Harvest of Hearts (35 page)

They hurried over to the barn. Matthew flicked on the flashlight to dispel the gloomy darkness inside, and then Shanna followed him over to the forbidden door. He handed her the flashlight to hold and then inserted the key into the keyhole. A few seconds later, the door creaked open. Matthew took the flashlight from her and started up the stairs.

“I’ve never been up here before,” Shanna whispered as she crept upward after Matthew, feeling a mixture of fear and excitement. She was glad for Matthew’s presence. When they reached the loft, Shanna pulled on the string that dangled from a bare lightbulb. Her gaze fell on an old desktop computer in the center of a wooden table. Ledgers were spread out beside it, and a cell phone charger stood nearby. “Ach, look at this!” She stepped over to the machine. “A computer! Matthew, did you know about this?” She shook her head. “I kind of suspected Daed had something like this. I never could figure out how else he’d get all his business orders from other states.”

“I’ll need you to teach me to use it. But show me tomorrow. Right now….” Matthew looked around. “He wanted you to have this.” He lifted a box, similar to those Mamm received books in when she ordered them from a catalog. “Shanna” was scrawled on the outside.

He picked up the box and carried it down the stairs. Shanna turned off the light and followed behind.

“Where do you want this? The haus or your apartment?” At the bottom of the stairs, he handed her the box and relocked the door, then pocketed the key.

“Ach, this feels like Christmas. Let’s take it to the apartment.” She quivered with excitement as she opened the door and flipped the light on. “I probably shouldn’t use the electric, since I’m joining the church, but….” She set the box on the coffee table in front of the couch.

“It’s okay,” Matthew said. “I’ll leave you alone.”

“Nein. Stay.” She sat down on the couch, and Matthew came to sit beside her.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the top flaps of the box and peeked inside. “Letters?” The box was full of envelopes, and, as she began shuffling through them, she realized they had all been addressed to her.

She lifted one out, opened it, and carefully removed the letter inside. When she unfolded it, she glanced at the date. It had been written two months ago.

Dear Shanna,

Not a day goes by when I don’t miss you. I want you to kum home. I’m sorry for what I did to drive you away. You’re my daughter, and ich liebe dich. Maybe someday I’ll have the courage to mail these letters. All of them ask the same thing….

Her eyes filled with tears.

“Daed loves me. All this time, he’s loved me.” She remembered his words, whispered at the hospital. “All this time….” Tears filled her eyes.

Matthew scooted closer and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to his side. “And ich liebe dich.”

Shanna’s heart pounded as his finger traced over her lips. But he didn’t lean in for a kiss.

Instead, he swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Shanna, I’ve loved you since the day I met you—the strange, fascinating, beautiful woman who talked about going to Mexico. I want to spend the rest of my life getting to know you, if you’ll have me. Will you marry me in December? Please?”

“You’re supposed to be on your knees.” Shanna choked back a sob, but when he started to release her, she held him tighter. “Never mind that. Ich liebe dich, Matthew. Jah, I’ll marry you.”

His fingers moved to tangle in her hair, and he leaned in, his lips meeting hers.

Shanna sighed. Home—at last.

Laura Hilton graduated with a business degree from Ozarka Technical College in Melbourne, Arkansas. A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, she is a professional book reviewer for the Christian market, with more than a thousand reviews published on the Web.

A Harvest of Hearts follows Patchwork Dreams in The Amish of Seymour series.

Laura and her husband, Steve, have five children, whom Laura homeschools. The family makes their home in Arkansas. To learn more about Laura, read her reviews, and find out about her upcoming releases, readers may visit her blog at http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/.

A Preview of
Promised to Another
Book Three in The Amish of Seymour Series
by Laura V. Hilton
Coming Soon

May I take you home from the singing?”

Annie Beiler’s breath hitched, and her gaze shot from the dusty toes of her powder-blue tennis shoes to the drop-dead gorgeous man standing not three feet in front of her. Unfortunately, his tentative smile wasn’t aimed in her direction.

Nein, Joshua Esh’s hazel eyes were locked on Rachel Lapp. Annie had to admit Rachel was cute, with her strawberry blonde hair and green dress that perfectly matched her eyes.

Joshua was what her Englisch friends called a “player,” for sure. Everyone talked about how he never took the same girl home from singings twice. And Annie couldn’t help hoping that he would eventually make his way to her.

Rachel’s face lit up. “Danki, Joshua. I’d love a ride.”

Annie scowled. If and when he got around to asking her, she’d reject him. Someone should have the willpower to say nein. Just that evening, Rachel had been talking with Annie and some other girls about Joshua’s flirtatious ways. It appeared that she’d merely been jealous since he hadn’t asked to take her home.

Okay, to be honest, Annie did feel a bit envious, too. Make that more than a bit. And it wasn’t just because of Joshua, although he had played a big part in it. The truth was, none of the buwe who’d come from Pennsylvania in the man swap had ever offered to give her a ride. Not a single one.

She didn’t consider herself that unfortunate-looking.

Annie brushed past Joshua and Rachel and left the barn. Immediately, she regretted having gone outside, because she did need to find a way home—unless she rode along with another couple. But she didn’t think she could stand there alone by the barn doors, hopeful, when all the buwe she noticed didn’t seem to know she was alive.

