Courting Emma (Little Hickman Creek Series #3) (48 page)

"Course I do. My days is numbered."

"Don't be silly," she said.

"I ain't bein' silly, girl," lie argued. "I got a feelin' the Lord
and Gabriel's been discussin' my homecomin'."

Emma's skirt flared when she whirled about. She set both
hands on her narrow hips and fixed him with perturbed blue
eyes. "Don't be talkin' like that."

Jon watched the two shoot daggers at each other with their
pinned gazes and nearly laughed aloud. He'd come to believe
they enjoyed sparring.

"We're going outside to sit a spell, Etnma. Care to join us?"
lie asked, already knowing she'd turn him down. Lately, she'd
taken pains to give hire the cold shoulder.

She stuck out her pert little chin and shook her head.
"Enjoy the fresh air."

"I'll join you," said Grace, coning out from the kitchen and
wiping her hands on her full skirts, having just finished the
breakfast dishes. "Lord knows I won't have another opportunity what with my getting back on that train tomorrow. Enmia,
sweetie, I plan to make pies for the church supper tonight.
Can we walk to the food store later for some fresh apples?"

"Of course. I need a few supplies of my own."

Jon held the door for Grace so she could slip out ahead of
Ezra and him. "How about filling our heads with more stories
of Chicago?" he asked.

"Oh, pooh, I've talked enough. I want to hear about you
for a change."

"Ask ne anything you like," Jon said, noting with a side
glance that Emma was watching. He took the opportunity to
wink at her and chuckled to himself when she blushed.

As quick as the menfolk set up makeshift picnic tables in
the churchyard, the women tossed tablecloths over them. Families arrived by foot, wagon, and horseback, each with some
sort of covered dish to contribute to the supper.

Grace tossed a red-and-white checkered cloth over the
table, long boards placed across two sawhorses, which Benjamin Broughton and Truman Atwater had just set up. The men
tipped their hats at Emma and Grace and moved on to the
next location.

"This should do nicely," Grace said, a look of pride set
across her face as she placed plates, silver service, napkins, and
tall glasses on the table. "Do you think anyone will join us?"

"You are a magnet, clear cousin," Emma said.

"Oh, pooh!" Grace said, flicking her wrist. She looked
around the churchyard where folks big and small, old and young, were arriving in droves. "It's you they want to sit near.
Jon, for one, asked me to save hint a spot, and I doubt it's
because he wants to hear any more of my senseless blather.
That boy has his eye on you, Eninia Browning, and don't try
to deny it."

Jon was going to sit with them? "But there are so many others
whose table he should share. Won't folks be put out with him?"

"Now, clarlin', you need to stop worrying what folks think.
Jon Atkins has an interest in you, and it's high time the citizens
of Little Hickman realized it, yourself included."

"But that's plain silliness." The chill in the air had her
pulling her cape closer.

"Is it? Why, a person would have to be blind not to notice
the way lie watches you."

That's what Billy had said, and for just a fleeting moment,
she wondered how the eccentric character was doing. She
thought he would've at least sent a postcard by now.

"You two saving that table for anyone in particular?" asked
Rocky Callahan, Sarah at his side, their two youngsters, Rachel
and Seth, in tow. Rocky carried a covered casserole and Sarah
had her hands full with table service.

"You come right over here and join us," said Grace. "We've
only to save this spot right here for Jon." She leaned across and
pointed to the space beside Emma. Emma felt her cheeks go
pink.

If Sarah noticed, she didn't let on. Instead, she gifted them
with a radiant smile, revealing glistening teeth. "Oh, I'm glad
you've made room for us. I've so wanted to talk to both of you."

While the ladies set the table, Rocky went off in search of
folding chairs and Seth prattled about the puppies the Warners
had carted with them and the "Free Pups" sign Tini Warner
had leaned against their crate.

"How is your father doing, Emma? I've heard there's been
good and bad days."

"You heard right," Eninia said, thankful at least that Jon's
name had dropped from the conversation. "Today proved to
be a better one. In fact, Grace tried to talk hint into joining
its tonight, but he begged off. We left him sitting on the porch
where he's been most of the day. He'll be fine for a couple of
hours."

"That's good to hear. I'm sure your excellent care has
made a big difference."

"That and the reverend's," Grace put in. "He's a wonder,
that nian, the way he finds time to tend to the needs of his flock,
reads volumes of books while studying for his sermons, works at
the church, and still spends hours caring for a dying man."

Emma flinched at the words dying man then chided herself for it. She knew as well as anyone that Ezra wasn't long for
this world, but did folks have to keep reminding her of it, her
father included? Why, just this morning he'd made mention
that time was wasting. Was he privy to something, some keen
perception of things to cone?

Seeming to sense Emma's sudden discomfort, Sarah stood
silent before taking in a deep breath. "Well," she pointed her
gaze at Grace, "have you enjoyed your stay in Little Hickman?"
She tossed a lock of red hair over her shoulder as she positioned a silver fork just so.

