Her Secret Twins

by Janette Foreman

“It’s not wrapped, but I’m guessing you’ll be fine with that.” He reached into the pocket of his jeans and fished out a small silk bag with its drawstring pulled tight.

  He handed it over, and Kallie’s eyes widened.

  She loosened the drawstring and let his grandmother’s ring slide into the palm of her hand.

  Kallie raised her gaze, rich and searching. “How long have you been carrying this around?”

  “Off and on since Nebraska. I picked it up from Mom while we were there.” Lacing her fingers with his, he closed her hand around the ring. “So will you, Kallie Shore? Marry me and be my wife?”

  Those long lashes blinked overtop blushing cheeks before she looked up at him, gaze glittering. “Only on one condition of my own. I’m going to need a lot of help with the kids if I’m going to be spending time in the kitchen making pies for my new husband.”

  He gently cupped her jawline in his hands, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs. He never knew one person could make him both so mad and so awestruck in the same lifetime. In the same week. But that was real romance, wasn’t it? “Oh, I’m planning on it, darlin’. And I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  Epilogue

  Ruby sounded the alarm that Grant’s truck was pulling into the turnaround—as did Lola and all her four pups, Lew, Hunter, Dash and Point. The six of them gathered at the screen door for their nightly routine of welcoming Grant home.

  September heat came through the screen door, but rain would be upon them soon, and Kallie loved the smell of an impending storm. As long as there wasn’t any hail.

  “Okay, okay.” She wove through the wiggly pups and opened the screen door, allowing them to propel themselves off the porch and down the walkway. She grinned, watching their enthusiasm for a minute before returning inside.

  Adding five dogs to the family was quite the adventure—it made nine dogs in total. But when Grant had adopted them from Helping Hands in order to give them a good home, and then gave them to Kallie as a wedding gift, she couldn’t imagine saying no. Now they were just as vital to the Bitter Creek Farm operations as everyone else.

  As for all the other dogs at Helping Hands, Grant had called his large list of clients, as well as all the operations who’d hired him to give seminars this past year. Amazingly enough, he’d secured an adoption for each and every dog the facility had.

  “Now,” Kallie said, whirling back into the house. “Places, everyone!”

  Peter and Ainsley, now sixteen months old, gave her huge, semi-tooth-filled grins as they stood in the living room. As she strode toward them, they let out a burst of high-anticipation giggles and tried their very best to climb up onto the sofa. Not that they were successful—yet. But it was coming, quicker than quick.

  “Okay, Daddy’s coming,” Kallie announced, wrangling each kid and helping them get up on the sofa. “Remember what I said. When Daddy comes in, we have to sit still.”

  They laughed and squirmed, completely amused by this new game.

  Kallie heard the door open and quickly sat the kids upright. “Hey!” she said, scurrying into the kitchen. She planted a kiss on Grant’s lips before tugging him into the living room. “I have a surprise for you.”

  “Another pie?”

  She shook her head. She’d already made enough of those to fill a lifetime. “Okay, kids. What did we learn to say today? Say Daddy.”

  But when she turned to the kids, Peter simply waved...and Ainsley had disappeared.

  The wording on his white T-shirt made no sense without his sister.

  Grant chased her down before she could climb the stairs. Pleased to be picked up, she nestled into Grant’s shoulder like she was finally home. And she really was. Because Grant was her daddy. That man’s arms provided shelter and grace like no one else’s.

  He did that for her, too.

  With a bout of tickling, Grant plopped Ainsley back on the sofa. “Say Daddy!” he said, bringing forth more giggles. Then he stopped and listened.

  “Daddy!” Ainsley cried out, arms flying into the air. Laughing, she squirmed away and tried to get down again.

  “Park it, sweetie pie!” Kallie plopped on the sofa between the two kiddos and scooped one onto each leg. She wouldn’t be able to do that for much longer. “Peter, say Daddy.”

  Peter gave a shy smile, chewing on a finger. “Daddy,” he murmured, quiet but proud.

  She didn’t think Grant could shine any brighter. “Nice work, kiddos,” he said. “It’s all I ever wanted.”

  Kallie rolled her eyes. She repositioned the wiggly kids on her lap. “Now, Daddy, do you like our new shirts?”

  She couldn’t read them with the kids on her lap, but she already knew them by heart. Peter’s shirt said “Gonna be,” and Ainsley’s shirt said “big siblings.”

  Grant read them, and his eyes widened. “Seriously?”

  “Yep.” Kallie couldn’t help but grin as she stood and let the kids scramble off the sofa to freedom. “I’m sure.”

  Beaming, Grant swung her around in his arms. “That’s the best news I’ve heard in a long time,” he said. “When?”

  “May sometime.”

  “Just like these two.”

  Kallie smiled. “Yeah, I suppose so. Guess it’ll be a busy month.”

  “Maybe we’ll have two again.” Grant laughed at Kallie’s wary stare. “Hey, you never know.”

  “What I do know, Grant Young,” Kallie said, sidling up to him and slipping her arms around his torso, “is that I’m the most blessed wife in all of South Dakota. You are the father I’ve always wanted for my children. And the husband I always wanted, too.”

