Adam quickly stepped away from Olivia.
With her face as red as a tomato, Olivia climbed the porch steps and hugged her friend. Adam drove the wagon to the barn while Olivia went inside with Annie.
Olivia was surprised but happy to see Cora and Boone in the kitchen. She realized then how much she missed them. She gladly went into Cora’s embrace and kissed Boone’s cheek. Stephen also hugged her.
Her mouth watered when she saw the feast of boiled potatoes, beef stew, fried chicken, boiled rice, and beans on the table. A huge jar of peach drink also occupied a part of the table.
They waited for Adam to return before they settled at the table. Olivia blushed when she noticed that Annie had left the chair beside hers for Adam to sit.
Self-conscious that Adam was so close to her she could perceive his musky scent, she tried to focus her attention on Cora seated opposite her. Boone was seated beside his wife while Stephen and Annie were seated at the heads of the table.
Boone said the grace and they started eating. A light conversation went around the table as well as ribbings. Olivia blushed deeply when the topic of Adam’s bachelor status rose.
“I tell you, I don’t know what he’s waiting for,” Cora said, gazing at her foster son keenly.
Olivia dared not look in Adam’s direction. She focused all her attention on her food.
“Maybe he hasn’t found the right girl,” Stephen teased and they all laughed.
Cora clicked her tongue. “Well, seeing how he’s more interested in his work, even if the right girl came along and fell at his feet, he still wouldn’t recognize her.”
Laughter burst out from everyone at the table. Olivia couldn’t help joining in the hilarity. Adam turned on his chair to look at her with laughing accusing eyes.
“You, too?”
She shrugged and placed her napkin across her mouth, trying to contain her laughter.
“Leave her alone,” Cora inserted with a twinkle in her eyes. “Very soon a nice man will sweep her into his arms, straight to the altar.”
Twin red spots stained Olivia’s cheeks. She looked at Adam and saw a thick frown across his face.
After that, the conversation became light-hearted. Olivia enjoyed hearing about the town and the early settlers.
When dinner was over, she joined Annie to wash the dishes while the others retired to the sitting room.
Olivia marveled at the large and tastefully furnished room when she joined the others. A fireplace occupied one side of the room while the chairs were centered around a small coffee table.
Olivia watched as Stephen and Adam played cards and bragged about beating the other. she sat close to Cora who questioned her about the orphanage.
“We’ll visit soon,” Cora said and leaned closer in her chair to whisper, “Have you given a thought to the discussion we had when we were picking berries some time ago?”
Heat infused Olivia’s face. She lowered her eyes and whispered, “Yes, I have. I’ve put it up to the Lord in prayers. Let His will be done in our lives.”
Cora smiled and patted her hand. “That’s the right course, my dear. We’re all in prayers concerning it.”
Olivia didn’t know what to say to that. Apparently, the entire Stanford family wanted her and Adam to be together. But she was beginning to see that she and Adam wanted different things.
Adam loved his job with a passion, and it would make him travel a lot. While she wanted a stable home with her husband at home at the end of the day and lots of children.
Am I not getting ahead of myself with such thoughts?
Recognizing that she was, she shook off the thoughts and engaged in light conversation with Cora and Annie.
Adam won the card game and then played with Boone and also won. Olivia clapped her hands while he took a bow. Everyone burst into laughter.
Soon it was time for her to return to the orphanage.
“Thank you so much, Annie, for inviting me over. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.” She hugged the pregnant woman on the porch as well as Cora, Boone, and Stephen.
