by Sarah Price
Praise for Sarah Price
“There are many books I have read that have touched my heart in a special way, but once in a lifetime you find that very special story that keeps you thinking long after you’ve read it, wondering what the characters were doing and wishing you were living that tale. For me, this is it. Sarah Price has taken two wonderful yet very different characters and woven their lives together in such a way that the reader is left breathless and wanting so much more. Alejandro and Amanda are characters you will never forget. Their struggles, their differences, their love in spite of all the obstacles . . . well . . . this series will make you a Sarah Price fan forever. Fresh. Different. Wonderful! I highly recommend!”
—Sue Laitinen, book reviewer for DestinationAmish.com
“Fans of Sarah Price’s Plain Fame series will not be disappointed. Amanda and Alejandro continue to delight.”
—Nicole Deese, Kindle bestselling author of the Letting Go series and A Cliché Christmas
“Plain Again proves that some series just get better with each book, which I didn’t think was possible!”
—Gina McBride, reader
“As someone who appreciates a good romance, Plain Again captured my heart and my imagination. Just when I think Sarah Price has written her best book ever, she surprises me and does it again! This is a must-read for anyone who has followed Amanda and Alejandro’s love story from the very beginning or for any reader, frankly, who wishes to get carried away by love.”
—Erin Brady, Kindle bestselling author of The Shopping Swap and The Twelve-Step Plan
ALSO BY SARAH PRICE
An Empty Cup
An Amish Buggy Ride
The Plain Fame Series
Plain Fame
Plain Change
Plain Again
Plain Return
Plain Choice
The Amish of Lancaster Series
Fields of Corn
Hills of Wheat
Pastures of Faith
Valley of Hope
The Amish of Ephrata Series
The Tomato Patch
The Quilting Bee
The Hope Chest
The Clothes Line
The Amish Classic Series
First Impressions (Realms)
The Matchmaker (Realms)
Second Chances (Realms)
For a complete listing of books, please visit the author’s website at www.sarahpriceauthor.com.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Text copyright © 2015 Price Publishing, LLC
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
Published by Waterfall Press, Grand Haven, MI
www.brilliancepublishing.com
Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Waterfall Press are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates.
ISBN-13: 9781503945401
ISBN-10: 1503945405
Cover design by Kerri Resnick
In Plain Fame, I dedicated the book to the singers, performers, artists, authors, and entertainers who give so much of themselves for our own enjoyment.
In Plain Change, I dedicated the book to all of the people who adore the stars who entertain us.
As for this book, I’d like to dedicate it to the people who support the entertainers: their family, friends, fans, and staff. It’s not easy keeping up with them, but our support and encouragement motivates them to continue.
Without us, they’d be lost.
And, of course, this entire series is dedicated to my favorite “worldwide” entertainer, un chico de Cuba, the inspiration behind Alejandro and this work.
You know who you are!
<3
Contents
About the Vocabulary
Foreword
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Epilogue
Glossary
Preview: Plain Return
About the Author
About the Vocabulary
The Amish speak Pennsylvania Dutch (also called Amish German or Amish Dutch). This is a verbal language with variations in spelling among communities throughout the United States. For example, in some regions, a grandfather is grossdaadi, while in other regions he is known as grossdawdi. Some dialects refer to the mother as mamm or maem, and others simply as mother or mammi.
In addition, there are words and expressions, such as mayhaps, or the use of the word then at the end of sentences, and, my favorite, for sure and certain, that are not necessarily from the Pennsylvania Dutch language/dialect but are unique to the Amish.
The use of these words comes from my own experience living among the Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Foreword
Many of my readers have written to me, telling me how they have fallen in love with Amanda and Alejandro. Perhaps more compelling is the number of women who wrote that they are completely enamored of Alejandro and asked how on earth did I come up with the idea intertwining a young, innocent Amish girl from Pennsylvania with a man from Cuba born into poverty only to rise to international superstar status.
Well, I have a confession to make. Since this is the third book in the series, I feel that the time is right to share something with my readers.
Approximately two years ago, I was watching television, something I do not normally indulge in. I call television a “time waster.” When other authors ask me how I can be such a prolific author, the answer is simple: I don’t waste time. However, on this particular evening, yielding to yet another capricious demand from my dear children, I happened to watch with them one of those talent reality shows (I forget which one). In between contestants, a performer came out to sing a song that I had never heard before.
As I listened and watched, the world seemed to stand still. The one singer was an attractive young man wearing a white suit and black shirt. He was bald and wore sunglasses. The way he danced, the way he moved, the way he played to the audience completely intrigued me. Charisma and character simply oozed from this Latino performer, one that I had never heard of nor seen prior to that evening. As soon as the program ended, I went to my computer and searched Google for his name.
