“See anything you like?” Michael asked from behind her.
Despite his questions, she had to admit that she was beginning to enjoy his company.
“Are you kidding? I’d like to buy one of everything.”
He smiled. “I know what you mean. When I lived in DC, I was one of those super-healthy eaters. Lots of vegetables, no red meat… you know the drill.” He shook his head. “But here I can’t seem to help myself.”
She laughed. “I keep telling myself it’s the fresh air.”
“Right. The fresh air—tinged with just a hint of cow smell.”
Caroline couldn’t help but grin. “Actually, it doesn’t bother me. I’m a country girl at heart. My granddaddy had a couple of cows.”
“No kidding? You don’t strike me as a farm girl.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” That might be the understatement of the year.
Michael let out a soft chuckle. “Tell me about it.” He grinned. “There’s plenty of time for you to fill me in, though.” He grabbed a bottled water from the refrigerated case. “Do you want something to drink? Water, soda?”
“Water is fine, thanks.” She flashed him a smile and turned her attention to the freshly baked goods. “I love these little whoopie pies. They’re just the right size.” Despite the name, whoopie pie wasn’t really pie at all, but two round pieces of cake with a creamy frosting sandwiched between them. “I think the red velvet cake with cream-cheese frosting in the middle is my favorite,” she said.
“They are pretty good,” Michael agreed, “although I prefer the chocolate kind with vanilla frosting.”
They finally made their selections—whoopie pie for her and shoofly pie for him—and climbed back into the vehicle.
“So I’m thinking we’ll stop at one of the bridges in the southeastern part of the county. We can eat our pies picnic-style.”
“Sounds divine.” She glanced over at him. Long eyelashes, the kind women would kill for, framed his green eyes. He wore his blond hair in a spiky style. She could only imagine what the women from her neighborhood would say about him.
Ten minutes later, Michael parked the car on a side road. “I think I have an old stadium blanket in the back,” he said. “I’ll grab it. You get the snacks.”
She followed him to a wide-open plot of grass where they had a great view of the bridge.
“It’s so peaceful out here,” Caroline said. The red covered bridge looked like something straight off a movie set. “Seriously. Even the flowers are all perfectly bloomed.”
Michael met her gaze. “It is a thing of beauty.”
She felt her face grow hot. “You’re talking about the bridge, right?”
He shrugged. “The bridge is pretty. You have it beat, though.”
“Thanks,” she said softly. She couldn’t help but feel flattered at his admiration. Lance had refused to compliment her looks once they got married. He always said it was to keep her from getting a big head. And although she told herself she didn’t need a man to tell her she was pretty, there was no denying that it made her feel good to know Michael found her attractive.
He reached his hand out. “Toss me that bag. I think I need some shoofly pie.”
She obliged. “So, tell me about you. What exactly brought you back home?”
Michael groaned. “It makes me sound like a failure.”
“Believe me when I say I’m the least judgmental person you’ll ever meet.” It was true. She had no room to judge anyone else’s life choices. Especially since she seemed to be the queen of choosing incorrectly.
“Fine.” He gave her a tentative grin. “Let me start by saying that I love my parents. Really. My leaving home had nothing to do with them.”
“Fair enough.”
“But I never felt like I fit in here,” he explained. “My brother was all about the farm, even when we were kids. But I’d rather be inside, reading or on the computer.”
“So you’re not into the outdoors?”
He shook his head. “It isn’t that. I love to hike and fish.” He grinned. “Even camp. I’m not some kind of prissy guy who hates to get dirty, if that’s what you’re getting at. I just grew up knowing that I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life working on a dairy farm, that’s all.”
Caroline nodded. “Believe me, I understand. I think when you grow up in a rural area, there is a real need to leave and see the world. I know a lot of my friends growing up did that. They left home as soon as we got out of high school and headed for the city.” She met his gaze. “But a lot of them returned to their roots, especially when they were ready to have children. So I think your choice to leave and find your own career sounds reasonable.”
