Skylar sat on the curb, waiting for Quill to arrive. Miss Tall-and-Thin hired gun was inside the house, having been instructed to leave her alone unless Cody showed up. Skylar and her parents had talked earlier, saying what needed to be said, but nothing made this easier.

Two huge, overstuffed suitcases were beside her. She would be a nervous wreck about now, except she’d sneaked out last night and met Cody. He’d given her a concoction of pills in a Ziploc sandwich bag. Two high-potency Xanax pills had taken the edge off. She looked in her purse, checking for the umpteenth time that the baggie was still there.

A lot had changed in the three weeks since she’d met Quill in the food court and was reeling from the news that she wasn’t her parents’ biological child. She’d overheard whispering and had begun to piece together why her dad was so passionate about dumping her somewhere and bringing Ariana into his life. He hadn’t said it directly, but Skylar knew he hoped Ariana would be the daughter he’d never had. She probably would be, and Skylar wasn’t going to remain in the state to find out.

Without any doubt her dad also hoped Ariana had the musical gifts that he and his mother had. Skylar was good, but her dad wanted great—like his side of the family. She was seething now, plotting how she would ditch the Brennemans, people who were nothing to her, and head to New York with Cody. That’s where an aspiring actress ought to be—there or L.A.

She would’ve run off with Cody last night, but he said it wasn’t a good time for him to leave town. He had business to attend to.

Whatever.

She patted the pocket of her jeans, making sure she had her phone too. Last night Cody had given her cash and a burner phone. If her parents—either set, her mom and dad or the Brennemans—thought she was trading in one kind of mandatory rehab for another, they were wrong.

Oh, and the modest clothes Quill suggested? That wasn’t happening either.

Quill pulled into the driveway and got out. “Hi.”

“Hey.” She stood.

His brows knit, and he angled his head, staring at her eyes. “Your pupils are dilated. You clean?”

“I needed something to get through today, okay? It’s a prescription.” Not her prescription but somebody’s.

He didn’t look convinced, but he nodded. “Okay.”

“You have no idea how hard this is! This is a dream come true for my parents, a new and better daughter. And now I’m supposed to slip a hundred years back in time and fit in. Why? So my Amish family can compare me to Ariana and decide I don’t add up for them either?”

Quill picked up her bags and put them in the trunk of his car. “You have a lot of fears tormenting you, and rightfully so, but your view of the situation is lopsided. Ariana is unbending about the Old Ways, and how thrilled do you think your parents will be when she hides the controls to the television and refuses to go to the movies?” He smiled. “She’s human, just like you, with strengths and weaknesses, but one man’s strength is another man’s annoyance.”

Her anger didn’t let up even a little. “When I think of her, I see her like Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, easily able to work the crowds.”

“Yeah, me too.” He chuckled and opened the door for her. “But in the privacy of your mom’s or dad’s home, she won’t be addressing any crowds. She’ll have strong opinions. Your dad is pretty set in what he wants, and I think he’s met his match. He just doesn’t know it yet.”

She climbed in. “Think she’ll give him a hard time?”

“Yeah, I do. That and a lot of other things scare me for Ariana.” He closed the door and went to the other side.

While Quill went around the car, Skylar opened her purse and quickly tugged on the baggie of pills, lifting it just enough to reassure herself she had plenty until Cody could get her more.

Quill opened the car door. She dropped the bag and shut her purse before he got behind the wheel of the car, but he eyed her purse.

She fastened her seat belt. “Can she sing?”

He put the key in the ignition and turned it. “Amish only sing as a group, no solos, and they do so during church service, weddings, or at what’s called a singing, where singles meet, so it’s not as if she’s ever picked up a mic.”

Tucking her purse between her legs and the seat, she could feel the lump of meds. That alone reassured her that she could cope with the next few days. “I’m still waiting for an answer.”

He lifted his fingers from the steering wheel as part of an odd shrug. Clearly he didn’t wish to respond. “She sang while helping out at my Mamm’s and when she thought no one could hear her. You know, while tending the garden or hanging laundry on the line, and yeah, she can sing. But it holds no interest for her. Talent-wise, baking and running her café are the only things that matter.”

“I guess I can be thankful for that.”

Quill stopped at a red light. “You’re focusing on the wrong things. Rather than pondering Ariana’s future, ask yourself about your future. This is a chance at a new beginning for you, an opportunity to discover the real you without using. The Brennemans are good folk, so”—he held out his hand—“all of it. Now.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“May I have your purse?”

“What? No. That’s an invasion of privacy.”

“Choose, Skylar. Give me the pills or your purse.”

“I liked you a lot better when we met at the mall that first time.”

“Yeah, I liked me better then too.” He bounced his hand, palm up, in front of her face. “But drugs and wallowing in self-pity help no one.”

She pulled the baggie from her purse. “Who made you the police?”

“You did. Just now.” He held it up, looking at the contents. “Is this all you have?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you know how much trouble we could get in if the police stopped us and we had these?” He shoved the stash between the cushions of the seat. “I’ll dispose of them when we stop at a gas station.” He held the lower part of the steering wheel by his thumbs. “Is this your plan—to bring trouble into the Amish community and prove to them and yourself that you don’t fit there?”

