Spring Love (Seasons of Love Series)

By Merri Hiatt

SPRING LOVE (Seasons of Love Series)
Spring McDonald is an observer. While she's active in behind-the-scenes church activities, she finds it easier to blend into the wallpaper than draw attention to herself. Having Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of nineteen altered her dreams. An unexpected encounter brings hope that maybe one of her dreams can come true, finding someone who looks past her illness to discover the woman that lies within.

Books in the Seasons of Love Series may be read in any order.
OTHER BOOKS IN THE SEASONS OF LOVE SERIES:
WINTER LOVE (Seasons of Love Series)
Winter Montgomery has been a tomboy as long as she can remember. Working as a mechanic at Charlie's Garage hasn't helped her shed the title. From the moment Rory Walters pulls his custom convertible into the bay, she dislikes the man. He is over-confident, filthy rich and has a swagger that sets her teeth on edge. If he didn't have the sexiest deep blue eyes, she'd almost be able to forget him. Almost.
SUMMER LOVE (Seasons of Love Series)
Summer Lansing is used to reading about love in books, keeping her at a safe distance from heartbreak. Mike Duncan doesn't know the meaning of the word safe. He's spontaneous and thrives on taking risks. When the duo cross paths, searing kisses soon follow and Summer finds a real-world passion she never knew existed.

AUTUMN LOVE (Seasons of Love Series)
Autumn Fieldstone works as a receptionist at a radio station during the day, singing at weddings, birthday parties and any paying gig she can get during her off hours. When she enters a country singing contest, putting her in direct competition with the love of her life, she finds out love and music don't always mix.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Merri Hiatt
• Release date: Oct 22, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301305988

Merri Hiatt

Merri Hiatt grew up in a small town near Shasta Valley in Northern California. Upon moving to the Pacific Northwest in Washington state, Merri fell in love with the mountains, ocean, rain and lush greenery. Merri credits her high school creative writing teacher with giving her the nudge to pursue writing. BOOKS WRITTEN BY MERRI HIATT: PROPOSAL SERIES: Sweet Proposal, Jaded Proposal (coming soon!), Midnight Proposal (coming soon!); LOVE IN THE AIR TRILOGY: Runway Romance, Love on the Fly (Passion at 30,000 Feet coming soon); SEASONS OF LOVE SERIES: Summer Love, Autumn Love, Winter Love, Spring Love; CELEBRATING LOVE TRILOGY: 14 Love Letter Lane, 21 Romance Way, 28 Passion Boulevard; EMBRACING LOVE TRILOGY: When Love's at Work, When Love's at Home, When Love's at Play, When Love's on Vacation (Sequel one), When Love's Gone Country (Sequel two); MANGADARTH TRILOGY: Marayah's Return, City Reborn, My Mother's Eyes; Kat Burglar, a romance novella; Mama Lives in My Hair, a short story about life and death; Sarah and the Magic Beans, a short story about magic and hope; The Magical Christmas Cookies, a short story about hope; Santa Hates Seattle, a short story about hope and second chances; Puddle of Poetry (sixty-two poems from sassy to sensitive to serious); Food So Good, You'll Never Know It's Good For You, 11 Recipes and Tips; and Potato Chip Princess, a young adult short story. Visit Merri's website at http://merrihiatt.com Merri states: "I am a lover of all emotions. They swim and spin around my head with abandon. What fun to let the words these feelings bring forth play along my tongue and whisper into the still of the night. When I capture them on paper, it is a joy and one of my favorite ways to spend time."

Book preview

Spring Love

Seasons of Love Series

By Merri Hiatt

Copyright 2012 Merri Hiatt

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

# # #

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. All characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

# # #

Cover image credit: Petrenko Andriy/Shutterstock.com

Visit Merri Hiatt’s website! http://merrihiatt.com

# # #

Chapter One

Spring McDonald watched from her window seat on the second floor as Jacob Barton chose only the most perfect daffodils from his flower garden. His movements were gentle as he snipped them at the base and laid them in a basket that curved up on two sides.

She pulled the afghan tighter around her shoulders to cut the chill. Summer would be here before she knew it, but spring was her favorite time of year, and not just because her mother had named her after the season. There was something about new growth. Seeing bright green shoots push their way up through the dirt gave her hope.

Jacob caught her attention with a wave of his hand. Spring returned the gesture and smiled.

A glance at the clock told her she needed to get ready. The Port Townsend Book Club was scheduled to meet tonight. They were two chapters away from finishing the autobiography of Amelia Earhart.

