The Way to a Man's Heart (The Miller Family 3)

by Mary Ellis

  “Leah?” April called from the doorway. “Jonah needs you at the cash register.”

  Leah looked up from measuring loose tea. “Could you please ring up his bill? I’m in the middle of something.”

  “No, I can’t. He wants to speak to you.” She let the door swing shut to circumvent further argument.

  Seeing no recourse, Leah trudged to the small counter by the door. Jonah stood waiting with his trusty newspaper folded beneath his arm. The pie box was nowhere in sight.

  “May I help you?” she asked. “Where’s your bill?”

  “I already paid April. I wanted you for two other reasons.” He waited a few seconds until she finally met his gaze. “First, I ate a bite of pie and then another, and pretty soon the piece was gone. You’ll have to bake more and see that my mamm gets some from the next batch. It was very good.” His grin filled his entire face.

  “Danki,” she said weakly without a fraction of her earlier enthusiasm. “What was the other thing?”

  “This,” Jonah said, tapping a notice in the paper with his finger. “This Saturday is the summer draft horse sale in Mount Hope. They’ll be auctioning off all kinds of Belgians, Percherons, and crossbreeds. It’s the second biggest horse sale of the year.”

  Leah waited patiently but had no comment on the subject.

  “Were you planning to attend?” he asked.

  “Absolutely not.” She wrinkled her nose. “Horses make me sneeze and my eyes water—at least their dander does. You saw what happened when I was in your barn. I try to stay away from large numbers of farm animals. Why do you ask?”

  “I need to pick up a pair of work horses, maybe four if the price is right. Dawdi’s team is almost as old as he is,” he joked. “But I’m not a good judge of horseflesh. My knowledge is confined to dairy cows.” Again he waited for a reply that didn’t come.

  Jonah, who apparently wasn’t daunted by anything, forged ahead. “April tells me your bruder, Matthew, knows his stuff when it comes to things equine.”

  Leah nodded, feeling her palms start to sweat. Is Jonah about to ask me to attend the auction with him? “Jah, that’s true. Matthew has been riding bareback since he was five years old and can get a horse to do anything but wash dishes. He works over at Macintosh Farms as a trainer.”

  “That’s what I hear. So do you think he will go to Saturday’s sale?” He shifted his weight to the other leg and leaned on the counter. The movement brought his face that much closer to hers.

  “If he doesn’t have to work, he’ll be there. He’d rather be near horses than just about any person he knows.”

  “Since I’ve never met him and you say he’s not the most sociable sort of fellow, do you think you might tag along to introduce us? And ask him to help me find the right pair? I don’t want to buy a couple of nags to match the pair dawdi already has.” He tipped back his straw hat. “I’d be much obliged, and you wouldn’t have to give me that free cup of coffee you owe me.”

  Leah closed her eyes for a second. “You probably think I’m an awful person, or at least the most forgetful one you’ve ever met. Truth is, from the time I arrive I’m so busy I forget everything else other than cooking and serving customers.” She smoothed her damp palms down her apron, hoping nothing would prompt shaking hands. “The other day a customer asked what color my eyes were, and I had to think about it before answering.”

  She forced a giggle, but his laughter filled the diner and drew the attention of several patrons. “Your eyes are the richest shade of brown—dark and warm, like polished walnut.”

  “Jah, well, I gave him a short answer compared to all that.”

  “What do you say, Leah? Will you put up with your allergies on Saturday and introduce me to your bruder?”

  Strangely, the whole diner had turned graveyard quiet after his question. “I have to work on Saturday,” she said in a tiny voice as that notion occurred to her. She tried unsuccessfully to ignore the butterflies taking flight in her stomach.

  “Maybe if you ask real nice, April will let you leave after the breakfast rush. She seems to like you for some reason. The auctioneers sell farm equipment and carriages first and don’t sell horses until the afternoon.”

  “I tend to grow on people,” she said.

  “I’m finding that out.” His smile revealed perfectly straight teeth.

  The quiet in the normally noisy diner grew deafening. Leah backed away from the cash register. “Could you wait here for a minute? I’ll go ask her right now.”

