Free Peaches in Winter by Alice M. Roelke

Besides, I promised I wouldn’t. And he certainly didn’t want to hurt her.
    With a sigh, he rose wearily from his chair, his muscles and joints as achy as though he’d run a marathon, even though he hadn’t done much of anything but write and ponder all day.
    He walked to the curtains and started to pull them. For a moment, he paused and looked out at the tree outside his window. He hadn’t looked at it—properly looked at it—for quite some time. It was a spindly thing, growing between his building and the next, in the thin strip of grass where he used to play as a boy. The tree looked cheerful despite its straitened circumstances. For some reason, it reminded him of Betty.
    Did everything remind him of Betty lately?
    He pulled the curtains quickly and turned away, swallowing.
    “Brother, you’ve got it bad,” Matt had said. He didn’t agree with that—still didn’t—but could see how he soon might, if nothing changed.
    For the life of him, he couldn’t think of a solution. Betty was a good girl, and he wanted to protect her—even from himself. He was definitely not the man for her.
    Still, in the whole mess, there was one good thing: Betty. She seemed so innocent, and it must be admitted, clueless, that he doubted she’d even notice his growing feelings toward her. Certainly, she wouldn’t have any of her own. How could she? She’d seen him at some of his worst moments…
    Although he tried to be kind and polite with her, letting her leave early today, complimenting her on her good food, and cleaning himself up for her, he knew he was no bargain, even at half price. He was gloomy and often rude without meaning to be.
    Maybe that was a good thing; even though he cared about Betty, she would never know it.
    But one thing was certain to him as he shuffled toward the kitchen to fetch a glass of milk and some of that wonderful cornbread. His life had certainly become a lot more complicated since Betty turned up on his doorstep!
     
     
     
    ~*~
     
     
     
     
    Despite a night of little sleep and too many tears, Betty Ann showed up the next day for work, carrying an armful of potted plants.
    She might not be cheerful or happy today, but that didn’t mean Jake—Mr. Watterson—couldn’t be. And if spring was coming too slowly, she would bring it to him.
    She knew he’d prohibited her from buying him things, but today she felt brave enough to disobey. Besides, she didn’t have any other option. She needed to fill her whole mind and heart with his affairs—or else risk wallowing in thoughts of Jimmy.
    She rang the doorbell.
    Jake answered the door with a scowl. He looked scruffy and tired. I thought he was taking better care of himself . She struggled to keep disappointment from showing on her face.
    Betty lifted the plants in her hands in a slight shrug. “I bought some plants to cheer up the house. I know you said not to, but—”
    “Yes, fine,” he growled, turning away and leaving the door hanging open.
    Betty Ann stared after him, the corners of her mouth turning down. He couldn’t stand the sight of her.
    She knew she wasn’t much, just a not-very-bright farm girl and certainly not very worldly, or intelligent, or well-read compared to him, but she’d started to think he was at least a little fond of her.
    She licked her lips anxiously. “I-I’m sorry if I’ve disturbed you. W-what would you like for lunch today?”
    “Whatever.” Jake skulked into the living room. It was tomb-like and dark again. He was having a relapse of grouchiness, wasn’t he? He didn’t seem to take care of himself properly when these depressive moods struck.
    She knew from Mrs. Robertson that he was a war vet, like many of his generation. She wondered if that was the reason for his dark times.
    Whatever the case, she worried about him. It wasn’t right for a healthy man to hide in the dark, or never go outside. That was something a sick person might do, and she hoped Jake—Mr. Watterson—wasn’t really sick,