“Are you interested in me just to have a mother for Sarah Rose?”
Gideon dropped his hand and stared at her. “Where did you get an idea like that? No, of course not.”
He leaned forward. “Don’t you know how attracted I am to you?” He sighed. “One of us must be very rusty at dating to have signals crossed so much.”
“Look at this,” Sarah Rose said, her voice almost squeaking with excitement as she held out the plate of pie. “I put some of the soft ice cream in that machine on top.”
Gideon took the plate from her and examined it carefully. She’d evidently let the ice cream swirl around and around from the machine until it was several inches high and ended in a point at the top.
“Well, this is a work of art. It’s too beautiful to eat.” He showed it to Anna. “What do you think?”
“I think you’re not going to be able not to eat it.” She glanced at Sarah Rose. “What do you think?”
She giggled. “I think he’ll eat it all. Daedi, could I go look at the fish tank over there?”
“Sure.” He waited until she’d walked away and then looked at Anna again. “I’m surprised you’d go out with me again if you thought I only wanted you to be a mother to my daughter, however charming she might be at times.”
He was a little relieved when she smiled slightly.
Pretending an interest in his pie, he cut a bite and tried it. “How long have you been thinking that way?”
“Just today,” she admitted. “I—someone said something. I shouldn’t have believed her.” She sighed, picked up her own fork, and scooped up a bite of his pie. “It was Thelma who made me wonder.”
“I thought she was being a bit of a matchmaker. I’d see her talking to you, then looking at me when we had a lesson.”
“I don’t think she was thinking when she said it. Maybe she didn’t think we Amish cared about—”
“About love as much as we do?” he asked, enjoying her blush.
He laughed when she swatted at him. “Funny how the Englisch think we’re stern and serious. Where do they think all our kinner come from?”
Sarah Rose reappeared at the table. “What are you talking about kids for? Are you talking about babies?”
Anna’s fork clattered to the table.
“Sit down,” Gideon said. “Let’s talk about that question you asked at the shop.”
Her eyebrows drew together, and she bit her lip. “Am I in trouble?”
Gideon felt someone nudge his foot under the table and, for a moment, thought his daughter had done it. Then he glanced at Anna and saw the warning look in her eyes.
He looked back at his daughter, thinking about how Anna must be feeling like a part of his family or she wouldn’t care if he was too strict with Sarah Rose.
“Well, we need to talk about that question you asked about a baby back at the shop earlier,” Gideon began, choosing his words carefully. “There are some questions we don’t ask in public.”
“Oh,” said Sarah Rose. She reached over with a spoon and snitched some of his ice cream. “So, this isn’t public, is it?”
Gideon glanced at Anna and picked up his coffee. “Uh, no.”
Sarah Rose gave him a wide-eyed, innocent look. “Are you two going to have a baby after you’re married?”
Gideon exchanged a look with Anna. He caught the attention of their waitress. “Check please.”
Anna walked into the back room to get her things and found Naomi huddled over a small sampler in her hands.
“What are you doing?” she asked as she reached toward the peg where her coat hung.
Naomi turned around the sampler she was sewing on to show Anna. “It’s one of Nick’s Christmas gifts. It’s hard to find time to work on it at home when he’s around.”
Anna studied the sampler, a square of off-white muslin surrounded by small patchwork squares, enclosed in a round embroidery hoop. She’d never been able to stitch twelve stitches per inch like Naomi and some other experienced quilters Anna knew. The cross-stitch had the same tiny, evenly spaced stitches. With those precise stitches, in multicolored thread, Naomi had spelled out: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Matthew 7:7.
“It’s beautiful.”
“I hope he’ll like it,” Naomi said with a smile. “He’s made such a journey to find his way to God. To me.”
Suddenly, she straightened, tilting her head as if listening to something Anna couldn’t hear. “Is that him?”
Anna walked to the doorway and saw Leah unlocking the door to let him in. “Yes.” Amused, she walked over to the cabinet, unlocked it, and pulled out her purse.
