On Thursday, Elsie deep cleaned the entire house per Abigail’s directions, though she really didn’t think some of it was necessary. Who would check for dust above door frames? Even when church services were held in homes every other Sunday, Elsie had never seen anyone reaching up high to check for dust. And ever since the terrible tornadoes that almost destroyed Hidden Springs, the bishop and preachers decided to build a common meetinghouse for services instead of having them in homes. Apparently several other districts were doing the same thing. And who dusted door frames in a church?
The house smelled of lemon-scented bleach when the door opened and Noah strode inside carrying the empty leftover dish. He’d been kept late at work Wednesday evening and Elsie’s brother Sam had picked up Elsie, full of talk about Chicago and how he’d rented a two-bedroom apartment for them starting January first. They could move in sooner; the landlord was painting now. Elsie guessed she’d share a room with two-year-old Sammy. The clock was ticking. She didn’t have much time left with the rest of her family and friends.
“The baked oatmeal was just as good as I imagined. You’ll make a good wife someday.” Noah winked at Abigail, who was sitting at the table slicing carrots and celery sticks to eat raw for part of supper.
She put down the knife and blushed. “Danki. I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
Noah set the dish on the table and sniffed. “Smells like you’ve been cleaning.”
“Elsie has. I wrote out a shopping list for her yesterday.” Abigail nodded at Elsie on the other side of the table.
“I’ll be ready to go as soon as I finish preparing meatloaf sandwiches.” Elsie smeared mustard on the already sliced bread.
Noah shrugged. “Take your time. I’m not in any hurry to leave.” He pulled out a chair and sat next to Abigail.
Elsie tried to not be obvious about studying them. She should have known about this long before now. She certainly had plenty of questions for Noah during their ride home. Starting with why he never brought her along when he visited Abigail.
“Can you and Elsie stay for supper?” Abigail asked.
Noah raised his eyebrows as he glanced at Elsie before answering. She gave a slight shake of her head. She’d love to and their parents wouldn’t mind, but Levi probably had enough of her. He’d been gone when she arrived this morning and still hadn’t made an appearance. Besides, he was sure to be uncomfortable after kissing her the way he had yesterday. It kind of embarrassed her, too. He’d never been so passionate when they were dating. It was almost as if he couldn’t get enough. Maybe he sensed, as she did, that time was running out and all restraint was gone.
As if he was refilling his…thoughts, memories, something…before they parted again. Permanently this time. Because she’d be heading to Chicago with Sam and Sammy.
Oh, that hurt. Especially because she’d likely be shunned.
“Sorry, we can’t stay.” Noah sounded regretful. “Maybe another time.”
Elsie didn’t want to come between Noah and Abigail, either. But…
Abigail sucked in a breath. “Levi said we can have a taffy pull tomorrow,” she blurted; then her cheeks flared red.
Elsie cringed. The poor dear. Abigail’s crush on Noah was almost painful to watch. But maybe they felt the same about her obvious feelings for Levi.
Of course, her feelings were painful to experience, too. How should she react to a man who seemed to want her physically but not in any of the other ways that mattered in a forever romance—er, relationship? One that included marriage and a happy ever after.
There was no forever in their extended relationship forecast. And if she were smart, she wouldn’t let him steal any more kisses—not that he stole them. She gave them away willingly. They should be saved for her future husband.
Not that anyone was lining up to court her. She had dates. Dates! Sometimes two…never three. Seemed as if her lack of longevity at jobs extended to relationships, too.
What was wrong with her?
Maybe that’d change in the Englisch world, too.
She mentally shook her head and focused on her brother, who gazed at Abigail as if she were the only woman in the world.
“Friday is short notice,” Noah said, “but we’ll make it work. My big concern is the weather forecast. When we were talking at work, I heard we’re supposed to get a bad ice storm with enough accumulation to down power lines followed by a blizzard with several feet of snow on top of the ice. The grocery stores are sold out of the necessities.”
