Julianne watched as Luke leaned down and kissed his daughter’s forehead.

Julianne looked away and swallowed hard. She had to get out of here, out of this house soon, or she’d make a complete fool of herself by crying over things she couldn’t explain. Then she felt Luke’s hand touch her shoulder, and she raised her tear-filled eyes to meet his understanding gaze. He moved closer, easing her into his arms, where she let go of the sorrow as she buried her face against his chest and wept.

How long they’d stood there, Julianne wasn’t sure. But when she was finished crying, she raised her head and instantly missed the steady beating of his heart against her ear.

“I’m sorry, Luke. I didn’t mean to cry. I don’t even…I don’t even know you well enough to fall apart in front of you like that.” Julianne’s words were rambling, and she knew it. She was grateful when Luke raised a hand, touching his index finger to her lips.

“Julianne.” He whispered her lovely name in the stillness of the evening before his mouth brushed hers in a hesitant first kiss.

KATHRYN ALEXANDER

writes inspirational romance because, having been a Christian for many years, incorporating the element of faith in the Lord into a romantic story line seemed like a lovely and appropriate idea. After all, in a society where love for a lifetime is difficult to find, imagine discovering it, unexpectedly, as a gift sent from God.

Kathryn is married to Kelly, her own personal love of a lifetime. She and her husband have one son, John, who is the proud owner of the family’s two house pests, Herbie the cat and Copper the dog.

For nearly five years Kathryn and her family have been members of their church, where she co-teaches a Sunday school class of active two-year-olds. She is now a stay-at-home mom who writes between car pooling, baby-sitting and applying bandages when necessary.

Twin Wishes
Kathryn Alexander

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

—Psalms 46:10

To my father, Olan Tussing, who died New Year’s Day, 1999.

Dad, you are dearly loved and sadly missed.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

Letter to Reader

Chapter One

“Julianne I’d like you to meet two new students. This is Nora and this—” the woman speaking reached behind her to pull a young brown-haired, blue-eyed boy from his hiding place “—this is Todd.”

Julianne Quinn knelt down to eye-level with the children in the doorway of her classroom at the day-care center. “So, you must be four years old if you’re going to be in my class,” she said softly. With a gentle movement, she touched the pink cheek of little Nora.

“You smell good,” the girl commented, staring into the pretty brown eyes of her new teacher. Julianne smiled back and thanked her.

“We’re twins, Nora and me,” the boy stated as if giving official notice of something that was already quite obvious to Julianne.

“Well, you do look a lot alike,” she replied. “And you’re the same size and age. Yep, I’d have to agree with you. You must be twins.” Julianne tousled Todd’s light brown hair with a soft touch. “C’mon in and I’ll let you meet the other children.”

But before Julianne could stand up, Nora rushed toward her, throwing her arms around her neck and holding on as if for dear life. Julianne slipped her arms around the child in a firm hug while she watched Todd gravitate back toward the woman who had brought them into the center today—his aunt, Maggie Wren—the next person to speak.

“And this is my brother, Luke O’Hara,” she introduced the tall, dark-haired man standing next to her.

Julianne stood up, scooping Nora up into her arms as she did so and came face-to-face with the man she’d already heard so much about from her friend, Maggie. Julianne smiled and extended a slender hand to greet him. “Nice to meet you, Mr. O’Hara,” she offered.

Luke O’Hara responded, without smiling. “You, too, Miss Quinn.” He looked past Julianne into the brightly colored classroom, complete with chairs and desks in primary colors, cubbyholes and shelves, toys and puzzles, and dark blue mats for nap time, he assumed. It seemed to him like a friendly enough environment for his children; but, still, if his sister Maggie didn’t work at this day-care center, he would hesitate leaving them in an unfamiliar setting with a stranger for a teacher. Luke glanced at Nora and Todd. The protest he’d expected from the kids hadn’t started yet. That surprised him. Usually the mere mention of being left someplace, anyplace, while Luke went to work made them whine and plead so that he could barely leave the house. That was one reason he had made the decision to move here to live closer to his sister, the only real family he had left since his wife’s death last year. He needed Maggie’s help with the children.

“Luke, I think the children are going to be fine here, if you want to leave now,’ Maggie stated as she saw Todd turn from her and move back toward Julianne, who was still holding his sister. “I’ll be right down the hallway if they need me.”

Luke looked skeptical, Julianne surmised as she watched his eyebrows draw together in a doubtful frown. His face reminded her a little of his sister, with the same dark brown hair and striking blue eyes as Maggie; but Luke was much taller, broad-shouldered and quieter, sadder than his sunny-dispositioned sibling. And better looking than Maggie had indicated. Sisters sometimes embellish the truth at times in describing a brother they love. With three brothers of her own, Julianne knew that all too well. But, if anything, Maggie had understated the facts about Luke, except for his countenance. The look on his face revealed his melancholy feelings, and his mouth was straight and unyielding. Julianne thought briefly it would be nice to see that mouth smile. It could take years off his face, and might even lighten the load of grief he quietly carried.

She reached for Todd’s small hand, and he allowed her to clasp it warmly in her own. “Let’s go look at Noah’s ark, and then we’ll have a snack while you get to know the other kids.” She nodded at the four other children playing with a large toy ark in the middle of the room. Plastic animals were scattered around everywhere on the huge braided rug they were sitting on. Julianne hoped Luke would leave soon, before the twins decided they didn’t want him to go. She had a sinking feeling they could burst into teary-eyed protests at any moment.

“I need to go to Minneapolis this morning to look over a job site for a landscaping project I’ve accepted. I probably can’t be back here until around four-thirty.” Luke glanced from his sister back to Julianne Quinn. He hadn’t really looked at her when he had first entered the room. He’d been too concerned about the children’s reaction to their new surroundings, but now he noticed she was tall, blond and had friendly brown eyes. And he had a business to run. “Is four-thirty too late to pick them up?” he asked.

“No, that would be fine,” Julianne responded. “We’ll be open until six.” She smiled at him, but he didn’t return the gesture.

Luke turned and quickly exited the room. That seemed the wisest thing to do since the kids were momentarily distracted by the toys and other children. He felt guilty for leaving them like that. No hugs, no goodbyes. But he knew it was the better choice. Anytime they said goodbye to him now, they cried. It was almost as if each time he left, they thought they might never see him again. And Luke sympathized with them, knowing they had reason to be afraid. That’s what had happened with their mother. Luke had taken her to the hospital, and she had not returned home. But that had been months ago. Fourteen to be exact. Luke exhaled a long sigh as he climbed into the dark blue pickup with O’Hara’s Landscaping printed in white lettering on both doors. Today, a hot summer day in July, marked a pivotal point in their lives, although the twins were too young to understand its significance. This was a new day in a new community and, maybe, just maybe, a new beginning for Luke and his children. If only he could loosen his grip on the past.

Julianne’s first day with the children was a rather uneventful one compared to what she’d expected. The twins stayed close to each other most of the time. She’d had to break up a squabble or two between them before lunchtime, but that wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for four-year-olds, she knew too well. Aunt Maggie stopped in several times during the day to check on her niece and nephew, but they waved at her and went on with their play. The only problem Julianne encountered was nap time which followed the lunch hour. Nora cried when Julianne switched off the lights although the room still had plenty of light from the sun sifting through the polka-dot curtains. Julianne sat down on one of the blue mats next to Nora and put her arm around the little girl. Within two seconds, Todd scooted over by her on the other side and nestled snugly into her other arm. The other children in the room all rested on their mats as was their normal routine during this time of the day. But neither Nora nor Todd slept a wink. They remained cuddled up by Julianne for the entire hour, fighting a gallant and victorious battle against the sandman. The two were quiet most of the time, only occasionally saying something to Julianne, who had asked them not to disturb the other children. When the rest period ended, Nora returned to coloring the picture of kittens she’d been working on earlier, saying to Todd, “I told you she wasn’t going away.”

