The Ultimate Amish Romance Boxed Set Collection (1-8)

by Becca Fisher

  "Even though I couldn't give you the poodle skirt you've been longing for, I'm glad you came anyway," Patricia said.

  "Actually, there's another reason I came to see you today," David admitted.

  "Oh really?"

  "I've found myself taking quite a liking to you and was hoping I could have the pleasure of taking you out to dinner," David remarked. "So, what do you say?"

  ***

  "I have not seen you this happy since arriving in town," Eve said.

  Patricia was bursting with nervous energy. She had her first non Amish date and was thrilled beyond belief. But with it came decisions Patricia never had to make before. Back home, the choice for dating attire was easy--a simple dress with an apron and a bonnet. But in the outside world, there were lots of choices. That's where Eve came in.

  "I don't know what to wear," Patricia said, in a huff.

  "In my experience, the man doesn't care as much what you're you're wearing, but rather that you agreed to a date with him in the first place," Eve said.

  "Well after years of bonnet based fashion decisions, I would like to look my best instead of my most modest," Patricia replied.

  "You can't go wrong with something like this," Eve said, pointing to a stylish cocktail dress.

  "Are you sure?" Patricia had worked herself into an anxiety-filled tizzy. She wanted everything to be absolutely perfect.

  "Honey, calm down. You're acting like you've never been on a date before."

  "I haven't. Not like this."

  "I assure you, this will not be much different from the dates you went on in Amish country."

  "That's where you're wrong. It's already different. This is the first time I have a date with a man that makes me just as excited as I make him. So I don't want to blow it."

  "Oh Patricia, don't be silly," Eve insisted. "He asked you on a date because he likes who you are. So just be yourself and you'll do fine."

  "Are you just saying that, or do you really believe it?"

  "I know that the city has humbled you. But don't let it keep you from believing in yourself."

  ***

  "Wow, you look amazing," David said.

  Immediately Patricia's anxiety melted away as she saw the smile on David's face. But David had not come alone. He had brought a gift as well. David handed Patricia a bouquet of flowers.

  "Beautiful flowers for my beautiful date," David added.

  "David, you're going to make me as red as these roses," Patricia said, blushing.

  "I hope you like flattery, because I have plenty in store."

  ***

  "You're really pulling out all the stops, aren't you?" Patricia asked.

  The restaurant was immaculate. The kind of place designed to commiserate special occasions. But it was becoming clear to Patricia that David viewed the date as quite a special occasion.

  "I wasn't sure I'd ever get to go on a date with you, so I wanted to make this one as memorable as possible," David said.

  Those were the kind of words that were not easily forgotten. That Patricia's ears did not hear often. That made Patricia's entire day. And the appetizers hadn't even been served yet.

  "It is safe to say that you've succeeded. I thought we'd be spending dinner being served by a woman in a poodle skirt."

  "I think we get enough of that at work. Besides, my life is just fine without another greasy burger in it."

  "Very true. Although it will seem odd to not have someone come to our table and sing every half hour."

  "Perhaps I can interest you in some witty banter then."

  "I believe you are already."

  "I wouldn't want things to get stale, so I'll just move on to outright swooning."

  "Sorry, I believe I have the market cornered on that already."

  "And here I thought there was enough swooning to go around."

  "You'd think, but you're more charming than I anticipated."

  "I don't know that I can live up to that kind of billing."

  "You'd better. It is highly unlikely that you'll find another Amish woman quite as smitten as I am."

  "In that case, I will be sure not to disappoint you."

  ***

  "I can't believe I'm actually going to see a movie," Patricia said.

  Of all the distractions that the Amish didn't partake in, seeing a film was the one Patricia was looking forward to the most. The fact that she was getting to experience it with a man delighted with her made it even more magical.

  "Let's hope I picked the right movie," David said. "Especially knowing you never get a second chance to make a first impression."

  "You haven't had any problems with first impressions so far."

  "Hope you like romance."

  "I'm not sure the combination of you and romance could ever go wrong."

  "What other thing weren't you able to do in Amish country that I may introduce you to?"

  "Falling in love."

  "I may not know much about Amish culture, but I'm sure there's plenty of love to be had in your village."

  "Not for me there wasn't."

  "Well, I believe your move to the city will prove very fruitful."

  "I sure hope so. I gave up a lot to come here."

  "It must be hard to have grown up in a community that forces you to move out of town if you want to follow your dreams."

  "The Amish would say it's hard to devote yourself entirely to God while surrounded by so many distractions."

  "You can find God anywhere if you look hard enough."

  "Yes, well the Amish prefer for things to be more simple."

  "What do you think?" David asked.

  "Do I wish I could sing about the Lord from the comfort of Amish country? Of course," Patricia said. "But sometimes life doesn't work out the way you want it to."

  "As long as you find yourself in heaven in the end, then your life worked out just fine."

  "Why wait until the afterlife when you can have a piece of heaven right here on Earth?"

  "No argument here."

  ***

  "Wow, that was amazing," Patricia said. She was talking about the movie, but she could have just as easily been talking about the date. Patricia couldn't have planned a better evening.