Brow furrowed, Abigail went to retrieve her shopping list and skimmed it. Then she shrugged. “Get what you can.” She shoved it nearer to Elsie.
Elsie glanced at it. “Most of it is for candy making anyway and snacks for the frolic. You should be fine except for milk. And we have enough to spare at our house. I’ll bring a gallon in the morning.”
“Oh, I haven’t had real milk fresh from the cow in forever. The whole milk from the grocery store just doesn’t taste the same. Danki. When is that storm forecasted for?” Abigail turned to Noah. “Levi said he heard it was stalled over the Dakotas.”
“It was.” Noah shrugged. “And they still aren’t sure which way it will go. If it tracks our way, it’ll arrive late Friday night or early Saturday morning. So the taffy-making frolic shouldn’t be affected. Everyone should be home by the time it starts. I think.” He eyed Elsie’s stack of meatloaf sandwiches. “I’m going to head out to the barn and say hi to Levi; then I’ll be ready to go.” He winked at Abigail again.
She looked down, her cheeks flaring red again. So sweet.
“I’ll meet you at the buggy,” Elsie said, then looked at Abigail as Noah stood and left the house. “I think I made plenty.” She motioned toward the stack of sandwiches that used up all the leftover meatloaf. “But whatever is left you can set out at the frolic.”
“Danki for all your help.” Abigail picked up the knife again. “I’m so happy you and Levi are back together. You complete him. I can’t wait until we’re sisters.”
Elsie paused in putting the lid on the mustard jar. She stared down at it. “We’re not back together. Probably never will be.” There was no probably about it. “I didn’t mean to give you that impression. He’s my boss and that’s all.” She couldn’t even claim to be his friend. He’d be shunning her with all the rest.
Abigail frowned. “But Levi said he kissed you. He’d never do that if he wasn’t in love with you.”
If only that were true. And it rather hurt that Levi kissed and told, as if she were some kind of conquest. Elsie forced a shrug that she hoped looked nonchalant. “Levi can’t stand me and the only reason he hired me was because of you. He said so.”
Abigail scoffed. “Then why’d he kiss you?”
Peppermint. He’d told her so. But Elsie lifted her shoulders again. “We’re history. The most we’ll ever be in the future is friends.” And that was stretching it.
“Think what you will. He’s my brother and I know for a fact that he’s still in love with you.”
Whatever. But did Abigail know why Levi said he “can’t” marry? Maybe she could ask Abigail. But not today when her emotional roller coaster had already taken her for a ride.
Elsie put the sandwich supplies away, cleaned up her mess, and headed for the door. And her coat. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
* * *
A floorboard creaked.
Levi put the block of wood down on the workbench.
George, again? At least Levi had made significant progress between yesterday’s and today’s visits. The trains’ cars were all cut out in rough form and ready for the hand shaping with his whittling tools. And maybe if he showed George the toy train cars, he wouldn’t take apart the buggy.
He turned toward the door as it opened, spread his hands out so George could see he was unarmed—and hopefully wouldn’t attack him with the walking stick—and looked at…Noah.
Noah, who wore a serious, intentional expression that warned Levi this would be a conversation he didn’t want to have. But at least it wasn’t a total surprise, so maybe he wouldn’t come across as a jerk.
Levi tried to muffle a sigh, brushed the thick layer of sawdust off a stool, and held his hand toward it. “Hey, Noah. Have a seat.” And then he cringed because that sounded rather abrupt. “Good of you to stop by.” Better late than never, right?
Noah smiled, his ability to appear at ease whether he was or not—like Elsie’s—somewhat annoying Levi. The original facial expression had implied that Noah had to be as nervous about the upcoming conversation as Levi was. Noah straddled the stool and gave an exaggerated shiver as he glanced around. “A bit chilly out here, ain’t so?”
Levi hadn’t noticed, but since Noah brought it up…“Now that I’m not working it is.” Levi crossed his arms and leaned his back end on the edge of the workbench. Time to cut the small talk. He wasn’t good at it anyway and preferred to get to the main point. “What do you need?”
