She let out a long sigh. “All right. What do you think about inviting Judas out here for dinner?”
“We’ve had him over hundreds of times over the years. That’s not a problem at all.”
“I know. But this time, it would be different ... don’t you think? Since we’re courting and all?”
Havyn waved it off. “I think it’s a perfect idea. Especially if you’re thinking of him seriously ... we better get used to having him around.”
“All right then. Decision made. I’ll send a note back inviting him here for dinner.” But she didn’t want to. Not really.
“I’ll let the family know.” Havyn waved and headed back toward the house as if nothing was strange or awkward.
Whitney’s stomach did little flips inside her. Why was she so nervous?
Hours later, she’d worked herself into a frenzy. Head throbbing, she headed to the bath chamber inside the house. Maybe a long, hot soak would ease the tension.
In the tub, her thoughts went back to Mama. And then Granddad. Then images of Garrett Sinclair tortured her. As she shivered in the water, she couldn’t get the thought of his tight grasp on her out of her mind.
So she scrubbed her skin as hard as she could with thesoap. Then dunked her head and scrubbed her hair. Envisioned washing him away like that dirt.
What she really wanted was to go back to her room and hide for the rest of the evening. Tuck the bottle of whiskey into bed with her and try to forget her troubles.
God, help me. Please.
Silence greeted her. She wanted to think that He’d abandoned her too. It was easier to be angry that way. But after she’d talked with Dad about her drinking, she could feel her heavenly Father chiseling away at the wall she’d built around her heart.
Whitney wanted to be normal again.
Wanted to feel things again.
Wanted to be free of this anxiety and pain.
So why must she go through it over and over? It didn’t make any sense.
With a long exhale, she got up out of the tub and dried off. Judas would be there soon. Thankfully, her sisters were preparing the meal because she really didn’t have the heart or the energy.
When he’d first asked to court her, she’d thought it would be a good idea. She wanted to fall in love like her sisters. But nothing sparked with Judas. He was their old family friend. All the money and power he held just didn’t matter to her.
Nothing really seemed to matter right now.
No. That was a lie. Peter mattered. Helping him had mattered.
She shook off the thoughts. Tonight was not about Peter. Time to wrap her mind around Judas Reynolds coming to dinner.
Dinner had been lovely, with the whole clan that made up his intended’s family now. At least, that’s what Judas hoped to convey to the mob of people that were entirely too goody-goody for him.
“Lovely dinner.”
“Thank you for the lovely time.”
“Delicious. The food was divine.”
His cheeks hurt from all the smiling and cooing he’d done.
So why did Whitney still seem ... distant? She should have fallen in line with his plan much sooner than this. And frankly, he was running out of patience.
First, there was Ruth and her sad eyes. Then Powell’s other children, who were sweeter than ice cream and begged for his attention. John and Daniel sat there smiling and nodding through the entire performance. As if that was how everyone acted every meal.
What waswrongwith these people?
