Falling for Hope Read Online Free PDF

her.
    “I’m listening,” Amy whispered, closing her eyes
tightly as more tears leaked out.
    “What happened last night…   I’ve been waiting a while for it.   And I know you have, too,” Hope murmured in her ear, the words
soft and warm and strong.   “Did it feel
right to you?”
    Amy felt herself nodding as another fat tear
squeezed itself from her eyes and began to roll down her cheek.  
    “We’re starting to explore this.   Whatever this is,” said Hope gently,
squeezing her arms a little tighter about Amy.   “And it’s good, and it’s golden.   I wouldn’t take last night back for anything in the world.   Even if Chris…”   Hope’s voice caught.   Amy
knew how close Chris and Hope were and breathed out, feeling the weight of
Hope’s sadness.   “Don’t you worry about
it,” said Hope, letting her go gently.   “I’ll fix it,” she told Amy, as Amy turned, gazing at Hope through
tear-filled eyes.
    “I’m sorry…” she began, but Hope shook her head,
cupped her hands around Amy’s face gently.   Hope’s fingers smelled of wood and tar and lemonade as she leaned
forward and kissed Amy, her lips soft against Amy’s mouth.   Amy wrapped her arms around Hope’s neck and
drew her closer.
    There was another crash of thunder, though it was
positioned a little ways down the mountain now.   Rain began to sprinkle on the leaves surrounding the cabin, and
Hope and Amy made their way back inside, hand in hand.
    And through that afternoon storm, the patch on the
roof held out the rain.
     
     
    Finding
Hope
     
     
    Amy struck the match and hurriedly
held it to the clump of dried grass and twigs.   But, as she expected, the match flickered and went out.
    “What if you were stranded in the
wilderness?” asked Irene, taking the matchsticks from Amy and lighting another
one.   Irene placed the match against the
tinder, and a flame flickered to life against the grass and twigs, shooting
upwards to graze the bigger logs in the fireplace.   Irene fed the small blaze a few more twigs, and within a short
time, the fire smoked and crackled to life.
    “If I was stranded in the
wilderness,” said Amy wryly, “I’d probably die of exposure.”   She rose to her feet, dusting her palms off
on her jeans.   Irene chuckled and added
a couple of logs to the fire before she shut the grate and stood, too.
    “Open that right back up, missy,”
said Lindsey, briskly sailing into the room holding a large plate of hot dogs
and veggie dogs, which she placed on the floor before the fireplace.   “If we can’t have a bonfire wiener roast
outside, by God, we’ll have it in side.”
    “Yes, dear,” said Irene with a
grin, opening up the grate.
    “Supper’s on, ladies!” Lindsey
called with all of her might, and the rest of the women in the cabin began to
enter the warm room.
    Outside, an arc of lightning tore through
the sky, followed by a spectacular boom of thunder as the storm raged on.
    Hope carried a plate piled with
marshmallows and squares of chocolate and graham crackers, and Cole toted an
assortment of sticks.   Aspen, Vanessa
and Shirley were bundled up in sweaters, but as the last three women came in
from the hallway, Amy let out the breath she hadn’t even realized she’d been
holding.
    No sign of Chris.
    Amy sat down on one of the rocking
chairs in front of the fire and let it rock her for a long moment, the chatter
of the women fading into the background as she thought back on the strange day
she’d had.   She wondered if Chris would
ever speak to her again.
    Hope, too, was moody as she set
down the plate and sat in the rocker next to Amy, taking her hand but not
saying anything.   She didn’t even smile
when Amy glanced her way, only stared into the sizzling fire with a downward
turn of her mouth.   On Hope, who smiled
as naturally as most people breathed, the frown seemed out of place and
strange.
    Hope and Amy had kissed for the
first time and had finally gotten