Love Finds You in Charm, Ohio

by Annalisa Daughety

  “Oh, that would be wonderful. Let me run and tell my wife. She and my little girl can sit here in the shade while you take me to get the tire. Thank you.” He ran toward the vehicle.

  Noah looked over at Emma. “I guess our lunch is over.” He grinned.

  She began to collect the trash from their meal and stuff it into the bag her sandwich came in. “That’s okay. It’s nice of you to help that man.”

  He folded the quilt. “It’s the least I can do.” He gave her a sideways glance. “You can go ahead to the store. I’ll wait on him here.”

  “Okay. Thanks for lunch.” She wished they’d gotten to finish their conversation about what would happen when she was back in Shipshewana. Her time in Charm was down to single-digit days.

  “I’ll see you soon,” he said.

  She turned to walk back to the store, her heart heavy. Leaving Charm might end up being the hardest thing she’d ever had to do.

  Chapter Forty-one

  Kelly

  “Hi.”

  Kelly put down the book she’d been reading and looked up as Emma stepped through the door of the bookmobile. “Is it lunchtime already?”

  Emma shook her head. “Susanna is with the twins so that Lydia Ann could be at the store for a little while.” She shrugged. “Business was slow, so she told me I could take a break.”

  “That’s nice. You have been working hard lately. How are the girls doing?”

  “Lydia Ann said they’re much better. Their spots have almost faded and they’re nearly back to their old selves. She thinks I should be able to move back in to her house in the next couple of days.”

  “I’ll be sad for you to go, but I know you want to be back at Lydia Ann’s house for your last few days in Charm.” Kelly gave a tiny smile.

  Emma held up a stack of books. “I need to return these.”

  Kelly took the stack of books from Emma and placed them on the counter. She sank back onto the stool she’d been sitting on and let out a big sigh.

  “Is everything okay?” Emma asked. “You look like something’s on your mind.”

  Kelly furrowed her brow and nodded. “I have a lot on my mind. And actually, I needed to ask you something. I hate to ask, though,” Kelly said. “Because believe me, I know it is some kind of favor.”

  Emma laughed good-naturedly. “You won’t know the answer until you ask.”

  Kelly took a deep breath. “Okay. First I have to preface it, though.” She sat down on a stepstool and stared up at Emma. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. You know, about the direction my life is going in.” She sighed. “And, I’ve realized that over these past few years, I have spent the majority of my time worrying about Nick.” She picked at a chipped spot in her nail polish. “He’s reckless. Not just with cars. But with me.” She met Emma’s eyes. “And I’ve decided there can’t be a place for him in my life anymore.”

  Emma pulled a stool over to where Kelly was and sat down beside her. “But haven’t you tried that before? You’ve said yourself that you feel like you can’t get away from him.”

  “That was before.” She managed a tiny smile. “I believe I’m strong enough now to really end it. For good. I deserve to be with someone who treats me well. Someone who I don’t have to always worry is feeding me a line or cheating on me with some girl he met at a Starbucks.”

  “You do deserve those things. But how are you going to do it?”

  Kelly sighed. “I wish I knew. What I do know is this. I don’t want to have to regret the past few years of my life. But I also don’t want to keep going through this endless cycle. As long as he’s known me, I’ve forgiven him for whatever he’s done wrong and let him take his place in my life like nothing happened. The thing is, each one of those incidents has depleted a little bit of the love I had for him. And now, there isn’t much left.” She shrugged. “I figure at this point, it is a lot less love than it is addiction. I am drawn to him because I’ve convinced myself it is better to have him than no one. But you know what? I’d rather be alone than to spend any more sleepless nights wondering if he’s wrecked another car or hooked up with some new girl.”

  “Okay. This all sounds promising. But where does the favor from me come in?” Emma smiled. “Do you want me to break up with him for you?”

  Kelly laughed. “No, nothing like that.” She played with the end of her ponytail. “Here’s the deal. And believe me when I say that I know it is crazy.”

  “I’m a little nervous about what you have in mind.”

