Chapter 14
— chapter fourteen
When he’d told Kurt that Leanna and Bumble were coming over for supper, Kurt had told everyone else. Now all four of his boys had decided to join them. Of course, that included Trip’s and Kurt’s wives, their kinner, and a whole bunch of food.
Well, now he had a pretty good idea about how Jeremy felt when Becca came over.
When he thought he’d lost Leanna for good, he decided that evenings like this were only going to be possible in his dreams. So it was a huge blessing not only to have everyone together but for all of his children to be so accepting of Leanna.
It was really too bad that he wished they’d leave.
Because something was different about Leanna.
Evan couldn’t put his finger on it, but she wasn’t her usual bright-eyed self.
He was worried that he’d once again put his foot in his mouth, but maybe she was still feeling a little hesitant around him.
It really was hard to start dating again, and he had all his boys to give him advice. She was navigating things by herself.
He wished they were alone so he could ask her what was wrong. He’d love to get everything out in the open.
But maybe he was the one with the problem.
As he placed the percolator on a hot pad on the island, he glanced into the living room once again.
At the moment, Leanna didn’t look like she had a care in the world. She was laughing with Katherine and Mary. They were playing charades against Russell, Jeremy, and Kurt while Trip was holding Addison, his and Mary’s two-month-old babe.
Everyone was getting along. It was obvious that Leanna was enjoying her time with his kids, just as it was plain to see that Mary and Katherine were pleased that she’d entered the mix.
Maybe he was overthinking everything.
“You are,” he muttered to himself as he pulled out a handful of spoons and placed them next to the stack of coffee cups. “You need to get ahold of yourself, man.”
“Daed?”
Startled, he looked up. “Yes, Kurt?”
“Daed, what are you doing, watching us from the kitchen? We all agreed that we’d work on the second half of the dishes after the kinner fell asleep.”
“I’m not doing dishes.”
“What are you doing, then?” Trip asked.
“Arranging kaffi cups. The decaf is ready.” And yes, he was acting as if it was a very important job.
“Since when do you set everything out on the island?” Jeremy asked. “Usually everyone just helps themselves.”
He had no idea why he cared about the cups, but he sure wasn’t going to admit that to his boys. “Maybe I wanted to arrange it for Leanna. Or maybe I just wanted something to do while I enjoyed the sight of our whole family under the same roof.”
“Plus Leanna and Bumble,” Jeremy added.
Exchanging a smile with Leanna, he nodded. “Jah. Plus Leanna and her silly pup too.”
Mary and Katherine beamed at him, but Kurt didn’t look very convinced.
“I thought you were looking at all the snow,” Timothy, Kurt’s oldest, called out.
“What snow?” Leanna asked.
“That snow,” Timothy said as she walked to the sliding glass door. “Haven’t you been watching it?”
“No. I guess I’ve been so focused on our game of charades . . .” Her voice drifted off. “I can’t believe it’s snowing in May. When did it start?”
“A while ago.”
Leanna looked worried. “It’s really coming down. I wish I would have noticed it earlier.”
“You’re not the only one who was oblivious,” Evan said as he joined them in the living room. “I haven’t paid any mind to it either.”
“It sure is pretty, though,” Trip said as he stared out the window.
Walking to stand beside Trip, Leanna frowned. “We must have already gotten two or three inches.”
Trip nodded. “I’d reckon that’s right. It’s a spring snow.”
“All I care about is that it’s pretty,” Katherine said. “I hope the roads will be okay tomorrow when we drive home, Kurt.”
“I bet they will be. The ground is warm.” Pressing a comforting hand to her shoulder, he added, “But if it ain’t, we’ll stay an extra day.”
“You’d be all right with that?”
“Of course.” He lowered his voice. “Don’t worry, Kate.”
Evan felt his insides warm as Katherine gazed up at Kurt as if he could solve all her problems. Of course, that had been Kurt’s way for most of his life.
He’d been independent and the problem solver in the family.
Rose had whispered to Evan that Kurt was a born engineer.
She hadn’t been far off the mark either.
He worked at a big construction firm in their community planning division.
He had a gift for seeing the big picture and organizing it into easily solved sections.
“Kurt’s right. I’m sure everything will be fine in the morning,” he said.
“I’m afraid it’s time I went on my way,” Leanna said.
“You can’t leave. We’re winning!” Mary said.
“I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to win without me,” Leanna teased. “This snow isn’t going to stop falling anytime soon. I need to hitch Ginger to the buggy and get on my way.”
“Bumble too?” Timothy asked.
“I’m afraid so.”
Evan had hoped to have more time with Leanna, not less. Desperate to find a reason for her to linger, he murmured, “The pup looks awfully happy in front of the fireplace. It would be a shame to make him go out in the cold.”
