Eva decided she’d walk to work today. Her cough had died down and she’d slept better last night. No tossing and turning, no fretting about losing a job she shouldn’t even have. Tanner wanted to be her friend, and she made him laugh. She had to accept that, and she wanted the same. He was nice when he laughed. Even more, she wanted to be of help to Becky. Eva had never known her father, and Becky would never know her mother.
They could be a great comfort to each other.
“Eva?”
She turned at the corner and saw Teresa hurrying toward her. Waving, she called out. “Hello.”
“How are you?” Teresa asked, hurrying toward Eva. “Ramona told me you had a cough.”
“It’s mostly calmed down now,” she said as her friend fell into step with her. “I’m much better today. I suppose I’m not used to seawater.”
“That salt water—not gut. And the bright sun can make you feel tired and dehydrated.” Teresa pushed at a palm bush hanging over the sidewalk. “I’m to the market for some eggs and butter. Mamm wants to make a pound cake for my daed’s birthday tomorrow. You’re invited, by the way.”
Eva looped her arm with Teresa’s. “I’d love that. I can see your home and you can show me this river you’re always talking about.”
“Phillippi Creek,” Teresa reminded her. “A beautiful, tropical place, and just as dangerous as the sea. It tends to flood in storms, but bald eagles and osprey love it there.”
“I’ll stay away from the water.”
“Gut,” Teresa said as they reached Dawson Department Store. “And you’d be wise to watch for the snakes and gators, and the single men who’ll be at the frolic.”
She gave Eva a mischievous grin and then let go of Eva’s arm and waved. “I must hurry.”
“I should, too,” Eva replied as she returned Teresa’s wave, and decided to ignore that comment about single men. Eva wasn’t interested in meeting any new men, and she sure didn’t want to come across snakes and alligators.
But she liked Teresa and wondered if having a sister would have made a difference in her life. Another thing she’d missed out on.
“We are to be what you see us to be, Lord,” she murmured as she entered the big store. And she was just an average plain girl who’d probably never find her true love.
She’d have to live with that. Meantime, she had a job, and she would start her new task—watching out for Becky after school each day.
Becky would be dropped off by some of the older scholars, and then Eva would leave the floor unless she was needed as backup. It should work nicely since standing around with nothing to do wasn’t her idea of working. But she would help with checking the inventory and anything else needed. She could hang clothes, straighten merchandise and dust with Becky nearby. She’d teach Becky these chores. Amish children learned young to do their chores.
She opened the door to the cool inside of the shop and waved to Martha. Martha always had a ready smile and a jovial attitude. She seemed to let Tanner’s many moods slide right off her. Eva could do that, too, with time and practice.
Time and practice. How much time did she have if she couldn’t stay here?
“How is your foot?” she asked Martha.
“Much better. I’ve been propping it up with a stool when I can.”
“I’m here now,” Eva said. “You can rest as much as you need.”
“You look so serious,” Martha said after Eva had put away her tote bag and turned to face her.
“I was thinking about all I want to do,” she admitted. “And how long I might be able to stay here.”
Martha eyed the tote bag. “Are you moving in, then?”
“Not here in the store. Here in Pinecraft.” Eva grinned and laughed. “Ramona sent cookies and a thermos of fresh lemonade. For the picnic Becky and I will have once Becky arrives. But she sent enough for most of the community.”
“I don’t mind a cookie and lemonade when I take a break,” Martha said. “Ramona makes the best snickerdoodles.”
“Then you are going to be very happy,” Eva replied.
The swinging doors to the workshop swayed and Tanner came up the aisle between the souvenir refrigerator magnets and the beach towels. “What’s all the fuss about?”
Eva checked him for frowns. When she found none, she nodded. “Ramona sent provisions since you work us so hard.”
Tanner’s gaze moved over Eva, but when he saw the smile creeping up her face, he shook his head. “Martha, your sarcasm is wearing off on our helper.”
The doorbells jingled and Martha gingerly hurried to the front to greet two Amish women. Soon they were laughing and chattering about the mild winter and spring approaching.
Eva didn’t want to think about that yet.
“So you’re better?” Tanner asked, his tone unusually quiet, his eyes unusually inquisitive.
“I’m much better. Just a little tickle. It happens.”
“I don’t want you to be sick, Eva.”
She stood up straight. “I’m fit to work.”
He glanced over her again, making her skin become warm. Too warm. “You do have your color back. And your kapp is on straight.”
“Is it? I seem to always have something out of place.”
“You look nice,” he replied with an almost frown.
To silence the awkward feelings, Eva said, “I’ll just straighten the T-shirts while I wait for Becky. She should be here soon.”
“She’ll enjoy the lemonade and cookies,” Tanner said.
“Were you listening to Martha and me, then?”
“I heard cookies and lemonade,” he said with a shrug. “That caught my attention.”
“That and your need to check on me and make sure I’m able?”
“You look able,” he said, turning to go back to his work. “I have several pieces to carve, so I will be in the back most of the afternoon.”
“I will see you later then,” Eva replied, working to keep her voice neutral. Even she knew not to bother Tanner when he was whittling and carving. He had the heart of a true artist.
She glanced around at the candleholders he’d fashioned out of driftwood, and the tables he’d made from cypress, cedar and walnut.
The swinging doors moved again, causing Eva to glance back.
Tanner returned to stand by her.
Nervous and highly aware of his nearness, she asked, “Did you forget something?”
“Neh, I thought I heard Becky, but I see she’s not here yet. What are you doing?”
“Studying your work so I can be knowledgeable if anyone asks about an item.”
A moment ticked by. “What do you think?”
