Eva tethered her horse when she arrived at the bookstore Saturday morning, her stomach swirling with anticipation. She’d talked to Jake on the phone, but this was the first time for her to see him since he’d ridden in the ambulance with her to the hospital.
She took a deep breath as she opened the front door, happy to hear the familiar bell ringing. She’d missed work. And she’d missed Jake. He was sitting behind the counter when she arrived, and he quickly stood and came to her. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her, nearly knocking the picnic basket out of her hand.
“I don’t look like a fish anymore,” she said after the embrace. “And I brought breakfast.”
Normally, Jake was practically salivating when she walked in with baked goods, but he didn’t even glance at the basket. He cupped her face with both hands instead.
“No, you don’t look like a fish. Not at all.” He grinned, and Eva’s stomach fluttered again. He wasn’t going to waste any time. Jake was finally going to kiss her. “You look beautiful.” He paused, smiling again. “Beautiful and all grown up.”
Eva grinned before she nervously rolled her eyes. “It’s about time you noticed.”
As his lips drew closer to hers, Eva’s heart danced as the basket fell a couple of inches to the floor. Neither of them paid attention. They were consumed and lost in each other’s eyes. Until the bell on the door rang, which caused them both to separate and take a step away from each other.
“Lizzie.” Eva swallowed hard as she eyed the small woman, whose lips trembled.
“Danki to Gott that you are back at work and looking normal.” Lizzie wrapped her arms around Eva and squeezed before she eased away. She touched Eva’s cheek, which was still warm from Jake’s hand. “I had to see for myself that you didn’t look like a big fish anymore.”
Eva stifled a grin. “Nee. I think I am back to normal.” She snuck a glance at Jake, who smiled, then picked up the basket of baked goods. “I was just getting ready to take this to the back.”
Lizzie chuckled. “It looked to me like you were getting ready to do more than that.” She raised her eyebrows repeatedly. “But any canoodling will have to wait.” She looped her arm in Eva’s, urging her to start walking toward the back. Eva felt the warmth of embarrassment filling her face.
“We need to have a quick chat,” Lizzie said as they brushed past Jake. Lizzie didn’t spare him a glance.
“What is it, Lizzie? Is everything okay?” The woman’s timing couldn’t have been any worse. Eva was starting to wonder if the kiss was ever going to happen.
“It appears I arrived just in time,” Lizzie whispered.
Eva couldn’t disagree more, but she waited to hear why Lizzie thought so.
“I saw your mamm at the Bargain Center yesterday, and she told me you’d be back at work today, so that’s why I got here early before you even opened. I was hoping to catch you before you locked lips with that hunky man.”
Eva bit her lip in an effort not to laugh. Lizzie’s sister had told her that some of Lizzie’s language came from romance books she read.
“So?” Lizzie lifted her palms and her shoulders at the same time, and for a moment, the small woman reminded Eva of a little bird. “Do you have any questions?”
Eva opened her mouth, but it took her a couple of seconds to speak. “Uh . . . about what?”
Lizzie lowered her shoulders, and her hands fell to her sides. “I feel responsible for your trip to the hospital, and even though it’s uncustomary to have a conversation such as we’re having, I feel it’s mei responsibility to provide you with any answers.”
Eva wasn’t sure what the question was. She nervously wrapped the string of her prayer covering around her finger. Lizzie was known to be outspoken, and she and her sister often tried to play matchmaker for members of the community, but this seemed far out even for Lizzie. “Answers to what?”
Lizzie groaned. “About kissing, mei maedel.” She folded her arms across her chest and raised her chin. “I read lots of romantic books.”
So I’ve heard. Eva was sure her face couldn’t be any redder. And the bell on the front door had chimed twice since they’d been in the back room.
“I’m a bit of an expert when it comes to matters of the heart.” Lizzie pressed her lips together, then sighed. “So, hit me with any questions you might have about kissing or other related matters.”
Eva was barely able to control a gasp of surprise. “Um . . .” The bell on the door rang again. “I-I can’t think of any questions,” she said, avoiding Lizzie’s piercing glare. “But if I do think of anything, I’ll let you know.”
Lizzie gave a taut nod of her head before she patted Eva on the arm. “Okay. I’m available for any romantic guidance you might need.”
The woman was so serious that Eva had a hard time not smiling. “I’ll remember that,” she finally said, biting her lip again afterward.
“Gut. I’m going now.” Lizzie did an about-face and scurried out of the back room.
Eva tapped a finger to her chin, grinning and wondering if that conversation had really just happened.