  “Nick and Andy are coming back to town this weekend. I think they’re going to get here Friday.”

  Emma nodded. “And?”

  “I don’t want to just end things between us after they’ve driven all that way. So I was thinking…what if we had a double date of sorts on Friday night. Maybe go to dinner and a movie. Then Saturday, I can have some time alone with Nick to sort things out.” She looked pleadingly at Emma. “I know you’d probably rather be spending time with Lydia Ann or Noah.” She grinned. “Especially Noah. And I don’t blame you. But I know you and Andy sort of hit it off, and it would only be for a few hours.”

  Emma was quiet for a long moment. “I don’t know. I enjoyed hanging out with them last time they were here, but I felt uncomfortable.”

  “Was it Andy’s constant flirting? I can totally ask him to stop.”

  Emma shook her head. “No. It’s going to sound weird to you.” She stood up and began pacing the short length of the bookmobile. “It was just that I don’t fit in. I mean, I don’t wear the kind of clothes you do, and I don’t have the same kind of life. I’d feel like a misfit, especially if we’re out in public. Here in Charm, there are more Amish people than not. But if we drive to a town large enough to have a movie theatre, people will wonder what I am doing with you.”

  “Do you feel that way around me?”

  “No. But I don’t feel like you’re judging me, either, and I felt that way about both Andy and Nick. They would never be able to understand my lifestyle, and I’m not sure they’d even try.” She stopped pacing and sat down on the stool again. “Plus, I don’t know how it would be perceived by others. I don’t want to make people think badly of me, and I’m afraid if they see me out in a fancy car, going to a movie, they’ll think I’m disrespectful of my upbringing.”

  Kelly nodded. “I understand.” She patted Emma on the arm. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t want you to do something you aren’t comfortable with.”

  “Unless…” Emma stopped. “No. I can’t.”

  “Unless what?”

  “I’ve always wanted to dress like you. Even just for a day. To see how it feels.” Emma bit her lip and looked at Kelly. “No one would have to know, especially since I’m staying at the inn right now. I could borrow an outfit from you, and we could go out of town to a movie.” Her eyes sparkled. “It would be like I was in disguise.”

  Kelly was astonished. “Emma. Are you sure? I wasn’t asking you to do anything like that.” It hadn’t even crossed Kelly’s mind that Emma might want to get so far out of her comfort zone. “But if you’re sure, I’ll let Nick know the next time I talk to him.”

  Emma nodded. “It will be fun. It’s only for one night. What’s the worst that could happen?”

  The excitement in Emma’s voice was the only thing that prevented Kelly from pointing out that those were often famous last words.

  Chapter Forty-two

  Emma

  Emma was ready. She looked at the stranger in the mirror and wondered if she’d gone too far. Her hair fell in soft waves around her face, just as she’d always imagined it would. She leaned in close to the mirror and looked at the makeup Kelly had applied. She didn’t feel like herself. Didn’t look like herself. Would anyone who knew her even recognize her?

  The odd thing was, she didn’t feel happy, as she’d imagined she would be in this moment. This girl, this person looking back in the mirror wasn’t who she wanted to be.

  She backed away from
the mirror, nearly tripping over a pileof shoes. She collapsed on Kelly’s bed, suddenly sick. Her hands felt clammy and her stomach churned almost as bad as last year when she’d fallen ill with a virus. She stared down at the pink polish on her toes. It was the very color she’d admired on Kelly. But on her own feet, it seemed out of place. Each pink toenail seemed to scream fake and fraud.

  This is what you wanted. What you chased after. She took a breath. Time to face the jury. It was only one night.

  She slipped Kelly’s high-heeled sandals on her feet. They felt different than they had a week ago when she’d just practiced walking in them. And now, with the fitted, dark jeans and a pink top Kelly had helped her pick out, they even looked different. Who am I?

  Emma couldn’t stall any longer. She walked to the door and opened it quietly. She didn’t want to make an entrance. Once on the landing, she heard voices coming from downstairs. She reached the balcony overlook and peeked over. Andy and Nick sat, talking and laughing.

