Mending Places (17 page)

She heard the volleyball players cheering and laughing from the distance. It had been a long time since she’d played, and her footsteps quickened in anticipation.
Don’t forget your main purpose for being out
here.
Maybe she could finagle her way onto Micah’s team. Proximity and all that.

When she rounded the corner, an athletic-looking teen served the ball overhand straight into the net. His team ragged on him as they passed the ball to the other side, Micah’s team.

“Hey, Hanna,” Devon shouted. “Come give us a hand! We’re dying over here.”

“All right.”
Shoot, wrong team. Oh, well, at least well be across from one another.

Devon moved over and motioned for her to fill the gap on the back row. The game got under way again, and teams cheered their teammates, calling “set!” when they were in position to spike. Hanna hadn’t hit the ball yet, but she watched eagerly for her chance.

Then a man on the other team hit the ball right to her. She clasped her hands together and got in position.

Whomp!
She was knocked sideways, and the ball connected with Devon’s hands instead of hers. She stumbled, barely keeping her footing.

The ball stayed in play. She shot Devon an annoyed look that went unnoticed.

By the time she’d made it to the front row, her team was ahead fourteen to eight, and she still hadn’t hit the ball. Not that it hadn’t come to her.
Ball hog,
she thought, as Devon once again claimed a ball that had her name on it. The teen who’d mis-served was up again.

“Hey, man, get it over!” Devon called.

“Game point!” someone called.

His serve cleared the net, and the ball was volleyed back and forth. Micah was directly across from her, and Hanna hoped she wouldn’t have to block a shot from him.
Not much chance of that with Devon around.

Hanna’s team’s front row sent the ball to Micah right over the net, a perfect set for a spike. Devon was still in the back corner where he’d dived for the last ball. Hanna clasped her hands to dig the spike. But Micah simply tapped the ball to her, and she set the middle-aged man beside her. She looked at Micah. He could’ve spiked that.

But she knew why he hadn’t. He wouldn’t take the chance of nailing a woman in the face. The thought pleased and annoyed her at the same time. She could handle herself; she didn’t need to be mollycoddled.

The ball was still in action, and it was heading toward the kid beside Micah. “Get it, Josh!” Micah called. Micah was close enough to snag it himself, but he let the boy try. The ball ricocheted off the boy’s hands and flew out of bounds.

“We won!” Devon said. “That’s three for us.”

The players talked for a few minutes, then began wandering off in different directions.

“Hey, Hanna.” Devon appeared beside her. “How ’bout taking a boat out on the lake?”

“Oh, sorry. I have some work to do.” She escaped to her office before he tried to cajole her into going. She did have work to do, and she wanted to check how booked the lodge was for July.

Later, Hanna stopped tapping on the keyboard and stared at the screen. Those cancellations hadn’t stopped, and they were in trouble. They would be able to make June’s payment, maybe even July’s. But August was half-empty, and there was no way they could make the mortgage like that. She didn’t even want to think about the early fall.

She saw Micah pass the office, carrying his empty cake plate to the kitchen. Earlier Gram had offered him a slice of her carrot cake, and he knew a good deal when he saw one.

When he passed by again, Hanna listened until she heard the rustle of newspaper in the great room. It was something he did almost every evening after dinner. She debated whether she should join him. He was just as indifferent toward her as ever, maybe even more so after she’d made a fool of herself.
What am I supposed to do now, God? If I go in there,
I’ll probably just scare him away.

So what? She’d already been humiliated once, what did she have to lose? She picked up her coffee mug and left her office just as Gram entered the great room with a plate of carrot cake.

“Here, Micah,” Gram said. “How about a slice of my famous carrot cake?”

He opened his mouth, then shut it again before smiling kindly. “Sure, Mrs. Landin, that sounds great.” He took the plate.

Gram patted Hanna’s shoulder as she passed. “None for you, child, not with your allergies.”

