Evelyn tried repeatedly to pick up Millie’s hoof so she could see what the horse had stepped on, but each time the poor girl whinnied and pulled away from her. Drops of blood spotted the pavement on the back road that led from her house to the Bargain Center where she worked.
“You’ve got to let me have a look, Millie.” She scratched behind the mare’s ears, hoping to calm her.
Evelyn had brought her mother’s emergency cell phone, but the battery was dead. Her mother had asked her to charge it when she got to work, which wasn’t going to happen anytime soon at this rate. Both of her brothers left for work over an hour ago. Her father was busy in the fields. Her mother said she had no plans today, so it was unlikely anyone would be coming to her aid.
Unless someone happened by, she might be stranded for a while. She bent at the waist and tried again to look at Millie’s foot, but the horse neighed with even more agitation. When Evelyn stood, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Someone had just rounded the corner and was heading toward her. The only people who lived on that road were Esther and Lizzie, along with their renters. This man must be a guest at the inn.
Evelyn raised a hand to her forehead, blocking the sun’s glare as she waited for him to get closer. He was tall and apparently not Amish since he wasn’t wearing a hat. That was all she could see until he came into full view a minute or so later.
“Hey, you okay?” He raised a bushy eyebrow that hovered above eyes as dark brown as a moonless night, obscure and intense.
Evelyn felt a shiver run the length of her spine, despite the warm weather. She opened her mouth to say something, but a warning bell sounded in her mind.
“Are you staying at The Peony Inn?” Her voice wavered, but if he was a guest of Lizzie and Esther’s, maybe she could shed this unexpected fear. He was a tall English man, muscular with unruly long dark hair. Evelyn was small, weighing in at about a hundred and twenty pounds and only five foot two.
The man nodded, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone. “Do you need to call someone?” He glanced at Millie, whose leg was still bent at the knee.
“Um . . .” Evelyn began to tremble, but the man smiled, and everything changed, softened. Even his eye color seemed less intense.
“Ya, I might need to borrow your phone, but mei horse . . . She, uh, has something in her hoof.” She nodded at Millie but quickly looked back at the man as she tried to figure out why she was so unnerved by his presence. She didn’t know him. He was a stranger. It’s normal to be cautious around a man I don’t know.
“Want me to have a look?” He stuck his phone in his back pocket, then tucked his dark hair behind his ears—hair much too long for a man. Before she could answer, he made his way to the horse and began rubbing her neck. “What’s her name?”
“Millie.” Evelyn didn’t move as she tried to calm her erratic pulse. What is wrong with me?
“Hey, Millie. Did you step on something?” He moved his hand to Millie’s nose, and Evelyn was about to tell him the mare didn’t like her face touched, but Millie leaned into him and nudged him with an acceptance Evelyn hadn’t seen before. She believed animals had a sense about people. If Millie trusted him, then Evelyn would try to do the same.
“I was on mei way to work, but Millie stopped abruptly and has been holding her leg like that for about fifteen minutes, refusing to budge.” Evelyn eyed the blood that had pooled below Millie’s hoof. “Not that I blame her. But every time I try to see what’s wrong, she pulls away from me.”
“Hey, girl. Are you going to let me have a look?” He alternated between stroking Millie’s nose and scratching behind her ears. Then he ran his hands down her sides, talking softly near her ear. “Please don’t kick me in the face.”
Evelyn squeezed her eyes shut when he leaned over, sure that he was indeed going to get kicked in the face. But when she opened one eye, he was standing with a sliver of glass in the palm of his hand.
“It’s not very big, but it was keeping her from putting pressure on it.” He offered the glass to Evelyn, and she slipped it in her apron pocket. She’d put it in the trash at work. “Do you have anything to wrap around her foot, like to stop the bleeding?”
Evelyn thought for a few seconds. “I-I don’t have anything in the buggy.” She wished her pulse would slow down.
“What about that thing on your head?” He pointed to her prayer covering.
“Nee!” She gasped as she raised a hand to the top of her head. “I mean, no. I can’t take this off.” Not even for Millie, and especially not in front of a man I don’t know.
“Okay, sorry. I didn’t know. This is an old T-shirt I’m not terribly attached to.” He lifted the yellow shirt, revealing what she’d heard her brothers refer to as a six-pack.
“No, no, no!” She turned away and quickly untied her black apron. “Here, use this.” She pushed the apron toward him.