  "Not bad for a first movie, huh?" David joked.

  "Are they all that good?"

  "Actually, they are almost never that good."

  "What luck."

  "It was more than luck. There was a reason I picked a movie about an underdog overcoming all odds."

  "I'm not sure my life will turn out as well as that movie," Patricia said.

  "Actually, I pictured us both as underdogs. You as the small town girl coming to the big city to make good. And me as the ordinary guy managing to land a date with a woman as extraordinary as yourself."

  Patricia looked deep into David's eyes. "I must say, you are not as ordinary as you think."

  "Either way, the film was inspiring. But it was more than just a movie. It was based on a true story. And one day soon you may have a story just like it."

  "Do you really think so?"

  "You have come so far already. And I can see it's not in your character to quit."

  "No one with character does quit."

  David smiled. "It's that resolve that makes me think only a fool would doubt you. And it would be an honor to be by your side as you remind the world of God's glory."

  ***

  "I don't want this night to end," Patricia said.

  Yet the conclusion of the date was upon them. The hour was late. They both had work in the morning. And they found themselves on Patricia's doorstep. But that didn't mean even as reality called, that they wanted to answer.

  "It's like being in a dream that you don't want to wake up from," David insisted.

  "I can honestly say I've never had a date like this."

  "Does that mean you'll go out with me again?"

  "I can't imagine anything better."

  "I can." As David moved closer to Patri
cia and gazed into her eyes, it was clear he had a kiss in mind.

  "Trust me, temptation weighs heavy on my mind as well, but I do not know that it is in our best interest to indulge in it."

  "I don't know about our best interest. But I know that my interest in undeniable."

  "You make it so hard to say no."

  "Then let's not say anything at all."

  As David went to make his move though, Patricia found restraint.

  "But I have something to say," Patricia remarked. "If I were back home, there is no way we could kiss."

  "And I respect that. However, you are not back home."

  "I am still the same woman though. One that has been brought up a certain way. With certain traditions."

  "If we must I will honor those. But I ask you to search your heart. Do you truly believe that the Lord would frown on two people smitten with each other sharing the wonder of a simple kiss?"

  When David put it that way, the answer was simple. "I don't believe he would," Patricia said.

  And like that, Patricia found herself on the verge of her very first kiss. But as David pressed his lips against Patricia's, she realized it was more than just a simple kiss. It was absolutely electric. The kind of rush that Patricia had never felt before. And suddenly she realized why the Amish waited until marriage to kiss. Because when you've experienced that kind of distraction, it was hard to think of anything else.

  ***

  "How was your date?" Eve did not wait long to pepper Patricia with questions. Patricia was barely in the front door when Eve greeted her.

  Patricia didn't mind the question though. After the night she had, nothing could bring her down from the cloud she was on.

  "Immaculate. Exquisite. Sensational," Patricia said.

  "Not bad for a first date," Eve replied.

  "It was the best date I've ever been on. It felt so right. Like we were made to be with each other. Like we couldn't get enough of each other."

  "Did you kiss?"

  Patricia bit her lip and started to blush. She didn't want to say, but her expression gave away the answer.

  "Oh my," Eve said. "Oh my indeed."

  Patricia waited impatiently for Eve's judgment. Although they were not related, Patricia looked at Eve like a mother figure. She sought her approval. And so far from home, Eve was Patricia's voice of reason.

  "I'm so happy for you," Eve said.

  "I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep tonight."

  "Maybe not," Eve said. "But if you do, you'll sure have sweet dreams."

  ***

  "What a glorious morning," Patricia said.

  Patricia glided into the kitchen like she was suddenly able to defy gravity. The smile hadn't left her face since the night before. She couldn't contain her excitement.

  Adam meanwhile couldn't contain his sarcasm. "Decaf for you all right."

  Eve however was excited to hear the juicy details. "Don't mind him. You should bask in the blessing God has given you. There's no telling when the luster might wear off," Eve said.

  "Or maybe it won't wear off at all," Adam added, kissing his wife.

  "Your breath smells like onions," Eve bemoaned.

  "It's the thought that counts," Adam insisted.

  "Well, I personally can't imagine things being any better," Patricia said.

  "The Lord sees things differently," Adam said.

  Adam then laid the newspaper down in front of Patricia. She couldn't believe her eyes. It was an ad for a local singing competition. The winner received prize money, but more importantly a record contract.

  Patricia was absolutely gob smacked. Her dream was there for the taking. It was like a gift from God. And Patricia was ready to open it.

  ***

  "Just the woman I've been looking for," David said.

  When your boyfriend worked at the same diner, suddenly being a singing waitress wasn't so bad. But Patricia found herself squarely focused on the potential of her future.

  "Oh, hi," Patricia replied, with less enthusiasm than David expected.

  "What's the matter? Was it something I did?" David asked.

  "No no. You were great last night. I just have a lot on my mind."

  "Don't worry, the tips will get better," David insisted.

  "Actually, I just found out about a singing competition where the winner gets a record contract," Patricia explained.

