By Monday afternoon, Penny had walked into every market and restaurant in Pinecraft and asked to apply for a job. Some let her fill out an application. Others, after learning that she had no actual work experience, showed her directly to the door. Then, just as she was starting to get discouraged, one of the clerks at Yoder’s asked if Penny had tried applying at any of the inns or bed-and-breakfasts nearby.
Without delay, she’d headed directly to the Orange Blossom Inn. Though she didn’t know the owner, Beverly Overholt, well, the attractive lady with the striking green eyes had always been nice to her. She also had a reputation of being easygoing, which was an attribute Penny knew she would very much appreciate in a boss.
And now, after telling Miss Beverly the reason she was there, the proprietor’s eyes brightened like Penny was her long-lost friend.
“You were surely sent here by the angels,” she said, wrapping her hand around Penny’s elbow. “A set of unusual circumstances has just presented itself, and I’ve been sitting at my desk praying for some assistance.” Her smile broadened. “And now, here you are!”
Penny wasn’t sure if she was happier than Miss Beverly or twice as relieved. She’d been starting to wonder how she was going to face her parents if their predictions about her inability to get a job turned out to be right.
The moment after they walked into the kitchen, Beverly deposited Penny in a chair, poured her a tall glass of lemonade, and placed the most delicious-looking slice of strawberry coffee cake in front of her. “Here you go. Job hunting isn’t for the faint of heart. I bet you’ve worked up an appetite today.”
“Danke.” She smiled hesitantly, briefly wondering if it was ruder to eat while applying for a job or to ignore the plate her potential future employer offered. In the end, her growling stomach made the decision. She was hungry, and the cake looked delicious.
Beverly seemed pleased when she picked up her fork and dug in. “Now, while you eat, I’ll tell you the type of job I have in mind for you.”
When Penny took a bite, Miss Beverly started talking. “I have been thinking I need to hire some extra help, to assist with cleaning the rooms and such. And with serving afternoon tea.” She paused, an almost panicked expression on her face. “Can you work forty hours a week?”
“Yes, I can.” Penny took another bite in an attempt to hide the wonder she was feeling. Could she really be landing a full-time job?
Beverly’s smile brightened. “You can? Oh, thank goodness. I know we need to talk about what days you will need off, too. Do you mind if we play it by ear? A lot of our schedule will be determined by how busy the inn is.”
“I don’t mind working different days each week.”
“Really? You are indeed an answer to my prayers, Penny.”
Penny wanted to say the same thing, that this job was the answer to hers. However, she was afraid to admit it for fear she would sound too eager or that her enthusiasm would reveal her inexperience. Instead, she took another bite of the delicious, moist cake.
“This is wonderful. I’ve never had strawberry coffee cake before.”
“I’m glad you like it. Even though I’ve been in Florida for a few years now, I take advantage of all the fresh fruits available year round.” She shrugged.
“My mamm often says the same thing.”
Miss Beverly beamed. “Who knows? If everything works out, maybe one day you’ll be making this cake for the guests.”
“I hope that does happen, Miss Beverly.”
Miss Beverly stilled, gazing at her for a long moment before pushing away Penny’s offer to rinse her plate. She took it over to the sink herself. “Penny, I forgot to ask, how soon can you start?”
“Oh, I could start today if you needed me.” After all, she had no desire to head home. She was certain her news about being hired full-time was not going to be met with smiles from her parents.
“You could really start today?”
Penny nodded, then confided, “I am so happy to have found a job. I really need this.”
“Gut. And that, well, brings me to something else.” Looking wary again, she said, “Penny, I will need you to help with traditional tasks—like cleaning rooms, cooking, serving, and so forth—but . . . well, we have a new development. Please listen to me before you refuse, okay?”
Miss Beverly’s sudden disclaimer sounded intriguing, and perhaps a little bit surprising, especially since there was no way Penny was going to refuse this job—but that didn’t seem like the right thing to say. “All right.”
“We have a guest who will be having surgery soon.”
“Yes?”
