Fifteen

Jayce ran alongside Gus’s truck as he was backing out of the driveway with both windows open. “Hey, you gonna let me in?”

Gus ground the gears and stopped. “Oh, that’s right. I get the pleasure of your company again.”

Jayce hurriedly climbed inside and didn’t even have his seatbelt pulled across his lap when Gus started moving again. The truck was so old there wasn’t a shoulder strap, but Gus’s driving warranted the lap strap.

They were quiet for the first few minutes, but Jayce was bothered by Rose’s actions. “Okay, so I need to ask your opinion about something.” He shook his head. “I’ve known a lot of women back home, but I don’t think it matters how many you know, they are just hard to understand.”

“Oh, good grief. Please tell me you’re not about to ask me advice about a woman.” The old man scowled.

Jayce scratched his forehead. “Yeah, it’s shocking even to me. But right now you’re the only person I’ve got to ask.” He told Gus about Rose touching his arm and winking at him. “I’m making too much of it, right?”

Gus laughed as the buttons of his red-and-white-checkered shirt threatened to pop. “Let me get this straight, kid.” He chuckled again. “You’re playing all kissy-kissy with the Schrock girl, and now you’ve got Esther’s new help hitting on you too? How many hearts you planning to break before you leave here?”

“I don’t want to break anyone’s heart.” He paused, his thoughts leaning heavily in Evelyn’s direction. “Maybe I mistook Rose’s appreciation for flirting. She’s real bouncy and outspoken.” Jayce grimaced as he looked at Gus. “Actually, she’s more than outspoken. She talks all the time.”

“Based on your expression, I’m guessing you don’t like to talk. Which would be a surprise to me since you always seem to have a lot to say.”

“Not like her,” Jayce was quick to say. “She’s a beautiful woman, but no way she’d ever be my type.”

“Well, you’d best keep in mind the Schrock girl ain’t your type either. She’s Amish.”

“Really? I hadn’t noticed.” He grimaced as he rolled his eyes. “Amish or not, I want someone who can have meaningful conversations about things that matter. I have that with Evelyn, even though we haven’t known each other very long. She’s soft-spoken, but that’s only because she thinks things through before she speaks. She gets this look, like a twinkle in her eyes, when she’s deep in thought. I love to watch her. It’s like you can almost see the wheels spinning in her mind. She’s gorgeous, but that’s not the only thing I look for in a woman.” He paused, knowing he’d said way too much. “Anyway, we’re just friends. Gotta be that way.”

Gus stared at him long and hard. Jayce wished he’d get his eyes back on the road.

“You’re sunk, kid. You already fell for the Schrock girl.” He shook his head. “And you’re deluded if you think she’d ever leave this place to go frolicking around with you in Los Angeles.”

“I don’t think that.” He paused. “Never mind. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“But you did.” Gus’s belly jiggled again, along with his jowls. He almost looked like a normal, happy person when he laughed. But it always seemed to be at someone else’s expense.

“Why are you even going on this trip? I thought you were just an extra in one scene.” Jayce was sure Gus was in for a big disappointment when he didn’t show up the slightest bit in the film.

The old guy huffed. “Because people almost drown when I’m not there.”

He had a point. Jayce ran a hand through his hair. With the windows open, it was blowing all over the place.

“You need a haircut.” Gus ground the gears again, missed one, and landed in neutral as he made a turn, then coasted until he finally shifted into the right gear.

“So do you.” Jayce eyed the gray ponytail that went a little past Gus’s shoulders.

The man actually smiled a little.

Jayce let his thoughts drift back to Evelyn. Gus was right. He had no business getting involved with her romantically. But had the old man also been right about him having already fallen for Evelyn? Jayce had never fallen for anyone so quickly. Maybe he’d just never found the right woman. And that was a terrifying thought since he’d be leaving soon.

When they arrived at the caverns, it was the same drill as the other days. Jayce did almost all of the heavy lifting, and when the boats left the docking area, he stayed behind, wishing he had the guts to go with them. It was weird that he felt like Veronica would be safe because Gus, of all people, would be with them. Life had a strange way of twisting things into making sense when they shouldn’t.

