Free Embers of Love by Tracie Peterson Page A

suggesting that accidents have a way of happening, no matter how smart or careful people might be. You know the risks in your job. Your uncle and brother know them, too, yet all of you go out to work every day. Your father knew the risks and even had a choice to do something else. He chose to stay with logging.” She smiled. “I think maybe it’s time to consider that his death was simply one of those risks he was willing to take.”
    “Well, here you are,” Rob declared as he joined the twosome. “I’ve been lookin’ pert-near everywhere for you.”
    Lizzie held G. W.’s gaze for a moment longer, then cast a glance toward his brother. “Your sister brought me here, and it’s so much cooler here in the shade that I couldn’t help but linger. I’m afraid I’ve been talking your brother’s ear off.”
    Rob plopped down on the ground in front of Lizzie. “You can talk my ear off anytime you like.” He grinned. “I reckon that would suit me just fine.”
    Deborah saw Rob heading over to join G. W. and Lizzie and frowned, wishing it were her instead. She’d been swarmed by people all afternoon. Most folks wanted to welcome her back, but others were would-be suitors who seemed quite bold in rekindling previous acquaintances.
    “Miss Deborah, I wonder iffen you’d like to take a walk with me,” Sam Huebner asked.
    She looked up at the tall, lanky man. She’d known Sam for just about as long as anyone. His folks had been good friends with hers. “Hello, Sam. How are you?”
    His smile broadened. “So you remember me.”
    “Of course I remember you. You’ve hung around my brothers and worked for my family nigh on forever.” She noticed his brother working to spark an interest with one of the Perkins girls and nodded in that direction. “Looks like Stephen is sweet on Annabeth Perkins.”
    Sam followed her gaze. “He’s got rocks for brains. Ain’t no chance of courtin’ her, and he knows it.”
    “Well, I suppose a man can dream.” She turned back to Sam. “What of you? Have you settled down and married?”
    He turned red and shook his head. “No, ma’am. Wouldn’t be here talkin’ to you iffen I had.”
    Deborah spied her mother approaching from behind Sam. “Well, don’t worry, Sam,” she said, moving to the side. “One of these days the right gal will come along. If you’ll excuse me now, it looks like my mother needs me.”
    She was glad to hurry away before he could say anything else. When she reached her mother, Deborah couldn’t help but grin. “You saved my life.”
    “What in the world are you talking about?”
    Linking their arms, Deborah walked with her mother toward the tables of food. “Sam just asked me to take a walk with him. I needed an excuse not to go.”
    “But why? Sam’s a nice boy. You might have enjoyed a walk.”
    Deborah shook her head. “I don’t think so. He can’t even read.”
    “You would reject a man’s love because he couldn’t read? Your father couldn’t read very well, and yet I loved him.”
    Deborah felt chastised. “I’m sorry, Mama. I didn’t mean it to sound like that.” She let go of her mother’s arm. “I just . . . well, it’s so hard sometimes.” She looked around the gathering of people. “I wish I could explain it.”
    Her mother smiled and reached out to smooth back an errant strand of hair from Deborah’s face. “Why don’t you try?”
    “I’m glad to be home – truly I am.”
    “But . . .”
    “But . . . I don’t really know. Things feel different, yet they’re the same. I feel different, yet I’m the same.”
    Mother shook her head. “Nothing stays the same. It might have some of the same appearances, but changes are always taking place. The town’s grown a bit. There are new buildings and people. The mill has expanded. You’re older and, hopefully, wiser. You’re more educated and have experienced more than you had two years ago.”
    “I know, and maybe that’s part of the problem,” she said, feeling