Julianne went on with story time, having all the children gather around in a circle on the worn braided rug to listen to her read. She couldn’t help but wonder how helpless Nora and Todd must have felt when their mother slipped away from them. Maggie had told Julianne about Kimberly O’Hara and how leukemia had taken her life last year. The Lord had helped Luke and the kids through the tragedy Maggie had explained, although Luke hadn’t seen it that way. He’d given up on his faith entirely after his wife’s death. The only remaining connection between himself and the church was his attempt to get the kids there when he could. Kimberly had asked him to promise to raise the children as Christians. That was one of the reasons he had moved to Fairweather, Minnesota this summer—to be near his sister Maggie and her husband Frank, both dedicated Christians who would help him try to keep his promise to Kimberly. As for himself, Luke didn’t believe in much of anything anymore except hard work and honesty. Admirable qualities, his sister had acknowledged, but hardly sufficient for raising a family. Maggie was quick to point out that Luke needed more. He needed the Lord, he needed to stop letting his work turn him into an “absentee” parent and, Maggie believed, he needed a wife who could help point him in the right direction. And Julianne Quinn would know which direction was right.

When four-thirty finally arrived that first day, Luke returned to the center to pick up his children, and he wasn’t surprised when Nora and Todd came running, shrieking with delight into his arms after a long day apart. Luke wore new blue jeans and a short-sleeved work shirt of light gray, neither of which were dirty since he had done little manual labor in the past eight hours. He had inspected a job site and purchased necessary supplies to begin the project in Minneapolis tomorrow. Then he had discussed his plans with the three college kids his brother-in-law, Frank Wren, had lined up for him as temporary help. They’d each been in the Book-Stop Frank owned and mentioned they were looking for summer work. Frank told them about Luke’s landscaping business and the need for a couple of extra pairs of hands in the coming weeks. The boys were exactly the help Luke was looking for, and they agreed to work for a reasonable sum. With most of his mental to-do list for the day accomplished, he was glad to get back to the twins and find out how Maggie’s day-care center was working out for them. If he couldn’t get the kids settled into some kind of an acceptable routine, Fairweather might not turn out to be much of an improvement over the suburbs of Chicago. Luke had higher hopes than that.

“Well, it looks like they’re glad to see their father,” Julianne remarked as she watched Luke gather both children into his arms for a hearty hug. “They’ve been watching for you from the side window for the past two hours.”

“Did they do okay today?” Luke asked, glancing from his kids into Julianne’s gentle brown eyes. He suddenly thought that she looked like she was meant for this job—spending her days caring for children.

“They did very well,” she answered and reached for the red-striped backpack Maggie had left for them. “We did need Fluffy and Dunkum, from time to time for some comforting. I’m glad you packed their stuffed animals in this bag.” Julianne thought of the crying spell Nora and Todd had both experienced in midafternoon. Too much newness for their four-year-old spirits to absorb. “New home, new place, new teacher. It’s a lot for them to adjust to.”

Luke’s frown was an immediate overreaction. He needed this arrangement to work and any hint that it might not, didn’t sit well with him. “Didn’t Maggie check on them?”

Just then, Maggie entered the door behind her brother and placed her hand on his shoulder. “Yes, I checked on these little characters several times, Luke, and they were absolutely fine. Nothing to worry about at all. Just ask their teacher.”

Julianne nodded in agreement. “They really were okay, Mr. O’Hara. I think they had some fun today. I hope you’ll bring them back tomorrow.”

“He will,” Maggie answered for her brother, which turned his frown into something close to a smile. “He has to because this is where I’ll be.”

“You’re hard to argue with, Maggie.” Luke released the children from a hug, and they immediately began complaining. Their favorite place lately seemed to be in their father’s embrace. “C’mon, kids. Let’s go have supper.” He extended an arm to accept the backpack from Julianne. “Nora and Todd will be here around seven-thirty in the morning. Thanks for taking care of them today.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll look forward to seeing them tomorrow. Bye, Nora. Bye, Todd. See you in the morning.” She looked at Luke with questioning eyes. “And, Fluffy and Dunkum…don’t forget to bring them, too.”

Luke nodded and guided the children and their stuffed animals toward the doorway. “Thank you, Miss Quinn…and Maggie, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?” Maggie offered before the trio disappeared through the door.

“Some other time, thanks. I have some figures to go over tonight while the kids are having their meat loaf and mashed potatoes,” Luke responded, and then they were off, into the truck and on their way to the two-story, older home Luke had purchased not far from Frank and Maggie’s place.

“He can cook meat loaf and mashed potatoes?” Julianne repeated. “Is he serious?”

Maggie remarked. “Yes, he’s serious…as long as the local supermarket carries frozen dinners. I swear, I think that’s about all those children eat anymore.”

Julianne thought of her own freezer stacked full of packaged entrees. “Maybe that’s not so bad, Maggie. At least they’re eating their vegetables in some way other than French fries.”

But Maggie shook her head. “They should have better than that. Luke and I grew up on home-cooked meals.” Then she offered a laugh as she took a quick glance at the extra pounds she’d carried for years that had nothing to do with her progressing pregnancy. “Of course, I guess I look like I’m well fed, don’t I?”

“You look beautiful,” Julianne responded and gave her friend a heartfelt hug. “That’s one of the benefits of being pregnant.”

A benefit Julianne knew she herself might never know—if her doctor was correct. She swallowed back her resurfacing sadness and looked toward the two remaining little girls sitting happily on the braided rug in the middle of the room, trying to put large pieces of a puzzle together. How could God let her go through life without a child to love?

The next hour and a half passed slowly until, finally, the last of the parents picked up their children, and Julianne was free to leave. She pulled off her brown flats and replaced them with jogging shoes—her favorites. Then she waved to the director of the day-care center, Betty Anderson, as she paused by her office on the way to the front door.

“Waiting on Warren to pick you up?” Julianne asked.

Betty adjusted her small half-moon reading glasses on her nose. “Yes, we’re going down to Olaf’s Deli for soup and sandwiches.”

Betty was a widow who had only recently begun seeing someone after five years alone, and everyone at the center was happy for her. The new man in Betty’s life, Warren Sinclair, picked her up frequently at the end of her workday so they could have dinner together. Julianne had seen them leave together many times, and had, on occasion, wished she’d found someone to share soup and a sandwich with, too. Since she’d broken up with her college boyfriend, she’d been mostly alone. Too alone, she realized. Not all men were the weak, selfish human beings her old boyfriend had proven to be. She knew too many men of integrity to think that way. Reverend Benjamin Hunter, for one. They had dated briefly some time ago. Although it was always nice to find a new friend, they quickly agreed that friendship was all they had found since the romantic chemistry between them was lacking, leaving Julianne to soup and sandwiches alone again.

“Have a good time,” she said to Betty before heading out the front door of the newly renovated two-story building that was located next door to the church. Julianne pushed her blond hair away from her face as a welcome gust of wind blew over her. This July had been a warm one but Julianne still preferred walking to and from the center rather than driving. It was only a few short blocks to her apartment. She rented the upstairs of an old rambling house owned by Fairweather’s postmaster, and the home was located not far from the south side of the town green. On Julianne’s way home, she passed by the deli where Betty and Warren would soon be enjoying their dinner, then Frank and Maggie Wren’s Book-Stop which was a combination bookstore and café, Swenson’s Bakery and Peter’s Ice Cream Parlor, to name a few of the businesses that lined the path between home and work.

