A Perfect Amish Romance
Page 23
“Kayla is an upstanding woman and she’s very smart, too. She had already taken the test. She was the perfect person to be his tutor.”
“So she was English?”
“No, she is Amish. And she also loves to read romances.” Sarah Anne smiled. “How sweet is that?”
“Miss Miller, what I’m trying to say is that you might have crossed the line with that couple.”
“Based on what?”
He huffed. “Based on these reports, of course.”
She stared at him. She thought about her options, then bent down, opened her purse, and pulled out something she’d just received in the mail. “Perhaps this should be in the report as well, then.”
He took the cream-colored envelope from her. “What is this?”
“This, Mr. Holiday, is my invitation to Kayla and Aaron’s wedding.”
He glanced at it. “They invited you to the ceremony?”
“Go ahead and read the note Kayla placed in it.” She knew she sounded smug, but sometimes, she supposed, it couldn’t be helped.
Sighing, he carefully slid the invitation out of the envelope. When a small piece of paper dropped out onto his desk, he picked it up and put on his glasses again.
Sarah Anne didn’t need him to read it out loud to know what it said: Thank you, Sarah Anne, for introducing us to each other and reminding us both about how special love is.
She’d burst into tears when she first read the note, and she hadn’t cried in a long time.
Her boss read it, then looked as if he was reading it again, more slowly. “Seems you made quite an impression on them, Sarah Anne.”
“I didn’t do much. I only did everything you suggested I do.”
“Ah, no. I didn’t ask you to play matchmaker, Miss Miller.”
“That is true. But you did ask me to recommend books, talk to patrons, and help them in any way I could.”
“You were supposed to help them in any reasonable way you could.”
She grinned. “What is more reasonable than love?”
He chuckled softly. “You, Miss Miller, might be the most formidable bookmobile librarian we’ve ever had.”
“I just might be, sir.” She clenched her hands. Reviewing her list of accomplishments had made her realize just how much she loved her job, just how much she needed it. But had she gone too far?
After a long moment, Mr. Holiday closed her folder, then nudged his glasses back over his nose. “Sarah Anne Miller, I’m recommending you to continue your contract for another year.”
“Thank you. I accept. I will do my best.”
He looked a little worried but then cleared his throat and stood up. “Oh, I almost forgot. Here.” He handed her a blue sheet of paper.
“What is this?”
“It’s a new request for a bookmobile stop. Over on Gardner Way.”
“Where’s that?”
He walked over to the large map pinned to a bulletin board and pointed to an area on the east side of her territory. “An Amish couple.” He smiled. “I actually had the chance to meet them myself over at the thrift store the other day. We got to talking, and they asked if you would be able to bring them any sort of books they asked for. I predict there’s a story there.”
Sarah Anne reckoned there was, too. Taking the blue form, she folded it and placed it, as well as Kayla and Aaron’s wedding invitation, back in her pocketbook. “I’ll get them on the schedule as soon as I can. People with a story are my favorite type of patrons.” She winked as she adjusted her purse’s strap on her shoulder.
She heard him chuckle as she walked out the door. Pleased that their meeting had ended on a good note, Sarah Anne looked at the rolling lush green fields just beyond the district office. Spring was in the air, and, if she wasn’t mistaken, there were some lambs out.
Yes, time did move on. She’d gone from mourning her husband to waking up each day with a new sense of purpose. From worrying about numbers and ledgers to worrying about people and book bindings.
Making a sudden decision, she placed her pocketbook in her trunk, locked her car, and decided to go for a walk. She had so much to be thankful for.
So much to look forward to.
And so, with a new spring her in step, she set off. Already dreaming about what the next day would bring. After all, tomorrow, she would be on the road again.
acknowledgments
Writing the first book in a series can be a tricky undertaking. The characters are essentially strangers, the setting is new… and so are the themes and the conflicts. Since I’m not necessarily a very good plotter or notetaker, I’m constantly staring at a blank screen hoping that I will be able to figure things out in a reasonable amount of time.
For this book in particular, I’m very grateful to my editor, Sara Quaranta, for her guidance. She is so smart and somehow manages to both encourage and get me back on track at the same time. I’m also indebted to the whole Gallery and Pocket team, especially Sydney Morris, my publicist at Gallery. Sydney has been so instrumental in placing my books in readers’ and reviewers’ hands.
I owe a huge thanks to my agent, Nicole Resciniti, who is everything an agent should be. She’s brilliant, hardworking, very kind, and has accomplished some amazing things for me. I love Nicole!
I’m so grateful to my Buggy Bunch readers—Team Lynne and Laurie, and my husband—who all help me so much in a hundred different ways. I also need to give a shout-out to the many librarians I reached out to with questions about their jobs and bookmobiles.