Noah’s smile faded. “You aren’t going to make it easy on me, are you?”
“Should I? It’s about one of our sisters and—”
“Both.” Noah jutted out his jaw. “I was going to ask permission to court Abigail, but maybe I should ask about your intentions regarding Elsie first.”
Time to do damage control. Levi tried to muster a pleasant expression and find a calm yet firm tone of voice that would indicate he was the alpha dog here. Not Noah. This was his home. His family. “Permission granted. I know I don’t need to tell you that she’s fragile and still healing. Her recovery is slow and ongoing and—”
Noah held up a hand, his expression open and friendly again. “I know. I’ve been seeing her as a friend for over a year. Close to two years. She’s my best friend. I didn’t expect to fall in love.”
“Taking her out has its own set of challenges.” Levi had to warn the man. Noah had no idea what he was getting himself into. Lifting her in and out of the buggy, making sure where they went was wheelchair accessible, protecting her from unkind comments and gawkers…
“Abigail told me. But our first date is going to be at your house at your taffy pull.” Noah spread his hands out. “You’ll be there, watching.”
Watching? Hardly. Levi tried not to scoff. “It’s not my taffy pull. It’s Abigail and Elsie’s. I won’t even be there.”
Noah’s smile flickered. “I think Elsie is kind of expecting to be your partner at the frolic.”
“I don’t know why she’d expect that.” Except, he did. And worse, Noah witnessed that first passionate kiss since Levi and Elsie reconnected. Because he was strong-armed into hiring her as his elf. He unfolded his arms and waved a hand at his messy shop. “I’m on deadline.” An impossible one. “I told her I’d chaperone the barn area while I work.” At least he was pretty sure he had.
“You and Elsie can’t be chaperones. You’re singles of courting age.”
“But we wouldn’t be together in the same building.” And he wasn’t courting. Elsie might be in a relationship, though. And it made Levi lower than a snake to kiss another man’s girl. But then again, Elsie hadn’t exactly tried to stop him. Nor had she complained. Of course, that still didn’t make it right.
Noah’s face screwed up as if he’d tasted something sour. “You’re not? But you…she…huh.”
The man was holding back, clearly respecting Levi’s implied alphaness by not challenging him. But still, his facial expression and body stance spoke volumes.
Time to change the subject. Or at least direct it away from him and Elsie. Levi crossed his arms again. “Your sister brought up the taffy pull, though I can’t remember why.” He’d kissed her since then. “She asked my permission to mention it to Abigail. I gave it, but I’m not real good at socializing, as I’m sure you know. Elsie suggested we chaperone.”
“She knows better,” Noah muttered.
Jah, and come to think of it, Levi knew better, too. Which meant Elsie had deliberately set out to mislead him—the conniving, manipulating, tempting…
“Elsie can be persuasive.”
Persuasive was a whole lot nicer a word than the ones Levi struggled to think of. Probably truer, too. Elsie, like Noah, was just plain nice.
“Abigail was all over it when Elsie brought it up.” Levi looked down at his tennis shoe–clad feet and scuffed a toe in the thick layer of sawdust. “I didn’t realize how lonely she was.”
“She’s alone all day. You’re around other people at work all the time.”
Noah was a whole lot more forgiving than Levi, too. He could learn a lot from the Millers.
“You should make an occasional appearance at the taffy pull, just to show your support to Abigail and Elsie.” Noah shifted on the stool, causing it to creak.
He was probably right. Levi sighed and glanced up, ready to agree, but he caught a glimpse of the unfinished trains. The block of wood he’d just cut out taunted him. How could he possibly consider going to the frolic? There was no way this order would get completed if he wasn’t the adult, keeping his fingers on the sandpaper.
Noah stood. “I’ll let you get back to work. I need to get Elsie home and Abigail almost has supper prepared.” He gave Levi a pointed look.
