The Innkeeper's Bride

by Kathleen Fuller

  Delilah turned to him. “Beg your pardon?”

  “My father’s girlfriend. She eats nothing but carrot sticks and grass.”

  “She sounds more like a horse than a girlfriend,” Nina said.

  Jackson burst out laughing. “I doubt she’s ever seen a horse in person.”

  “Hard to imagine that.” Loren blew on the stew in his spoon. “But I know that’s not uncommon for people who aren’t Amish, particularly those who were raised in big cities.”

  “I think she’s from Columbus,” Jackson said. He shrugged. “Anyway, a little something about me. I work with computers, and my goal is to have my own website and computer consulting business. Everything is run by computers nowadays.”

  “Not everything,” Loren said. “A few of us resist.”

  “More than a few,” Delilah added.

  “Nothing wrong with that,” Jackson said. “Sometimes I think I’m too plugged in.”

  “Plugged in?” Nina took another slice of bread.

  “I spend too much time on the computer.”

  “Maybe this weekend you can unplug,” Levi said.

  Jackson nodded. “I was thinking the same thing.”

  “Thank you for sharing,” Delilah said.

  Selah smiled a little. Delilah sounded like Ruby did when she was teaching her elementary students.

  “Your turn, Levi.” Delilah shoved the breadbasket at him.

  Levi took a slice and put it on the saucer next to his soup bowl. “There’s not much to tell,” he said, looking at Selah. “What you see is what you get.”

  “That’s not an acceptable answer,” Nina said.

  He turned to her. “And ‘I like bread’ is?”

  “You should tell everyone about the time you won the relay race in first grade.” Nina lifted her chin, her grin impish.

  “Oh, that was wonderful.” Delilah took a sip of iced tea and looked adoringly at Levi. “You were so happy to have that little blue ribbon. You had the biggest smile on your face for a week.”

  Levi pressed his fingers against his forehead. “I don’t believe this.”

  Loren laughed. “She’s right. You even showed your ribbon to Moonbeam, remember?”

  “Moonbeam?” Jackson asked.

  “His cow.” Nina started to chuckle. “His bestest friend in the whole world.”

  “All right, all right.” Levi’s cheeks were red, but he started to laugh. “If you guys are finished embarrassing me, we can move on.”

  “Here’s one thing you should know about me,” Loren said, looking at Selah and Jackson. “I’m grateful to be here. Not just because of my accident, but because I think moving to Birch Creek was the best decision I ever made.” He turned his gaze to his family. “That we made.”

  Selah couldn’t help but smile again. There was so much warmth among the Stolls, even when they were teasing Levi. Her family meals were never like this—light, friendly, and loving. More like stone silent. The last trace of tension slipped away.

  “It’s your turn, Selah.” Delilah smiled. “Tell us a little about yourself.”

  “Other than the fact you work here,” Nina said with a smile. “We all know that.”

  Selah suddenly froze, her calm disintegrating. She’d known she would have to say something, but now that everyone was looking at her, she clammed up. What was she supposed to say? That she was in therapy for depression? That she had made a huge mistake nearly two years ago that almost ruined her life? That she looked at every man under thirty with suspicion? Sure, they would really want to keep her around after she told them all that.

  But she had to say something, anything, or they would think she was seltsam. “I . . . I’m really happy to be here too.” Her cheeks flamed hot as she grabbed her spoon and focused on her stew. She almost melted with relief when everyone else started eating. The getting-to-know-everyone game was over, thank the Lord.

  When she lifted her gaze, Levi was looking at her with a slight frown. He didn’t miss anything, did he? She dipped her head, her appetite gone. She didn’t have to worry he might think she was seltsam. She was sure he already did.

  * * *

  While the rest of his family and Jackson continued to eat and talked about the storm, which by the sound of the howling wind shaking the kitchen window seemed to be getting worse, Levi kept his eye on Selah. She was barely eating. Her cheeks glowed red, and when she’d had to talk about herself, she’d looked like a fawn pinned down with fear. Her walls were up again, only this time he sensed a crack in the foundation.

