Heart of Hope Page 26

Disheartened, Ken wished more people took the time to get past the protective shell she tended to show the world. He reached over and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

  Anna sighed again, but turned to offer her dad a sincere smile. “Thanks for picking me up, Daddy. I know you were busy today. Did you make any sales?”

  “You bet I did!” Ken grinned. “I love spring when everyone gets excited for something new.” He sold farm equipment for the local John Deere dealer and ranked as one of the top salesmen in the region.

  “That’s great, Daddy.” Anna mustered some enthusiasm for her father’s successes.

  The further they drove out of town, the more she dropped her defenses and relaxed. She would be the first to admit she put up walls around herself. She developed the habit when the kids at preschool taunted her about her inability to hear as well as the way she talked.

  Phonics were a nightmare that Anna didn’t think she’d ever completely overcome, another reason she tended to be quiet around strangers. To compensate for her lack of verbal communication, she studied everything she could get her hands on. As a result, she was bright, intelligent, and well read. Her slight mispronunciation of some words was the price paid when a deaf girl learned to talk.

  After failing to utter one intelligent word to Jake Chandler, he most likely thought she was a complete bumbling idiot. It would have been bad enough if the situation had happened with anyone else, but it had to be Jake.

  Anna developed a crush on him the first week she’d started working at the library a couple of months ago.

  There wasn’t a female working within a four-block radius of the extension office that hadn’t noticed the tall, handsome cowboy with the summer-sky blue eyes, chiseled jaw, and model-perfect physique. A girl would have to be blind or comatose to overlook him.

  Despite her attraction to him, or maybe because of it, she hoped he’d forget he’d seen her.

  As her Dad turned down the lane that led to their farm, Anna took a deep, cleansing breath. It was good to be home.

  When they walked inside the kitchen together, she smiled as her dad kissed her mom on the cheek.

  “How was your day, Susie-Q?” Ken used the nickname he’d bestowed on his wife nearly thirty years ago.

  “Just fine. It feels good to be back to work full-time,” Sue said as she started setting out the makings for tacos.

  Last fall, Sue had been riding with their son, Sam, in his car when an impatient driver decided to pass another car in a deep fog and hit them head on.

  Sue spent months recovering from a broken arm, shattered collarbone, and cracked pelvis. Recently, she returned to full-time work as the office manager at an investment firm in Tenacity.

  Sam wasn’t quite as fortunate as Sue, suffering partial paralysis from the waist down. He worked to recover from the collision both physically and emotionally.

  Before the accident, he was a fun-loving cocky guy with the world on his string. He was engaged to a lovely girl, had his own apartment over the barn, and ran the farm while Ken worked at the equipment sales job.

  Now, Sam was quiet, withdrawn, and grappling to find a way to get past his bitterness while overcoming his physical challenges.

  “Let me change and I’ll help you finish dinner, Mom,” Anna said as she hurried to her bedroom. At twenty-four, living at home with her parents, it seemed like she’d taken huge steps backward in her life. After the accident, she quit her job in Portland and returned to the farm. Her family needed her more than she needed her independence.

  She finished braiding her hair and secured the end with an elastic hair band as she walked into the kitchen. Anna felt confident and strong at home, where no one would make fun of the way she spoke or act offended if she didn’t hear what they said.

  Home was her comfort zone, fortress, and refuge.

  “Hey, Sam!” Anna smiled at her brother when he rolled into the kitchen in his monster-truck version of a wheelchair that allowed him to get around on farm with relative ease. “How’s it going?”

  “Just dandy, for a cripple,” Sam responded. She caught a wry grin as he turned his wheelchair around to face the dining table.

  Anna rolled her eyes and faced her mom. One of these days, the Sam they used to know would resurface. She was sure of it. Little bits had started to emerge in the last month. The warmer weather helped his attitude and outlook.

  Immediately after the accident, Sam was so angry. He struck out at everyone and everything. His fiancée, Lisa, was beside herself when he called off their engagement and told her he never wanted to see her again. It was a good thing Lisa ignored his protests and continued to be a solid support during his months of recovery. Although their wedding plans lingered in limbo, Anna held a surety that they would find a way to make a life together. They loved each other too much not to try.

  Sam, who treasured every stem of hay, blade of grass, and stalk of wheat that grew on the farm, battled to adjust to the fact that he could no longer do what he loved — farm.

  Despondent and ready to give up, Sam reluctantly agreed to see a new therapist Sue located in Portland. Mel came to the house four times a week and put Sam through hours of grueling exercises and massages. After a month of work, the family could see real progress. Despite many doctors predicting a life bound to his wheelchair, Sam had a glimmer of hope something more might be in store for his future.

  Since his initial sessions went so well, Sam now visited Mel three times at week at his facility in Portland. There, he had access to unlimited equipment and a therapy pool. With the settlement from the accident, Sam had purchased a hand-controlled car. A simple thing like driving himself to his appointments gave him a returned sense of freedom he’d missed since the accident.

  As she helped her mom finish preparing the meal, Anna handed the plates and cutlery to Sam so he could set the table. Her dad hurried out to feed the livestock and returned as they placed the last dish on the table.

  “Perfect timing, as usual.” Ken grinned while he washed up at the sink. Once he sat down at the table, they all bowed their heads and he said grace.

  The conversation around the table held a lively tone until Sue asked Anna about her day.

  “It was fine, Mom.” Anna toyed with the taco on her plate.

  “It doesn’t sound like it was fine. What happened?” Sue knew she’d have to dig before Anna would confess what bothered her.

  Anna continued moving salsa around on her plate. “I made a complete fool of myself today.”

  “You do that every day,” Sam teased, as only a brother can.

  Anna looked up long enough to shoot him an icy glare. He didn’t notice, since he was already receiving a warning look from his mother.

