“I don’t see how it’s going to matter one way or the other. They aren’t going to be happy with me.” He grunted. “But I figure at least this way they might have settled down enough by Sunday to not yell at Gabby.”
“No matter how unhappy they might be, no one’s going to yell at her.” No, his parents were far more likely to stare at her silently.
Which might be almost just as bad.
As if Kyle was thinking the same thing, he said, “Harley, I need you to be there. Could you be in the house on Sunday when Gabby gets there?”
He’d already planned on it. Someone had to be the buffer between Kyle and their parents. But he’d been planning to just happen to be there so Kyle wouldn’t feel like he was on display.
“Why do you want me? I’m sure Jimmy or Beth will be around.” In some ways, he was closer to them as well.
“You know why. Because you have lots of English friends. Because of the Eight. You’ll know what to say to Gabby and make her feel okay.” He waved a hand. “I keep telling her that all of us have English friends, but she’s going to be nervous.”
Kyle’s words were sweet and unexpected. But they also amused him a little. Here, hidden in all of Kyle’s self-assurances, was a good amount of plain and simple puppy love. His brother wanted Gabby to like him as much as he liked her.
“You know, if she agreed to come over, it was because she wants to be near you. She’s not going to care about anything I have to say.”
Kyle darted a glance his way. “But still . . . it might be easier on her. So, would you?”
“Of course. If you want me there, I will be.”
Kyle exhaled an almost comical sigh of relief. “Danke.”
“You’re welcome, Kyle.”
“I feel better already.”
“Um, if you are so worried about having Gabby over, why did you invite her in the first place? There’s got to be other places you two could have met.”
“I stopped by her place yesterday. She lives with her mother and brother.” He frowned. “It’s not in a safe place. And any other place we meet is going to be kind of awkward because we won’t have any privacy. I mean, it’s not like I could drive up on her street in a courting buggy.”
A courting buggy? Boy, things between Kyle and this girl had really progressed, especially if he was looking for privacy. “Tell me about her.”
“I already told you that she’s English.”
“That tells me nothing, since the majority of the population is English. How about something else?” he coaxed.
“Well . . .”
“Come now. Just talk. I’m interested, not giving you a quiz. Kyle, what do you like about her?”
“I like that she’s honest.”
Honest? That was the special thing about Gabby that Kyle wanted to tell him about? “Honesty’s gut.” He smiled encouragingly. “What else?”
“And, though this might make me sound bad, I like that she needs me. No one else really does, you know?”
“I’m not sure why you’d think that. You’re a pretty important part of our household.”
Kyle scoffed. “I’m the youngest boy and I also happen to have the biggest mouth. Neither of those are points in my favor, you know? All my life, I’ve felt like you and Jimmy wished I was more mature.”
“We all have our own loads to bear, Kyle.” Of course, the moment he said the words, Harley wished he could take them back. He’d sounded sanctimonious.
Kyle fisted his hands. “I hear what you’re saying, Harley. And I have a pretty good idea about your burdens in the household. I know it ain’t been easy, being the oldest son.”
It was on the tip of Harley’s tongue to tell his brother that he didn’t know the half of it. That he and Jimmy had been working in the fields before school by the time they were ten. He’d certainly never had much free time, not with four younger siblings underfoot. But he forced himself to take a deep breath and remember that this conversation wasn’t about him, it was about Kyle.
“It wasn’t,” he said slowly. “But that doesn’t matter. Each of us has had to carry our own burdens.”
“My workload has never been as heavy as yours, Harley. But even though that’s the case, I can promise you that the expectations for me have been just as high.”
“I’m sure that is true.” And, to his shame, he didn’t know if he and Jimmy or even Beth had tried to think of things from Kyle’s or Betty’s perspective. Their parents were fond of using him as his siblings’ good example. Harley had always resented it, feeling like he’d been put on an awkward pedestal instead of standing on even ground with his brothers and sisters.
But it seemed it had been just as difficult for Kyle to be forced to look up at him.
Kyle waved a hand. “As much as I enjoy talking about my place in the Lambright household, we aren’t talking about me, remember?”
“I remember. And, just to let you know, I’m still waiting to hear about Gabby.”
“She has dark brown hair. Almost black. Dark brown eyes, too.” Kyle paused. “She has kind of olive skin, too. I guess her mother’s side is Italian.”
“She sounds pretty.”
“Oh, she is. She’s really pretty.” His voice lowered. “You should see her smile. It sounds corny, but it can light up a room.”
That description sounded sweet to him. “What does she do?”
“She’s a senior in high school.”
So, she was Kyle’s age. That was good news. “She’s going to graduate soon.”
Kyle nodded. “Jah.”
“And then, what are her plans? College?”
“I don’t know.”
“Really? Most graduating seniors are full of plans. Marie, Elizabeth Anne, and Andy sure were.”
Looking troubled, Kyle said, “I think she’s still deciding what she wants to do.”
“Have you talked to her about your plans? Maybe she’s waiting for you to share, too.”
Looking embarrassed, he shook his head. “Nee.”
“I’m thinking there’s a reason you haven’t done that, Kyle.” He took a breath and then said, “What are her interests?”