  She pushed open the swinging door with more force than necessary and nearly smashed her boss against the wall.

  “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were there,” Leah said. “You weren’t listening in on my conversation with Jonah, were you?”

  “Well, I was curious why the guy had adjusted his hat three times while waiting for you. Besides, I learned eavesdropping from you.”

  Leah blushed. “Jah, I remember. Well…what do you say? Can I have time off to attend the horse sale?”

  “Hmm…let me think a moment,” April said, laying an index finger across her cheek.

  “Please? I know Saturdays are busy but maybe your sister can help out this one time.”

  “I’m teasing you!” April threw her arms around Leah’s neck. “Of course you can go. You’ve worked so hard for weeks. You’re even baking on your day off. I’m so happy Jonah asked you out.”

  Leah’s head snapped back. “He didn’t ask me out. He asked me to go to a stinky horse sale so he can meet my bruder.” She straightened her kapp, which was knocked askew from the hug.

  April cocked her head to one side. “Yeah, right. Anyway, I’m pleased as punch you said yes.”

  Leah walked to the large coffeemaker. “Please don’t make a big deal out of this. Jonah Byler thinks I’m rude and incompetent. I need to take him this coffee to try to make up for my forgetfulness.” She filled a Styrofoam cup, added the cream and sugar she knew he favored, and snapped on a lid. On the way out she whispered, “Danki, April. I owe you one.”

  “Just don’t spill that coffee on him, and I’ll take the one you owe out in pie.”

  Jonah was standing where she’d left him with his heavy-lidded and dreamy eyes. She set the cup on the counter to make sure their fingers didn’t touch. His effect on her was unnerving.

  “She said jah.” The words sounded hoarse but recognizable. Clearing her throat, she said, “I’ll ask Matthew to pick me up here at the diner on his way to the sale.” She pushed the to-go cup toward him. “This is on the house for your ride home.”

  Jonah picked up the coffee and headed for the door. “I look forward to the auction even more than my next slice of Peach Parfait Supreme.”

  How can he do that? How can he say the most outrageous things as calmly as asking for the time of day?

  When Matthew arrived home from work that day he was hot, hungry, and tired. Cooling off in the pond took care of the first problem, and his dinner warming in the oven would take care of the second, but sleep would have to wait until after evening chores. He’d been expecting to find mamm in the kitchen, but Leah sat at the table instead, sipping tea.

  “Guder nachmittag,” she said. “Your supper’s ready. I’ll get your cucumbers and pickled beets from the fridge.”

  “Danki. I’m hungry enough to eat a bear.” He slid into his chair and tucked his napkin into his collar. When his sister set a plate of fried chicken down before him, he began to gobble his meal without his table manners as he was the only one eating.

  Surprisingly, his schwestern sat back down with him. “You don’t have to stay while I eat, Leah. I promise I won’t choke to death on a chicken bone.” He dabbed his mouth with his napkin.

  “I need to talk to you. That’s why I waited.”

  “No, I will not gather eggs for you. You can’t give all your chores to Henry and me just because you’ve got a job.”

  Leah pulled a face. “Henry already gathered the eggs. This has nothing to do with the henhouse.
”

  “What then?” he asked between forkfuls of mashed potatoes and chicken.

  “May I go with you to the summer draft horse sale on Saturday? That is, if you’re planning on going.” She looked him straight in the eye.

  He nearly choked on a piece of chicken after all. He set down his fork. “Am I hearing things? You want to go to the Mount Hope auction?

  She nodded.

  “Leah, only horses will be there. And flies. And you know how your allergies flare up when you’re around all that animal dander.”

  “My boss is bringing me over-the-counter antihistamines tomorrow. She said if I take two every four hours I should be able to tolerate the beasts.”

  Matthew ate some cucumber salad. “The big question is why would you want to? Your buggy horse is well trained and gentle as a lamb. You won’t find anything better than your gelding. ’Sides, they’ll be selling working draft horses that day, not buggy horses.”

