Hart's Harbor. Deb Kastner

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СКАЧАТЬ been dangling rings over my belly, if that’s what you mean.” There was general laughter over Wendy’s referral to the old wives’ tale of rocking and circling rings. “However, if I were to guess, I’d guess I’m carrying a boy.”

      Constance groaned loudly, and Gracie elbowed the middle-aged woman playfully in the ribs.

      “Well, how would you like to have all boys?” Constance whispered. “I only had one, and he was all I could keep up with.”

      Unexplainably, a crystal-clear image of three adorable black-haired, amber-eyed ragtag boys wrestling with each other entered her head, and she smiled softly. “That might not be so bad.”

      “I wouldn’t mind another boy,” Wendy said, and Gracie wondered if she’d heard Constance’s comments. “My little guys are the light of my life. Besides, it’s just a feeling. Robert thinks it’s a girl. The baby is a gift from God, whether a boy or a girl,” she reminded them softly.

      “Of course,” Gracie agreed, darting a glance at Constance. “What matters is that the baby, boy or girl, is born healthy.”

      “From your mouth to God’s ears,” agreed Wendy, squeezing her eyes closed for a moment.

      The party quickly got under way, and the women played a couple of goofy baby shower games that Gracie would just as soon have skipped, but seemed to be perennial favorites of the old-timers.

      They guessed the length of yarn needed to wrap around the mom-to-be’s waist. They matched famous mothers and children from history—Gracie won that one, and received a pretty crystal candle holder in the shape of a swan.

      And then there was the one Gracie disliked the most—anyone caught saying the word baby lost the pacifier around her neck to the lucky woman who’d heard the word uttered. Gracie was far too much of a talker not to say the word baby at a baby shower, and it annoyed her to have to try. But she was a good sport, and since she could only lose her coveted pacifier necklace once, it didn’t stop her from talking up a storm.

      Robert was supposed to be in charge of picking up the cake from the local bakery, but he had not yet arrived with it, so the ladies settled in to some good, old-fashioned gift opening.

      “You handled that whole Dr. Kyle thing pretty cleanly,” Constance said, leaning in for a conspiratorial whisper.

      “Hart? How’s that?”

      “You know what I mean.” Constance nudged her playfully on the shoulder.

      Gracie chuckled. “Yes, I guess I do. I’m glad they believed me, that Kyle and I are just friends.”

      “Oh, no, sweetie, they don’t believe you. I don’t believe you. We’re just being polite and giving you rope to hang yourself.”

      Gracie narrowed her eyes on her friend. Why did no one believe her? “Thank you very much for your encouragement.”

      Constance giggled and pecked her on the cheek affectionately. “Don’t worry, hon. You’ll figure it out soon enough.”

      Gracie nodded. “Let me know when, okay?” she commented wryly.

      Constance smiled, but it slipped. Gracie saw her friend’s expression falter, reached for Constance’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “Enough talking about me. How are you doing?”

      “I guess I shouldn’t be panning advice. It’s not like I’m an expert.” She curled her hands in her lap, then glanced away, pretending to take interest in the gift Wendy was opening.

      “You’re obviously better at this than I am,” Gracie pointed out, trying to lighten the mood. “No one said a single word about you and Nathan today. What’s your secret?”

      Constance pinched her lips. “No one would dare. Seriously, I think people walk on eggshells when they’re around me. I walk on eggshells around me. I don’t know what to do.”

      “Because?” Gracie prompted.

      “Because—” Constance paused, her gaze darting around the room as if looking for an avenue of escape. Finally, she looked back to Gracie, her eyes bursting with panic, like a cornered animal. “I’m attracted to Nathan. From the soul.”

      Constance’s confession made the air freeze in Gracie’s lungs. There was something in what she said that went beyond the mere romantic, a connectedness there that was almost spiritual in nature.

      Gracie could feel it. For once in her life, she was speechless.

      “Nathan reminds me so much of my Joseph,” Constance explained softly, her voice coarse with emotion. “That’s terrible to admit, I know, but it’s true. I don’t know if that’s why I’m attracted to him. I do know that’s why I shouldn’t be.”

      The silence was deafening. Gracie could hear Wendy wadding up a piece of wrapping paper, and the sound was magnified in her ears until it was like roaring, until she wanted to cringe.

      To have a love like Constance had had with Joseph, and for God to take that away, would be the most terrible thing she could imagine happening to a person. And now, to be tempted with a man who looked and acted like the man you had lost?

      How could a woman handle that magnitude of pain? How could she stand to be alone?

      “I’m waiting,” Constance said, the gleam back in her sapphire-blue eyes. “You’re supposed to be giving me advice.”

      Gracie felt her jaw drop, and she found herself doing something she hadn’t done much of late—praying. Praying to God for guidance, for words of wisdom to give this dear friend. Because Gracie’s own words, her own realm of experience would be nowhere near enough. She didn’t have the words to say.

      She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, focusing. “I know what my eyes see,” Gracie said at last.

      “And that is…”

      “You like Nathan. The relationship you have with Chief Creasy is— Well, I’ll let you and Chief Creasy work that out. But don’t deny your heart, Constance.”

      She took a breath and laid a comforting hand on her friend’s arm. “My head is all awhirl today with talk of bachelors and babies and one’s true love. But I do know this. God is in charge of it all. And even though it seems really confusing to you and me, He’s got it all going around the way He wants. And in the end, it all boils down to what’s in your heart.”

      Tears glistened in Constance’s eyes, which shone like jewels against the pale skin of her cheeks. Gracie felt a new rush of emotion for her friend, and threw her arms around her in a big hug.

      “Gracie, dear heart,” Constance said, hugging her back, “those are wise words for one so young. I do believe I’ll take you up on them. I’ve been sitting on the sidelines for too long.”

      Gracie hardly thought she’d been sitting on any sidelines. Constance had not been the type of woman to tuck herself away and grieve for what she’d lost. She’d put her loss to good use, to helping others. She’d started foundations and charities, and even this Women’s League itself.

      But Gracie supposed there was love.

      “I’m СКАЧАТЬ