By the time Julianne reached the twentieth step and turned the key in the lock of her silent apartment, her stomach was already growling. She placed her keys on the hook beside the door and headed toward her bedroom where she quickly slipped out of her jogging shoes as well as her long summer dress of pale blues and browns. Tan shorts, a green T-shirt and bare feet felt much nicer as she walked across the cool kitchen floor to pull open the door of her refrigerator. Nothing promising caught her eye. “Why didn’t I stop at Olaf’s Deli or Frank’s Book-Stop, or somewhere, and buy something good for supper?” Then she opened the freezer. The frozen dinner on top was her pick of the evening. “Well, Nora and Todd,” she said aloud to herself as she tossed the red box into the trash can and slid the paper tray into the microwave, “I guess meat loaf and mashed potatoes are on my menu tonight, too.”

Several blocks away, Luke O’Hara discarded three paper trays and poured leftover chocolate milk from red-and-blue cups into the sink, wondering why neither of his children ever seemed to finish drinking their milk. He’d reminded them again and again to do so with no success; but he’d learned by now that he had to pick his battles, and this didn’t seem a worthy one.

“Daddy, can we go see Julianne again tomorrow?” Nora was asking as she came running into the kitchen carrying her pink bunny. “Todd and me like her.”

“I’m glad you do, hon,” Luke replied as he placed the dirty silverware and cups into the dishwasher. He’d become fairly quick about loading the appliance, with practice, especially for someone who’d rarely set foot inside the kitchen before his wife had passed away. “I’ll be taking you there in the morning so you can spend the day with her. And Aunt Maggie will be at the center, too, if you need her.” He looked down into his little girl’s sweet face and reached out to touch her cheek as his heart flooded with emotion. He stood silently amazed that he could feel such love for anyone with this heart that, most times, felt cold as stone.

“Nora!” Todd called out his sister’s name from somewhere beyond the kitchen. Probably the staircase to their upstairs bedrooms Luke estimated from the faintness of his voice. The apartment they’d left behind had been one level, so the idea of steps to climb captivated their interest. They used any excuse they could find to go up and down the polished oak staircase, running their little hands down the wooden railing on each and every trip.

“Coooming, Todd,” Nora called out. Then she turned and ran from her father’s touch, and Luke was almost relieved. If she’d have stood there a moment longer, looking up at him with that baby-blue gaze, his own stinging eyes might have teared up. And Luke O’Hara hadn’t allowed that to happen in a very long time.

So, with the ever faithful Fluffy tucked under one arm, Nora scampered off to join her brother. Luke glanced at his watch. It was 6:00 p.m. Time to watch the news, if he could get away with it. He switched on the small television set on top of the refrigerator, carefully leaving the volume down low so the kids couldn’t hear. Stories that involved sirens, ambulances…anything about death or violence upset Todd and Nora, so Luke had mostly taken to reading the morning newspaper to gather his news of the day. But there were those occasions when he could watch part of the broadcast without the children being aware of it. Like now. The weather forecast for the week said that there would be a string of warm days, with only an occasional passing shower, right into the Fourth of July. Maggie had insisted that Luke promise to bring the children to her house for the holiday and join her church in its annual picnic on the green that afternoon. And it sounded like the weather would be ideal for such an outing.

Julianne switched off the radio in her kitchen after listening to the news and weather and then reached for the pitcher of iced tea. “The Fourth of July is supposed to be a beautiful day, Goldie,” she said to the fish that was swimming around in its oversize bowl on a nearby counter. “And I’m counting on you to still be here to enjoy it.” The tea poured quietly into her glass as she studied the small orange fish. An ordinary goldfish, Maggie had warned. The kind that never lasts long, she’d said when she and Julianne had peered into the fish tank in the corner of the Fairweather Variety Store.

“Ordinary,” Julianne remarked with a shake of her head. “How could Maggie call you that? Didn’t she notice that beautiful flowing tail of yours?” she asked out loud. “And it’s been three days since I brought you home from the store, and you’re doing fine so far.” Though not without the purchase of a second, much larger bowl, a small air filter for a sum of twenty dollars, and a certain amount of prayer.

Julianne’s luck with pets was not the best, so she was determined to keep this one alive as long as possible. The hungry little stray dog she’d taken in last winter had been hit by a car one morning several months ago, and the kitten that a teaching assistant from the center had given her disappeared recently on one of his daily outings. That evening, Julianne had remained on the top of the landing outside her apartment for hours, waiting for the kitten to come home. She’d balanced her checkbook, paid her monthly bills and written letters to all three of her brothers on that warm spring evening as she watched for his return. But he didn’t come back. By the time she stood up to go inside, Julianne’s bottom was nearly numb from sitting in one position so long. That’s when she’d decided—no more pets! And she’d stuck to her decision until this week. Until she stood in the variety store, in front of the bubbling fish tank with Goldie’s big bulging eyes staring right into her own lonely brown ones. Maybe one more try with a different kind of pet wouldn’t be so bad, she’d decided. And Goldie would be someone to come home to…kind of.

Julianne reached into the cupboard over the sink to pull out a bag of chocolate chip cookies and ate a handful of them without counting. Losing pets was nothing compared to losing someone. Little Nora and Todd crossed her mind for the umpteenth time since she’d returned home. How very young they were to let go of their mother. “Lord, if I can help them in some way,” she breathed the prayer, “then use me to do so, I pray. Help me to be comforting, loving, nurturing…whatever it is those kids need while they’re with me. Lead me and guide me to know what to do, what to say, when to hold them, when not to… You know I need Your help with these two children more than any of the others in my class, Lord. Please help me.” And He would, Julianne was certain as she put the sack of cookies away. She’d learned to trust God more over the past year than she ever had before. He’d helped her through the miserable breakup with her longtime boyfriend.

Julianne sighed as she headed toward the bathroom to gather up her dirty clothes for her weekly trip to the laundromat. She’d almost married Craig Johnson. It sent shivers down her spine to think how close she’d come to trusting her future to a man with so little compassion. Where had her own good judgment disappeared to?

The bag of laundry Julianne lifted was not heavy since it was filled with mostly lightweight summer outfits. With the detergent and fabric softener she needed waiting in the basket, she slipped her feet into a pair of leather sandals and was ready to go.

Thank the Lord, Craig had dumped her, Julianne thought and then gave a soft laugh. If he hadn’t, she might have blundered ahead into a marriage that wouldn’t have worked. And then, what? She wondered momentarily. No husband, no children… What would she have done?

She picked up her canvas purse, tossed it into the basket and headed for the front door. What would she have done? She wasn’t sure what the answer to that question might be, but she was certain she’d have found one, sooner or later, with the Lord’s help. She always had in the past…in every way except one. And she was confident, even in that area of her life, an answer would come. Just because she couldn’t see the solution now, didn’t mean it wasn’t there. She trusted her life to the Lord completely. He’d guided her through many difficulties, saved her from a life with Craig and He would make it clear, at some point, how she was supposed to move ahead to the life she wanted…even without the ability to have children. But for now, she had work to do. Pushing her hair back over her shoulder, she headed toward Fairweather’s only laundromat. She wouldn’t worry about being lonely tonight. There was always someone to talk with while the machines were running.

Luke finished cleaning up the kitchen and went to the living room to check on the twins, who were noisily playing with Nora’s large plastic kitchen set. Just as Luke stepped into the room, he saw Nora pick up a plastic toy spatula and hit Todd on the head with it. Todd whirled around, swinging at his sister and the fight was on.

“Whoa, kids. No fighting. You know the rules,” Luke said as he separated the two with an easy movement. “Nora, tell Todd you’re sorry for hitting him.”

“No!” she answered. “He took my job. I was rinsing the dishes in the sink until he pushed me away.”

“I just wanted to do what Dad was doing,” Todd yelled his reply. “He was in the kitchen washing dishes. That should have been my job.”

Luke shook his head. “Anyone can rinse the dishes. Dad, mom, boy, girl…it doesn’t matter. Everyone needs to take a turn. That’s the part you need to learn. Taking turns. Now, Nora—”

“No!” she shouted and ran toward the staircase. “It’s my job. A girl’s job. A mom’s job!”