Like Joshua Esh.

Especially Joshua Esh.

Annie kicked a rock and winced when it didn’t budge.

“Annie? Is that you?” A familiar male came sounded from out of the darkness ahead of her.

She jumped. She hadn’t expected to hear that voice. Not in a month of singings. She frowned. “Luke?”

“Jah.” He moved into the circle of light from the lanterns hanging around the barn.

Annie planted her fists on her hips. She wouldn’t make the mistake of falling for Luke Schwartz twice—not that she’d really fallen for him the first time. It was just that he’d asked. And a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, right? Okay, she’d realized he wasn’t what she wanted—he wouldn’t make her top-ten list of the dreamiest Amish men—but he was better than nothing. She pulled in a deep breath, steeling herself. “What are you doing here?”

“Ach, that’s a wonderful way to welcome me. I’ve come home.”

She stilled, her hope building, despite her internal warnings. “For how long?” She didn’t want to spend her life alone. Didn’t want to rely on the kindness of other couples for rides. Didn’t want to be the only girl left unattached, unaccepted, unwanted.

Unloved.

But, then again, she didn’t want to settle for just anyone, either.

Luke didn’t quite meet her eyes. “You wound me.”

Ach. Not for gut, then. The pencil fell from behind her ear, and she stooped to pick it up, careful not to glance at him as she rose.

“Never without that ever-present pencil, I see.”

She winced, hating that he mocked her. It wasn’t common to take a pencil to singings, she knew, but what if she wanted to write something down? The name of a book she’d like to read, perhaps, or something she wanted to mention to her students the following week. Maybe even the initials of her number one dream guy, who stood somewhere nearby but didn’t pay any attention to her. Who didn’t know she was alive. “Sarcasm doesn’t suit you.”

He sighed. “May I give you a ride home? Looks like things are breaking up.”

She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, but I already have a ride. Maybe another time.”

Luke laughed. “Right. I heard how popular you are. Having to beat the buwe off with a stick, ain’t so?”

Annie stiffened. “So, you couldn’t pay rent on that run-down trailer and ran home to your parents, jah?”

Someone moved up beside her, and she turned her head. Whoever it was didn’t register. What she did notice was that others were gathering around her and Luke, watching their exchange.

She was in enough trouble already, having nearly gotten dismissed from her teaching post. The school board had permitted her to continue teaching, provided she was put on probation. All she needed was for one of these eavesdroppers to go home and tell his or her folks. She’d be out of a job so fast, a racing horse and buggy wouldn’t be able to keep pace. She searched for something to say, something to defuse the situation.

Luke’s glance slid from her to whoever had stepped up to offer wordless support. He sneered, then backed up a space. “Well, since you have a ride, I’ll just catch you later, then. Good to see you, Annie.”

She forced a smile. “Glad you’re back, Luke.”

He turned and disappeared into the darkness.

***

Joshua stood beside Annie for a moment. Silent. Wishing he could say something to salve the hurt she must feel. He sensed the pain radiating from her as she watched the redheaded man walk away.

The whole situation confused him. He’d been attracted to Annie the moment he’d met her, but when he’d fished for more information about her, he’d found out she was taken. Off limits. All but engaged to Luke Schwartz, who had vowed to return for her someday. Apparently, that day was now.

Yet Annie hadn’t been waiting with bated breath.

Joshua didn’t know exactly what that meant.

He knew only what he wanted it to mean.

The crowd around them thinned as the pairs began to make their ways to their buggies. Joshua became conscious of Rachel standing on the other side of him, twisting her apron in her hand while she waited on him to do something. He wasn’t sure what.

He swallowed the lump in this throat and turned to face the brunette schoolteacher. “Um, Annie. I’m going right past your haus. I can give you a ride, if you’d like.”

The expression in her dark eyes could have withered a lesser man. “I couldn’t possibly impose on a courting couple.”

“Ach, you know gut and well Rachel and I aren’t courting.” He couldn’t commit to anyone. Not when his attention had been caught and held by one certain Amish schoolteacher. But he wouldn’t approach her—not until he knew for sure what was happening between her and Luke. Or seeing if he could somehow catch her eye. Choosing a future frau was a serious thing. After all, he’d be spending the rest of his life with her.

It wasn’t like God would point her out with a bright-neon light, one that he’d be sure to notice in this quiet, rural community. Then again, maybe He had. Joshua had certainly sat up and taken notice of Annie.

“I’m going right past your haus,” he repeated, tucking his thumbs into his suspenders to keep from reaching out and touching her arm, grasping her hand, or otherwise physically imploring her to just hush up and come along.

The good Lord certainly hadn’t made Annie Beiler into a submissive maidel. Not like Rachel Lapp, who still stood silently on his other side, waiting for him to finish. She’d probably be a docile, obedient frau. Unfortunately for her, he liked a bit of spunk.

Spunk was something that Annie Beiler possessed in abundance, if what he’d overheard during the school board meetings was true.

Ignoring him, Annie turned around and headed for the barn. He watched her go, torn whether to follow or not. Rachel still waited quietly by his side, so he straightened and faced her. “Shall we?”

She met his gaze, her green eyes wide. “Maybe we should wait to see if Annie needs a ride first. Her sister left with a beau, and her brother isn’t here.” She looked around. “Neither is her best friend.”