“Now we just have to figure out if Katie is the girl for Harley,” Kyle said.
Though he knew Kyle was joking, Harley wasn’t in the mood to be teased about his feelings for Katie. “Honestly, Kyle. One would think you had enough to worry about with Gabby. There’s no need to be interfering in my love life.”
“Or lack thereof,” Jimmy murmured under his breath.
If their father hadn’t been sitting there, Harley would have said something snide about only dating one woman ever, but their father wouldn’t have put up with that.
It wouldn’t have been fair to either Jimmy or Sarah either. They were perfect together.
Fortunately for him—and unfortunately for Kyle—his comment had done what it had been designed to do, move the focus off of him.
Their mother was now staring at Kyle with bright eyes, their father far less so. “Gabby, is it?” she asked.
Kyle somehow was looking both pale and flushed at the same time. “Jah, Mamm.”
Beth glanced over at Harley and shook her head slowly.
Harley knew what she was thinking. It had been a low blow to bring this up in the middle of a family supper. He had known both of their parents would jump on the fact that Gabby wasn’t Amish. Kyle was also only eighteen years old, too. His older brother should be looking out for him, not using him to deflect difficult conversations.
Feeling guilty, he said, “Is everyone done? I can start taking the dishes to the kitchen.”
“No one is getting up until I find out more about this girl,” Mamm said. “Kyle, tell us something, please.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
With exaggerated patience, she spoke again. “Let’s start with something easy. Is she Mennonite?”
“Nee. She is English. Gabby goes to the high school. She’s a senior there.”
“And she’s coming over?” Mamm asked.
“Well, I invited her over here on Sunday afternoon.”
Daed stared at Kyle intently. “Because?”
Kyle squirmed then seemed to straighten his backbone. Looking at their father square in the eye, he said, “Because I like her, Daed.”
Betty inhaled sharply. For a good thirty seconds, that was the only sound that was heard.
Harley now felt even worse. Here he’d been telling Kyle that he was nothing like their father and that he wanted a good relationship with him . . . and then what had he done? Practically fed the kid to the wolves.
Sitting so stiff and straight as time ticked by, Kyle wouldn’t even glance his way.
“Well, then,” their father said slowly. “I will look forward to meeting this Gabby then.”
Almost in unison, every one of them stared at their father in shock.
“I believe you may now start clearing the table, Harley,” Daed said, his voice much cooler.
Yes, his father wasn’t happy with him either.
At one time, it would have been so easy to have blamed Katie for this debacle. But this time he could blame no one but himself.
He stood up. Then, all by himself, he began carrying the supper dishes into the kitchen. It looked like he had a long night of dishwashing ahead of him.
TWENTY−THREE
“You all should’ve just gone there in the first place,” Kendra said.
“We weren’t supposed to be there at all. Andy had promised his parents that he would be staying at Logan’s all weekend.”
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
Kyle felt like an anxious child, standing at the front window of his house and watching for Gabby to arrive.
“What kind of car does she drive?” Betty leaned her elbows on the windowsill.
“I don’t know. Why?”
His little sister shrugged. “I don’t know. Just curious.”
“Well, all you need to know is that it’s not a courting buggy.”
But instead of looking chastised, Betty frowned. “Are you still angry with Harley or with all of us?”
“I’m not angry with anyone.” And to his surprise, he actually wasn’t. Though of course he would have told his parents about Gabby in a different way but had been putting it off for days. Harley’s comment had been like ripping off a Band-Aid. The attention had stung for a few minutes, but in the end everything was out in the open and he didn’t have to dread what would happen anymore.
Especially since their father had been surprisingly calm about the visit.
Now, he only had to worry about what would happen when Gabby arrived. What would she think of their house? Of, well, how “Amish” it was? Looking around at the light blue walls, simple furniture, and lack of electronics, he started fearing that she might feel completely out of place.
Betty was still staring out the window. “I think Harley thinks you’re mad at him.”
“I know.”
“Do you want me to tell him that you’ve forgiven him?”
“Nee.”
“How come?”
“Because it ain’t any of your business,” he snapped.
Betty huffed. “I’m only trying to help.”
“If you want to help, then stay out of it.”
“Sometimes I really hate being the youngest around here. Everyone tells me that their business isn’t any of my business, but the minute I do anything everyone wants to hear all about it.”
Kyle knew she was right. Until recently, their older siblings had treated him like he was forever twelve years old. “Don’t let anyone else hear you say that. Beth, especially, will point out how many more chores she has than you.”
She sighed. “I suppose you’re right.” Practically placing her nose on the glass, she murmured. “I wish Gabby would get here already. I can’t wait to see what she looks like.”
“She’s pretty.”
“What do you think she’s going to be wearing?”
“I don’t know.” Betty was being so weird. What did it even matter what Gabby had on?
Suddenly looking scared, she blurted, “What if Gabby shows up here in shorts?” She pointed to the top of her leg. “Like, a pair of those really short ones?”
He hadn’t thought about Gabby showing up in something so revealing. If she did, Daed would no doubt have something to say about that. Turning to Betty, he glared. “If she is wearing short shorts, you’d better not say anything.”
