Page 74 of Luna

After she’d greeted the pastor and his wife and stepped outside, Luna wanted to run back to Tony and Ilsa’s home and hide in her room.

Instead, she’d only taken a few steps away from the others when she felt the warmth of a big hand on her arm and turned to find Hunter giving her a curious glance.

“Luna, are you well?” he asked quietly, his voice and expression both holding concern.

“Yes, I’m fine. How are you?”

“Well enough.” He took a step closer to her, then another. His hand captured hers, giving it a light squeeze. “I’ve sure missed you, Luna Moona. I’d hoped to see you yesterday, but you’d already gone before Dad and I got back to the ranch.”

“I’m sorry I missed you.” Luna couldn’t bring herself to look into his face, to see the questions she was sure would be in his gorgeous gray eyes. “How are things going at your house?”

“Walker’s crew is making excellent progress. He thinks everything may be finished by the first of November. It just depends on how the weather holds for the next few weeks. The new windows are all installed, and a new roof is on, though. They should finish the bathrooms this week and the downstairs additions by the end of the month. Then it will mostly be installing the flooring and painting. Once the siding goes up, the house will be just about finished.”

“That’s wonderful news. I know you are anxious to be able to move in and make it your own.”

Hunter nodded and took another step closer. The toes of his boots touched the tips of her shoes. “Are you still interested in helping me sort out the attic?”

“I am interested in looking through all the treasures there, but I’m not sure when I’ll be able to help.”

“Oh,” Hunter said, sounding disappointed.

Everything in Luna wanted to tell him she’d spend every minute she could with him, going through every box up in the attic if he wanted, but she didn’t. Not when she needed to get away from him—leave him—and never look back.

The strength to do that, though, seemed to be more than she could summon at the moment. “I could help you this afternoon, I suppose.”

Hunter grinned. “I would love that. Are you going to Dogwood Corners for lunch?”

“That’s the current plan,” she said, glancing to where Ilsa spoke with Marnie and Aundy.

“I’ll meet you there, and then we can drive over to my house after we eat, if that would work for you.” Hunter looked pleased at the prospect of spending time with her, and it made her heart ache.

Luna nodded in agreement when she really wanted to shout that nothing was working for her. Not her thoughts, not her hopes, and certainly not her heart. “I’ll see you there,” she said, then pulled her hand from Hunter’s grasp and hurried toward Tony’s automobile that he’d already started. Laila was riding out to the orphanage with Sophie and the Thorsen family, so that just left Ilsa to get into the auto so they could leave.

Tony took one look at Luna, tooted the horn, and yelled, “Chickadee, you can visit all you want when we get there.”

Ilsa shot Tony a dark look, said something to Aundy, then rushed over to the auto.

“That was terribly rude, Tony Campanelli!”

“Probably, but it is time to go.” Tony tipped his head toward Luna.

Ilsa glanced back at her, started to say something, then snapped her mouth shut and nodded once at her husband.

None of them spoke as they returned to the house. Luna went upstairs and changed into a dark blue riding skirt with an eggplant-colored shirtwaist, and added a jacket of dark blue that had purple and yellow flowers embroidered in vertical stripes along the front.

She didn’t bother with a hat or gloves but pulled on a pair of sturdy walking boots before she hastened to the kitchen and helped Tony pack the food she’d made for the picnic into a large basket.

“Chickadee, let’s go!” Tony hollered with his head raised to the ceiling, then looked at Luna. “If you aren’t feeling well, you can stay here, Luna.”

“No, I want to go.” Luna didn’t say she figured it would be her last opportunity to join in one of the shared meals that included relatives and friends.

Ilsa breezed into the kitchen in what she referred to as an older dress, but it still looked more stylish and expensive than the clothes most of the women in town wore. Luna admired the woman’s style and exquisite taste.

The drive out to the orphanage passed quickly. The dogwood trees that lined the drive were still green, but Luna imagined what they’d look like after the first frost and the leaves turned crimson. She’d heard stories about how gorgeous the trees were in the spring when they bloomed. She’d hoped to be in Pendleton to experience it and the annual ball held there in the spring. However, it looked like she’d be back in New York with her parents and siblings.

Luna did look forward to seeing her family, even if she didn’t want to leave the town that had become her home. But she had to.

Her inner battle of what she wanted to do and what she felt she needed to do continued through lunch. She purposely seated herself between Laila and Rachel with a group of the younger girls, listening to them giggle and chatter.

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