by Amy Clipston
As she walked past the stables, Janie spotted Jonathan standing by one of the stalls. He must have worn his spare hat today. Since her driver had dropped her off fifteen minutes early, she had time to talk to him for a moment. She’d spent most of last night worrying about him, and she longed to check on him as well as return his hat.
The scent of animals and wet hay filled her senses as she stood by the entrance to the stable. She watched Jonathan gently rubbing a horse’s forehead and muzzle as he quietly talked to the animal. She recognized the chestnut-colored Belgian from the accident. She was drawn to Jonathan’s concern for the horse as she took in the sight of the man in front of her. Jonathan was tall and slender, but muscular. He was handsome with chiseled cheekbones and a perfectly proportioned nose. He looked older than she was.
Janie had never seen him before yesterday, and she wondered where he lived. Jonathan’s strong jaw was clean-shaven, so he wasn’t married.
Janie stepped into the stable. Her shoes crunched on the hay, causing Jonathan to turn toward her. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, and she hoped her thoughts weren’t written all over her face.
“Gude mariye,” she said as she walked over to him. “How are you feeling today?”
“I’m fine. Danki.” He smiled, but the happiness didn’t reach his eyes. He still seemed upset.
“How’s your arm?”
Jonathan glanced down and rubbed it. “It’s sore, but the doctor said it’s only a sprain. He gave me a sling, but I don’t need it. I iced my arm for a while last night, and it seemed to help.” His attention moved to the straw hat in her hand. “Is that mine?”
“Ya, it is.” She’d been so busy admiring Jonathan that she almost forgot she was holding his hat. “I picked it up yesterday.”
“Danki.” He took the hat from her hand and examined it. “I was wondering if it had been damaged in the accident.”
“No, it seems like it’s still perfect.” She smiled up at him.
“I appreciate that you picked it up for me. I asked Craig about it last night when he stopped by my grandparents’ haus to see me, and he said he hadn’t seen it.” He gave her another tentative smile and then hung the hat on a hook beside the stall door. He pointed to his forehead, where a fresh bandage covered his wound. “Thanks also for taking care of me yesterday. You’d make a wunderbaar nurse.”
Janie chuckled and fingered the strap of her tote bag. “No, I don’t think so. I just know how to apply ointment and bandages.”
“You do a gut job.” Jonathan leaned against the stall, and the horse sniffed his hat and then his shoulder.
“How is he?” she asked, pointing to the horse.
“Bucky is fine.” Jonathan turned toward the horse and rubbed his chin. “He was a little spooked but he’s okay.”
Janie’s thoughts turned to the accident, and her father’s words of warning echoed through her mind.
“I’m going to be working in the stables now,” Jonathan said while keeping his eyes focused on the horse.
“What do you mean?” She stepped closer to him and inhaled his scent of earth mixed with sunshine.
“Craig doesn’t want me doing the buggy tours anymore. Well, at least for now.” He shrugged, but she found disappointment in his eyes. “He asked me to work in the stables instead.”
“Why doesn’t he want you to give tours?” Janie knew the answer, but she wanted to hear what Craig had told Jonathan.
“He said his lawyer felt I should step down from giving the tours in case anyone in the tour group sues.” He faced her and gestured around the stable. “I enjoy taking care of the horses, and mucking stalls isn’t so bad.”
“But the accident wasn’t your fault.” The words slipped from her lips before she could stop them. “I saw you signal before you guided the horse into the parking lot. And the driver was—”
“I appreciate your concern, but it doesn’t matter.” Something flickered in his brown eyes, but he shook off her words. “I’m froh to have the job. I’m just trying to help out my grandparents while I visit them for the fall. And we don’t have much interaction with tourists in Maryland, so this is like a treat for me.”
Janie let his words soak through her. Jonathan was only visiting his grandparents for the fall, and then he’d return to Maryland. Why did this information bother her so much? She didn’t even know him.
