Christmas in Sugarcreek by Shelley Shepard Gray Page B

she’d attempted to say the right words back. To tell him that though she was a little afraid of him, she’d thought that maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t as bad as they’d all thought.
    Though the school yard was almost empty, she’d felt on display. And, like the silly girl she was, she’d started worrying more about what their teacher would think instead of focusing on Ben.
    Who had been staring at her with his beautiful hazel eyes that were framed too well with dark eyelashes.
    Who always smelled clean and masculine and wonderful.
    Just as she continued to stand there, painfully awkward, he leaned close. So close, if she’d lifted her chin and swayed forward, their lips would meet. “Do ya want to know a secret, Judith?”
    She hadn’t been able to help herself. She nodded.
    Looking satisfied, he lowered his head slightly, so his lips brushed her ear. “I don’t mind. Feel free to stare at me all you want.”
    She’d been so shocked, so embarrassed, her hands had curved into fists.
    Then she’d turned and ran home. His deep laughter floating behind her.
    Even when she remembered the scene now, Judith felt herself cringe. She’d been hopelessly naïve, and he’d used that innocence to his advantage. During their last months of school together, she’d avoided him as much as she could.
    And when other boys had given her attention, she’d gone walking with them when they’d asked.
    It was only late at night, when she couldn’t sleep, that she remembered just how much she’d once fancied Ben Knox. Before he’d embarrassed her.
    And before she’d known better than to risk her heart on someone so outrageous. Someone so unsuitable for a goody-two-shoes like Judith Graber.

Chapter Eleven
     
    Six Days Until Christmas
     
    “W e haven’t gone out to dinner in ages,” Lilly told Robert as she drove him down Main Street toward the Sugarcreek Inn. “I’m so excited.”
    With what could only be described as exaggerated patience, her husband sighed. “Lilly, if you want to go out to eat more, you only have to ask.”
    “I don’t want to.”
    “Perhaps you do . . . sometimes?”
    Well, she did, every now and then. Sometimes her feet and back hurt after waitressing for hours. On those days it was hard to find the energy to come home and spend more time in the kitchen.
    Especially since no matter how hard she tried, the food she made wasn’t all that good. Correction. It wasn’t good at all. But none of those reasons were enough to stop trying. “I wouldn’t do that to you. I know you like to have supper waiting for you when you get home from the factory.”
    “I like having you home,” he corrected gently. “That is what is important to me. You’re who I look forward to seeing. Not a roast chicken.”
    “I know that. I mean, so far I’ve managed to ruin every chicken dinner I attempted.”
    “The last one wasn’t so bad.”
    “It was far from good.” When she stopped at the stoplight, she glanced his way. Robert was obviously trying hard not to smile.
    Which made her finally relax. When she thought of all the meals she’d made for him that had been barely edible, she began to giggle. “I’m afraid to bake fish again.”
    “Perhaps that’s for the best . . .”
    “But I do think my lasagna has improved. Slightly.”
    “It has gotten much better, that is true. Still, we can go out to eat a little more often. Perhaps once a week?”
    She would love that. But still . . . “I just don’t want you to change your life for me. Even though, you know, you already have.”
    “You wouldn’t be doing anything to me. You’d be happy. And I like making you happy.” Gently, he looked her way and smiled. Looking down the street, his expression turned tense. “Of course, you didn’t have to choose this restaurant. We could have gone to Dutch Valley. Or maybe even Mexican food.”
    “I wanted to come here.”
    “Even though you work here?”
    “Even though.”
    Her heart skittered a bit as