A Time to Heal(5)

"The veteran's hospital," Chris said.

"Yes! You're Chris!" She turned to Matthew. "I met him when I went to the veteran's hospital for tests. Before my last surgery."

Turning back, she beamed at him. "Chris, this is my husband, Matthew. Matthew, this is Chris. I'm sorry. I don't remember your last name."

"Matlock."

"And this is Hannah, my sister-in-law."

Chris nodded at Hannah.

"Last time I saw you, you were in a wheelchair," Jenny said.

"You too."

"Yes, those weren't the days, huh?" She sighed and then smiled. "I'm putting supper on the table. Why don't you join us and tell us what you're doing here in Paradise."

Chris glanced at Matthew and saw that the man still regarded him with suspicion. Many of the Amish men he'd seen that day all seemed to wear a rather stern look, but this one could top them all.

Jenny slipped her arm into Matthew's and looked up at him."Chris talked me through an anxiety attack while I waited for the doctors. I don't know what I would have done if he hadn't been there."

Matthew's expression softened as he looked at his wife, then at Hannah, and he nodded slowly. When he looked at Chris it seemed to him that the other man looked less grim. "Ya, join us, Mr. Matlock."

"Chris," he said, relaxing.

"Chris," Matthew said after a moment.

Turning, Matthew started to walk out of the barn, but his foot kicked something. He bent down, picked up a black book, and turned to the first page. Then he frowned.

When he looked at Chris, the suspicion clearly returned. "I thought you said your name is Chris Matlock," he said in an accusing tone.

Chris took his Bible from Matthew's hands.

"It is. This belonged to a friend of mine."

He tucked it into his backpack and, without looking at them again, walked out of the barn.





Hannah watched as the stranger left.

"I think you've offended him," she told her brother quietly.

"What do you expect from me?" Matthew demanded. "What was I supposed to think?"

"I think you should apologize."

Throwing his hands in the air, Matthew turned and strode from the barn.

Looking at Jenny, Hannah raised her brows. "I haven't seen him like that in years. Not since a boy picked on me in school one day."

Jenny looked thoughtful. "Not a bad thing to see even if Chris didn't deserve it."

She glanced at Hannah, reached over, and plucked something from Hannah's hair that peeked from under her kapp. With a twinkle in her eye, she handed a piece of hay to her. "I can't wait to hear what happened up in that loft."

Hannah put her hands on her hips and frowned. "Not you too!"

Her sister-in-law slipped her arm through Hannah's and led her from the barn.

"Oh, I can't resist teasing you. To think the prim and proper Hannah got discovered up in a loft with a handsome man."

"You make me sound—stuffy."

Laughing, Jenny shook her head. "You're not." She glanced at Hannah. "It's just that you're usually a bit reserved, that's all. Though you surely weren't when you shouted at Matthew.I saw a new side to both of you today."

"He was—maddening. There's no need for Matthew to get upset. I wasn't in any danger."

Jenny squeezed her arm. "I know. I chatted with Chris for probably no more than a half hour that day at the hospital, but I got a really good feeling about him from the way he talked me down from that anxiety attack. He knows what it's like."

Hannah frowned. "You said the hospital had veterans?"

"Yes. He was in the military. The Army. He might still be a soldier for all I know and on R&R. A vacation," she explained.

"I have no idea."

"Army?" Hannah didn't realize she'd stopped walking until Jenny stumbled and caught herself. "He's a soldier?"

She supposed that explained the man's strength, for he'd caught her with one hand, held her, then reached down with his other hand and pulled her up and over onto the loft floor with little effort.

Time had stood still as she'd stared up into his eyes, terrified to feel herself hanging high above the barn floor, her feet dangling in the air.

Then, as she lay breathless on the hay, she'd continued to stare into intense brown eyes boring into hers, and she'd felt a connection—a soul-to-soul connection—with this man like she'd never felt with another.

Matthew had asked if Chris had hurt her, but from the time he'd grasped her hand she had known she was safe with him.She didn't know why. She just did.

Hannah's cheeks warmed as she remembered how his hand had touched her cheek. He had looked so concerned.

Jenny nudged her. "What are you thinking?"