Finally, I’m so grateful to God. It’s a blessing to never have to write a book alone.
reader questions
I’ve always loved going to libraries and have been fortunate enough to visit lots since I’ve been published. Do you frequent your local library? Why or why not?
Books, both fiction and nonfiction, help several of the characters in this book. Can you think of a book that has helped you in some way? If so, what book was it?
I enjoyed making up all of the members in the Coblentz family. Is there one character you liked the best? If so, why?
I really liked how Kayla kept moving forward even though she had so many things working against her. Is there someone you know who possesses the same qualities? If so, who?
“Perfection” and “romance” were reoccurring themes throughout the book. Both are subjective terms and can mean a lot of things to different people. What does a “perfect romance” mean to you?
I used the following verse from Hebrews to guide the writing of this book: “Now Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). How has faith influenced your life?
I thought the following Amish proverb fit the story lines well: “The trouble with reaching a crossroads in life is the lack of signposts.” When have you encountered crossroads in your life?
Turn the page for a sneak peek at
An Amish Surprise
the next novel in Shelley Shepard Gray’s Berlin Bookmobile series!
one
Sarah Anne Miller often wished she had two more hands. No, that wasn’t exactly the truth. She only wished that on the days when Ruth Schmidt brought her entire brood into the bookmobile.
That was when she wished she had two hands, two earplugs, and extensive experience in crowd control. And maybe in psychology, too. Honestly, anything would be more helpful than nearly twenty-eight years in accounting followed by a two-year online course in library sciences.
One needed a great many tools in order to survive the Schmidt triplets and whatever assortment of children dear Ruth happened to be fostering at the time.
But since wishes and dreams were for other people, at least in this case, Sarah Anne was on her own.
Summoning her best kindergarten-teacher voice, she clapped her hands. “Children, please. Do gather around me. And speak one at a time.”
Three out of the six complied. Two boys and a sweet little red-haired girl sat down immediately in front o
f her, their legs crossed like pretzels and their hands in their laps. “Ah, look at you three. Would you like to hear a story?”
One of the little boys nodded before gazing warily over his shoulder, where, of course, the triplet terrors were… gallivanting around.
Sarah Anne didn’t even attempt to hold back a sigh.
“No worries, Sarah Anne!” Ruth called out merrily. “You go right ahead. I’ll tend to these wild kinner.”
Just then a triplet—Mary, perhaps?—held up a picture book. It had a badly ripped cover page. “Lookit!” she yelled.
“Ah. Yes. I see that.” Sarah Anne smiled weakly before looking at the three sitting down, still patiently waiting for a story.
What to do? What to do? The children needed their story, but that book needed to be saved before Mary began her next round of destruction.
When the door opened again, Sarah Anne felt like screaming… until she noticed who it was. Calvin Gingerich, so solemn, so kind and quiet. He loved to read history and biographies. She knew he had come in to pick out a new book before returning to his farm.
But some things just couldn’t be helped. He was simply going to have to step up.
“Calvin, you are an answer to my prayers! Come here,” she commanded, just as one of the quiet children sighed.
After giving the seated children a wary smile, he faced her. “Ah, yes?”
Sarah Anne handed him Mr. Brown’s Barnyard Friends, her go-to book in times of trouble. “Calvin, do me a favor and read to these children for a few minutes, would you, please?”
He took the book—not that she’d given him much choice—with obvious reluctance. “Well, now… Sarah Anne, I don’t have much time. Fact is—”
She interrupted. “It’s a short story. It won’t take you long. Please?”
Whether it was the plaintive tone in her voice, the faces of the sweet children who were still sitting and waiting, or the way Mary was grabbing at another poor, unsuspecting book, he sat down on the floor with the three little ones. “Hiya,” he said. “I’m Calvin.”
“I’m Miles. This here is Ethan and Minnie.”
“Nice to meet ya. Are you ready to hear about some farm animals?”
When three little heads all nodded, Calvin opened the book and began to read.
And then a miracle happened.
His deep voice resonated around the room, presenting a calming influence like a big dose of lavender aromatherapy. By the time he got to page four, even the Schmidt triplets were sitting down and listening to him.
Calmed by his words, Sarah Anne quietly picked up the injured book, taped the ripped cover, and leaned it against one of the bookshelves. Ruth even stopped inspecting cookbooks and listened as well.
The peace lasted almost six more minutes. Six blessed, wonderful minutes. Until he closed the book.
Then chaos continued yet again.
When another triplet grabbed two more books off the shelf, Sarah Anne had had enough. “Mrs. Schmidt, I’ll need to be getting to my next stop soon.”