She rolled her eyes. “Like I would. It’s not like I haven’t seen a girl in shorts before.”
“Then that makes two of us.”
“Really? Is that what she has on when you go calling?”
“Betty, stop.”
“But—”
“Betty, come into the kitchen, please,” Mamm called.
His sister looked ready to argue for a moment but started walking. “I’ll see ya later.”
“Yeah.” He hoped much later.
After he heard their mother tell her to arrange cookies on a plate, Mamm came into the front room and stood beside him. “She should be here any time now, jah?”
He nodded. Actually, he was starting to think Gabby was more than a little late. Maybe she’d changed her mind? For about the hundredth time, he wished he had a cell phone. Then he could text her or call to see if she was lost.
Or if she didn’t want to hang out with him anymore.
“I’m having Betty arrange some cookies on a plate,” Mamm said, just like it was the best idea in the world. “We have lemonade, too.”
“Danke, Mamm.” He was far too old to be serving girls cookies and lemonade. But he was so grateful that his parents hadn’t forbid him to have Gabby over that Kyle simply nodded.
“Do you think she’ll want anything else? I could make her a sandwich.”
“Cookies are plenty. I told her how you always make a good Sunday supper, Mamm. She knows you will be busy making that.”
Her eyes widened. “Is she staying for supper?”
“Nee.” Not that he didn’t want her around . . . but there was no way he was going to make Gabby suffer through a whole mea
l with his nosy family. She’d never want to see him again.
Since they were still standing there, no car was in sight, and he didn’t want to simply stew on all his doubts, he said, “Hey, Mamm?”
“Hmm?”
“How come you and Daed didn’t get mad about Gabby coming over?”
She sat down on the arm of the couch. “That’s a funny question. Why are you asking? Did you want us to get mad?”
“Of course not. But I was afraid you might make it hard for me to have her here.” It had been more than that, of course. He’d been afraid they’d try to talk him out of seeing her. Make it seem like there was no way he and Gabby would ever have anything in common.
“Well, I canna speak for your father, but I, for one, wasn’t all that shocked you like an English girl. You’ve never been too interested in any of the Amish girls you were in school with.” She shrugged. “Then, too, it meant a lot to both your father and me that you invited her here. You didn’t have to do that.” Still looking reflective, she murmured, “If you really do like her, I wouldn’t have been surprised if you’d rebelled a bit.”
“Rebelled how?”
“Like started acting like John Byler and only wearing Englischer clothes.” She bit her lip. “Deciding to only see Gabrielle at her house. You know.”
“Doing all that rumspringa stuff.”
She smiled sheepishly. “Jah.”
Other kids in other families might have permission to do all kinds of shenanigans during their run-around time, but that had never been the norm in his family. He couldn’t recall any of his three older siblings ever acting like they wanted to be anything other than Amish. As far as he knew, they’d never drunk alcohol, tried smoking, got a driver’s license, or even gone to the movies.
He’d never had an urge to drive or drink either.
Sure, it probably had a lot to do with their strict father. But it also had much to do with the fact that he was happy the way he was. He liked their traditions, liked his family, liked their way of life.
That feeling of satisfaction had only started to waver recently, when he’d developed a terrible crush on Gabby Ferrara.
Treading carefully, he said, “Mamm, I don’t know if my liking Gabby is a matter of rebelling. I like her because she’s Gabby, not because she’s English.”
Though her expression was grave, she said, “Then I hope we will like her, too.”
Just as he was about to assure her that Gabby was sweet and kind, his mother pointed out the window. “Ah. Here she is.”
His heart jumped. For a moment Kyle was tempted to ask if she thought he should wait for her to come to the door, then he shook himself. He wasn’t a shy, naive boy, he was a grown man, and he needed to start acting like it. Gabby was probably nervous and worried about how she would be received.
“I’m going to go outside to get her,” he said as he walked to the door. Maybe he heard his mother chuckle behind him, he wasn’t sure.
Because once he started walking down his front porch steps, he only had eyes for the prettiest brown-haired girl he’d ever seen in his life.
She had just gotten out of her old-looking gray sedan. It was a Toyota Camry. He made note of that for Betty.
And, to his relief, she was wearing a pair of jeans and a loose pale green cotton blouse. The sleeves ended just after her elbows and the neckline was curved and modest. She’d left her hair down, and it curled around her shoulders. There was nothing about her clothes that his parents would find objectionable.
But then, the last of his silly worries vanished into thin air. Because the moment she looked his way, Gabby smiled.
And it lit up his day.
TWENTY−FOUR
Tricia frowned. “All this time, Andy never told me about you all being there without Mom and Dad. Was there even a reason?”
Logan sighed. “Unfortunately, yes.”
Kyle smiled right back as he walked to her side. “Hiya, Gabby. You made it.”
She beamed. “I did. Am I late?”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m just glad you didn’t change your mind.”
Moving a lock of hair behind her ear, she said, “I have to be honest with you, there was a moment this morning when I actually considered doing that.”
