A shout sounded from the lake, followed by a thunderous splash and a burst of laughter.
Kevin Weaver raised his head at the sound, but then he took a potato chip from a bag in the center of the picnic table and ate it. He nodded at Phoebe Kurtz, who was sitting across from him. “Danki for inviting me to join your youth group this afternoon.”
“I’m so glad you could come.” Phoebe’s pretty face lit up with a smile as her bright-blue eyes sparkled in the June sunlight. She popped a chip into her mouth and then lifted a bottle of cold water to her lips.
Members of Phoebe’s group were scattered all around the park. Some played volleyball, others swam in the lake, and the rest sat at picnic tables, snacking and talking. As he took in all the activity, Kevin thought about how he’d hesitated when Phoebe invited him.
Last Wednesday, she’d come to his job site with lemonade for him and the rest of her father’s brick mason crew. That was the first time he’d ever seen her, and she was difficult to miss with her gorgeous smile, contagious laugh, and striking, powder-blue eyes. Then she introduced herself and asked questions about the foundation they were building for the large house. He was immediately drawn to her friendliness and sweet demeanor.
When Phoebe came to the site again on Friday, she invited him to join this group for a picnic after church today, at a park convenient to both her church district and his. Wondering if she thought they might be more than friends, his first reaction was to say no. He wasn’t interested in being more than friends with anyone. Not after . . .
Besides, he was too old for her. One of the other workers mentioned she was nineteen like the man’s daughter was, and Kevin was twenty-four. He didn’t even attend his own youth group anymore.
She was also his boss’s daughter, and that could cause problems.
But then he focused on her captivating smile, and he heard himself agreeing to meet her there. Just being her friend should be okay. And if she was interested in more than friendship, she’d soon realize he was interested only in being on his own. At least until he was ready for a wife and family.
Kevin snatched another handful of chips and dropped one into his mouth just as Suzanna Byler turned to Phoebe. The two young women were sitting side by side, and Kevin gathered they were best friends.
“Hey, Pheebs.” Suzanna bumped her shoulder against Phoebe’s. “Are we going to swim? Or are we going to sit at this picnic table and stuff ourselves with snacks all day?”
“You can go swim.” Phoebe gestured toward the lake behind them. “I’m going to talk to Kevin for a while.”
“Okay.” Suzanna removed the blue headscarf from her dark-brown hair. Then she jumped up and rushed to the edge of the lake, where she dove in from the short drop on the shoreline.
“So.” Phoebe leaned forward and tilted her head. “How do you like working for mei dat?”
“I really enjoy it.” Kevin bit into a cracker with cheese on top.
“Did you work for another brick mason before mei dat hired you?”
“No.” He shifted his weight on the bench. “I worked on mei bruder’s dairy farm.”
Phoebe’s light-brown eyebrows rose as she rested her arms on the table. “What inspired you to change professions?”
Kevin rubbed his chin as he crafted his response. “I want to be more independent, not keep relying on mei bruder. So when my best freind Ben told me he heard your dat had an opening for an apprentice, I applied. I’m grateful he was willing to train me since I had no experience.”
She seemed to study him. “Is your dat a dairy farmer?”
“He was before he passed away.”
She tilted her head, and the sympathy in her eyes sent heat curling through his chest. “I’m so sorry you lost your dat.”
“Danki. I was fourteen when he died in a traffic accident. Mei bruder, Dathan, is eight years older than I am, and he took over the farm. I still live there, but I already know it will go to his sohn.”
“Oh, wow. Mei schweschder is seven years older than I am. Do you have your own haus on the farm?”
“No, I don’t, but I plan to build one.”
She seemed to hesitate for a moment. “Does your mamm live there?”
Kevin shook his head. “She died when I was four. Cancer.”
“Ach. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s all right. It was a long time ago.” He needed to change the subject before the sadness in her expression broke his heart. “Tell me about your family and what you do. You’ve had some time to visit the job site, but I assume you help your mamm with chores at home?”
Phoebe sat up a little taller as her smile returned. “Ya, I do. You know”—she counted a list on her fingers—“sewing, cooking, cleaning, laundry. All the things we women do. But I also help at mei schweschder’s business sometimes. She has a booth at the Bird-in-Hand market called the Bake Shop. I help her bake for it at home, and then I help her at the booth on busy days.” She smiled again, and he was mesmerized for a moment.
She’s your boss’s dochder!
She’s too young for you.
And you don’t want a girlfriend. Not yet.
The voice in his head snapped him out of his reverie.
“Phoebe!”
She spun when Suzanna called her name. “Ya?”