“I don’t, so why not prove it?”

“Because you should give them a chance to like the real you—not the drug-using, rebellious girl. Is it possible you want to make them hate you? Is that easier than trying to bond? Maybe you’re sure that will fail?” He waved his hand. “I’m not looking for a real answer, just sharing some thoughts. And while I’m at it, a year with your Amish family could help you become a better actress.”

“Because I’ll have to act as if I’m a good girl?”

“No. Because it’s life experience, and I read that good actors and actresses draw from different real-life experiences. Plus the Amish are stoic, often skilled in not saying what they actually feel. So if you’re smart, you’ll learn to read the nuances on their faces, and then you’ll learn to mimic those.”

“Sometimes you remind me of a salesman, a good one. So why’d you leave?”

He studied her before an entirely-too-good-looking smile formed on his lips. “Very few know the full reason. I can’t tell all of it, but what I can say should be of interest. If I agree to tell you what I can, will you promise to call me when you’re scared and not use drugs?”

“Extracting a promise from a user is like asking Mother Nature not to change the weather.”

“But when it comes to yourself, you’re just as powerful as Mother Nature.”

Did he honestly believe that? “The story?”

“Complete confidentiality is required on your part.”

“I can’t figure it out. Are we friends?”

“We’re not enemies…unless you bring trouble and heartache to Summer Grove. People I care about live there, including my Mamm.”

“Well, what do you know? We have something in common. My Mamm lives there too.” She rolled her eyes. Maybe she shouldn’t try to do any damage. Maybe she should be nice for a few days and then call Cody to pick her up when no one is looking.

Behind locked doors the café buzzed with the voices of Lovina and Isaac’s children, the spouses of the married ones, and their grandchildren. It had been three weeks since Ariana had overheard them talking in the barn. Ariana’s DNA test was conclusive. She was Brandi’s daughter.

Ariana laughed, and Lovina peered into the kitchen. Ari was at the stove, standing beside Abram as she tried to teach him how to make her famous oatmeal. She’d been upbeat and kind during the day, quick to laugh and assure all of them she was fine, but Lovina had heard her sobbing into her pillow in the wee hours of the morning.

What had Lovina done? Ariana would leave soon because of a question Lovina wasn’t sure she should have pursued. One thing was certain. Lovina’s heart couldn’t take much more. Yesterday the community had gathered, lavishing Ariana with love, speaking encouraging words, assuring her they would pray for her as they awaited her return.

This morning when Lovina had eased open the door to Ariana’s bedroom, she found all her children there. Most were spread out on the floor. Some of Ariana’s sisters were on the bed with her. Abram had been on a pallet beside the bed, and Ariana’s hand was dangling over the side of the bed, holding his as they slept. They’d spent the first several years of life sleeping hand in hand.

Ariana set a fresh cup of coffee in front of her before wrapping her arms around Lovina and kissing her forehead. “It’s going to be fine, Mamm. It’ll be an adventure I’ll tell my children and grandchildren, my very Amish offspring, ya?”

Lovina nodded, choking back tears.

Isaac peered out the door of the café. “Nicholas and Brandi just pulled up.”

Despite the strength Ariana had shown, she’d asked that Nicholas and Brandi not be allowed to come to her home to remove her. So they’d agreed to meet here, and she would step onto the sidewalk and get into their car.

“Okay.” Ariana nodded, offering a weak smile. “Tell them I’ll be out shortly.”

Isaac grabbed her bags and went outside. Ariana hugged every sibling, saying something to each one. It had been her wish that they stay inside until she was in the car. It scared Lovina that Ariana had started micromanaging life in order to cope.

Rudy hung back, waiting. He would return to Indiana for the year. His Daed needed his help, and since, as part of Nicholas’s agreement not to sue Rachel, he’d put restrictions on all relationships between Ariana and anyone Amish, it made sense for Rudy to go home. Maybe Nicholas would relent in a few weeks or months and at least allow letters.

What restrictions would they need to put on Skylar in order to keep the Englisch world out of their home? Would this time prove beneficial to Skylar, or had Lovina begun something that would only do harm to all involved?

Ariana moved to Lovina. “You show Skylar what it means to love the way the Brennemans do.”

Quill would bring Skylar to the house in a couple of hours and drop her off. It was Skylar’s request that Quill drive her.

Lovina held on to her daughter, wishing she didn’t have to release her in order to have time with Skylar. “Lieb du.”

“Ya, I love you too. Forever and always.” Ariana motioned for Salome, and Salome put her arm around Lovina as Ariana took Rudy by the hand.

Once at the door of the café, Ariana turned. She looked different. Her hair and clothes were the same, but something was different. Lovina couldn’t imagine what it was. Had becoming the owner of the café made her more confident? Maybe Lovina was seeing her as an adult leaving home. She’d never had a daughter leave home unless she was getting married.

Who would Ariana be when she returned in a year?

A horrible thought hit Lovina so hard her legs buckled. Isaac put his arms around her, steadying her.

When the year was up, what if Ariana no longer wanted to be Amish?