Courting Emily (A Wells Landing Book 2)

by Amy Lillard

  When she didn’t speak right away, he turned back to face her. “Something on your mind, Becky?”

  She shook her head, then seemed to change her mind. “Jah,” she said.

  Elam propped one hip on the porch railing and eyed his shveshtah. “And?”

  She hesitated for a moment longer then the words burst from her like water from a garden hose. “Jonah Miller told his brother Aaron who told Mary who told me that Luke Lambright is back.” She sucked in a big gulp of air.

  “It is a sin to gossip,” Elam said, though the news stabbed his heart. He just needed a little more time to make Emily fall in love with him. Was that too much to ask?

  “Mary said she even thinks Emily is sneaking out to see him.”

  He wouldn’t allow himself to believe the words. He couldn’t. To believe that would mean to give up hope, all the hope he had built for himself over the last few weeks.

  Emily and Luke had been a couple for a long time, and they had known each other even longer. There was no way her father—the bishop—would let a wayward soul like Luke swoop in and take her away from Elam.

  Well, her father wouldn’t want Luke to hang around and show the youth of Wells Landing how to live a double life.

  That was the thing about a rumspringa. It had to end. And when it didn’t, the person in question had to move on. It was too much of a distraction to let those wayward souls stay around and suggest to the youth that they could have all they wanted: the thrill of the outside world and the comfort of their Amish home.

  “Elam?” Becky’s words brought him ’round to the here and now.

  “Jah?”

  “I think she loves you.”

  His heart jumped at the thought. More than anything in the world he wanted Emily’s love in return. But love was a fragile thing, so easily damaged, so hard to grow.

  And then there was Luke Lambright standing between them. How was Elam supposed to win her heart if Luke was there to constantly distract her?

  “I hope so,” he replied. “I surely do.”

  Luke stirred the noodles on his plate and wondered where things had gone so wrong. All he had ever done in his life was exactly what he was supposed to. He’d plowed fields and gone to church. He prayed when he was told to, sang when it was expected of him, everything. He had done everything in line with the Amish way.

  Then he turned sixteen and learned to drive a car.

  The thrill of his fingers curled around the steering wheel, the rumble of the engine vibrating throughout his body. It was like no other feeling on earth. He’d been hooked since the first time he ever sat in a driver’s seat.

  Now he had a chance to drive for a living, feel that buzz every day, get paid for it even. How could he let that go?

  He stirred the chicken casserole around on his plate a bit more. He tried to pretend he was eating, when too many thoughts occupied his mind.

  “Something wrong?” his onkle asked.

  Something . . . everything . . . “Nay,” he lied.

  It was so far from the truth, Onkle Joseph frowned at him. “You want to try that again?”

  “Emily.” Her name brought a faster beat to his heart, a warmth to his blood, and a comfort to him like none other. He had loved her as long as he could remember.

  His uncle nodded, understanding everything from the one word. “It is hard to balance two loves,” he said.

  That was exactly what Luke had to do: balance the things he loved most in the world.

  “Elam Riehl asked her to marry him.” Once he said the words out loud, they were even scarier than they had been inside his mind. If anyone outside the two of them knew how much he loved Emily, it was Onkle Joseph.

  His onkle leaned back in his seat and narrowed his eyes. It was his thoughtful expression, though to an outsider it might have looked more like anger. “Did she tell him yes?”

  “I asked her not to.”

  Onkle nodded. “Then there is still time.”

  “Time?”

  “To prove your love to her, to show her a life that Elam cannot give her.”

  Luke nodded slowly. His life among the Englisch had been sparse at best. His living conditions other than electricity had been worse than they had when he lived with his uncle. But he had seen the magazines; the Englisch world was a beautiful place. One day it would all be his: fortune, fame, a big house, nice cars, and a big diamond ring for his Emily like the one the sponsor’s wife wore.

  They just had to be patient.

  He would do just as his uncle said and show Emily the life that would soon be hers. The freedoms she could have outside of Wells Landing, the fun and excitement. And he knew just how to do it.

  Plink.

  The sound had become familiar to Emily. She threw back the covers and tiptoed over to the window. Tonight she didn’t raise the sash. She just nodded at Luke and crept down the stairs.

  She wasn’t sure why, but going to him like this, in the middle of the night when everyone else was asleep, seemed wrong somehow. Very wrong. Yet she hadn’t done anything sinful. She had no plans to.

  But with the confusion that raged in her heart, she had to know. Did she still love Luke? Or had he become like an old familiar blanket, warm and comfortable, easy? Was she willing to wait on him to return to the Amish life where they had grown up? Oh, she knew he said he wasn’t, but how long could he survive in the Englisch world driving cars in a circle?

  She grabbed her coat and slipped it on, careful not to let the screen door slam behind her as she made her way outside.

  Luke was nowhere to be seen, so she headed for the barn, sure he had gone in there for shelter from the cold.

  “Luke?” She poked her head in first, then stepped inside as he turned on one of the battery-operated lights her father kept close to the door.

  “Emily.” The light cast shadows onto his tired features. “I’ve missed you so much.” He set the lamp on a hay bale and pulled her close for a quick hug.