And maybe she should stay out of this, just as her father asked, and not even tell Jonathan she saw the driver distracted. Surely she wasn’t the only one who saw him signal, so just as Marie said, he would be okay. She’d have to keep that information to herself to obey her father.
“Thanks again for retrieving my hat. It’s my favorite one,” Jonathan said, changing the subject. He nodded toward the hat, still hanging on the hook beside the stall despite Bucky’s interest.
“Gern gschehne.” She pointed toward the building that housed the souvenir shop and the offices. “I’d better get to work. I’m going to eat at the picnic table where we sat yesterday if you’d like to join me for lunch.” She wasn’t planning on asking him to eat lunch with her, but again, the words seemed to escape her lips without forethought. She held her breath, hoping he wouldn’t reject her.
“I’d love to.” His smile was genuine this time, lighting up his handsome face.
“Great,” she said. “I’ll see you around noon.”
“I look forward to it.”
Janie hurried toward the main building as excitement rushed through her. She couldn’t wait to see Jonathan again at lunchtime. Not only was he handsome, but he was nice and easy to talk to. She felt as if she’d made a new friend, and she couldn’t wait to get to know him better.
Jonathan watched Janie head toward the souvenir shop. She was several inches shorter than his six-foot stature and stunningly beautiful. Her green dress complemented the red hair peeking out from under her prayer covering. Her hair resembled the deep orange hues of the summer sunset. Her eyes were bright blue, like the cloudless summer sky, and her skin was pale, reminding him of the porcelain dolls he’d once seen in a gift shop in Baltimore.
Jonathan surmised Janie was in her early twenties, which was much too young for him, but there was something about her that captivated him. Was it her sweet spirit? He shook the thoughts away, reminding himself that he was going to return to Maryland in a couple of months. It was silly to think about a maedel he’d never see again.
Jonathan grabbed a shovel as he contemplated his conversation with Janie. She seemed determined to defend his innocence in the accident even though he told her he was fine with working in the stable. It warmed his heart that she would insist on supporting him even though she barely knew him.
As Jonathan mucked out a stall, he realized how much he was looking forward to eating lunch with Janie and learning more about her. All he knew was that she used to take care of her sick uncle until he passed away. He wondered where she lived. Did she have a boyfriend?
Jonathan stopped shoveling and grimaced. Why was he torturing himself by thinking about Janie that way? He was leaving soon, and he didn’t know when he’d be back to Pennsylvania. Besides, relationships never turned out the way he planned. After having his heart broken twice, he’d given up on love. He was better off alone.
Jonathan swiped the back of his hand across his brow and returned to the task at hand. He would put Janie out of his mind for now and not think about her until lunchtime.
Janie retrieved her lunch bag from the refrigerator in the break room, plucked her sweater from a closet, and hurried out through the front of the store, waving to Eva as she headed outside. She’d spent all morning thinking about Jonathan. She found herself watching the clock, impatiently awaiting noon. She couldn’t wait to find out more about his life in Maryland.
Her excitement dissipated when she found the picnic table empty. Where was Jonathan? Maybe he had gotten too busy in the stables to break for lunch, or even forgotten about their plan to eat together.
Jan
ie sat facing Old Philadelphia Pike and opened her lunch bag. She pulled out her chicken breast sandwich and bottle of water and then bowed her head in silent prayer. When she opened her eyes, she turned around and saw Jonathan crossing the parking lot, holding a brown paper bag in one hand and waving to her with the other. She smiled and waved back as happiness rang anew inside her.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said as he sat down across from her. “I lost track of time.”
“It’s fine,” she said. “I’m glad you could make it.”
After a prayer, Jonathan pulled a sandwich and bottle of water out of his bag. “How was your morning?”
“Gut.” She opened her bottle of water. “The store has been busy today.”
“I noticed,” he said, glancing around the parking lot. “The horses and buggies have been going all morning too.” He seemed to be in a much better mood.
“Ya, they have.” She took a sip of water as she considered her curiosity. Would she seem too forward if she began firing off questions about his life?
“Do you live far from here?” Jonathan asked before biting into his sandwich.