  She paused for a minute, listening. She hated to be an eavesdropper but couldn’t resist. The image of Abby’s frowny face flitted into her head, and she grinned. Eavesdropping had been one of the things Abby had always chided her about.

  “Whatever, dude. Kelly is totally into you,” Andy said. “Seriously. She’ll take you back. She always does.” He laughed. “As long as she doesn’t find out that you cheated again.”

  “Maybe. It’s not a sure thing this time, though. Must be the Amish influence.” Nick snorted. “Think you can handle the Amish chick and give me some time alone to work my magic with Kelly?”

  Emma peered over the balcony to see Andy’s expression.

  His smile was confident. “Emma is putty in my hands. She buys every line I feed her. And man, that sister of hers was way hot. But she was also a prude. But I’m not so sure Emma is, if you know what I mean.”

  Emma couldn’t see his expression, but the way he punched Nick’s shoulder and their knowing chuckles told her all she needed to know. She felt as if all the air had been sucked from the room. She wanted to turn and run. Or at least scream. But she stayed put. She grasped the balcony so hard, her knuckles turned white.

  “No way.” Nick’s voice drifted up to her. “My money says Emma is as much of a prude. She’s just a big talker. Besides, you really want to make a move on her?”

  “I don’t know about a move. But I’ve figured out what my research paper topic is going to be in that psych class I’m taking next semester.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I’m thinking something along the lines of The Naivety of Twenty-Something Amish Girls or maybe Amish Girls Gone Wild.” Andy and Nick burst into laughter.

  Emma blinked back the hot tears that threatened to spill down her face. So that was it. Andy didn’t think she was interesting. Or refreshing. He saw her as a conquest. A story to tell to the guys back home. A research paper topic.

  “Hey.” Kelly’s voice made her jump.

  Emma turned toward her friend, still reeling.

  “Whoa. What’s wrong?” Kelly looked closely at Emma’s face. “Are you okay? Are you sick?”

  Emma shook her head and released the tight grip she had on the banister. “I’m not feeling well.” She turned and rushed back into the bedroom, Kelly on her heels.

  Emma sank down on the plush featherbed and put her head in her hands.

  Kelly knelt down in front of her. “Seriously. What happened?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.” Emma’s voice broke, and a tear trickled down her face.

  Kelly rose and sat down beside Emma on the bed. “The guys are waiting downstairs.” She glanced at her watch. “If we don’t leave in like five minutes, we’re going to miss the movie.”

  Emma glanced at the pink sandals on her feet. They looked out of place. Just like she felt. “I’m not going.” She met Kelly’s gaze and drew courage from the genuine concern she saw there. Her friend deserved to know the truth, and protecting those two guys would be stupid. She took a deep breath. “Andy and Nick were saying some pretty awful stuff about me.” She closed her eyes. “I feel so stupid. I thought they liked me for me, you know? But it turns out I’m just some kind of school project.”

  Kelly’s green eyes blazed. “What are you talking about?”

  Emma filled her in on the conversation she’d overheard, careful not to leave out anything. Even though she felt awful, she hoped her friend would finally realize what kind of man her boyfriend was turning out to be.

  Kelly paced the length of the bedroom. “I am so sorry. I never should’ve introduced you to them. I didn’t think they would hurt you.” She stopped in front of Emma, her eyes filled with pain. “Please understand that.”

  “You don’t need to apologize.” She stood. “This is partly my fault, too. Maybe all my fault.” She gestured at her outfit. “I’m pretending to be someone I’m not. I don’t belong in your world.” Her eyes filled with tears again. “I should go.”

  “But what about the twins? You might catch the chicken pox.”

  Emma threw her things into a bag. “I’m sure it will be fine now. It’s time for me to get back.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t. You’re not going anywhere. Those two losers downstairs are the ones who are leaving.”

  Emma shook her head. “No. I’m ready to get back to Lydia Ann’s house.”

