by Amy Clipston
“It’s very nice to meet you, Hannah.” The minister’s smile was genuine and his handshake was firm. “Welcome to our church. I imagine this was a very different service than what you’re used to.”
“Ya.” Hannah nodded. “But I truly enjoyed it. Your church has a very warm and homey feeling. I can see why Trey enjoys coming here.”
“That’s very true,” Trey said.
“We hope to see you again, Hannah.” The minister smiled. “May God bless you.”
“Thank you.” Hannah followed Trey toward the exit. “This was very nice. I really enjoyed the service.”
“I did too, and I enjoyed having you beside me in the pew.” His smile was full of tenderness and caused her heart rate to surge. “May I take you to lunch?”
“That would be lovely.” Hannah looked up at him and wished that the day would never end.
TWENTY
Trey sat across from Hannah at a small sandwich shop and watched her while she studied the menu. He was captivated once again by her bright red hair and deep emerald eyes, which were complemented by her green dress. She looked so beautiful that she seemed to glow. He’d been stunned ever since she called this morning. It was as if she could read his mind since he was thinking of her when the phone rang. He’d worried about her ever since their conversation last week. And today, she’d fallen right back into his life as if they’d never parted ways.
“I think the Reuben sounds good.” She glanced up and her expression became curious. “Why are you staring at me?”
“I’m sorry.” He lifted his glass of water. “I was lost in my thoughts.”
“Have you decided what you’re going to have?” She placed her menu on the table.
“I think I’ll have a BLT.” He sipped the water and then put it back by the napkin dispenser. “So you liked the service?”
Hannah nodded. “I loved the music, and the sermon really touched me. I think that your minister is wonderful.”
“Do non-Amish ever attend your services?”
“It’s rare to see them at a regular Sunday service, but I’ve seen Englishers at weddings.” She swirled the straw in her glass of water while she spoke. “But I assume they don’t enjoy it much since they can’t understand what the ministers are saying.”
Trey studied her ivory complexion and wondered how she felt about him. He wanted to ask her if the same intense feelings haunted her that haunted him.
“May I take your order?” A young woman appeared at the table with a notepad. “What would you like today?”
Hannah ordered a Reuben sandwich with chips, and Trey ordered a BLT with chips and a Coke.
“How are things at the farm?” Trey sipped his water again.
“They’re good. We hired a young man to help Joshua.” Hannah folded her hands on the table while she talked about the farm.
Trey enjoyed studying her while she spoke. He wanted to commit to memory every detail of her beautiful face just in case this wound up being their one and only date. He was afraid that after today she would be forbidden from seeing him and the community would find a way to prevent their friendship permanently. The thought caused his stomach to twist. At that moment, he knew he was falling in love with her and couldn’t bear the idea of never seeing her again.
The waitress arrived with their food. After she placed the plates in front of them, Hannah bowed her head in silent prayer. Trey followed suit and thanked God for the opportunity to enjoy a meal with her.
Once the prayers were over, Hannah grabbed a chip from her plate. “You haven’t told me the latest about the house you want to buy. Did the owner accept your offer?”
Trey nodded while eating a chip. “Yes, the owner accepted it. I’m hoping the inspection can be done quickly. If it goes well, we should be closing soon since I’m preapproved for the loan.”
“That’s wonderful.” Hannah ate another chip. “I hope it works out for you. Have you thought about what you’ll name the bed and breakfast?”
Trey shook his head. “I haven’t come up with any good names yet. I was thinking about doing something with my last name.”
“Is the house in Paradise?” She lifted her sandwich and took a small bite.
“Yes, it is. It’s not far from the church.”
“Peterson’s Paradise.” She laughed, and the sound was a sweet melody to his ear. “I guess that’s a bit silly.”
“No, not really. I kind of like it.” He lifted his sandwich and bit into it.
“I’d like to see it. Maybe we can take a quick ride past it on the way home.”
He finished chewing and then wiped his mouth. “I’d like that.”
They talked about the weather and the best places to eat in Lancaster County while they finished their meals. Trey felt as if he’d known Hannah for years instead of only a little over a month. She shared stories about her life growing up on a dairy farm, and he told her more of his memories from his grandparents’ horse farm.
Soon they were finished eating, and Trey paid the bill before following Hannah out to the car.
He looked at the clock on the dashboard as he started the engine. “It’s a little after one. Do you still have time to see the house?”
“Ya, if we make it quick. I want to be certain I’m home before my children.” She shook her head and grinned. “I feel like a teenager who’s sneaking around and worried about getting caught by her parents.”
He raised his eyebrows with feigned concerned. “Did you sneak around a lot as a young lady, Hannah?”
She swatted at him. “No, I didn’t. I never defied my parents. Did you?”
“Would you still like me if I admitted I did?” He slipped the car into gear and steered toward the parking lot exit.
“Ya, of course I would. How could I not like you?”
Her warm smile caused his pulse to skip. Could she possibly love him the way he loved her? A relationship like theirs was almost a modern day Romeo and Juliet story. Yet her words from earlier rang through his mind. She’d said she believed their friendship was from God. If that were true, would their relationship be doomed to fail?