“It’s quite an unusual situation. See, the young man’s family travels quite a bit. They are evangelists. Perhaps you’ve heard of them? The Knoxx Family? They’ve come to Pinecraft a couple of times over the last few years.”
Penny’s mouth went dry and a sudden sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach made the strawberry cake she’d just consumed feel like it weighed twenty pounds. “Didn’t they speak at Pinecraft Park Friday night?” she asked in an extremely nonchalant way, because, of course, she already knew the answer.
She doubted she would ever forget Michael Knoxx’s speech—or how he’d treated her.
“They did.” Miss Beverly’s eyes shone. “The younger son is going to have surgery on his knee and recuperate here by himself because his family is scheduled to preach abroad.”
“That would be awful. I would hate to have to recover by myself in a strange place.”
“I would, too. But his family seems to think that the warm Florida air will only help his recovery.”
“I see.”
“The reason I’m mentioning all this is that part of your job will be to care for Michael.”
Penny felt her cheeks heat though there was truly no reason for it. “Michael.”
“Jah. And perhaps maybe even spend some time with him if you are agreeable to that?”
“Spend time?” She had no idea what that might entail.
Beverly’s lips turned up at the corners. “Don’t look so worried, dear. I’m simply talking about reading, playing cards, maybe even watching a movie on a portable DVD player I have.”
Penny was taken aback. Her parents had been so overprotective that she’d had very few opportunities to spend any time at all with men.
But what choice did she have? This was the job she was being given. Besides, it seemed as if the Lord had been working through the day’s events. How else could she have explained the fact that she was looking for a job just when Beverly was in need of help? And that she was going to be helping to nurse Michael, the most famous person in town?
Who just happened to be the same man she’d attempted to help a few nights before.
A verse from Matthew 7 that she’d memorized long ago came to mind: Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you.
“What do you say, Penny? Would you like the job? If your answer is yes, it’s yours.”
With new resolve in her heart, she stood up. “I’m looking forward to this job very much, Miss Beverly. Now, if you’ll tell me what you’d like me to do first, I’ll get right to work.”
As an answer, Miss Beverly pressed a pitcher of water in her hand. “Please go to Michael’s room, give him some water, and see if he needs anything. He’s in the Lilac room.”
“Lilac?” It sounded awfully feminine for a man like Michael Knoxx.
“Jah.” Her eyes lit in amusement. “All the rooms—with the exception of the attic room—are named after flowers.” Her lips tilted upward. “Don’t worry. You’ll see the name to the left of every door.”
Penny tried to look competent as she made her way out of the kitchen and through the gathering area. Only when she got up the stairs did she dare allow herself to relax and let her true feelings surface. She clenched her hands and closed her eyes as a terrible combination of embarrassment and something akin to terror churned her insides. This was going to go badly. She had no idea how to care for a grown man, let alone a famous, handsome one.
But then, little by little, she remembered what her alternative was. She could simply stay home and be coddled and protected and have every move watched.
She could not go back to that. She couldn’t.
Outside of his room, Penny forced herself to relax, letting her head fall back against the wall and exhaling slowly. She had a job. So what if it was spending time with Michael Knoxx? So what if he was going to be sitting in his bed, in his room?
And did it really matter if it was just the two of them?
Furthermore, the worst that could happen already had. Why, she was fairly sure he believed her to be some kind of awful, crazy stalker. But he was simply going to have to get over that.
As her skin started to prickle with nerves again, she realized she was going to need some help. Luckily, there was someone in her life whom she could always count on for that.
“Lord, you definitely do work in mysterious ways,” she whispered. “I’m not entirely sure why You’ve decided I need to do this particular job, but since You have, maybe You could give me a little bit of help?”
She paused, half expecting to be hit by a bolt of lightning or something.
But when nothing happened, she raised her hand and knocked on Michael’s door, then felt goose bumps traipse up and down her arms when no one replied. What to do? Was he asleep? Should she wake him up?
Feeling like the Lord was smiling as He propelled her forward, Penny inhaled, lifted her hand, and knocked again. This time with a good bit of force. Miss Beverly had asked her to bring Michael Knoxx water, so that was what she was going to do.
No matter what was about to happen.