“Really? It’ll get blood on it.” He eyed the garment, frowning.
“It’s fine. I have plenty more at home.” There was probably an extra at work she could use for the day.
He shrugged and folded the apron into a small square with the ties hanging out, then tenderly lifted Millie’s hoof, placed the square cloth on it, and gingerly wrapped the thick strings around her hoof and leg to hold it in place. When he was done, he stood.
“How far do you have to go?” He lifted a hand to his forehead, blocking the sun.
“Not far. A few miles up the road to the Bargain Center.” She paused and leaned over to run her hand down Millie’s side. “I’ll call a vet when I get there.” She gave the animal another long stroke down her flank. “We recently had a farrier out to shoe all the horses, so I’m surprised this happened.”
“The glass was stuck at an angle inside the shoe, but it won’t hurt to have it checked out. You don’t want it to get infected.” He took his phone from his pocket again. “Do you need to call anyone now?”
Evelyn studied the man for a few moments. He was handsome. In an English sort of way. She tried to picture him without all the long dark hair he seemed to be hiding behind. Yet there was no hiding the intensity in his dark eyes.
“Nee. I’ll use the phone at work to call the vet.” She took a deep breath and forced a smile, anxious to get on her way, but also curious. “How do you know so much about horses?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know a lot. As a kid, I was sent off to summer camp pretty often, and they had horses. I remembered that there’s a certain way to touch an ailing horse to keep the animal calm.” His left eyebrow rose a fraction. “Fifty-fifty shot. I could have gotten kicked in the face just as easily.”
Evelyn flinched. “Well, I’m glad you didn’t, and danki—I mean, thank you for your help.”
A smile filled his face. The lopsided grin was cute, in an adolescent sort of way. She could tell by his features that he was close to her age, maybe a year or two older.
“I like your accent,” he said. “I’ve never been around your kind of people before.”
A tourist. Montgomery was becoming more and more of a destination to get a glimpse of Amish life. Some folks were glad because it brought income to the community. Others, particularly the elders, weren’t so fond of the visitors.
“I’m Jayce, by the way.” He extended his hand. Evelyn paused, but her hand found its way into his firm handshake.
“Evelyn.” Her cheeks felt warm as she pulled back her hand.
He scratched his forehead. “You said you’re on your way to the Bargain Center. Is that like a Walmart?”
“We have Walmarts, but they are too far to go by buggy. I guess you could say the Bargain Center is like a mini Walmart.” She paused, searching for a way to explain. “A very mini Walmart, but it has most everything a person could need. Groceries, a deli, household items, gifts. But no clothes, if that’s what you’re looking for.”
He looped his thumbs in the back pockets of his jeans. “Could I ride with you? I forgot a few things at home that I’d like to pick up.”
Evelyn was caught off guard and unable to do more than nod. What would her coworkers think when they saw her pull into the parking lot with this handsome English man?
“If it’s a problem, no big deal.” He shrugged.
“Nee, it’s not a problem.” It was the least Evelyn could do. She climbed into the buggy and waited for him to sit beside her, then she slowly tapped the reins. “I’ll take it slow and easy.”
“I’m in no hurry.” He pulled out his phone and focused on it for a few minutes.
Evelyn kept a close eye on Millie, relieved the horse wasn’t limping. Finally, she turned to her passenger. “So, what brings you to Montgomery?” No wedding ring, so he didn’t have a wife who’d brought him along on a tourist trip.
He lifted his eyes to hers, but she quickly looked back at the road.
“My dad owns a production company. He’s wrapping up a movie, shooting a final scene or two here.” The man—Jayce—spoke in a low voice, but there was an air of contempt that made Evelyn wonder about his relationship with his father.
“You’re making movie scenes at the inn?” Evelyn couldn’t believe Lizzie and Esther would allow such a thing. Or that the bishop would consent.
“No. We’re just staying there. Some of us are staying inside the house, and we have a couple motor homes too.” He raised his eyes from his phone and shook his head. “We’ll be here about a month, and I’m dreading every moment.”
Evelyn wasn’t sure what to say, but when he refocused on his phone again and didn’t offer an explanation, she cleared her throat. “This part of Indiana is very lovely. Hopefully you’ll have time to do some exploring when you aren’t working.”
“Yeah, it’s pretty here. The location isn’t the problem. My father is.” Sighing, he still had his head down as he punched buttons on his phone. Evelyn had been right when she noticed the contempt regarding his father.
