Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3
R achel hoped she didn’t look disappointed when she lifted her gaze to Levi. Why did her heart have to race? She wanted to view Levi as her friend, not her childhood crush.
While she’d baked a batch of brownies that afternoon, she practiced how she would react when she saw Levi again. Her heart hadn’t paid attention to how she was determined to act. Instead, it pounded like a war drum. She set her teeth. She was too old to have fluttering in her chest.
She’d dated in college and when she taught at the elementary school in Columbus, Ohio. Though she met plenty of nice men, none of them affected her the way Levi McSweeney had. Even if he weren’t interested in her, he had set the bar. She couldn’t settle for anyone who didn’t send the same sensations through her that she was feeling at this moment.
“You made it.” Levi stepped to the entryway. Aaron stopped halfway down the stairs.
The light in Levi’s eyes made Rachel feel weak inside.
“I couldn’t pass up an invitation to enjoy your Mom’s pot roast,” she said, pleased that she had hidden the emotions struggling inside her to break free .
“Well, aren’t you sweet?” Naomi tipped her head and smiled. “And look what she brought. Flowers and brownies. Isn’t that the nicest thing?” She hugged Rachel.
“Please enjoy the brownies for as long as you like,” Rachel said. “I know you said not to bring anything, but I couldn’t come empty-handed.”
“I guess that’s the small town in you.” Naomi laughed. “I’m the same way. We’ll see how long these brownies last with all these men in the house.”
“And me.” Madeline worried.
“We’d never forget you.” Naomi hugged her.
“I can take these into the kitchen and put the flowers into water.” Rachel reached for the bouquet.
“You’ll do no such thing.” Naomi buried her nose in the buds and inhaled. “And don’t they smell heavenly?”
“Can I carry the brownies?” With eagerness in her eyes, Madeline reached for them.
“Certainly.” Rachel placed the dish in her small hands, then made sure she had a firm grip before releasing the handles.
“Let me help you with your jacket,” Levi said, and she hoped he didn’t notice the surprise in her eyes.
When he moved behind her, she caught his subtle scent as he gently slipped the jacket from her shoulders. Her blood warmed. Nothing about him had changed, including her feelings for him. Should she be disappointed or relieved? She definitely shouldn’t have these thoughts now.
“Let’s go to the kitchen, and I’ll find a place for the brownies,” Naomi said. “When we get to the kitchen, I’ll fill a vase with water and a tablespoon of sugar, so the flowers have nourishment, then we’ll put everything in the vase and set it on the table.”
“Flowers like sugar?” Madeline frowned.
“They love it.” Naomi smiled at her and led the way to the kitchen.
Rachel followed. As she passed Levi, she smiled, but he had turned away and talked to his brother about a horse that would be delivered to the ranch tomorrow. She tried not to hide her disappointment. She didn’t know what she expected. Now, she wondered if she should’ve declined Naomi’s invitation to dinner. It was nice knowing she wouldn’t eat alone, but if she had thought that Levi would have been as engaging as Naomi, she saw now that he had other things on his mind.
Why wouldn’t he? He ran a tech company. Why he’d returned to Sweet Mountain, she wasn’t sure, but someone would volunteer the information.
She had returned because she felt led to do so. After the Columbus, Ohio, school system closed her school due to low enrollment, she was offered another position in Columbus, but not teaching first grade.
She could have gone anywhere, including Florida where her parents begged her to come. After prayerfully asking God for guidance, she felt led to return to Sweet Mountain. The return felt safe. Levi didn’t live there anymore.
Seeing him at church this morning was a shock she hadn’t expected.
Had she misunderstood God’s leading? If she’d known that Levi had returned to Sweet Mountain, she would have prayerfully confirmed she understood God’s intention.
Though Levi had always been nice to her, he’d also been cool. Her whole body went hot as she remembered the times she’d tried to attract his attention. Her embarrassed brother warned her—Levi wasn’t interested in her.
She had begged Jonathan not to say anything to Levi. He laughed and said he never would, but she had to accept that Levi considered her a friend—nothing more.
