The Amish Buggy Horse BOXED SET Books 1-3 (Amish Romance Book Bundle: Faith, Hope, Charity) (Boxed Set: The Amish Buggy Horse) (11 page)

Romans
8: 24 - 25.
For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Chapter 3
.

Melissa was beside herself. The day was going from bad to worse. She had no idea what to say to the clients. She knew that Irene was strict with the difficult clients, but she had no idea how to walk the fine line between telling them the truth and not hurting their feelings.

Her next client was Debbie Worth. Debbie was a small woman in height, but large in width, and she had not stopped talking from the moment she sat in the chair opposite.

Melissa had to interrupt Debbie, otherwise their time would be up. “Debbie, how was the last date we sent you on?”

“We didn't get on at all. Firstly, he didn’t have a regular job and he was a smoker, when I strictly asked for a non-smoker.”

While Debbie continued to talk about her last date, Melissa scanned the information on the man with whom Debbie had been on the last date. He was down as a non-smoker and a financier with a large firm. Melissa was nearly going to point that out to Debbie, but figured that there was no point. She would just call the man later in the day and ask him to update some details. “Excuse me, Debbie, but we have quite a lot to get through.”

“Oh, yes, sorry. Everyone says that I talk too much. Go ahead; ask me some questions. In fact, ask me any question you like, but not about my last date, because I just told you about that date. It was not very good. Having said that, it wasn’t awful, but it was just that I don’t think we were very well…”

Melissa cleared her throat as a hint for Debbie to hush. “Debbie, moving forward, do you still consider that the questionnaire you filled out when you first signed up to the agency still represents the type of man you want, or have you changed your likes and dislikes in some way?”
Phew, that was a mouthful. It’s exhausting to speak so much; I don’t know how Debbie does it all the time
, Melissa thought.

“No, the same. I just want the same type of man that I wrote on the questionnaire. I did like the very first man the agency sent me on a date with, but I don’t think that he wanted to see me again. Can you check into that?”

Melissa nodded. “I’ll check into it for you.” Melissa realized she needed training in how to be tactful. She had no idea what to say to Debbie; the notes informed her that the first man Debbie had gone on a date with had found her an ‘insufferable bore’ and they had nearly lost his custom over such a bad date. The agency had since fixed that particular man up with someone with whom he had gotten on very well, and he was finally happily engaged to that woman. Melissa wondered how two people could go on a date, and one like the other, and the other dislike the other, so much.

“Have you got a date to send me on this Saturday night?”

“We have a very nice man to send you on a date with. His name is Oliver Randall and he’s a dentist.”

Debbie looked very happy when she heard that the man was a dentist. “I like the sound of him already.”

“I hope he’s to your liking when you meet him. Here’s the address and time that’s been arranged.” Melissa handed her a slip of paper. “Will that time and place be suitable?”

“That’ll be fine,” Debbie said when she examined the slip.

“Good, we’ll send you a confirmation email for the date with all the details.”

“I’m very excited. I’ve never dated a dentist before.”

“You’ve got lovely teeth; I’m sure he’ll be impressed by them.”

“You think so?”

Melissa nodded and hoped that the dentist would find Debbie to his liking. It was true; she did have nice teeth.

Debbie left, and Melissa sat down with her head in her hands. It wasn't even lunch time, but she felt as if she had done a whole year's work just that morning.

"Are you all right, Melissa?"

Melissa looked up with a start. "Milly, I didn’t hear you come in. No, I'm not coping with these clients at all; I just want to get back to filing."

Milly simply shrugged. "There's only one more difficult client, and then you can get back to the filing. It's not as bad as you think; you don’t have to deal with them every day. Irene wanted you to meet all the difficult clients at once; that's why it seems so bad."

Melissa pulled a face. "I suppose it wouldn’t be so bad if they were spread out."

"Well, the next client is Victor Byler. He should be here any minute, so you’d better read up on the notes."

Melissa nodded. This time, the notes did not say much at all. They simply said that all the women Victor Byler had dated had said that he was nice and polite.

Melissa was pleased that the next client would be polite, so she had quite a shock when he pushed past Milly, burst through the door, and exclaimed, "You're Amish!" as if it was a dire accusation.

Melissa stood up. "Hello. My name is Melissa Glick, and you will be seeing me instead of Irene Blackwell, as she's been called away." She used her most formal, businesslike tone. "Please have a seat." She gestured to the vibrant, red chair in front of the desk.

Victor Byler sat down. "But, you're Amish," he stuttered.

"Is that problem for you, Mr. Byler?" Melissa asked, all at once hit with the realization that
Byler
was an Amish surname; perhaps this person was related to the Amish, which would explain his rather strange reaction.

"Not at all," Victor Byler replied in a cool tone. "I was simply surprised to see an Amish girl working at a business, let alone a matchmaking agency of all things."

Melissa bristled. "I can assure you, Mr. Byler, that the
Marriage Minded Agency
is a most reputable agency. We're not a dating service, but a matchmaking agency interested only in clients who wish to get married."

