The Amish Christmas Gift

by Laura V. Hilton

  Elsie put the sandwich supplies away, cleaned up her mess, and headed for the door. And her coat. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  * * *

  A floorboard creaked.

  Levi put the block of wood down on the workbench.

  George, again? At least Levi had made significant progress between yesterday’s and today’s visits. The trains’ cars were all cut out in rough form and ready for the hand shaping with his whittling tools. And maybe if he showed George the toy train cars, he wouldn’t take apart the buggy.

  He turned toward the door as it opened, spread his hands out so George could see he was unarmed—and hopefully wouldn’t attack him with the walking stick—and looked at…Noah.

  Noah, who wore a serious, intentional expression that warned Levi this would be a conversation he didn’t want to have. But at least it wasn’t a total surprise, so maybe he wouldn’t come across as a jerk.

  Levi tried to muffle a sigh, brushed the thick layer of sawdust off a stool, and held his hand toward it. “Hey, Noah. Have a seat.” And then he cringed because that sounded rather abrupt. “Good of you to stop by.” Better late than never, right?

  Noah smiled, his ability to appear at ease whether he was or not—like Elsie’s—somewhat annoying Levi. The original facial expression had implied that Noah had to be as nervous about the upcoming conversation as Levi was. Noah straddled the stool and gave an exaggerated shiver as he glanced around. “A bit chilly out here, ain’t so?”

  Levi hadn’t noticed, but since Noah brought it up…“Now that I’m not working it is.” Levi crossed his arms and leaned his back end on the edge of the workbench. Time to cut the small talk. He wasn’t good at it anyway and preferred to get to the main point. “What do you need?”

  Noah’s smile faded. “You aren’t going to make it easy on me, are you?”

  “Should I? It’s about one of our sisters and—”

  “Both.” Noah jutted out his jaw. “I was going to ask permission to court Abigail, but maybe I should ask about your intentions regarding Elsie first.”

  Time to do damage control. Levi tried to muster a pleasant expression and find a calm yet firm tone of voice that would indicate he was the alpha dog here. Not Noah. This was his home. His family. “Permission granted. I know I don’t need to tell you that she’s fragile and still healing. Her recovery is slow and ongoing and—”

  Noah held up a hand, his expression open and friendly again. “I know. I’ve been seeing her as a friend for over a year. Close to two years. She’s my best friend. I didn’t expect to fall in love.”

  “Taking her out has its own set of challenges.” Levi had to warn the man. Noah had no idea what he was getting himself into. Lifting her in and out of the buggy, making sure where they went was wheelchair accessible, protecting her from unkind comments and gawkers…

  “Abigail told me. But our first date is going to be at your house at your taffy pull.” Noah spread his hands out. “You’ll be there, watching.”

  Watching? Hardly. Levi tried not to scoff. “It’s not my taffy pull. It’s Abigail and Elsie’s. I won’t even be there.”

  Noah’s smile flickered. “I think Elsie is kind of expecting to be your partner at the frolic.”

  “I don’t know why she’d expect that.” Except, he did. And worse, Noah witnessed that first passionate kiss since Levi and Elsie reconnected. Because he was strong-armed into hiring her as his elf. He unfolded his arms and waved a hand at his messy shop. “I’m on deadline.” An impossible one. “I told her I’d chaperone the barn area while I work.” At least he was pretty sure he had.

  “You and Elsie can’t be chaperones. You’re singles of courting age.”

  “But we wouldn’t be together in the same building.” And he wasn’t courting. Elsie might be in a relationship, though. And it made Levi lower than a snake to kiss another man’s girl. But then again, Elsie hadn’t exactly tried to stop him. Nor had she complained. Of course, that still didn’t make it right.

  Noah’s face screwed up as if he’d tasted something sour. “You’re not? But you…she…huh.”

  The man was holding back, clearly respecting Levi’s implied alphaness by not challenging him. But still, his facial expression and body stance spoke volumes.