Spring imagined herself flying high above the clouds. She’d never been in an airplane. It was one of many dreams she had yet to fulfill.

Her thoughts turned to the day eight months ago, only two weeks after turning nineteen, when she received the diagnosis from her doctor: Rheumatoid Arthritis. She’d known something was wrong for years; the aches, pain and stiffness had gotten worse as time passed, but it wasn’t until she met with a rheumatologist that she began to realize just how serious her situation was.

Arthritis had changed everything. Spring refused to let a diagnosis define who she was, even as it seemed to consume every part of her life. She couldn’t imagine living sixty years in constant pain.

It wouldn’t be so bad if people understood, but they didn’t. They couldn’t. It wasn’t just the inability to move without feeling bone grind against bone, it was not knowing when inflammation would cause a flare-up. Canceling plans at the last minute was common. Coming up with the energy to appear normal was a full-time job some days.

Spring headed for the bathroom to get ready, tossing the afghan on the window seat. Half an hour later she passed one of three doors she never entered in her parents’ home. She still didn’t think of it as hers, even though she had the paperwork to prove it.

Her hand traced the words on the door to her brother’s old room. Rafe’s Room it said. The familiar sadness returned. As usual, she said a prayer. God, take the stain away. Bless this house. May what happened here never happen again. Amen.

She quickened her pace as she passed the second door she never entered, saying the prayer again. When she descended the stairs and was standing in front of her parents’ room, she repeated the prayer for the third time.

Spring wondered if there would ever be a day when the memories of her childhood wouldn’t haunt her. She’d thought of selling the house after her parents died. It would have been easier. There was some part of her that longed for a history she could touch.

She and Rafe barely spoke now. He’d turned wild early on. She had no one but herself to rely on, although she was beginning to feel more comfortable with the people in the book club, especially Autumn, Summer and Winter. It seemed natural somehow that all the seasons should be friends, even though they were quite different from each other.

Once in the car and on her way, Spring stopped at the corner grocer to pick-up cookies and juice, then headed for the bookstore where the book club met each Monday night at eight o’clock.

Hey, Winter Montgomery said when she entered Mind Travels, food’s here. What kind of cookies did you get?

Two kinds: chocolate chip and ginger snaps.

Perfect. I like ‘em both.

Hi, Spring, how are you feeling today? Summer Lansing asked.

It’s a good day. Spring lowered her eyes as she headed for the staircase leading up to the second floor. She hated when people asked her how she was feeling. She felt singled out. If she had her way, no one would ever know she had anything wrong with her, ever.

Hi there, neighbor, Jacob Barton said.

Hi. Your daffodils are beautiful.

I wish I could take credit for them. Martha’s the one that planted the bulbs. I figure the least I can do is cut ‘em for her and put ‘em in a pretty vase.

I’m sure she’ll be glad to see them when she comes home. When does she get back in town?

Tomorrow afternoon.

How’s your daughter and the baby? Autumn Fieldstone asked.

I got pictures. Jacob pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and scrolled down to the photos he wanted everyone to see, then passed the phone around.

She’s adorable, Spring said.

Just like her mama, Jacob said.

Spoken like a true father, Winter said.

Jessie and the baby are doing fine.

What’s her name? Spring asked.

Marigold. We’ll probably end up calling her Mari.

That’s pretty, Autumn said. I’ve always liked having an unusual name.

Me, too, Summer said.

Me, three, Winter said.

Everyone gazed at Spring waiting for her to chime in. I like it, too, she said, grateful when the attention had turned back to the photos of the baby.

Sorry to interrupt. Summer, do you have the flyers you wanted me to distribute? Jared Richards asked.

They’re in the box on top of the two-drawer filing cabinet at the bottom of the stairs.

Spring couldn’t help noticing Jared’s casual confidence, nor his warm brown eyes or the slight bulge of muscles hiding under his jacket.

See something you like? Autumn said.

Spring’s face flushed immediately. No. I was just… She couldn’t think of an excuse.

Making googly eyes at Boy Wonder, Winter said.

I was not. Spring squirmed under the scrutiny. Shouldn’t we get started?

I’ll get started on a cookie, Winter said.

Summer, what do you know about your flyer guy? Autumn asked.

Jared? Oh, he’s great. He’s in college. I think he’s twenty or twenty-one. Very polite. Always on time and dependable. Why?

I think Spring’s got a crush on him.

Spring tried not to let the teasing get to her, but her face turned from light pink to crimson.