Trey pulled up to the house and parked in the driveway. “This is it.”
Hannah climbed from the car. “This is beautiful, Trey.” She tented her hand over her eyes as she looked up at the three-story clapboard house. “How many bedrooms does it have?”
He walked around the car and stood beside her. “There are six on the second level, but there are also a couple of rooms in the finished attic. I’m not certain if I’ll use those for the business, but it will be great for storage.” He pointed toward the far side of the house. “It also has this little apartment with another four rooms and a separate kitchen. It’s huge on the inside.”
“Does it have electricity?”
“Yes, it does.” He nodded toward the row of barns. “It even has electricity in that big barn over there.”
“It must’ve been Amish at some point. It has the apartment for the grandparents.” She gestured toward the house. “I love that porch.”
“It reminds me of yours.” He watched her study the property and thought about their conversation the day they shared a cup of coffee. He wondered if she would ever consider running the bed and breakfast with him. She had so many wonderful ideas about the business. She could cook Amish meals and tell the guests about the culture. He knew it was a far-fetched idea, but he couldn’t let it go. It would be a dream come true for both of them, and he longed to share this new life with Hannah.
She stepped over toward the fence by the pasture. “It’s breathtaking. I can see why you fell in love with this place first.”
“It feels like home.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I wish I could show you the inside, but it’s locked up. The rooms have a primitive charm. They are simple, but elegant.”
Hannah smiled. “You mean they look Amish?”
He laughed. “From what I know about the Amish, yes, they do.”
“Sounds li
ke home to me.” She gestured toward the car. “I better get back to the house. My children may be home soon.”
They continued discussing the house on the way back to her farm.
He parked in her driveway and cut off the engine. He then faced her while wishing that they had at least a few more hours together. “I had a great time today.”
“I did too.” Her smiled faded. “The day flew by too quickly. It seems as if you only just picked me up.”
“I was just thinking the same thing.” He tapped the steering wheel. “Hannah, I really care about you. Where do we go from here?”
“I don’t know,” she whispered.
He waited for her to continue, but she was silent. He wished she would open up more. Did she care about him too?
“May I see you again?” he asked.
“I care about you too, but I don’t know what to do. I need to figure out some things.” She gripped the door handle. “You’ll be at the hotel for a little while longer, right?”
He nodded. “Yes, I’ll be there until I close on the house. That’s if the sale works out, of course.”
“Gut.” She pushed the door open. “Thank you again, Trey. I look forward to seeing you soon.”
“I look forward to seeing you too.”
Hannah exited the car and then walked swiftly up to the porch. She turned and waved before disappearing into the house. And at that very moment, he knew he was deeply in love with Hannah Glick, and his heart would break if he was forbidden from seeing her again.
Later that afternoon, Hannah sat in the family room and tried to concentrate on a Christian novel while she awaited her children’s arrival. She’d scanned the same page more than a dozen times, but she couldn’t seem to absorb the words. Her thoughts were focused only on Trey and his church. She couldn’t stop the confusing thoughts spinning in her mind. She’d enjoyed her time with him more than she’d ever imagined, and she wanted to see him again soon. But how could she continue to sneak around like an out-of-control teenager?
“Mamm?” Amanda’s voice sounded from the kitchen.
“I’m in the schtupp.” Hannah closed the book and placed it on the end table beside her.
Amanda stood in the doorway. “How are you?”
“Fine.” Hannah stifled a yawn with her hand. “Excuse me. I’m a little tired.”
Amanda frowned. “Maybe you need to lie down for a while. Lily and I can serve supper.”
“Don’t be gegisch. I’ll take care of supper.” Hannah patted the chair beside her. “Tell me about your visit.”
“It was gut.” Amanda sat on the chair. “Mammi and Onkel Josh said they were disappointed you didn’t come, and they hope you feel better.” She studied her fingernails. “I really didn’t want to go without you. I’m still upset about everyone talking about you.”
Hannah touched Amanda’s arm. “Danki, but you have to forgive everyone, including your mammi. She thinks she knows what’s best for our family. She means well even if what she does is sometimes misguided.”
Amanda looked up at her. “Is Mammi the real reason you stayed home? You can tell me the truth. I won’t share it with anyone.”
Hannah couldn’t lie to her daughter. “Mammi was part of the reason.”
“What was the other part?”
“I had an uncomfortable conversation with your onkel Joshua Thursday night, and I’d like to let things settle between us for a couple of days.”
“Oh.” Amanda wrinkled her nose as if she were trying to figure out a difficult puzzle. “Does it have to do with how he feels about you?”
Hannah tried to hide her surprise. “How did you know that?”
“I’ve noticed things.” Amanda shrugged. “It’s kind of obvious. If you watch someone’s body language, you can figure out what they’re feeling.”
“How did you learn that?”
“Nancy read a book about it.” Amanda suddenly frowned. “I’m not going to go to the youth gathering tonight for a similar reason.”
“Was iss letz?”
Amanda ran her finger over the arm of the wing chair, which had been Gideon’s favorite. “I sort of had an argument with Nancy.”
“You did?” Hannah sat up straighter. “What did you argue about?”