Luke watched her go, letting her run up the steps by herself as she ran to her room. He placed a hand across his mouth and lowered his head in a moment of complete frustration. He knew exactly what Nora meant. Kimberly had been responsible for “kitchen duty,” as he used to call it. It had only become Luke’s job out of necessity.

“Come on, Todd. Let’s go upstairs and talk to Nora.” Father and son climbed the steps slowly, hand in hand. Comforting his children hadn’t gotten much easier with time, and Luke wished he could reach a point where he felt he was good at it. Or adequate, at least. Then there were those times when Luke wished he had someone to comfort him. The Lord he’d turned his back on was his best hope for that, he knew, but he was still too angry to look to his Heavenly Father for help. God hadn’t answered his last prayer the way Luke had wanted. He’d found no reason to think anything would be different this time.

“Reverend Ben. How nice to see you,” Julianne said as she looked up from folding clean towels.

Reverend Benjamin Hunter smiled. “Good to see you, Julianne. Laundry night for you, too?” He reached into his pocket for coins.

“Afraid so,” she answered. “But I thought the church board voted to have a washer and dryer placed in the parsonage for you.”

Ben nodded. “They did, but they just haven’t gotten around to it yet.” Quarters clinked into the washer closest to where Ben was standing. “So, how’s everything with you, Julianne? We missed you in service last week.”

“I have an ‘excused absence,”’ Julianne offered with a smile. “I was in Minneapolis visiting one of my brothers. He’s getting married soon, and this will probably be the last chance I have to spend a weekend with him—just the two of us.”

“Well, I hope you had a good time,” Ben remarked. He dumped a basketful of clothes into a second machine. “We had someone new with us last Sunday. Maggie’s brother Luke and his twins were there.” He closed the lid and glanced toward Julianne who was busy stacking clean clothes into her basket. “I thought of you.”

Startled, Julianne stopped what she was doing and met Ben’s gaze. “Me? Why?”

Ben grinned. “Probably because Maggie had mentioned to me a time or two—or more—that you could be just what Luke’s children need right now.”

“They’re in my class at the center,” Julianne acknowledged. “Today was their first day.”

“How’d it go?”

She shrugged. “Okay, I think. They let their father leave for work this morning without any tantrums. That was a very good sign.” Julianne returned to stacking her laundry and then gathered up her belongings, including the latest romance novel she had just finished. “They seemed to genuinely like me.”

“I can’t imagine anyone feeling otherwise,” Ben commented before taking a seat in a nearby chair. “But I want you to be careful, Julianne.” He paused. “The O’Hara children’s needs are great, and I know what a nurturing, giving soul you naturally tend to be. I’m worried you’ll be hurt.”

“I love all the children in my class. Nora and Todd O’Hara will be no different.”

“They are very different. Nora and Todd need a mother,” Ben corrected. “None of your other kids fall into that category. And Luke O’Hara may not be ready for another relationship. I know how badly you want children, Julianne, and I believe the Lord will work that out for you, somehow, in time. But give Him time, don’t rush ahead.”

“If you and I didn’t already know we weren’t exactly meant for each other, I’d think you were jealous, Reverend Benjamin Hunter,” Julianne teased.

“I’m just worried about you,” he replied.

“I’m not interested in becoming the next Mrs. O’Hara, if that’s what you’re thinking,” she assured him with a disbelieving shake of her head, her blond hair swishing gently against her neck. What would make Ben think such a thing? “And I’m not considering kidnapping Nora and Todd to keep them for my own, for heaven’s sake. They’re just two kids in my class, and I’ll do the best I can for them during the hours I’m with them.” She scooped up her basket and belongings. “From the way you’ve been talking, I suspect you’re the one who’s been reading the romance novels.” She grinned at him in amusement.

Reverend Ben shook his head and gave a quiet laugh. “No, I’ll leave those to you. But think about what I’ve said.”

Julianne agreed with a nod. Then she headed toward the double doors to exit the laundromat. “Thank you, Ben. I’ll talk to you later.” She’d probably see him the next day at the center, she knew. Most days she did run into him since Reverend Ben and the day-care center shared a secretary by the name of Emma Fulton. Now, there was someone who would love the book Julianne had just finished reading. But Julianne wasn’t sure she wanted to put any more notions of romance in Emma’s head than were already floating around in there. The woman had done everything in her power to throw Julianne and Reverend Ben together some months ago since Emma had decided that Julianne would make a perfect pastor’s wife. Ben and Julianne had finally gone out together and discovered that what each had found was a new friend. Nothing more. But that date with Reverend Ben had helped Julianne get over her fiancé, and she soon decided she was ready to try a new relationship—whenever the right person came along. And, so far, he hadn’t appeared. Or, if he had, she hadn’t recognized him as such.

A short time later, Julianne climbed the stairs to her apartment as quickly as she could, considering her arms were full with a basket of clothes. She’d heard the phone ringing from the sidewalk below.

“Hello, yes,” she answered, nearly out of breath after grabbing up the phone. “This is Julianne Quinn. Who’s calling, please?”

“This is Luke O’Hara…Maggie’s brother,” came the reply.

Chapter Two

Julianne let her laundry basket drop to the floor. Why would he be calling her? At home like this? “Yes, Mr. O’Hara, is something wrong?”

“No, but I just spoke with my brother-in-law, Frank Wren, and he suggested I call you since Maggie wasn’t available. He gave me your number. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, that’s fine. I don’t mind. How can I help you?”

“I was wondering if I could drop off the kids earlier in the morning than originally planned?”

“Well, yes,” Julianne replied. “I’ll be there early. What time did you have in mind?”

“Around seven? Would that be okay?”

“Yes. That’s fine. I’ll be looking for you…for the kids, I mean. Thank you for calling.”

Their conversation ended, and Julianne sat down, sinking into the nearby sofa. Thank you for calling? “What a stupid thing to say,” she lamented aloud to no one but herself. “He called to ask me a question about the center, and I acted like I was grateful for the opportunity to speak with him.” She got up and walked into the kitchen to get a cold soda from the refrigerator.

“What do you think, Goldie? Have I been listening to Reverend Ben and Maggie too much? Everybody seems to expect me to fall for this guy. I’d better be careful or they’ll have me believing it, too.”

“Maggie!” Julianne called out as she saw Frank Wren dropping off his wife in front of the center early the next morning. “Wait up!” She ran the last block to catch up with her friend.

“Good thing you wear those running shoes,” Maggie remarked, glancing down at the sneakers that clashed with the pale pink blouse and gray skirt that Julianne wore. “You couldn’t move that fast in heels.”

“Maggie, why did Frank tell your brother to call me last night? He could have easily answered any question Luke had about the daily schedule here at the center. Luke didn’t need me—”

“Oh, he needs you, Julianne. He just doesn’t know it yet.” Maggie smiled. “Today’s going to be a beautiful day, don’t you think?”

“C’mon, Maggie,” Julianne responded. “You’re starting to remind me of Emma Fulton. Your brother and I barely know each other’s names, let alone the idea of anything more. He doesn’t need me, I don’t need him and I wish you, Reverend Ben and anyone else who thinks we might be interested in each other—”

“Reverend Ben?” Maggie interrupted. “What did he have to say about all of this?”

“Nothing. Nothing important, anyway,” Julianne replied. “Maggie, please don’t force this thing. It’s awkward, it’s uncomfortable.” And that was only the beginning of how odd it felt. The whole idea of being interested in some man she’d met only yesterday seemed unbelievable.

Maggie looped her arm through Julianne’s as they walked together up the front sidewalk to the center. The patriotic wind catcher of red, white and blue that Maggie had put up yesterday flapped in the early morning breeze. “I don’t want to push too hard, Julianne. I really don’t. But I just have a feeling that you and Luke—”

“Now you really do sound like Emma Fulton. Remember how anxious she was to pair me up with Reverend Ben?” Julianne stopped walking. “It just doesn’t work that way. Forget about ‘fixing me up’ with the first eligible man that comes along, and quit trying to solve your brother’s problems for him. People need space, Maggie. We need to solve our own problems, find our own way through life. I’m sure Luke would say that he feels the same if you took the time to ask him.”

