Orchard Hill Volume Two Read online

  Orchard Hill: volume Two

  TITLE

  Orchard Hill

  Volume Two

  by

  Kara Lynn Russell

  TITLE

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business esta b lishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  Orchard Hill Volume Two

  COPYRIGHT © 2009 by Kara Lynn Russell

  Keeping Faith : An Orchard Hill Romance

  COPYRIGHT © 200 8 by Kara Lynn Russell

  Enduring Hope : An Orchard Hill Romance

  COPYRIGHT © 2008 by Kara Lynn Russell

  Accepting Charity : An Orchard Hill Romance

  COPYRIGHT © 2008 by Kara Lynn Russell

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or White Rose Publishing, a division of Pelican Ventures, LLC except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  eBook editions are licensed for your personal enjoyment only. eBooks may not be re-sold, copied or given away to other people. If you would like to share an eBook edition, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading an eBook edition, and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the publisher and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Contact Information:

  [email protected]

  Cover Art by Nicola Martinez

  White Rose Publishing, a division of Pelican Ventures, LLC

  www.whiterosepublishing.com

  PO Box 1738 *Aztec, NM * 87410

  Publishing History

  First White Rose Edition, 2009

  Print ISBN 1-60154-563-0

  Published in the United States of America

  Keeping

  Faith

  Prologue: Pansy

  Pansy Parker paused in pushing her cart down the grocery store aisle. She scanned the produce section in front of her, taking in the range of customers. She needed a new “project” to work on.

  Pansy and Misty Green, her nemesis in matchmaking, were keeping track of all the matches they made this year. The one with the most matches at the end of the year would be acknowledged by the other as the best matchmaker in town. Pansy didn’t intend to lose.

  Of course no one knew about this except for herself and Misty. But that was enough. No one else needed to know. She couldn’t wait to see Misty’s face at the end of the year when they totaled everything up and Pansy came out the winner.

  Now, who needed her services?

  Another cart turned in and crashed into her while she stood there lost in thought.

  She was startled to see a stranger—a man of about her age—pushing the offending cart. Her heart skipped a beat.

  “Excuse me,” he said, backing up. “I didn’t see you there.”

  She smiled at him, noting his full head of gleaming silver hair. Not many men their age still had all their hair. Okay his hairline had receded a bit, but not much. “That’s quite all right. I was just sitting here wool-gathering. I’m Pansy Parker.”

  The man returned her smile and extended his hand to her. “I’m Arthur Green. I’m in town visiting my daughter. I love her dearly, but she’s such a health nut. I’ve got to have some real food or I’m not going to last until I go back to Florida.”

  “What a shame. Now I’ve always thought that a man needs the kind of food that sticks to his ribs. I’m making pot roast for myself and my son tonight.”

  “Now that sounds heavenly.”

  “Would you like to join us?”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

  “Not at all, we’d love to have you.”

  “Well, in that case…”

  It wasn’t until Pansy had given Arthur her address and told him to be there by six, that she realized his last name was Green. There was only one health food obsessed woman in town with that last name—Misty Green! She’d just invited her rival’s father to dinner.

  TITLE

  Orchard Hill: volume Two

  Chapter 1

  Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

  —Hebrews 11:1 NIV

  “Dad, you have to listen to me. You need to get out.”

  “I get out,” Andrew Thomas protested, irritation lacing his voice. He didn’t want to spend this phone call with Robin talking about his social life—or lack of one.

  “Sure you get out—to school board meetings and PTA potlucks.”

  “What’s wrong with PTA potlucks? Besides, as principal of the elementary school, I really do have to attend.” He swore he could hear the nineteen-year-old’s eyes rolling.

  “Dad, I really appreciate all the attention you gave me when I was growing up. I know being a single parent is tough. But now that I’ve moved out, don’t you think it’s time for you to find a new focus?”

  Andrew frowned. “Like what? A hobby?”

  “A date, Dad. Go on a date.” Robin sighed. “I know how much you loved Mom, but she’s been gone a long time. She wouldn’t want you to be alone.”

  “So that’s what this is about? You don’t think the old man can take care of himself now that you’ve gone away to college.”

  “I know you can take care of yourself,” Robin said, as if she were talking to a very slow child. Andrew’s annoyance meter went up a notch. “I just don’t want you to be alone. You deserve to get out, enjoy yourself a little.”

  “I like my life the way it is.”

  “Then why don’t you find someone to share it with?”