He sat on the dock. Billy would be in the car outside, likely napping or reading a crime novel. Jayce was going to enjoy some quiet time, then maybe he’d see if Billy wanted to get something to eat. Their other driver, Arlen, had come down with a bad cold not long after they’d arrived. Jayce preferred Billy anyway. Both men were about his father’s age, but Arlen’s personality tended to mirror his father’s. Billy was straightforward and an all-around nice guy.

Jayce studied his surroundings. Stalactites hung low as the river wound around the corner inside the cave. Giovanni had said there were crayfish in the water, and he’d even seen a few bats. But it was dark, only lit by handheld lights most of the time, until they reached the places they were going to film. There Jayce was sure everything was lit up like a baseball stadium.

He said a quick prayer that everyone would stay safe. Then he thought about Evelyn. Gus’s warning merged with his own, but he couldn’t control the way he felt. Or maybe he could. He just didn’t want to.

*  *  *

Evelyn managed to sneak out of the house without a lecture from either of her parents. So far, her father hadn’t said anything to her, but she’d overheard her parents talking. Her dad wasn’t happy she was spending time with an English fellow. Her mother did her best to calm his worry, telling him the situation would phase itself out when Jayce left.

But that fact and her own worries weren’t going to deter her from seeing him again. She’d convinced herself that they could remain friends when he went back home. Hopefully, they could write letters or have an occasional phone conversation. She was surprised when she pulled into The Peony Inn and the black limousines weren’t there. Neither was Gus’s truck, and Jayce had been riding with him.

She tethered her horse, unsure if she should wait outside or go in. The new employee, Rose, came out on the porch and waved, so Evelyn decided it would be rude not to go inside. Jayce had said to pick him up around four o’clock. She was a little early, but not by much. She waved back at Rose, crossed the front yard, and went up the porch steps.

“Wie bischt? Are you here to see Lizzie or Esther?” Rose smiled, and Evelyn was momentarily stunned by how pretty she was. She hadn’t paid much attention the last time she’d seen her, but now, standing in front of her, it was impossible not to see. “I’m not sure where Esther is. Lizzie was napping earlier. She naps late in the afternoon sometimes. But I have kaffi if you’d like to come in. I also have muffins made. Lizzie put a roast in the oven earlier, a really big roast. It smells heavenly in the haus.” She pushed open the screen. “Come in. I’m happy to have company. We didn’t get to talk much when we met.”

As Evelyn stepped into the living room she wondered how much anyone else got to say in Rose’s presence. “I’m actually here to see Jayce.” She kept her focus on Rose to see if the woman’s expression fell, but she held her smile.

“Isn’t Jayce wonderful? He’s teaching me to cook. I’m not very gut at it.” Her expression soured briefly before she was all smiles again. “He left a chicken salad recipe for me, and Lizzie and Esther were very impressed when I prepared it, so I’m hoping they will just be patient with me as I work on my cooking. I’m not sure how long Jayce will be here, but he’s such a gut teacher. He puts cottage cheese in eggs. I wasn’t sure how that would taste, but all of the guests enjoyed the breakfast.” She paused to catch her breath. “And Jayce let me take credit for the meal even though he’d prepared it. Wasn’t that nice of him?”

Evelyn nodded, thinking she sure was talking about Jayce a lot. Jealousy was a sin, but it had crept up on her somehow. And Rose lived under the same roof as Jayce.

“How nice to see you, Evelyn.” Lizzie came from behind a closed bedroom door, yawning. She turned to Rose. “Hon, why don’t you go take a look upstairs and make sure our guests have enough towels and that everything is in order.”

“I already did.” Rose gleamed. “I’ve cleaned the bathrooms, refreshed toiletries, and double-checked each room. And there are plenty of towels in the bathrooms.”

“I thought I saw that we were running short on lavender soap. There’s plenty more in the basement, but can you be a dear and go see if each bathroom has a gut supply? That woman . . . um, Quinn . . . mentioned how much she liked it. Maybe put some extras out for her to take home next time you go to the basement.”

“Jayce likes the smell of lavender too.” Evelyn felt herself starting to blush. “I use lavender soap, and he mentioned something about it.” As she tried to casually shrug, Lizzie stared at her, tipping her head to one side.

“I’ve been putting a spicier scent in the bathroom that the men are sharing,” Rose said. “But I can put some of the lavender soap in theirs too.”