But Maggie wasn’t asking. Or listening, apparently. “So, did the two of you have a nice conversation on the phone last night?”

Julianne groaned in frustration. “Are you paying attention to anything that I’m saying?” she asked her friend before turning to continue their walk to the front door.

“I will pay attention if you tell me something good about your talk with Luke.”

“The only good thing about it was that it didn’t last long. It was awkward and unnecessary. Frank could have told Luke he could bring the kids in earlier than he planned without my input on the matter. You know that.”

Two cars pulled into the parking area beside the building. It was time for their day to begin, and Julianne had some work to do in her room before the children started arriving.

“There’s Betty,” Maggie remarked as she watched their director getting out of her vehicle. “She had dinner last night with Warren again. That’s the third evening this week they’ve been out together. Maybe Warren Sinclair would be a good man for Luke to meet. You know what I mean, Julianne? Warren lost his wife about a year ago, and he’s been able to get on with his life.”

Julianne sighed and walked through the heavy wooden door. Arguing this matter with Maggie was obviously hopeless until Maggie actually started listening, and Julianne had work to do before her classroom was invaded by four-year-olds.

A short time later, a light rap on Julianne’s classroom door alerted her to the fact she’d neglected to open the door for the parents to enter.

“Miss Quinn?” It was Luke O’Hara’s voice. Low and quiet. Just like it had been on the phone last night.

Julianne pulled the door open the rest of the way. “Come on in, Mr. O’Hara. Good morning, kids. How are you today?”

“Okay,” Nora and Todd answered almost simultaneously as they burst through the door and ran toward the play area in the rear of the classroom. “Let’s get the animals out,” Nora suggested, and Todd followed her lead.

“They’ve been up for over an hour,” Luke remarked, watching his kids begin busily playing with toys they’d grown accustomed to in only one day. “They really seem to like it here.” He looked from his active children to the young woman who had made them feel comfortable and accepted yesterday—enough so that they were anxious to return again today. So, this Julianne Quinn that his sister had bragged about might really be as good with children as Maggie claimed she was. She’d certainly worked wonders with his twins the first day. Maybe it was that soft voice, he considered. That same thought had occurred to him last night when they’d talked briefly on the phone. Julianne had a soothing manner in the way she spoke. It was something the children could respond to favorably. Who wouldn’t? he wondered momentarily, then dismissed the thought. He had a busy schedule today. There wasn’t enough extra time in his day to ponder the qualities that made Miss Quinn a good teacher. “I’ll be back around four-thirty this afternoon,” he stated matter-of-factly.

“All right, Mr. O’Hara. We’ll look for you then,” Julianne replied and smiled at the tall man who stayed near the door as he watched his kids play. His hair was combed casually to the side and slightly windblown, Julianne noticed. She had this unexplainable urge to reach up and smooth it back into place. The thought startled her, and she glanced nervously away from Luke. Maybe she’d been listening to too much of Maggie’s rhetoric. “Enjoy your day, Mr. O’Hara,” she added in a very businesslike tone. “Don’t worry about your children. I’m sure they’ll be fine here at the center.”

Something had changed her mood abruptly, Luke was aware by the tone of her voice, but the cause of the change eluded him. Then again, women quite often were hard to understand as far as he was concerned. Kimberly certainly had been, and even his own sister was, at times. But he didn’t want to think about that now. The work he had lined up with several branches of a bank in Minneapolis awaited him, so Luke thanked Miss Quinn for her help and turned to leave the room. He was halfway down the hallway before he missed that fragrant flower scent that had lightly hung in the air in Julianne’s classroom. He recalled that Nora had remarked yesterday that her teacher “smelled good.” Now that he thought about it, he realized he agreed with his daughter.

But that second day in Miss Quinn’s classroom didn’t go quite as well as the first for the O’Hara twins. Things seemed fine and all six of her children were busy and content until late in the afternoon when the skies outside turned stormy. They were in the activity room playing ball when a tornado siren unexpectedly sounded, upsetting all of the kids in Julianne’s group. Especially Nora and Todd O’Hara. Julianne sent her teaching assistant down to Betty Anderson’s office for help, and soon Betty was filling in for Maggie Wren with her group of newborns while Maggie hurried to her niece’s and nephew’s sides. It took the comfort of Aunt Maggie’s hugs to stop their crying and settle them down enough to get through the remainder of that day.

Fortunately, Luke finished his work early due to the inclement weather and came to pick up the twins ahead of schedule. Nora, Todd and Julianne were all relieved to see him walk through the classroom door just as another clap of thunder crashed outside. The children ran into their father’s arms with fresh tears and stories of the awful siren that had frightened them and how Aunt Maggie had come to “save” them.

Julianne gathered up Nora’s and Todd’s art projects they’d worked on in the morning and slid them carefully into the backpack they’d brought with them. Her assistant continued reading to the rest of the children, who were all seated in a circle, while Julianne spoke with the twins’ father.

“I’m sorry, Mr. O’Hara,” she offered quietly, frustrated and overly apologetic about not being able to console the twins by herself. She’d tried every way she knew to soothe their fears but had failed, and it discouraged her. She realized she’d underestimated the difficulties she might face with these two youngsters who had lost their mother. Her disappointment showed in the downward turn of her mouth, and Luke saw for the first time something other than confidence in the young teacher’s expression. It looked a little like insecurity. Now, there was something he could identify with.

“Nora and Todd are fine, Miss Quinn. No harm done,” he remarked while picking up his daughter, who had finally stopped crying. Todd’s arms remained wrapped securely around one of his father’s legs as Luke continued. “We can’t…I mean, I don’t expect things to go perfectly. Just do the best you can with them. That’s all I’ve ever managed to do,” he stated. “And Maggie’s available when you need her. She’s the reason we moved here.”

Julianne caught her lower lip between her teeth and nodded her head, grateful for his understanding words. “I guess we should both thank God for Maggie.”

But the straight line of Luke’s mouth didn’t give a fraction of an inch in either direction. “You’ll have to thank Him for me, Miss Quinn.”

“I will for now,” she answered, remembering Maggie’s mention of Luke’s lost faith…and ignoring the warning that it was a subject better left alone. “And, maybe, someday, you can do so for yourself again, Mr. O’Hara.”

Luke’s blue eyes lit with what Julianne fully expected to be irritation. But if she’d have known him better, she’d have recognized it for what it was—simple surprise that this young woman, who couldn’t be more than a few years out of college, would be so frank in her remarks to a man at least a decade older—a man in his position in life.

And just what was his “position in life,” Luke suddenly wondered as he and the twins said goodbye to Julianne Quinn and made their exit from the center. He was…what? A father, the owner of his own business, a good provider for his family, a successful landscaper with excellent references, a widower. And, he had to admit, a man who only listened to his children’s bedtime prayers instead of joining in.

That thought stung him as he lifted Todd into the extended cab of the truck. Nora scrambled in behind her sibling, and Luke helped them with their seat belts while his mind raced with discontent. Life had changed in so many ways this past year. But they were here, now, in Fairweather, Minnesota, close to his sister where he felt they belonged. This change was a good one, the right one. It had to be. He needed it to be.

Luke climbed into the pickup just as he noticed how dark the skies looked for so early in a summer evening. His wife had loved gray, dreary days. The cooler, the better. She said they reminded her of her childhood in New England, where she’d grown up. Home, she’d called it—regardless of the many years she’d lived in Chicago. That had bothered Luke. He’d wanted home to be where he was, where they were making a life for themselves, raising their children. He hadn’t asked her to move to Chicago. She was already living there, managing several dress shops, when he first met her. So, why had her homesickness for New England made him feel guilty? The answer to that question, he’d not found; but he’d taken some comfort in the fact that he’d arranged to have her buried there. At home. In the space next to her mother and father, both of whom had preceded her in death.