  Time to change the subject. Or at least direct it away from him and Elsie. Levi crossed his arms again. “Your sister brought up the taffy pull, though I can’t remember why.” He’d kissed her since then. “She asked my permission to mention it to Abigail. I gave it, but I’m not real good at socializing, as I’m sure you know. Elsie suggested we chaperone.”

  “She knows better,” Noah muttered.

  Jah, and come to think of it, Levi knew better, too. Which meant Elsie had deliberately set out to mislead him—the conniving, manipulating, tempting…

  “Elsie can be persuasive.”

  Persuasive was a whole lot nicer a word than the ones Levi struggled to think of. Probably truer, too. Elsie, like Noah, was just plain nice.

  “Abigail was all over it when Elsie brought it up.” Levi looked down at his tennis shoe–clad feet and scuffed a toe in the thick layer of sawdust. “I didn’t realize how lonely she was.”

  “She’s alone all day. You’re around other people at work all the time.”

  Noah was a whole lot more forgiving than Levi, too. He could learn a lot from the Millers.

  “You should make an occasional appearance at the taffy pull, just to show your support to Abigail and Elsie.” Noah shifted on the stool, causing it to creak.

  He was probably right. Levi sighed and glanced up, ready to agree, but he caught a glimpse of the unfinished trains. The block of wood he’d just cut out taunted him. How could he possibly consider going to the frolic? There was no way this order would get completed if he wasn’t the adult, keeping his fingers on the sandpaper.

  Noah stood. “I’ll let you get back to work. I need to get Elsie home and Abigail almost has supper prepared.” He gave Levi a pointed look.

  A broad hint that Levi should temporarily close up shop and come say goodbye and stay in long enough for dinner. But saying goodbye would stretch the limits of his control. Especially after kissing Elsie the way he had. It was far wiser to keep his distance physically and mentally and think about the reason why he couldn’t marry instead of letting his strong feelings for her overrule his good sense.

  “I’ll be along in a bit,” he said and deliberately picked up the roughly cut-out boxcar.

  Noah huffed but left without another word…and after a moment, Levi followed, but just far enough to lurk in the shadows inside the open barn door.

  And from the safety of the darkness, he watched the sway of Elsie’s hips as she walked around the buggy and climbed in, the blood in his veins heating as he relived the too-short moments he held those curves in his hands.

  Keeping his distance was his only hope of surviving this.

  As he watched Noah drive the buggy toward the road, Levi’s cell phone rang in the workshop. Levi hurried back into the room. It was an unfamiliar number. Probably more work, but Levi didn’t need to look at his nonexistent planner to know he wasn’t available until after Christmas. Of course, that was factoring in the toy orders.

  “Wyse and Sons Construction.” He really should change the name of Daed’s business considering there were no sons—other than Levi—anymore. Never would be. “Levi speaking.”

  “Levi. This is Elsie Miller’s friend Jane Turner. I need some information about toy prices. Elsie didn’t know what you charged.”

  Levi frowned. “I can answer your questions, but you need to know I’m booked solid until after Christmas.”

  “That’s fine. So am I. We’ll go with an Easter delivery date for the toys. I can’t set up your website yet, so I’m listing them for sale on a popular crafter’s site. I—”

  “What?” He might have shouted the word.

  The woman hesitated, then started repeating herself. At least she added more information. �
��Elsie contacted me about building a website for Santa’s Workshop and she sent pictures of your creations. I think they’ll sell well, and—”

  Elsie contacted…building a website…the words fell into repeat as Jane continued talking. He might have answered Jane’s questions though he didn’t remember doing so. His brain was numb. His temper was not.

  Who gave Elsie Miller permission to have a website built for his hobby?

  And when did she take pictures?

  Was the bishop aware or would Levi be the one in trouble?

  He needed permission from Bishop Nathan before proceeding. He opened his mouth, interrupted Jane, and told her so.

  She acknowledged it with a scoffing sound.

  But as far as he was concerned, that was handled.

  “Thanks for calling. I’ll get back to you when I have permission,” he said. But he had no intention of following through either with Jane or the bishop.

  Furthermore, he needed to have another talk with his elf.