“Maybe to you. But to everyone in my family, it was like I was somehow disloyal. Especially according to Phillip.” Disgust washed over Michael’s handsome face. “I got good grades in school and was offered a nice scholarship to a school in Virginia. Their journalism department had a great reputation, so I jumped at the chance.”
She wrapped the remainder of her whoopie pie in cellophane wrapping. It would be a nice treat later. “How’d that go?”
“I loved it. And then right after college I was offered a job in DC, writing for a weekly political magazine. Nonpartisan, but it leaned a little right.”
“So that’s what you’ve been doing for the past few years?”
He nodded. “Yep. I even won a couple of awards. But earlier this year, our format changed. We went to an online-only version and our pay scale changed.” He shook his head. “Under the new system, we got paid based on the number of times people clicked on our articles.”
She drew her brows together. “Ugh. That doesn’t sound very stable.”
“That’s an understatement. Let’s just say that there was no way of guessing what my salary was going to be. And with the cost of living in DC, there was no way I could keep on that way.”
“So you came home.”
“I tried cutting back at first. And I had enough contacts that I picked up some freelance work. Even so, my salary wasn’t steady enough to justify staying.” He shrugged. “I’ve been sending my resume out, but times are tough.”
She sighed. “I’m sorry. But I’ll bet you’ll find something soon.”
He grinned. “Actually, I found a job here. I officially start on Monday.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “It isn’t hard-hitting journalism or anything, though. I’ll be writing for a magazine geared toward tourists.”
“That sounds like fun.”
“Yeah. It will be different than what I’m used to. I’ll also be starting a blog, highlighting some of the fun things to do in Lancaster County and the surrounding areas. Plus, they want me to really beef up the social-media aspect of things.”
“So you’ll be like the Twitter king of Lancaster County?”
He chuckled. “Something like that.”
“Well, it sounds like you’ve landed on your feet.” Would she ever be able to say that about herself? At this point, it felt like she’d been knocked down so many times that she might not be able to recover.
“Let’s hope so.” He took a sip from his bottled water. “But enough about me.” He waggled his eyebrows. “I want to hear about you.”
“Nothing to tell.”
“I’m going to have to call your bluff on that one.”
She wrinkled her nose. “What do you mean?”
He ticked them off on his hand. “Beautiful. Single. Staying on a dairy farm thousands of miles from home. Avoids questions like a fighter avoids punches. Need I say more?”
“Please don’t.” She gave him a tiny smile. “Good genes. Haven’t found the right man. Likes to travel. Takes awhile to warm up.” She mimicked him, ticking off each statement with her fingers.
“You aren’t going to make this easy, are you?” He grinned. “Okay. Let’s start with the basics. What do you do for a living?”
Caroline bit her lip. If he only knew how compl
icated such a simple question could be. “I used to be a kindergarten teacher.” She’d loved teaching. Her students had brought her such joy. And then one day, the Atlanta Braves all-star pitcher came to visit for a fund-raiser. Her principal had introduced the two of them. And the rest was history. Well-documented history.
“Used to be? So you aren’t a teacher any longer?” He drew his brows together.
“Not exactly. I mean, I still have my license, but I’m not currently employed as a teacher.”
Michael reached over and patted her hand. “And I now officially proclaim you the queen of evasiveness.”
She recoiled at his touch, but not before she felt the electricity between them. “I’m just between jobs.”
He gave her a long stare. “Okay. Fine. I’ll accept that. But tell me—what brought you here alone? Most people who come and stay at the farm are with their families.”
Didn’t she know it. All week, she’d felt like a pariah in the midst of all the happy couples and families with small children. So far she’d been the only single guest at the farm. But she was used to being alone. Most of the past two years had been spent that way. “I didn’t see any signs that said singles weren’t welcome.” She grinned. “I guess I just wanted to visit the area and figured I’d do it. If I had to wait to find someone to travel with me everywhere I went, I’d probably never go anywhere.”