“No, not very far at all,” Janie said with a smile, relieved that he started the conversation. “I live in Ronks.”
“Oh,” he said with recognition twinkling in his eyes. “I know where that is. My grandparents live close-by. They’re near the bakery. Do you know where the bakery is in Bird-in-Hand?”
Janie nodded while chewing.
“They’re only a few blocks from here, and they’re right next door to Craig and Bianca. My grandparents live in a daadihaus on mei onkel’s farm.” He took another bite of his sandwich.
“How long are you going to visit them?” she asked, hoping she didn’t sound as eager as she felt.
Jonathan shrugged. “I’ll probably be here through November.”
“Oh.” She pulled a plastic zippered bag of peanut butter cookies from her lunch bag and held it out to him. “Do you like peanut butter kichlin?”
He grinned. “Are you kidding? I love them.”
Janie laughed. “Take a few. Mei schweschder makes the best kichlin.”
“Danki.” Jonathan bit into one and nodded. “They are fantastic.”
“I’ll tell her you said that.”
“Is your schweschder older or younger than you?” he asked before taking another bite of the cookie.
“She’s two years older. She’s twenty-two.” Janie took a sip of her water.
“Do you have any brothers?”
“Ya, mei bruder, Samuel, is married. He and his fraa, Mandy, have a boppli named Becky.” She smiled. “Becky is the sweetest little boppli. How about you?”
“Two bruders. I’m the middle kind.” Jonathan broke another cookie in half. “Mei bruder Daniel is thirty-two, and mei bruder Peter is twenty-seven. I’m the middle one and the shortest.”
Her eyes widened. “You’re the shortest?”
Jonathan chuckled, and she enjoyed the rich warmth of his laugh. “That’s the truth. Daniel is six-foot-two, and my baby brother, Peter, is six-foot-four.”
“Oh goodness.” Janie gasped. “They’re very tall.”
“Ya, they are, and they like to remind me I’m shorter than they are.” He opened his bottle of water and fingered the cap. “They’re both married and have kinner. I’m the outcast who isn’t married and doesn’t have a family. Mei mamm keeps telling me she’s worried about me because I’ll be thirty in four months and I haven’t found a fraa.” He shrugged as if it didn’t bother him, but she saw vulnerability in his eyes.
“Oh.” Janie studied his face. “What kind of business do your bruders run?”
“Peter is a dairy farmer, and Daniel is a carpenter. Daniel went into business with mei dat.” He spun the cap with his fingers and watched it turn. “I work with mei dat and Daniel, but I came up here to get away for a little while. I wanted to visit my grandparents and help them out. Mei onkel takes care of them, but he’s so busy during harvest time.” He looked sheepish. “I’m sure you’re bored with hearing about my life. Tell me about yours.”
“Well, there’s not much to tell.” Janie placed her sandwich on her napkin. “I live with my parents and schweschder, Marie. Mei dat and bruder work at Bird-in-Hand Builders, the shop Dat and mei onkel Raymond owned together, but they don’t need mei schweschder and me to work there. Mei bruder and cousin help Dat run things just fine.
“Marie and I used to take care of our onkel Raymond. He was on dialysis, and our aenti had died several years ago. Marie and I took turns caring for him while our cousin Mike worked. After Onkel Raymond passed away, I babysat for my neighbor for a few months. Mei freind Eva also works here. We grew up together, and we’re in the same youth group. When she told me Craig had an opening, I jumped at the chance to work here.”
“And you had an exciting first day.” Jonathan held up his bottle of water toward her as if to toast her.
“That is true.” She took another bite of her sandwich. Again, she was amazed at how Jonathan’s outlook had improved since just that morning. Maybe he had begun to really believe the accident wasn’t his fault.
They were both silent for a few moments as they chewed. The clip-clop of hooves filled the air as a horse and buggy returned to the parking lot after a tour. They both looked over toward the buggy, and Jonathan’s smile faded.
“Craig told me the passengers who were in the crash are going to be okay,” Jonathan said. “The worst injuries were a broken arm and a mild concussion.”
