Jack hit a line drive and beat it to first base. Ron Poole, playing first base, hit him on the shoulder and teasingly tried to push him off base.

Julie watched her brother with a tender smile on her face, then turned her glance to Joe.

“He’s having such a good time. Oh, I hope he gets to play.”

“Mr. Poole seems glad to have him,” Joe said with a hint of pride in his voice. “I heard him ask Jack if he could practice tomorrow afternoon and again Monday night.”

The next man up struck out. Jack stole second base and Jason was beside himself with excitement. Evan nudged Julie and tilted his head toward the boy who had forgotten to eat his ice cream.

“He thinks the sun rises and sets on Jack, even though Jack teases him unmercifully,” Julie explained.

On the next play the batter hit the ball into right field. Jack rounded the bases and slid safely home as Jason, Jill and Joe shouted encouragement.

Evan looked down at the smiling girl at his side.

“Isn’t this better than an old picture show?”

“You bet. And …thank you for thinking of it, although I’m going to have to do something about Joy’s face and hands before we let her get back into the car.”

“I’ve already got that figured out.” He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. “I’ll wet this over there at the water cooler.”

After he walked away, Corbin Appleby drove up and got out of his car.

“I see Jack’s got his own cheering section.”

“He hit two homers,” Jason said.

“Will he make the team?” Jill asked.

“That’ll be up to the team manager.”

Evan felt a stab of jealousy when he saw the Jones family gathered around the police chief. Joy had stuffed the last of the ice-cream cone in her mouth, so he took first one of her hands then the other and wiped them with the wet handkerchief.

“Don’t you think we’d better wipe the ice cream off your face?” he asked.

“I don’t care.” Joy repeated her favorite phrase with twinkling eyes.

While wiping her face, Evan looked up to see Corbin watching.

“Now you’re pretty again.”

“Mr. Johnson says I’m pretty again,” Joy announced. “Hello.” She looked up at Corbin with her mischievous grin.

“Hello.”

“Ya ate with us.”

“I sure did.”

“Are ya goin’ to do it again?”

“I might.” Corbin grinned down at the child, then spoke to Julie. “I saw your father a while ago. He said Jack was coming in to try out for the team, so I thought I’d come by and see how he was doin’.”

“Are you going to play?”

“No. The team wouldn’t be able to depend on me. Something could come up and I’d have to leave. How about you, Johnson? Are you a ball player?”

“Only on a very low level.”

“Looks like the practice is over,” Corbin said, his eyes shifting out to the ball field.

“Jack made the team,” Joe announced enthusiastically. “Look at that grin on his face. There’ll be no livin’ with him now.”

“Congratulations, Jack,” Corbin said when the boy joined them.

“Thanks for telling us about it.” Jack grinned at Julie. “That was fun, Sis. I could hear the kids yelling for me.”

“I just knew you’d make the team,” Julie said proudly.

“Now he’ll be pestering me to throw balls at him morning, noon and night,” Joe complained, but he was beaming.

“When he’s playing at Wrigley Field, you can say you had a hand in his training.” Evan held out his hand to Jack. “Congratulations, Jack.”

Ron Poole came toward them, wiping sweat off his face with a white handkerchief. He was with a man in duck pants, a striped shirt and wide suspenders.

“Chief,” Ron called, “thanks for sending Jack. He may save us from making complete fools of ourselves when we play the league team.”

Julie glanced at her brother. He was beaming.

“You may have the next Babe Ruth here,” Corbin replied.

“Welcome to the team, Jack.” Ron stuck out his hand.

“Thanks.” It was all Jack was able to say.

“Dr. Forbes,” Ron said. He turned to the man beside him. “Meet Chief Appleby and the Jones family. This is Miss Jones,” he said, indicating Julie. When she extended her hand, the young doctor shook it. “Another Miss Jones, Joe and Jack the young ones.”

“Don’t forget me. My name’s Joy.” The child looked up at the tall man and grinned.

Ron put his hand on her head. “No one could forget a pretty little girl like you. How old are you now? Seven? Eight?”

“I’m four.” Joy held up four fingers.

“Only four?” Ron said and winked at her. “I thought you were old enough to get married. I was coming courting.”

“You’re silly,” Joy shouted and giggled happily.

Ron introduced the doctor to Evan.

“Pleasure to meet you,” Evan said as the two men shook hands.

The young doctor was a stocky man with broad shoulders and legs as sturdy as tree trunks. His sandy hair was thick and needed trimming. He had friendly light green eyes and a constant smile.

“Dr. Forbes is here to lend Doc Curtis a hand,” Ron said. “He’s from a small town in Tennessee about the size of Fertile. We’re hoping to keep him here when Doc Curtis retires.”

“Where in Tennessee?” Corbin asked. “I’ve been there a time or two.”

“Harpersville in the eastern part of the state.” The doctor had a definite southern accent and a slight hesitancy in his speech.

“I’ve not been east of Nashville. Welcome to Fertile.”

“Thank you. My father was a s-small town doctor. It’s what I always wanted to be.”

