Something was wrong. Levi could feel it. Sense it. He could almost taste it. His thoughts were fixated on Elsie as the wind picked up and the falling snow turned into another blizzard. He tried to focus on the toy trains, but while he worked on making a new lioness to replace the one he’d given to George, his mind was a jumble. He wanted to fix the Elsie problem, not pretend to feel creative. He missed her.
Noah coaxed the puppy outdoors to take care of business while Abigail set pretzel dough near the woodstove to rise. Normally, that would set Levi’s mouth to watering.
This time it didn’t.
Abigail hadn’t finished the cleaning she’d asked Elsie to do, though he assumed it would be next on her to-do list. She wouldn’t save it for Elsie even though she was convinced Elsie would return.
Especially since Noah seemed to have that verse on repeat. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” He quoted it what seemed like every five minutes.
Bishop Nathan was strangely silent, his attention seemingly fixed on the part of the train he was working on. But he got his cell phone out of his pocket and set it on the table where he’d notice if it lit up, as if he were expecting a phone call. And he might well have been.
Levi was tempted to do the same. But did Elsie even have his phone number anymore? She did have Noah’s, though, so if she wanted to reach him, she could.
Abigail went to the back part of the house and returned minutes later with Elsie’s purse. Abigail opened it and took out Elsie’s cell phone. Abigail laid it on the table. “Elsie left it.”
Levi stared at it numbly. Unless Sam or someone else let Elsie borrow a phone, and she used it to call him, there’d be no contact.
Noah came in with the puppy. He held up his phone. “There’s been an accident just on the interstate. A police officer called on Sam’s phone to the last call received. They are taking them to the nearest hospital in—”
Levi put his whittling knife on the table and stood. “I’m going.” The hero racing to the heroine’s side, just like in one of Abigail’s romance books.
The bishop gave him a look. “Of course you are. You and every other Amish person brave enough to navigate a blizzard. It wouldn’t be a hospital stay without an Amish field trip to visit the victims.” He quirked a quick—and fleeting—grin. “Of course, you’re the only one with a romantic interest in one of them.”
“With plans to marry her in the not-so-distant future,” Levi amended with an equally pointed look at the bishop, since he hadn’t exactly asked permission yet. The declaration was followed with resolve and a prayer for her healing and safety. But even so, he’d take care of her no matter what injuries she’d sustained, just to have her in his life.
“I’ll call for a driver,” the bishop said.
Noah pushed a button on his phone. “I’ll activate the Amish grapevine.”
* * *
Elsie reclined on the hospital bed in the room she was taken to. The doctor made the decision to admit her for observation since she was unconscious when the ambulance arrived. Other than a few cuts from shattered glass and a stiff neck, she felt fine. But the doctor said she was a living miracle.
A mix of emotions filled her. Relief that Gott had saved her warred with fear and worry for her brother and nephew. The nurses she’d asked about them either didn’t know anything or refused to tell her.
Down the hall, someone bellowed. George. Elsie smiled. Some normality in the situation.
Someone tapped on the open door, and she carefully turned her head toward the sound.
Levi approached, his hands behind his back. As he neared, he pulled one hand out, revealing a bouquet of red roses. “For you,” he said. “I’m so sorry, Elsie. I never meant to make you go away—”
She barked a short laugh. But oh, she was ever so glad to see him. “You fired me!”
He frowned as he pulled up a chair and sat. “I don’t think I did; I didn’t mean to anyway. I’m sorry. I want to keep you as my elf and—”
“I didn’t want to go with Sam, but he said…I mean, I thought…” Though Levi had never actually said that she was fired. She’d jumped to conclusions again.
“Elsie, I—”
“I saw that boy, Bishop!” George bellowed from somewhere down the hall. “Is that redhead here?”
Forget this. They could go on all day talking about their mistakes. The point was the lessons were learned. Elsie slowly and painfully slid out of the hospital bed and sat on Levi’s lap.
He caught his breath, his hands automatically going to the curve of her hips to steady her and draw her nearer. “Elle, please forg—”
She snuggled closer, turning her head into his neck and kissing him the way he did that last time. “I forgive you. I love you. I’m sorry for my mistakes, too.” She found his pounding pulse with her lips.
He groaned. His hands found her waist. “Elle…”
She trailed kisses up his neck, the strong curve of his jaw, and teased the corner of his lips.
He groaned again. Pulled her tight against him, caught her chin, and brushed his lips over hers.
Brushed! That was so not good enough. She twisted in his arms, caught his head in her hands, and took control, kissing him with every molecule of pent-up desire she had in her.
He moaned deep in his throat. “Elle, if you don’t stop, this isn’t going to be G-rated.”
She squirmed, kissed him again. “Marry me.”
The breath left him in a whoosh. “I think”—kiss—“that was supposed”—kiss, kiss—“to be my line…”
His hands slid up just a smidgen. She tangled her fingers in his hair, arching against him, a whimper escaping.
“Yes,” he might have growled. “I’ll…marry…you.”
“I think marriage is a good idea,” the bishop said from somewhere right behind her.
* * *
Levi froze.
Elsie launched herself off his lap so fast she tumbled awkwardly onto the bed. Good thing she was fully clothed and not in a hospital gown.
She buried her face in her hands. Shaking. He wasn’t sure if she was laughing or crying.
He looked over his shoulder at the bishop, who was halfway into the room. The man smiled indulgently and was probably semiproud of the fact that he had only given them five minutes instead of the ten he’d promised earlier. But oh, they’d made the most of that time.
Levi’s cheeks burned.
“Since she proposed and you accepted…” The bishop paused a beat. “We’ll start marriage counseling tomorrow. And as for the wedding, I have next Thursday free.”