  “Back at ya,” he said with a wink, sliding his thumb tenderly along her cheek. “I couldn’t ask for a more amazing wife.”

  For thirteen months, these kids’ family circle had consisted of Kallie’s Dad and her. She had convinced herself that it was all Peter and Ainsley needed. But seeing them with Grant and everyone else who’d recently come into their lives had opened Kallie’s heart to new possibilities. To new promises.

  To the incredibly rich tapestry of family.

  Life was good.

  * * *

  If you enjoyed this book,

  be sure to check out these other titles

  Finding the Road Home by Tina Radcliffe

  The Texan’s Promise by Jolene Navarro

  The Cowboy’s Unexpected Baby by Stephanie Dees

  Available now from Love Inspired!

  Find more great reads at www.LoveInspired.com

  Keep reading for an excerpt from The Amish Teacher’s Dilemma by Patricia Davids.

  Dear Reader,

  What words can I use to express my gratitude? You are the reason I write, and it is my prayer to always deliver a story to you that is heartfelt and God-honoring. I hope I’ve served the Lord with Grant and Kallie’s story and that you find hope in the midst of these pages.

  Life is messy and difficult, and we need each other to get through it. And being successful in life isn’t about gaining control. It’s about surrendering to the Father. His grace is sufficient for us, after all. And His strength is made perfect in our weakness. This is what Grant and Kallie learn as they fall in love a second time.

  It’s a truth I hope you embrace as well. You are loved by an Almighty Savior, and if you follow Him, His grace is sufficient for you, too.

  I’d love to connect with you, dear reader. You can find me on Facebook @AuthorJanetteForeman, on Twitter @AuthorJanetteF, on Instagram @AuthorJanetteForeman, and on Pinterest. And if you’d love more book news, freebies, and other fun things, you can sign up for my newsletter at www.JanetteForeman.com/author-news.

  Sincerely,

  Janette Foreman

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  The Amish Teacher’s Dilemma

  by Patricia Davids

  Chapter One

  “We are in agreement. Eva Coblentz, the position is yours. Do you have any questions for us? Now would be the time to ask them.”

  Eva gazed at the stern faces of the three Amish church elders sitting across the table from her. She should have a dozen questions, but her mind was oddly blank after hearing the news she had been praying for. The teaching job was hers. She wouldn’t have to return home in defeat.

  She wanted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. The men were all staring at her expectantly.

  She gathered her scattered thoughts. “I’ve no questions at the moment, Bishop Schultz. I’m grateful for the job.”

  “Very goot, then.” He nodded once.

  She inclined her head toward the other men. “I would like to thank the school board for giving me the opportunity to teach at New Covenant’s first Amish school.”

  She had the position. One that would support her for many years, God willing. Joy and relief made her giddy. Was she grinning like a fool? She wanted to jump for joy. She lowered her eyes and schooled her features to look modest and professional.

  But a tiny grin crept out. She had the job! She could do this.

  She glanced up. The bishop gave her a little smile then cleared his throat. “The house and furnishing will be yours to use as you wish.”

  “Danki.” A job and a home. A huge weight lifted from her chest. Her brother Gene was going to be shocked. He had discouraged her wild plan to travel to Maine alone as a foolish whim. Only her younger brother Danny understood her need to go. Gene said she would be back begging for a place to live in a matter of weeks, but she wouldn’t.

  The bishop gathered his papers together. “I think we can adjourn, brothers.”

  The meeting was being held in her future classroom. The building itself was so new it still smelled of cut pine boards, varnish and drying paint. Dust motes drifted lazily in the beams of light streaming through the south-facing windows that lined the room. The wide plank floor didn’t show a single scuff mark, and the blackboard’s pristine condition begged her to scrawl her name across it with chalk. It was a wonderful place to begin her teaching career.

  “You do understand that this is a trial assignment,” the man seated to the left of the bishop said. She struggled to recall his name. Was he Samuel Yoder or Leroy Lapp? The two had been introduced to her as ministers who shared the duties of overseeing the Amish congregation along with the bishop, but she had been so nervous their names didn’t stick with their faces. They were men in their fifties or sixties with long gray beards, salt-and-pepper hair and weathered faces.

  “I do understand that my contract will be on a month-by-month basis until I complete a full school year.” She had the job, but could she keep it? She had never taught before. She wasn’t sure what would be expected of her. Her school days were far behind her. What if she wasn’t any good at teaching? What if the children didn’t like her?

  The man beside the bishop sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. “I have taken the liberty of writing out a curriculum.” He pushed a thick folder across the table to her. “We expect modest behavior at all times. You must be an example to our kinder.”

  “Of course.” So no jumping for joy. She had the feeling her actions would be watched closely by this man.

  “Not everyone is suited to life in northern Maine. Our winters are harsh,” the same man said, giving her a stern look.

  She decided he was Samuel Yoder, the newly elected school board president. Well, it got mighty cold in Arthur, Illinois, too, and that had never kept her from her duties.