“Doc’s going to play shortstop for us. He played while he was in school in Knoxville.”

Julie noticed that Ron Poole directed his conversation to the police chief, seeming to ignore Evan after the introduction. It irritated her. Evan, however, stood with arms folded, appearing to be totally at ease. His eyes went often to Julie, who stood between her brothers. Joy sidled over and took his hand. The gesture was noticed by both the police chief and the councilman.

“I’ve got to be going,” Corbin said. “Anyone need a ride uptown?”

“Doc and I will take you up on that. See you tomorrow afternoon, Jack.”

“Yeah and … thanks.”

After Corbin left with the doctor and Ron, Joe helped the kids get into the back seat, then got in and pulled Joy onto his lap. Julie moved close to Evan to make room for Jack.

“You look pretty tonight, Sis. I’ll get you dirty. Why don’t I stand on the running board?”

“No,” Julie said quickly. “That’s too dangerous. If you get my dress dirty, it will wash.”

“Get in, Jack, so she’ll have to sit close to me.” Evan winked at Jack, and Julie’s face reddened.

“There’s Papa’s car,” Jill said as they drove through town. “I bet he took
her
to the picture show. I hope she took that whiny brat of hers with her. Serve him right.”

“Whoa. Our little sister’s got her stinger out tonight.” Jack glanced back over his shoulder at Jill.

Joe laughed, but there was no mirth in it. “I’m goin’ to be careful and not get on your bad side. When you get down on someone, you stomp on ’em.”

“I don’t care. I hate her.”

“I hate her, too.” Not knowing whom they were talking about, Joy was sure she would hate whomever Jill hated.

“Who do you hate?” Jason asked in a quiet voice. He, too, was in the dark as to Jill’s meaning. “Miss Meadows said we’re not to hate people.”

“Miss Meadows is nice. I wish Papa liked her.”

“Why don’t Papa like her?”

“Papa likes her, but … oh, you’re too young to know about these things.”

“When do you practice again, Jack?” Julie hoped to change the subject. She was conscious that her shoulder was tucked behind Evan’s and her hip and thigh against his. If she tilted her head the slightest, her cheek would be against his shoulder.

“Tomorrow afternoon. Scott Graham didn’t want me on the team. He said I lived on the edge of town so I wasn’t eligible to play. Mr. Poole said it didn’t matter.”

Evan turned the car up the lane and stopped beside the porch. Sidney stood wagging his tail in greeting. Jack got out, opened the back door and took Joy off Joe’s lap. With her straddling his hip, he stepped up onto the porch. Joy put her arms around her brother’s neck and laid her head on his shoulder.

“Thank you for the ice cream and the ride, Mr. Johnson.” Jill nudged Jason.

“Yeah, thanks, Mr. Johnson.”

“You’re very welcome. We’ll do it again sometime.”

“This little gal is all tuckered out.” Jack nuzzled his nose in Joy’s tangled curls.

“Wash her feet before you put her to bed,” Julie called as Jack carried his sister across the porch to the door.

Joe closed the door, stuck his head in the window and winked at Julie. “Have a good time. Sir,” he said to Evan, “I trust your intentions toward my sister are honorable.”

“Joe!” Embarrassed, Julie pressed her palms to her hot cheeks.

“Honorable?” Evan leered and twisted the end of an imaginary mustache. “It depends on what you consider to be … honorable, young sir.”

“Oh, you two. Cut it out.”

Grinning, Joe backed away from the car and waved when it headed back down the lane.

Julie had moved over until she was no longer touching Evan. Alone with him in the close confines of the car, she could feel the pounding of her heart. She glanced at him and saw that he was looking at her.

“Are you scared to be alone with me?”

“Goodness’ sakes! I wouldn’t have come out with you if I were.”

“You look like a frightened little bird ready to fly out the window.”

“I … didn’t bring my wings,” she said with mock dismay, and he laughed, delighted with her.

“I envy your having brothers and sisters,” he said quietly after he turned the car and headed back toward town. “It wasn’t much fun growing up alone.”

She took a deep breath. “I can’t imagine life without them. Joe and I have always been close. I couldn’t have managed without him.”

“You don’t mind having the responsibility of the house and seeing to your brothers and sisters?”

“No. It was just something that had to be done when my mother died.”

“How old were you?”

“Sixteen and Joe was fourteen.”

As they passed through town, Julie saw her father’s car parked near the picture show.

“Are you worried that your father will become interested in Mrs. Stuart?”

“He’s already interested.”

“It may not come to anything. She’s not the type to settle down on a farm.”

“Then why is she leading him on?”

“Because there isn’t anyone else handy.”

“You’re handy.”

“I’ve made it clear to her that I’m not interested.”

Evan glanced at her profile and wished for a way to wipe the worried look from her face.

Julie Jones was too honest to ever understand a devious, self-centered woman like Birdie Stuart.

Chapter 15

Y
OU PROMISED TO TELL ME
what Joe and Thad Taylor were up to last Sunday at the ball game,” Julie said as they headed down the road toward town.