Unexpected Hope (Book 2 in the Red Valley series)

Chapter 7

Levi leaned against one of the posts of the front porch with his arms crossed over his chest and watched Hope with his little girl. It seemed as if they really liked each other. Smiling he pushed off the post and began to slowly walk toward them. As he neared them, he could hear the giggles and it truly warmed his heart. Ellie had never known the love of her mother, never known anything but scorn. Levi could only pray that regardless of how things developed between him and Hope, that the fragile bond forming between his daughter and his wife would only strengthen. All day he'd been worried and had to literally make himself stay away from the house and force himself to work.

At the sound of someone clearing their throat both girls stopped and turned around to see Levi standing with his back against the tree and his arms crossed over his chest. He took his index finger and tipped the brim of his hat up allowing the fading light to fall across his face showing the little crinkles around his eyes. Hope felt little flutters in her stomach when those eyes moved from Ellie to her. Remembering the way his body had looked in the golden glow of the lamp light this morning caused a slow flush to creep up her neck

"Um, if you two will excuse me, I'll just run back to the house and finish dinner."

"I'll go with you and help." Ellie said.

"No." Hope said quickly. Then seeing the hurt cross the little girls face, she amended. She got down on her knees in front of Ellie. "I thought you might want to spend time with your Papa since you haven't seen him all day." Ellie's face lit up as Hope leaned forward and kissed her forehead. She was completely unaware of the slate blue eyes that followed the sway of her hips as she walked back to the house.

"Did you have fun today with Hope?"

"Yes Papa, I don't think I've ever had so much fun. I helped clean up the kitchen then we made bread and she helped me with my letters and numbers, then we came down here to swing."

"So does this mean you like her and want her to stay?"

"Oh, yes Papa. I don't ever want Hope to leave."

"That's a really good thing because I don't think I do either."

"Papa? When can I have a baby brother or sister?"

Levi's eyes bulged as he took a deep breath and tried to figure out how to tell his little girl that she would never have any brothers or sisters. "Um, we just got married so we'll just have to wait and see. Now, why don't we go get washed up and see if we can help Hope do anything with dinner?"

After they'd eaten dinner and the kitchen had been cleaned, Hope asked Levi to get the copper tub and put it in the kitchen so that Ellie could take a bath. Ellie had just sat down in the warm water when Hope told her she would be right back. A few minutes later she came back with a small bottle. "What's that?"

Smiling, Hope knelt down beside the tub. "It's vanilla bath salts, I thought you might want to try some in your bath water." Ellie nodded and Hope sprinkled some in the water then helped bathe and wash her hair. They were sitting in front of the fireplace with Hope brushing Ellie's hair as it dried when Levi walked into the front parlor taking in the scene before him.

It was such a relief to have help with his daughter. The child was starved for the love and approval of a mother. His heart warmed a little more towards his new wife. She had been a little quiet at dinner and that had worried him until he noticed the flush in her cheeks and he remembered the way her eyes drank in every detail of his body that morning. He needed to think of something else before he went in there to talk to them or he would be the one embarrassed. This just might be a little harder than he thought it would.