A Love For Keeps (Truly Yours Digital Editions) (18 page)

Meagan’s mother came in with a pot of coffee and tray of cookies just then. She’d known the Brookses were coming, and Meagan had asked her to bring in some cookies for the child.

“Good morning, Nate. Would you like some coffee while Natalie is trying on her outfit?”

“Good morning, Mrs. Snow. I’d love a cup. It is such a beautiful spring day out. I think I’ll take Natalie over to Basin Park after lunch. They sprayed the streets this morning to keep down the dust, so even if a breeze comes up, it should be pleasant out. A concert band is performing today, and I’ve heard they are very good.”

“It’s been awhile since I’ve gone over there, but it is a nice day for it. I’m sure Natalie will enjoy it.”

While her mother was entertaining Nate, Meagan helped Natalie change out of her walking dress and into her new lightweight wool church dress. Before she sent the child out to show her papa, Natalie motioned for her to bend down.

“Guess what, Miss Meg?” she whispered in her ear.

“I don’t know. What is it?” Meagan whispered back.

Natalie cupped both hands around her mouth as she got close to Meagan’s ear. “My papa is thinking about getting married again!”

Trying to hide the pain that splintered her chest at the child’s excited whisper, Meagan asked, “Are you happy about that?”

Natalie smiled and nodded. “I’ll have a mommy like all of my friends. And Papa won’t be so sad all the time.”

If Nate was thinking of remarrying, Meagan was certain it was to Abigail. After all, that was all she’d been hearing from the woman for weeks now. She didn’t quite know for whom her heart was breaking—herself or Natalie. The child did need a mother, and it was obvious that she wanted one badly. But even if Meagan hadn’t wanted Nate for herself, she’d be disappointed in his choice of a wife and mother. Abigail was not the woman Meagan could imagine Nate with, and she certainly couldn’t picture the woman being the kind of mother Natalie needed.

But the decision wasn’t hers to make, and it appeared that Nate had already made it. She prayed for the Lord to help her accept that her dreams weren’t going to come true and to not let Nate see how brokenhearted she was.

She gave the child a hug and sent her out to show her finished dress to her papa.

“Natalie, you look too grown-up,” Nate said. “I can see that I’m going to have to watch you closely around all those suitors who’ll be coming to our door a few years down the road.”

“Oh, Papa,” Natalie said with a laugh. “You are silly. I don’t like any old boys, and they don’t like me. They are too busy catching frogs to notice what I’m wearing!”

Nate laughed. “Well, that’s quite a relief. They’ll be noticing much sooner than I’ll be ready for them to.”

“Oh, Papa!” Natalie giggled again. “Are Becca and Sarah here? May I go show them my new dress?”

“I believe they are upstairs, but you may go, if it is all right with your papa,” Mrs. Snow said. “Be sure to get a cookie before you leave.”

“I will. Thank you!” Natalie said as she ran into the foyer and up the stairs, calling, “Becca! Sarah!”

Meagan was thankful that her mother remained in the room, but her relief was short lived as the knocker on the front door sounded. Her mother went to answer the door, leaving Meagan and Nate together.

“I–I’m not sure Natalie and I are going to know what to do, now that her wardrobe is filled for this season. She’s growing much too fast to have you make anything for fall.”

Relieved that the conversation centered on Natalie, Meagan felt herself relax a bit. “Yes, she certainly is. I did put deep hems in everything I’ve made her so that it won’t be a problem should they need to be let down.”

“Thank you. I do appreciate that.” Nate’s glance caught hers. “Meagan, you’d mentioned once that you liked to close the shop early on Saturdays, if possible. Do you think—would you be able to go to lunch with Natalie and me and then to Basin Park to hear the concert today?”

For a moment, Meagan’s heart sang with joy at his invitation—then it plummeted. How dare he ask her to spend the day with him and Natalie when he was practically betrothed to another woman? She steeled her heart for what she had to do, no matter how badly it pounded for her to accept his invitation.

“No, thank you.” She knew her voice sounded very cool. The look of disappointment in his eyes was almost her undoing, but she had to remain strong if she was to avoid even more heartache. “I’ll not be able to do that.”

Nate’s heart felt as if a vise were squeezing it. It appeared that Meagan had no interest in going out with him … yet she looked so sad. He had to ask. “Meagan, have I done anything to offend you? If so, please tell me and please forgive me.”

“I … you …” Meagan shook her head as Natalie rushed back into the room in her new dress with Becca following close behind. She gave her attention to the girls, and Nate tried to do the same. It appeared he wasn’t going to get any answers—at least not today.

“Becca wants a dress like this one, Miss Meg,” Natalie said as she went behind the screen.

“Oh does she now?” Meagan asked. “I’ll see what I can do, Becca. Think about what color you would want.”

Nate didn’t hear the rest of the conversation as Natalie went behind the screen to change and Meagan went to help.

“Good day, Mr. Brooks,” Becca said. “Natalie said you are going to Basin Park today. She’s very excited about it.”