He started the truck and headed toward Olaf’s Deli where he needed to buy milk and bread—necessities for breakfast in the O’Hara household.

“Daddy, can you get us some pickles?” Todd asked when his father pulled into a parking spot in front of the deli.

“Sure, son. C’mon,” Luke answered, helping both kids out of the vehicle. “Let’s go. Don’t run.”

The children ran through the front door toward the huge jar of whole pickles kept on top of the meat case. Luke bought several, together with the other items on his mental list. Maybe a scrap of paper and pencil would have been more reliable, but he hadn’t taken the time to jot anything down. He rarely did. That also reminded him of Kimberly, almost as much as stormy days did. She’d been a chronic list maker, systematically marking off the numbered items as she completed them. All of that organization had disappeared from his life with her departure. And where had God been during all of that? Where was He now, Luke wondered.

“Can we eat the pickles now?” Todd was begging while Nora was busy reaching for the plastic bag that held their snack.

“Wait until we get home, you two,” Luke answered. “You’ll want drinks, too, and I don’t have any in the truck. Come on, we’ll be there in five minutes.”

The kids didn’t seem to mind another night of frozen dinners in their small utilitarian kitchen filled with only the basic appliances. They ate their fish sticks, French fries and peas, and then rushed into the living room to watch a favorite cartoon while Luke cleared the table. It was when he was adding today’s dirty silverware to yesterday’s in the dishwasher that he suddenly noticed the mostly bare counters. The only homey touches were a basket of now wilting flowers that Frank and Maggie had sent and a large ceramic cookie jar with a comical cat painted on the front that Maggie had purchased, filled with homemade goodies and delivered on moving day. Luke had meant to buy some cookies from the bakery and replenish the supply, but he’d forgotten to do so. Maybe, tomorrow, he told himself. Maybe tomorrow, he’d get things right. But, deep in his aching heart, Luke knew his sister had been accurate. She’d warned him that nothing would be really right with him ever again, not until he made peace with the Lord he used to trust. Luke knew that would not happen until he could pray again…and he wasn’t sure that day would ever come.

The next day went by quickly with Luke dropping off and picking up Nora and Todd at the center as he had done on previous days. The weather was very warm and another storm slowed Luke’s landscaping work in the city that afternoon. But when the morning of the Fourth of July finally arrived, it promised to be a gorgeous day—just as Maggie Wren had hoped it would be. There wasn’t a storm cloud in the sky. Julianne was up to see the sunrise that morning through her kitchen window, but only because she had promised Maggie she’d make a banana cream pie for their lunch. Otherwise, she would have slept in.

Dumping a small amount of flour on her counter, she soon finished her least favorite part of the job—rolling out the crust. She used her mother’s recipe for a double crust so she filled two pie plates instead of one. The second one she was considering keeping for herself. Sometimes, at the end of a holiday, she’d come home to her empty apartment, make herself a cup of tea and eat something luscious as a reward for getting through the day without allowing herself to wallow in too much self-pity. The Fourth of July wouldn’t be any different from the past few holidays she’d gone through without an engagement ring on her finger and Craig by her side. “But losing him was a blessing in disguise,” she said aloud to the goldfish swimming in the bowl nearby. She really was thankful that the relationship was over; but Julianne missed the old feelings of belonging to someone, being half of a couple, believing in a happy, full future for herself.

The crusts went into the oven, 450 degrees for twelve minutes, and while they baked, Julianne went into the bathroom to apply her makeup. She had already showered and her shoulder-length hair had been styled into the slightly wavy look she normally wore. But it wasn’t her clean skin or her blond hair that caught her attention in the bathroom mirror. It was the saddened expression she’d found looking back at her. One she’d seen too many times lately. One she was growing weary of.

Julianne hadn’t realized how long she’d been standing in front of that mirror, just thinking, until the timer in the kitchen buzzed. She rushed to shut it off and retrieve the crusts from the oven.

“Today is going to be a good day, Goldie,” she said to her tiny roommate. “No more moping around about being alone. I’m going to watch a parade, eat too much good food, and, in general, have a very fun day.”

A couple of little bubbles rose to the top of Goldie’s water, almost as if the fish were trying to respond to its owner’s words. Julianne laughed. “Sorry, sweetie, but I don’t speak your language,” she said. Then she reached for some sugar and began stirring the pie filling. Soon she was slicing bananas and assembling her homemade creation to be shared with Maggie’s family.

Julianne chose blue walking shorts and an appropriate white T-shirt with a design of blue-and-red fireworks brightening up its front and back. Loading her small wooden picnic basket with one pie and the packages of fresh hamburger buns she’d purchased at Maggie’s request from Swenson’s Bakery last night, she was ready to go. Julianne slipped her sunglasses into place, retied a running shoe that had come undone and, basket in hand, began the short walk to Maggie and Frank Wren’s house. She knew Luke and the twins would be there today. Maggie had made a point of telling her.

As Julianne neared her friend’s home, she fretted about that disastrous experience with Nora, Todd and the tornado siren the other day. She certainly wasn’t who or what they needed then, and she wondered how they would respond to her today. But when she rapped lightly against Maggie’s screen door and then opened it to enter, she was instantly greeted with shrieks of joy from the O’Hara twins who ran to hug their teacher. “You’re here! You’re here!” Nora placed both hands on her hips. “We thought you’d never come,” she scolded, which brought an immediate smile from Julianne.

“I had a pie to bake,” Julianne explained and gave each child a soft touch to their cheek. “Where’s your aunt Maggie?”

“She’s in the kitchen, Julianne. She’s getting ready to go to the parade with us.”

“Thanks, kids. See you in a minute.” Then she entered the homey kitchen of peach and soft greens. “So, I’ve progressed from Miss Quinn to Julianne?” she remarked to Maggie when she found her friend with her nose stuck inside the refrigerator. “I wonder how that happened?”

“Probably because they’ve heard me talking about you. I generally call you by your first name, you know,” Maggie replied with a grin.

“And just what have you been saying? And to whom?” Julianne asked with a smile as she set her basket on the table. “Or need I ask?”

“Hello, Miss Quinn.” Julianne turned at the sound of the voice she recognized to see Luke O’Hara entering the room.

Maggie shrugged in answer to Julianne’s abandoned question. “Oh, just some people, here and there. It’s nothing to worry about. Luke, her first name is Julianne. And, Julianne, his first name is Luke. Try using them for a change.”

Julianne laughed softly, nervously. “She’s right, you know. We don’t need to be so formal. How are you, Luke?”

“Fine, thank you. And you?”

Julianne nodded. “I’m okay. It’s a beautiful day out there, isn’t it? I mean, compared to yesterday…and the day before. You know, the rain, the tornado warning…the storm and all.” Great, she thought. Let’s see what other stupid thing I can ramble on about.

“Yes, it’s good weather for the Fourth of July,” Luke remarked. And he almost smiled. Julianne seemed off guard, maybe a little nervous; he couldn’t decide exactly what was bothering her. But she definitely didn’t seem quite as sure of herself as she usually appeared in the classroom.

“The parade starts in fifteen minutes,” Frank announced as he walked into the kitchen with an armful of assorted flowers he’d gathered from the garden. He handed them to Maggie and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. “For you, my dear.”

Maggie smiled. “Thank you, hon. They’re beautiful.” Then she reached into the cupboard under the sink for a large white vase. “I’ll put these on the table.”

Julianne’s heart ached, mostly with jealousy, she supposed. She wanted what Maggie had. A man to bring her flowers, someone to kiss her with the assurance she was his to kiss, someone to love for a lifetime. She wanted to belong with someone the way Maggie belonged with Frank.

