The bell jingled over the door, and she looked up, anxious to greet her first customer. A tall, handsome man entered the store. His brown eyes twinkled as he got closer to the counter. The tanned, smooth face told her he wasn’t married. “Good mornin’. ” His smile reached his eyes and was so infectious, Emma smiled back.
“Mornin’. Is there something I can help you find?” She wrinkled her forehead. What would a man like him need from a quilt store? “Fabric? Buttons?” She was at a loss. “Maybe a pattern?”
He chuckled. “I’m not much of a quilter. Although my mamm would probably be delighted if I took her some supplies.”
“Noah!” Lydia Ann exclaimed as she hurried to the counter. “I thought I heard a voice out here.” She reached the counter and motioned toward Emma. “I guess you’ve already met my cousin?” she asked.
He shook his head. “We were just getting around to that.” He nodded at Emma. “Noah Weaver.” The dimple in his cheek was a great contrast to his angular jaw.
She gave him a smile. “Emma Miller. Pleased to meet you.”
“Emma lives near Shipshewana but is visiting Charm for the summer,” Lydia Ann explained. “She’s going to help me here and with the girls.”
Noah nodded. “Welcome to our town.” He grinned. “Has Lydia Ann shown you around yet?”
Emma shook her head. “I’ve only been here a few days and we haven’t had a chance just yet. We will soon, though.”
Noah nodded. “Good.”
Lydia Ann cleared her throat. “Actually, Noah, if you have a little time today, maybe you could give her the grand tour.”
A tiny gasp escaped from Emma. She cast a sideways glance at Lydia Ann, but her cousin was looking at Noah. “Oh. That’s…”
Before she could decline, Noah cut her off. “It would be my pleasure.” He turned toward Emma and flashed her another brilliant smile. “How about I come back around noon?”
Lydia Ann jumped in. “That sounds perfect. And I’ll bet I know two little girls who would love to spend some time outdoors.” She waved her arm around the nearly deserted store. “I’ll manage just fine here alone while you’re gone.”
“That will be fun. Mary and Katie can help me show Emma the town.” Noah grinned again at Emma.
Emma was speechless. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been talked around, as if she were invisible. She watched as Lydia Ann walked Noah to the door, speaking in hushed tones. Before he left, he tipped his hat in Emma’s direction. “See you in a bit.”
The door had barely closed before she began sputtering. “Lydia Ann, you shouldn’t have forced that man to give me a tour. I would’ve been perfectly happy waiting until you had time or I could have even gone exploring on my own.”
Lydia Ann regarded her with a twinkle in her eyes. “Noah doesn’t mind.” She picked up a roll of thread that had fallen to the floor. “Mary and Katie love spending time with him, and they will be thrilled to get to go along. So it isn’t like I’m sending you off all alone with a man you just met.”
Emma wasn’t convinced. “Who is he, anyway?”
“Noah’s mamm and Levi’s mamm are sisters. Noah was Levi’s favorite cousin.” She paused. “Noah took Levi’s death pretty hard. And he’s been of great help this past year, stopping by to see if I need anything done around the house. In fact, that’s why he was here. He’s going to do some repair work at the house over these next weeks.
He was a great friend to Levi.” Her eyes clouded over for a moment. “He’s a little older than you, but it wouldn’t hurt you to make a friend here.” She brightened. “Besides, spending time in the company of a handsome man isn’t a bad thing.”
Emma felt the hot blush creeping over her face. She had noticed. He was quite handsome in a more rugged way than most of the men she knew from back home.
Lydia Ann giggled. “Well, that settles it. You’re going on a tour.”
She had wanted to meet new and interesting people. And after all, this was supposed to be an adventure. So, she guessed allowing a stranger to give her a tour of the town wasn’t such a wild idea. She wondered for a fleeting second what Abby would say but quickly pushed the thought away.
