Free Shadow of Shame: Book 1 of the Shadow series by Barbara Goss Page A

This is a wonderful thing you’re doing.”
    Jonas actually blushed, and her heart pounded harder; what a wonderful man!
    One of the women in our church has three little girls, all of them older than four. I’ll ask her if she has anything to donate to a worthy cause. I can’t wait to tell my father what a wonderful man we have living among us.”
    Jonas looked to Ivy as though he were speechless. She thought his behavior typical of a generous man, shy about receiving praise.
    Jonas looked thoughtful, and said, “I need just one more favor.”
    “Name it,” Ivy said. She looked into those beautiful brown eyes—how could she refuse him? She’d thought him wonderful before, but now she was totally smitten, and she had to have this man. No other man would do. Not only was he handsome and charming, but now he was a philanthropist as well.
    “You're going to the barn dance with Boyd tonight, right?”
    “I couldn’t think of an excuse to say no fast enough—”
    “My favor is to be very careful. Watch out for him—I’m serious, don’t let him get too…” Jonas fumbled for words.
    “Familiar?” she asked.
    “Yes, exactly. My friend, Quinn, will be there, should you need help.”
    How bad was Boyd? She didn’t care much for him, but had no idea she needed to be warned about him. “Help? Now you’re scaring me. Just how bad is he?”
    “I’m not sure.” He grimaced. “He’s just used to hanging around a different type of woman, and that worries me. I can only hope he knows how to behave with a decent woman.”
    Was there no end to this man’s benevolence? Since he was worried about her, it must mean he cared about her, too, which gave her some encouragement.
    “I promise,” she said. “But now I need another favor.”
    Jonas laughed. “We’ll be trading favors forever.”
    Ivy was tempted to say, “I hope so,” but she knew that would be too obvious.
    “What’s the favor?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye, and a smile that Ivy found irresistible.
    “I’d like to come out and see the little girl.”
     
     
     

Chapter 8
     
     
    Jonas didn’t know how to answer Ivy. “Well, I’m just getting her settled—”
    “Oh, I don’t mean today, or anything,” Ivy said. “I would like to eventually meet her, and make her feel welcome. I love children. I teach a Sunday School class for five-year-olds.”
    Jonas jumped at the chance to change the subject. “You have a Sunday School at your church? Mine is thinking of starting one.”
    “What church do you go to?”
    “I drive to Trinity Church.”
    “Why do you go that far when Grace is just a few minutes away?”
    “It’s only a few miles. I direct the music there.”
    “I wish you would come to our church; my father would love it. We don’t have a choir director—we don’t even have a choir yet. Our piano player's about to retire, and we don’t know who we’ll get when he does.”
    “I went there years ago when it was still in the old building. I’m quite comfortable at Trinity, but I'm disappointed that there's no Sunday School for Zoe.”
    “Her name's Zoe?”
    He nodded.
    “I would love it if I could take her to our Sunday School.”
    Jonas took a few minutes to think about how he should answer. He would naturally like for Zoe to attend, but he didn’t know how advanced she was for a four-year-old. He did know she’d be five in a few months, though, and it would help him seeing Ivy regularly, as well. He wondered if she'd be put off by Zoe’s race. Some people still weren't accepting of people who were different. Indians in the area were still treated harshly in town. He thought it sad.
    “I like the idea, at least until my church decides to start one. They seem to be dragging their feet on this, and I don’t know why. I think it’s causing families with children to switch over to other churches, and no church wants to lose its people.”
    “I’ll need to see how advanced she is,” Ivy said. “I’ve no way of