Yvonne stepped out of the car she’d rented at the Indianapolis airport. She’d opted for a small SUV with four-wheel drive since she’d read that most people in the southern part of the state owned vehicles with four-wheel drive. She wasn’t sure why. Her two-hour trip had consisted of mostly freeway driving until she’d almost reached her destination. Then she’d found herself in a rural area with a lot of farms on both sides of the two-lane roads, some of them not even paved. She’d seen her first Amish buggies when she’d gotten close to Montgomery—a small, picturesque town. If there were Amish in Texas, she’d never come across any. It was fascinating to see people dressed as pioneers driving the black buggies, especially since some of the drivers didn’t look old enough to operate a car.
She put a hand to her forehead to block the morning sun, hoping she hadn’t arrived too early. There wasn’t a listing for the bookstore on the internet, so she didn’t know the hours of operation. After studying the small building, which was actually larger than she had imagined, she walked up a narrow sidewalk. She was greeted by a lovely window box filled with colorful blooms set against a dark red exterior that surrounded the huge windows lining the front of the building. A bell chimed when she opened the door, and the wood floor creaked beneath her feet. A red candle on the counter caught her attention, along with the aroma of cinnamon wafting up her nose. The first word that came to her mind was quaint. Perhaps quaint and charming—two words that described this unique bookstore to a T.
A young woman behind the counter lifted her head and smiled. “Hello. Are you looking for anything in particular, or would you just like to browse?”
Yvonne struggled not to stare. She’d seen only a few Amish people up close, and that had been during her quest for the book she needed Jake Lantz to part with. This woman was lovely, even without any makeup on. She had brown doe eyes with thick dark eyelashes, and her rosy cheeks dimpled as she smiled. The woman wore a white head covering, and a black apron sat atop a maroon-colored dress.
Yvonne blinked her eyes a few times, then moved forward, the heels on her boots clicking against the wood floor. She’d chosen a dressy pair of jeans with a hint of bling and boots that were more fashionable than cowgirl boots, with a decent heel to boost her five-foot-four stance. Trevor always said dark blue was her power color, so she’d opted for a button-up dark blue blouse that hung loose just below her waistline. Professional but not too fancy.
“I’m here to see Jake Lantz.” She set her black purse on the counter. “Is he in?”
“Ya, he is. May I tell him your name?” The woman continued to smile, but her dimples diminished after Yvonne said who she was. After tucking her chin, the clerk nodded, then left her spot and disappeared around the corner.
Yvonne glanced around, surprised by how lit up the place was from all the skylights. She wondered what they did when it wasn’t a sunny day outside. There were a lot of windows, but perusing the books on a cloudy day had to be difficult.
To her left marched rows of bookshelves. To her right stood the small counter with two stools behind it and a very old cash register. As she moved a little farther into the room, she saw spiral notebooks, pencils, file folders, and other office and school supplies. There was also a section with trinkets and gift items. Yvonne picked up a snow globe that had an Amish buggy with a family inside. As she shook it and snow filled the round orb, she heard voices.
“Ya, that’s the lady from Texas.” A male made the statement in a disgruntled voice.
Yvonne tried to tiptoe in her boots back toward the front of the store. She kept the snow globe, deciding to buy it as a gesture of goodwill. And because she loved the intricate details. It would be her souvenir to go along with her thirty-thousand-dollar check when she convinced Jake Lantz to sell her the book she needed.
She had just placed the globe on the counter when a man came around the corner, followed by the young woman. Wow. Her eyes widened as she took in the tall and incredibly handsome guy coming toward her. His semicropped bangs were swept to one side beneath a straw hat that did nothing to take away from his athletic physique, and when his compelling blue eyes locked with hers, Yvonne worried she had overestimated her ability to charm the owner of the store out of the book. She hadn’t been sure how Jake Lantz would project himself, but she hadn’t been prepared for the person standing before her. She’d expected someone more . . . simple. This man oozed confidence and strength, and he barely offered her a smile as his jaw visibly tensed.