“He’s always wanted me to be involved in his business, but I don’t want anything to do with it. I’m only here because he offered me a lot of money to do the heavy lifting. I just have to survive this month of being around him, then I can move out on my own. Maybe even leave LA altogether.”
Evelyn was surprised he was sharing so much, and there was no mistaking the bitterness in his voice. “LA?”
“Los Angeles.” His eyes were still on his phone.
“Ach, in California.” She’d heard of Los Angeles but suspected it was a busy place she’d never visit.
After more typing on his phone, he looked over at her. “Sorry. I’m listening. I’m just sending a text for someone to pick me up later. I’m letting him know I’ll text again when I’m ready.” He set the phone on his lap. “You’ve probably seen some of my dad’s movies.”
“I-I’ve never been to see a movie in a theater.” Evelyn had been in her running-around period for three years now, since she was sixteen, so technically she could break a few rules and venture out, but the opportunity had never presented itself.
Jayce’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding, right?”
Evelyn shook her head. “Nee. I mean, I could go. I’m not baptized yet.” She raised a shoulder and dropped it slowly as she kept Millie at a slow pace. “I just never have.”
Jayce closed his mouth and rubbed his forehead. “Sorry, but that’s so weird for me. Is it a rule or something?”
“I guess it is. But when we turn sixteen, we enter into a rumschpringe. It’s a time for exploration, when we can go out into the Englisch world and experience life before we choose baptism into the Amish faith.”
The left side of his mouth curled up. “No offense, but you look older than sixteen.”
“None taken. I’m nineteen.”
He scratched his chin. “So for the past three years you’ve been allowed to go to the movies, yet you’ve never been?”
“Ya, that’s right.” She paused. Most folks knew at least a little about the way Amish people lived. This man didn’t seem to have a clue. “It’s a time when our parents turn a blind eye and allow us privileges we won’t have after we’re baptized.”
He stared at her wordlessly for a few long, awkward moments. “I have no idea how God, baptism, and the movies fit together, but you’re saying you can go see a movie?”
“Ya.” Evelyn had dated a few men in her small community, but none had asked her to go to a movie. And it hadn’t seemed all that important.
“Are you allowed to date?” He raised an eyebrow, grinning. “What do you do? Dinner and a movie are kind of a thing where I come from.”
Evelyn felt herself blush. “Ya, we can date.” She kept her eyes on the road. “We go out for meals at restaurants, and sometimes we go on a picnic. And there are other things to do.”
“Like what?” He twisted slightly in the seat. She’d captured his full attention but wished she hadn’t. His eyes pierced the short distance between them, and an unwelcome tension settled into a knot in her stomach.
“There’s the zoo, the corn maze in the fall, or we can always go horseback riding.” She glanced his way, but quickly faced forward again when his leg brushed against hers. “Uh . . . in the winter, we go on sleigh rides. And there are singings held for the young people. We find lots of things to do.”
He was looking ahead but gave her a sidelong glance as if contemplating something, and the longer he was silent, the larger the knot in her stomach grew.
“Well, then.” He tipped his head to one side. “We have to go to a movie.”
Evelyn’s eyes widened. “What?” Was this English stranger asking her out?
He crinkled his nose and frowned. “Wow. What was I thinking? Someone as gorgeous as you must have a boyfriend.” A swath of his wavy dark hair fell across his forehead. After he pushed it aside, he said, “You need to make him take you to a movie.”
“Nee, I don’t have a boyfriend.” Evelyn’s chest tightened, and she wished she’d kept quiet. Now she’d opened a door she wasn’t ready to walk through. She was, however, basking in the compliment.
* * *
Jayce stared at the beautiful Amish woman far too long, and she refocused on the road. He continued to take in her features. Dark hair tucked beneath that thing on her head, which he assumed had some kind of religious meaning. Green eyes set against a dark olive complexion, like a really good tan from being outside a lot. He’d already noticed her slender figure when her apron was tied around her waist. All other physical details were hidden beneath the dark-green dress she wore.
The few times she’d smiled, her face lit up. The woman was a knockout.
“Sorry.” He gave his head a quick shake. “I know I’m staring. I just don’t see how someone as pretty as you isn’t spoken for.” He laughed. “Or hasn’t been to a movie. I grew up in a theater. I love movies, which is ironic because I hate my father’s business, and I’m not fond of enclosed spaces. I do okay as long as I know I can leave. It’s the feeling trapped that bothers me.”