“Hannah!” a voice called from the kitchen.
Amanda popped up from the chair and moved to the door. “Hi, Ruth. My mamm is in here.”
Hannah stood as her friend entered the family room. “Ruth. What a nice surprise. I wasn’t expecting to see you here today.”
Ruth smiled. “I’ve been thinking about you ever since we talked on Wednesday.”
“Please, have a seat.” She gestured toward the sofa, and Ruth sat down. Hannah then turned to Amanda. “Would you please go check on your siblings?”
“Of course.” Amanda hurried off to the kitchen.
Ruth folded her hands on her lap. “How are things going?”
Hannah hesitated. Although she’d always enjoyed talking with Ruth, she was worried Ruth might criticize her for not visiting her family today and instead spending time with Trey.
“I’m not here to chastise you.” She touched Hannah’s hand. “I’m here to offer support. No matter what other people may say, I support you. You’re mei freind, Hannah, and I treasure mei freinden, especially dear ones like you.”
“Danki. I treasure you too, Ruth. You seem to always listen without judgment and I need that right now.”
“And I promise you I always will.” She tilted her head. “Did you see the bishop Wednesday after work?”
“Ya, I did.” Hannah explained her visit with the bishop.
Ruth nodded her head while she listened. “You did the right thing, Hannah. I’m froh you spoke up about the rumors and explained yourself. I’m certain he kept his word and spoke to Elizabeth Beiler about giving Lillian a chance for the teaching position.”
“He did. Elizabeth went to see Lillian at work and told her that she’d recommend her to the board for the teaching position.”
“That’s wunderbaar!” Ruth clapped her hands together. “Everything worked out the way it should.”
Hannah shook her head while she thought about the day she’d spent with Trey. “I’m not certain about that.”
Ruth frowned. “This sounds serious.”
“It is.” Hannah looked toward the doorway and then moved her chair closer to Ruth. “What I’m going to tell you must stay between us and only us.”
“Of course it will remain between us.”
“I stayed home today while the kinner went to see Barbie. I couldn’t imagine spending the day trying to make small talk with her after knowing how she feels about me.” Hannah shook her head while guilt rained down on her. “I had planned to stay home, but once the kinner were gone, the house was too quiet.” She paused, wondering how she could admit what she’d done.
“Go on. I’m listening and I’m not judging you, Hannah. Remember, I’m your freind no matter what.”
“I called Trey, and I spent the day with him.”
Ruth’s eyebrows careened toward her hairline. “You called Mr. Peterson and spent the day with him?”
Hannah nodded.
“What did you do with him?”
“We went to his church service. We then went to lunch and visited a property he’s buying.” Hannah gnawed her lower lip and hoped that Ruth wouldn’t be disappointed in her.
“Hannah, do you realize what might happen if word gets around to the bishop?”
“I thought you were listening without judging me.” Hannah frowned. “I know I can be shunned, but I also realized something else today.”
“What did you realize?”
“I’m in love with him.”
Ruth gasped. “You can’t be serious. You hardly know him. How can you possibly make a relationship work? The only way it would work would be if he joined the Amish church or you left it.”
“I know.” Hannah rubbed her temple where a migraine was brewing.
“I’ve mulled this over again and again. It doesn’t make sense at all. I don’t understand why God would bring our paths together if there’s no way for it to work.”
“Do you think he wants to be Amish?”
Hannah shook her head. “I can’t see him converting.”
Ruth’s eyes were wide once again. “Are you thinking of leaving the faith?”
“No, I don’t think so.” Her voice was tentative.
“You don’t think so?” Ruth’s eyes narrowed. “That sounds to me like you’re not certain.”
Hannah’s shoulders drooped. “I know. I’ve been thinking about this all day, and my stomach is in knots. I can’t imagine leaving this community. This is my home, and it’s the only life I thought I’d ever want. My heart is here.”
“Your decision to leave won’t only affect you. Hannah, if you left the faith, what would happen to your kinner? What if they don’t want to leave the faith?”
“I know. The decision to leave would mean I would force my kinner to also leave, possibly against their will. But this is about more than just leaving the only community I’ve ever known. I wouldn’t be able to do business with anyone who is Amish. That means I also would have to move out of mei haus because I can’t rent a home or buy a home from anyone who is Amish. And I’d have to sell my part of the horse farm since Joshua wouldn’t be allowed to do business with me anymore. I know I can’t support myself well with only the salary from the hotel.” She rubbed her temple again. “It’s all so overwhelming, but I can’t deny how I feel about Trey. I just don’t know what to do. I feel like I’m standing at a great crossroads. The decision I make now will affect my life and mei kinner’s lives forever.”
Ruth nodded slowly. “You’re right. That means you need to choose wisely and not make your decision in haste.”
“I know.” Hannah wanted to ask Ruth what she should do, but she knew this had to be her decision. Only she could decide what was best for her and her children, and she prayed that God would make the right decision obvious to her.
Trey answered his phone on the second ring while driving back to the hotel after supper that evening. “Hello?”
“Trey!” Christy’s voice sang through the phone. “You left me a message last week, and I’ve been meaning to call you back. It’s been crazy here. How are you?”