“But why here?”
“Peace. Quiet. A change of scenery.” She shrugged. “My mama and I went to Ohio Amish Country last year and had a wonderful time. I guess I was just trying to recapture some of that.”
“So why didn’t you bring her with you?”
Caroline hated to say the answer aloud. “Mama passed away a few months ago. But she always wanted to come here.” She felt hot tears fill her eyes. “So I guess I’m here for her.”
Michael scooted closer and put his arm around her. “I’m so sorry for your loss. That must’ve been terribly difficult.”
For a long moment, Caroline leaned into him. It had been so long since she’d been held by anyone. She’d forgotten how comforting a simple hug could feel. She let a tiny sob escape.
“Shh.” He pulled her closer and smoothed her hair. “You’ll be okay.”
She shrugged out of his embrace. “I’m not so sure about that.” Some days she questioned whether she’d ever get her life back on track. She felt his eyes on her and hated the pity she knew was reflected in them. “Sorry for unloading on you.” She’d learned to be self-reliant and deal with her feelings on her own. Her outburst, though small, embarrassed her.
“Nothing to apologize for. I’m glad to see some of those walls come down.”
She smiled through her tears. “Don’t get used to it. It doesn’t happen very often.” She wiped her face. “But I do miss her. A lot. And now you know why I’m here.” At least he knew part of the reason.
He stood and offered her his hand. “How about we go take some pictures?”
She let him help her up. “Sounds like a plan.” The ease of conversation between them surprised her. But she couldn’t help but feel deceitful. If he knew who she really was and what had happened with Lance, she knew he’d see her in a different way. At least she didn’t plan to stick around Lancaster County too much longer. There’d never be a reason to tell him the whole truth.
Lydia Ann sat alone in the kitchen. She’d always been an early riser, relishing the time before anyone else awoke. Years ago she’d gotten into the habit of reading her Bible in the quiet of the morning. She flipped it open, wondering what message the Lord would have for her today, and soon found herself lost in the Psalms. It seemed as if she learned something new every time she studied.
In the eighteenth psalm, second verse, she found words to dwell on: “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer.” Lydia Ann tried to live her life by putting her complete trust in the Lord, but sometimes that was hard. Sometimes she tried to put trust in man instead. She stared at the words. She’d faced adversity in the past. Mamm’s accident. Levi’s cancer. And now the tornado. She must remember that no matter what happened in her life, the Lord was in control. And she would trust in Him.
“Lydia Ann?” Dat whispered. “Is that you?”
She turned to see her father standing in the doorway. “Good morning,” Lydia Ann said. “I was just spending some time with the Word.”
Dat smiled broadly. “You remind me so much of your mamm. She used to do the same thing. Said the Lord spoke to her the loudest when the house was quiet.”
How had Lydia Ann forgotten that? She’d heard Mamm say that so many times. It scared her a bit. Would the day come when she’d completely forget the loved ones who’d gone on before?
“Comparing me to Mamm is the greatest compliment you can give me.”
Dat poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down across from her. “I’m thankful you decided to visit. I’m just sorry it took a tornado to make it happen.”
Lydia Ann nodded. “I’m glad to be here. The girls are so excited to see a new place…and get to know you.” She tried to push away her feelings of anger. He could’ve visited her. She’d been the one who’d lost a mother and a husband just a few years apart. She’d been the one left alone to raise two children. And he’d chosen to fall in love and make a new life with Leah.
He reached across the table and clasped Lydia Ann’s hand. “Why don’t you come to the store with me today?”
She pulled her hand back. “Oh, I shouldn’t. I need to stay here and look after the girls.”
“I’ll bet Emma and Noah would be glad to spend the day with them.”
“Spend the day with who?” Emma asked, appearing at the kitchen door.
