by Mindy Steele
“Nee, she isn’t.” Mica added with an equally deep timbre. “Our Belinda here raises flowers, helps run the greenhouses, and even finds time to be charitable in helping her neighbors.” Belinda didn’t like the grin Mica was tossing her—or the way he was talking her up as if she was a horse for market.
“You don’t remember me, do you?” She dug deep. That face, those high cheekbones and eyes that looked as dark as coffee, didn’t register in her memory.
“I moved away before you were a teenager.” The man scratched his head. “More than ten years ago, maybe.”
“Twelve,” she mumbled, finally registering him. Abner’s face lit up at even this soft word.
“Can I go fetch you both a water? It’s standing room only,” he explained to her as if he could tell she had never been here before.
“We’re fine. So what brings a horse man to a produce auction?” Mica moved closer to Belinda as the crowd grew thicker. His protectiveness never swayed, and for that she loved him all the more. A few voices to her left indicated the auction was about to start. She held her hands primly in front of her, trying her best not to bite her lip again.
“My onkel needed help hauling in cucumbers and beans. He heard they were bringing as much as forty dollars a bushel here.” He looked to Belinda again. Why did he keep doing that? “And it’s on my way.” He winked.
“On your way?” Mica asked.
“I’m moving back. To Havenlee.” He floated Belinda a shy smile. Suddenly it was clear. Nelly was right; she was slow-minded when it came to the opposite sex. Abner Lapp, the man she barely had a memory of, was flirting. And not once had he glanced at her cheek. She couldn’t help feeling validated after years of assuming her looks were less than acceptable. Adam might have made her think outside of her normal thoughts, but he was also clear that they were only partners. They certainly weren’t courting. They weren’t even friends who would share truths about one another—meaning she had to hear about his and Susanne’s break-up from others.
“I’ve missed a lot since I left,” Abner replied to whatever he and Mica had been prattling on about. He locked his eyes onto her again, and for a brief moment, Belinda boldly held his gaze. He was really handsome, but those eyes weren’t soft or easy, and they didn’t change colors. And anyway, for all she knew he had girlfriend, maybe even a family. She ducked her head.
“So you have a family, wife, kinner, who will be coming with you?” Mica asked, as if reading her mind.
“Just me, though I am eager to have all those things. I plan to open a leather shop. I’ve found the work suits me. Little need of it where I’ve been, but in Havenlee, might be what’s best for all my hopes and dreams.” His gaze trapped her again, and Belinda fought the urge to squirm.
“We should go,” Mica said, taking her elbow. “I’d like to see about some seed.” His whole demeanor had shifted, and Belinda wasn’t the only to notice.
“I hope to see both of you soon.”
Mica’s gaze went from her to Abner. “Jah, soon. Come by for supper sometime. You know where I live.”
“I will do that.” Abner tipped his hat toward her and offered another smile before disappearing into the crowd. Mica urged Belinda in the opposite direction as the auctioneer’s amplified voice spouted numbers so fast Belinda couldn’t make out a one of them.
“Would you loosen your hold, bruder? I might need that arm.” Mica let go.
“He was flirting with you.” It wasn’t a question. The disgruntled tone in his voice irked her. Wasn’t he the one who encouraged her to reconsider Noah’s offer to ride home after church? And wasn’t he solely responsible for her helping Adam with his honey harvest?
“Jah. I noticed.” She smiled, showing him she no longer cared what he thought.
“You didn’t mind?” Mica shot her a frown.
“I’m not a baby. Most my friends are married with bopplin. You talk about Noah, practically pushed me on Adam...”
“I did that, I guess.” He couldn’t look at her. “I thought Adam was courting Susanne. I’m sorry if that made you uncomfortable, but I’m not for you falling in with Abner. I know him. You deserve better.” Belinda didn’t ask for details. She trusted Mica with all her heart, and would heed the warning he was trying to offer. And maybe she would forgive him for conspiring to bring about her current partnership too. Despite Adam’s sharp tongue and lies, she needed him. He had been good for her business.
