Free Harvest of Hearts by Laura Hilton Page B

smirked, and his gaze darted to Mamm and the table as he stepped inside. “Oh, you’re baking. I haven’t had cookies in I don’t know how long.” He glanced at his watch. “I am a bit early, but you said something about kittens?”
     
    Shanna gestured to Mamm. “Mamm, this is Nate. He’s a friend from school. Nate, this is my mamm, um, mom.”
     
    “Sit down and help yourself.” Mamm headed for the gas-powered refrigerator. “Care for some milk with your cookies, or would you rather have koffee?”
     
    “Uh….” Nate’s brow lifted questioningly, and he glanced at Shanna.
     
    “I need to get ready.” Shanna indicated her clothes. “I’ll be right back.” She darted out the door and ran toward the barn. She needed to take a shower and put some normal clothes on. Maybe jeans and a T-shirt. Nate had said something about going to the movies. She’d been so out of the loop that she had no clue what was playing. And it wasn’t just because she’d moved out here or because she had barely any cash to spare. Even in Springfield, she’d been so busy with school, studying, dating, and trying to get at least a little more involved in a church. She’d started attending the college-age Bible study, at least. But she pushed the thought away. Her parents would never believe her recent lack of attention to God.
     
    If they went to the movies, Nate would probably let her choose, unless there was something he wanted to see and would prefer not watching alone.
     
    Chances of it being a romantic comedy?
     
    Not good.
     
    A shadow moved in the dark recesses of the barn, and Shanna jumped. The next moment, a form stepped into the dim light.
     
    “I caught the kittens for you.” Matthew held out a box, and Shanna could hear the kittens mewing inside.
     
    “You scared me.”
     
    Matthew chuckled in a short, abbreviated way. Actually, it was more of a bark. “Sorry.”
     
    He didn’t sound sorry. “Nate’s waiting. I need to get ready to go. I’ll be right down.”
     
    Matthew nodded. “I’ll take this box to the workshop, then, and make sure they don’t escape.”
     
    “Danki.” She turned toward the apartment door.
     
    He moved a step closer. “You smell gut. Like peanut butter cookies.”
     
    Her breath caught. How he’d managed to detect that aroma in a barn full of animal smells, Shanna didn’t care to figure. She waved a hand toward the house. “Go help yourself. I made plenty.”
     
    “For Deborah’s bake sale?”
     
    “Extra. For the family.”
     
    His grin could have lit the barn. “Guess there’s some hope for you, after all.”
     
    Hope? For what? She frowned and reached for the doorknob. “Maybe you’d better wait until you taste them to make a final opinion.” With that, she opened the door and hurried up the stairs.
     
    ***
     
    Matthew peered out the upstairs window at the car turning into the driveway. Shanna and Nate had been out later than he’d expected them to be, though why he’d had expectations, he didn’t know. She had the right to date, even if it meant that he suffered through visits from the green-eyed monster.
     
    Nate seemed to be the perfect gentleman. He got out of the car and came around to the passenger side to open the door for Shanna. She accepted his hand as he helped her out and then stood there beside the car, talking with him. And then he leaned in for what appeared to be a kiss.
     
    Matthew clenched his fists. It was a quick kiss, an innocent peck. They were saying good-bye and thought no one was watching.
     
    Matthew didn’t mean to see their kiss. He hadn’t expected there to be a kiss, or he would have moved away sooner. He wished he had, not only out of guilt for spying, but also because it added to this strange sense of jealousy that haunted him.
     
    Shanna eased away, then shut the car door. Her lips moved, but it didn’t appear as if she was scolding Nate for taking such liberties. Then, with a smile, she turned and walked