  The thrill of being held in his arms didn’t zing through her like it used to. But maybe that was because the cold night air had frozen her legs to icicles. She should have pulled on some stockings before coming down to meet him. As it was, her flannel nightgown offered little warmth below the line where her coat ended.

  Being held by Luke was much like hugging her sister Mary.

  He released her and stepped back. If he noticed anything different about the embrace he didn’t say anything. Instead he fished into his jeans pocket and brought out a small box. “I have something for you.”

  “For me?”

  “It’s not much.”

  She looked at the box and back to his face. She had been so busy getting everything ready for her sisters and the Riehls for Christmas, she had forgotten to get anything for Luke. “I don’t have anything for you,” she whispered, unable to take the box from him.

  He held it closer to her. “That’s all right.”

  She took the box and untied the red ribbon, careful not to let it fall to the barn floor. Inside was a piece of slick paper, the kind like she had seen in an Englisch magazine. This page had been folded up so it fit into the tiny box.

  “Here.” Luke took the paper and unfolded it, smoothing it against his thigh before handing it back. “That’s what I’m going to get you someday. Soon,” he added.

  Emily stared at the picture. An Englisch ring lay on top of a bed of ivory rose petals. She knew enough to know the square stone set in the middle of a band of smaller stones was a diamond and considered very valuable. But the Amish didn’t wear jewelry.

  She frowned. “I don’t understand.”

  “I . . .” Luke faltered. “I don’t have the money to get you that now, but one day . . . one day I will. You’ll see.”

  “But—” It was her turn to stutter. “When you come back, I . . .”

  “I’ve almost got a sponsor, Em. I got this guy, Gus Hardin’s his name. He wants to sign me.”

  “But you haven’t signed?”

>   “Not yet, though it’s just a matter of time before everything goes through. He likes my story—Amish kid learns to drive, makes good on the dirt tracks. That sort of thing.”

  “What does this mean exactly?” she asked.

  “That I’ll have money for a car, for races, for things like this.” He tapped the paper she held in her hands. The picture of the expensive Englisch ring.

  “I don’t want a diamond.”

  “You may not now, but trust me, one day you will.”

  “Luke,” she started, but wasn’t able to finish as he clasped her hands in his own, crumpling the paper a bit as he squeezed her fingers. “Come with me tomorrow night. There’s a party at a friend of mine’s house.”

  “Who?”

  Luke shrugged. “You don’t know him.”

  “Luke, I—”

  “Just promise you’ll come with me.”

  “I don’t know.” Emily bit her lip. “I’ll have to sneak out.” Her father would not let her go anywhere with Luke Lambright, that much was certain. But since everyone in her family went to bed early, leaving the house after everyone was asleep would still leave them plenty of time to be together.

  “So?” He shrugged again. “You’re twenty-one years old, Emily. The Englisch believe that’s old enough to make up your own mind about things.”

  I’m not Englisch popped to the tip of her tongue, but she bit back the words.

  “I’ll be by at ten to get you.”

  “You’ll come here?”

  “Only to the stop sign at the end of the lane. Can you walk down there and meet me?”

  It was a quarter of a mile to the stop sign, but Emily nodded. “I’ll be there.”

  She felt like she was in her rumspringa again, though never had she done anything like sneak out in the middle of the night. The worst she had done was listen to pop music on a friend’s music player.

  But Luke was right. She was twenty-one years old. Most Amish women her age were married and having babies. If a person her age could be trusted with an infant, surely she could be trusted to spend the evening with a friend.

  “Hang on to that picture,” Luke said, releasing her hands so he could refold it. “That’s going to be yours someday.” He pressed the small square of paper into her palm as he landed a chaste kiss to her cheek. “See you tomorrow.”

  And then he was gone.

  “What are you doing?”

  At the urgent whisper, Emily stopped midmotion, one arm up in the air as she pulled on her heavy black coat. She turned, then wilted with relief at the sight of her sister. “Mary,” she whispered in return. “You scared me half to death.”

  Mary braced her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. The action was so like their mother, Emily had to stifle a giggle. “That did not answer my question.”

  “I’m going out.” Emily finished putting on her coat and reached for her black bonnet.

  “That’s obvious. It’s the where to that I’m worried about.”

  “Quit frowning like that. You’ll be more wrinkled than Maddie Kauffman if you keep that up.”

  Mary shook her head, but smoothed her forehead all the same. “I’m worried about you, shveshtah.”

  “Why ever for?” Emily tied the bonnet strings under her chin and reached for her scarf. The minute her fingers touched the soft yarn, memories of Elam surfaced. Becky had crocheted the scarf for her. The purple hue was the deep dark shade of an eggplant, nearly black. Perhaps that was the only reason why her father let her wear it, but having it in her hands . . .

  She pushed the thoughts away. She would never be able to figure out her mind if she kept avoiding the issue. She had to go tonight with Luke, work through whatever feelings she had left for him. Elam was waiting for an answer from her. He was a gut man, but he wouldn’t wait forever, just as it was unfair to ask him to do so.

