on the edge of a chair near him, she leaned close. “Lord, we grieve for the dear neighbors we lost today, but we know they’re celebrating with You now. Please give Jake peace and rest so he can care for the others who are sick. And point us to the perfect home for little Phillip and Louisa. Amen.”
When Coralee raised her eyes, Jake was staring at her. The look on his face was one she hardly expected to see from him. Flushing under the admiring gaze, she tried to ignore the fluttering of her heart. It had been so long since anyone had looked at her like she was beautiful. The moment stretched between them. His expression was intense, but not in the fuming way it had been a few days ago.
“Thank you for praying for me, Coralee. I guess I need it right now.” He paused, looking like he was searching for words. “I’ve never lost patients of my own,” he finally admitted. “Of course, patients at the hospital died, but I was just a student. With Dr. Jay away, the people in this town are my responsibility, my patients. And I lost five of them. Leaving two innocent children orphaned.” His eyes searched hers, begging her to understand. “Cecilia told me you didn’t find anyone to take the twins yesterday. I stopped by the Trasks’ to be sure they’re all healthy and Mrs. Trask said they can’t keep the children any longer. But my hope is that I can find a home for them soon. They deserve a big, happy family to surround them with love.”
A pang of regret made Coralee let out a slow breath. After all this time she couldn’t believe she still hoped he would include her, consider her a partner. But there he was, shouldering all the responsibility for the twins himself. “We’ll find someone. Everyone we spoke with knows to contact us the moment they hear of a family who could take in two toddlers. Word will spread and the perfect parents will turn up anytime now.”
Jake nodded and stood. “I can’t stay too long. I’m going to get a few hours of rest, if I can. But I’m heading to get the twins after that.”
Coralee’s heart ached for the sweet children. “I could go with you. I’ve spoken to the twins on many occasions at church. They might be more comfortable leaving the Trasks with someone they’re familiar with.”
He hesitated but then nodded in agreement as they walked to the door. Pausing, he turned to her before stepping outside. Bright midday sun slanted through the open doorway, outlining his tall frame.
“Until later, then, Coralee.” Intensity buzzed between them, making it hard for her to catch her breath. All she could do was nod, words sticking in her throat.
After he was gone, she sat to rest, emotions swirling inside her. The way Jake had looked at her had been so familiar. It had felt like they were close friends again. Or a courting couple. But they were neither of those things and she didn’t want them to be. The risk of losing another man she cared about was too great. Her eyes drifted shut and light sleep claimed her, filled with visions of Jake taking her in his arms.
She woke an hour later with a start. Cecilia had returned from her errands and joined her in the parlor. The middle Holbrook sister finished tying off the thread on the skirt hem she was mending before turning to Coralee.
“How are you feeling?”
Coralee took inventory of herself before responding. “Still tired, but better. Not a bit sick, if you’re worried about that.”
“Oh, that’s good. I was a bit concerned. But I also wondered how you feel after working so closely with Jake.”
“Working with Jake.” Coralee searched for the words to explain the last few days to her sister. “We fight a lot when we’re together. But he managed to put our past aside and work with me as a professional. That was nice, to be honest.”
“I don’t want to pry, but I have to wonder if there are some feelings developing again between you and Jake.” Cecilia spoke with gentle earnestness, as she always did.
As much as Coralee wanted to avoid the question, Cecilia’s genuine concern made it impossible not to give her an honest answer.
“I don’t know what he’s feeling, but I can’t stop thinking about him. As a man, not just a colleague or Dr. Jay’s protégé. But I don’t think he trusts me. And I’m not planning to fall in love again.”
Cecilia’s mouth curved into a slight smile, understanding filling her eyes. Coralee felt a wave of sympathy as she studied her sister. Cecilia was lovely. She was elegant and ladylike with a quiet, calm disposition. She should have had suitors lining up to call on her, but she never seemed interested in any of the local men. Now, Coralee thought that maybe Cecilia had experienced a bit of inconvenient love herself that made her keep men at arm’s length.
“Coralee, I can only imagine how frightening it must be to think of falling in love again after all you’ve lost. But I don’t want to see you alone for the rest of your life.” Cecilia moved closer and took both Coralee’s hands in hers. “You’re not an old woman with only a few years left to live out on your own. You can still have the family you used to dream about.”
Coralee tried to smile at her sister through the familiar ache that bloomed in her chest. “We all know that’s just not possible, Cecilia. I suppose my childhood dreams of love may not be out of the question just because I lost Alan, but I’m not ready to take that risk again.”
Cecilia’s eyes narrowed as if she wanted to dig deeper into her sister’s words. “Remember, God can use more than just birth to make a family.”
Coralee averted her gaze. She didn’t want to spend any more time talking about her crushed longing to have a baby of her own. That ship had sailed after five childless years of marriage.
To her relief, Cecilia didn’t say more about it before leaving to help Aunt Lily at the café. Coralee spent the early afternoon catching up on rest and praying about her future. It had been so long since she’d spent time in prayer on a daily basis and the words seemed stilted at first. But praying with Jake earlier had reminded her that God was always there to listen to the words she couldn’t say to anyone else.
When the time came to get ready to leave, she shook the wrinkles out of her dress and let her hair down. Making several thick braids, she twisted them together into a pretty chignon. She searched around in a bottom drawer for a narrow bow that matched her dress. Turning her head back and forth in front of the mirror, she checked the hairstyle and pinched her cheeks for a bit of color.
Will Jake like this shade of red on me? The thought popped into her mind unbidden. She realized she’d been studying herself in the mirror far longer than necessary. What was wrong with her? She felt like a schoolgirl, giddy about a young man coming to court her. But Jake was not courting her. This was hardly even a social event where she should be worrying about her looks. She was helping out in a time of crisis.
Settling a straw bonnet over her hair, she worked to pull herself together. She had to remain above reproach to keep the community’s respect. Acting like a silly young miss would give Dr. Jay more fuel for turning the town against her. She had to get a handle on these errant thoughts before Jake arrived to pick her up.
Just like a man who’s courting a woman.
Jake only had time for a short rest before he drove to the café to get Coralee. They headed straight to the Trask farm, Jake’s nerves building the closer they got. Outside the weatherworn home, an older girl with tightly braided hair was hanging laundry