Chapter Eleven
Kelly
The One Charming Inn reminded Kelly of a postcard. Quaint was how she’d described it in the text message she’d sent to Michelle once she’d finally arrived. Her first few days had been spent exploring the grounds and visiting with her aunt. The white, two-story house had a huge wraparound porch, which had quickly become her favorite place. And she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so enveloped in silence. Maybe never. There were no honking horns. No alarms. No trains. And even better, she hadn’t heard a single angry word since she’d arrived. Just peace and quiet. She’d even begun to find the sound of the horses’ hooves on the road soothing.
She poured herself a cup of coffee in the large kitchen. Although she’d never been much of a cook, she could certainly picture herself attempting to try, if only to get to use the double oven. She peeked out the window over the sink and spotted a rabbit hopping across the grass. She quickly walked out to the porch and perched on a wooden rocking chair, happy to watch the rabbit scurry along the yard. For miles around, all she could see were rolling green hillsides, farmlands, and white houses. The inn was about a half-mile east of downtown Charm. And except for the occasional tourist, the only traffic was the horse-and-buggy variety.
There was one tiny problem. It seemed that relaxation was eluding her, even in such a peaceful place. For some reason, she’d had the idea that as soon as she was away from her “regular” life, her troubles would melt away. But they hadn’t.
In fact, they’d intensified. Maybe she just wasn’t used to being so still. There was literally nothing to do but think. And when she thought, it was about all the things troubling her. Was her mom okay? Could she forgive her dad? Would Nick track her down? And was being a librarian really what she wanted to do with her life?
She leaned her head against the rocker and sighed. While she’d never been one much for dramatics, a little part of her would like to fall down right there on the porch and kick and scream like a toddler. It might not have solve anything, but it sure would feel good.
“Well, someone looks like they’re having a heaping serving of bitter with their coffee,” Aunt Irene said, stepping out onto the porch. “Are you okay, honey?”
Kelly shrugged. “I’m sure I will be. I’m just trying to sort some things out.”
Irene sat down in a rocker and looked at her great-niece. Even though her face was wrinkled, her eyes were still a sparkling blue. Her snow-white hair was swept into a bun. She reminded Kelly of Aunt Bea from The Andy Griffith Show. Except maybe a little older. Irene reached over and patted Kelly on the hand. “There, there, my dear. It will all be okay. Believe me, the good Lord never gives you more than you can handle.”
Kelly managed a tiny smile. “I guess not.” Talking about God made her feel uncomfortable. She hadn’t stepped foot into a church since she left for college, and she wasn’t quite sure where He fit into her life. “So, is it always so quiet around here?”
Irene nodded. “Most of the time. Every now and then, I’ll have guests who have children. That certainly livens things up. But most people who stay here are looking to get away.” She glanced over at her great niece. “You know?”
“Yes. I’m just not sure about all the silence.” In the dorm, there were always voices, music, TV, and phones ringing non-stop.
Irene chuckled. “It’s a funny thing, isn’t it? Sometimes you just can’t get away from your problems no matter how far you run. I guess the silence can be a little daunting at first.” Irene slowly rose from the chair. “But maybe now you can learn to really listen to your heart.”
Kelly sighed. Maybe. Either that or the silence would just drive her mad. “I start work at the bookmobile on Monday. Thanks for getting me the job.”
Irene nodded. “I figured you’
d want to keep as busy as possible. Plus, if I remember correctly from your childhood, you love books.” She smiled. “And it will be a good way for you to get out and meet some people from the community. Now, I’d better go finish my grocery list.”
The job at the bookmobile had been the surprise her aunt had in store for her, and it had been a nice one. Sure, she’d have plenty of things to do around the inn to keep her busy. But working at the bookmobile a couple of days a week would be a nice change of pace. And she did love books. In fact, she had a stack of “to be read” books sitting on the little nightstand beside her bed. These past few months there hadn’t been much time for pleasure reading.
But maybe that was all about to change. Kelly stood and followed Aunt Irene back into the house.
