the kids were having. But the scene was tainted by Hannah’s perception of Jacob Hartman.
“He’s so wonderful with them. If he ever decided to take time for himself, he might find a nice woman to marry and have a boatload of children. He’d make a great dad. Too bad I’m already spoken for.”
Seizing the opportunity to turn her back on Jacob, Hannah swung her attention to Cathy. “To a very nice young man.”
Her assistant smiled. “I know. Roman is the best husband.”
“Where is he?”
“He went over to help Peter at the barn with one of the animals.”
“It’s nice he works at a veterinarian clinic.”
“One day he hopes to go back to school to become a vet even if he’s the oldest student in the class.”
Hannah relaxed back against the railing, allowing some of the tension to flow from her body. The sounds of continual laughter peppered the air. “I was beginning to think that would be the case with me. It’s hard working and going to college at the same time, but it’s worth it when you do finally graduate.”
“I almost forgot the reason I came out here. I passed through the kitchen and Meg said dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes.” Cathy left, walking back to the other cottage next door.
Good. That should put an end to the doctor’s visit. Hannah wheeled around and called out to the nearest two girls who were standing off to the side, watching the melee with the boys. “Let’s get everyone inside to wash their hands for dinner.”
Shortly the group on the ground untangled their limbs and leaped to their feet. They raced toward the door while Jacob moved slowly to rise, his shirttail pulled from his pants, his brown hair lying at odd angles. He tucked in his top and finger combed his short strands.
Andy, who had been standing off to the side watching the fun, shuffled toward Jacob, taking his hand. “Why don’t you eat with us, Dr. Jacob?”
The too-handsome man glanced toward her. The child followed the direction of his gaze and asked, “Can he, Hannah?” When she didn’t immediately answer, he quickly added, “He’d better check me out before bedtime to make sure I’m okay.”
Having stayed behind, too, Gabe took Jacob’s other hand. “Yeah. Don’t forget you promised me the last time you were here that you’d read a story to me before I went to bed.”
That trapped feeling gripped Hannah again. She really didn’t have a reason to tell the man no, and yet to spend the whole evening with him wasn’t her idea of fun.
Hannah shifted from one foot to the other, realizing everyone was staring at her, waiting for an answer she didn’t want to give. She pasted a full-fledged smile on her face that she fought to maintain. “Sure, he can—if he doesn’t mind hamburgers, coleslaw and baked beans.”
He returned her grin. “Sounds wonderful to a man who doesn’t cook. Meg can make anything taste great, even cabbage.”
His warm expression, directed totally at her, tempted her cold heart to thaw. “Cabbage is good for you,” was all she could think of to say.
“Yeah, I know, but that doesn’t mean it tastes good.”
“Yuck. I don’t like it, either.” Gabe puffed out his chest as though he was proud of the fact he and Dr. Jacob were alike in their food preferences.
“Me, neither.” Andy followed suit, straightening his thin frame.
Jacob peered down at both boys. “But Meg makes it taste great, and Hannah is right. It’s good for you. I’ll play a board game with you guys if you finish all your coleslaw. Okay?”
“Yes,” the two shouted, then rushed toward the door.
Oh, great. The evening was going to be a long drawn-out affair with games and reading. Maybe she could gracefully escape to her room after dinner while he entertained the children. Hannah waited until he had mounted the porch steps before saying, “Nice recovery.”
He gave her another heart-melting grin. “I keep forgetting how impressionable these children can be. They’re so hungry for attention and love. I wish I had more time to spend with them.”
No! Please don’t! She pressed her lips together to keep from saying those words aloud. But she couldn’t keep from asking, “Just how involved are you with the refuge?”
He chuckled. “Worried you’ll have to be around me a lot?”
Heat scored her cheeks. Obviously she wasn’t a very good actress, a fact she already knew. She forced a semi-smile to her lips. “I was curious. I just thought you were the refuge’s doctor and that’s all.”
He planted himself in front of her. “I’m more than that. Peter, Noah and I were the ones who started this. Peter is the one in charge because he lives on the property, but I keep very involved. I’m on the foundation board. This project is important to me.”
His words and expression laid down a challenge to her. “It’s important to me, too.” She took one step back. He’s on the foundation board. It’s worse than I thought.
“Why?”
Although the space between them was a few feet, Hannah suddenly had a hard time thinking clearly. A good half a minute passed before she replied, “I went into social work because I want to make a difference, especially with children who need someone to be their champion. Stone’s Refuge gives me a wonderful opportunity to do my heart’s desire.” If I can manage my feelings concerning you.
“Then we have something in common, because that’s why I’m involved with the refuge.”
The idea they had anything in common stunned Hannah into silence.
The front door opened, and Gabe stuck his head out. “Dr. Jacob, are you coming?”
“Sure. I’ll be there in a sec.” When the door closed, he turned back to her, intensity in his brown gaze. “I sense we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot. Somehow we’ll have to manage to work together. I won’t have the children put in the middle.”
She tilted up her chin. “They won’t be.”
“Good. Then we understand each other.”
He left her alone on the porch to gather her frazzled composure. He was absolutely right about never letting the children know how she really felt about their “Dr. Jacob.” She had two choices. She could quit the perfect job or she could stay and deal with her feelings about him, come to some kind of resolution concerning Jacob Hartman. Maybe even manage to forgive him.
There really is only one choice.
Trembling with the magnitude of her decision, Hannah sank back against the railing and folded her arms across her chest. She’d never run from a problem in the past, and she wasn’t going to now. She didn’t quit, either. But most of all, these children needed her. She had so much love to give them. A lifetime of emotions that she’d kept bottled up inside of her while she had been observing life go by her—always an outsider yearning to be included.
So