The woman sidled up beside him on the other side of the counter, and Yvonne swallowed hard, feeling a bit self-conscious. She was at least ten years older than the other woman, whose face was void of the beginnings of crow’s-feet. Yvonne scrutinized the tiny lines on her own face daily in the mirror and had been doing so ever since she’d slid past thirty over two years ago. The Amish lady radiated natural beauty and youth.
“I-I’m Yvonne Wilson. I sent you a letter, and I also left you a message.” She paused, waiting for a response, but the man merely raised an eyebrow. The woman’s dimples had returned. Yvonne wondered if they were a couple.
“I’m Jake Lantz. I’m afraid you made a trip for nothing. As I told you, the book you want is not for sale.” He stared at her for several long seconds before he glanced at the globe on the counter.
“Oh, yeah . . . I’d like to buy that.” She nodded toward the snow globe and realized her goodwill gesture wasn’t going to win her any points with this guy. “I’d also respectfully ask you to reconsider my client’s generous offer for the book. If it’s a matter of money—”
“It’s not,” he said quickly. “I promised mei grandfather that I would never sell the book.”
Yvonne tipped her head to one side as she considered what he was saying. “You promised your grandfather? That’s why you’re turning down a hundred thousand dollars?” She hadn’t meant for the indignity in her voice to shine through as much as it obviously had.
Jake frowned. “Ya, that’s right. A promise. One that I intend to keep.” He folded his arms across his chest. His beautiful sidekick did the same thing. It would have been kind of cute if thirty thousand dollars wasn’t on the line.
Yvonne sighed, put a hand to her forehead, then lowered it slowly. “Can I ask you what is so important about this book that my client is willing to pay so much for it? And why would your grandfather make you promise not to sell it?” It hadn’t mattered much about the content in the book prior to this moment. She knew it was a rare edition of a religious book, that it was written in 1875, and that only a hundred copies were in print. Yvonne had been able to track down only this one.
“I have no idea.” Jake continued to face off with her, but the young woman had lowered her arms and was now biting her bottom lip as if she might feel a tad sorry for Yvonne. “There isn’t anything you can say to make me change mei mind.”
Yvonne had picked up on their accent, which might also have been charming if so much wasn’t riding on this deal. “I can call my client and see how high he is willing to go to buy the book.”
“It won’t matter.” Jake’s grin showed a touch of arrogance, which should have evoked irritation, but an unwelcome surge of attraction assaulted her instead.
I’m engaged. She’d never had eyes for anyone but Trevor, but this guy was melting her resolve and causing her pulse to pick up. She was unprepared for this. She’d assumed she would win over a simple man with her charm. This was not the person she had planned to go up against.
She cleared her throat, knowing she needed to go somewhere and come up with a better plan. After digging around in her purse, she found her wallet. “Here. I still want the globe.” She handed him a credit card, which he promptly passed to the woman standing next to him, the smug grin still on his face.
“Thirty-five dollars and twenty-two cents.” Jake’s employee, girlfriend, wife—whoever she was—slipped the Visa into a type of credit card imprinter Yvonne hadn’t seen since she’d gone shopping with her mother as a child. After the woman swiped the device across the card, she passed it back to Yvonne and handed her a pen. “Just sign here, please.”
Yvonne did, taking her time, pondering if there was anything more she could say to at least have Jake thinking about her offer. He was a young guy, maybe a few years younger than herself, hovering around twenty-five or twenty-six, she thought.
After Yvonne laid the pen on the counter, the woman wrapped the globe in several layers of tissue paper and put it in a bag.
“Again, I’m sorry that you made the trip for no reason.” Jake’s grin faded as his expression turned taut and derisive.
Yvonne picked up the bag, then met Jake’s challenging eyes. “Can I at least see the book?”
“Nee.” He tipped the rim of his hat before he turned to leave. “Safe travels,” he said over his shoulder before he stalked off and disappeared out of sight.
Yvonne turned to the woman, who winced. “I’m sorry for your troubles,” she said with her chin once again tucked.
Maybe Yvonne needed an ally, or at least more information. “I didn’t get your name.”