  * * *

  Elsie had to let Noah use her horse and buggy again the next day since his horse was still lame. He drove out to Zooks’ Salvage Grocery first, since she needed to fill Abigail’s grocery list. It still turned Elsie’s stomach to go there since she’d been unfairly fired—in her opinion—after only a few hours of work. No wonder Zooks’ were desperate for help if they fired everyone for no good reason. But unless she wanted to have Noah drive her to nearby Arthur to grocery shop, Zooks’ was the only option in Hidden Springs. And the trip to Arthur would take both of them out of their way, making Noah late for work at the cabinet shop.

  The sky was heavy with dark-gray clouds that appeared so packed with moisture that they hung close to the ground. Not foggy, since it’d been so frigid that both the air and the ground were cold. Still, the dark, heavy clouds added an eerie feeling that spooked Elsie’s overactive imagination. She really shouldn’t have stayed up into the wee hours of the morning reading that romantic suspense under the covers by flashlight so she wouldn’t disturb her sisters.

  “It smells like snow,” Noah said for what seemed like the umpteenth time since they left home that morning. His voice was filled with dread.

  Elsie didn’t see it as a huge problem. She’d just stay home this weekend and into next week if it got that bad. And maybe that “absence makes the heart grow fonder” quote would be true this time around. For both Levi and her family and friends. A girl could dream, anyway. She hated to leave them, but it was for the greater good: a future and a hope.

  Would the blizzard postpone her and Sam’s leaving? If it did, it wouldn’t be by much.

  Noah had a bigger problem with the snow because the Amish-owned company he worked for relied on Englisch-owned construction companies or worked for the Englisch, and when roads got really bad, travel was discouraged unless it was an emergency.

  Horses were fine on ice or a slick concrete parking lot. Their shoes were covered with grill tec that enabled them to grip ice. It was ever so much safer in a buggy with ice than a car, as drivers could lose control faster than a buggy driver.

  She grabbed her purse, double-checked to see if she still had Abigail’s list, then climbed out of the buggy and trudged into Zooks’ as Noah secured the horse.

  “Free ice cream!” Thomas Zook bellowed as the sleigh bells rang on their hook over the door. They were new since Monday. “Buy two full price, get one free. Discounted flavor my choice.”

  “Dill pickle, per chance?” Noah quipped behind her, a hint of laughter in his voice.

  Thomas Zook appeared around the endcap, scowling. His eyes narrowed as they rested on Elsie. “You,” he growled.

  “Me!” Noah boomed.

  She waved the shopping list. “I’ve come in peace.” But her face burned.

  Thomas Zook muttered something under his breath and turned away. “Let me know when you’re ready to check out.” At least that was said in a much nicer tone.

  “I do need ice cream. But Abigail specified vanilla. It’s for the punch. And I would be embarrassed to give her dill pickle ice cream.” Elsie grabbed a basket and headed for the back of the building, where the perishable items were kept. On the way she grabbed the other items on Abigail’s list. Finally, she stopped at the ice cream display and sorted through it. Not a vanilla in the bunch. The closest they had was eggnog.

  Noah leaned over. “It’s a fruit punch, right? They have pumpkin flavor.” He straightened, clutching a box picturing a light-orange-colored ice cream.

  “I don’t think so.” Elsie made a face at Noah.

  He placed the box back into the case and frowned. “Eggnog might work. I guess. Maybe. Or I could make a side trip into Arthur to another grocery store before I come for the taffy pull tonight, but then I’d be late.”

  Elsie shrugged. “We’ll try eggnog. If she doesn’t want to, I’m sure some of the guys will eat it anyway.”

  “I would.” Noah grabbed two boxes. “We gotta take advantage of that buy-two-get-one-free offer.”

  Elsie glared at him.

  He chuckled but kept both boxes as he walked toward the exit.

  She rolled her eyes and headed for the front and the lone checkout where Thomas Zook waited.

  Noah held the two ice cream cartons high.

  Thomas Zook grinned. “I am so excited to gift you with a free cartoon of dill pickle ice cream.” He turned, grabbed a box from a small freezer on an open shelf, and set it on the counter. “Enjoy!”

