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Travis watched Katie from across the barn for a long time. While he watched, he thought about what Jake had said earlier about family.
Why, when I look at Katie Chupp, does the idea of having a family of my own sound really appealing?
After what Amber said, he had decided to swear off romance—and he had not given serious thought to any certain girl in the two years since—at least not until Jake had mentioned family... and Katie had come to mind.
And why am I thinking of her that way? I can't date her. I can't marry her. I'm certainly not keen on the idea of becoming Amish for her.
And, as uninterested as he was in changing his whole life for a girl, he would never consider asking her to give up her own beliefs for him.
So what am I doing? Why am I still even thinking about this?
He purposely took his attention off Katie and looked around the large, open room, spotting several girls he recognized from town.
It was nearly another minute before he moved over to the refreshment table and picked up two large cups of lemonade. Glancing around, he slowly made his way to the small group of girls.
He had not taken more than three steps before one of the girls looked right at him, blushed to the tips of her ears, then turned and rushed away.
He watched as she went, wondering what her quick exit was all about... and trying to figure out why she looked so familiar, yet he couldn't quite place her.
Before he reached the group of girls, someone pulled at his arm a little and he turned to see who it was.
“You should catch her before she goes too far. The Yoder farm is large and she could get lost easily.”
The young woman looked familiar to him as well, but he couldn't think of her name or where he'd seen her—and before he could ask she was gone.
He turned to search the crowd for her and spotted the other girl rushing off toward the dark fields.
Muttering under his breath, he set down the two cups of lemonade and rushed off after her. She would certainly get lost in the dark fields.
They were halfway across the nearest field when he caught up to her, calling out as he reached for her shoulder.
“Hey, come back to the singing. I didn't mean to startle you.”
She stopped, but didn't turn so he tried again.
“Is there something wrong? Are you okay?”
The only response he saw was a shake of her head—which told him nothing really. Was she saying she was not okay or was she saying there was nothing wrong?
What do I do? He waited for nearly a minute before speaking again.
“If there's something going on, you can tell me. Maybe I can help.”
She turned then—and something about her face caught his attention.
“I can explain...” Her voice clicked something into place and he was shocked when he recognized her.
“What are you doing here? And dressed like...” He waved a hand at the outfit he was certain must belong to one of the older girls she had been standing with. “... like that!”
Even though he had seen much trashier clothing in the city, there was no doubt in his mind that she was trying to look like a young woman of eighteen or older. Her clothing was just demure enough that she would not offend the Amish teens, while still loudly proclaiming her an adult.
“There is nothing wrong with what I am wearing.”
“Except that it makes you look about five years older.”
“And that's a bad thing, why?”
“Because you're fourteen, that's why.”
With that, she wilted. The defiance melted from her features. Her shoulders dropped in a slump. And he was certain he saw tears shining at the corners of her eyes.
Travis pulled his sister close, hugging her tightly, ashamed at the vehemence of his outburst as she sobbed hopelessly against his chest.
“I just wanted to... to...”
She never finished, but Travis felt certain he knew what she was getting at. She might only be fourteen, but she was obviously not a little girl anymore.
“Listen, why don't I take you home?”
She looked up then with such panic in her eyes that Travis felt his heart plummet. All he had been trying to do was the right thing—while getting his baby sister away from the much older guys—but somehow it felt like he had done the wrong thing.
“Do we have to tell mom about this?”
He exhaled deeply in relief. He hadn't been so wrong after all.
“No, we don't have to tell mom about this.”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he worried he should maybe take them back. Shouldn't their mother know what her fourteen year-old daughter was up to—coming out here late at night... and dressed this way?
Looking at Gwen's worried, tear-stained eyes, he could see that while their mom should certainly know what her daughter was up to, perhaps now was not the time to rat out his baby sister.
“Are you sure you're not going to tell her? You look like you're rethinking what you just said.”
“I am, but that doesn't mean I'm a rat. I don't have to tell mom as long as you promise this is the last time you do something like this.”
She didn't say anything... just watched him with those big eyes.
“Deal?”
Finally, when he was certain he would have to throw her over his shoulder to get her out of here, she answered, shoulders slumping again.
“Deal.”
“Good. okay then, let's get you home.”
He took her hand as they moved through the field, wanting to be certain he didn't lose her in the dark.
As they moved back toward the brightly lit barn, his thoughts strayed again to Katie. She was in there somewhere.
Stop that.
He was determined to get his mind off the young woman whom he had no right thinking of in that way... or any way other than as a friend, for that matter.
The thoughts and emotions that were struggling for attention within him were confusing at best, and terrifying at worst.
Why did Jake have to get started on family today? Nothing of the kind had crossed his mind in more than a year.
I don't have time for this nonsense right now. He shook his head, trying to dislodge the unwelcome thoughts.
Mom is finally getting better. That alone was a great comfort to him right now. Not to mention, he was finally getting his family back on their feet.
And the boys are behaving. That thought reminded him of his young sister whom he was still holding tight to—who seemed determined to grow up too fast.
Just like Jake and his brothers.
It was too ridiculous for words. Who on earth started thinking about getting married and having a family at fourteen?
One look at his baby sister was all it took to tell him she had certainly been thinking about it. It was obvious in everything from the make-up on her face to the set of her jaw.
It was also clear she had been doing more than just thinking—the outfit proved that. She had not just found those clothes lying around in her room.
She's planned for this. The thought made Travis wonder if this was the first time she had been to one of these singings—or even if she had snuck off to the city with her older friends.
Rubbing a hand over the sudden pain across his brow, he didn't notice Katie walking up to them.