A broad hint that Levi should temporarily close up shop and come say goodbye and stay in long enough for dinner. But saying goodbye would stretch the limits of his control. Especially after kissing Elsie the way he had. It was far wiser to keep his distance physically and mentally and think about the reason why he couldn’t marry instead of letting his strong feelings for her overrule his good sense.
“I’ll be along in a bit,” he said and deliberately picked up the roughly cut-out boxcar.
Noah huffed but left without another word…and after a moment, Levi followed, but just far enough to lurk in the shadows inside the open barn door.
And from the safety of the darkness, he watched the sway of Elsie’s hips as she walked around the buggy and climbed in, the blood in his veins heating as he relived the too-short moments he held those curves in his hands.
Keeping his distance was his only hope of surviving this.
As he watched Noah drive the buggy toward the road, Levi’s cell phone rang in the workshop. Levi hurried back into the room. It was an unfamiliar number. Probably more work, but Levi didn’t need to look at his nonexistent planner to know he wasn’t available until after Christmas. Of course, that was factoring in the toy orders.
“Wyse and Sons Construction.” He really should change the name of Daed’s business considering there were no sons—other than Levi—anymore. Never would be. “Levi speaking.”
“Levi. This is Elsie Miller’s friend Jane Turner. I need some information about toy prices. Elsie didn’t know what you charged.”
Levi frowned. “I can answer your questions, but you need to know I’m booked solid until after Christmas.”
“That’s fine. So am I. We’ll go with an Easter delivery date for the toys. I can’t set up your website yet, so I’m listing them for sale on a popular crafter’s site. I—”
“What?” He might have shouted the word.
The woman hesitated, then started repeating herself. At least she added more information. “Elsie contacted me about building a website for Santa’s Workshop and she sent pictures of your creations. I think they’ll sell well, and—”
Elsie contacted…building a website…the words fell into repeat as Jane continued talking. He might have answered Jane’s questions though he didn’t remember doing so. His brain was numb. His temper was not.
Who gave Elsie Miller permission to have a website built for his hobby?
And when did she take pictures?
Was the bishop aware or would Levi be the one in trouble?
He needed permission from Bishop Nathan before proceeding. He opened his mouth, interrupted Jane, and told her so.
She acknowledged it with a scoffing sound.
But as far as he was concerned, that was handled.
“Thanks for calling. I’ll get back to you when I have permission,” he said. But he had no intention of following through either with Jane or the bishop.
Furthermore, he needed to have another talk with his elf.
* * *
Elsie had to let Noah use her horse and buggy again the next day since his horse was still lame. He drove out to Zooks’ Salvage Grocery first, since she needed to fill Abigail’s grocery list. It still turned Elsie’s stomach to go there since she’d been unfairly fired—in her opinion—after only a few hours of work. No wonder Zooks’ were desperate for help if they fired everyone for no good reason. But unless she wanted to have Noah drive her to nearby Arthur to grocery shop, Zooks’ was the only option in Hidden Springs. And the trip to Arthur would take both of them out of their way, making Noah late for work at the cabinet shop.
The sky was heavy with dark-gray clouds that appeared so packed with moisture that they hung close to the ground. Not foggy, since it’d been so frigid that both the air and the ground were cold. Still, the dark, heavy clouds added an eerie feeling that spooked Elsie’s overactive imagination. She really shouldn’t have stayed up into the wee hours of the morning reading that romantic suspense under the covers by flashlight so she wouldn’t disturb her sisters.
“It smells like snow,” Noah said for what seemed like the umpteenth time since they left home that morning. His voice was filled with dread.
Elsie didn’t see it as a huge problem. She’d just stay home this weekend and into next week if it got that bad. And maybe that “absence makes the heart grow fonder” quote would be true this time around. For both Levi and her family and friends. A girl could dream, anyway. She hated to leave them, but it was for the greater good: a future and a hope.
Would the blizzard postpone her and Sam’s leaving? If it did, it wouldn’t be by much.