  “And I am so excited to receive it.” Noah waited until all the groceries were rung up and paid for; then he found the package of dill pickle ice cream in one of the plastic bags and, with a wink at Elsie, placed it in the benevolence box that went to the needy in the community.

  Then, while Thomas Zook spluttered, Noah grabbed the plastic bags full of the purchases and carried them out the door.

  Elsie hurried after him. She wanted to be long gone before Thomas Zook found his voice. “You are so bad,” she said to Noah as she scurried into the buggy.

  “Jah, and Daed will hear about it, I’m sure. But it will be worth the end result.”

  “I hope. He might make us apologize.”

  “Maybe to the needy.” Noah laughed. “Possibly a cursory one to Zook for tricking him.” He climbed in and backed the horse away from the hitching post. “I don’t think it’s kneel-and-confess-before-the-church-worthy.”

  Elsie hoped not. That’d be so embarrassing. Especially in front of Levi. But at least she wouldn’t have to do it alone. Or at all since Noah was the one to do the buying and “gifting.”

  As they pulled onto the road, a horse and buggy approached on the opposite side of the street, and even though the driver wore the standard black coat and hat, she could recognize Levi anywhere.

  Apparently, he felt the same way because his gaze locked on hers.

  Noah raised a hand in greeting, but Levi kept his focus on her until they passed each other.

  She adjusted the rearview mirror to keep his buggy in sight.

  And smiled when a hand came out of the other buggy, adjusting his.

  Chapter 14

  Friday evening when Levi returned home from work finishing the bad plumbing job, the yard and pasture were full of buggies.

  What? Why? What had Elsie done now? This on top of the website issue seemed too much.

  Levi took his hat off to eliminate the shadows it created and rubbed his tired eyes, then looked again. There were definitely dozens of buggies there. Had she invited all the youngies over? Wait. She had. A taffy pull so Abigail could spend time with Noah.

  Levi exhaled heavily. It was amazing how quickly Elsie and Noah got the word out about the taffy pull. Abigail was probably over-the-moon excited. And all these people were there before the supper hour, which meant two things: They brought food for snacks or supper, and more people would likely be coming when they got off work or finished chores.

  It also meant he’d be hidden in the barn. Working. Freezing because his
space heaters didn’t put off much heat. Hiding from all these people and the desperate-to-be-married females of the group who thought he was fair game. And starving just thinking about all the food.

  On cue, his stomach rumbled.

  He steeled himself and drove the buggy toward the open barn doors. Open! He was certain they were shut when he’d left in the morning, which meant someone or more than one someone was lurking in the barn—in Levi’s personal space. He’d shoo them out in short order. He parked the buggy and was unhitching Trouble when George tapped his way into the area from somewhere. Hopefully, he hadn’t been in Levi’s workshop messing with tools and the toys.

  “Horses and buggies outside,” George bellowed.

  “I live here,” Levi shouted back. It strained his vocal cords. He wasn’t used to raising his voice.

  George halted, frowned, and scrutinized Levi, then apparently decided he was telling the truth. “Okay. Take care of the horse then get to the house. No one is supposed to be out here. Including you. Abigail’s orders.” Everything was said at top volume.

  Levi frowned. There was notepaper in his shop, but it would take too much yelling to try to make George understand that Levi needed paper to explain why he needed to be in the barn. Maybe. He pointed toward his workshop. “Deadline,” he shouted, unintentionally, then cringed.

  George’s face screwed up. “Dead? Who’s dead?”

  “Paper,” Levi yelled.

  “The paper’s dead?” George loudly asked. He looked at Levi as if he wondered whether Levi was mentally off.

  Why was George there guarding the barn anyway? Did someone seriously ask him to chaperone? Although if the elderly man did catch someone making out in the barn, all the shouting would ruin the mood. And if it didn’t, one good whack from that very sturdy walking stick would do the trick.

  Something to keep in mind on the off chance he was alone with peppermint-scented Elsie.

  Although, maybe she had a date. A very attentive date.

  Oh, that thought hurt. But it was a very real possibility.