Stop giving her a hard time. I’ll introduce you, if you want. Summer said.

Spring shook her head, wishing she was invisible. There’s apple and grape juice. Help yourself.

Changing the subject. Good tactic, Winter said with a wink. I’m all about the food. Hand me a couple of those chocolate chip cookies, Jacob.

Relieved that the topic of conversation had been changed once again, Spring relaxed.

I’ve found Amelia to be fascinating, Anne Marie Daniels said. I really can’t imagine having enough guts to fly a plane solo over the Atlantic Ocean.

I can, Winter said.

Well, of course you can. You’re a risk taker. But think about it. Back in Amelia’s time women didn’t do such adventurous things.

No, they stayed home like dutiful wives and cooked and cleaned for their husband and families, Autumn said, reaching for a glass and filling it with grape juice, then snagging four ginger snaps.

There’s still a question about her death. Do you think the male pilots considered her a threat? Mr. Jefferson asked.

What kind of threat could she be? Winter asked. Wouldn’t it further aviation to have more pilots?

Maybe the men didn’t like the Ninety-Nines, Autumn said. All those women gathering together could only mean trouble.

You got that right, Jacob said. I never know what to expect when I see a group of women talking. Usually it means I’m in some kind of trouble.

That’s because you’re always up to no good, Summer said.

Spring always felt a bit lost in the book club banter. When she finally thought of something to say to contribute, they were already onto another subject. Sometimes she thought her brain didn’t work fast enough.

One-on-one she didn’t have a problem, but when she was in a group of three or more, she felt intimidated and weak.

After reading this book, I think I’d like to learn to fly a plane, Anne Marie said.

They have classes at the airport in Cornwall, Mr. Jefferson said. I don’t know how much they cost, but it might be worth checking out.

I can see it now, Winter said. Anne Marie Daniels takes over where Amelia Earhart left off.

How long does it take to learn to fly a plane? Summer asked.

I read somewhere the Federal Aviation Administration requires forty hours of logged flight time, but you have to pass an exam with a certified FAA examiner. I’d guess if you doubled the hours of flight time, you’d probably gain enough experience.

I wouldn’t mind learning to fly, Jacob said. Why don’t we try and work it out so we can go together, Anne Marie?

Sounds good to me.

What will your wife say? Mr. Jefferson asked.

Nothing, if I don’t tell her, Jacob answered with a grin.

Chapter Two

The rest of the evening unfolded with more discussion and speculation about Amelia’s disappearance. Around ten o’clock they all headed for their cars. Summer fell into step with Spring.

I wasn’t kidding about introducing you to Jared Richards. Are you interested in him?

Sort of. It’s hard to be in a relationship.

RA?

Yeah. I usually end up spending half my time trying to explain because the guy thinks I don’t want to spend time with him. Spring sighed. That’s not it, but they don’t get that some days I can seem fine and other days I’m not.

They think you’re making it up?

Yeah. As if I’d ever do that. I try to be patient, but there are only so many times you can tell someone what it’s like before you just figure why bother.

Summer put her arm around her friend. It’s so unfair.

Do you know when Jared will be around again? Spring asked.

Tomorrow afternoon around three. He’s part of a small group preparing a mailing about the Easter Egg Hunt at Madison Park.

You’re a sponsor?

One of many. I arranged with a local printer to have a little bunny picture book made. Hopefully it will bring in some business. This time of year sales are always down.

I hope it works.

Me, too. So, drop by tomorrow. If you need an excuse, I’ll just say you offered to help.

I can help, if you want me to.

The more hands the better. We’re sending out ten thousand mailers.

Doesn’t that cost a lot?

I made deals and people offered discounts. Everyone has been hit hard by the economy. We’re trying to work together for the good of all local businesses.

Spring reached her car. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.

Okay. I’ll make sure I drop your name a few times before you arrive.

You don’t have to do that.

It’s all part of the courtship dance.

You’re moving things along pretty quickly, aren’t you? We haven’t even met yet.

I have a good feeling about you two.

Later.

Bye.

Spring got into her car and headed home. As she made the turn on Rucker Avenue, her family home came into view.

When are you going to mow that lawn? It’s the worst looking home on the block. Her father’s voice seemed to fill the car.

You know winter months are hard on my joints.

You could hire someone. You inherited enough of our money to see to that. Her mother’s voice chimed in.

Spring willed the voices to stop. They always found her, no matter where she was or what she was doing. Her parents continued their