“He does, but he’ll be fine.”
Leanna was smiling, but it was obvious that she was only putting on a show. Evan felt both Trip’s and Jeremy’s eyes on him, waiting for him to do something. “I’ll take you home, Leanna. I’ll drive your buggy and help you get Ginger settled in the barn. Then I’ll walk home.”
“No, I can pick you up, Daed,” Russell said. “My SUV can get through this snow without a problem.”
He nodded. “We’ve got a plan, then.” Walking to Leanna’s side, he added, “See, everything will be okay.”
Leanna looked relieved but not all that happy. “I’m sorry that all of you are having to go to so much trouble.”
“It’s no trouble. You’re our guest.” Of course, she was more than that to him. But how could he say that in front of his entire family?
“Why can’t you just stay here tonight?” Jeremy asked.
Leanna’s eyes widened. “I couldn’t do that.”
“Sure you could. You could sleep in my room, and I’ll sleep on the couch. I was going to do that anyway.”
“Jeremy, I couldn’t take your room.”
“I promise, it’s gonna be empty. Tim and I already have a campout planned. Right, buddy?” he asked the six-year-old.
“Right.”
“You know what? I think that’s a great idea,” Mary said with a smile. “Please consider it, Leanna. It’s awfully early to leave. Why, we haven’t even had dessert yet.”
“And you and I were going to talk about what books we’ve read recently,” Katherine added.
“I’ll take care of Ginger and get her settled in the barn. She’ll be fine,” Kurt said.
Looking around the room, Leanna felt as confused as she was touched by the Keims’ generosity. Every one of them was making her feel wanted and part of the group. It was everything she used to hope and pray for.
“I think you’re getting overruled,” Evan teased. “I suggest that you finally take off those boots of yours and settle in. We have extra toothbrushes, towels, and anything else you might need. You’re here for the night.”
Having someone else take care of her for the next eight or ten hours sounded heavenly.
She was perfectly capable of doing everything that needed to be done, but she was tired too.
However, nothing—no matter how good—was without consequences.
She’d be foolish to pretend that there would be none if she did stay the night.
Already, she could practically hear some of the sticklers in their community judging her—and finding her wanting.
Lowering her voice so the whole room wouldn’t hear, she leaned closer to Evan. “What if someone finds out? What will everyone say?”
“That you decided to stay warm and dry instead of driving a buggy home in several inches of snow in the dark?”
She appreciated that Evan wasn’t pretending not to know what she was worried about.
But he was making the gossip mill sound inconsequential.
She knew for a fact that it was anything but that.
“Some folks will believe that. Others, though . . . ” She didn’t want to say the words.
Didn’t want to actually verbalize the things that people would gossip about.
He blinked. Then, little by little, some of the understanding that had been lingering in his expression dissipated. In its place was impatience. He cleared his throat. “Leanna, stop.”
She was hurt. “Stop?”
“Haven’t you learned by now that worrying about what others might think isn’t worth your time?”
“You are saying that because you’re a man.” That wasn’t exactly true. She just was desperate to be right.
“No, I’m not.”
Just as she was about to defend herself, Russell interrupted. “Sorry, Leanna, but I think you’re blowing this out of proportion. And no, I don’t think this because I’m living English now.”
“It’s a very big haus, you know,” Mary added. “There are six bedrooms and three living areas. There’s more than enough room for you.”
Katherine nodded. “If anyone is rude enough to ask why you stayed, you can tell them the truth. That all of Evan’s family was here, and you were carefully supervised.”
Jeremy chuckled. “That means we’re going to be watching you both.” Shaking a finger at his father, he added, “No monkey business, Daed.”
Evan rolled his eyes. “Oh, for heaven’s sake. I can’t believe you just said that.”
“Sorry, Daed, but that was kind of irresistible. Heaven knows that you told all of us boys that at least once,” Trip said.
“How about at least a hundred times?” Russell said with a groan. “I hardly ever got to leave the house without a lecture.”
“Stop complaining,” Trip said. “It ain’t like you ever listened.”
As the rest of the room started laughing, Leanna felt her body relax. Russell and Katherine were right. She was making a big deal out of nothing. And perhaps being a bit too prideful.
Why, she was acting as if no one else in their community had anything to do but watch her comings and goings and then speculate on her private life. She knew that was the furthest thing from the truth.
Otherwise someone would’ve taken the time to ask if she was all right back in some of the darkest days of her life with Willis.
Looking back, she was sure that she’d had circles under her eyes and a perpetual slump to her shoulders.
She’d lived so many days with a heavy sense of depression weighing on her.
But no one had ever asked how she was.
Never once.