Defending Hearts Read Online Free

cut the budget for the team at the town meeting in the spring, it was a hard blow to the boys. Playing football kept some out of trouble and gave others a reason to keep their grades up, especially when things were hard at home due to the economic downturn.
    Things had looked bleak until Kelly McDonnell, Jen Cooper and Gretchen Walker got together and made the Eagles Fest fund-raiser happen. With the help of some grants and donations, they’d announced in July that Eagles football had been saved, and Alex knew their return to the field on Saturday would be even more exciting than usual. He intended to be there with his camera, with Coach’s permission.
    Alex walked to the window to check out the view. His room was at the back of the house and looked out toward the barn. He could barely make out a garage to the left and a rutted dirt road that passed between the two buildings and disappeared through a break in a line of trees. He assumed it led to fields, though he wasn’t sure.
    The view was considerably improved when Gretchen stepped out of the garage’s side door and headed for the barn. She had a long stride and he admired the way she looked so natural and confident in her environment.
    His hand itched for his camera, but he didn’t give in tothe urge to pull it out of his bag. It was bad enough he was watching her from the window. Taking photographs would cross a personal line of ethics that was sometimes blurry and a moving target, but was always there.
    He allowed himself to watch her for a few more seconds, admiring the way the sun lit up the highlights in her hair. In normal lighting, it was solidly dark, though not black. But when the sun hit the thick braid just right, subtle red undertones shone through and drew his eye. He wanted to unravel her braid and run his fingers through the strands just to watch the light play with the colors.
    Gretchen disappeared on the far side of the barn and then, a few moments later, emerged again on a four-wheeler that had seen better days. Sitting on the machine, with her long legs drawn up so her feet rested on the running boards, pulled the worn denim of her jeans across her thighs in a way that drew his eye in a way that was far more personal than professional.
    Before he stared long enough to tip over into creeper territory, Alex turned away from the window and went downstairs. With all the travel he’d done—which included staying in bed-and-breakfasts or sometimes with host families—he didn’t have a lot of trouble making himself feel at home wherever he was. But for people like Ida and Gretchen, who weren’t accustomed to having a boarder, it could feel awkward. The less time he spent holed up in his room, the faster they’d come to feel comfortable around him.
    Gretchen’s grandmother was at the computer when he walked into the living room. It was an older model perched on a big corner desk, and Ida was writing in a notebook in front of the monitor.
    When he stepped on a floorboard that squeaked under his weight, she turned and gave him a smile. “How’s your room?”
    “It’s perfect. And that’s a beautiful quilt on the bed. Did you make it?”
    “As tempting as it is to lie and take the credit, I never had the patience for quilting. All those tiny stitches. I enjoy knitting, though. Did you get on the Internet okay?”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    “Good. Every month when she pays the bill, Gretchen makes that same growly frustrated noise my husband made when he thought something was frivolous, but I need good Internet for my business.”
    Alex moved a couple of magazines out of the armchair near the desk so he could sit in it. If he sat on the couch, she wouldn’t be able to resume what she was doing while still continuing their conversation unless she turned her back to him. “Do you mind if I ask what your business is?”
    “I knit matching sweaters, hats and mittens for little girls and those fancy dolls from the different time periods in history.