“Danki, Mica. You are the perfect bruder, but promise you won’t meddle any more. I think I can handle being a grownup now.”
His smile came slow, his green eyes smiling too. “I promise. Unless you ask.” Who could want for more?
Monday morning, Adam dragged himself into the mill on two tired legs. Tobias knew he had a lot on his mind, and the friends talked about the long weekend Adam couldn’t shake. “I explained everything to them, but my parents are getting the wrong idea.”
“I tried telling ya.” Tobias nailed another board onto the pallet frame. Adam carried over another armload for the men. They had an order to finish two hundred pallets by day’s end, and it didn’t seem they would reach it. A warm breeze picked up and swirled sawdust into the air. Adam had never been so tired in all his life. It felt like he was running completely on empty.
“I told them I wasn’t interested in another courtship. I mean, why would I put myself through all that again? I would rather be alone than put up with betrayal. Besides, a beekeeper isn’t sought-after marrying material.” Adam dropped his armload and smacked his palms together.
“Well, bees aren’t really manly,” Tobias teased. “I’m kidding. You make more in honey than I do here. And you don’t smell as bad as a dairy farmer. In fact, you smell kind of...flowery.” A man in the back of the long room whistled.
“Ha ha. It’s from the flower shop. Can’t walk in there and not come out smelling like it.” He grunted. “Belinda says I smell like sawdust.”
“She does, does she?” Tobias lifted a knowing brow.
“It’s not like that. We are partners. We spend time together, but only to get our work done.”
“Good! Just keep it that way. I know it’s tempting, but if you thought Susanne was a mistake, try getting fresh with Belinda and see where that gets ya.” Tobias snorted out a laugh.
“What does that mean?” Adam didn’t see any humor in the remark.
“She has made it very clear to every fellow in the county she has no interest in romance,” Tobias reminded him. It was true, Belinda had done exactly that, but a person could change their mind, couldn’t they? “One word of affection would send her running.”
“She isn’t like that.” Adam went back to nailing, helping fill in for two absent workers. “In fact, she’s smart, and funny, and surprisingly witty.” He hoped she was having a good time with Mica at the auction today. Part of him wished he was there to help her deal with the crowds that must be making her anxious, but Adam knew Mica was well-practiced in seeing to Belinda’s needs.
Tobias lifted a sharp pointed brow dusted with sawdust. Adam regretted the words the second they left his lips.
“You’re partners, like you said. She needs you and you need her for your businesses to succeed. What would happen if you start talking more, show an interest, and it doesn’t work out between you?”
For a man who thought nothing of spreading his charms over two communities, Tobias was spot-on, surprisingly so. “I am getting to know her, which has surprised me plenty, but you’re right.” Adam shifted, and sank to his knees to work on the concrete floor. “She already thinks she was my last choice for help, and she was. I’m just lucky she could do it.” Lucky, blessed, intrigued. He didn’t dare share those thoughts with his best friend.
“Would you risk all you worked for over a maedel who has made it clear she wants a solitary life? Heck, they all do in that house. Neither Tabitha and Mica
care for a date. It could go bad, Adam.” Tobias’s tone held a warning.
Adam considered what his friend was trying to say. It was odd that the Graber siblings all had set aside any thought of marriage at their age, but their lives were extremely busy. He, for one, understood the strains of courting, and admired their ability to set aside their wants to help their family’s prosperity grow. It was clear he was likely to follow the same path. The safer path. “If you don’t have another person to be responsible for, you won’t fail. Stick with being friends and partners, or you will be sorry.” It was sound advice, even if it came from Tobias.