Noah had a bigger problem with the snow because the Amish-owned company he worked for relied on Englisch-owned construction companies or worked for the Englisch, and when roads got really bad, travel was discouraged unless it was an emergency.
Horses were fine on ice or a slick concrete parking lot. Their shoes were covered with grill tec that enabled them to grip ice. It was ever so much safer in a buggy with ice than a car, as drivers could lose control faster than a buggy driver.
She grabbed her purse, double-checked to see if she still had Abigail’s list, then climbed out of the buggy and trudged into Zooks’ as Noah secured the horse.
“Free ice cream!” Thomas Zook bellowed as the sleigh bells rang on their hook over the door. They were new since Monday. “Buy two full price, get one free. Discounted flavor my choice.”
“Dill pickle, per chance?” Noah quipped behind her, a hint of laughter in his voice.
Thomas Zook appeared around the endcap, scowling. His eyes narrowed as they rested on Elsie. “You,” he growled.
“Me!” Noah boomed.
She waved the shopping list. “I’ve come in peace.” But her face burned.
Thomas Zook muttered something under his breath and turned away. “Let me know when you’re ready to check out.” At least that was said in a much nicer tone.
“I do need ice cream. But Abigail specified vanilla. It’s for the punch. And I would be embarrassed to give her dill pickle ice cream.” Elsie grabbed a basket and headed for the back of the building, where the perishable items were kept. On the way she grabbed the other items on Abigail’s list. Finally, she stopped at the ice cream display and sorted through it. Not a vanilla in the bunch. The closest they had was eggnog.
Noah leaned over. “It’s a fruit punch, right? They have pumpkin flavor.” He straightened, clutching a box picturing a light-orange-colored ice cream.
“I don’t think so.” Elsie made a face at Noah.
He placed the box back into the case and frowned. “Eggnog might work. I guess. Maybe. Or I could make a side trip into Arthur to another grocery store before I come for the taffy pull tonight, but then I’d be late.”
Elsie shrugged. “We’ll try eggnog. If she doesn’t want to, I’m sure some of the guys will eat it anyway.”
“I would.” Noah grabbed two boxes. “We gotta take advantage of that buy-two-get-one-free offer.”
Elsie glared at him.
He chuckled but kept both boxes as he walked toward the exit.
She rolled her eyes and headed for the front and the lone checkout where Thomas Zook waited.
Noah held the two ice cream cartons high.
Thomas Zook grinned. “I am so excited to gift you with a free cartoon of dill pickle ice cream.” He turned, grabbed a box from a small freezer on an open shelf, and set it on the counter. “Enjoy!”
“And I am so excited to receive it.” Noah waited until all the groceries were rung up and paid for; then he found the package of dill pickle ice cream in one of the plastic bags and, with a wink at Elsie, placed it in the benevolence box that went to the needy in the community.
Then, while Thomas Zook spluttered, Noah grabbed the plastic bags full of the purchases and carried them out the door.
Elsie hurried after him. She wanted to be long gone before Thomas Zook found his voice. “You are so bad,” she said to Noah as she scurried into the buggy.
“Jah, and Daed will hear about it, I’m sure. But it will be worth the end result.”
“I hope. He might make us apologize.”
“Maybe to the needy.” Noah laughed. “Possibly a cursory one to Zook for tricking him.” He climbed in and backed the horse away from the hitching post. “I don’t think it’s kneel-and-confess-before-the-church-worthy.”
Elsie hoped not. That’d be so embarrassing. Especially in front of Levi. But at least she wouldn’t have to do it alone. Or at all since Noah was the one to do the buying and “gifting.”
As they pulled onto the road, a horse and buggy approached on the opposite side of the street, and even though the driver wore the standard black coat and hat, she could recognize Levi anywhere.
Apparently, he felt the same way because his gaze locked on hers.
Noah raised a hand in greeting, but Levi kept his focus on her until they passed each other.
She adjusted the rearview mirror to keep his buggy in sight.
And smiled when a hand came out of the other buggy, adjusting his.