“Ach nee. I didn’t mean he would use lavender soap. That’s probably a type of soap more for women. He just said he thinks of me when he smells lavender.” Evelyn was sure her face was reddening even more. And she was ashamed of herself for being so deliberate, making sure Rose knew Jayce was spoken for, which was hardly the case.

“Ya, okay. I’ll put extra lavender soap out in the women’s bathroom.” Rose hurried to the stairs. Once she was out of sight, Lizzie fell onto the couch, leaned her head back, and closed her eyes.

“I thought I’d better come save you.” She lifted her head. “That is one sweet maedel. She can’t cook, but that can be taught. She knows how to clean without a doubt.” Moaning, she motioned for Evelyn to sit down on the couch beside her. “But I don’t have a clue how to teach her not to talk so much. She wears me out.”

“She said she made some chicken salad, a recipe Jayce gave her.” Evelyn was fishing for information. She hoped it didn’t show. Lizzie and Esther were known matchmakers. If they thought there was even a hint of love in the air, they’d be sharpening their cupid arrows. Maybe they already had hopes that Jayce would stay around for Rose. That seemed unlikely.

Lizzie straightened her prayer covering as she sat taller on the couch. Her bare feet barely touched the floor when she sat all the way back against the cushion. “The chicken salad wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t really gut either. And considering Jayce prepared a fine breakfast, I was surprised lunch wasn’t better. But when I checked the recipe, I asked Rose if she’d followed it exactly. She said she’d miscalculated how much salt to use and forgotten the dill weed.” Lizzie scrunched her face up, then leaned closer to Evelyn. “How do you miscalculate salt?”

Evelyn grinned.

“I heard her say that food was the way to a man’s stomach.” Lizzie huffed as she rolled her eyes. “She’s going to be an old maid if that’s the case.”

Lizzie’s comments squelched any worries that she and Esther were playing matchmaker between Rose and Jayce. Then Lizzie’s eyes lit up. “Hon, I’m always happy when you visit, but are you here to see me or Esther?” She raised an eyebrow. “Or someone else?”

Evelyn cleared her throat and avoided Lizzie’s inquiring gaze. “I’m having supper with Jayce.” She glanced out the window. “He said four o’clock, but I’m a little early.” She finally looked at Lizzie, and Evelyn felt like a fish caught on a hook.

“Ach, a date. I see.” Lizzie twisted to face Evelyn. “He’s a handsome boy.”

Evelyn covered her mouth to cough, buying herself some time and hoping to deflect this conversation. “He’s not really a boy. He’s twenty-two.” Her mother had called Jayce a boy too.

“At my age, dear, twenty-two is a boy.” She twirled the string of her prayer covering. “He doesn’t like his life in Los Angeles, and he doesn’t fit in with the rest of them. He and his father don’t get along at all. It’s sad.” She showed off her shiny white dentures. False teeth changed a person’s smile. Sometimes for the better, but other times they seemed to distort a person’s features. Lizzie’s teeth lent cuteness to her unique personality.

Evelyn looked out the window again when she heard footsteps coming up the front porch. “Naomi is here,” she said to Lizzie, happy to have a distraction from the conversation. Evelyn could tell where Lizzie was heading.

“Wie bischt, Evelyn. Nice to see you.” Naomi had a box about twice the size of a shoebox under her arm. “This is for you and Esther.”

Lizzie stood. “I hope it isn’t heavy. You shouldn’t be carrying anything that weighs much.” She winked at Naomi.

Pregnancies weren’t usually discussed, but prior to Naomi marrying Amos, and before Evelyn started working at the Bargain Center, she and Naomi had been close. Naomi had shared with her that she was having twins.

Naomi passed the box to Lizzie. “It isn’t heavy. Amos and I have been cleaning the basement, and we found the box in a corner. I guess we’d never noticed it before, but it has your names on it.”

“Goodness me. I don’t know how a person would get into this thing. Look at all the tape around it.” Lizzie pulled a pair of reading glasses from her apron pocket and looked closer at a small card taped to the box. “Hmm . . . It just says to Esther and Lizzie. It has to be from our mamm.” She eyed the box a moment longer, then excused herself to the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

“Isn’t that Esther’s bedroom?” Evelyn asked Naomi.

“Ya, they are sharing the room for now. Rose is sleeping in Lizzie’s room until all these movie people are gone.” Naomi put a hand on her belly. With the type of clothing they wore, Evelyn could barely tell her friend was pregnant.

