Planted with Hope

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Book: Read Planted with Hope for Free Online
Authors: Tricia Goyer
dinner—”
    â€œI want one!” Emma stepped forward. “Dat, just a half a sandwich, ple-e-ease.”
    Hope smiled and turned back to the counter. “We can share one.”
    â€œEmma.” Jonas sighed. “We came to bring Hope these cookies and thank her for today, not to cause more work for her.”
    â€œAs if making a sandwich is a lot of work. It’s no trouble at all,” she shot back before remembering they had an audience. Mem, Dat, and her four sisters all sat in silence, watching the exchange. Feeling the tension of their presence, Hope sliced two pieces of bread and spread them with peanut butter.
    Hope called over her shoulder. “Jonas, would you like some?”
    Jonas cleared his throat again, and he took the plate of cookies from Emma’s hands and placed it on the counter. “Actually, that does sound good. If it’s not too much trouble.”
    â€œOf course it’s not. I hope peanut butter and jelly is fine.”
    â€œMy favorite!” Emma called out.
    Jonas smiled. “ Ja , that’s fine.”
    â€œWhy don’t you three take it out back?” Mem bustled to the back door, opening it wide. “I bet Emma would love to see the flowers you’ve planted, Hope.”
    Heat rose up the back of Hope’s neck again, only this time it wasn’t from the sun. “Oh, they’re really not much, Mem.”
    â€œI’d like to see them,” Jonas’s words came quick. She didn’t turn to look, but she wondered if he was still watching her. Was the same glimmer of interest evident in his eyes as it had been earlier today?
    Hope’s heartbeat clattered. “If that’s what you want.” She smeared the jelly onto the bread and sliced the sandwiches into triangles.
    â€œI should say… I’d like to see them if you don’t mind.” He stepped forward to help her with the sandwiches, placing them on a paper plate.
    â€œOf course not.”
    Don’t look at him. Don’t look for the same look in his eyes that you saw earlier. The Sutters are just being neighborly—that’s all.
    Jonas moved toward the back door, and Emma skipped beside him as if being in the Miller’s home was the most natural thing in the world. When Hope had been Emma’s age, she’d been too timid to act natural around strangers. Then again, who was she fooling? She still was.
    Thankfully, she’d found a few good friends in Pinecraft, and they liked to go to the beach together. They didn’t have to talk much. Instead, they just enjoyed the simple pleasure of lifting up their skirts a bit and walking in the waves.
    But she’d never had a male friend, or even a child as a real friend for that matter. But as she joined the young father on the back porch Hope couldn’t help but be thankful that they’d stopped by.
    They took a brief tour of Hope’s flower garden before they took their plates over near the swing and chairs. Hope sat in thechair and motioned for them to take the swing, which could fit two people.
    â€œDat says he’s going to teach me to swim when we get back to Kentucky,” Emma said. She plopped onto the white porch swing that Dat had made for Mem as a Christmas gift.
    â€œThat’s not for a few months yet.” Jonas sat next to his daughter, and then he pulled a sandwich off the plate and took a big bite. “We’re going to be in Pinecraft for a while, remember.”
    â€œYou have to stay. You’re the new schoolteacher.” The words shot out of Hope’s mouth before she realized what she was saying. “But, of course, you know that.”
    â€œ Ja .” Jonas nodded. “It’s not something I’ve ever done before, but I told my sister that if she was open to my unconventional ways I’d take her place.”
    â€œTake her place?”
    â€œ Ja , it’s Ruth Ann’s classroom that I’m taking over. Her

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