Page 39 of Montana Bride By Christmas
He watched her with measured study.
She gave him look for look but felt like she encountered a brick wall. He’d shut himself off to her. Her insides curled inward. Had the progress of the last four days been lost because of a teasing comment by her grandfather?
She bent over her own dessert, suddenly unable to think of anything to say.
A knock came to the back door. She was about to answer it, but this was Hugh’s house and she sat back and waited for him to do so. He rose and opened the door.
“Is Annie here?”
Annie jumped up. “Carly. Am I ever glad to see you.” She hugged her friend. “Have you eaten? Would you like to join us for dessert?”
Carly sniffed. “Cinnamon cake?”
“Good guess.”
Carly laughed. “Your famous coffee cake, if I’m not mistaken.”
So overjoyed to see her friend that she couldn’t stop grinning or hold back the happy laughter, Annie drew Carly toward the table.
Hugh brought in another chair from the living room and put it beside Grandfather.
Carly thanked him and then turned to Grandfather. “Hello, Mr. Marshall.” She winked at Annie.
Annie recognized the teasing tone and waited for the reaction.
“Hello to you, Miss Morrison.”
“Miss Morrison, is it? I thought we knew each other better than that.”
“I’ll use your name when you stop calling me Mr. Marshall.”
Carly laughed and gave the older man a sideways hug. “You know you’re my favorite grandfather even if I have to borrow you from Annie. Sometimes, I don’t think she deserves you.”
Annie laughed. She liked Carly’s teasing. It took away the sting of Hugh saying he wished he could find someone else. “Grandfather knows he’s well off to have me for his granddaughter.”
Carly just shrugged. “I don’t mind sharing with you.”
Both Hugh and Grandfather chuckled.
Annie tried to think if Hugh laughed at anything she said and couldn’t remember at the moment.
“And who is this handsome young fellow in the corner?” Carly asked.
“My son, Evan,” Hugh said, obviously pleased by her comment.
It wasn’t as if Annie hadn’t showered affection on the boy. She sighed. And why was she being so critical? Just because of a careless remark from Hugh?
They finished their dessert. Grandfather moved to his chair.
Hugh leaned back, suddenly relaxed. “Is there any more coffee?”
“I’ll make some.” She did so and served him a cupful. Grandfather refused one.
“As soon as the dishes are done, I have a project,” she told Carly.
Carly pretended to pout. “Do I have to help with dishes?”
“Of course not. You can sit and watch me do them.”