From that moment, the seed was planted. The more I learned about this international Latino entertainer and how he rose from his humble beginnings to something akin to a world-renowned role model, how much he gives back to the community, how gracefully he treats his fans, the more I began to see him as the perfect character for a future book. But how could I possibly reconcile the life of such an international superstar with that of a plain Amish girl? How would their worlds meet? Would their respective cultures clash and collide? Was it even possible? What could be a plausible outcome?
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And so the challenge was set.
I began to imagine life on the road, the downside of fame, and the loneliness of never truly knowing which person to trust. It began to make sense. Paparazzi stalk the stars just like tourists stalk the Amish. Reality shows about the Amish describe this amazing culture and fascinating religion in an unfavorable light just like gossip magazines love to expose the worst side of superstars. There are indeed similarities between these two so apparently different worlds.
That was how this story was born.
It took me longer than anticipated to write this third book of the series. For that, I apologize. Two things happened . . . both on the same day: At nine in the morning, I found out that I had breast cancer, and exactly twelve hours later, I finally met the artist who inspired this story, at nine in the evening. Needless to say, at least for the day, the joy of the latter completely overshadowed the apprehension about the former!
The meeting was brief and I handed him the first two books in the series. He proved to be a gentleman true to his reputation, worthy to have become such an inspiration to so many people across the globe. I will never forget what he said. He looked at the books, he looked at me, and then he put his hands on my shoulders and those blue eyes locked into mine as he said, “Wow. You are truly an amazing woman! That deserves a big hug.”
And a great hug indeed it was, much to my ever-patient husband’s chagrin!
So, dear reader, that is the true story behind the fictional story that so many have waited for so long to continue reading. I apologize for the delay. After I came down from cloud nine and started to finish this book, those pesky medical tests, four surgeries, and chemotherapy got in the way. And then a deadline from my publisher for another book popped up. Forgive me for the delay, but I do hope you enjoy the result.
After all, Alejandro belongs to all of us.
<3
Sarah Price
Prologue
The sun was setting over the horizon just behind the barn. Amanda lifted her head from the cow that she was milking, her eyes wandering to the open door as she paused, watching the sun dip below the tree line, the sky quickly changing from reds and oranges to gray and dark blue. Two birds flew past the doorway and disappeared toward the trees. Time to hunker down in the nest or birdhouses, wherever it was that they slept, she thought. In the distance, she could hear the familiar sound of a horse’s hooves and the whirling hum of buggy wheels approach down on the road beyond her parents’ farm.
She knew that it was almost six o’clock, perhaps just a few moments before, as the sun was setting earlier and earlier each day. The milking was almost finished and she would head into the house for a light supper with her mamm. It would be quiet in the house, the silence almost deafening as she sat in the rocking chair afterward, crocheting a blanket while her mamm read the Bible. By eight o’clock, they would both retire to their respective rooms: Mamm to the bedroom under the stairs and Amanda to the one next door, in the grossdaadihaus.
But, for now, she merely stared at the setting sun while her mind took her far away to the big city where she imagined that she was standing backstage with Alejandro as he prepared to meet his VIP guests in the special lounge. In her mind’s eye, she could see him standing alone, wearing a fresh, clean black suit with cuff links at his wrists and a black tie around his neck. His shoes were buffed and shone, reflecting the light that was overhead. And, as always, he wore his sunglasses. She smiled as she imagined his expression when he paused before entering the room where the fans were waiting, a half smile spreading on his face and a quick adjustment to his suit jacket and tie. There would be a mischievous gleam in his eye, the look that always told her he was ready to make the transition from Alejandro to Viper.
The cow lifted her hind leg and stomped the ground, reminding Amanda that she was not standing backstage with Alejandro or waiting in the lounge for the VIP guests. No. She was at her parents’ farm, milking the cows and tending to the chores while her mother took care of her father, who was still in the hospital. Sighing, she looked away from the sunset, feeling as if the darkness that started to fill the sky were closing in around her heart. She dipped her head and turned her attention back to the chore at hand, knowing that each day spent apart from Alejandro meant it would be one day closer to rejoining him.
He stood behind the black curtain, his hands behind his back and his head bent down as he waited for his cue. It had been a long few days with live performances on morning news shows, interviews on television, and appearances on late-night talk shows. Yet, despite his busy schedule and the constant crowds, he felt alone, as if some part of him was missing. He found himself constantly glancing at his cell phone, hoping for a voice mail or a text message from Amanda. When he only saw messages from various members of his team, he felt as though a hole were opening inside his heart.