  Kelly must have recognized the resolve in her voice because she didn’t argue.

  Emma grabbed her bag and silently followed Kelly down the staircase.

  Andy and Nick stood as they entered the room.

  “Wow.” Andy looked Emma up and down. “That is quite a change. You are one cute Amish girl.” He slanted a knowing glance at Nick before turning back to her.

  She was mortified at his leering glance. She should’ve taken the time to change into her own clothes. Why had she ever thought wearing English clothes was a good idea? She felt so ashamed. It was a good thing Mamm and Dat couldn’t see her now. Despite her past tendency to push the limits, she’d never felt so rotten.

  “Cut it out, Andy.” Kelly spit the words out. “Look. We know what you guys were saying while you were waiting on us. I guess you never learned to use your inside voices.”

  The shock registered on their faces.

  Kelly turned toward Andy. “You are a pig, do you know that? You don’t deserve to even know a girl like Emma, much less get to spend any time with her.”

  Andy sputtered. “Now hold on just a minute.”

  “And you.” Kelly turned her wrath in Nick’s direction. “I have taken you back for the last time. I know that you’ve been cheating. And Nick, it is not going to happen again. You know why? Because we are through.” Her voice was filled with rage, each word growing louder.

  Emma couldn’t take it any longer. She slipped out the side door of the inn and walked outside. It wasn’t that far to Lydia Ann’s house. And from the sounds of the raised voices, the breakup between Kelly and Nick could take awhile. All she wanted to do was get these clothes off, wash her face, and climb into bed.

  She set out along the road, careful to watch for cars. The sandals that she’d once admired were now killing her feet. Five minutes later, when she felt a blister pop, she finally gave in to the truth. There was no way she would be able to make it all the way to Lydia Ann’s house. She stepped over to the side of the road and fished through her bag, hoping against hope that she’d stuffed her tennis shoes in. Unfortunately, she hadn’t.

  “You look like you could use a ride.”

  She spun around to find Andy, sitting in his shiny red sports car beside her.

  Chapter Forty-three

  Emma

  Emma’s mouth felt like cotton. He was the last person she wanted to see or talk to. Especially considering the way he was grinning at her—as if everything were fine.

  “Come on. Get in the car.” He leaned across the console to the passenger door and opened it. “Get in. It will be dark by the time you finally ma
ke it home if you go on foot.”

  “No, thank you,” she gritted out the words. A clap of thunder made her jump.

  “C’mon, you’re going to get soaked if you don’t get in. It’s okay if you don’t have anything to say to me.”

  She narrowed her eyes. She had plenty to say to him. About decency and manners. But he was right. She didn’t intend to talk to him.

  “We don’t have to say a word.” He grinned, showing his perfect white teeth. “I’ll just turn up the radio.”

  She ignored him and took off walking as fast as she could, wincing with every step. From the corner of her eye, she could see the little red car keeping up with her. A drop of rain hit her arm and then one landed on her face.

  “Emma, let me make it up to you for hurting your feelings. You don’t need to walk in the rain.”

  She hesitated. Walking in the rain was much preferable to spending another minute with Andy. But the blister was hurting so bad that she felt like she might end up crawling rather than walking. Which would be ridiculous.

  She glanced in the window at Andy. “You can just drop me at the quilt shop. I can walk from there with no problem.”

  She climbed into the low-sitting car and closed the door. It was amazing how hearing him say those words about her and about Abby made her see him in such a different light. She thought about Noah, talking about the Englisher whom Miriam had run off with. Was the man like Andy? Had he seemed nice at first but turned out to be dishonorable?

  The car zoomed down the road, a little too fast for Emma’s comfort. “You should slow down. There are children who live near here and they could be in the road.” She didn’t care what this man thought of her anymore. It was weird to think that only a couple of weeks ago, she’d have probably kept quiet in the hopes that he’d think she was like him. But now that she knew the truth, she figured he was only speeding to scare her.

  Andy let up on the gas pedal. “Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” He turned the volume on the radio up and glanced over at her. “Is that too loud?”