“I’m Eva.” She folded her hands in front of her as she cautiously lifted her gaze.
Yvonne set the bag and her purse back on the counter. “Nice to meet you, Eva. Do you have any idea why your boss . . . I’m sorry, or is that your boyfriend or husband?”
Eva’s rosy cheeks turned a bright shade of red. “I just work for him.”
“Sorry to be so nosy, but I’m confused. Do you have any idea why your boss won’t sell that book? It can’t be just because of a promise he made to his grandfather.” She paused, cringing. “Can it?”
“I believe that truly is the reason.” Eva shrugged. “I don’t think you will be able to change his mind. I haven’t even seen the book.”
“The whole thing is odd.” Sighing, Yvonne lifted her purse to her shoulder and picked up the bag.
“Will you be flying back to Texas now?” Eva raised both eyebrows a bit too enthusiastically.
“No. I’m not going home without that book, which means I need a place to stay.”
Eva stared at the floor a moment before she looked up at Yvonne. “I think you might as well move here, then. He won’t change his mind. But if you need lodging, I can recommend several places.”
“That would be great. Normally I would have booked somewhere in advance, but I kind of wanted to check out the area and then decide.”
“Ach, let’s see . . . There is The Peony Inn. It’s a lovely bed-and-breakfast run by two sweet older women.” She tapped one finger to another. “And there is also the Gasthof Village Inn. It has a restaurant on-site, along with a gift shop and a lake. Both are nearby. And there are several regular hotels not too far away.”
Yvonne stifled a smile at the derogatory way the woman referred to regular hotels. “I’m guessing my best choices are the places you mentioned?”
“In my opinion.” Eva grinned. “Both serve excellent meals. Although there is no electricity at The Peony Inn. Depending on what you’re used to, you might prefer accommodations with air-conditioning.”
Yvonne chuckled. “It’s already eighty degrees in Texas, so your weather feels wonderful to me, and not as humid.” Her phone had showed sixty-eight degrees when she’d landed at the airport. “But I think I’ll opt for the Gasthof Village with the on-site restaurant. I’m not much for scheduled meals. Especially after traveling. I’ll probably sleep in.”
Eva nodded, but now there was no smile, not even a grin or hint of a dimple. “I’m guessing we will see you again.”
“Yes. For sure.” Yvonne gave a quick wave, fought a yawn, and left the bookstore.
* * *
Eva watched the English woman drive away as her stomach churned. There was something about the way Yvonne Wilson had looked at Jake, and while her boss might not like Yvonne’s interest in the book, she thought she’d seen a sparkle in his eyes as well.
Jake came from the back room with a cinnamon roll in his hand. “Ach, glad she’s gone. Some Englisch with a lot of money think they can buy anything they want.”
“I think she’s trying to buy it for someone else,” Eva said, keeping her eyes on Jake, watching for any reaction that might indicate he was attracted to the woman. She’d been fancy. Surely Jake wouldn’t be taken in by someone like that.
“Ya, I know. She refers to herself as a book broker. I’m not sure I’ve heard of that occupation before.” He took a large bite of the cinnamon roll as he sat down on the stool next to where Eva stood.
“She’s very pretty.” Eva sat next to him, placed her hands on the wooden countertop, and took in a slow, deep breath.
“Ya, she is.” He nudged Eva with his shoulder as he smirked. “In an Englisch sort of way. But I’m glad she’s gone.”
Eva sighed. “She isn’t exactly gone. She said she wasn’t leaving without that book, and she will be staying at Gasthof Village.”
“She’s wasting her time and money.” Jake shoved the last of the roll into his mouth.
“Um . . . do you really not know why the book was so important to your grossdaadi?” She twisted slightly to face him, tapping her finger to her chin, admiring his profile and longing to run her finger down the side of his ruggedly handsome face.
“I really don’t know. And, I admit, I’m intrigued that someone would offer that kind of money for the book. Mei grossdaadi must have known something about the book that he never shared with me.” She startled when he abruptly turned to face her. “But I’ll never break mei promise. I’ve never even shown the book to anyone. All I know is that it’s about three hundred pages . . . and old.”
