“Not quite?” Caleb turned an icy stare on Annika.
Buck ran a finger between his throat and his shirt collar and blurted out, “She’s pregnant, Mr. Storm.”
Annika did kick him then, but Buck pretended not to notice.
“A baby?” Analisa whispered, her hand at her throat. She looked from Buck to Annika and back.
Buttons began jumping up and down around their knees. “Me gettin’ me a baby!”
“Buttons! Settle down,” Buck commanded sharply.
Annika scooped the little girl up and handed her to Buck without a word.
“Put me down! Put me down!” the child yowled.
With his nerves near a breaking point, sweat caused the accursed wool suit to itch even more. Buck shrugged inside his jacket and growled sharply, “Buttons, I swear—”
Dismayed, Annika glanced at her mother. “He’s usually very good with her.” Dear Lord, can this get any worse?
Suddenly, faced with a situation she knew she could handle, Analisa Storm took complete command. She reached out for Buttons and as Buck gladly released the whining child, she cooed, “Ach liefja.” Buttons quieted immediately. Holding the child close, Analisa then turned to her husband. “Caleb, I think it is best if you take Mr. Scott—”
“It’s Buck, ma’am.”
“Buck—outside and talk to him there. Annika and I will meet you on the veranda in a few moments. Go, echtgenoot. Do this for me, and keep your temper, ja?”
Caleb looked as if he couldn’t wait to get Buck out on the veranda alone. Annika gave her father a warning as Buck led the way toward the parlor door. “Don’t hurt him, Papa.”
Caleb sized up the back of his new son-in-law who had already ripped the shoulder seam of his coat when he picked up Buttons and shook his head at his daughter. “I don’t think you have to worry about me hurting him, honey. Do you think I’m safe?”
For the first time since the encounter began, Annika was able to smile a genuine smile. “Of course, Papa.”
“Then we’ll see you two in a few minutes.”
Annika turned to Analisa who had let Buttons down. The child was pulling toys out of a basket and showing them to her one at a time. Pushing aside a doll, a Brownie book, and a toy carpet sweeper, Annika sat down beside her mother on the settee.
“Mama, I hope you can forgive me.”
Analisa looked surprised. “There is nothing to forgive.”
“No?” Annika shook her head. “I didn’t mean to hurt you and Papa, and I know how much you wanted me to have a big wedding, but we thought with the baby coming and all, that it would be best to be married as soon as possible.”
“I understand.” Analisa took a carved wooden horse from Buttons, admired it with a smile and a nod, and handed it back.
“Mama...” Annika paused, trying to frame her words precisely, “all these years, I thought of your life as a fairy tale, and you as the princess in the story, but until I spent those weeks in Buck’s cabin, living much the way you must have lived in the soddie in Iowa, I never knew, Mama, I never could have imagined how hard it was for you. I’m so sorry.” She shook her head and watched a tear splash on the back of her hand. “I’m so sorry about what happened to you.”
Buttons watched the two women in silence as Analisa enfolded her daughter in her arms and held her close. “Never feel sorry for me, Annemeke, because I am like the princess in your story. I have your father and Kase and you. I have Rose and Joseph, and now this beautiful child, and the one to come. I even have this Buck Scott that you love so much. I am blessed with all I will ever need or want” Analisa rested her chin on her daughter’s head and smiled to herself. “You may think you understand now that you have been in such a place, but I will tell you a secret. Sometimes I look back on those years in the sod house, and as hard as the life was, the memories are still beautiful to me, for I had Kase to love. When there is nothing else, love is all the more precious, is it not?”
Annika pulled away. “Ja, Mama,” she said, reverting to the Dutch she learned as a child, “love is very precious. I learned something else at Blue Creek, Mama, and again when Kase told me about what happened and how he was conceived. Sometimes good comes hand in hand with bad. When things look bleakest, we have to remember to wait and see what seeds have been sown for the future.”
“You will be a very wise mother.” Analisa smiled as she wiped a stray tear from her cheek.
“Thank goodness I’ll still have you to go give me advice.” Annika shook her head and laughed as Buttons turned the toy basket over and plopped it on her head.
The deep sound of the men’s laughter drew their attention to the veranda.
“I think your father has let go of his temper,” Analisa said.
“It’s very hard to stay mad at Buck,” Annika admitted. “Why don’t we join them now that the smoke has cleared?”
“THEY like you,” Annika told Buck as he slipped out of his shirt and tossed it over a chair in the corner of the darkened room.
“The feeling is mutual, although I wish your father would quit staring at me when he thinks I’m not looking.”
She wriggled further down beneath the sheet and smoothed Buck’s pillow. “I didn’t notice.”
“He did it all through dinner.”
“He’ll get used to you.”
“I think he’ll never get used to the fact that we’re sleeping together.” He pulled back the sheet and slipped into the bed.
“Maybe fathers don’t ever want to admit that their daughters actually sleep with anyone.” She shrugged. “He is thrilled that you’ll be studying medicine. Mama is, too.”
“They took the news that we won’t be moving to Boston better than I expected.” Buck put his arm around her and pulled her close. He bent over her and pressed a kiss on her lips. Annika kissed him back until he slipped his tongue between her lips, then she stiffened.
He pulled back. “What’s wrong?”
“My parents are in the next room.”
“So?”
“So I can’t do this,” she whispered.
He kissed her neck. “Do what?”
“This!” She squirmed as he lowered the shoulder of her gown and kissed her above her breast.
“You’re joking, right?”
“No, I’m not. I can’t do this. What if they’re listening?” As he nuzzled the peak of her breast she tried to push him away. Finally she grasped his hair and tugged until he raised his head.
He paused for a moment, his head cocked to one side listening for the slightest sound from the guest room next to theirs. “I don’t hear anything.”
“Exactly. Because they’re listening.”
“I don’t think so.” He dipped his head to kiss her deeply.
Against her will, Annika felt herself begin to relax as his heated kiss made her go liquid inside.
Buck lowered his mouth to her breast again. She slipped her arms around his neck.
“Feeling better?” he mumbled.
His mouth sent shivers through her from her neck to her toes. “You’ll be quiet, won’t you?”
“I’ll try,” he promised. “Just close your eyes and I’ll take your mindoff whether or not they might be listening.”
Annika closed her eyes and Buck made good on his promise.
COME SPRING
All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1992 by Jill Marie Landis.
Cover Design by: Stephanie Chang Design Ink, Honolulu
This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chap
ter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Epilogue
Come Spring Page 41