“C’mon, let’s get going.” Frank was giving orders instead of Maggie for a change. “Nora! Todd! It’s time to go to the village green to watch a parade.”

The children came running from the living room. “It’s time?” Nora ran to Julianne while Todd grabbed his father around the leg.

“Yep, it’s time,” Luke answered, reaching down to pick up the little boy who looked so much like him. Then he glanced toward his daughter and her teacher. “Ready, Nora…Julianne?”

Both females nodded and Julianne smiled at the sound of Luke speaking her name. It sounded nice…so much better than “Miss Quinn.” She took Nora’s hand and they all started their walk toward the village green on that warm summer day.

The morning parade went as planned, and it delighted the twins. It was noisy, too long and handfuls of candy were thrown from many of the passing floats and vehicles. The fire engines from Fairweather and neighboring communities were part of the procession with their sirens blaring. The volume worried Julianne as she remembered the fiasco with the tornado siren. Todd seemed unaffected by it all. The noise, however, did send Nora into her father’s arms with her ears covered but with a grin on her face.

The community came together after the parade for the afternoon festivities on the village green. The church picnic was attended by virtually everyone in Fairweather and many from Baylor’s Landing. If the attendees themselves weren’t official members of The Old First Church, they were either related to or friends with someone who was. The hours were filled with speeches from the mayor and Reverend Ben Hunter as well as patriotic musical selections performed by the Fairweather High School band. The contest for the Strawberry Queen was held and the pretty red-haired daughter of the local police chief was selected by the judges amid applause and cheers from the crowd. Emma Fulton, a former Strawberry Queen herself, had the honor of placing the golden tiara upon the reigning queen’s head.

Concession stands practically covered the village green, and there were red, white and blue balloons and streamers everywhere. The strawberry shortcake stand, coordinated by Betty Anderson, offered more dessert than they could eat for two dollars with all of the proceeds going to the anticipated expense of the Harvest Celebration to be held in the fall.

Maggie and Frank, Julianne and Nora, and Luke and Todd spent most of the day together in a group, much to Maggie’s dismay. She kept trying to shoo Julianne and Luke off by themselves—to eat strawberry shortcake, play a carnival game, listen to the local entertainment at the bandstand…anything without the kids tagging along. But it didn’t happen that way. The kids were stuck to the adults like Velcro all day. Not just to their father, whom they hadn’t seen enough of lately, but also to Julianne.

The affection Julianne freely offered was something the children seemed starved for, and the more they needed from her, the more she wanted to give. Julianne had been told by Maggie that she too often thought of other people so much that she disregarded her own wants and needs, but it wasn’t going that way with the twins. Nora and Todd’s companionship was exactly what Julianne needed and wanted that beautiful Fourth of July. They turned that summer holiday into the fun time Julianne had promised herself, and her goldfish, that she would have.

When time for supper came around, the Wrens, the O’Haras and Miss Quinn returned to Frank and Maggie’s house where leftovers from the picnic became a light supper. The kids’ excitement over the impending fireworks display scheduled to take place over Baylor Lake at night was wearing on Luke’s patience. He soon suggested they head over to the lake where the kids could run and play for a while until the fireworks started.

“Good idea,” Maggie agreed as she patted her plump tummy. “But this kid already has me worn out,” she said in gentle reference to the child within. “I think I’ll pass on the fireworks display this year. But you and Julianne go ahead. The twins need to get out for a while, and the lake would be a good place to take them. Perhaps there will be other children there for them to play with.” Frank went to Maggie’s side, slipping a hand around his wife’s waist.

“I’ll stay here with Maggie,” Frank said. “You okay, honey?”

Maggie nodded and smiled. “I think so. I’m just tired from today’s activities. That’s all.”

Luke looked toward Julianne, who was playing cars on the floor with Todd and Nora. “Will you come with us?” he asked as he watched her race a small metal car up Nora’s arm prompting a round of giggles from the child. Then Julianne looked up.

“Yes, Luke. I’d like that,” she answered. Then she saw what she thought could be the hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth. After enjoying this day with him and his kids, getting him to smile was becoming almost a personal challenge.

They all thanked Maggie for her good food and hospitality that holiday. Then the four of them headed toward the truck. The kids climbed into their usual seats in the extended cab and then Julianne slid into the passenger seat. She knew she probably should feel nervous about going off like this for the first time with Luke; but with two rambunctious children in the back seat, she gave little thought to the matter.

The ride to Baylor Lake took only minutes since it was a short three miles from the center of Fairweather. The kids had barely finished singing some silly song when Luke pulled into a parking spot at the far end of the lake.

“Can we sit in the back of the truck while we watch the fireworks?” Todd asked.

Nora reached underneath the seat to pull out a blanket. “No, Todd, because Aunt Maggie sent this blanket for us to sit on. Remember, Daddy?”

“No, I don’t remember that, Nora, but it doesn’t surprise me. Maggie seems to think of everything.” Luke walked around the truck to open the door for Julianne.

“Aunt Maggie thinks of everything, and God takes care of everything,” Todd said from his seat in the back of the vehicle. “Doesn’t He, Daddy,” Todd added matter-of-factly.

Julianne’s eyes widened in surprise. Wasn’t this the forbidden topic Maggie had warned her about? She looked from Todd straight into Luke’s frowning face as he gripped her arm firmly enough to help her from the truck without responding to his son’s statement.

“He didn’t hear that from me, if that’s what you’re thinking,” Luke remarked quietly and moved his hand away from Julianne’s arm once she had her feet firmly on the ground.

Then Todd continued, “He takes care of me, He takes care of Dad and Nora and Julianne and the flowers and the lightning bugs—”

“Lightning bugs!” Nora interrupted when she jumped out of the truck. “Let’s catch some!”

“Both of you stay where you can see me,” Luke instructed his children. They ran through the grass in their shorts and bare feet with the carefree laughter it sometimes seemed to Luke only kids could have.

“Stay where they can see you instead of where you can see them. That’s a good idea,” Julianne commented. She watched Luke spread out the blanket Maggie had sent with them, and they sat down together. “It gives them clear boundaries.”

“All they have to do is look for me. That keeps it simple,” Luke said. “Julianne…I’m sorry if I was sharp with you a moment ago when Todd was talking about God. I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“You weren’t,” she replied. “Maggie mentioned to me that Christianity was a subject better left alone. For now, at least.”

“For always would suit me just fine,” Luke added, and glanced at the woman seated next to him on the ground. He hadn’t been this alone with a woman since Kimberly. And he didn’t feel too comfortable with the idea of being here, like this, with Julianne Quinn even now. No matter how great she was with his children or how pretty she was. Whew. Now, there was a thought he hadn’t had before about Miss Quinn. Had he?

“Don’t worry,” Julianne assured him with gentle words. “I didn’t come along to preach to you. I just came to see the fireworks.”

Luke nodded. That’s the only reason he was here, too. Wasn’t it? “So…” he began with some awkwardness “were you here in Fairweather for last year’s Fourth of July celebration?”

“Yes,” Julianne answered. She’d been with Craig Johnson then, but there was no reason to point that out. Luke would probably start pondering what was wrong with her if he knew she’d been jilted by someone. Unless… She wasn’t really sure what Maggie may have told Luke about her. Not that it really mattered. “I’ve been living in Fairweather and teaching at the center since I graduated from college three years ago. So, I’ve seen these local fireworks before. I guess I should warn you. They’re not anything to get excited about.”

Luke motioned toward the children. “As long as they enjoy the show, that’s good enough for me.”

Julianne nodded in agreement and gave a soft laugh that Luke enjoyed hearing. He looked her way again and studied her profile as she watched the kids chasing bugs. Her features were beautiful. Not just pretty, but actually beautiful and with very little makeup as far as he could tell. She was what Maggie called a real heartland, natural-looking type. And Maggie had been accurate, although it had taken Luke until this moment to fully realize that fact. Tall, blond and brown-eyed, Julianne was nothing like his late wife, and yet she was every bit as lovely—all in her own way.