“Dat asked me to go to his store today. But I need to stay here and look after the girls.” She shot a pleading look at her cousin.
Emma narrowed her eyes. “Noah and I would be glad to keep them. In fact, maybe later on we’ll bring them up to the store to see you.”
“It’s settled, then.” Dat smiled and stood. “Come along, Lydia Ann. You can help me open up.”
Lydia Ann glared at Emma. “You knew I didn’t want to go,” she whispered once Dat was out of earshot.
“I know. But I also know that you need to spend some time with him.” She patted Lydia Ann on the back. “Give him a chance to explain himself. You of all people know that everyone handles grief in a different way.”
Lydia Ann heaved a great sigh. “I suppose you’re right. But that doesn’t mean I’m happy about it.” She left the kitchen and went to fetch her bag.
She climbed into the buggy and stared out at the changing scenery as they drove to Dat’s store. Things in Lancaster County were different than what she was used to in Charm. Some of the differences were just because there were more people and more businesses here. But there were other things that had taken her by surprise and would probably take some getting used to. Buggies here were solid gray, but in Charm, they were black. Even the style of dress wasn’t exactly the same. And Lydia Ann knew that some of the church rules were a little different too. Even so, there were enough things that felt familiar that it shouldn’t be too hard to adjust to life in Lancaster County for a few weeks.
“We’ve worked hard on the store,” Dat explained once they arrived at the little shop. “It’s a busy little place. We get lots of tourists, but just as many locals come here for different things.”
“Lots of herbs and spices,” Lydia Ann said, looking at the variety of goods.
Dat came over to stand next to her. “Leah is known for her herbal teas. She says they’re almost as good as the medicine you get from a doctor.” He chuckled.
Lydia Ann bit her lip to keep a sigh from escaping. According to Dat, there was nothing Leah couldn’t do. How could he have forgotten Mamm so quickly?
The bells that hung above the door rang as a customer came inside. “Simon.” Dat rushed toward the entrance. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”
Lydia
Ann cringed. Of course he’d want to introduce her to all of his friends and acquaintances. She wondered if the people who lived around here even knew he had a daughter and granddaughters. She peered around the aisle.
The man wasn’t quite as tall as Dat, and dark brown hair peeked out from underneath his traditional Amish hat. His square jaw reminded her of pictures she’d seen of statues.
Dat spotted her watching them. “Lydia Ann, come over here and meet my friend, Simon Zook.”
She walked toward where they stood. Simon’s face lit up in a huge smile. His blue eyes were a nice contrast to his dark hair.
“Nice to meet you, Lydia Ann. I’ve heard so much about you.”
He had? Maybe Dat hadn’t forgotten about her after all. “It’s nice to meet you too. I’m glad to be here.” Despite her reservations about things, she had to admit that it was nice to be with Dat again.
“Simon works on a dairy farm not far from our house. But he also does some woodworking.” Dat grinned. “We sell some of his goods in our store. Very popular with the tourists.”
Simon lowered his eyes. “I enjoy doing it. It’s a nice way to unwind after a long day at the farm.”
Lydia couldn’t help but smile. Simon seemed to bring a ray of sunshine into the shop.
The bell rang as another customer opened the door.
“Excuse me,” Dat said, rushing forward to greet the couple who came inside.
“So…” Simon trailed off as if unsure what to say next.
Lydia Ann smiled encouragingly.
“Jeremiah says this is your first time in Lancaster.”
Lydia Ann nodded. “Jah. This is the farthest I’ve ever been from home.”
“I hope you had a nice trip.” He smiled kindly. “And I was sorry to hear about your shop.”
Lydia Ann couldn’t hide her surprise. Dat had told people about the tornado? “I’m just thankful that no one was injured in the storm. But losing the shop was difficult.”
“I was here the day he found out about the storm. He was so worried, I feared he was going to have an accident of his own as he set out to find a phone.”
Love Finds You in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Page 5