He knew.
She hadn’t loved him the way he’d loved her. She hadn’t loved him enough to risk everything she was, everything she believed in.
With a sigh, he shifted. “Thank you for coming to visit, Katie.”
She stood up. “Can I get you anything? Is…is there anything you need?”
She felt her cheeks heat as the irony of the situation became apparent. It was obvious he needed a lot of things. But Brandon only nodded. “Maybe some water?”
“Oh. Sure.” She poured him a cupful. Standing up, she held it for him as he slowly sipped through the white straw. Then, as if that effort had exhausted him, he leaned back again. When his eyes started to close, she impulsively reached for his hand and held it between her own. “You…you are a right gut man, Brandon,” she whispered. “I…I am lucky to have known you.”
After another minute, when it was obvious he slept again, she slipped through the door. Quietly, she entered the elevator, felt so in a fog that she was barely aware of the curious looks in her direction.
Terry was waiting for her when she arrived back at the reception area. “Are you ready, Katie?”
“Jah.”
“All right then.” She followed and got into his car without a word.
The drive back to the restaurant passed in a blur as she thought of Brandon. Thought about how glad she was to have seen him.
And what a shame it was that the Lord would be calling him to heaven far too soon.
Chapter 14
Katie almost cut her finger to the bone when the back door opened without warning at one in the afternoon a few days later. Then, as she saw who entered, her hands got shaky for a whole other set of reasons. “Jonathan.”
“Hi there, Katie.”
He stood there silently, almost motionless. It gave her a moment to collect her thoughts. “Is everything all right with you? You’re home mighty early.”
He pulled on the neck of his shirt. “I am fine. I was, um wonderin’ if you would like to accompany me to the woods today. I thought I might gather some wood and such for a project I’m working on.”
Since she’d been at his house, Jonathan rarely spoke of anything other than the great amount of work he needed to accomplish. However, at the moment, he seemed mighty different than the usual man she thought she knew. Jonathan had a glow about him, and that glow caused all kinds of things to churn deep inside her. “A project for Christmas?”
“Actually…yes.” His lips twitched. “It’s a project for Christmas, to be sure.”
“What are you going to make?”
“It’s a secret.” Walking across the kitchen floor, his dusty boots making a mess on the planks that she’d just swept, he almost smiled. “Can you keep a secret, Katie?”
“Indeed I can.” Unable to help herself, Katie blinked once, twice more. Whatever had come over him? Ever since they’d argued about Winnie, things had been strained between them. Mealtimes had been near silent. Could he have finally decided to make amends? “I do enjoy a secret now and then.”
“I was hopin’ you’d say that. So, will you come even though snow still covers a lot of the land? Can you spare me the time?”
“Why, uh, jah.” Once again, his teasing manner caught her off guard. He was such a complicated man. True and loyal. Hardworking. At times, terribly brusque. But then, just like a shooting star in the dark night sky, he would tease and joke. Those comments would lighten his temperament just like a flash of light in the night sky.
To her pleasure, Jonathan continued to grin while the cat held her tongue. “It’s a pretty day. Gut day for a walk, even through the last of the snow.”
“Indeed. It is.” It would be wonderful to take a walk outside in the unexpected sunny day. Though it was terribly cold, she’d felt rejuvenated by the brilliant sunshine when she’d gone to gather eggs that morning.
And, of course, she was always hungry for companionship. No matter how she tried, Katie couldn’t help but miss the bustling activity of the inn. The constant comings and goings of the guests, the chatter from them and her family as well, the never-ending chores that took up much of her time and left little room for moments of loneliness.
But now…suddenly, he was offering—asking, actually—to spend time with her. That was something she couldn’t disregard and didn’t intend to ignore.
She’d come to realize that no matter what had come between them, the infatuation she’d once felt for him had grown to something deeper and stronger. “I’d like to help you with your project. I’ll get my cloak.”