  Exasperation mingled with affection filled him. Robin was a great kid, the best daughter he could ask for. She was only acting like this because she loved him, he reminded himself.

  “Okay, if I promise to ask someone out on a date, can we talk about something else?”

  “Will you really do it?”

  Andrew shrugged. “Sure.”

  “I think we both know who you should ask.”

  “Really? I don’t have any ideas.”

  “Oh, come on, Dad.”

  “I’ll give it some thought.”

  He was grateful when Robin allowed him to steer the conversation to more normal topics then, such as her classes, her grades and her social life. When he finally hung up the phone, he had a smile on his face.

  He was so proud of his daughter. She’d hinted that he’d given up things for her, but Andrew couldn’t imagine anything else he’d have rather done than spend all the time he had with her. Now she was grown, and he’d probably only see her on holidays and over the summer. A wave of loneliness did sweep over him then.

  Maybe Robin was right. Maybe he should try to develop a bit of a social life. A date, though? Well, he’d promised. She’d reminded him of it before they had said good-bye.

  Now who was he going to find that would go out on a date with him? His administrative assistant, Faith Fielding flickered into his mind. Faith was far more than just a secretary to him. She’d come to him, a widow with a young son, trying to rebuild her life after her husband’s unexpected death in a work-related accident, and she’d been there for him when his own wife had died after a short illness. Over the years they had become close friends. She’d helped him out when he needed a woman’s perspective for Robin, and he’d helped her with her son, Kevin. She was, in fact, his best friend.

  Yes, Andrew reflected, he should definitely talk to Faith. She’d know who he should ask.
/>   ****

  On Monday morning, Andrew sauntered into the office, a mug of coffee in hand. Faith was already at her desk, going over the calendar for the week and putting together the morning’s announcements.

  Soon, the halls of Orchard Hill Elementary would be filled with children—laughing, crying, shouting children. He thrived on it. But once the busy school day started, it would be difficult to have a personal conversation with Faith.

  “Can you come into my office for a minute?” he asked.

  She looked up at him and smiled. “Sure.”

  Andrew loved her smile. Faith’s smile could light up a room. She was a pretty woman, with softly curling brown hair and friendly blue eyes. Her presence made the school office feel warm and welcoming. No wonder the children adored her.

  He settled himself behind his desk, and Faith took a chair on the opposite side, a pad of paper and a pen in her hand.

  “What’s up, Andrew?” she asked.

  “Well, this is a personal matter,” he admitted. “Robin asked me to do something, and I need your advice.”

  “Oh, how is Robin doing?” asked Faith eagerly. “I got an email from her last week, and it sounded like her classes were going well.”

  “Yes, she’s fine,” Andrew told her. Normally, he would be happy to go on about his daughter. But now, he wanted to put this promise behind him.

  “I’m so glad. I know she was nervous about going away this fall, but Robin’s got your charm, Andrew. She must have oodles of friends already.”

  “And admirers lining up to carry her books,” Andrew added wryly. “But as I was saying, she made me promise something last night, and I want to take care of it.”

  “Oh?” Faith tilted her head at him, curiosity in her eyes. “What did you promise?”

  “I promised to go out on a date.”

  Faith felt herself go still. A date? Her heart sped up. For years, she’d been hoping Andrew would ask her out. Was this it? Was it finally going to happen?

  Wait a minute. Did she want him to ask her out just because Robin told him he needed to go on a date? But maybe it wasn’t that way. Maybe it was more that she’d given him her blessing. Faith knew Andrew would never get involved with someone Robin didn’t like.

  Oh, who was she kidding? She’d take a date with Andrew any way she could get it. Even when she’d first started at the school, she thought Andrew was strikingly handsome. In the ten years they’d worked together, his salt and pepper hair had gone completely to silver. But she thought it looked great on him and made his gorgeous dark blue eyes stand out even more.

  But, as handsome as she thought he was, physical appearance was the least of the reasons Faith loved him. His sterling character, charismatic personality and generous heart drew her to him. “So who’s the lucky lady?”

  “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” Andrew leaned over the desk, and Faith found herself drawn to him as if he were a magnet and she a hunk of steel. “I wanted to ask you…”

  “Yes?” Her voice came out barely louder than a whisper.

  “I wanted to ask you…who I should ask.”

  Faith leaned back until she felt the solid wood of the chair behind her. “You want me to tell you who you should ask out on a date?”