Eva reached for the string on her prayer covering and twisted it around her finger. She wanted so badly to see this mysterious book. She’d always wondered what was in the basement and why Jake kept the door locked. Maybe he kept more rare books down there. Or other valuable items. It wasn’t their nature to collect expensive artifacts, though.
“You’re dying to see it, aren’t you?” Jake tapped her gently under her chin until she met his gaze. There wasn’t anything romantic about the gesture; it was more playful as he winked at her. Jake liked her, for sure. But she wanted more than just friendship from him. Much more.
“I admit . . .” She braced herself and looked back at him. “I would like to see it.” She’d love to be the only person Jake had ever let see the book. That would feel special, something only the two of them shared.
He stood up and waved an arm. “Come on. I’ll show you.”
She gasped as she rose also, her heart thumping in her chest. “Really?”
“Ya, sure.”
Eva followed him to the back room and stood behind him when they reached the basement door. He reached for keys in his pocket, fumbled them between his fingers, then chose a really old-looking one and slipped it into the lock, which was also vintage.
“How long has this building been here?” She peered over his shoulder as he bent over, wiggling the key in the lock.
“I’m not sure. A long time.” He smiled when the lock clicked open. “It might be cold down here,” he said as he pushed the door wide. “And be careful on the stairs. They’re steep. Hold the handrail on the left side.” He reached for a flashlight hanging just inside on the wall, flicked it on, and shone it at his feet. Eva stayed close behind him.
At the bottom of the stairs, Jake reached for a lantern on a nearby table. After it was lit, he turned up the flame and held it higher. “Welcome to the basement.”
Eva glanced around, surprised at how neat and orderly things were. At her house, the basement contained old furniture, boxes filled with things they’d probably never use, and other odds and ends in disarray. The only organized space was her mother’s shelves of canned goods, all labeled and dated.
In Jake’s basement, a mahogany rolltop desk sat against one wall with a high-back leather chair. Two walls were lined with bookshelves, both filled to capacity. There was also a twin-sized bed in the corner with a bedside table and another lantern.
Jake handed her a flashlight he took from atop the desk. “Here. Look around.”
She wanted to see the mysterious book, but she did as told. As she gingerly ran her hand along a row of books, she was amazed to see she didn’t pull back a speck of dust. “You must come down here a lot. Everything is so tidy.” She glanced over her shoulder. Jake had sat down in the high-back chair. “Do you spend the night here sometimes?” she asked.
He shrugged. “I come down here at least once a week. Everything is how my grossdaadi left it, and I keep it clean. But I don’t sleep here.” He paused as he cocked his head to one side. “Ach, I did spend the night here once, but that was a long time ago. I wasn’t feeling gut, and I didn’t want to drive the buggy home. It was nice weather, so I left mei horse tethered outside with food and water. I remember Grossdaadi taking naps down here, though, especially as he got older.”
“Are all of these books keepsakes? Or valuable like the one the Englisch woman wants to buy?” Eva glanced around at the hundreds of books on the shelves.
“Some are first editions. Others were just some of mei grossdaadi’s favorites. I don’t think any of them are collector’s items or anything like that.” He spun around in the chair, grinning. “I can remember spinning around in this chair as a kid.”
Jake had always reminisced fondly about his grandfather. Maybe he kept the basement locked because this was a special place to him. Or was it solely because the book was stored here? “Danki for bringing me down here. I’ve always wondered why you keep it locked. I guess it’s because of that book?” She looked around again, unsure what she’d been expecting. Perhaps a glass case enclosing the rare volume?
“Nee, the lock doesn’t have anything to do with the book.” He took off his hat and set it in his lap, revealing dark hair flattened on top. It contrasted with his blue eyes twinkling from the light of the lantern. His bangs were in need of a trim, she noticed. She briefly wondered if she should offer to cut his hair, but it felt too intimate somehow.
Jake continued. “Mei grossdaadi caught some teenagers down here one day. I’m not sure they would have stolen anything. He actually caught them kissing. And he kept the basement locked ever after. I just kept doing the same thing so no one could sneak down here when I wasn’t looking.”