  She lifted her chin slightly, not wanting to appear overly bold or prideful as she had been accused of being in the past. “I plan to remain in New Covenant for many years. I’m not one who gives in to adversity easily. I rely on Gott for strength and He has not forsaken me.”

  “That is as it should be. Isn’t that so, Brother Samuel?” Bishop Schultz tried again not to grin, but a corner of his mouth tipped up. She liked him a lot.

  Samuel Yoder’s frown deepened. The man to his right grinned widely. He had to be Leroy Lapp. “You may count on my wife and me for any assistance getting settled in here.”

  “Danki.” Eva started to relax for the first time during her interview. A loud banging started outside the windows. It sounded like someone hammering on metal.

  “Das haus is acceptable?” Leroy raised his voice to be heard over the racket.

  “Ja, it’s a fine house.” It was the perfect size for her. A small kitchen, a sitting room with wide windows, a bathroom with modern plumbing and two bedrooms. In the backyard was space for a garden and a large blackberry bush loaded with fruit. She would have a home all to herself. Would it feel lonely? She could always get a cat.

  Samuel Yoder leaned toward her. “Our children have attended the local public school up until now. Some will find the change to a one-room schoolhouse difficult. I hope you can handle the situation.”

  Was he trying to scare her away? She looked down. “I will pray for guidance.”

  “We’ll leave you to inspect your new school.” The bishop rose and the other men did likewise.

  Eva realized she had forgotten one important thing. “Bishop Schultz, could some bookshelves be added to this classroom?”

  “I don’t see why not. How big and where do you want them?”

  She looked around the room and settled on the perfect place behind her desk. She crossed the room. “Here. About six feet long and three shelves high. I want the smallest child to be able to reach them all.”

  “It will take a lot of books to fill that much space.” Samuel’s dour expression showed his disapproval. “We don’t have the budget to buy so many.”

  She grinned at him. “Oh, you don’t have to buy them. I already have them. My brother will ship them here for me.” A job, a house and with the arrival of her beloved books she would have everything she needed to make her happy.

  The men exchanged glances, shrugged and filed out after lifting their black hats from a row of pegs near the door. The clanging outside continued.

  Her new school.

  Eva savored the words. She had spent the last of her savings to get here, and here she would stay no matter what her brother or Samuel Yoder thought. She got to her feet and turned in a slow circle with her arms held wide. This was her new life. Her new career. Her way to serve the Lord in the newly formed Amish settlement of New Covenant, Maine.

  At thirty years of age she would no longer be dependent on her older brother to provide for her. She could make her own decisions now. From the time she was fifteen she had been living off the charity of her brother Gene. Charity he gave grudgingly. She’d kept house and cared for their elderly grandparents who lived in the daadihaus, or grandfather’s house, next to the main home, tasks Gene’s wife, Corrine, claimed she couldn’t do because of her poor health. She had all she could manage taking care of her three boys.

  It wasn’t that Eva had been treated badly. She hadn’t been. Mostly she had been ignored. Like the extra cots Gene and Corrine kept for guests. Never thought about until they were needed. She hadn’t minded. It gave her more time to read. Books took her everywhere and anywhere. Each evening she would read to her grandparents who had both suffered from failing eyesight. Mostly she read the Bible and the newspaper to them but after her grandfather took himself off to bed Eva would get out one of the novels her grandmother enjoyed as much as she did. Eva treasured the memory of those evenings.

  Rather than risk losing Eva to marriage, her brother Gene had steered away every would-be suitor except one persi
stent fellow. Eva had quickly learned she couldn’t talk to a man who didn’t love books as she did. She wasn’t disappointed when he stopped seeing her.

  “Marriage isn’t for everyone,” her grandmother had told her. “Gott must have other plans for you. He will show you in due time.”

  When her grandparents had gone to their rest within a month of each other, Eva had been at a loss to fill the void in her life until she saw a newspaper ad for an Amish schoolteacher in Maine. Somehow, she knew it was meant for her. God was showing her a new path. She’d never taught school, but Amish schoolteachers received no formal training. She would learn right along with her students. It had taken all the courage she could muster to answer that ad and to tell her family she was leaving.

  Clang, clang, clang.

  The hammering outside grew louder. She scowled at the open door. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to compete with this much noise when she was trying to teach. She moved to the window to locate the source of the clatter. Across the road she saw a man pounding on an ancient-looking piece of machinery with steel wheels and a scoop-like nose on the front end.

  The man was Amish by his dress, not one of the Englisch neighbors that vastly outnumbered the Amish in their new community. He wore a straw hat and a collarless blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing muscular, tan forearms. He wielded the heavy hammer like it weighed next to nothing. His broad shoulder strained the fabric of his shirt.

  She saw the school board members get into their buggies and drive off. They waved but didn’t stop to speak to the young man.

  When he had the sheet of metal shaped to fit the front of the machine, he stood back to assess his work. Eva couldn’t see any imperfections, but he clearly did. He knelt and hammered on the shovel-like nose three more times. Satisfied, he gathered up his tools and started in her direction.

  She stepped back from the window. Was he coming to the school? Why? Had he noticed her gawking? Perhaps he only wanted to welcome the new teacher although his lack of a beard said he wasn’t married.