Julianne’s eyes remained on the children while Luke’s gaze lingered on her. She knew he was looking at her, really looking at her—maybe for the first time—and she wasn’t ready to look back. Dusk was settling in, and the children were heading back toward their father and teacher. The twins ran up and plopped down on the blanket between them. “Is it time yet?” Nora asked.

“It won’t be long,” Julianne answered. Feeling the weight of Luke’s gaze shift from her to his children, she relaxed considerably. She glanced over at him while Todd climbed into his father’s lap. Luke’s eyes were the same shade of blue as his shirt, and blue was Julianne’s favorite color. In shirts and eyes.

The sun set quickly and soon the sky was filled with brilliantly colored displays of light. Streaks of gold impressed the children most, if their “oohs” and “aahs” were any indication. Red, white, blue, green and gold lit the sky over Baylor Lake as dozens of bystanders enjoyed the show. Some children nearby had sparklers with which they ran in circles, leaving a trail of smoke behind them. Nora and Todd wanted some sparklers of their own, but Luke refused. That would be a privilege they could have when they were older, but not now at age four. Amazingly, they accepted his words and settled back into watching fireworks exploding in the evening sky amid booms and crackling noises. Even Luke smiled that night, much to Julianne’s amazement. The children’s antics during the show brought laughter and smiles from both adults. Julianne was almost as sorry to see the holiday come to an end as the twins were, although she definitely wasn’t reduced to tears by it as both of the kids were. She carried Nora and Luke picked up Todd, so they could get them back in the truck for the trip home. Julianne shook out the blanket they’d been sitting on and tossed it over the children once they were buckled into the back seat of the vehicle. Luke opened the door and helped Julianne into the truck. By the time they were out of the parking area, Nora and Todd were both sound asleep.

“They’re exhausted,” Julianne remarked.

Luke agreed. “They’ve had a very fun day. Mostly thanks to you.”

“I enjoyed the day, too, Luke. Very much,” Julianne admitted. “Mostly thanks to them.” And their father may have had something to do with it, too, she thought, but did not say.

The ride to her apartment was short and quiet. Julianne directed Luke to the postmaster’s large old house and pointed out her upstairs apartment.

“Thanks for the ride home,” she offered and reached for the door handle to let herself out of the truck.

“I’ll walk up there with you,” Luke said. “That’s a long, dark stairway to be climbing by yourself this late at night.”

“No, don’t.” She reached across the seat and touched his arm, wanting to emphasize that she didn’t need his assistance; but once she’d placed her hand against his warm arm, she regretted the action. It had been too personal, almost inappropriate, and she wasn’t sure how to undo what she’d done except by pulling her hand away. Quickly. “I’m sorry, Luke, I just meant that I can go upstairs by myself. I’ve done that hundreds of times—alone. I’m not afraid. And, anyway,” she added, nodding toward the sleeping twins in the back seat, “I wouldn’t want you to leave them alone in this dark truck even for a few moments. If they woke up, they’d be frightened.”

Luke agreed, although somewhat reluctantly. He thought the children would be fine sleeping right where he could see them from her stairway, and he certainly wasn’t used to dropping a woman at the curb and letting her fend for herself to get inside her front door. This hadn’t exactly been a date, he realized. He hadn’t been on a “date” in over ten years, but he did feel responsible for seeing her home safely. Then he had an idea.

“Do me a favor, Julianne. Once you get inside and lock the door behind you, wave to me from that front window.” Luke pointed up to where she’d left a light burning in the kitchen window. “That way I’ll know you got in all right.”

“Okay,” she agreed, then opened her door and slipped easily out of the cab before he had the chance to help her. “Thanks for everything, Luke. I had a really good time today,” she said with a heartfelt smile—the same warm smile Luke had seen from her during the fireworks display. It was one he liked seeing again.

“I enjoyed the day, too,” he began, then paused. “Julianne, you’re great with my kids.”

“Thank you, but if I am, it’s only because I’m a teacher.”

But Luke disagreed. “No, it’s something more than that,” he stated. “They really had fun today. I think this is the best holiday they’ve had since…for the last year or so. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she answered, her smile fading. She should close the door to the truck and head up that stairway, she knew. There really was nothing left to talk about at this point. Except… “Maggie looked very tired when we left. Do you think she’s okay?”

“I hope so. Frank mentioned to me the other day that he’s worried about her getting too tired during her pregnancy. He thinks she’s working too hard at the center.”

Julianne agreed. “She probably is. You know how Maggie is—she gives too much of herself to everything she does.”

“I know. She even wants to watch the kids for me tomorrow so I can go to Minneapolis and get caught up on my work. Being rained out again on Thursday put me behind schedule.”

Julianne’s own giving-too-much-of-herself-to-everything trait kicked into gear. “I could watch them for you. That would allow Maggie to rest, and you could still get your work done,” Julianne suggested. “I hadn’t planned to do anything special tomorrow.” The only activities she’d be giving up were cleaning the apartment and grocery shopping.

“But you work with my kids five days a week, Julianne. I can’t ask you to keep them on your day off.”

Julianne looked toward the two children sleeping safely in the back of the truck. “You’re not asking…I’m offering,” she replied, then returned her gaze to Luke’s uncertain expression.

Luke hesitated. He needed to work tomorrow to stay on schedule. And the kids did seem to be crazy about Julianne. “Are you sure it wouldn’t be an imposition? I mean, you’ve just spent this entire holiday with them.”

“I really like Nora and Todd. I’d enjoy having them for another day. That is, if it would be okay with you.” She tucked wispy blond hair behind an ear. Working at the center was one thing, but maybe Luke O’Hara wouldn’t trust her enough to leave his children with her alone, here at this tiny apartment with an ominous stairway for them to climb up…or to fall down. “I could take them over to the center, if you’d rather not leave them here—”

“No, here would be fine,” Luke said. “But you’d need to be careful of the stairs. They’d both want to run up and down them.” He glanced toward the black steps and railing.

Julianne smiled. She’d guessed his exact concern. “I will be. You don’t have to worry.”

“Better yet, why don’t you watch them at my house? That way, they have their own toys and tapes, things to entertain them. And there’s a fair-size yard out back for them to play in.”

“That might be better. What time would you need me there?”

“Would seven o’clock be too early?”

“No, that would be fine. I’ll see you then,” Julianne answered.

Luke felt suddenly relieved. Maggie could rest, and the twins would still have someone they liked watching them. “Do you know where I live?”

“You bought the Taylor house on Spring Street, didn’t you? Maggie mentioned it to me.”

“Yes, that’s the one. We’ll see you at seven?”

“See you then. Good night.” Julianne pushed the door shut and started for the stairway. She was up the steps and inside her apartment in a minute or less. Walking to the window that faced the street, she looked down to where Luke’s dark blue truck was parked as he waited for her signal. She waved. She’d made it inside safely…that was, everything except her heart. Foolishly, she’d allowed it to become endangered in an attraction to this man whose own heart was broken, and Julianne knew no special cure for his kind of pain.

She watched Luke drive away and thought of Craig Johnson. Losing him had taken her a long time to get over, and that would be nothing compared to what Luke had lost. The woman he’d loved and chosen to spend his life with had been taken from him. He would need to heal slowly, from the inside out. It wasn’t something anyone else could help him with. Only God could be his refuge now. If Luke wouldn’t accept that, then the battle was his alone.

“But I can help him with his kids,” Julianne said softly to herself. But, if she did, would she be setting herself up for more heartache? She groaned at the thought. Suddenly, that banana cream pie she’d saved for herself was starting to sound very good. Maybe she could drown her uncertainty in a slice. Or two.

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