Naomi jumped to her feet and quickly shoved the sampler behind her back. “Hi!” she said when Nick strolled into the room. “You’re early.”
“Just a few minutes. “
He leaned down to kiss her on the cheek, looking at her curiously when she backed up slightly.
Anna lifted the strap of her purse onto her shoulder, and the movement caused Nick to glance over at her, as if he’d just realized she was in the room. “Hey, Anna, how are you?”
“Well, thanks. You?”
He looked at his wife, and his smile grew and grew. “Just fine now. Ready to go?”
“Okay.”
“Okay.” Then he tilted his head. “Then let’s go.”
Naomi looked at Anna. “I have to talk to Anna about something. Why don’t you wait for me outside?”
“You won’t be long, right? It’s cold out.”
“I’ll be right there. Promise.”
“Okay.” He backed up. “See you in a minute.”
Turning, he started for the door. “Don’t know what it is you’re hiding, but it must be for me,” he tossed over his shoulder with a chuckle.
Naomi glanced at Anna. “See how hard it’s been to keep a secret?” She started to bring her hand from behind her back, but something was stuck. “Oh no. The needle must have gotten caught on my dress. Help me.”
Laughing and shaking her head, Anna crossed the room and gently pulled the sampler until she found the place where the needle had become entangled with the fabric of her cousin’s dress.
Christmas secrets. It seemed that it wasn’t just her and Sarah Rose who were keeping them.
Jamie walked in, pulled a Diet Coke from the refrigerator, and popped the top. She sat down and put her feet up on a chair. “Feet are killing me. It was a long day, and they’re not going to get any easier until Christmas is over.
“Going home . . . or out on a date?” she asked with a mischievous grin.
“Home.”
“Sometimes I envy Amish women. You really know the guy before you date them. I mean, you’ve grown up in the same neighborhood, gone to the same school. They think commitment’s important.”
Anna saw Jamie’s bottom lip tremble. She pulled out a chair and sat down. “What’s wrong? Has something happened?”
“Steven says he’s not ready to get married.”
“But he gave you an engagement ring a couple of months ago.” Anna looked at Jamie’s hand. There was no ring.
Jamie shrugged. “He saw a bridal magazine on my coffee table, and I guess he panicked.”
Leah poked her head in. “Anna, our driver’s here. Jamie, can we give you a ride?”
“Yeah, thanks,” Jamie said, taking her feet from the chair and standing. She took a last sip of the soft drink and tossed the can in the recycling bin.
Anna made an impulsive decision. “Why don’t you come over to my house? I thought I’d make Christmas cookies tonight. Sarah Rose will be there for a while so Gideon can help one of his friends with something.”
“I dunno—”
“What’s your favorite cookie?”
“Snickerdoodles. Well, this time of year, maybe gingerbread men.”
“We’ll make Snickerdoodles and gingerbread. And hot chocolate.”
Anna slipped her arm through Jamie’s. �
�And we’ll have sandwiches for supper first, so we have plenty of room for the cookies. It’ll be fun to talk. We haven’t done that in ages. You can sleep over so you don’t have to find a ride back to town after. I miss Girls’ Night Out,” she confessed.
“Me, too. We haven’t had one since Mary Katherine and Naomi got married.” She looked at Anna. “You’re not getting married for a while, right?”
Anna stopped in her tracks. “Who said I’m getting married?”
“C’mon,” said Jamie, pulling her along. “I’ve seen the way you two look at each other every time he’s in the shop.”
Was it that obvious? Anna wondered and blushed. She might be a grown woman, but she still sometimes wondered if he felt the way she was growing to feel about him.
Best to take it slow, she cautioned herself as she got into the van. Marriage was forever . . . well, unless your partner died. And there was a child involved. Anna didn’t want Sarah Rose hurt if marriage didn’t happen. And weddings didn’t take place until next fall. There was plenty of time to decide—and for all to be revealed by God, whose will would be done.