  He glanced at everyone else at the table. Jackson was already on his second bowl of cabbage stew, and Grossmutter was explaining the preparation process to him. Daed was quiet but still eating, which was a good sign. Nina grabbed a third slice of bread, which normally would have earned her a pointed look from their grandmother, but Grossmutter was too busy enjoying her conversation with Jackson.

  Picking up his spoon, he looked at Selah again. She was staring at her bowl now, confirming his suspicions that something was wrong. Usually his grandmother’s typical icebreaker was well received, as Jackson had proven. But not by Selah. Over the past few days, he’d seen her friendly side, and she could even be playful at times, something he found appealing. So why had she gone silent after Grossmutter asked her to talk about herself?

  “Hey, Selah,” Nina said, breaking Levi out of his thoughts, “instead of staying at the inn tonight, why don’t you bunk with me?”

  “That’s a great idea,” Grossmutter said before turning to Jackson. “As long as you don’t mind being at the inn by yourself in this storm, Jackson. You’re welcome to stay with Levi if you’d like.”

  Jackson shook his head. “Storms don’t bother me, so I’m good.”

  Nina grinned. “This will be so much fun. Just like a slumber party.”

  Selah’s eyes suddenly grew bigger than the saucers on the table. “Uh, yes. It will be . . . fun.”

  Levi saw her throat moving back and forth and her mouth opening slightly as if she were breathing through it and not her nose.

  “Excuse me,” she said, pushing from the table. “I’ll . . . be right . . . back.” She fled out of the room.

  “Is she all right?” Levi saw Daed frown.

  “She doesn’t have to stay with me,” Nina said, looking a little hurt. “It was just a suggestion.”

  “I’m sure she’s fine,” Grossmutter said, but then she pressed her lips together. “Maybe she had to geh to the restroom,” she whispered to Nina, loud enough for everyone to hear.

  “How’s the weather in Wisconsin?” Jackson said quickly. “I bet you guys have seen your fair share of storms.”

  “Oh, we certainly have,” Daed said.

  Levi slipped out of his seat as his father began to regale Jackson with tales of Wisconsin winters. He headed for the bathroom, figuring his grandmother was right. He’d just wait for Selah to come out so he could make sure she was okay. But as he passed the stairs, he saw her sitting on the bottom step, her hand over her chest.

  “Selah?” He crouched in front of her. “What’s wrong?”

  She shook her head, but her hand stayed where it was.

  “Are you in pain?”

  “Nee.” Her breath came in gasps. “I’m . . . fine.”

  “You’re not fine.”

  She finally looked at him, her eyes still wide, her breath uneven. “I’ll . . . be fine. This will . . . pass.”

  On impulse, he took her free hand. “Selah, please. Let me help you.”

  * * *

  Selah’s worst nightmare was coming true. When Nina suggested she stay with her in her room, she’d suddenly remembered that she didn’t have her medication with her. She usually took it before she went to bed because it made her sleepy. She never missed a dose, and her doctor had stressed that she had to take it every day and at the same time. But there was no way she could get it now. And that was when she started to panic.

  Without thinking, she gripped Levi�
�s hand, waiting for the anxiety to pass, telling herself that skipping one dose of medicine wouldn’t send her spiraling. But what if it did? What if she couldn’t calm down? What if she lost her job? What if everyone found out about her past, her mistakes, her diagnosis? Why wouldn’t her heart stop slamming against her chest?

  “Selah. I’m here.”

  She met Levi’s gaze and locked on. His hand tightened around hers, and the roaring in her ears subsided.

  “I’m here,” he repeated. “I’m here.”

  Her heartbeat started to slow. His touch, his words, calmed her. When she could breathe again, she said, “I . . . I don’t know what happened.” Which was partially true. She’d never felt like that before, as if she were having a heart attack.

  He moved to sit beside her, still holding her hand. Then he took a handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbed her forehead.