“But you still drove over here.”
“I did.” But she still looked a little worried. She pulled on the fabric of her blouse. “Is . . . is what I have on okay?”
“It’s perfect.”
“I don’t have any dresses. I mean, I do, but they’re all pretty short.” She ran her hands down her thighs. Probably to wipe the moisture from her palms. He’d done that a lot today as well.
But all he seemed to want to do was watch her hands slide down her legs. Which of course made his cheeks heat in embarrassment. Boy, he had it bad for her.
“Come on in. Or, would you like to go to the barn first? We could go see the goats I told you about.”
She looked down the hall. “Are your parents home?”
“Yes . . . is that okay?”
“Yes. But what I meant was I don’t want to smell like a barn the first time I meet your mother.”
She currently smelled like flowers and vanilla. Even if she walked around the barn for an hour, he didn’t think it would change that.
“Let’s go meet my mother then and get that over with.” As they started walking, he said, “I better warn you. She made us cookies and lemonade.” He slowed down. Waiting for her to snicker.
But instead, she looked shocked. “She did all that because I was coming over?”
“My mom likes to bake.” And get in her children’s business.
“That’s the nicest thing.”
They walked up the steps. Just before he opened the door, he said, “Have you been in an Amish house before?”
“No.”
“Well, um, we don’t have electricity, you know. So it’s going to be a little dark. And maybe a little warm for you? We don’t have air-conditioning.”
“I don’t have air-conditioning at my house either, Kyle. I promise, I’ll be fine.”
“Okay. But, um, if you are worried or confused by something, just ask.”
Some of the worry that he’d spied in her eyes evaporated. “I’ll do that. But if I do something you don’t think I should, just tell me, okay?”
“All right.” At last he opened the door and walked her inside. Of course, part of him figured half his family was going to be standing in the foyer staring at them. But it was empty and silent.
He closed the door behind him, just as he noticed that there were two glasses of the lemonade, napkins, and a tray of cookies on the coffee table.
“Where is everyone?” she whispered.
“I think they’re doing their best to give us some privacy.” When she raised her brows, he grinned sheepishly. “I might have told everyone not to make you uncomfortable. Come on, let’s go to the kitchen and we’ll go say hi.”
Looking around as they walked, Gabby didn’t say a word.
They passed the living room where the cookies were set out. The library, the dining room, and another big room with a large fireplace.
“This place is huge,” Gabby said.
“It’s been added on a lot,” he said just as they walked through a little room his mother called a pantry and finally entered the kitchen.
Sitting around a big island was his mother, Betty, Beth, and Jimmy. All four of them looked at them when they entered. Kyle could practically feel their curious stares settle on Gabby and hang on tight.
Gabby stiffened but gave a tentative smile. “Hi. I’m Gabby Ferrara.”
Those four words put his mother in motion. She slid off her stool and rushed over to Gabby’s side. “I’m Emma Lambright. And these here are Kyle’s sisters, Betty and Beth, and his brother Jimmy.”
Gabby smiled shyly at all of them. “Hi.”
Realizing that Betty was wearing her “earnest” look, the one that signified she was about to start
asking a million questions, Kyle gave all of them a warning look. “I was about to introduce everyone, Mamm.”
“Well, now you don’t have to.” She smiled at Gabby like she was her long-lost daughter. “Are you hungry?” she asked eagerly. “Would you like a sandwich?”
Gabby glanced at Kyle before replying. “Um, no. Thank you. I already had a sandwich today.”
“I made you some cookies.”
“She saw them, Mamm,” Kyle said, trying to take control of the conversation. “Gabby just wanted to say hello.”
“Thank you for having me over. And thank you for the cookies, too. I noticed them as soon as we got inside. They look really good.”
“We made them yesterday afternoon,” Betty announced. “Mamm wanted to make sure they were perfect so they took three hours.”
Gabby looked taken aback. “That was really nice of you.”
Since he was standing a little behind Gabby, he glared at Betty. Really, she was a walking social disaster. “Like I said, we only came in here to say hello. Let’s go into the living room, Gabby,” Kyle said, ushering her out of the kitchen.
She looked a little startled by his abrupt motion but followed.
When they got into the living room, Kyle sat down on the couch with a sigh. “I’m sorry about that.”
She sat down on the couch, too, looking like she was careful to leave a full two feet of space between them. “What are you sorry about?”
“My mamm offering you a sandwich. She gets a little excited when it comes to food.”
She smiled. “That’s spoken like a guy who’s used to someone fussing over him.”
He supposed it did. “I guess I sound ungrateful.”
“Only a little bit.” But the way she was holding out her hand, with a wide gap in between her thumb and her index finger, told a different story.
Now he was embarrassed. She was probably thinking that he was spoiled. She might be right, too. He took an awful lot for granted. “I’m sorry. I’m not usually like this.”
“Like how?”
“So awkward.” Figuring he had nothing to lose by being completely honest, he added, “I figured our house might be different from what you’re used to and I was wanting to help. I think I’ve only made things worse.”
The Loyal One Page 15