13
Interesting cookies.”
Gideon held one up and looked at Anna through the heartshaped hole in the middle of the chest of the gingerbread man.
“Jamie made those,” Anna told him quickly. She glanced over in the direction of the living room and lowered her voice. “She’s—rather upset right now. Steven broke off their engagement.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said. “Jamie’s a nice woman.” He watched her box up the gingerbread men. “May I have one?”
She offered the plastic container, and he chose several. “Coffee?”
“Yes, thanks. Didn’t Sarah Rose help make the cookies? I thought that was why she wanted to come.”
“She helped with the first batch of Snickerdoodles.”
“Then what did she do?”
“Gideon? Don’t ask questions I can’t answer this time of year.”
“Oh,” he said, realization dawning. “Christmas secrets?”
She gave him a mysterious smile and said nothing. Handing him a mug of coffee, she gestured at the table. “Have a seat and I’ll get Sarah Rose.”
He grasped her hand and pulled her over to the table with him. “In a minute.” He clasped her hand with hers and sat there, studying her, until she fidgeted.
“Daedi!”
He glanced up just as his daughter threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. “I heard you come in. You’re early.”
“Not very.”
She reached for a cookie and stuffed it into her mouth.
“Sarah Rose!”
“What?” she mumbled, scattering crumbs.
“Let’s not make Anna think I haven’t taught you manners.”
She accepted the glass of milk Anna got up to pour for her. “Thank you!” She turned to him. “See? I have manners.”
Then she used the back of her hand to wipe away her milk mustache.
“Ya, I see,” he said dryly.
“I had such fun! Did you have fun with your friend tonight?”
“I did. Ready to go?”
She frowned and thrust her bottom lip out. “I don’t want to go. Can’t I stay overnight?”
“Maybe some other time. It’s a school night, remember?”
“You could pick me up here and take me to school tomorrow.”
“Some other time,” he said more firmly. “Go put your coat on, and let’s say thank you to Anna for having you.”
Anna held out Sarah Rose’s coat and helped her into it. “I need some help baking more cookies day after tomorrow. Would you like to come back?”
Sarah Rose turned to look at him hopefully. “Can I?”
“May I?” he corrected.
“May I?”
He nodded. That would give him some time to finish the gift he was making for Anna.
“Be right back,” Sarah Rose said suddenly. She ran down the hall, and Gideon heard the guest bathroom door slam.
Gideon pulled Anna into his arms. “Got you to myself again. There’s something I want to ask—”
“Wow, I fell asleep,” Jamie said as she shuffled into the room. “Oh, hi.” She patted at her hair, but one side stood up like a rooster tail, evidence that it was the side she’d slept on. “Long day,” she said, then slapped a hand over her mouth as she yawned. “Had two finals this morning and worked in the afternoon.”
She walked over to the stove and turned the gas flame up under the teakettle. “One more final to study for tonight and I’ll be done.” She looked around the kitchen. “Where are the cookies I made?” she asked Anna.
“They’re hidden from impressionable little girls.”
Jamie made a face. “Sorry.” Shrugging, she turned and looked a little sheepish at Gideon. “I got a little carried away. Hey, at least I didn’t do it to Steven.”
Gideon nodded gravely. “He’s lucky. You could have lopped off his head. The gingerbread man’s, I mean.”
“I was being childish.”
“You’re entitled,” Anna told her, slipping an arm around her waist and hugging her. “I know you’re hurting. Do you want me to fix you a sandwich to eat while you’re studying?”
Jamie made a face. “Food won’t fix this.” She sighed as she fixed her cup of tea. “See you later.” She padded off to the living room.
Gideon turned to Anna. “Now, back to my—”
“Aren’t you ready yet?” Sarah Rose asked, putting her hands on her hips. “I thought you said we had to go home. I coulda had another cookie.”