Earlier that evening, he had sent her a text before he began to prepare for the show and the VIP Meet and Greet. It had been close to six o’clock and he knew that she would be out in the dairy, milking the cows before retiring to the house. He didn’t know when she would get the message. By the time he would be able to check his own phone again, it would be well after midnight and she would have gone to bed hours earlier. When she would awaken in the morning, he would have most likely just gone to bed.
Their schedules were not conducive to anything more than texts and occasional quick phone calls.
Now, it was nighttime. Almost ten o’clock and that meant only one thing: the concert was starting. The music blasted, the lights glared, and the crowds roared as they waited for him. He wore a black shirt, black slacks, and black shoes. With his large sunglasses on, he made a formidable image standing there, his broad shoulders hunched over slightly as he waited, quietly praying as he always did before the show. No one bothered him. They knew that this was his time to reflect, absorb, and transform.
When he heard the fireworks explode from the front of the stage, the crowd shouting in surprise, he burst through the curtain and leapt onto the stage, microphone in one hand and his other fist pumping into the air. Lifting the microphone to his mouth, he tossed his head back and yelled, the crowd responding with a roar of cheers and screams.
Showtime.
Chapter One
Thinking of you and missing you.
Daed doing better.
Enjoy your day and call later if you can.
<3
A.
The knock at the door surprised Amanda. She wasn’t expecting anyone, especially since Mamm had left for the hospital already and the rest of the community had been avoiding the Beiler farm; now that the paparazzi had discovered that Viper’s wife had returned to her plain roots, it had taken only three days for word to spread. And then, the privacy and peace that she had anticipated on her parents’ farm quickly disappeared as the media descended again upon their farm in Lititz, Pennsylvania.
Amanda had no idea of how it had happened. Who could have possibly known? How had they learned about her daed’s condition? How had they known that Amanda was there while Viper was on tour? But, by now, she knew that it was exactly what the media did for a living: discover things that others wished were kept secret. And the successful ones were quite good at it. They could ferret out information from even the most secretive members of Alejandro’s entourage. Or, more likely, from the peripheral people who were involved in his life.
For the first few days after Alejandro had left her at the farm, Amanda had spent time with her mamm at Daed’s bedside at the hospital. It was an unfamiliar and sterile environment with strange noises and smells. The nurses and doctors had seemed pleasant enough to Amanda and her mamm, but she knew that more than one person who worked at the hospital had done a double take when they realized who she was.
A few were brazen enough to outright question her. “Are you . . .?” However, they never seemed to finish the question when they asked it.
As Alejandro had trained her, she merely smiled and greeted
people who stared while remaining distant and reserved. After all, her entire attention was focused on Daed, making certain that he was properly tended to during his hospital stay.
On the second day, he had begun to awaken. He had blinked his eyes several times, trying to place where he was and what had happened. And then, his eyes found Amanda, sitting in the chair by the bedside. His eyes had sparkled, and he tried to greet her. But he wasn’t able to speak, at least not very coherently yet. He had moments of clarity and a speech therapist was working with him every day. The doctors had seemed hopeful that he had not suffered brain damage and would fully recover. From his reactions, eye movements, and hand gestures, it appeared that the doctors were correct.
It was just a few days later when someone must have recognized her while visiting another patient at the hospital. A stolen photo posted on social media began the firestorm. And before Amanda knew it, she was greeted at the hospital with crowds of photographers, waiting for her arrival. For some reason, it had taken her by surprise that the paparazzi were there, eager for stolen photos of her and her mamm. But she wasn’t taken by surprise when they returned to the farm and began to camp outside of the driveway, eager for more photos of Amanda when she would return in the evening. Amanda knew all too well that anytime she stepped outside of the house, her picture was being snapped with telephoto lenses and sent over the airwaves to the media for distribution to the public.
This time, however, Amanda knew better. She knew how to handle the paparazzi. Alejandro had taught her well. During the day, she continued to go about her chores as usual. With the police once again positioned at the end of the driveway in order to hinder the photographers from trespassing, she had some degree of isolation. Yet she knew that, in the predawn hours, the photographers snapped her picture as she walked from the house to the barn, her head down and covered with a simple black knit head scarf since the weather was turning cold. She was able to shut the barn doors before turning to the task at hand: the morning milking. When she turned out the cows, she knew that the paparazzi were stealing her photograph from the road with their long telescopic lenses. This time, she didn’t care. Her image would be sold to websites and gossip newspapers. There was nothing she could do about it, and truth be told, she really had no choice as she was determined to help her family.