Hummingbird Lane by Brown, Carolyn (good books to read for beginners TXT) 📕

table before Arty and Filly brought out the food. She was so hungry and nervous after spending that first night alone in the trailer that she didn’t even realize Josh was anywhere around until he slid onto the bench across from her.

“Hey,” he said.

“Evenin’,” she gasped.

“Did I startle you?” Josh asked.

“Little bit,” she admitted. “My mind was a million miles away.”

Filly set a two-layer lemon cake on the end of the table. “How you holdin’ up, darlin’ girl? Missin’ Sophie?”

Arty put a platter of smoked pork chops in the middle of the table. “That’s a stupid question. Of course she’s missin’ Sophie. We all miss Sophie every time she leaves us.” He headed back inside the house and returned with a container of cheesy potatoes and a bowl of salad.

“Amen,” Josh agreed. “These two”—he pointed at Arty and Filly—“get downright cranky when all they have is me.”

“Arty just brings out the worst in me,” Filly grumbled.

Arty shot a dirty look her way and then bowed his head. He said a quick grace and then passed the pork chops to Filly. “This is me being nice. You should appreciate it.”

Filly put a chop on her plate and sent the platter to Josh. “Well, thank you. I’ll remember to write it down in my diary tonight that Arthur must be sick because he was nice.”

“You’re an evil woman,” Arty chuckled.

“See what I mean?” Josh said. “They’re worse than raising teenagers. Have you heard from Sophie?”

Emma nodded. “She called last evening, but we only talked a minute or two. They’re having a great time, and she said that she’s got a surprise to tell us all about when she gets home. Next time y’all go to the store, I want to send some money for you to buy me one of those prepaid cell phones so she can text and send pictures to me.”

“I wonder if she and Teddy got married?” Filly sighed.

The idea that Sophie would get married and not tell Emma—that just couldn’t happen. Maybe engaged, but not married. No, sir!

“Not without us,” Arty growled. “She wouldn’t do something that big without inviting us to the wedding.”

“What if she gets married in Dallas in a huge church with lots of people?” Josh’s eyes were wide with worry.

Emma could feel his pain, because she shuddered at the thought of possibly being one of several bridesmaids at such an affair.

“Would y’all go to that wedding? The one in a huge church with all kinds of people around?” Josh asked.

Emma sure couldn’t answer yes to the question.

“Of course, but only if I could wear my bibbed overalls and give away the bride.” Arty chuckled.

“I’d go, but I would go as myself, not a silly dressed-up version,” Filly agreed, “but I’d sure hate to make that drive. I don’t even like to ride an hour up to the grocery store.”

“You haven’t in over a year,” Arty reminded her. “You just make out a list for me and Josh to take care of.”

“Well, I’m going next week,” Filly said. “It’s time for me to get some things that I don’t want y’all to see, and, Em, I’ll be glad to get you one of those phones. I keep one handy for when we lose power out here”—she pointed at Arty—“and I need to check on this old smart-ass right here and make sure he didn’t get struck by lightning.”

A feeling of contentment replaced Emma’s burst of fear over having to walk down an aisle with a bouquet in her hands. If she had Arty, Josh, and Filly with her, she could survive the biggest wedding in the whole state of Texas.

How would you feel about some guy asking you to marry him? Her father’s voice popped into her head.

Scared out of my mind. She had no trouble answering that question.

She looked up and locked gazes with Josh. Her heart threw in an extra beat, and her pulse jacked up a notch or two. Surprisingly enough, she didn’t want to wring her hands and didn’t even blink. She might even say yes if it was Josh who proposed—someday, not right then.

“So, what did you paint today?” Josh asked.

“I started a picture of that beautiful sunrise yesterday morning, but I had no idea what to do with it until I saw a turkey with his tail all fluffed out. I walked out to the spot where he had been and found a small feather. I painted him looking at the sun as it rose, like he was scaring away the dark night,” she said. “I used an eleven-by-fourteen-inch canvas, which is as big as I ever intend to do. What about y’all?”

“Can I see it?” Josh asked.

“Sure. Y’all can come over and see it after we eat.” Emma hoped that maybe they’d even sit awhile and visit with her so the evening wouldn’t be so long.

“I haven’t seen an old tom turkey in a couple of years, but I think I may do a metal piece of one when I finish the replica of this old live oak tree we’re sitting under,” Arty said. “It’s been giving me fits with all the intricate limbs and the twisted trunk.”

Filly laid her hand on his shoulder. “I’ve got faith in your artwork.”

“Sweet Lord!” Arty laid a hand over his chest. “The world is coming to an end. This darlin’ woman said something nice to me.”

“Oh, hush!” Filly slapped him on the arm. “Ignore him, Em. He’s being a smart-ass again, and to answer your question, I’ve been working on a necklace made of tiny wood pieces woven into leather. I’m going to paint rosebuds on the wood when I get the first phase done, and I think I’ll make a matching bracelet.”

“That sounds beautiful,” Emma said. “What about you, Josh?”

“I saw that same turkey, and like Arty, I hadn’t seen one in a couple of years, so that inspired me to draw one. Leo mentioned something about me working a spot of color into a painting, so I thought I’d