  Leah rolled her eyes. “I’m not looking to buy a horse. Will you please let me finish?”

  “Sure, but while you’re finishing could you pour me something to drink?”

  Leah went to the fridge while saying, “I have a new business acquaintance from Wisconsin who needs a pair of draft horses. He heard from April that you know a thing or two about horses and so he would like your advice on which to bid on.” She set down a glass of lemonade in front of him.

  Matthew continued to watch her over his chicken leg. “And…” he prompted.

  “And what?” she asked.

  “Why would you go to the auction if your business acquaintance wants to buy a team?”

  “He doesn’t know you. There will probably be dozens of people there. How would he pick you out in the crowd?”

  Matthew finished the bowl of mashed potatoes. “Most likely there will be hundreds of people there, but you could always give him an exact time and location to meet me. I’d be happy to help the guy find the best stock for his money.” This was very unlike his sister. Leah didn’t have a devious bone in her body, but she was behaving strangely.

  “I want to go because he asked me to come too,” she said simply.

  He was tired after dancing around the head trainer all day, so he chose not to pursue this further. “Okay, Leah, if I can get time off work, I’ll pick you up at eleven o’clock at the diner. It’s on my way to the auction anyway.”

  “Danki,” she said, kissing the top of his head before running up the stairs.

  The gesture was also unlike Leah, causing more curiosity on his part regarding this “business acquaintance.”

  But that question would have to wait until Saturday.

  Reluctantly, Jeff Andrews gave him the day off when Matthew asked him on Friday. On Saturday morning he hurried through chores and then helped Henry with his before jumping into the shower. He had just enough time to pick up Leah before the horse sale. He liked to carefully inspect the stock prior to the bidding to form his own opinions.

  Leah ran down the diner steps the moment he pulled into the parking lot. She looked different somehow. “That isn’t the same dress you had on this morning, is it?” he asked as she climbed into the buggy.

  “No, I changed after the breakfast rush.” She smoothed down her skirt and began rubbing lotion onto her hands.

  “Why would you put on a nice dress to come to an auction? It’s just dusty old barns, dusty bleachers to watch the promenade, and dusty parking lots. I think you have the wrong idea of what this will be like.”

  She slanted him a glance. “I know exactly what it will be like.”

  “Okay, then tell me about your business acquaintance—the key to this mystery. He has to be the reason you’re coming to a horse sale.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She stared off at the passing scenery.

  “Come on, Leah. I’m not stupid. You can tell me if you like this guy. I won’t run and tell daed.”

  She pursed her lips. “There’s not much to tell. I think I like him, but it’s too soon to say for sure.”

  “That figures! My younger sister is going to start courting before I do.” He shook the reins and the gelding picked up his pace.

  “Nothing is stopping you. You could always work up your courage and ask Martha if you could take her home from a singing.” Leah made a clucking sound exactly like a hen.

  He laughed in spite of himself. “I am a chicken. But who told you I have my eye on Martha Hostetler?”

  She swatted his arm. “Nobody did, but I have seen you staring at her at preaching services.”

  He felt color rise up his neck into his face. “I’m that obvious? Do you think she’s noticed?”

  “I’m pretty sure she has.”

  He thought his case of mortification might be fatal. “Oh, great. I’ve probably scared her off.”

  “I don’t think so. The few times you weren’t staring at her, I noticed her watching you.” Leah pinched his forearm.

  Matthew felt momentarily dizzy. “Don’t tease me, Leah. That’s not right.”

  “I’m not. I’m perfectly serious. Why wouldn’t Martha be interested in you? You’re handsome and nice, most of the time, and you’re a hard worker.”

  He looked at his sister from the corner of his eye to make sure she wasn’t joking. She seemed earnest. “So you think I should ask to take her home sometime?”

  “Jah, before someone else does. She’s not going to wait for you forever, Matthew Miller.”

  He chewed on that thought for the short ride into Mount Hope. They joined a long queue of buggies entering the tie-up area beyond the auction barns. While Matthew watched the horses being paraded around the grounds in hopes of catching the eye of buyers, Leah almost fell out of the buggy craning her neck. She appeared to be searching the crowd for her business associate.