Chapter Twelve
Emma
The fluttering in her stomach began just before noon. What was she doing, going off with a man she didn’t know? Even if he was a close friend of Lydia Ann’s, he was still a complete stranger as far as she was concerned. For all her outlandish talk, Emma had always been shy around people she didn’t know very well. It took her some time to warm up to new people. She took a deep breath.
“Are you okay?” Lydia Ann asked.
“What? Oh. Yes. I’m fine.”
“Do you think you can stop tapping your foot then?” Lydia Ann motioned to the floor.
Emma smiled. She’d not even noticed her tapping. “Sorry.” She stopped the tapping.
“Nervous tic?” Lydia Ann chuckled. “You’ll be fine. He’s quite a nice fellow. And he’s a talker, so I suspect you’ll not have to say much.”
Emma grinned. “Well, maybe I am a little nervous.” She shrugged. “I haven’t really spent that much time alone with a man.”
Lydia Ann looked surprised. “What? I thought you had a steady beau back home.” She eyed Emma suspiciously. “At least, that’s what Abby said.”
Of course Abby had told Lydia Ann that. “Jacob.” She sighed. “We’ve never really talked about our feelings. It seems like we’re always just thrown together.” She played with the hem of her apron. “Abby is much more enthused about the prospect of us getting married than I am.”
“So he’s…” Lydia Ann trailed off and gave her a puzzled look.
“He’s wonderful. Really. If I had to sit here and make a list of the perfect man, it would be like I described him to a tee.”
“But maybe he’s not perfect for you?” Lydia Ann asked.
Emma bit her lip and nodded. “Exactly. Besides that, I think I frustrate him.” She smiled. “And I always have, ever since we were little kids. He tells me I’m too complicated.”
“So why did you start spending time together in the first place?”
“My matchmaking sister got involved. She arranged for him to drive me home from a singing a few months ago, and ever since then, it was just sort of a pattern we fell into.”
“But do you think he feels differently about things than you do?”
Emma made a face. “That’s the thing. I’m not a hundred percent certain how he feels. And honestly, when I came here, I sort of hoped I’d learn to feel differently about him. Let’s just say it would make my life much easier if I found myself head over heels for him.”
Lydia Ann laughed. “The heart wants what it wants, though. You can’t make yourself have feelings for someone just because he has the right qualities. There’s a little more to it than that.”
Emma grinned. “If only it were that easy. Right?”
Lydia Ann nodded. “I suppose that would make things easier. But maybe not as much fun.”
The bell above the door rang and Emma looked up from the fabric she was folding. Noah Weaver sauntered in, a broad smile on his face.
“Ladies.” He nodded at them. “Emma, are you ready to be a tourist?” He gave her a playful grin. “I may not be much of a tour guide, but I’ll give it a shot.”
She nodded. “I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
“Mary, Katie,” Lydia Ann called. “Noah is here.”
The little girls came running from the back of the store, giggling and chattering. “We’re ready,” Katie said.
Emma glanced at Lydia Ann. “We won’t be gone long.”
“Have fun,” Lydia Ann called as Noah held the door open.
Emma hesitated for a moment. It wasn’t too late to back out. She glanced up at Noah and his brown eyes met hers. What she saw in them reassured her. She’d be safe stepping out of her comfort zone with this man.
They stepped out on the sidewalk and Emma blinked against the bright sun.
“Come on, girls, let’s go,” Noah said. He held out his hands and each twin took hold of a hand.
“Will you hold my other hand?” Katie looked up at Emma.
“Of course, sweetie, I’d love to.” Emma held out her hand and Katie grabbed it.
As they headed down the sidewalk holding hands, Emma knew that any stranger seeing them would assume they were just a family going for a walk. The thought jolted her, but she reminded herself that this was no different than going for a walk with Jacob. Easier really, considering no one wanted Noah to marry her. Her cheeks flamed at the thought.
Noah looked at her over the twins’ heads. “Are you okay? Your face is a little…”
She nodded and felt her face grow hotter. “I’m fine.”