“Come in!” Suzanna beckoned her as she stood on the bank of the lake, her blue, one-piece swimsuit soaked. “The water is perfect!”
Phoebe gnawed her lower lip as she turned back to Kevin. “Do you want to swim?”
“Not really.” Kevin picked up another cracker. “I’ll stay here and guard the snacks.”
“I’ll stay with you.” She picked up a cookie.
“No. You go.” He waved her off. “Don’t sit here just because I don’t want to swim.”
“Are you sure? You’re my guest, and I don’t want to be rude.”
He held up a hand. “I promise I’ll be fine.”
“Phoebe! Kevin!” Suzanna called again. “Come on!”
“You should go. I’ll wait for you here.” Kevin leaned across the table and nudged her arm.
“Okay.” She stood and turned away from him before slipping off her purple dress to reveal a blue-and-white, polka-dotted, modest one-piece swimsuit with a skirt that fell to her mid-thigh.
She gave him a sheepish smile as she removed her purple headscarf and set it on the bench beside her dress. Her light-brown hair was fixed in a tight bun, and for a moment, he wondered how long her hair would be if she let it flow freely down her back. Would her locks reach her small waist? Was her hair as soft as it looked? Did it have any wave? Or was it straight?
He mentally slapped himself and forced his eyes to focus on the bag of chips instead of her.
“Let me know if you change your mind, Kevin.” Phoebe gave him a nod and then hurried off to where Suzanna stood laughing with a group of their friends. Ray Fisher, whom he’d met earlier, said something to Phoebe, and she grinned. Then she stuck out her tongue and laughed before pushing him off the short drop, sending him careening into the lake.
Kevin gasped. He stood and walked closer to the water’s edge as Phoebe and the rest of the group laughed. Thank goodness Ray came up splashing. The group clapped for him.
“That wasn’t much of a dive, Ray!” one of the other young men teased, and they all laughed again.
“Phoebe didn’t give me a chance to dive.” Ray pushed his dark hair out of his eyes as he focused on Phoebe. “Why don’t you jump in now?”
“Okay!” Phoebe leaped off the drop and slipped into the water with the grace of a swan.
Kevin walked back to the picnic table and sank onto the bench. He drummed his fingers on the wood top as Phoebe frolicked in the water with her friends. The urge to go home consumed him, but it would be impolite to leave without saying good-bye to her. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but he also longed to escape. He didn’t belong here with these kids.
After several minutes, Phoebe returned and wrapped a large, blue beach towel around her soaked swimsuit. “Have you changed your mind yet?” she asked.
“No, I—” Kevin’s response was interrupted as Suzanna and a young man he’d heard someone call Benji approached the table.
“Hey, Phoebe!” Suzanna said. “Do we have any snacks left?”
“Ya.” Phoebe pointed to the table as she sat down across from Kevin again and then grabbed her bottle of water.
Benji sat down beside Kevin. “Here you go, Suzanna.” He grabbed a few crackers and threw them at her. “Take that!”
“What was that for?” Suzanna sat down beside Phoebe and threw a cracker at Benji.
“You don’t do that to my bestie and get away with it.” Phoebe laughed as she tossed a cracker at Benji too.
Soon all three were laughing as snacks flew all around the table.
Kevin dodged a flying potato chip, and his nostrils flared. Seriously, what was he doing here? He scanned the area, taking in the clusters of young men and women. Were any of them older than nineteen? If he was going to spend time with anyone, it should be with people his age, not these kids who thought it was perfectly fine to push an unsuspecting friend off a drop and into a lake. What if Ray couldn’t swim or had hit his head? Would it be just as hilarious if he had started to drown?
And the food fight made their antics even more ridiculous.
The “fun” over, Benji and Suzanna sauntered back to the lake.
Phoebe looked at Kevin with a squint. “Are you okay?”
“Not really.” He shook his head, frustration tingeing his response.
She seemed to wince at his harsh tone, and he felt guilty. It wasn’t her fault that she was immature. She just had more growing up to do.
“Are you angry about something?” she asked.
“No.” He worked to keep his tone even as he stood. “I just need to get going.”
“Why?” She blinked twice. “You just barely got here.”
Kevin gathered his bag containing his beach towel and a snack he would have been happy to contribute—if he were staying. “I need to help Dathan with the animals.”
“Oh. Well, could I get a ride home with you in your buggy?”
Leaving early—with him? Well, why not? No matter what she had in mind, he wouldn’t be spending time with her after today. They’d be friends whenever she visited her father’s job site, and that was all they’d be. She’d realize that soon enough.
“Sure.”