“Yes, we are going after lunch. It’s quite nice out even for early June, so we’re going to take advantage of the sunny skies and balmy day.”

“Papa?” Natalie said from behind the screen.

“Yes, dear?”

“Could Becca come with us?”

Why not?
Nate thought. Her sister certainly didn’t want to. He looked at Becca and could tell that she really wanted to go. “We’d love to have you come with us and share lunch with us. Sarah is welcome to come, too, if she’d like. Run ask your mother—or better yet, let’s both go ask your mother if you can accompany us.”

“Oh, thank you, Mr. Brooks. I’ve done my chores this morning, so perhaps she’ll say yes!”

Nate heard Natalie from behind the screen. “Do you think you could come too, Miss Meg? It’s going to be such fun!”

He held his breath, waiting to see what Meagan said. “I’m afraid not, Natalie. But it was nice of you to ask Becca. I know she will enjoy it.”

He followed Becca out of the room. There was no need to hear any more. The disappointment Nate felt dug deep into his heart. For whatever reason, Meagan wanted nothing to do with him socially. He was going to have to accept it and get on with his life.

Meagan didn’t know how she managed to refuse Natalie’s invitation. She
wanted
to spend the afternoon with Natalie and her father.
Wanted
to go to lunch with them and then over to Basin Park to hear the concert. Yet it would only mean more heartache for her.

She helped Natalie change back into the dress she’d worn to the shop and then carefully folded the outfit she’d made her and wrapped it in tissue and placed it in a bag. “I hope you’ll enjoy your new dress as much as I enjoyed making it for you. If the hem needs to be taken down, I’ll be glad to do that for you.”

“I’ll wear it to church tomorrow!” Natalie promised.

Meagan was relieved that her mother came back into the shop with Nate, Becca, and Sarah. That way she wouldn’t have to speak to him alone. She had no idea what to say to him anymore.

“I have some shopping to do this afternoon,” her mother said. “I can meet you at the park and bring the girls home. That way you won’t have to go out of your way to bring them back.”

Thank you, Mama
. Meagan wasn’t sure she could face seeing Nate again that day. It hurt too much to see the look in his eyes.

“I don’t mind bringing them home, Mrs. Snow.”

“I know you don’t, and I appreciate your willingness to get them back, but I’ll meet you there about two, if that is all right.”

“That will be fine. The concert should be about over by that time.”

“I’ll see you then. Thank you again for asking them. They don’t get many outings like this.”

“Natalie is thrilled to have some company other than her boring papa, I believe,” he said. He stood a moment as if he didn’t quite know what else to say.

Meagan’s mother rounded up the girls and led them outside.
Dear Mama, she is trying to make this all easier on me
. Yet Meagan knew that nothing was going to help her heart stop aching—at least not yet, and probably not for months to come.

Meagan handed Nate the bag with Natalie’s dress in it. “If the hem needs to be taken down, I’ll be glad to do that for this or any of her other frocks.”

“Thank you. I’ll remember,” Nate said, taking the bag from her.

Their fingers brushed, and the electric shock that flowed from the tips of her fingers straight to her heart astounded Meagan. She couldn’t help but wonder if Nate had felt it, too. If so, he didn’t mention it as he followed her mother and the excited girls out the door. But he turned back with a look in his eyes that almost had her changing her mind and saying she’d go with them. It was only with the Lord’s help that she bit her tongue.

He did look disappointed—just like she felt. Only she was disappointed in him. That he could be involved with someone else and pursuing her at the same time … well, she just couldn’t understand it. She’d thought he was much more honorable than that. Still, he looked so sad.

Could she be wrong about it all? With Abigail talking about how much time she spent with Nate and Natalie and that she expected to be married to him by next year … why would she be telling Meagan and anyone else within hearing distance about it if it weren’t true? Could she just have wanted Meagan to think that so that she wouldn’t accept Nate’s invitations?

Surely not. No. That is just wishful thinking on my part
, Meagan told herself. Yet … should she have done what she truly wanted to do and gone to lunch with him and Natalie? She stood at the side of the window and watched as Nate helped all of the girls into his buggy, her mother looking on.

No. She did what she had to do for her own sake, but her heart broke as she watched him drive away.

During the next couple of weeks, Nate thought about the last few months repeatedly. He didn’t see how he could have offended Meagan. He’d only wanted to see more of her. He hadn’t treated her or her family badly. He liked them much too much to do so. The only thing he could come up with that made any sense at all to him was that Meagan Snow just was not interested in him the way he was in her. Yet when she’d refused his invitation to lunch that day, she’d looked … almost as sad as he felt.
Sad
. How could that be, and why?

All Nate really knew was that his dreams of a life with Meagan weren’t coming true, and he had to get on with life. It didn’t help him at all that Natalie kept asking when they were going to visit the Snows. He had no reason to take her now that Meagan had finished her wardrobe for the spring and well into the summer. He could only hope that Natalie grew enough to need the hems in her dresses let down an inch or so.