  And something told Matthew this acquaintance, looking to replace the family team, wouldn’t be the elderly dawdi-type.

  “My goodness. There he is.” Leah raised her hand in a little wave. She’d seen Jonah mainly because he was a head taller than everyone else. He was wearing black trousers and his black felt hat, but at least his shirt wasn’t Sunday best. She hadn’t been the only one to overdress for the occasion.

  When he spotted them, he began pushing his way through the crowd. Matthew had been right about the large number of attendees at the summer auction.

  “Hi, Leah,” Jonah said when he reached them. “That is a very nice dress. I don’t think I’ve seen that one before.”

  “You haven’t,” she said abruptly. “Jonah, this is my bruder Matthew. He’ll help you pick out some decent teams to bid on. You can ask him as many questions as you like.”

  Jonah turned toward her bruder. “Hi, I’m Jonah Byler.”

  “Matthew Miller, as you heard. Please to meet ya.” The two men shook hands. “Let’s go get programs. That’ll tell us what’s up for sale today and what kind of lineage the horses come from. It’ll also explain what kind of trainin’ each horse has had, if it’s young, and how it has been worked if it’s not.”

  “Sounds like a good place to start,” Jonah said. “I don’t suppose they’d be nice enough to indicate at what price the bidding will start.”

  Matthew scratched his chin. “That would be nice, wouldn’t it? But what would really be helpful is an idea how high the bidding will go. So we’re not waiting around till midnight for horses we can’t afford anyway.”

  The two men laughed like old friends.

  Leah interrupted them with, “Until midnight? This horse sale might go that late?” She didn’t think she had enough antihistamines to last until the wee hours.

  They turned toward her—Jonah looked indulgent, but her bruder already looked peeved. “Jah, it usually goes well past midnight. There are a lot of horses to sell. What did you expect, Leah? It would be over in a couple hours and then we’d all go for coffee and pie?”

  Leah fumed inside. “Well…jah.”

  Both men laughed aga
in. “Don’t worry yourself,” said Jonah. “Maybe the pair that catches my eye will be one of the first sold.”

  “Don’t count on it,” said Matthew. “They love to get rid of the duds early on to newbies who don’t know any better.” To his sister he said, “When you get tired, you can rest in the buggy. I threw one of mamm’s old quilts in there for you.” Matthew stretched on tiptoes to scan the grounds. “Let’s go register and get programs. I’ll take a buyer’s number too in case I see something I can’t resist bidding on. Follow me, Jonah. Keep up, Leah. Don’t get separated from us in the crowd.” He began walking toward the office, where people milled in groups outside the door.

  “You can hang on to my arm if you like,” Jonah whispered to her. “This is a lot more commotion than I expected.”

  “I’ll be fine,” she said, keeping her sweating palms by her side. She started to follow Matthew and stepped right into the path of a pony pulling a sulky. The seller was showing off the pony’s easy handling to potential bidders.

  Jonah yanked her out of harm’s way just in time, and none too gently.

  “Please, Leah, look in all directions. If you get trampled to death while helping me buy a horse, I don’t know what I’d tell my mamm.” His eyes twinkled with high spirits.

  “Okay, I’ll be careful, if for no reason other than that.” This time she kept up with him, practically treading on his heels while they registered for the auction.

  After perusing the program in the shade for what seemed like an inordinate amount of time, Matthew announced, “All right. I see you’ve marked a few to check out and so have I. Let’s start in the first barn and see what they’ve got. You might spot some others you’ll want to bid on.”

  As they strode toward the barn, Leah fell in step behind them. Because the horseflesh prancing past held little interest for her, she studied Jonah instead. He was not only taller but must weigh at least forty pounds more than Matthew. However, he wasn’t remotely plump. Judging by his arms and his back and shoulder muscles, he must get plenty of physical exercise in the dairy business. Maybe to spare his dawdi’s ancient team, he attaches the hitch to himself and drags the plow through the fields. The mental picture caused her to laugh aloud.