Levi dated other girls, though he never seemed to have a serious relationship. She paid attention to that. She wasn’t the only girl in town who tried to capture his attention. He was handsome and any girl he dated was proud to be seen on his arm.
But she was the only girl in town whose brother was Levi’s best friend. She didn’t want to embarrass Jonathan. Accepting that Levi would never see her as more than a friend, she agreed to Jonathan’s wishes .
As Rachel followed Naomi into the kitchen, she didn’t see any evidence of another woman living in the house. Where was Madeline’s mother? Had Levi married but the marriage hadn’t worked out?
She couldn’t imagine Levi marrying someone without giving the relationship careful consideration. Growing up, Levi had seemed wise beyond his years as he worked hard as a quarterback and with his schoolwork.
In the kitchen, Naomi pulled a vase from beneath the sink. She chatted while filling it with water. Madeline dragged the kitchen stool to the counter. Climbing to the step, she watched, mesmerized as Naomi sprinkled sugar into the vase.
“If you tell me where you keep the scissors, I can trim the stems,” Rachel said to Naomi.
“I want to watch.” Madeline started to climb down from the stool.
“You can stay there.” Rachel took the child’s arm to make sure she remained steady. “I can work on the other side of you.”
She liked the way Madeline’s features brightened. She was also struck by her dark eyes and hair. Levi had brilliant blue eyes and sandy blond hair.
Had Madeline’s mother had dark hair and eyes? Briefly, she wondered why she and Levi were no longer together, but blushed at the thought. His personal life was none of her business. If he wanted anyone to know, he might mention what happened to Jonathan, who was still Levi’s best friend, but Jonathan wouldn’t betray a confidence. He would respect Levi’s privacy, which made Rachel admire her brother more.
“You can use these scissors here.” Naomi set a pair on the counter in front of Rachel.
“Thank you.” Rachel smiled at her.
She smoothed layers of paper towels over the counter, then carefully unwrapped the bouquet. After laying the roses and daisies on the paper towels, she lifted each one, snipped the stems and placed them into the vase.
“Why do you do that?” Madeline tipped her head .
“So the flowers can get a drink of water more easily.” She curved the corner of her mouth at Madeline’s intent expression, who never stopped watching Rachel.
“I’ll put these on the dining room table,” Rachel said as she made sure the arrangement looked perfect.
A houseful of men would only glance at the arrangement. She’d bought the bouquet for Naomi. She worked hard to raise seven boys and deserved to look at something beautiful, though her mother had mentioned that Felix was a romantic who did special things for his wife.
“That will be perfect.” Naomi’s eyes glowed as she admired the bouquet. “I want everyone to enjoy these. Now, it’s time to eat.” She turned to Madeline. “Do you want to tell the boys to wash their hands and sit at the table?”
Madeline nodded.
“Be sure to wash your hands, too,” Naomi called after the girl as she dashed from the kitchen.
“I will.” Madeline disappeared into the dining room.
Rachel helped Naomi place the roast on a platter, then ladled the cooked potatoes, carrots, onions and leeks into a serving bowl. Naomi’s sons were grinning when they stepped into the kitchen to carry the roast, vegetables, salad and freshly baked rolls into the dining room. Levi and Aaron helped their father walk to his seat at the head of the table.
When he saw Rachel, part of his face lifted into a smile and his mouth moved. His greeting to her was gravelly and garbled, and it filled Rachel with an overwhelming sense of sorrow to see this once vibrant man needing help to walk and struggle to speak. If she ached inside, how did his wife and sons feel, let alone Felix? But the joy in his eyes revealed where he had placed his trust—in Jesus.
“It’s good to see you again, Mr. McSweeney.” Rachel smiled and squeezed his hand, which made him offer another half-smile and try to respond.
She felt Levi’s face come up. He and his father had been close. She was glad Levi was here now to be with the man he admired .
Once everyone was seated, the room quieted as they bowed their heads. Levi asked the blessing, thanking God for the meal. When he thanked God for Rachel’s presence, she felt warm inside. The family ended the blessing with a resounding amen.