It was true; she was allergic to nuts, but that was the last thing on her mind. Hanna rested her elbows on the counter and watched Micah. He set down the paper and started eating in what could only be described as a reluctant manner.

Suddenly he looked up, as if becoming aware of her presence. “Hi.”

“Hi.” She was vaguely aware of the smile curling her lips, and she knew the warmth she felt for Micah must be spilling from her gaze.

He set the fork on the plate. “Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

His brows knotted together in the center of his forehead. “Like I’m a hot fudge sundae, and you’ve been dieting all week.”

Heat singed her cheeks. “I wasn’t.”

He raised a single brow, silently refuting her denial. After a moment he dug into his cake while reading the paper in his lap.

“I saw what you just did.”

He glanced in her direction, then away, as if he planned to ignore her comment.

“You’re a nice man, Micah Gallagher.”

His expression hardened, his eyes narrowed. In a somber voice, he said, “If you knew some of the things I’ve done, you wouldn’t say that.”

What could he have done that was so bad? She’d seen him with the customers, with her grandmother, with the kids. Was he just trying to scare her away? “I’ve seen the kind of man you are.”

“You’re seeing what you want to see.” He took the last bite of cake and carried his plate past her to the kitchen. When he returned, it was only to collect the paper and retire to his room. She returned his goodnight and watched him walk around the corner.

He was every bit the man she thought he was. Her mothers saying flashed into her mind. “If it acts like a duck, looks like a duck, and walks like a duck, it’s probably a duck.”

You can’t scare me away, Micah Gallagher.

Hanna and Gram grabbed breakfast off the sideboard before heading to church. Fortunately, Sunday mornings were slow at the lodge, and Mrs. Eddlestein always covered the desk while she and Gram attended church.

They were discussing the week’s menu when Micah rounded the corner. His hair was damp, and he was in his Sunday clothes, a pair of black jeans and a polo shirt.

“Mornin’,” he said.

They returned his greeting. Gram looked at her watch. “You’re running a mite late, aren’t you?” Micah always left for church by the time she and Gram sat down for breakfast.

“Overslept.”

Gram slathered jam on a piece of toast. “Why don’t you join us this morning?”

Hanna met Gram’s gaze just in time to see the wink she tossed her way.

“By the time you finish eating, your church will be starting. Besides, it’s been years since I walked into church on the arm of a handsome young man. It’ll make Gerdy jealous as can be.”

“Well …” Micah sat beside Gram with a plate of food and looked at his watch. “I suppose you’re right. I just might do that.”

“Splendid,” Gram said. “You’ll be in Hanna’s Sunday-school class. It’s for the singles. Just you make certain to watch out for Amy Lipenschiemer. That gal will have you hitched with a ring on your finger before you can turn around and say howdy-do.”

Hanna laughed. “She’s not that bad, Gram.”

The older woman sipped her tea and tossed Micah a look. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Hanna watched Micah across from her, noticing the way he blew on his oatmeal before sliding it in his mouth. His lips were tinged with pink, and when he blew, they puckered up slightly, sending the steam in a swirl around his face. She could almost feel the softness of his lips against hers. The thought sent a wave of heat coursing through her veins.

His mouth curled upward at the corners and, with a stab of dread, she met his stare. His eyes held a hint of amusement. She flushed but couldn’t seem to look away. She was melded to the warmth in his eyes. The heat within her seemed to settle in a liquid pool in her stomach as the smile fell from his lips. She drowned in the molten silver of his eyes.

Gram cleared her throat. “I guess I’ll get that.” Humor tempered Gram’s words. She left the table, and Hanna realized the phone had been ringing.

She grabbed her orange juice and sipped, more to busy herself than anything else. An awkward silence filled the air. She’d seen it in his eyes. He was drawn to her, too, whether he denied it or not. She hadn’t been out of circulation so long that she didn’t recognize attraction when she saw it. And she’d more than seen it. She’d
felt
it.
My, oh, my.
She resisted the urge to fan her face.

