And stare they did.
Most were friendly, and those who weren’t—Ruthann suspected—were more concerned about why she’d chosen to marry a man who’d been gone for more years than they remembered. She met each one with a gracious smile and a nod of her head.
Nate, she noticed, looked mostly straight ahead. But he seemed in control, and far less worried than she thought he’d seemed as they’d walked here.
She slid into a pew after Mama. It was their regular pew, right behind Norah’s family.
Norah turned as they sat. “Ruthann, Nate! It’s good to see you.” She lowered her voice. “And you’ve survived everyone’s curiosity.”
Ruthann smiled, grateful for her friend’s acknowledgment of the awkward situation. Even Nate seemed to relax now that it was spoken aloud. Stuart whispered something to him that brought a smile to his face, and Ruthann was filled with gratitude for both her brother and Norah. How could they ever feel uneasy with those they loved surrounding them?
They stood as the service began with singing. Nate sung along silently, but Ruthann let her voice mingle with everyone around them. Throughout the service, Ruthann’s mind bounced between soaking in the words and being conscious of every slight movement Nate made.
They sat so close together in the pew that Ruthann thought she could feel the warmth from his body, and she yearned for him to reach over and take her hand. The thought wouldn’t go away, even as she silently scolded herself for thinking such things during a church service, when her mind should be focused only on the service itself.
As the congregation stood to sing again, her wish was granted when Nate grasped hold of her hand. Ruthann nearly gasped out loud. She hardly dared venture a look at Nate, but curiosity got the better of her, and halfway through the joyous hymn, she turned her head ever so slightly to see him.
He was looking right at her.
Ruthann tripped over the words to the song as she quickly looked down. Hopefully he didn’t notice how surprised she was, but a furious heat overtook her cheeks even as she tried to continue singing.
Was it possible Nate still harbored feelings for her?
The idea was almost too overwhelming to consider here in the church, with everyone around them.
When the hymn finished, Nate ran a thumb over the back of her hand before letting go. Her skin seemed to tingle at the memory of his touch, and Ruthann thought she’d never forget the feeling, not as long as she lived.
The moment they left the pew, old friends, acquaintances, and people she hardly knew began to gather around to congratulate them and wish them well. Ruthann forced her mind back to the present, and with Norah and Mama flanking her on one side and Nate on the other, she greeted each person.
It truly was wonderful to know how much each one of them cared. And while she was certain most wondered why they’d married so quickly, not a soul mentioned the haste of the wedding.
Ruthann glanced at Nate often, taking note of how he stood and the look on his face as he spoke with everyone who stopped by. Stuart stood beside him, taking on a good part of the conversation, and seemingly putting Nate at a greater ease then he might have otherwise been. She wondered if he’d noticed Nate take her hand, and decided he must not have, or else he wouldn’t be smiling so broadly.
As the last of the congregation filtered by, she spotted someone watching from a distance—Sissy Flagler. The moment Ruthann caught her eye, Sissy’s frown turned into a smile. She didn’t come to greet them, instead turning back toward her father as they left the church.
Ruthann imagined Sissy still harbored sore feelings that her plan didn’t work out as she’d hoped. And there wasn’t much Ruthann could do about that except be as friendly as possible toward Sissy. Besides, as Norah had reminded Ruthann when she’d come to visit yesterday, Sissy’s attention would turn elsewhere as soon as she found a new man to pin her attentions onto.
They were some of the last people out of the church. Mama and Papa insisted Nate and Ruthann join them for Sunday dinner, to which Ruthann quickly agreed, considering she hadn’t thought to start anything before leaving for church. They whiled away a comfortable couple of hours, enjoying Mama’s cooking and the company of family. Watching Nate and Stuart in the parlor after the meal, Ruthann thought she hadn’t seen Nate more content since his arrival back in town.
When they left her parents’ home, Nate paused just outside the door and turned to Ruthann. “What would you say to a stroll along the river?”
“That sounds lovely.” Her heart leapt at the thought of spending time with him—and at his request. Besides, she wasn’t particularly looking forward to the housework that awaited her back at their apartment. She’d scoured the rooms from top to bottom all week, and now the regular work of laundering and dusting and sweeping needed doing.
They walked side-by-side past homes and businesses that were closed for the day. A light breeze ruffled wisps of Ruthann’s hair, and they nodded to other townsfolk who meandered along on their own Sunday strolls. They followed Eighth Street toward the river, passing the depot and climbing over the railroad tracks. Turning west to avoid the Smelting Works, they walked slowly along the riverbank.
“It’s awfully fast today,” Ruthann said, looking down at the brown and blue water churning quickly just below them.
Nate had paused, his gaze on the river. “I missed this. The spring melt, fishing, wading, seeing it become icy. All of it.”
His eyes held a faraway look, as if he were thinking of all the happy times he’d spent by this river. Ruthann smiled as one memory in particular surfaced in her own mind.
“I don’t suppose you’re nostalgic for pushing a friend’s sister into the muck?”
He blinked at her and then a smile split his expression. Laughing, he raised his hands. “If I remember correctly, I didn’t do the pushing. That was your brother.”
“Yes, but you egged him on,” Ruthann said primly. “And I got in such trouble for ruining my dress.”
Nate tilted his head. “As I remember, you got your revenge soon after. My hair smelled like rotten eggs for a week.”