“Oh! Oh, jah. Of course.” Taking hold of one of her children’s hands, she smiled at them all. “I think it’s time we moved on, kinner. Everyone, take the book you chose to Miss Sarah Anne and then come to the door.”
After glancing at Calvin and mouthing a thank-you, Sarah Anne was busy again. But not too busy to notice that one of the foster children—Miles, she believed his name was—seemed very taken with Calvin. He was gazing up at him with wide eyes.
Calvin bent down to speak with him. By the looks of things, it seemed like their admiration was mutual.
Ten minutes later, Ruth guided all six of the children out the door. “See you next week, Sarah Anne!” she called out. “Goodbye!”
“Goodbye,” she replied with a halfhearted smile.
The door slammed.
And then, amid the displaced books, a wad of discarded tissue, and what looked to be the remains of two pretzels, blessed silence returned.
Calvin looked shell-shocked. “Is it like that every time?”
“Oh, yes.” She smiled at the stream of children that she’d gotten to know over the last eighteen months. “Sometimes, things are even worse.”
He gaped. “How can that be?”
“Some of the children she fosters are as unruly as her own.”
“Wait. Those aren’t all hers?”
“Oh, no. Only the triplets. Ruth and her husband have been fostering children for years.” Feeling like she should stick up for the woman, she added, “It may not seem like it, but she seems to have a knack for it. She’s a very caring woman… with a high tolerance for noise.”
Calvin folded his arms over his chest. “Sarah Anne, what will happen to the foster kids? Will they get adopted?”
“If I’m not mistaken, I believe each case is different. Some will go back to their parents. Others will go to another foster home. And, God willing, some will get adopted into homes where they feel wanted and loved.”
“Wanted and loved,” he murmured.
“Calvin, thank you again for helping me today. If not for you… Well, I don’t even want to think what could have happened!”
“You took me off guard, I tell you that. But I liked reading the book. I enjoy kinner.”
Some of the shadows that were in his eyes came back. Sarah Anne wondered what made him so sad but didn’t dare pry. She’d already intruded upon him enough. “Do you need any help finding books?”
“Nee. I came in for a couple history books I’ve been thinking about. I’ll go see if any are available.”
She pointed to the computer station. “You can always order books and I’ll bring them next time. That way you won’t have to read to children, and you’ll be on your way.”
“I know it might be quicker, but I didn’t mind reading to them. It was kind of fun.” Obviously still thinking about the foster children, he turned to face her again. “Sarah Anne, about how long does Ruth keep those kids?”
“How long? Oh, I don’t know. Usually a couple of months. Sometimes longer. Why?”
“No reason.”
He smiled in a distracted way before walking to the small nonfiction section.
She watched him, wondering what was on his mind. Anxious to not be caught staring, Sarah Anne sprayed some hand sanitizer on her hands—really, those kids were a messy lot—then busied herself by putting the picture books back to rights.
She was going to need to get on her way in thirty minutes’ time.
Glancing at Calvin again, she slowed her pace. Well, she was going to leave as soon as Calvin had found what he came in for. It seemed like Calvin really needed this visit today. Since that was the reason she was there, Sarah Anne was happy to oblige.
Continue Reading…
An Amish Surprise
Shelley Shepard Gray
More from this Series
An Amish Surprise
Book 2
More from the Author
Promises of Tomorrow
The Trustworthy One
The Protective One
A Precious Gift
about the author
© DIANNE BOMAR AT THE NEW STUDIO
A practicing Lutheran, SHELLEY SHEPARD GRAY is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than one hundred novels, which have been translated into multiple languages. During her years of researching the Amish community, she has depended on her Amish friends for gossip, advice, and cinnamon rolls. She lives in Colorado with her family and writes full-time.
FOR MORE ON THIS AUTHOR:
SimonandSchuster.com/Authors/Shelley-Shepard-Gray
SimonandSchuster.com
@GalleryBooks
Also available from Shelley Shepard Gray and Gallery Books
THE WALNUT CREEK SERIES
Friends to the End*
The Patient One
The Loyal One
A Precious Gift*
The Protective One
The Trustwor
thy One
Promises of Tomorrow*
*ebook only
We hope you enjoyed reading this Simon & Schuster ebook.
Get a FREE ebook when you join our mailing list. Plus, get updates on new releases, deals, recommended reads, and more from Simon & Schuster. Click below to sign up and see terms and conditions.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
Already a subscriber? Provide your email again so we can register this ebook and send you more of what you like to read. You will continue to receive exclusive offers in your inbox.
Gallery Books
An Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2021 by Shelley Shepard Gray
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Gallery Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.
First Gallery Books trade paperback edition January 2021
GALLERY BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949 or business@simonandschuster.com.
The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event, contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com.