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.
“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 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
Smashwords: Shanna Hatfield’s Profile