The room filled with chatter and the passing of serving dishes, filling Rachel with joy to share a meal with this vibrant family.
She was glad God led her back to Sweet Mountain. She liked living in the big city, but she was a small-town girl. She wanted to be with her friends even if her family had moved away. The McSweeneys and others were her friends.
Silently, she thanked God for bringing her back to the town she loved.
Dinner was filled with conversation, laughter and the aroma of a delicious meal. Once the dishes were cleared away, Rachel helped Naomi serve her brownies and ice cream.
Rachel was glad she didn’t eat like this every night. She’d never fit into any of her clothes, though she imagined the family worked hard on the ranch. The McSweeney boys and their parents were lean.
After the kitchen was cleaned, the family played a card game, which Madeline seemed to love more than anyone. She sat in Levi’s lap and helped him decide which cards to keep and which ones to discard. When she and Levi won, she was ecstatic.
“Do you want to see some of the other pictures I’ve drawn?” Madeline moved to Rachel’s chair. She took her hand and looked up at her with her large, dark eyes.
Levi and his brothers cleared away the cards and straightened the dining room.
“I’d love to.” Rachel smiled at the girl.
“Come with me.” Madeline led her down a hallway to a small room filled with a child-sized table and chairs.
On one wall hung a bulletin board covered with well-drawn pictures that would have been impressive for an older child, let alone a six-year-old. Some of the pictures had been framed and hung on the wall. Rachel noticed that Madeline’s name was neatly printed though some of the letters had been written backwards .
“Look at all these beautiful pictures.” Rachel wrapped an arm around the girl and squeezed. “You are a very talented young lady.”
Madeline smiled modestly but seemed pleased with the praise.
Feeling a warmth, Rachel glanced up to see Levi standing in the doorway. He looked proud as he studied the bulletin board.
Rachel’s heart rose as she took in his strongly built form and features that had to have been chiseled by a master.
They had. God had taken great care when He created this man.
Levi shifted his gaze to hers. She blushed and dropped her gaze to Madeline, who looked at her with hope in her eyes.
Did Levi remember the crush Rachel had on him? He had to have known how she felt. Thankfully, he had been gracious enough not to confront her or tease her.
“You have drawn the most beautiful pictures.” Rachel squeezed the girl’s shoulders again.
Madeline looked at her drawings while she chewed her lower lip. Rachel hoped she could see past her own critical eye to the pleasure her pictures gave others.
Rachel looked around the room that had a large window that overlooked the backyard and barn. Set back from the barn was a chicken coop with a second story shaped like a cottage with shutters and flower boxes beneath the windows.
“I have some chores to take care of.” Levi’s deep voice broke through Rachel’s thoughts. “If you and Madeline want to come to the barn, she can introduce you to the horses. We have some you may remember, but we have new ones, too.”
“Oh, yes.” Madeline bounced on her toes and clasped her hands. She looked up at Rachel with light in her eyes. “You can meet my horse.”
“You have a horse?” Rachel lifted her brow in surprise before glancing at Levi. Madeline was only six.
Because Rachel and her family lived in town, they hadn’t owned horses. Most of her friends did, so she knew how to ride. Her friends usually competed in horse riding shows or barrel racing.
If Levi stayed at the ranch, it made sense that Madeline would have a horse. That would allow her to practice her riding skills if she wanted to compete.
“Yes, her name is Buttercup because she’s blonde like the flower.” Madeline grabbed Rachel’s hand. “You have to meet her.”
“I want to meet her,” Rachel said with a laugh.
“We should go now.” Levi didn’t turn away but gave Rachel a direct look. “That way she’ll still be active.”
“Lead the way,” Rachel said.
She held Madeline’s hand as they followed Levi into the hallway.
Levi may not be interested in her, but at least he wanted to be friends. They would have a common interest—Madeline. Rachel couldn’t wait to get to know the little girl better. Determined to control her feelings for Levi, she’d get to know him as a friend, too.