“I’m froh to hear they will all be okay.” She studied his handsome face and once again saw guilt there. “I’m glad you’re okay too. When I saw you fall, I was afraid you were badly hurt.”
“You were worried about me?” He looked stunned.
“Of course I was. Why wouldn’t I be?” Janie handed him another cookie, and his hand brushed hers. Her skin tingled at the contact. Had he felt that too?
“Danki,” Jonathan said, his intense eyes studying hers. “I always loved coming to see my grandparents when I was little. Bird-in-Hand is one of my favorite places.”
“What sort of things did you do when you visited?”
“Mei daadi always took mei bruders and me fishing,” Jonathan said with a smile. “One time, mei bruders and I all wound up in the water.”
Soon they were both laughing at his funny fishing stories, and when they finished eating, they walked across the parking lot, side by side.
“I enjoyed lunch,” Jonathan said as they approached the stables. “May I join you again tomorrow?”
“Absolutely,” Janie said, thrilled that he would ask.
Jonathan grinned and tipped his hat to her, and Janie’s heart fluttered as she smiled. She watched him amble into the stable, and she knew she was already falling for Jonathan Stoltzfus.
Chapter Three
Janie hummed to herself while organizing the postcards for sale in the souvenir shop. The store had opened thirty minutes earlier, and a group had already come in and bought tickets for the first round of buggy rides. After the group left, Janie and Eva busied themselves with straightening the displays and preparing for the next rush of customers.
She’d thought about Jonathan all weekend and couldn’t wait to see him again. She hoped he’d thought of her during the weekend too. And, most of all, she hoped he would eat lunch with her again this week as he had every day last week. She looked forward to the one hour each day they spent talking and laughing together.
After the postcard display was straightened, she moved to the T-shirts on display and began folding and organizing them by size.
“Gude mariye, Janie.”
Startled, Janie spun and saw Jonathan grinning at her. “Jonathan,” she said with surprise. “Hi. Wie geht’s?”
“How was your weekend?” he asked, crossing his arms over his wide chest. His blue shirt complemented his tan skin and dark hair.
“It was gut,” she said, trying her best not to stare at him. “How wa
s yours?”
“Gut.” He paused for a moment. “Lunch today?”
“Ya,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound too eager. “Of course.”
“Great.” Jonathan held up a paper sack. “I brought some of mei mammi’s kichlin to share with you. You can tell me if they are as gut as Marie’s kichlin.”
“I can’t wait.” And she couldn’t.
“I have to get out to the stable, but I’ll see you later.” He gave her another electric smile and headed toward the back of the store.
“Janie,” Eva gushed, sidling up to her. “Jonathan likes you!”
“Shh,” Janie hissed. “Keep your voice down or he’ll hear you.”
“He’s in the break room,” Eva said, waving off Janie’s worry. “So what’s going on with you two?” Her grin was wide.
“Nothing. We’re just freinden.” Janie picked up another stack of T-shirts and began absently folding them to avoid her friend’s questioning stare. “We ate lunch together last week.”
“Every day?” Eva asked.
“Every day except for Monday. It’s not a big deal, Eva. We only talk about our families and share funny stories.” Janie saw Jonathan walking back through the store, and she gave Eva a warning look.
“See you later,” Jonathan said as he moved past them. “Have a gut morning.”
“You too,” Janie and Eva sang in unison.
“That’s so sweet that you ate together,” Eva commented once Jonathan was gone. “I’m sure he’s grateful for your friendship.”
“What do you mean?” Janie asked.
“His mammi told Bianca that Jonathan had his heart broken twice. He dated two maed, each for a long time, and they both broke up with him. His last girlfriend is going to marry one of his freinden.” Eva shook her head. “He was so heartbroken he decided to come up here and spend the fall with his grandparents. He didn’t want to be in town for their wedding.”
“That’s so bedauerlich.” Janie clicked her tongue. Now she understood the vulnerability she’d seen in his eyes when he said he was the only son in his family who wasn’t yet married.
