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looked at her with… with such admiration. Heat rose to her cheeks even now as she remembered his eyes upon her. No man had really looked at her before like that—like she was beautiful. Or if they had, she hadn’t paid attention. Yet the way Jonas had looked at her had been shocking. She’d been shocked because she’d believed him to be a married man. It only made sense with his beard. But now… her stomach flipped and flapped like laundry on a clothesline on a windy day. Knowing he was a widower changed everything.
    Hope placed a hand over her stomach, telling herself that she was simply hungry, but deep down she knew that was a lie. Her stomach flipped around as she tried to make sense of all her emotions. In one day’s time she’d been angry at Jonas for his bold look, and she’d been thankful for his thoughtfulness at finding her that quilt. Now sadness for the loss of his wife overshadowed both of those, and an interest in the handsome widower stirred her even more.
    Her mem and sisters’ voices continued to swirl around the room, and she blocked them out as she moved to the pantry. She pulled out a loaf of bread, put it on the bread board, and then moved to the closest drawer for a knife. Then, through the fog of voices, she heard his name again.
    â€œJonas Sutter,” Mem was saying, yet her voice was lower this time, as if she wore a soft smile.
    Without turning to discover the reason, Hope reached into the pantry and pulled a jar of peanut butter from the shelf. Let them talk about Jonas Sutter all they wanted. It didn’t really concern her,although part of her felt it did. After all, what if she hadn’t been there to pull Emma from the water? Should she feel responsible now to check in on Emma and her father?
    â€œHope!” At her mother’s raised voice, Hope realized that the room had fallen silent. Then her mother’s voice continued. “She must be lost in her thoughts. It’s been an eventful day,” Mem said.
    A sinking feeling came over Hope, and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Without turning, she sensed who stood behind her. Hope’s heart pounded against the walls of her chest and tremors danced through her stomach.
    â€œIt has been an eventful day,” a man’s voice broke through. “And that’s why Emma and I came to see her, to thank her.”
    â€œI helped Aenti Ruth Ann make Peanut Better cookies. They’re my favorite,” Emma’s small voice rang out.
    Hope turned slowly, wondering how she’d missed the front door opening and their guests being welcomed in. In the midst of her tuning them out, her mem and sisters had gone from talking about Jonas and Emma Sutter to talking to them.
    â€œPeanut Better cookies?” Grace giggled. “Don’t you mean peanut butter?”
    Emma held up a paper plate filled with cookies. “ Ne . We call them Peanut Better because we put in chocolate chips… which makes them even better than peanut butter.”
    Laughter filled the room, and Hope forced a smile. Even though she’d yet to look his direction Hope sensed Jonas’s gaze on her. Mem stood to his side, and her lips were tight as she attempted to hold back a smile. A knowing look danced in Mem’s eyes.
    â€œThat’s so kind of you, Emma.” Hope approached the young girl and leaned down. Emma’s large, brown eyes that had been filled with fear earlier today were now warm and happy. Theywere the color of the dimpled brown cowpea seeds Hope had ordered last year, hearing they grew well in the Southern states. But her results had been disappointing in the sandy soil of their backyard. The cowpeas had never flourished.
    Hope smiled, holding up the jar of peanut butter in her hand. “I do like peanut butter, and I was just going to make myself a sandwich. Would you like one?”
    Jonas cleared his throat. “That’s nice of you, but we just had