“She likes to help her mother around the house and take care of her brother, Lane, though I guess he doesn’t need all that much help because he’s sixteen.” Barely taking a breath, he continued. “Gabby also babysits a lot. And she loves to do crossword puzzles.”
Harley smiled to himself. As Englisch teenaged girls went, this Gabby sounded fairly meek and mild. That would be in her favor when their parents met her.
That is, if they would give her a chance.
Seeing Katie’s house looming ahead, he clapped Kyle on the shoulder. “I’m glad we talked.”
Kyle looked panicked. “That’s it?”
“We talked a lot, don’t you think?”
“But we didn’t decide anything!” he retorted. “And, you didn’t even tell me what I should say to Mamm and Daed so they don’t start lecturing me.”
“If you can tell me about Gabby, you can tell our parents about her, too.”
“Do you really think it’s that easy?” Blatant skepticism colored every word.
No, he did not. But he was also starting to realize that he shouldn’t try to manage his siblings. He wasn’t good at it, and he didn’t want to be their substitute father, only their older brother. If he tried, he was fairly certain he could be good at that. “I’m not sure how your talk with them is going to go. I’ll hope and pray it goes well.”
Kyle’s expression fell. “So, you think it’s going to go as badly as I fear.”
“I didn’t say that. Lately, they’ve surprised me. Maybe they’ll surprise you, too.” He wanted to stop right then, but something inside him kept encouraging him to speak. “Just, well, do some thinking and prepare yourself, all right?”
“About what?”
“I’m not saying this is going to happen . . . but prepare yourself for how you are going to handle things if Mamm and Daed tr
y to talk you out of seeing her again.”
When Kyle turned away, looking even more uncomfortable and crestfallen, Harley placed his hand on Kyle’s shoulder. “Hey, what I’m trying to say is if you aren’t prepared to pick this girl over Mamm and Daed, then don’t bring her by before you know you are. If they convince you to never see her again, she’ll wonder what happened. You’ll hurt Gabby’s feelings.”
“You’re speaking to me like I have a choice.”
Harley knew what Kyle really meant. He was talking to his brother like he was an adult and making adult decisions about a woman he really liked, and might even grow to love. “Jah, I am.”
Kyle stared at him hard, then shook his head, as if he was trying to come to terms with the fact that things were changing between the two of them, too. “Danke.”
“No reason to thank me. You . . . you grew up some time ago, Kyle. I just hadn’t wanted to recognize that. I do now.”
As they approached Katie’s house, with the Dumpster in the front yard and so many secrets fairly bursting out of its seams, Harley realized he needed to take some of his own advice.
Katie was a part of his life. In her own way, she needed him as much as Gabby needed Kyle.
He already knew that he would never put his parents’ wishes over her needs. But what he wasn’t sure about was why he felt that way.
Was it simply because she was one of the Eight and he was loyal to their friendship?
Or was it more that he was loyal to her?
“Hey . . . hey, Harley?”
“Mmm?”
“Do you really think I’m ready for this?”
Harley stopped and looked directly at his brother, noticing that Kyle was almost as tall as he was, maybe weighed only twenty pounds less.
But no longer did Harley see a boy who had inches and pounds to go until he was a grown man. Instead, he simply saw Kyle. He was outgoing. Smiled easily, never met a stranger he didn’t like. He had a way with people, an ease that Harley never would. He was scrappy, more impulsive, and cared deeply about people who mattered to him.
In short, he’d turned into a very fine man—a man their father would be proud to call his son.
“Jah,” he said finally. “I think you are ready for anything, Kyle. Of that, I have no doubt.”
FOURTEEN
“Who talked?” Tricia called out.
“Oh, Tricia. Do you really not have an idea?” Logan asked. “Who among us can never seem to keep her mouth shut?”
Four hours after he and Kyle had arrived, greeted Katie, put on work gloves, and got to work, Harley heard something that made him go completely still.
It was Katie, and she was laughing.
About an hour after he and Kyle had arrived, E.A., Marie, and Kendra had shown up. By their sides were Will and Logan, and all of them were wearing work clothes and carrying gloves. They’d also brought with them continual rounds of joking and steady chatter.
Eager for the help, Kyle had been thrilled to see them. Harley had felt that way, too, but he had been far more tentative, more worried about Katie’s reaction than looking forward to their help.
As he’d feared, when Katie had first greeted them, she’d smiled and been polite, but there had been a look of resignation in her eyes, as well. Harley had almost feared that she’d break in half, her nerves seemed so brittle and on edge.
But the others didn’t allow her to be self-conscious even for a minute. The girls had pulled her into a storage room next to the kitchen and started sorting piles, like they’d done it a million times before.
Harley had taken the men up to June’s old room. With Kyle supervising, the four of them had continued to empty and clean the room. Now it was almost empty, and the girls’ laughter was floating through the house.
Unable to help himself, he stepped into the upstairs hallway and just listened. And after a low murmur from Kendra, he was rewarded. Katie burst into gales of laughter.
Just like she used to do.
