“You seem nervous.”
Anna Louise shook her head, denying the effect he had on her as much for her own benefit as his. “Not nervous, just harried. How’s it going out there?”
“It’s too soon to say for sure, but it looks as if the water’s going where we’ve diverted it. As long as the creek doesn’t rise too high and the sandbags hold, we should be okay.”
“Any sign of Orville?”
He grinned. “He did pass by about an hour ago.”
“Oh, dear. What did he have to say?”
“Plenty, as a matter of fact.”
Anna Louise groaned. “I knew it. This is only going to make matters worse.”
Richard shook his head. “I don’t think so. Before he could get too carried away with his hand-of-God tirade, I pointed out how it would look for a pastor not to do everything in his power to save a church. Told him the incident just might be viewed as important enough to be picked up and carried on the national wire services. He settled right down. Even pitched in and hauled a few sandbags.”
Anna Louise’s mouth dropped open in astonishment. “He helped?”
“Long enough to make sure everyone saw him. By now, though, I suspect he’s home by the fire feeling downright self-righteous.”
“Well, I’ll be.” She regarded him sternly. “Not that I approve of blackmailing the man to get your way.”
“It’s hardly blackmail, Anna Louise. I just pointed out how his actions might be viewed by those cynical members of the press.”
“And considering your expertise in that area, he had to take you seriously.”
“I’m sure it helped,” he conceded with a spark of pure mischief in his eyes. He didn’t look one whit troubled by his deviousness. “Of course, Orville is a pragmatic man. Once he’d thought about the implications, the decision became clear enough.”
“I suppose.” She turned to face him. “I really don’t know how I’m ever going to thank you for helping today.”
“I’m not doing any more than anyone else out there. Young Jeremy seems to have a knack for engineering. He had a plan sketched out by the time we got to Orville’s property. It was a good one, too. He mentioned the conversation you had with him the other day about getting his college degree before getting married. I didn’t tell him I’d overheard most of it.”
“I hope you backed me up.”
“I didn’t need to. He confided to me that Maribeth agreed to wait. They’ll both be going to college starting in January, after they’ve saved enough for the first semester. Apparently she’d been offered a partial scholarship, but she’d been afraid to tell him about it because she didn’t want to disappoint him.”
“She was prepared to go through with the wedding just to please him?” Anna Louise shook her head. “That just proves they’re too young.”
“I don’t know. It sounded like the unselfish act of a woman in love to me.”
Anna Louise scowled at the overly romantic notion. “I’m just glad they took the time to talk things through before they both ruined their lives.”
“Just one thing,” Richard said.
“What’s that?”
“I doubt you’re going to keep the two of them pure and innocent through four years of college.”
“Who knows?” she said with confidence. “Miracles do happen.”
“I’m not sure miracles are any match for rampant teenage hormones.”
“If Jeremy and Maribeth were mature enough to make this decision about postponing their wedding and going to college, then I think they can be trusted to do the right thing.”
“Are we talking about your idea of the right thing or theirs?”
Anna Louise frowned at the suggestion that there could be two different interpretations of right. Values were values. “I’m not here to impose my will on anybody,” she shot back irritably. “I try to teach values and faith, but one thing we were all given as a birthright is free will. We all have to make our own decisions about how to apply the teachings of the church.”
“Sounds like pretty liberal thinking to me. Does that mean that a jaded journalist could steal a kiss from the town preacher without setting off a hail of fire and brimstone?”
Anna Louise’s breath seemed to be lodged somewhere in her throat. The question seemed to have come from out of the blue. A few nights ago, in the intimacy of darkness beside Willow Creek, it wouldn’t have surprised her so. Now they were both bedraggled and exhausted. It was an astonishing time to think of such things.
Her gaze narrowed suspiciously. “Why would you want to?”
“The usual reasons, I suppose.” His gaze clashed with hers. “And because at this moment, standing there all flushed and mussed up, you are the most attractive woman I have ever seen, and you surely do look as if you could use a kiss.” As if he sensed her need to be persuaded, he added, “Nothing too improper, of course. Just something to warm us both before we get back to the damp business of saving the church.”
Her heart began to thump unsteadily. What did he mean by not too improper? This wasn’t good. It wasn’t good at all.
Still, she lifted her chin until she could look Richard directly in the eyes. “I suppose it’s my duty to send you back to work with a little something to warm you,” she said primly. When he moved closer, his expression hopeful, she stood on tiptoe and gave him a very proper peck on the cheek.
Laughter lit his eyes. “Oh, Anna Louise, that kiss was downright pitiful. It wouldn’t warm toast.” He bent his head down until his mouth hovered above hers. Their breath mingled for a heartbeat and then his lips touched hers.
Anna Louise thought it was entirely possible she was going to faint. Richard’s kiss was indeed a definite improvement over her own pathetic attempt. It was a warm, coaxing kiss with just enough impure intent behind it to send her pulse skittering wildly.
Just when Anna Louise was considering abandoning any pretense at restraint, she heard a sudden indrawn breath. Jerking away from Richard’s
