A five-thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle of Niagara Falls would be easier to figure out than one man. Esther Marie gritted her teeth, ducked her head, and cleaned up the counter. She returned the meats to their proper spots in the refrigerated cases. At this rate she would simply take the pie she’d made the night before back home and let the kids eat it after supper. Jasper didn’t deserve it. He didn’t act like a man interested in anything more than embarrassing her in front of a friend.
As usual Raymond waited with the air of a man who had all day—maybe all summer—to wait. She’d never known anyone with so much patience. His brief appearance in the life of the store had been about Christine and her quest to experience life outside the tight-knit Kootenai community. Esther Marie played a tiny part in their short-lived relationship. She passed notes between them like a girl caught in a schoolyard romance.
Christine had gone back to Kootenai and Raymond moved away. So imagine her surprise when he showed up one day to bring her a sack of books to read. Some were biographies of famous people who stuttered. Others were books about minimizing the speech defect. A few were just for fun. Raymond said everyone needed books as a way to escape their lives, even if only for a few hundred pages.
Esther Marie had never been a big reader, but Raymond’s urging had propelled her into worlds she now enjoyed. She forced herself to look up and meet Raymond’s gaze. “S-S-S-orry about all that-t-t-t.”
“About what?” Raymond handed her the book and smiled. “I’m not in that big of a rush.”
“About J-J-J-as-per.”
Raymond took the package of double-fudge brownies she offered him. “He seems like he’s wound really tight. But it also seems like he really cares.”
“Cares?” Esther Marie’s voice squeaked in indignation. A person didn’t show he cared by being surly and rude. “I d-d-d-on’t think s-s-s-so.”
“He does care about you.” Raymond grinned and pushed his sunglasses farther back on his head. “He seemed jealous, actually. As a guy I recognize jealousy when I see it. I get really jealous when Tonya talks to other guys at parties. Or anywhere, for that matter.”
“B-B-B-ut she’s your g-g-g-girlfriend.”
“Maybe Jasper would like to be your boyfriend.”
“F-F-F-Funny way of sh-sh-owing it.”
“Guys are like that.” Raymond added the carton of ice cream she offered him to the small handheld basket in his other hand. “We don’t like mushy stuff and talking about our feelings. It’s worse than a root canal.”
“No fun for g-g-g-irls either.”
“Do you like him?”
“I s-s-s-uppose.”
Raymond laughed a deep belly laugh. “You look like you just drank a glass of sour milk.”
“He-e-e is h-h-h-ard to underst-st-st-and. He runs ho-t-t-t and c-c-c-old. If he li-li-li-kes me, why d-d-d-oesn’t he as-k-k-k me to take a buggy ride?”
“Girls make it sound like that’s so easy. It’s hard. You never know if you’re going to be rejected. It stinks. He just hasn’t gotten up the courage yet. Maybe if you started.”
“G-G-G-irls don’t st-st-st-art-t-t-t.”
“Sometimes they do. Tonya did.” He saluted and blew her a breezy kiss. “It’s always good seeing you, Esther Marie. Take care of yourself. Don’t let tradition stand in your way. If you want to know what’s on Jasper’s mind, ask him. I wasted a whole lot of time not seeing that Tonya is the only woman for me. Life is short. Go for the gusto.”
Esther Marie nodded and waved until he turned around and headed for the registers up front. Go for the gusto. That didn’t sound like something a Plain woman did.
She scrubbed the countertops, washed down the slicers, rinsed the washcloths, and swept the floors. No new customers materialized. She sighed so hard, the wisp of hair loose on her forehead jumped.
“F-F-F-ine.” She keyed the radio and asked Rachel to cover the deli for her.
Rachel took no time in speed walking to the deli. If Lucy hadn’t made a rule against it, she would’ve run. “What’s up?”
Nothing that could be shared with Miss Diarrhea of the Mouth. Sweet as she was, Rachel could not keep a secret. “I just need a quick break.”
“Ah. No problem. Take your time.”
From her knowing look, Rachel thought this was a potty break. No reason to set her straight.
Before she lost her courage, Esther Marie marched down the hall, rapped on the office door, and proceeded to open it before Jasper had a chance to respond.
“I d-d-d-on’t unders-s-s-stand . . .”
The office was empty.
* * *
First that man in front of her house. Now Raymond Old Fox. Jasper strode to the front of the store. He needed a breath of fresh air. He needed his team of horses and his field of corn. He needed to dig in the dirt and plant something.
Cara looked up from sacking groceries for an elderly couple who yelled at each other about the canned goods’ prices. Not because they were angry but because neither appeared to own a hearing aid. “Are you leaving?”
“I’m cleaning up the displays on the porch if anyone needs me.”
“I’ll tell Esther Marie.”
“No need.”
He pushed through the door and managed to shut it quietly. No point in taking his frustration out on the building. The porch needed sweeping. A sign trumpeting produce prices was crooked. He straightened it.
He’d been silly to think a smart, tenderhearted girl like Esther Marie would not have suitors.
He grabbed the broom and swept out leaves, dirt, and a variety of bugs into the grass.
His blood pressure returned to normal. His brain refrained from exploding. He breathed. Raymond Old Fox knew better than to court Esther Marie. He’d learned his lesson with Christine. He was a kind man.
The stranger at Esther Marie’s house was an unknown factor. But Jasper still had a chance. Filled with resolve born of the certainty that if he didn’t act now he would lose the chance forever, Jasper marched back into the store. Looking neither left nor right, he strode into his office, scooped up the bag of jelly beans, and made his way to the deli.
Rachel stood behind the counter tearing up lettuce for the packaged salads.
“Where’s Esther Marie?”
“She needed a break.”
“Why, was something wrong?” Or did she go somewhere with Raymond Old Fox?
“I couldn’t really say. It was of a personal nature.” Her face suddenly red, Rachel wiped her hands on a dish towel. “Could you cover for a minute while I run to the bathroom? It’ll only take a few seconds. Too much coffee—”
“Of course. No problem.”
She dashed past him before he could push through the deli gate. He waited until she was out of sight to rummage through the items underneath the counter. Esther Marie’s canvas bag and lunch cooler sat next to a box of plastic wrap. With a deep breath and a quick prayer, he nestled the jelly beans on top of her bag.
“What are you doing? Where’s Rachel?”
Jasper jumped and backed away from the counter at the sound of Esther Marie’s inquiry. His calf banged against a huge box of napkins. He teetered and righted himself. “You really need to tidy up around here.” He pushed through the swinging gate and swept past her. “Rachel went to the bathroom. I’ll let you take it from here.”
He could feel her puzzled gaze boring into his back all the way down the aisle.
What happened next would be up to her.
Please, Gott, let one thing lead to another.
Let this be the start of the precious friendship I’ve always wanted with Esther Marie. Show me what to do next.
Let there be a next.