“Let me just dry off and then let Suzanna know I’m leaving.” She moved the towel over her suit, pulled on her dress, and shrouded her hair with her headscarf before jogging over to the lake. Kevin watched her. When she said something to Suzanna, her friend glanced at Kevin, her brow furrowed, before responding.
Phoebe made her way back to Kevin and retrieved her bag and picnic basket. “I’m ready.”
As they walked toward his buggy, a hot jolt of regret hit Kevin. Agreeing to attend this gathering today had been a mistake. He just hoped negotiating even a simple friendship with Phoebe wouldn’t cause any problems with her father.
* * *
Phoebe glanced at Kevin, taking in his stiff posture as he gripped the reins. His gaze focused on the road ahead, and irritation seemed to come off him in waves, mixing with her swelling confusion. He’d been so warm and friendly when they chatted before she went swimming in the lake. What happened to change his demeanor so drastically? Now he acted as though he were traveling alone instead of with a new friend, and the silence was suffocating. The clip-clop of the horse, whirr of the buggy wheels, and roar of passing cars were the only sounds she heard.
Her mind raced with questions. How was she going to find out what had broken between them? Her shoulders slumped and her brow pinched as she hugged her bag to her chest and leaned back in the seat.
Phoebe turned toward Kevin again, this time taking in his handsome profile. She’d noticed him immediately while visiting her father’s job site last week. Her mother had suggested she take snacks to the men since the site was just down the street from their house. Phoebe was acquainted with most of her father’s workers, but she’d never met Kevin.
Her father had hired a few Englischers to work for him, but most of his employees were Amish, like Kevin. He wore the traditional broadfall trousers, plain shirt, and suspenders, yet she didn’t think of him as an ordinary Amish man. Something about him drew her interest, and she’d walked over to him to get a closer look.
She guessed he was in his mid-twenties, and he was clean-shaven, indicating he was single. When he stood to wipe the back of his hand over his forehead, she took in his height, guessing he was close to six feet tall. His medium-brown hair complemented his eyes, which reminded her of milk chocolate.
She couldn’t explain the sudden urge to get to know him better, but she struck up a conversation with him about the foundation. Kevin was friendly and kind, and when he smiled, her heart took on wings—something she’d never felt with any of the young men she knew. It was as if Kevin had awakened something deep inside her heart.
Phoebe couldn’t get him out of her thoughts after their first meeting. When she told Suzanna about him, her friend encouraged her to invite Kevin to join them at the lake. Phoebe was thrilled when he agreed to go, and she imagined a day full of fellowship and fun as they got to know each other better.
But instead, she found herself riding beside him in this heavy silence. How could their time together have gone so wrong?
But Phoebe was no quitter. She wasn’t going to allow her hope of being Kevin’s friend evaporate after one trip to the lake. A surge of confidence ripped through her, and she sat up straight.
“So . . . did you like mei freinden?”
He looked at her. “Sure.”
Then he turned his gaze back toward the road, and with no further comment, he guided the horse through an intersection and onto the road that led to her home.
When they moved past the job site she’d visited, she angled her body toward him once again.
“Was iss letz?” she asked. “Did you not have a gut time today?”
“It was fine.”
“Oh. Well, would you like to stay for supper?”
He looked at her again, but she couldn’t decipher what she saw in his eyes. “Like I said, I need to get home to take care of the animals, but danki for the invitation.”
“Gern gschehne.”
The two-story brick home where she’d been born and raised came into view. Their ride was coming to a close, and she still hadn’t remedied their fallout. She needed to think fast.
“It looks like you have company.” Kevin nodded toward a horse and buggy at the top of the driveway.
“Jeff must be here.”
“Who’s Jeff?” Kevin halted the horse by her back door.
“Mei schweschder’s boyfriend.” Phoebe’s hope deflated like a balloon as she gathered her belongings. “Well, danki for the ride, Kevin. I-I was ready to go home too.”
“Have a gut night.” Kevin’s expression remained solemn, and discouragement settled heavily on her shoulders.
“You too.” She climbed out of the buggy and started up the porch steps.
When she saw movement out of the corner of her eye, she turned toward the pasture and found Dat and Jeff leaning on one section of fence, talking. They met her gaze and waved, and she returned the gesture before turning toward the driveway in time to see Kevin’s buggy disappear out of sight.
Was their friendship officially over? Her heart sank.
“Phoebe!”
She spun toward her sister, who was standing on the porch. “Hi, Christiana.”