The twins chattered to each other, and Emma could feel a slight breeze as they strolled down the sidewalk looking in the shop windows. It soothed her face, and after a few moments, she relaxed a little.
Noah glanced at her. “So, what really brings you to Charm?” They strolled slowly along.
“Oh, you know. Lydia Ann needed some help.” She glanced down at the girls. Was it that transparent that she had an ulterior reason for being here?
“You’re very kind to come all this way to pitch in.”
She smiled. “I hope to be of great help to them. And I thought spending the summer in a new place sounded like it could be fun.” That was enough explaining.
“New places always do have a certain pull, don’t they?” he asked, almost more to himself than to her. “Okay, before our tour begins, how about I give you a little background?”
“That sounds perfect.”
He stopped and pointed toward the road that led to Charm from Millersburg. “In the mid-1800s, this area was a crossroads of sorts. There was an old Indian trail that ran through here, and at some point, someone built a blacksmith shop here. After that initial business was opened, a little town sprang up around it. It was originally known as Stevenson.”
He had a good storytelling voice. It was deep and gravelly. Since Emma had always loved history, his tale was right up her alley. In fact, she kept a running list of historical locations she would like to visit someday. Every time she read about a new place that interested her, she added it to her “places Emma wants to visit” list. Even though she didn’t know for sure if she’d ever get the chance, she thought it was important to have dreams.
“After a post office was established in the late 1800s, the name was changed to Charm. Has a nice ring to it, wouldn’t you say?” He grinned. “These days, there are scores of tourists who come through here, wanting to see Amish country. I suspect you’ll see a lot of them this summer.” They started walking again.
“This is Charm View School,” Noah said.
“We’re going to school soon,” Mary said. “Aren’t we, Katie?”
“Mamm says we will when we get older.” Katie nodded confirmation.
Since school was out for the summer, there were no students around. “It reminds me of the school I teach in back home.”
“So you’re a teacher? Do you enjoy it?”
“Jah. Very much.” She glanced down at the little girls. “Children are so funny. They are free with their thoughts and actions in a way I miss being able to be.”
He nodded, his green eyes on her face. “I know what you mean. Spending time with these two has taught me a lo
t.” He grinned down at them. “A couple of weeks ago when I stopped by the store, they served me tea from one of their little toy tea sets. I had to drink every last drop.”
She laughed. “That must’ve been a sight to see.”
” Will you have a tea party with us?” Katie tugged on her hand. “When we get home?”
“Maybe not today, but I will have a tea party with you.” Emma smiled at her.
“So, what’s next?” She looked up at Noah.
He chuckled. “Keepin’ me on track. I like that.” They continued walking and finally came to a stop. “This is Grandma’s Homestead Restaurant.” The parking lot adjacent to the restaurant was full of cars, trucks, and a few buggies. “It’s a favorite with tourists, but the locals eat here sometimes, too. You’ll have to try it.”
She nodded. “That sounds good.”
“And next door to the Homestead is the Charm General Store,” he said, pointing to the store. “You can get just about everything there. Groceries, household items…and they have great ice cream.” He looked over at her then glanced down at the twins with a twinkle in his eyes.
“Ice cream?” Mary echoed. “We love ice cream!”
Katie nodded in agreement.
“Let’s wait a little on that. We’ve still got a little farther to walk.” Noah smiled down at the girls. “We need to cross the street. Everybody hold a hand.”
Katie slipped her hand back into Emma’s, and Mary did the same with Noah. They waited for a buggy to go by, and then crossed. They stopped at the bottom of a steep hill. “Does everyone feel like climbing?” Noah asked.
“I do,” Katie said.
“I do,” Mary echoed.
The four of them climbed the hill and walked into a large parking lot. Emma was amazed at the rows of buggies and cars in the lot.
“Charm also has a booming material business. This is Keim Lumber, where I work. We do business all over the United States.”
Love Finds You in Charm, Ohio Page 5