Soon Gram returned, and they finished breakfast in silence. Hanna drove them to church in her 4x4 and, once they got inside, she and Micah proceeded to her Sunday-school class. It wasn’t a large class, only ten or fifteen on any given Sunday, but the group knew her well enough to be surprised when she walked in with a man. A few pairs of eyebrows lifted as she introduced him as the lodge’s climbing guide. They’d arrived right on time, and Hanna was glad the class started before anyone started quizzing them about their relationship.

Afterward, they made their way back to the sanctuary and met up with Gram in the hallway. Somehow, as they filed into the short pew, Hanna wound up beside Micah, a feat she hadn’t manipulated, but certainly didn’t mind.

They spread out as much as they could on the pew, but when Gerdy passed by, Gram called out to her. “Gerdy, come sit with us.”

Hanna looked at the few inches between each of them and back at Gerdy, whose sedentary job as a police-station secretary left her hips on the wide side.

“Not enough room,” Gerdy said.

“Sure there is,” Gram said. “Scoot over, you two.”

Micah wedged into the corner, and Hanna scooted closer. But when Gerdy sat down, Gram was forced to almost sit on Hanna, so she slid even closer to Micah. Her thighs were flush with his, and she could feel the heat of his leg through his jeans. She crossed her legs, but she was still pressed up against him, shoulder to shoulder, thigh to thigh.

Oh, well this isn’t so bad.
She stifled a giggle. She couldn’t have planned it better herself. Her gaze met Gram’s, and her grandmother winked.

Hanna’s mom and dad took a seat in front of them, and Hanna reintroduced them to Micah, whom they’d met on one other occasion. Several greeters worked their way over to shake their hands and meet Micah. Paula and David squeezed in beside her parents, and Hanna introduced them to Micah.

“She looks familiar,” Micah whispered, after Paula had turned back around in the pew.

Micah was still looking at Paula, and Hanna felt a twinge of jealousy at her sister’s glamorous red hair and immaculate style. “You’ve probably seen her on Channel 3 News.”

The music director stepped forward then, and they began a medley of choruses, using the big screen. Micah’s bass voice resonated beside her as she sang melody, and she thought their voices blended nicely. She closed her eyes and sang the words to her Father, riding on the swell of harmony.

After a lengthy time of singing, they took their seats and listened to the announcements. Next came the silent prayer time.

Pastor Richards took the podium. “I don’t do this often, but I wonder if we could join hands in unity as we go to the Lord in silent prayer.”

The congregation joined hands, moving across the narrow aisles to connect with each other. Micah moved out and grasped the hand of a preschooler, then grasped Hanna’s hand.

She slid her fingers around his hand and felt his fingers tighten on hers. His skin was warm and rough against hers. The kind of hand that could perform tasks of strength as well as deeds of kindness, gentleness.

The heat grew between their palms, and she felt as if fire licked at her skin.
Next thing you know, you’ll have sweaty palms.

She forced herself to think about something else, like … Gram. She had a doctor’s appointment coming up later in the week, and Hanna was anxious about it.
Lord, help the doctors to know what to do, what kinds of tests to perform. Help Gram; give her strength and peace. Give our whole family peace as we seek an answer. She’s so dear to us, Lord, it’s hard to imagine losing her slowly to Alzheimer’s.
Hanna stroked Gram’s hand with her thumb.
If it’s within Your will for a complete healing, Lord, I pray that it would be so. But if she’s diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or some other disease, I pray that You d give us the strength to cope. Bless her, Lord with Your—

Suddenly, Hanna realized what she was doing.

As she caressed Gram’s hand with one thumb, she was caressing Micah’s with the other.

All fingers ceased movement. She cringed.
Oh, Lord! Please. Just let me melt into a lava puddle and flow out the back door. That stupid little quirk of mine. Why can’t one side of my body do something without the other side following suit? He must think I’m completely shameless!