“I think you are a wunderbar gut carver, Tanner.”
“It started with an Englisch doctor back home,” he explained. “He came down here to fish and hunt and once he brought home this huge driftwood log and asked me to shape it into a table. It reminded me of a turtle, so I worked it into a side table shaped like a huge turtle, and I had enough of the same wood left to put the legs on it.”
“That sounds incredible. And cute.”
“The doctor’s wife loved it.” He shrugged. “When Doc told me about Pinecraft, I knew I wanted to live here one day.”
“And now you’re here.”
“Ja, but I didn’t come down here for a while. I planned to marry and stay in Ohio. That changed, however.”
Eva didn’t ask how or why. She wanted him to tell her of his own accord.
“I only got serious about woodworking after...after Deborah died. We got married here, and while she was with child, she used to bring home driftwood and put it all over the house. After she passed, I picked up a knife and started whittling. I made some animal shapes that Becky still has to this day.”
Eva didn’t speak. Tanner rarely talked this much and had never talked to her about Deborah. Eva only touched the carving of a dolphin lifting out of the ocean. Made from washed-up wood.
Tanner shook his hat off and rearranged his wavy hair. “One day when I was walking the shore alone, I found a large piece of driftwood and remembering the table I’d made for the doc, I shaped it into a fish. I hung it right there over the cash register, not to sell, but just to display. But I got such a high offer, I sold it on the spot.”
Eva smiled at that. “So that’s how you got started.”
Martha and the two other Amish women chattered away over the available dresses and other Amish clothing. They made merry music in the background while Eva waited to hear more from Tanner.
“Ja, I’ve been doing this almost as long as Becky’s been here with me. The store was functioning when I bought it from an Englisch—an older man who only wanted to retire to fishing. He named a fair price, and I needed something to do. I couldn’t go home to Ohio.” With a nod, he added, “I guess it turned out best that Becky and I stayed here. She’s safe here.”
He stopped, glanced around, then turned to head back to his refuge. Eva stood staring after him, the small dolphin carving still in her hand.
He hadn’t told her much of a personal nature, but she’d sure picked up on some cues. He and Deborah had married down here, and Deborah had looked for driftwood while she was pregnant with Becky. Tanner couldn’t go back to Ohio.
Why was that? To protect Becky. Or to protect her mamm’s reputation? Or perhaps to protect himself and the how and why of what had happened between Tanner and Deborah.
Eva wanted to know, of course. But she also knew she’d have to bide her time. Because, after having told her all of this, Tanner would make it a point to avoid her. She was beginning to see the patterns of his moods. And she was beginning to understand more and more that he had some sort of secret reason for wanting to protect his child. An obvious secret, but one any man would take on. Because of love.
Could Eva accept that? For now, she had to. She’d be gone soon and none of this wouldn’t matter to anyone.
Except her and Tanner.
Tanner tried to focus on the bowl he’d created from a cedar log. He’d shaved and curved the wood with a gouge chisel and a tough hook knife. He wanted to bring out the grain. He planned to stain it a rich but light ginger so the yellow veins could show through. This was a biscuit bowl, but he had enough cedar to make several dough bowls. Always popular. The wood had been treated and prepared, but cedar didn’t need much to get any bugs out of it. It contained a natural repellent.
Checking the clock, Tanner began to pull the blue finger tape off his hands. His work was precise, and he used a lot of sharp objects, so he wore the tape most days.
Tomorrow he’d start on the dough bowls.
Martha and her sisters would pour scented soy candle wax into some of the smaller dough bowls. They had several favorite fragrances that brought return customers—lilac, honeysuckle, gardenia and lemon were well loved. Vanilla was always a safe choice.
He thought of Eva and her allergies and upper respiratory problems. When they made the fresh candles, he’d need to warn her to stay away. He knew some preferred unscented candles, so he’d tell Martha to consider making some of those, too.
Maybe he’d make Eva a special dough bowl and have Martha create a light peppermint or eucalyptus scent to help Eva’s sinuses.
And why did he keep thinking of this woman?
Because he’d liked her the first time he’d seen her. He could admit that now, even though he’d fought it from the beginning.
And now that he was getting to know her, he liked her even more. But he needed to keep his distance. No good could come with them being more than friends. He’d only make her miserable, the same way Deborah had been miserable.
But Deborah had been in love with another man.
“Daed?”
Tanner hurried to clean his chisels and knives so he could place them in their protective leather holder. “I’ll be right there,” he called to Becky.
But the door swung open before he could leave the workshop and in marched Becky with Eva behind her.
“I tried to keep her out,” Eva said, her eyes moving around his sanctuary. “But she wanted to tell you something important.”
Tanner lifted Becky up into his arms. “What is it, liebling?”
Becky giggled. “You smell like wood. The gut wood.”
“Cedar,” he explained. “I made this bowl today.”
“That’s pretty,” Eva said as she inched closer. “And it does smell so nice.”
“I have more,” he said, giving her a quick tour. “I plan to make a lot of bowls. They sell like hotcakes.”
Becky giggled again. “I like hotcakes.”
“What news do you have?” he asked, smiling as he placed her back on the sawdust-covered floor.
Becky swayed, her hands holding her light pink skirt out. “I’m learning to sing so well, teacher asked me to do a solo at the end-of-school program.”
Tanner glanced at Eva. Her smile brightened the room almost as much as Becky’s did. “That will be something,” he said, already worrying about Becky being the center of attention in a room full of people. “I can’t wait to see you do that.”
Becky turned to Eva. “He said yes. He never says yes.”
His daughter was correct there. Distracted, he’d promised her something he normally wouldn’t allow. But how could he tell her no now?