Victor Byler waved one hand in the air. "No, no, I realize that, of course. I just didn’t expect to see an Amish woman here, that's all. It’s not as if it’s a quilting store or a restaurant, or even a furniture store."

Melissa narrowed her eyes, not knowing whether or not she should be offended. There was an uncomfortable silence, which Melissa finally decided she should break. "Mr. Byler, I've read the notes, and the ladies all seemed happy with their dates. Can you tell me why you weren't?"

"No."

Melissa had not expected him to say
No
; she had expected some sort of explanation. "No?"

Victor Byler shook his head. "I mean, I just don’t know why. They were all nice; it's just that they weren’t my type."

Melissa rubbed her chin. She already knew that the other difficult clients had issues; that was plain to see. Yet what issues did Victor Byler have? The previous dates had said that he was nice, courteous, and gentlemanly. He had not yet asked Melissa for a younger woman or an attractive one, but it was clear that he must have issues. She would just have it find out what they were.

"What
is
your type, Mr. Byler?"

A look of fear passed across Victor Byler's face. "I don’t really know." Melissa raised her eyebrows, but he pressed on. "Well, someone who wants to have a family, who has old fashioned values - family values - and is a Christian."

"A Christian?" Melissa must have missed that on the notes, yet she had not had time to read the whole file. She looked up to see Mr. Byler regarding her with narrowed eyes. "And the ladies you dated weren’t Christians, and didn’t have those values?"

Victor Byler shifted in his seat; it was clear he was uncomfortable. "No, not really."

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Byler; I’ll be sure to find you ladies who are Christians and do have those values," Melissa said, again in her businesslike tone. "I'll be in touch when I've had a good chance to look through the files."

Victor Byler thanked her politely, and she showed him out.

Melissa went back to sit at Irene's desk and put her head in her hands. "Oh that was awful," she said aloud to herself, "but at least that's the last of the difficult clients for the day." She let out a long sigh. Victor Byler didn’t seem so difficult; in fact, he was tall and indeed handsome, with his broad shoulders and bulging biceps, and she had never seen eyes like his before, a deep hazel with golden flecks through them.
From what he said, I'm his ideal woman
, she thought with some amusement,
or at least the Englischer version of me would be, if there was one
. Melissa chuckled.

* * *

Victor Byler walked only a few steps down the corridor and then leaned against the wall.
An Amish woman!
He had done his best to avoid the Amish, and had no idea he'd find one at the
Marriage Minded Agency
of all places. Cold beads of sweat broke out on his forehead and he hastily wiped them away.

He was fine speaking to the bishop, but he was not comfortable having any dealings with any other Amish person, especially not an Amish woman, and especially not an attractive Amish woman with blue-green eyes and a pretty face.

Romans
12: 12.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Chapter 4
.

Melissa helped her
mudder
carry the
schnitz und knepp
to the table. It was Melissa's favorite dish, and, while it took some time to prepare, the actual cooking was rather easy. She loved the flavor of the apple with the ham, as well as the contrast of the sweetness of the brown sugar with the tartness of the apples.

After they shut their eyes for the silent prayer, Melissa was the first to speak. "It feels so quiet here now, without Daniel and Nettie living here."

Mrs. Glick looked sad. "
Jah
, we miss them, but it was nice that they stayed here as long as they did after they were married. If they hadn't had Nettie's
haus
to move into, they would've stayed longer."

Melissa nodded, and ate a mouthful of food.

"Still," Mrs. Glick continued, "I'm sure there will be lots of little
bopplis
soon."

"I hope you mean Nettie,
Mamm
, as I don’t intend to get married until it’s almost too late for me to have
bopplis
. I've had quite enough of
menner
." Melissa noticed that her parents exchanged glances.

"Is it your work at the matchmaking agency?" her
mudder
asked.

Melissa nodded. "
Jah
, and
Mamm
, I completely forgot to tell you. My boss, Irene Blackwell, had to go to Barcelona suddenly, and she wants me to interview her most difficult clients, and that means that I'll have to work five days a week. Will that be all right with you? It's only temporary, until she gets back."

Mrs. Glick frowned, but said, "That will be fine, I suppose. Nettie is still working in the garden for me."

"It’s just the horse," her
vadder
said.

"Oh sorry,
Daed
, I forgot that you would need the buggy."

Mr. Glick stroked his
baard
. "
Nee
, that will be all right too. Daniel and Melissa don't need two buggies and two buggy horses; I'll ask them if you can borrow one buggy and their palomino horse."

"Blessing?" Melissa's face lit up.

"
Jah
." Mr. Glick smiled. "Nettie always said that Blessing was a gift from
Gott
, as Blessing led her to Daniel. Perhaps Blessing will lead you to a
gut
mann
."

"Matthew, don’t be
ab im kopp
." Mrs. Glick scolded her husband in a lighthearted manner.

"I don’t want a
mann
." Melissa sighed. "I met some irritating
menner
today."

