Read Online Whispers on the Wind (A Prairie Hearts Novel Book 5) by Caroline Fyffe - Free Book Online

well, and he felt the need of some cool air on his face.
    “Why would you say that? Of course she does.” Tabitha lifted the books she still held. “Aren’t you going to make a decision?”
    “I’ll come back later if I find some time. I have some pressing business I need to attend to before any more of my day gets away.”
    At his hard tone, she searched his face, but her smile never faltered. “Whatever suits you, Mr. Wade. You know where to find me.”
    What suited him was for others to stop judging him by the way he looked. Roberta Brown, in particular. He’d had his fill of overly righteous women. He could spot ’em a mile away. As his thoughts turned from aunt to niece, he wondered if the apple fell far from the tree.

    Mr. Wade glanced over his shoulder at her once before following in Aunt Roberta’s footsteps. Tabitha fingered the book in her hands, acknowledging to herself that she’d enjoyed the encounter with Mr. Wade more than she’d like to admit. Straightening her spine, she set the primer back on the shelf and gave the book a little pat.
    So, she wasn’t as immune to the opposite sex, at least not this particular man, as she liked to think. She went to the door and looked out on the town. A tickle in her stomach, feeling very much like butterflies, made her lips tilt up. Was this what it felt like to have a crush? She’d never had one, but she rather liked the feeling.
    She hoped Aunt Roberta hadn’t frightened him away. He’d acted put off by her. Reading was the love of her life; she was sure once Mr. Wade, with his love of travel, got a taste for it, he’d see the value in stories that could transport a person anywhere.
    With a sigh, her thoughts turned back to business and she moved to her desk. She stared down at the poster she’d been working on before opening the shop this morning and running into Mr. Wade.
     
    C OME O NE , C OME A LL , TO A P UBLIC R EADING!
    G REAT E XPECTATIONS BY C HARLES D ICKENS
    E VERY T UESDAY EVENING TWO CHAPTERS WILL BE READ ALOUD .
    T HIS EXCITING NOVEL FOLLOWS THE COMING-OF-AGE EXPERIENCES OF AN
    ORPHAN NAMED P IP . G OOD ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY .
    S TORYBOOK L ODGE , S IX O’ CLOCK
    R EFRESHMENTS W ILL BE S ERVED
     
    Tabitha wrinkled her brow. Well, it’s a start.
    If this didn’t get customers into her shop, and readers interested in the books she had to offer, she’d have to try something else. Perhaps she’d have a sale in conjunction as well. She rubbed her chin. No, she couldn’t afford to discount any of her inventory just yet. She’d wait. See how the event went. Back home in the city library, authors often came to read their works. She never missed one. She wasn’t Charles Dickens, but an oration would be something different for Logan Meadows.
    Tabitha glanced around the interior of her shop. How many people would Storybook Lodge hold? If she moved the center bookshelves to the side, several more rows of seats could be added, which all depended on what she’d use for seating. Who would attend? Hannah, Thom, and Aunt Roberta would be here, and Uncle Frank. Most likely Jessie and Chase. Susanna and Albert. Brenna, Greg, and their brood. If Nell wasn’t too busy on the ranch, maybe she would drag Charlie out, and even Maddie and Julia, the nice young woman who’d broken her arm when the train crashed a few months back.
    What about Mr. Wade? Would he come as well?
    A spark of excitement skittered around in Tabitha’s heart. Maybe he would. Even if a quarter of her friends came to the first reading, that would be a great start. And she’d be content. A list of other acquaintances filtered through her head. Mrs. Hollyhock, Maude Miller. Dr. Thorn seemed the type who might enjoy a night out, as did Reverend Wilbrand. Win would come just to be supportive of her—and if these readings really started to catch on in the months to come, maybe some of the folks would venture over from New Meringue.
    Just imagine how many books