  Still Luke’s gift from the night before confused her. She didn’t want a ring. She didn’t want to leave the Amish. And if she was truly being honest with herself, she didn’t want to go to this party. She felt adrift, jumbled, and confused.

  “You’re going to meet Luke, aren’t you?”

  “Mary . . .” She wasn’t sure what to say to her sister. “Surely you understand. You’ve been in love with Aaron all these years.”

  “Jah,” Mary said, frowning again.

  “And I have loved Luke.”

  “But he’s gone, and Elam . . .”

  “I know.” Emily closed her eyes, doing her best to form the words she needed to make her sister understand. Yet how was she supposed to explain it to Mary when she didn’t understand it herself? “My mind is befuddled,” she finally whispered. “I don’t know what to do, except I promised Luke I would meet him tonight.”

  “Oh, Emily, that’s a terrible idea.”

  “How else am I supposed to know what I should do if I don’t spend time with them both?”

  “You could pray about it.”

  “You think I haven’t done that?” She shook her head at it all. “I’ve prayed and prayed, but it’s as if God is telling me that I have to figure this one out for myself.”

  “Oh, Em.” Mary pulled her close for a hug. Then she pulled back, her hands still braced on Emily’s shoulders as she looked her square in the eye. “Just promise me you’ll be careful. I don’t trust Luke. After what I’ve been hearing about him . . . promise, jah?”

  Emily nodded. “I promise.” But this was Luke they were talking about. Her Luke.

  “And wake me up when you get home.”

  “Okay.” She let out a small laugh. “You’ll make a gut mudder, Mary Ebersol.”

  Mary frowned and released her.

  Emily grabbed a flashlight and slipped out the door and into the dark cold night.

  No moon graced the sky, and the night seemed so very dark. Emily pulled her coat around her, fighting off the Oklahoma wind as she hurried to the spot where she was supposed to meet Luke.

  The lights of the car glowed up ahead, and her steps grew faster. Whatever Mary said, this was the only way to know what to do. Emily was just so confused. How was she supposed to make up her mind? Spending time with Luke and spending time with Elam was the only way. And if spending time with Luke meant slipping out without her eldra knowing, then so be it. What other choice did she have?

  She was practically running by the time she reached the door of the car. She wrenched it open and slipped inside, the warm leather seat enveloping her as she slid into its comfort.

  Luke smiled, his face lighting up like a child at Christmas. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”

  “Sorry.”

  He took her cold hands into his, warming them with his touch. She hadn’t been able to don the purple mittens that Johanna had given her for Christmas. The scarf brought back too many memories as it was.

  “Are you ready?” Luke smiled, releasing her hands to put the car into gear.

  “Jah.” She swallowed hard as she said the word. Was she ready? She didn’t even know where they were going, only that a friend of his was having some sort of party. “I thought you left your car in Arkansas.” She gazed around at the lights on the dashboard and the multitude of knobs and levers that made up the vehicle.

  “This belongs to a friend of mine.”

  “It looks expensive.”

  “His dat has a lot of money.” Luke shrugged. “But just wait, one day I’ll have one even better.”

  One day . . .

  She was about to ask him when that day would be and what would happen then, but he reached out and turned on the radio. Loud rock music filled the car and cut off any chance for conversation between them.

  It seemed like they were going way too fast, but she wasn’t sure if she felt that way because he was speeding or if she was just so accustomed to moving at a horse’s pace. She decided to try to relax, to sit back and watch Luke as he drove. He seemed at ease. His hands were loose on the wheel, his thumbs beating out a tempo to match the music
blaring through the car.

  This was not exactly how she thought tonight would go. Jah, he said they were going to a party. She knew she wouldn’t have him all to herself to talk about the future and what it would mean to the both of them, but she had imagined they would at least have a bit of time to talk about things.

  “Luke.” She raised her voice to be heard over the music. Evidently not loud enough, because he kept his eyes forward, his thumbs still tapping on the steering wheel. “Luke!” This time louder.

  “Huh?” He glanced toward her.

  “I want to talk to you.”

  “About what?”

  “Can you turn down the music?”

  He did as she asked, though she thought he might argue about it.

  “Can you just turn it off?”

  He frowned and switched it off, blessed silence filling the car.

  “Danki.” She smoothed her hands down her dress.

  “Are you going to be this uptight at the party?” he asked, his gaze centered back onto the road ahead of them.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It’s just that . . .” He trailed off with a shake of his head. “You need to loosen up. This is a party we’re going to.”

  She frowned. “I need to be loose to attend a party?”

  “You need to be . . . well, not so uptight. Take off your prayer kapp and your apron. Maybe take down your hair.”

  Her hands automatically flew to her head. “Are you serious?” He looked serious.

  “Yeah . . . how can you have a good time, with all this hanging around you?” He waved a hand in her general direction.

  “I need to defy the Ordnung in order to have a good time?”

  “My point exactly.” Luke pulled into the driveway of an older house. The white painted brick could have used another coat, and even in the dark of the night she could tell the yard was covered in dead weeds and leaves. The glowing porch lights testified that it was Englisch-owned and the music booming from inside told her she was as close as she wanted to be.

  “I’m just saying that you might have a better time if you could blend in a bit more, that’s all.”