“I’m not sure I understand.” She glanced his way briefly.
“For example, elevators are a problem. Even going up one floor makes my heart race.” He shrugged. “Yeah, weird, I know. I’d flip out if I ever got stuck in an elevator. Luckily, that’s never happened.”
“I don’t think it’s weird.” She spoke with confidence, like she really didn’t think his claustrophobia was odd. She seemed like a sweet girl. Maybe that was why he was oversharing.
“Theaters, restaurants—even small ones—don’t bother me because I can get up and walk out. Tomorrow I’ll be in a cave while they shoot my dad’s latest movie. Caves are big, spacious, and I can leave anytime I want. If I feel like I’m going to suffocate, I’ll walk outside for a break.”
She slowed the horse, turned to face him, and with sympathy in her eyes said, “You have to go by boat into the cave. There’s no way in or out except by boat.”
Jayce felt like a hand was closing around his throat. “You’re kidding.”
“Nee. Each boat holds twelve or thirteen people, I think. To return to the dock, everyone in the boat would have to go back too.”
Jayce groaned. “I had reservations about this trip, but I’ve been in other caves. And they all had easy exits.” He leaned his head back and momentarily squeezed his eyes closed. No wonder his father offered him a ridiculous amount of money for this project. In addition to wanting Jayce to move out of his apartment, his father would have an opportunity to humiliate him in front of the crew.
“I’m sure dear old Dad has picked a place that will make me feel like I’m dying.” He half snickered, half growled. “Wow. I sound like a wimp. I don’t even know why I’m telling you this.” He was quiet for a few seconds. “Hey, your people are religious, right? Maybe you can pray for me? You can bet I’ll be praying, but I suspect you have a more direct line to the Big Guy.”
She laughed and her green eyes twinkled against her olive complexion, which rendered her even more beautiful. Wow. “Gott hears all of our prayers equally, but I do think when we pray for others He hears those prayers before the ones we say for ourselves.”
“Great. I’m going to need an abundance of prayers. As many as you can spare, beginning immediately.” He winked at her and was unsure if she saw the gesture at first, but then she began to blush.
“In return for all those prayers, I’m going to take you to a movie.” He kept his eyes on hers as they widened. He waited for her to say no.
Instead, she pointed right. “We turn there, and the Bargain Center is on the left a little farther down.”
“What night do you want to go to a movie? Unfortunately, I’ll be trapped in caves most days. There’s bound to be a theater not too far away, right?”
“Um . . .” She looked at him again. “I think the theater in Washington is the closest. It’s only eleven miles away, so the horse can make the trip.”
He couldn’t stop the grin that covered his face. She didn’t say no! “No, I should pick you up. Isn’t that proper protocol, even here? I’ve got access to cars and drivers. Or we can call a cab or Uber.”
She giggled, and her eyes twinkled again as her cheeks dimpled. “I’m afraid we don’t have cabs or whatever that other thing is.”
“Then car it is. What night and what time?” He rubbed his hands together. “This is going to be great—watching someone experience their first movie.”
She pulled into the parking lot of the mini Walmart and right up to a hitching post. “Well, that’s convenient,” he said as he stepped out of the buggy and waited for her to tether the horse next to two other horses and buggies. “I guess a few Amish people must come here.”
She grinned. “You might say that.” She leaned down and unwrapped the bloodstained apron square from around the horse’s foot, then straightened. “No more bleeding. But I’ll ask the vet to take a look, just to be sure.”
Jayce nodded, knowing he was running out of time. “How about tomorrow night at six o’clock? I’ll pick you up and we’ll eat and go see a movie.”
She was quiet. It was out of character for Jayce to be this pushy about asking a woman out. But he didn’t know much about the Amish rules and worried he might not see her again. He held his breath and waited.
“I-I guess eating out and seeing a movie would be okay.”
She said yes!
“Where should I pick you up?” He heard the eagerness in his voice and wondered if she did too. This would give him something to look forward to.
She started walking toward the entrance as she rattled off an address, then picked up her pace and strode into the store. Jayce repeated the street and number in his mind over and over as he pulled out his phone and followed her inside. He punched in the address and looked up.
Wow. His jaw dropped when he took a few steps inside.