Read Online When Love Calls by Lorna Seilstad - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lorna Seilstad
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but they couldn’t keep this gift. It simply wasn’t right.
Charlotte moved some items around in the box. “There’s a quart of milk and a couple packages from the butcher in here too. We should probably get those in the icebox.”
“You think we should keep this too?” She glared at them. Had they all gone mad? “Need I remind you it was Mr. Cole who made us lose our home? He’s an egotistical, arrogant, know-it-all man who feels guilty about putting out three orphans.”
“Mr. Cole’s been nothing but kind, Hannah. I don’t think it’s fair to read other things into his thoughtful gesture.” Charlotte picked up the quart of milk and set it in the icebox. “Besides, he didn’t take the house. The bank did. He was simply the messenger, and it isn’t fair to shoot the messenger.”
“I’d like to shoot this one with Daddy’s shotgun,” Hannah mumbled.
Charlotte shook the butcher’s package in her direction. “I’m surprised at you. Besides, it is a gift, and Momma wouldn’t want us to be rude and turn it away.”
“Fine.” Hannah crossed her arms over her chest. “It might take a while, but I’ll pay him back for every crumb.”
Charlotte took the Folgers tin from Tessa and pried open the lid. She waved the tin beneath Hannah’s nose. “In the meantime, what do you say to a cup of coffee provided by the egotistical, arrogant, know-it-all man who was thoughtful enough to include coffee?”
The scent filled Hannah’s nostrils, and she licked her lips.
One cup couldn’t hurt.
He owed her for everything he’d put her through.
One more set of contracts to process, and Lincoln could call it a day. It had been a long week, and he couldn’t wait to spend some time on the golf course. Holding the stack in his hands, he tapped the edges against the surface of his desk to line up the papers, then began reading the first page. By page two, the words blurred beneath his gaze.
He leaned back in his chair and propped his feet on the edge of his desk. Lulled by the rat-a-tat of the stenographer’s typewriter, the low, steady hum of conversation, and the crinkling of paper, he closed his eyes. He gave in to the urge for a quick nap. A few minutes of sleep couldn’t hurt.
A blow to his feet startled him, and he jerked upright, nearly toppling from the chair.
“Here!”
He grabbed the desk to regain his balance and looked up to see Hannah Gregory thrusting her palm toward him with two shiny quarters in the center.
“Take it.” She pushed her upturned hand forward. “I know it doesn’t cover the groceries, but it’s a start.”
He shook his head, feeling more muddled than awake. How long had he been dozing? He heard snickering and glanced aroundthe office. Cedric. He imagined the weasel was enjoying this scene far too much.
Lincoln lowered his voice. “Hannah, what are you talking about?”
“It’s Miss Gregory to you.” She jammed her fists onto her hips. “And I’m referring to the gift you had delivered to my sisters and me after we moved in.”
“The food?”
“Yes.” She extended the coins toward him again. “I intend to pay you back.”
He scowled and pushed her hand away. “Sit down.”
She didn’t budge.
“Please, have a seat, Miss Gregory.” He sighed. “I’d prefer to talk to you face-to-face rather than have you hover over me like my overbearing grade-school teacher. A woman, as a matter of fact, I didn’t much care for.”
“The best I can promise is not to rap your knuckles with a ruler.” She squared her shoulders. “Besides, I prefer to do this standing.”
“Do what?”
Slowly she raised her hand over his desk blotter. First one coin and then the other fell with a ping, rolled in a circle, and came to a rest.
Lightning fast, he snatched up the coins and rounded his desk. “I am not accepting these.” He grabbed her wrist and shoved the coins back in her hand.
“Yes you are!”
Laughter from his officemate tickled his ears, and his face
Charlotte moved some items around in the box. “There’s a quart of milk and a couple packages from the butcher in here too. We should probably get those in the icebox.”
“You think we should keep this too?” She glared at them. Had they all gone mad? “Need I remind you it was Mr. Cole who made us lose our home? He’s an egotistical, arrogant, know-it-all man who feels guilty about putting out three orphans.”
“Mr. Cole’s been nothing but kind, Hannah. I don’t think it’s fair to read other things into his thoughtful gesture.” Charlotte picked up the quart of milk and set it in the icebox. “Besides, he didn’t take the house. The bank did. He was simply the messenger, and it isn’t fair to shoot the messenger.”
“I’d like to shoot this one with Daddy’s shotgun,” Hannah mumbled.
Charlotte shook the butcher’s package in her direction. “I’m surprised at you. Besides, it is a gift, and Momma wouldn’t want us to be rude and turn it away.”
“Fine.” Hannah crossed her arms over her chest. “It might take a while, but I’ll pay him back for every crumb.”
Charlotte took the Folgers tin from Tessa and pried open the lid. She waved the tin beneath Hannah’s nose. “In the meantime, what do you say to a cup of coffee provided by the egotistical, arrogant, know-it-all man who was thoughtful enough to include coffee?”
The scent filled Hannah’s nostrils, and she licked her lips.
One cup couldn’t hurt.
He owed her for everything he’d put her through.
One more set of contracts to process, and Lincoln could call it a day. It had been a long week, and he couldn’t wait to spend some time on the golf course. Holding the stack in his hands, he tapped the edges against the surface of his desk to line up the papers, then began reading the first page. By page two, the words blurred beneath his gaze.
He leaned back in his chair and propped his feet on the edge of his desk. Lulled by the rat-a-tat of the stenographer’s typewriter, the low, steady hum of conversation, and the crinkling of paper, he closed his eyes. He gave in to the urge for a quick nap. A few minutes of sleep couldn’t hurt.
A blow to his feet startled him, and he jerked upright, nearly toppling from the chair.
“Here!”
He grabbed the desk to regain his balance and looked up to see Hannah Gregory thrusting her palm toward him with two shiny quarters in the center.
“Take it.” She pushed her upturned hand forward. “I know it doesn’t cover the groceries, but it’s a start.”
He shook his head, feeling more muddled than awake. How long had he been dozing? He heard snickering and glanced aroundthe office. Cedric. He imagined the weasel was enjoying this scene far too much.
Lincoln lowered his voice. “Hannah, what are you talking about?”
“It’s Miss Gregory to you.” She jammed her fists onto her hips. “And I’m referring to the gift you had delivered to my sisters and me after we moved in.”
“The food?”
“Yes.” She extended the coins toward him again. “I intend to pay you back.”
He scowled and pushed her hand away. “Sit down.”
She didn’t budge.
“Please, have a seat, Miss Gregory.” He sighed. “I’d prefer to talk to you face-to-face rather than have you hover over me like my overbearing grade-school teacher. A woman, as a matter of fact, I didn’t much care for.”
“The best I can promise is not to rap your knuckles with a ruler.” She squared her shoulders. “Besides, I prefer to do this standing.”
“Do what?”
Slowly she raised her hand over his desk blotter. First one coin and then the other fell with a ping, rolled in a circle, and came to a rest.
Lightning fast, he snatched up the coins and rounded his desk. “I am not accepting these.” He grabbed her wrist and shoved the coins back in her hand.
“Yes you are!”
Laughter from his officemate tickled his ears, and his face
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