  “Yes. Surely you have a friend or know someone…”

  Why not me? Faith wanted to scream. But she couldn’t. Instead she rose and said, “Andrew, that is a decision you have to make for yourself.”

  He had the nerve to look surprised. Faith was tempted to smack him over the head with her pad of paper.

  “You mean you won’t help me?”

  “No, Andrew. You’ll have to find your own date. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have things to do to before the bell rings.” She strode out of his office, out of the school office and down the hall to the supply closet. Faith stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Then, she actually locked it.

  She wanted to scream, but even here she’d be overheard. She’d have to wait until she was home, and then she could scream into her pillow until her voice was hoarse if she felt like it. She counted to ten and didn’t feel better. She counted to one hundred and still didn’t feel better. She paced furiously and even punched a roll of craft paper. Ouch. That definitely didn’t make her feel better.

  Why should she be surprised that Andrew hadn’t thought of asking her out? When had he ever thought of her as a woman? When he’d needed someone to take Robin shopping for new bras or to give her the talk about the birds and the bees; that was when.

  There was a mirror on the back of the door. Faith stared into it for a minute. She wasn’t a beauty queen, but surely she was still good looking enough for a man to notice that she was a woman, for crying out loud. Forty was looming on the horizon, and she knew her curves were a little fuller than before, and a few laugh lines were beginning to show, but still…

  Faith turned away from the mirror. Whatever it took to catch Andrew’s eye, she didn’t have it.

  Dropping her head, Faith said a quick prayer. “Lord, I don’t know what to do about all of this. Just help me hold it together today, and I’ll sort it all out with you later.”

  Finally, she felt a little better. She took a deep breath and unlocked the door.

  ****

  Andrew stared at the empty chair where Faith had been sitting. She’d left in a hurry. What happened? Was she mad at him? Had he done something lately that upset her? Maybe that was why she was refusing to help him find a date.

  “Excuse me.”

  Looking up, he saw a woman standing in the doorway. Her brown hair, highlighted with red, fell just past her shoulders. She smiled at him. “I’m here to speak to Mrs. Lindeman’s class. Can you tell me how to find it?”

  Realization dawned. This was Harmony Solberg, the host of “At Home with Harmony,” a regional television program that was quite popular with Orchard Hill residents. She’d just recently moved into town.

  “I’ll be happy to take you there myself.” Where was Faith? It wasn’t like her to leave her desk for long without telling him.

  “Thank you.”

  “What are you speaking about today, Ms. Solberg,” he asked as they made their way down the hall.

  “Nutrition. I’m going to be explaining the food pyramid and giving the children a few simple recipes they can try at home.” She smiled at him. “With proper adult supervision, of course.”

  Andrew returned her smile. “Of course. Do you speak at schools often?”

  “Oh no. I’m not really experienced with children. But Mrs. Lindeman was very persuasive.”

  “I’m sure she was. She’s extremely enthusiastic in pursuing anything she thinks will help her students. Are you very busy now? Are you taping a new season of ‘At Home with Harmony,’ perhaps?”

  She shook her head. “I’ve retired from television, at least for a while. I’m writing a cookbook.”

  “Really? That sounds wonderful.”

  “I’m sure it would seem very boring to most people.”

  Andrew felt an idea form. “Not at all. I’d love to hear more about it.”

  “Really?” Harmony looked skeptical.

  “Yes. Maybe I could take you out to dinner sometime.”

  “Is this the way you treat all your guest speakers, Mr…?”

  “Thomas. I’m Andrew Thomas.” He was botching this. It had been so long since he’d asked anyone out—more than twenty years. “And no, I don’t usually ask out guests at my school.” He thought about trying to play it cool and realized what a hopeless attempt that would be. “To be honest, I haven’t asked anyone out since before my daughter was born. She’s a freshman at college this year and thinks I need to get out more. She made me promise to ask someone out on a date.”

  That’s right. He’d only promised to ask someone out. If Harmony said no, he’d still have fulfilled his promise and he’d be free.

  “I assume you don’t have a wife? I wouldn’t think so, but it never hurts to ch
eck.”

  “No, my wife passed away about eight years ago.”

  “That’s a long time to go without a date.”

  Andrew shrugged. “I was busy raising Robin. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you. It was inappropriate. Here’s Mrs. Lindeman’s.” He was about to open the door for her when she stopped him.

  Harmony reached into her purse and pulled out a card. She handed it to Andrew. “I admire your honesty. I think I would like to have dinner with you, Andrew. Please give me a call—if you still want to, that is.”