Anna laughed. “If you had another cookie, you’d pop.” She picked up a plastic container from the counter and handed it to her. “Here, some cookies to take with your lunch tomorrow.”
Sarah Rose hugged Anna around her waist and turned to slip her hand into Gideon’s. “Let’s go.”
Gideon had hoped to get a good-night kiss as he left but didn’t want to do it in front of his daughter. Disappointed, he followed her to the door.
And as she walked out onto the porch, he felt Anna tug on his arm so that he turned to see what she wanted.
And she kissed his cheek.
Grinning, he followed Sarah Rose to the buggy and lifted her inside for the ride home.
Anna held the van door open and watched her grandmother slide across the seat. Bless her, she still had energy at the end of one of their busiest days ever.
Collapsing onto the seat, Anna reached for the door handle and pulled it shut. She was so tired, buckling her seat belt felt like a chore.
Adam, their driver, dropped Leah off first and then drove on to take Anna to her house. Anna’s eyes widened as she saw the buggy sitting in the drive.
Gideon stepped out.
“Someone you know?” Adam asked her, giving her a grin.
“I didn’t know you were coming over.” Anna found she was breathless.
Gideon waved at Adam as he backed the van out of the drive, then he turned to Anna. “Sarah Rose got invited to her grandparents’ house tonight.”
He bent his head, and their breath mingled. And then he kissed her, tentatively at first and then with more passion until she put her gloved hands on his chest and broke the kiss.
“I thought I’d see if you were free,” he said, his breath coming in little ragged puffs of white.
When she shivered, he ran his own gloved hands up and down her arms. “You’re cold.”
“We can’t go inside.”
“I know, I know.” He touched his forehead to hers, and then he gestured at his buggy. “I have a surprise for you.”
“I may fall asleep on you,” she warned as they walked toward it. “It’s been a very long week.”
“I don’t think you’ll fall asleep.” He helped her into the buggy, then went around to climb inside and get it moving.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” he said mysteriously.
He wa
tched her face as he pulled into the drive of his friend Ira’s farm. A horse was hitched to a sleigh, and when he pranced and pawed the snowy ground, the sleigh bells on his collar jingled.
Anna turned to him and her eyes glowed. “Oh, what a perfect surprise!”
Ira held the horse’s reins until they climbed aboard, and Gideon tucked a woolen blanket around their laps. Then Ira handed the reins to Gideon, and they were off, gliding over the snow-covered ground, through the silent woods lit by the full moon rising in the sky.
“Warm enough?” he asked, holding one of her hands on top of the blanket.
“Mmm.”
“Hungry?”
“A little. But I don’t want to go. This is so lovely.”
“Ira’s wife packed a basket for us.” He gestured at the basket on the floor of the sleigh.
Anna reached down for it and lifted it onto the seat beside her. Inside she found a thermos and cups, several sandwiches wrapped in waxed paper, and a plastic container of Katie’s fruitcake cookies.
They stopped in a clearing and feasted on the sandwiches and drank the hot chocolate they found in the thermos. The wind blew gently through the bare branches of the trees and sent the ice on them tinkling like nature’s wind chimes.
“This is so romantic,” she said with a sigh, relaxing against his arm around her as she gazed up at the velvety night sky. “Did you arrange for the moon to be full tonight, too?”
“Absolutely. I wanted to show you a little romance after what you said the other night. About how you wondered if I just wanted to date you so I’d have a mother for my daughter.”
“That,” she said, shaking her head. “Sorry.”
“No, it’s my fault,” he told her. “I was trying not to rush you, and maybe I was moving too slow. I didn’t want to scare you off.”
Gideon looked down at her hand resting in his, then back up at her. “Anna, marry me. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life loving you, God willing.”
Evidently, he’d shocked her speechless. She stared at him for the longest moment.
“It was an awkward time when we started dating. Marriage season,” he explained. “I wanted us to have the time we needed to get to know each other properly.”
Heart in Hand: Stitches in Time Series #3 Page 14