Across the way, the Broughton family gathered at a table
with the Swains. In the midst of arranging her table service, Liza
shot a glance around the churchyard. When she saw Emnia,
she gave a hearty wave. Her pregnant belly so protruded that
Emma wondered how she'd ever scoot close enough to the
table to reach her plate. She returned the friendly gesture.

"Very much," Grace was saying. "I can hardly wait to return. I've only to make final arrangements for the sale of niy
restaurant in Chicago and pack up my belongings. I'ni aiming
for late November, early December. I hope I'm not being unrealistic."

"Oh, I shouldn't think so," Sarah said. "As long as you have
good attorneys who can draw your papers up in short order.
These things can happen relatively quickly if you've already
procured a buyer."

"Oh, I have. I sent a wire to the interested party just yesterday, in fact, and his return message was one of utter delight.
He and his wife have been a great help to me over the years,
particularly after my husband's passing, and I shall miss then
greatly. They would be the only basis for my regretting leaving
the big city."

Sarah looked thoughtful. "I can surely understand that.
You'll purchase the property across from the church, then?"

Vivid eyes lit with excitement. "I met with Clyde Winthrop
yesterday morning. As soon as I return home, I'll wire the
money from my bank to his. It was a very simple transaction.
Jon promises to make the arrangements for finding a builder
from Lexington."

"I'ni sure Rocky would be happy to assist hint. He knows a
great many people in the contracting field."

Rocky returned with several folding chairs under both
arms. "I believe I heard my name mentioned. I hope it wasn't
in vain." The ladies laughed and continued their chatter, Seth
started begging to go see the puppies, and Rachel spotted her
friend, Lill Broughton, and announced her departure. Rocky
whisked the two of them off with a warning not to go far and
started setting up chairs.

he church supper accomplished everything Jon had
hoped, bringing folks together for a time of laughter
and pleasant conversation. He'd moved from one table to
the next, not wanting to leave anyone out, making certain to
approach newcomers first, of which there'd been several. To
his delight, established church members took these visitors
under their wings, inviting them to their tables. It seemed the
folks of Little Hickman Community Church were learning the
art of compassion, and he guessed Ezra Browning's confession
had had a hand it that, inspiring folks to take greater risks,
care more, love more deeply.

Eninia's gentle laughter carried over the breezes, something
Seth had said having sparked her mirth. Then, when Rachel
jumped in, it made Emma laugh harder. He'd missed the joke
entirely, of course, his mind wandering to church matters.

"What do you think of that?" Rocky asked, zooming in on
Jon, a twinkle in his eye.

Time to confess his inattention. Grace reached across
Emma and put a hand on his arm. "Oh, he's in favor, I'm
sure.

"I am?" he asked.

"Of course. It could draw a big crowd."

"It could?"

"You don't think the preacher kissing a pig's snout would
attract attention?"

Ali, so that was it. "Depends on which preacher does the
deed. Now if we're talking Reverend Miller, I could see-"

"We're talking you, illy friend," Rocky inserted. "The
Sunday we reach two hundred in attendance, you kiss a drooling pig the next week."

"Oh." Growing the church by artificial means didn't appeal
to him, but on the other hand, if it meant increasing his audience for receiving the gospel message, what preacher wouldn't
go for it?

"That's something I would like to see," said Emma, giggling.

He leaned into her, daring her to pull back. "What? You
don't think I'd kiss a pig?" he asked. "I've kissed worse." As
soon as he said it, he noticed his error. Her eyes lost all their
humor; her face paled like a sunnier moon. Surely, she didn't
think he meant her. That time he'd kissed her had been nothing short of spectacular. "Not you! I mean, your...." Well, wasn't
this a pickle! Emma slapped a hand over her mouth. He felt
his face go beet red.

"What I meant was-Georgia Whitehead!" He threw
Rocky a pleading glance, but his friend just crossed his arms
over his chest and gave his head a slow shake.

"You remember her, Rock." Desperation crawled up his
spine. "What was it? Third grade? You guys dared me to kiss
her out behind the school, said you'd each give me a penny
if....

Grace and Sarah sat wide-eyed and gape-mouthed, and
he didn't even dare look at Emma. He could be mistaken, but
hadn't he just given away the fact that he'd kissed his landlady?

"Reverend! Reverend Atkins!"

Just when he thought up a believable explanation, he heard
someone call his name. To his surprise, rounding the church, and
in a great hurry, were Harland Collins and Gideon Barnard.

Instinct told him something wasn't right, so lie pushed
back and stood, hands steepled on the tabletop. "What is it?"

"You better cone," Harland said on a shaky breath. He
eyeballed Eninia. "You too, Miss Enna."

Emma wiped the corner of her mouth with her napkin
and stood beside Jon. "Where? What's going on?"

Gideon swallowed hard. "It's Ezra. He's-over at the
saloon."

"The saloon!" Emma shrieked. "Oh, no! What in the
world...?" She tossed down her napkin and started marching
across the yard.