“How was your youth gathering?” Christiana walked down the steps, and the late afternoon sun hit the red hair peeking out from under her prayer covering. It reminded Phoebe of fire. While Phoebe had inherited their mother’s coloring, Christiana had gorgeous, bright-red hair and dazzling, blue-green eyes. Phoebe had always been envious of her older sister’s beauty, but she kept those thoughts to herself.
“It was okay.” Phoebe hoped she seemed nonchalant as she climbed the steps.
“Just okay?” Christiana matched her pace. “You were so excited when Kevin agreed to join you today. I thought you’d be doing cartwheels when you got home.”
Phoebe swallowed an annoyed sigh. Why had she told Christiana and Mamm about inviting Kevin? If she had kept that information a secret, she could have avoided this conversation. At least they promised not to mention her interest to Dat yet. He was protective of his daughters!
“Wait.” Christiana took Phoebe’s arm and gently spun her toward her. “Was iss letz?”
Mamm pushed open the screen door. “I thought I heard a horse and buggy. You’re home early.” She looked beyond the porch. “Who brought you home?”
Phoebe bit back a groan. Well, at least she could tell them both at the same time so she wouldn’t have to repeat her disappointing story. “Kevin did.”
“Oh! Didn’t you invite him to stay for supper?”
“Ya. But he declined. He said he had to get home to help with the animals.”
Concern clouded Mamm’s pretty face. “Is something wrong?”
“Our time together didn’t go as well as I’d hoped.” Phoebe gave a little laugh that sounded more like a squeak. “It’s no big deal.” She tried to move past her mother, but she blocked the door.
Mamm’s expression warmed. “What happened?”
Phoebe took a deep breath. “One minute, Kevin and I were talking, and everything was great. The next minute, he said he was ready to leave. He told me then that he had to get home to care for the animals, but he seemed upset about something. At least he gave me a ride home, but he barely said a word to me on the way. Then when I invited him to stay for supper, he used the animals as an excuse again. At least he sounded like he was making an excuse.”
Mamm clucked her tongue and touched Phoebe’s hand. “Ach, mei liewe. I’m sure you didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Mamm’s right,” Christiana chimed in. “I’m sure it wasn’t you. You’re always so sweet and thoughtful.”
“Exactly.” Mamm smiled. “If he didn’t like you, he wouldn’t have showed up today.”
“Maybe he just agreed because he works for Dat and felt obligated.” Phoebe longed to erase the anguish that overcame her. Why was she so sad over a man she hardly knew?
Christiana looped her arm over Phoebe’s shoulders as they all stepped from the mudroom into the kitchen. “I seriously doubt that.”
“Why don’t you go shower and get ready for supper?” Mamm gestured toward the stairs that led to her daughters’ rooms.
“Okay.” Phoebe nodded as she headed out of the kitchen.
Christiana caught up to her. “Wait.” She stopped Phoebe at the bottom of the stairs. “Did something else happen?”
Phoebe heaved a deep sigh that seemed to bubble up from her toes. “No. I’m just so disappointed. I really like him.”
Christiana’s eyes brightened. “Then invite him to another youth gathering.”
“I don’t think he’d come, but danki for your optimism.” Phoebe spun and started up the stairs.
Christiana’s footsteps echoed behind her. “Wait! Surely we can come up with another plan.”
Phoebe rolled her eyes. Why couldn’t her sister just leave this alone? She longed to take a hot shower to wash away the disappointment. “I appreciate your encouragement, but I think if I invited him again, he’d turn me down, and it would make me feel worse. It’s better if I just forget it. I tried, and it didn’t work out.” She reached the top step and headed down the hallway to her bedroom.
Christiana marched in behind her and slammed her hands on her small hips. “When have you ever given up so easily, Phoebe?”
Phoebe pursed her lips. “Really, Christiana. I—”
“Don’t you remember how Jeff and I had a huge misunderstanding when we first met?”
Phoebe sank onto her desk chair. “Of course I do.”
“Jeff and I had our problems, but we worked it out. You never know. Kevin could be the one God has chosen for you.” Christiana wagged a finger at Phoebe. “Give him another chance. Invite him again and see what happens.”
“If I agree to do that, will you let me take a shower?”
Christiana smiled. “Ya—if you not only agree but promise.”
“I agree, and I promise.”
“Gut.” Christiana started for the door. “Now, don’t take too long. We’re having Mamm’s amazing chicken salad for supper.”
“Christy.” Phoebe called her older sister by the nickname Jeff had given her, and her sister pivoted toward her. “Danki for believing in me.”
“That’s what schweschders are for.”
Phoebe sighed as her sister left the room. She wanted to spend more time with Kevin. She just hoped he’d give her another chance.