  David exploded with excitement. "Wow. That's great. This is the moment you've been waiting your whole life for."

  "I know."

  "So why aren't you more excited?"

  "Because, I've been waiting for this moment my whole life. And what if I blow it?" Patricia worried.

  "God did not put this opportunity in front of you to see you fail."

  "I wish I had your confidence."

  "I'd rather have your singing voice," David said.

  "It would certainly get you better tips," Patricia joked.

  "Your voice is going to get you more than tips. You're going to win that competition. And you will spread the Lord's message for all to hear."

  The smile returned to Patricia's face as anxiety temporarily subsided. "I know who I want to give me a pep talk before the competition."

  "Why wait that long? I'll have plenty more kind words for you on our date tonight," David insisted.

  ***

  "Did you hear about my record contract?" Valerie asked.

  Pleasantries eluded Valerie. Then again, she wasn't terribly pleasant to begin with unless she was talking about herself.

  Patricia meanwhile just wanted to sing church hymns. It was hard to ignore Valerie's boasts though.

  "Well congratulations. I guess you won't have much time for the church choir anymore," Patricia replied. "I wish you well on your way out the door."

  Patricia soon realized that Valerie was boasting about a recording contract she had yet to win though. Instead Valerie had seen the same ad in the paper and just assumed the competition was hers to win.

  "Oh no. I was talking about the sing off coming up," Valerie clarified.

  Patricia wasn't about to let Valerie brag about feats she did not achieve though.

  "I would not assume victory quite yet. I have every intention of winning that competition."

  "Yes, except this competition will not be taking place in your dreams. In reality, you are about to go down in smoldering defeat."

  Suddenly Patricia was struck by how rancorous her interactions with Valerie were. How much they reminded Patricia of her own interactions with her younger sister back home. How Patricia had always strutted around like she was God's gift. And then how Patricia had found herself choking down some formidable humble pie when Beth had won over the most prized bachelor in Amish country.

  Humility was swift and unmerciful to Patricia back home. And Patricia couldn't help but wonder when Valerie would suffer the same fate in the city. Patricia tried to offer an olive branch.

  "I've never seen someone relish in tearing others down quite like you," Patricia said. "Wouldn't your life be better suited if you filled your heart with kindness?"

  Valerie did not hesitate one bit. "It's called a competition for a reason. And I don't lose."

  ***

  "We are all God's children, but some are brattier than others," David said.

  "I actually feel more sorry for Valerie than anything," Patricia replied.

  The mood of David and Patricia's second date had taken a more reflective tone than they had expected. But Patricia was finding the drama with Valerie to be a hard pill to swallow. Still, David was proving to be quite the confidante.

  "Well, she will be sorry for mouthing off when you get that record deal," David insisted.

  "No. I feel sad for her because I've been in her place and I know how big of a fall it is from her pedestal."

  David was confused. "What are you talking about?"

  "I was the Valerie of my old community," Patricia admitted.

  "No. That can't be."

/>   "I wasn't as full of hot air, but I was certainly full of myself. And then one day all the bluster blew up in my face."

  "You certainly have changed a lot since then."

  "We are all forced to be humble in the face of God's will."

  "You are truly unlike any woman I have ever met before," David said, in awe.

  "I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or a slight."

  "Rare is the occasion in which a woman can take sympathy in someone so determined to bring misery to your life."

  "I can't help but wonder why we are here on Earth if not to learn lessons that we can share with others."

  "Allow me to share a lesson I have learned then. Life is precious. So fill every moment you can with joy."

  Patricia smiled. "I like the sound of that lesson."

  "Then you'll love what I have in store for us."

  ***

  David seemed to have a way of catching lightning in a bottle just when Patricia needed it most. It was one thing for Patricia to dream. It was another to see what reality would look like. And as Patricia entered the auditorium, she was immediately enraptured. David had bought tickets to one of the top Christian concerts in the country. And he wasn't alone. It was a packed house. Two thousand people were clamoring for a night of faith filled harmonizing.

  Patricia's excitement was palpable. Seeing firsthand that there was such a sizable audience eager to hear songs about love and God made all the difference in the world to Patricia. It gave her hope that one day she could fill up an auditorium. And maybe that day wasn't far off.

  As the concert began, Patricia fixed her eyes on the stage, and watched in awe for the next two hours. When the show finally ended, Patricia knew her life would never be the same.

  ***

  "I can't begin to thank you enough," Patricia said.

  "Trust me, the pleasure is mine," David replied.

  "I highly doubt that was as pleasurable for you as it was for me. That was amazing."

  "Imagine how amazing it will feel when you're the one on that stage."

  "I don't need to imagine it. I've spent my whole life dreaming of that moment. But only now it seems like it could really happen."

  "It will happen."

  "I think it's safe to say that your opinion is biased."

  "There's a reason it's biased. You have completely bewitched me. And soon the world will feel the same."

  "It feels so strange to shed the quiet modesty of my Amish roots, but I almost get the feeling that God has made all this happen for a reason."