta said. “Joshua is just being silly. Don’t mind him, Lilly. Please, don’t.”
Gretta sounded too reassuring, making Lilly feel completely off balance. Just earlier that year, it had been Joshua who had been struggling with his relationships. He’d leaned on Lilly for support, and she’d been happy to be there for him. But now it felt like he was completely abandoning her.
Just as Lilly was struggling with what else to say, Josh spoke again. “Gretta, we must get going. Margaret is with her friends at the other side of the market, isn’t she? We best go check on her, especially since we said she could stay with us tonight.”
After giving an apologetic glance toward both Robert and Lilly, Gretta nodded. “Yes, I suppose we should go check on Margaret. I’ll see you all later.” She treated them to another apologetic smile, then followed her husband back down the row of shops.
Robert handed Lilly the basket. “Perhaps we should leave now, too.”
He looked distressed, and Lilly knew it was because of Josh’s reaction. Josh could hardly have been ruder, and she knew Robert was perfectly aware of how he’d sounded.
Josh’s attitude irritated her to no end. She really thought they were better friends than that. In addition, she was sick and tired of everyone casting judgments on everything she was doing. Life was too hard to constantly monitor what everyone was saying about her. Especially when she hadn’t been doing anything wrong.
Determined to salvage the afternoon as best she could, she nudged Robert’s shoulder. “Hey, I thought this little outing was all about me.”
“You’re not worried about what Joshua and Gretta are thinking?”
“No. At least not right now. Robert, I was having fun with you. Can’t we just try to go back to having fun? I haven’t had a whole lot of fun doing anything lately.”
At first Robert looked flabbergasted. But then seconds later, humor filled his gaze again. “Of course, you’re right. What do you want to do?”
She’d had enough shopping. What she really wanted was to erase the lines of worry and stress that had popped up on
“Jah.”
“We do,” Robert said.
Again, it was Gretta who seemed intent on smoothing things between them. “We all know each other, of course, Lilly. Now, what is that in Robert’s basket?”
“He bought me a kitten.”
Gretta’s face softened as she reached out a finger and gently rubbed the kitten’s fur. “She’s a sweetheart, for sure. And look how glossy and shiny her black fur is! Why, I don’t see a speck of white.”
“Jah,” Joshua agreed. “It’s a right, fine cat.” But Lilly noticed his voice was strained…and that there was a thick coat of tension between him and Robert. Josh kept looking at Robert in a funny way, and seemed almost tentative toward her.
“Josh, is everything all right?” she asked.
“I’m not sure.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Nothing that can be said here.”
Gretta’s chin lifted. “Everything is perfectly fine. Joshua is being silly.”
“Perhaps,” her husband murmured.
When Robert said nothing, only continued to look pained, Lilly stepped toward Josh. She knew what was wrong—he didn’t like her with Robert. He didn’t like the two of them as a pair.
But he wasn’t her father, and she sure didn’t need his permission or acceptance to go to the farmer’s market with a friend. “Stop acting like this,” she chided. “I’m not doing anything wrong, you know.”
“Perhaps not.”
“Perhaps?” She placed her hand on his arm. “Josh, I can’t believe you’re acting like this. I’ve done my best to be supportive of you, you know. I thought that’s what friends did.”
“Friends do…but there’s other things to think about, too.”
“Such as?” But instead of replying, he turned away. With the movement, her hand fell. “Josh. Gretta. You’ve got to tell me, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing at all,” Gretta said. “Joshua is just being silly. Don’t mind him, Lilly. Please, don’t.”
Gretta sounded too reassuring, making Lilly feel completely off balance. Just earlier that year, it had been Joshua who had been struggling with his relationships. He’d leaned on Lilly for support, and she’d been happy to be there for him. But now it felt like he was completely abandoning her.
Just as Lilly was struggling with what else to say, Josh spoke again. “Gretta, we must get going. Margaret is with her friends at the other side of the market, isn’t she? We best go check on her, especially since we said she could stay with us tonight.”
After giving an apologetic glance toward both Robert and Lilly, Gretta nodded. “Yes, I suppose we should go check on Margaret. I’ll see you all later.” She treated them to another apologetic smile, then followed her husband back down the row of shops.
Robert handed Lilly the basket. “Perhaps we should leave now, too.”
He looked distressed, and Lilly knew it was because of Josh’s reaction. Josh could hardly have been ruder, and she knew Robert was perfectly aware of how he’d sounded.
Josh’s attitude irritated her to no end. She really thought they were better friends than that. In addition, she was sick and tired of everyone casting judgments on everything she was doing. Life was too hard to constantly monitor what everyone was saying about her. Especially when she hadn’t been doing anything wrong.
Determined to salvage the afternoon as best she could, she nudged Robert’s shoulder. “Hey, I thought this little outing was all about me.”
“You’re not worried about what Joshua and Gretta are thinking?”
“No. At least not right now. Robert, I was having fun with you. Can’t we just try to go back to having fun? I haven’t had a whole lot of fun doing anything lately.”
At first Robert looked flabbergasted. But then seconds later, humor filled his gaze again. “Of course, you’re right. What do you want to do?”
She’d had enough shopping. What she really wanted was to erase the lines of worry and stress that had popped up on
Similar Books