“Were they Amish, the young couple?” Eva swallowed hard just thinking about kissing Jake in this place that was obviously special to him. His blue eyes gleamed again as the light from the lantern illuminated his features.
“Ya, they were.” He chuckled. “I was probably twelve or thirteen when mei grossdaadi caught them down here. He gave them a good talking to. I remember that. Him telling them that being by themselves and intimate was inappropriate at their age—or any age without being married.”
“He must have been very conservative. I think all couples kiss before they get married.” Eva was glad it was fairly dark in the basement. Hopefully, Jake couldn’t see her blushing. She could feel her cheeks burning.
“He was old school.” He rubbed his hands together and raised both eyebrows as he flashed a mischievous look. “So, are you ready to see the hundred-thousand-dollar book?”
Eva’s stomach swirled with excitement as she moved closer to him. “Ya, I am.”
He lifted the rolltop cover on the desk, revealing several slotted compartments filled with envelopes and various papers. On the flat surface sat a large book with a weathered brown cover. Putting his hat on the desk, he eased out the book. He set it in his lap, then shined his flashlight at the title.
Slowly, he looked up at her. “I’m embarrassed to say . . . I’ve never read it. Something that obviously meant so much to mei grossdaadi, and . . .” His voice was soft, barely above a whisper as it trailed off. “Here.” He cleared his throat and carefully picked up the book and handed it to her. She aimed the flashlight she was carrying across the cover and brushed a hand gently across the surface of the leather-bound casing. The coloring had faded, and the title appeared to have been gold at one time, now worn down to a musty yellow that spelled out “Walk with Me by Jerry Lance.”
“Have you ever wanted to read it?” She slowly lifted her eyes to Jake’s, having heard the regret in his voice. He stared somewhere past her, his eyes having lost the sparkle she’d seen earlier.
“I actually tried to once. I got to page ten or eleven. The, um . . .” He cleared his throat again, avoiding her eyes. “It’s hard to read. I mean the words, and . . . um . . .”
Eva had run across plenty of books that had been difficult for her to understand. Their people only went to school through the eighth grade. For generations the elders had believed that was enough education, but Eva had always wondered if that was really true. “We could read it together. Out loud.”
His eyes widened. “Do you know how long it would take to read that entire book aloud?”
“Not so long.” She shrugged. “We could read for an hour or two each evening after we close the store.” Eva could think of nothing better than spending extra time with Jake. Maybe he would take notice of her as more than the young girl he’d hired four years ago.
He tipped his head to one side, lowering his eyebrows in a frown. “Don’t you have things to do at home? Don’t you have to lend a hand with supper or have other chores you have to do?”
“Mamm always has supper ready when I get home from work.” Eva always cleaned the kitchen right after they ate. She wondered how her mother would feel about leaving a sink full of dishes for Eva to clean when she got home. “I’ll just explain to her what we’re doing and that it’s temporary. I think she’ll understand.”
Jake grinned. “Are you really that interested in the contents of this book, or are you just doing this for me?”
Eva wanted to tell him she’d read the phone book with him if it meant time spent together. She smiled. “A little of both.”
“Then I guess we have a date every night until we get through three hundred pages?”
“I guess we do. Starting tomorrow. I’ll talk to mei mamm this evening.” Eva tried to speak with a calmness she didn’t feel. She wondered if he noticed. But he was looking at her differently than he usually did, studying her in a way that felt unfamiliar, as if seeing her for the first time.
She didn’t look away, and for a moment she thought Jake could see inside her soul, interpret her feelings. But the connection was lost when the bell from the upstairs door chimed.
“Customer,” she said as she handed the book carefully back to him. She pointed the flashlight toward the stairs and hurriedly began shuffling her way up the steps. When she reached the basement door, she looked over her shoulder. Jake was staring at the book that was back in his lap. Eva gave him time to look up at her as she slowly inched the door open, the hinge squeaking as she did so. But he never lifted his eyes.
Maybe they hadn’t had a moment after all.