  She took it from him and wiped her face. She hadn’t realized she’d been sweating, and now she shivered.

  “You’re cold. I’ll get a blanket.” He started to get up.

  But she held on fast to his hand. “I’m okay. I just need a minute.”

  He nodded and sat back down. After a little while he said, “Was it the cabbage stew?”

  She turned her head. “The stew?”

  “It looks like it didn’t agree with you. You barely ate any at supper.”

  If she hadn’t felt so ashamed that she’d melted down in front of him, she would have laughed. He was giving her an out, and he didn’t even realize it. “Ya. It must have been the stew. I should probably lie down.”

  “Go up to Nina’s bedroom,” he said. “Unless you want to geh back to the inn and stay there.”

  She shook her head. Jackson would be there, but she didn’t want to be in her room alone. She was thankful that Nina had made the offer to share her bedroom. “I’ll stay with Nina. And I’m sure this will pass.” She straightened and looked at the handkerchief. “I can’t give this back to you like this.”

  “Keep it. And I mean it this time.” He kept his gaze on her. “Geh on upstairs to Nina’s room. It’s the first one on the right. I’ll tell the familye you’re not feeling well.”

  “Danki,” she said softly.

  He gave her hand a squeeze and then stood. “I’ll wait here until you get to her room. There’s a bathroom right next to it.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  “I know. But I want to.”

  Something in her heart thawed. He was so kind and thoughtful, and she soaked up both like a dried-up sponge. She stood and went upstairs, her legs a little shaky. When she looked back at Levi, who was still at the bottom of the stairs, she nodded. He nodded back and left.

  Selah went into Nina’s room and sat on the edge of the bed. She was exhausted, and her body started trembling again, this time from being in the cold room. She pulled down the covers and snuggled under them. She’d get up when Nina came upstairs. There was only a twin bed, but she could make a pallet on the floor with a few blankets and a pillow. The inn had plenty to spare.

  As she lay there, she could still feel Levi’s hand in hers. But before her heart softened any more, she vowed not to fall for him. It would be too easy. And too complicated. She had so many problems, and with the new experience she’d just had, everything was worse. Levi didn’t need her issues, and she didn’t need to put her problems on him.

  Chapter 11

  Jackson stood in the lobby of the inn, unsure what to do. He’d been given a prime opportunity to snoop around without any of the Stolls knowing what he was doing. They were so trusting. He could be a homicidal maniac for all they knew. Or I could be like my father.

  There was the dilemma. If he rummaged around the inn trying to find something to use against the Stolls, he would be just like his dad, which he’d vowed he would never be. But if he came back with nothing, his father might book another room and come here himself. He might also be so angry that he’d fire Jackson from the only job he had. He didn’t want to work for his father, but it was better than collecting unemployment.

  He took off his cap and shoved his fingers through his hair. This family was so nice, he almost thought they weren’t real. He’d enjoyed getting to know everyone tonight, and he felt bad that Selah wasn’t feeling well. Levi explained that when he came back from checking on her, which Jackson thought was interesting. When Selah left the kitchen, Levi had practically run after her. He wouldn’t be surprised if there was something going on between those two.

  But that wasn’t his concern. He was concerned about betraying this honest family who had showed him more warmth and acceptance than his father had in years, and he’d been here less than a day. He sat down on the couch. Now he was the one not feeling well.

  His gaze landed on the small wicker basket in front of him. Delilah had insisted on packing some snacks, along with another helping of apple pie, which Jackson had learned was Loren’s favorite. “Can’t have you getting hungry,” she said, handing him the basket. Then Levi had walked here with him and gone upstairs to make sure his room was warm enough with the gas heater. Despite the heavy snow and wind, the place still had power. That was a miracle right there.

  But the woodstove supplied all the heat on the first level, and while the lobby was still warm, it wouldn’t be by morning. “We’ll be here bright and early to restart the fire,” Levi told Jackson before he left for the night.