By the time she rounded the corner, she was met by a flood of people. Over a dozen English women shuffled around the bookstore, and a large van was parked outside. It would be a good day for the bookstore. Possibly because Monday was Memorial Day and lots of folks had a long weekend.
She waited until the women had spread out and she had Jake’s eye. He winked at her, then blew her a kiss. Eva laughed. It was as close to the real thing as she was going to get for a while.
After looking around and seeing the women were occupied, she blew him a kiss back. Good things are worth waiting for.
* * *
Yvonne muted the television so she could completely concentrate on what she’d just read on her computer. The TV was mostly background noise, but if what she’d found out was true, she needed to focus solely on her computer screen without any distractions.
“Wow,” she said as she continued to read what was on the screen.
It had taken days of research to find out about the author of the book. Walk with Me by Jerry Lance had consumed her thoughts, and finally she knew a little bit about the man behind the story. Even before her research, she’d known that the book belonged with Jake. This only confirmed it.
As she leaned back against the couch, she stared somewhere past her computer, lost in thought. What if things hadn’t happened exactly as they had? If Jake had never slipped the book into her suitcase, she would have been left with only the first forty pages in her mind, when there was so much more to learn. What if George had never sent her on a mission to find the book? She never would have met Eva and Jake, two of the kindest people she’d ever known.
She picked up the priceless book that sat next to her on the couch alongside the Bible. Even though Walk with Me was special in so many ways, it had ultimately led her back to the Bible. She’d reread scriptures that she had doubted before but now saw in a different light. Often she felt the same feeling she’d felt when Trevor had visited her in what she had to believe was a dream. Maybe the cough drop had always been on the coffee table.
After she’d let her thoughts drift, she looked back at her computer screen and smiled. It was time she returned the book to Jake. She wondered how her two friends were doing, if they’d finally admitted how they felt about each other. Yvonne had called Eva’s home phone and left a message. She knew the phone was in the barn, and Eva’s mother had called her back to let her know that Eva was recovering well. But she was curious how things were working out romantically for the couple. She would know soon enough.
She printed what was on her computer screen, all twelve pages, then opened the travel app on her computer and booked a plane ticket for the following Friday, deciding not to call but to surprise Eva and Jake.
A trip would do her good, and the visit certainly had a purpose. Yvonne still cried daily, but a new and refreshing hope filled her senses, and somehow she knew she would be all right. And she’d see Trevor again someday.
* * *
Jake was having the longest day of his life, even though it was probably his most profitable day so far this year. The English women had browsed for over an hour, and it took almost as long to check them out, each of them paying with a credit card. If Jake was allowed two luxuries, it would be electricity for a modern credit card machine and air-conditioning during the summer months.
His stomach rumbled as he helped Eva bag the women’s purchases. He hadn’t even had time to sample whatever was in the basket Eva had brought. All the ladies were pleasant and chatty and had bombarded them with questions about being Amish. Jake was grateful for the business, but he couldn’t take his eyes off Eva, or her lips that he longed to kiss. But he smiled on the inside as Eva tried to answer questions while also frantically running credit cards. He’d caught her looking at him any time she could. Hopefully, she was as eager for the kiss as he was.
They both waved as the women exited the store, and they were standing next to each other when two cars pulled into the parking lot. More English tourists poured out of the vehicles.
“The store has done exceptionally well today,” Eva said, grinning at him. “And it looks like more happy shoppers are here.”
Jake scowled. “Ya, a great day.” He rolled his eyes.
Eva brushed her fingers against Jake’s. “We’ve waited this long,” she said, smiling.
He briefly found her hand and squeezed. “I’m tired of waiting.” He sounded like a pouty little boy, but it was true. “We could flip the Closed sign before they get to the door.”
Eva laughed. “Nee, we can’t do that, and you know it.”
“It’s my store.” He nudged her, grinning. But even as he said it, he knew in his heart that someday it would be their store.
“Behave,” she said as she let go of his hand and began to welcome the women coming into the store.
Jake sighed. “I’ll try.”
And for the next hour, they went through the same drill as with the first group, although there were only six of them this time. But they were taking longer, browsing more, and in the end they didn’t spend nearly as much as the first group.
By the time Jake had practically rushed them out the door, he knew he couldn’t wait any longer. He flipped the sign to Closed, then took Eva’s hand and dragged her to the back room.
* * *
“You can’t just close the store at twelve thirty on a Saturday, especially when you are having such a gut day.” She giggled, understanding his sense of urgency since she felt it too. “Slow down, though.” She laughed again.