"Not all
menner
are irritating," Mrs. Glick said, which drew a chuckle from her husband. "Anyway, Melissa, what did these
menner
do that was so irritating?"

Melissa sighed loudly. "They wanted young, attractive women, when they themselves were neither young nor attractive."

"
Englischers
," Mr. Glick said. "Most of them look at the outside of the person. Remember what
Gott
said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.'”

"
Jah
, I know that,
Daed
," Melissa said, "but the difficult clients don't. One client wanted a woman simply so she could have a lot of children for him. It was all I could do not to be forthright and tell him what I thought of that."

Her
vadder
looked amused. "That must have been difficult for you, indeed, as you usually come straight out and say what's on your mind."

Melissa scrunched up her face, but had to agree that her
vadder's
words were correct. She was forestalled from answering by a knock at the door.

"
Hullo
!" Melissa at once recognized the voice as belonging to her
Aenti
Sylvia, her
mudder's schweschder
.

"Sylvia!" Mrs. Glick hurried to the door. "Come in, come in, and have some dinner. Melissa, fetch more
schnitz und knepp
."

When Melissa returned with the
schnitz und knepp
, she saw that her
Aenti
Sylvia and her
Onkel
Amos had with them a young
mann
.

Sylvia smiled broadly when she saw Melissa. "Melissa,
wie gehts
?"

"I'm
gut
, thank you." Melissa eyed
Aenti
Sylvia warily; she was always trying to introduce her to young
menner
, and now she had actually brought one to the
haus
.

"Melissa, this young
mann
is Raymond Burkholder. He'll be staying with us for a while." She gave Melissa a big wink, much to Melissa's dismay.

No more was said until everyone was seated and happily eating their meal. "Raymond came from another community,"
Onkel
Amos said. "The bishop asked if he could stay with us, as he's just taken up work here."

"What sort of work have you taken up here, Raymond?" Mr. Glick asked.

Raymond looked around the table, and fidgeted nervously before answering. "My
familye
had to sell the farm, so I've come here to start an apprenticeship as a cabinet maker."

"
Gut
,
gut
," Mr. Glick said. "That is a
gut
trade to get into."

"
Jah
," Aenti Sylvia agreed, shooting Melissa a pointed look. "It won’t be too long before he will be able to provide for a
fraa
."

Melissa at once was embarrassed, and noted that Raymond was too, as their eyes met and then they both looked away. Nevertheless, Melissa did not blame her
aenti
for wanting to matchmake, as uncomfortable as it made her feel. It was difficult for a young woman who wished to marry, as there was a short supply of young
menner
and young women in the community. Suitable matches were made early, and it was rare that someone new came into the community. Her
aenti
only had her best interests at heart.

Melissa and her
mudder
rose to clear the plates away, and soon returned to the table with shoo-fly pies. "Melissa made these the way she likes them," Mrs. Glick said, "wet bottom: without much crust."

Aenti
Sylvia nodded her approval. "
Jah
, why dilute all that molasses and brown sugar with a thick layer of crumbs on the bottom; the layer of crumbs on top is enough." She patted her ample stomach and everyone laughed.

Mr. Glick turned once again to Raymond. "So, Raymond, are you working for Martins' Joinery, the Mennonite business downtown?"

Raymond once again appeared to be nervous to be in the spotlight, and wrung his hands. "
Nee
, I'm working for Classic Custom Cabinetry."

Mr. Glick nodded. "
Jah
, I've heard of them; very good workmanship, everyone says. They have a fine reputation."

Onkel
Amos agreed. "Raymond was blessed to be offered an apprenticeship. The bishop knows the owner and told Raymond's bishop."

Mr. Glick scratched his head and addressed Raymond once again. "The bishop knows the owner of Classic Custom Cabinetry? But it’s not an Amish-run business."

Raymond had just taken a big mouthful of shoo-fly pie and pointed to his mouth to excuse himself for not answering at once. He swallowed rapidly which made him cough.
Aenti
Irene patted him hard on the back, which made his eyes stream. Melissa felt quite sorry for him.

"I believe the owner's
familye
was Amish, and he was once Amish, something like that," Raymond managed to say between coughs. "Perhaps he went on
rumspringa
and became
Englisch
; I'm not really sure."

"But he has clearly kept in touch with the bishop," Mr. Glick said.

Raymond simply nodded as he reached for his glass of water.

"And they say women are the gossips and want to know everything," Mrs. Glick said to
Aenti
Irene, and everyone laughed.

"I didn’t know that the owner of Classic Custom Cabinetry had any Amish connections either,"
Onkel
Amos said, "not until Raymond told me. What's his name again, Raymond?"

"Victor Byler."

Melissa nearly choked on her shoo-fly pie and went into a fit of coughing when some crumbs went down the wrong way. Thank goodness she was sitting opposite
Aenti
Irene, as she did not wish to be slapped hard on the back.

Victor Byler? The difficult client? The one with the golden-flecked eyes and the polite manner?

Victor Byler had once been Amish?