“I agree. Besides, the last thing I need is making any more mistakes. It was embarrassing enough dealing with all those looks on Sunday.” If he couldn’t satisfy a woman like Susanne Zook, he could never please one like Belinda. She required a special kind of man, as special as she was. He was not that. All he had to do was get through until his daed was back to work. The physical therapist said Atlee was doing great, and Adam had even helped him to the supper table last night. Adam just needed to keep his head straight, his heart hidden, and focus on the bees for the next few months.
And whatever he did, avoid Belinda Graber as much as possible.
Chapter Fifteen
The following Tuesday morning, as was becoming routine, Adam stopped in front of the flower shop. He toted three buckets inside and was immediately greeted by Marcy. “Good morning, Adam. Oh, these look so beautiful.” He set the buckets down, took a step back. Today Marcy wore bright orange, and he tried not to stare at her outlandish style.
“I wish you could convince your friend to come with you just once. I would love to meet the one responsible for such beauty.” Adam wished he could convince Belinda to come to town, too. Then she could meet Marcy and Mia herself, and he wouldn’t have to get the flowers every morning and drop off the buckets every night, sneaking around like a thief to avoid seeing her.
“Belinda is...” He removed his hat, ran his fingers over his hair. “Shy. She doesn’t do well with others.” That’s not why I have been avoiding her for over a week, his conscience whispered. Keeping some distance was hard with the harvest upon him, but Tobias’s wisdom made more sense as the days went by.
“Well, maybe she hasn’t met the right people.” Marcy winked a dark eye, and she lifted a bucket and sat it on a low table. “I had a cousin who was afraid of her own shadow,” she went on. “She was bullied in school because she was very sick and had to bring an oxygen tank with her everywhere she went.” Adam watched her usually cheerful expression darken. “Kara had leukemia, and you would think even children would have sympathy because of that, but some didn’t. They called her many names and her parents ended up teaching her at home, until...” Her words fell short and she sniffed. Adam felt his chest tighten. When their eyes locked, he knew Kara was no longer alive.
“I’m sorry,” was all he could offer, surprised Marcy cared to share such personal information with him.
“She spent two years, her last two years, with no friends except for a chattering cousin who couldn’t see her often enough.” Marcy emptied the bucket and went to retrieve a second. Adam could only watch, listen. “You see, sometimes we are our own worst enemy, letting others get into our heads. Kara deserved to have piles of friends. Instead, she was stuck in a small house alone nearly all the time. She missed so many chances to see things, do things. Oh, listen to me go on.” Marcy’s face flushed. Quickly they finished their dealings.
Was that how Belinda felt as a child?
All the way back home, Adam couldn’t help but think about it. When he pulled into the drive, he released Honey and gave her slap on the rear at the pasture gate.
Across the road, Belinda was strolling from the gardens, heading toward the kitchen carrying a heavy basket. Her plum-colored dress drifted behind her, helpless to keep up with her strides. Mentally kicking himself for leaving her hanging for days, for his less-than-civil demeanor, he gathered her three empty flower buckets and hurried across the road to her side.
“Let me,” he said, setting the buckets down and taking her basket of zucchini, beets, and radishes, without giving her time to react. She allowed him, but refused to look at him. He deserved that. “If you have time, I’d like to show you the honey house, maybe pull a few frames and get started.” Her face didn’t light up as he’d hoped, expected. Instead she bent to collect the empty buckets and continued to the house. Adam followed her to the back screen door, and she pointed to the step. He put the basket down as she set the buckets on the grass. She was clearly upset.
“I took the day off. What do you say? Want to get this thing started?” She studied him for the longest minute before letting out a huff.
“I’ll be ready in an hour.” Her empty tone cut him. Before he could think of anything else to say, she scooped the basket up with surprising ease and fled inside.
It was clear her feelings were hurt. What was less clear was what he should do about it. They had a business partnership and nothing more—was it really his problem how she felt? It wasn’t as if he wanted her prying into his own personal affairs. On the contrary, he’d gone out of his way to avoid talking about them. Each morning he found her buckets of flowers on his step. Each evening he left them at her door. His personal life wasn’t her concern. What could he say to her? That his life had turned over, that the future he wanted so desperately had vanished, or that he needed to keep his distance from her? What would she think of him if she knew Susanne had wounded his pride, but not his heart? In fact, there was some relief knowing he wouldn’t be strapped to a woman like Susanne all his days. So he would say nothing.