Jake slowed his stride only a little, and when they got to the back room, he stopped and turned to face her. “If that bell on the door chimes, we are not answering. Mr. Maples will know to leave the mail on the counter, like he’s done in the past when we were busy in the back. I’m waiting on a refund check on some books I returned, so I hate to lock the door.”
Eva wasn’t going to argue as the intensity of his gaze caused her heart to flip in her chest. Was it really coming? The kiss? After all the years of waiting?
“You’re not going to slip me more of Lizzie’s love potion, are you?” She grinned, and Jake hung his head for a couple of seconds before he recaptured her eyes.
“Nee. I feel awful about that.” He chuckled. “And silly.”
Eva shrugged. “I thought it was sweet. Even though mei bruders’ teasing went on for three days, every time mei parents weren’t nearby.”
He inched closer to her, and Eva fought to control the dizzying current racing through her as a sensuous glance passed between them. There was no doubt in her mind that Jake was seeing her as the woman she’d come to be. She recalled him telling her he loved her before her lips had doubled in size. Would he say it again? She hadn’t had a chance to tell him how she felt, although she was sure he knew.
As his hand took her face and gently held her cheek, he felt so familiar. But she found herself seeing him in a new light, too, which surprised her as his lips drew near hers. She loved him. She was attracted to him. But the intimacy, the way his eyes clung to hers as their lips met, him barely kissing her like the soft wisp of a feather at first, then infusing a passion Eva had only dreamed about . . . It was more than she ever could have hoped for in a first kiss.
“How was that for a grown-up kiss?” Jake whispered before he kissed the pulsing hollow of her neck. Eva was so caught up in the heady sensation, fueled even more when he raised his mouth to hers again, she couldn’t have answered if she’d tried.
They both jumped when the bell on the door chimed, but Jake shook his head and kissed her again, stopping briefly to say, “They can wait.”
Eva wasn’t going to argue as she basked in the intimacy of Jake’s arms, each kiss more passionate than the last. She’d waited so long for these precious moments she couldn’t bear to stop.
Finally, Jake eased away and groaned. “The sign says Closed. Can’t they read?” He smiled before he kissed her again.
“I can read just fine!”
Eva pushed Jake away and gasped when she recognized the voice. “Daed!” She fought frantically to tuck loose strands of hair beneath her prayer covering, which felt lopsided. She glanced at Jake, and the color had completely siphoned out of his face as his mouth hung open.
“Sir, uh . . . ,” was all Jake managed to get out as Eva’s father folded his arms across his chest. “I lieb your dochder, sir. This isn’t just canoodling.”
Eva shot him a sideways glance, grinning a little at the use of the word. Even one corner of her father’s mouth lifted in a half smile. Thankfully.
“And I lieb, Jake, Daed.” Eva lifted her chin, blew another strand of hair from her face, and attempted again to straighten her prayer covering.
Her father lifted a bushy eyebrow. “Ach, well, I should hope so. Maybe lock the door next time you plan on carrying on in such a way.” He waved an arm at them. “This canoodling, as you call it.”
Eva lowered her head and sighed before she met eyes with her father again. “What are you doing here?”
He cleared his throat. “I . . . I, uh . . . need a present for your mamm. She likes books. I thought you could pick one out for her.”
Eva thought for a moment. “It isn’t her birthday. So . . . ?”
“Nee, it’s not her birthday.” Her father shifted his weight and dropped his arms to his side.
Knowing she might be overstepping, she said, “Daed, are you in trouble with Mamm?” She cringed a little.
“Nee, I am not.” He faced off with Eva, then finally sighed as he shook his head. “Your mamm and I celebrate the day of our first kiss. Her idea. I go along with it because it makes her happy.” His eyes ping-ponged back and forth between Eva and Jake. “How ironic that we will share this anniversary together. Unless . . . ?”
Eva shook her head. “Nee. First kiss, Daed.”
Her father glared at Jake. “A bit much for a first kiss, don’t you think?”
Jake and Eva glanced at each other, then both shrugged, grinning.
Eva’s father waved an arm at them again before he rattled off something under his breath that Eva didn’t catch. “Just come help me find a present for your mudder.”
He peered over his shoulder and winked at Eva. Her heart danced even more.
After her father was out of sight, Jake kissed her again . . . and again . . . until Eva’s father bellowed her name.
Giggling, she went to go help her father pick out a gift. She’d had no idea her parents celebrated their first kiss.
I love that idea.