Page 78 of A Secret Heart
“I’ve never seen anything so fine before.” Her words were threatening to clog in her throat. “It’s perfect.”
A tear meandered down her cheek as she tried to choke out more words. She quickly swiped it away, not willing to miss a second of this moment. “My father’s books are on the bottom shelves. That’s what you were hiding in that crate in the wagon.”
Ed stepped near, slipping his strong arms around her waist to pull her closer. “Mm-hmm.”
“But why is the top shelf empty?”
“That shelf is for your books.” The warmth of his breath mingled with the depth of his belief in her.
“Mine?”
He’d saved a shelf for her books.
“You’re a good writer. I believe in you. I’ve no doubt your book will be published. And many more.” Ed turned her around in his arms to face him.
She had no words. This man…her husband…being so close to him, the joy inside her threatened to explode. His slight movement forward drew her like a magnet. Their lips met in a sweet kiss. Breathless, she yielded to his movement as he pulled back from their kiss to touch his forehead to hers.
“Whatever made you want a guy like me, anyway?”
Rebekah slid her hand down to reach into the pocket she’d sewn into her skirt. There she held a precious reminder of their love. She slipped the two metal letters from the printing press into his hand and closed it.
A question spread across his face as he shifted to uncurl his hand and reveal the letters. XO. His eyes lifted to meet hers as she clasped her hand over his.
“Don’t you know? You won me with your letters.”
* * *
“Jo, this is your worst idea yet,” David whispered. At fourteen, he didn’t want any part of whatever plan Jo had concocted.
She kneeled on his bed as murmurs from the adults, still visiting, filtered through the closed door. Anyone could amble into his bedroom next to the kitchen and catch them.
This letter business had already caused enough trouble.
Jo’s braid swung over her shoulder as she riffled through the handful of letters on the bed between them. She must have been listening from the top of the stairs as the adults had talked about the letters. It was the only way she would have known where to find that bundle. He’d heard every word from his room.
“You do this and I swear I’ll never tell Pa what really happened to his best knife.”
She was blackmailing him?
Jo squinted her eyes at him, cementing the threat.
Staring right back, his stomach knotted as he weighed the consequences. Pa had been looking for that knife for a week. David didn’t feel good about lying to him, but he’d taken the knife without permission.
And lost it somewhere in the barn.
Would she really tell? Most likely. The knife incident was too much to let out in the open. He broke the stare-down. He had no intention of testing her on this one. Even if he did have a few secrets of his own she might not want him to share. Jo always did get her way.
“What do you mean to do with these silly letters, anyway?” He shrugged at her, trying another tactic. Maybe she’d change her mind about this. “And why do you need me?”
“You know good and well what I want you to do. My handwriting is too bad to pass for a man’s.” Jo pursed her lips as she squinted again. Must be her latest trick for getting her way with Tillie.
But he wasn’t Tillie. And he didn’t like being bossed around by his younger sister. He’d had enough of that. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited.
She pulled a face. “You heard Pa. Uncle Isaac is still sad.”
He’d heard all right. He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but they’d both overheard Ma and Pa talking while they’d been cleaning up after the party. Their voices had been full of worry.
“We have to get Isaac a wife.” Jo’s lips scrunched up as she widened her eyes. The look she always used when she was determined to get her way.