  Jackson stood. He wasn’t going to sit down here and figure out what to do now. He grabbed the basket and went up to his room. Levi had left on the light, and Jackson examined his phone. No service, which was to be expected. He got undressed and readied for bed. He wasn’t tired, so he perused what was in the bookcase. For some reason he was drawn to the Bible. He picked it up, and then he lay down on the bed and started to read.

  He still believed his father could learn a lot from the Stolls, but he was beginning to realize he could too.

  * * *

  Selah opened her eyes but saw nothing. Nina’s bedroom was pitch black, which surprised her because she didn’t remember turning off the battery-operated bedside lamp. She felt for the small flashlight she’d noticed on the side table and turned it on, cupping the light so it wasn’t too bright. Nina was camped out on the floor, sleeping on a pile of blankets on a rag rug in the middle of the room, the top of her head barely visible as she snuggled under a heavy quilt. I’m supposed to be on the floor, not her. But she wasn’t about to wake her to switch places.

  She shivered, wishing she could dive back under the covers but needing to use the restroom first. She was still wearing her dress, sweater, kapp, and stockings, of course, but they weren’t much protection against the coldness of the upstairs. She’d hurry to the bathroom and then get back under the cozy covers.

  As quietly as she could, she snuck out of the bedroom and opened the door. When she gently closed it behind her and turned around, the door to another bedroom, opposite the bathroom, opened. Levi stepped into the hallway, carrying his own pocket flashlight. Of course he would have the same idea at the same time. That was the way the night had been going for her.

  He padded over to her, wearing a dark-colored sweatshirt and what looked like baggy pajama pants. “You okay?” he whispered.

  She nodded. “I just had to . . .” She tilted her head toward the bathroom door. “You know.”

  “Ladies first.”

  Selah couldn’t see his face clearly in the dim light, but she imagined he was smiling as usual. She headed for the bathroom but then turned around. “Danki,” she said. “For helping me earlier.”

  “Nee thanks necessary. I’m glad I could.”

  A wave of guilt washed over her. She’d lied to him about why she hadn’t felt well, and for some reason she felt she had to be honest. He deserved that after being there for her. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to ward off the chill. “I didn’t have an upset stomach,” she whispered, barely able to say the words.

  “I know.”
r />   She looked up at him. “You do?”

  He nodded. “But we’ll just keep that between ourselves.”

  She leaned against the doorjamb with relief.

  “Selah,” he said, taking a step toward her. “If there’s something about the job or the inn that bothers you, I’d like to know. I don’t want you to end up not liking it here.”

  He was making it hard to keep her heart in check. Forgetting how cold she’d been a moment ago, she said, “It’s not the job, and it’s not the inn. You . . . yer familye . . . you’ve all been so kind to me.”

  “And you’re not used to that.”

  She swallowed. “Not all the time, no.” Then she added, “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I’m not talking about Christian and Ruby. They’re wonderful.”

  “I didn’t think you were.”

  “How do you seem to know everything?”

  He turned off the flashlight, leaving them almost completely in the dark. “I pay attention,” he said. “Especially when it comes to people I . . . people who work for me.”

  For a split second she thought he was going to say something else. Something more personal. Which was ridiculous. He was her boss, and she was his employee. Always remember that.

  “I’m going back to mei room,” he said, taking a step away from her. “You’d better hurry and get back to bed before you freeze out here.”

  “All right.” She turned and went into the bathroom. An automatic light came on, set to dim, but it gave her enough light to see. She finished and then went back into the hallway. It was empty. She lightly knocked on Levi’s door. “Yer turn.” She didn’t wait for him to come out.

  She slipped back into the room and into the bed. When she was buried under the covers, she heard Nina’s voice.

  “Selah?”

  “I’m sorry,” she said, sitting up a little. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “That’s all right.”

  “Do you want yer bed back?” Selah asked, feeling guilty again.

  “Nee. I’m fine down here. I brought a hot water bottle upstairs with me, so I’m plenty warm.”

  “Are you sure?”