Shaking his head, he grinned. Katie Steury laughed like she spoke her mind—with force. No, her laughter was surely no delicate giggle or feminine snicker. Instead, it was loud, infectious, and completely without restraint. At the moment, he fancied he’d never heard anything so sweet.
After listening for another few seconds, he walked back into June’s old room. Kyle looked up at him from his spot on the floor.
“The girls were good medicine. Ain’t so?”
“Jah. Good friends—and all of our progress.”
“It sure looks much different from when we started.”
“Like night and day,” Harley agreed. Maybe throwing out all the unwanted debris had also helped Katie to unburden herself as well. He felt that they were over the worst of the cleanup now.
Once Logan and Kyle returned to the room after lugging an old bureau downstairs, Will spoke. “How about we all take a break and go out to eat?”
Harley looked down at himself. He was sweaty, covered with a fine layer of dust and maybe even a spiderweb or two. “Lunch sounds gut, but I’m not fit for a restaurant.”
“You sure ain’t. None of us are,” Will said with a grin. “But we could wash up a little, grab some sandwiches, and have ourselves a picnic with the girls.”
“That sounds perfect,” Logan said. “We could run into Walnut Creek Cheese and have them make a mess of sandwiches to go and a bag of chips.”
“And a couple of cookies, while we’re at it,” Will said. “I’m starving.”
Kyle’s eyes were bright with anticipation. “What do you think, Harley?”
Harley drew in a breath, about to remind him that this was a workday in the middle of the week, not a Saturday afternoon, and that this was his job, not just a project to help Katie.
But then he remembered how Kyle was depending on him to be someone different from their father. And how Katie might have given him a job, but she was more important to him than any paycheck. He reckoned she could use a break as much as they could.
Plus, these were his friends, no, his best friends. They’d taken time off work to help both her and him. Was he really going to say he didn’t want to spend the time to have lunch with them? “That sounds great,” he replied at last, liking how the words felt on his tongue. “Let’s go see if the girls are good with this plan, too.”
When he checked in on Katie, he found her sitting on the floor, giggling at something E.A. had said. A few wisps of her blond hair had escaped from her kapp and had curled around her forehead and temples. Her eyes were sparkling, and her cheeks were pink. She was such a pretty sight, he couldn’t help but simply stand and gaze at her.
All too soon, Marie noticed he was lurking in the doorway. “Ah, did you need something, Harley?”
He spoke before thinking. “Nee.”
“No?” She raised her eyebrows. “You just came down here to stare at Katie?”
Katie looked in his direction, then looked down at her folded hands.
He was almost sure she was blushing.
“Harley?” E.A. prodded.
“Um, what I really meant is that I only came downstairs to see if you girls wanted to take a break and go get some lunch.” When he saw the same expressions on their faces that he’d at first been wearing, he rushed to explain. “Not eat in a restaurant. Will suggested we get sandwiches and stuff from Walnut Creek Cheese and have a picnic.”
Katie raised her eyebrows. “You want to stop to have a picnic?”
“I know. This ain’t like my usual way, but it sure sounds like a good idea. Ain’t so?”
“I think it really does,” Marie said.
“It might even be the best idea of the day,” E.A. murmured as she got to her feet. “Give us ten minutes, Harley. We’ll wash up and be ready soon.”
He noticed Katie got up slower. Still watching her intently, he couldn’t help but frown. Was she okay?
Or, maybe Katie hadn’t wanted to leave after all?
Worry and a burst of surprise flitted t
hrough him as he realized he was now wanting to make her life easier. As if her problems were now his.
“Ah, Harley?” Katie asked.
“Jah?” He gazed at her expectantly. Glad to be of some help. “Did you need something?”
While the other girls grinned at each other, her eyes lit up. “Jah. I need you to move.”
“Move?”
She nodded, as if he’d turned simple. “You’re blocking the door, you see.”
“I am?” That’s when he realized that she wasn’t wrong. He was standing in the middle of the doorway like a stuck pig, except it hadn’t been his body that had been stuck there, it had been his attention.
He was never going to live this down. “Sorry.”
Feeling like his face was bright red, he turned away and hurried back upstairs before he did anything else stupid.
The girls’ laughter drifted up behind him. He knew he should be mighty embarrassed, but recognizing Katie’s happiness in the midst of it, he couldn’t honestly say he regretted his foolishness after all.
He was coming to realize that he’d do most anything for Katie Steury. Almost anything at all.
FIFTEEN
“Fine. It was me,” Katie said with a sigh. “And for the record, I realize I should’ve known better.”
“Oh my stars, Katie!” E.A. whispered in a voice that really could have been a whole lot quieter, “Harley really likes you.”
Katie turned off the bathroom faucet and grabbed hold of the pink towel on the rack. “Elizabeth Anne, you know that isn’t true. I mean, we’re all friends.”
“No, you know I’m right,” E.A. countered. “I’ve known Harley since I was seven years old and I’ve never seen him act like this. Something new has happened between the two of you.”
“She has a point, Katie,” Marie said as she took her turn washing her hands. “Harley was standing there staring at you like he’d never seen you before.”
She’d noticed that as well. But did she want to admit it? Um, not really. “He was looking at all of us.”
The Loyal One Page 10