by Kris Kendall
~***~
An hour later, Channie still hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Hunter, but she spotted Lovie Schmidt’s family. Lovie was not with them.
When Momma started in on Abby for losing track of the trips, Channie jumped to her feet. “I’ll go look for ‘em.”
She headed straight for the barn.
Lovie's high-pitched giggle boiled Channie’s blood. But it was the husky sound of Hunter’s voice that drove a knife through her heart.
“Pleeease, Lovie. You’re making me crazy.”
Channie froze then took a shaky breath and peeked through a gap between the rotting boards of the barn door. Dust motes swirled in the golden hued light of the setting sun.
Hunter pressed Lovie against the back wall. He held her wrists above her head with one hand and tangled the other in her hair.
Lovie’s lips parted as she lifted her chin.
Hunter kissed his way up her throat to her mouth.
Channie turned and fled into the lengthening shadows of the woods. Brambles snagged the fabric of her new dress and clawed at her skin; but she barely felt it. Why would Hunter practically propose to her then run off and do that with Lovie?