An hour later, they were both dressed for inspecting hives. Adam crammed a few dry shavings from the barn into each smoker and lit them with a pocket lighter. Here, among the hives, he made few mistakes. This was his sanctuary, where everything fit, and order was obtained. Like a keeper of the planet, a shepherd tending his flock. Then again, considering ninety percent of a colony consisted of females, maybe he should start expecting the bees to become as contrary and frustrating as the other females in his life. If they did, Adam didn’t like his odds for success. He shoved the musing aside.
Belinda was again wearing her homemade bee outfit, and he tried to concentrate on the bees as opposed to the denim-clad beauty beside him. One distraction might upset the balance, earning him a few deserved stings. She pumped a few puffs of smoke over the nearest hive and removed the lid with such natural ease. In spite of himself, he found he wanted to tempt her to talk to him.
“I used to ask Mica a million questions,” Adam admitted. “In the beginning, when I was learning.” She made a sound, listening, but not participating.
“Your flowers are selling really well,” he said, trying another route to coax her into conversation. She nodded, giving him nothing. The silence was killing him. He was man enough to admit he was wrong, even if his wrong had been right. Avoiding her this past week had been as much for her benefit as it was for his. And yet now that they were together, he found he just couldn’t maintain his distance any longer. If an apology was what it took to break the ice, then that was what he’d do.
“I’m sorry.” He stood, faced her through the confines of his veil.
“For which part?” There she went, surprising him again, and refusing to look at him.
“For staying gone, and for not starting the harvest like I should have.” He wouldn’t mention last Sunday’s debacle. He watched her expression, noted no change.
“Don’t be,” she replied sharply. “We are only partners, remember. You have done your part and I will do mine.” If she meant to bruise him, she succeeded.
“I’ve had a lot going on in my life,” he tried to explain. “I’m not someone to depend on.”
Her eyes jerked over to meet his. “I agree.”
With which part, he wondered.
“Star
ting today, I will try to keep most of my focus on helping with the harvest,” he concluded. She nodded and he gave up.
Just the thought of spending more time with Adam Hostetler made Belinda’s stomach twist. How dare he make her think he still had a girlfriend? Tabitha was right, it was very cruel. Did he think her some desperate maedel who might bat lashes his way if she knew he was available? She growled inwardly. How dare he commit to start harvesting and then not show up? If he wasn’t hurting, heartbroken and embarrassed, she would have addressed his failures at keeping his word.
After loading one full super into the wagon, she rode silently beside him on the buggy seat. It was one thing to know you were viewed simply as the help, but to be lied to was another thing entirely. She gnawed the inside of her cheek as they pulled up to the honey house.
The honey house wasn’t a house, really, but a small barn with metal sides. Belinda jumped easily from the wagon seat, excited to finally see inside. Just because Adam was a jerk didn’t mean she had to hate the whole experience.
“Let me show you the extractor first.” He lifted a super from the back of the wagon and aimed for the door. Belinda shadowed his steps.
The honey house was cooler than the warm June heat outside, thanks to a thick slab of concrete underfoot. A short table sat in the center of the room with a large metal can on top. The crank on its side indicated he had made his own extractor instead of purchasing one like most did. A spigot, much like her grandfather’s, sprouted out near the bottom. Next to the metal container was a large square one with a wooden board across the top, also with a spigot near the bottom. Why did he need two, she pondered. Belinda had to admit Adam’s setup was nothing like she was accustomed to.
Adam lifted the first frame and sat it upright on the wooden strip of the square container. One lone bee that hadn’t been shooed off by smoke flew up and searched her surroundings.