“How are you feeling?” she asked in a whisper, glancing upstairs.

“Rose knows.” Naomi laughed. “Probably anyone who has come in contact with Esther or Lizzie knows we are having twins. I’m not sure who is more excited, Amos or the sisters. They will be like grossmammis to these bopplis.”

“Everything is perfectly ready upstairs,” Rose said as she hit the landing. She pointed toward the window. “And just in time. They’re back.”

Evelyn’s stomach flipped.

Lizzie shuffled out of the bedroom, the opened envelope dangling from one hand and the card in the other. “Evelyn, hon, did you see Esther outside when you came in? I haven’t seen her in a while.”

Evelyn shook her head. “Nee, I didn’t.”

Lizzie turned to Rose.

“She was on the other side of the haus earlier, pulling weeds in the flower beds. Do you want me to go get her?” Rose asked the question, but her eyes stayed on the activity outside. Everyone had gotten out of the cars, and they were all gathered in the yard. Gus and Jayce were in the circle as well.

“Nee, I’ll find her later.” She stuffed the envelope, card, and her reading glasses in her apron pocket. The color seemed to have drained from Lizzie’s face. She was as ashen as the whitewashed walls.

“Is everything okay?” Naomi touched Lizzie on the arm.

“Ach ya, ya.” Lizzie attempted to smile. “Everything is gut. Danki for bringing us the package.”

“Evelyn is here to pick up Jayce for a date.” Rose made the comment with little emotion, void of her usual bubbly manner. It seemed to catch Lizzie’s attention and, based on the smile that filled the older woman’s face, it was a distraction from whatever was bothering her.

“Ya, I know.” Holding the smile, she folded her hands in front of her.

Naomi hugged Evelyn. They hadn’t seen each other in a while. “Stay away from the basement,” Naomi whispered. Then they both laughed. Naomi had told Evelyn about the time Lizzie and Esther locked her and Amos in the basement before they were married. The two had a spat, and the sisters thought they needed time alone to sort things out, so they’d left food and coffee on the stairs and locked the basement door. And it wasn’t the first time they’d done such a thing.

“What’s wrong with the basement?” Rose raised her eyebrows.

Lizzie sent a look of disapproval at Naomi and Evelyn, who both smiled.

“Nothing, dear,” Lizzie said to Rose as she patted her arm. She walked to the door and peered through the screen.

“I’d best go.” Naomi eased around Lizzie after telling Rose goodbye. She crossed the yard not far from the group. Quinn and Veronica waved when Naomi did. The others were focused on whatever the man in the middle of the circle was saying. Evelyn assumed that must be Jayce’s father. Jayce stared at the ground, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his blue jeans. Lizzie excused herself and went back to the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Rose eased up to Evelyn near the window. “It’s too bad Jayce isn’t Amish.”

Evelyn thought the same thing but never would have voiced her thoughts.

“But outsiders have been known to convert.” Rose gleamed as she looked Evelyn straight in the eyes. Evelyn wasn’t sure if she was encouraging her or warning her that she was interested in Jayce.

Of all the English people Evelyn had known over the years, Jayce seemed the least likely to ever convert. “I don’t think Jayce would ever consider such an idea. He lives in a very fancy world in California.”

Rose raised her chin, grinning. “You never know.”

Evelyn didn’t want to interrupt the film crew’s meeting, but things were starting to feel awkward with Rose. Or maybe she was imagining it. She was glad when Jayce left the group first and headed toward the house. By the look on his face, something was terribly wrong. Evelyn’s stomach began to churn.

“Ach, it looks like someone’s date isn’t very happy.” Rose rolled her lip into an exaggerated pout.

Lizzie peeked out of the bedroom. “Evelyn, enjoy your date.” She smiled, but it looked forced as she turned to Rose. “I need to lie down. If you see Esther, can you tell her I need to talk to her?” Lizzie’s face was drawn, and she was still pale.

Rose nodded. After the door closed again, Evelyn was tempted to knock and make sure Lizzie was all right. But Jayce entered the room with his own sour expression.

He didn’t say anything to Rose, just nodded for Evelyn to follow him. “You ready?”

She waved at Rose, who barely waved back, and struggled to keep up with Jayce as he hurried ahead of her to the buggy.

She wasn’t sure how such a happy environment had gone bad so quickly.