  “What happened, Sugar?” Ken asked. Curious, he wanted to know what disaster Anna thought had befallen her this time. For some reason, things that wouldn’t bother most people deeply affected his daughter. Maybe it had to do with her self-confidence or her general fear of people. Whatever caused it, he wished he knew a cure for it.

  “I was waiting for Daddy outside the library, reading a book and not paying attention. The next thing I knew, Jake Chandler bumped into me and the book went flying. I was so embarrassed.” Heat warmed her cheeks as she recalled the incident and Anna refused to make eye contact with anyone at the table.

  “And?” Sue asked, confused. “Surely, there has to be more to the story for you to be so upset.”

  “He handed me the book and went on his merry way.” Anna huffed in frustration. How could her family not understand the magnitude of this chance encounter?

  Baffled, Sue looked at Ken while Sam reached for another taco, wisely keeping his thoughts to himself.

  “How did that make you look foolish?” Sue placed a gentle hand on Anna’s arm. “I think you left out something.”

  “Because I’m a big klutz and dropped my book and I couldn’t have looked any worse today if I’d tried,” Anna said, exasperated.

  Abruptly, Sue turned to
Sam and asked him about his therapy session.

  Anna finished her dinner with her temper on a high boil. Obviously, no one cared that she’d been humiliated. Or that the one guy she had any interest in happened to be the one who bumped into her on a day when she looked like a fashion disaster.

  Jake would never give her a second glance. The impact of that, the importance of that, was beyond her family’s ability to comprehend. As soon as the dishes were finished, Anna started out the back door but her mom stopped her before she could escape.

  “Anna, do you have a crush on this Jake Chandler? Is that the problem?” Sue tamped down a smile as she held Anna by the shoulders, forcing her to look into her face.

  “Mother!” Anna drew out each letter until it sounded like a six-syllable word. “Please!”

  “Please what?” Sue squeezed Anna around her shoulders as they stood at the door. “I think you like this Jake person and that’s what has you so upset. You didn’t do anything to look foolish. He bumped into you. Was he rude? Did he say something to upset you?”

  Anna released a long sigh. “No. He was very polite and apologized. He picked up the book and handed it to me and commented about what chapter he liked best, then apologized again and left.”

  Sue couldn’t stop the smile that bloomed on her face. “He sounds like a very nice young man, Anna. He probably didn’t think a thing of it. You shouldn’t either. You have to try not to be so sensitive, sweetie. Someday, someone will come along who appreciates all you have to offer and recognizes you as a beautiful, intelligent, hard-working girl.”

  “That is never going to happen, Mom.”

  Available now!

  Books by Shanna Hatfield

  FICTION

  HISTORICAL

  Baker City Brides

  Tad’s Treasure

  Crumpets and Cowpies

  Thimbles and Thistles

  Corsets and Cuffs

  Bobbins and Boots

  Lightning and Lawmen

  Dumplings and Dynamite

  Pendleton Petticoats

  Dacey

  Aundy

  Caterina

  Ilsa

  Marnie

  Lacy

  Bertie

  Millie

  Dally

  Quinn

  Evie

  Hardman Holidays

  The Christmas Bargain

  The Christmas Token

  The Christmas Calamity

  The Christmas Vow

  The Christmas Quandary

  The Christmas Confection

  The Christmas Melody

  The Christmas Ring

  Gifts of Christmas

  Gift of Grace

  Gift of Hope

  Gift of Faith

  Hearts of the War

  Garden of Her Heart

  Home of Her Heart

  Dream of Her Heart

  CONTEMPORARY

  Learnin’ The Ropes

  Love at the 20-Yard Line

  QR Code Killer

  Rose

  Grass Valley Cowboys

  The Cowboy’s Christmas Plan

  The Cowboy’s Spring Romance

  The Cowboy’s Summer Love

  The Cowboy’s Autumn Fall

  The Cowboy’s New Heart

  The Cowboy’s Last Goodbye

  Holiday Brides

  Valentine Bride

  Summer Bride

  Easter Bride

  Rodeo Romance

  The Christmas Cowboy

  Wrestlin’ Christmas

  Capturing Christmas

  Barreling Through Christmas

  Chasing Christmas

  Racing Christmas

  Keeping Christmas

  Friendly Beasts of Faraday

  Scent of Cedar

  Tidings of Joy

  Boughs of Holly

  Wings of an Angel

  Romance by Chance

  Taste of Tara

  Saving Mistletoe

  Silverton Sweethearts

  The Coffee Girl

  The Christmas Crusade

  Untangling Christmas

  Welcome to Romance

  Blown Into Romance

  Sleigh Bells Ring in Romance

  The Women of Tenacity

  Box Set with Bonus Prelude

  Heart of Clay

  Heart of Hope

  Heart of Love

  CHILDREN’S BOOKS

  Steve the Mule

  NONFICTION

  A Cowboy Christmas

  Farm Girl

  Fifty Dates with Captain Cavedweller

  Recipes of Love

  Savvy Entertaining

  Savvy Autumn Entertaining

  Savvy Holiday Entertaining

  Savvy Spring Entertaining

  Savvy Summer Entertaining

  About the Author

  PHOTO BY SHANA BAILEY PHOTOGRAPHY

  USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with sarcasm, humor, hope, and hunky heroes.

  When Shanna isn’t dreaming up unforgettable characters, twisting plots, or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller, at their home in the Pacific Northwest.

  Shanna loves to hear from readers. Connect with her online:

  Blog: shannahatfield.com

  Facebook: Shanna Hatfield’s Page

  Shanna Hatfield’s Hopeless Romantics Group

  Pinterest: Shanna Hatfield

  Email: shanna@shannahatfield.com

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