She grinned at his enthusiasm. “I suspected as much.”
“Anna Imhoff and her brothers want to come over and see Shadow. Can they?”
“Perhaps tomorrow. Today, we must go into town and celebrate.”
“Celebrate what?”
“Your first day at school. It’s a big deal and it calls for a celebration.”
“What kind of celebration?”
“I’m treating you to supper at the Shoofly Pie Café.”
“Can we get pizza?”
“That sounds perfect.”
“Goot. That means good in Pennsylvania Dutch. I learned it and some more words, too.”
“I’m pleased to hear your day wasn’t wasted. Did you make some new friends?”
“Anna Imhoff wants to be my friend, but she’s a girl.”
“Girls can be friends, too.”
“Her brother, Noah, started teasing me ’cause I can’t talk Amish. Anna got mad and scolded him.”
“Then she sounds like a very good friend to have. Did everyone play baseball at recess?”
His mood went from happy to dejected. “Yeah, but no one picked me for their team.”
“You are little yet. I’m sure you’ll play many games when you’re older.”
“Maybe if I got a glove.”
Leah approached the buggy. “He did well, Faith. He needs to work on his sums and his reading, but overall he’s a bright, friendly boy.”
“Wonderful.” It was a relief to know that Kyle was fitting in. She had worried that the language barrier would make school unhappy for him.
Leah left to speak to other parents, and Faith turned Copper toward town. Once they reached Hope Springs, Faith dropped off her yarns at the fabric store and drove on to the Shoofly Pie Café.
She and Kyle entered the homey café and were instantly surrounded with the smell of baking bread, cinnamon and frying chicken. A young Amish girl came forward. “Velkumm to the Shoofly Pie café. My name is Melody. Would you like a table or a booth?”
“A booth,” Kyle answered before Faith could say anything.
The waitress led them to one of the high-backed seats that lined the walls of the room. Faith slid into the nearest bench. Kyle scooted in opposite her and propped his elbows on the red Formica tabletop.
Suddenly, Kyle’s eyes lit up. “It’s Adrian.”
The boy waved. Faith turned to see her neighbor entering the door. He raised a hand and waved back. He was carrying a small package wrapped in plain brown paper and tied with string.
He stopped beside their booth. Faith wished her heart would stop trying to gallop out of her chest each time he was near.
Kyle spoke up eagerly. “I went to school today.”
Adrian grinned at him. “So I heard. How was it?”
“Pretty fun. I learned to count to ten in Amish and how to say please and thank you.”
“Those are all good things to know.” Adrian focused his gaze on Faith. “How have you been?”
Missing you madly. “Fine, and you?”
“Busy. I’ll start cutting corn tomorrow if this nice weather holds.”
She couldn’t care less about the mundane details of his life. Just seeing his face brightened her day.
He asked, “May I join you?”
Surprised and delighted, she said, “Certainly.”
Kyle scooted over to let him sit down. Adrian said, “I brought you a present, Kyle.” He slid the package toward the boy.
“Why? It’s not my birthday.” Kyle tore open the wrapping to reveal a baseball mitt. It was too big for his hand, but he didn’t seem to mind. “Cool. I’ve been wanting one like this forever.”
Adrian smiled at him. “Happy first day of school.”
Faith couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was something different about Adrian today. He was more lighthearted, happier than she had seen him. She liked the change. She liked it a lot.
He met her gaze. “Every boy needs a good baseball glove.”
She said, “You didn’t need to spend money on Kyle. I could have gotten him one.”
“It’s an old glove I had lying around. I thought Kyle might put it to good use.”
“I sure will. Now they won’t pick me last.” Kyle smacked his fist in the pocket.
Faith’s heart warmed to see Kyle so excited and happy. She started to convey her thanks, but Adrian stopped her with a shake of his head. “It’s nothing.”
The look in his eyes said differently. Then it hit her. She reached across the table to lay her hand on Adrian’s arm. “It was Gideon’s glove, wasn’t it?”
“It was, but now it is Kyle’s.” His glance settled on her nephew. It was easy to read the deep affection he had for the boy.
It was only when Adrian looked into her eyes that she became unsure of his feelings. He said, “I know Kyle’s adoption is your main priority right now, but when that’s over, I’d like to talk about the future.”
Faith pulled her hand away. The future? What was he suggesting? Did he have more plans for the farm, or was he suggesting they could have a future together? Her heart raced as her breathing quickened. “The hearing is the last day of this month.”
He winced. “That is a long time to wait.”
“Then perhaps you should come over this evening if it’s important.” She bit the inside of her lip as she waited for his reply.
“It is important to me and I hope to you. Ja, I will come by later.”
“I’m having pizza,” Kyle announced.
Adrian tweaked the boy’s nose. “Sounds good to me. I like pepperoni and extra cheese.”
“Me, too.” Kyle looked at Faith. “What kind do you like, Aunt Faith?”
“I’ll have whatever the two of you are having.”
Food was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment. What was on Adrian’s mind that couldn’t wait? Did she dare hope he returned her feelings of affection, or was she tricking herself into imagining what wasn’t there?
“You’re late getting back from town,” Ben said, as he finished greasing the wheels of the grain binder and wiped his blackened fingers on a piece of cloth lying on top of the machine.
“I had supper at the café. Are you done already?” Adrian checked his brother’s work and found it satisfactory.
“Ja. When will you start cutting?”
“I took a walk through the corn this morning. I think it will be ready by the end of the week, if it doesn’t rain.”
“Dat wants to start on our fields early tomorrow. We should be done in four or five days. When we’re finished, I can come and give you a hand.”
“I always appreciate your help with the farm work.” Could he trust Ben with an even more important task?
Adrian hooked his thumbs in his suspenders. He wasn’t ready to reveal his intentions toward Faith to his family just yet. He wanted to know her feelings first. She had been adamant that she would not remarry. If those were her true feelings, he would respect them and never bring up the subject again.
He needed to speak to her alone, but he couldn’t do that with Kyle listening in. Knowing the boy’s penchant for turning up in the wrong place at the wrong time, Adrian didn’t want to risk it.
The smart thing to do would have been to wait until the adoption was over or at least until the boy was in school tomorrow, but Adrian didn’t want to wait another day to know if Faith cared for him as he’d grown to care for her.
Oh, he’d had every intention of waiting until the time was right…then she’d smiled at him in the café and laid her hand on his arm to comfort him. The understanding in her eyes had done something wonderful to his heart.
His carefully laid plans had flown out of his head, and he’d told her he would be over tonight.
Tonight! This was what he got for his impatience. He had to rely on his baby brother to help him secure time alone with Faith.
“Ben, I’m wondering if you could give me a hand with something this evening?”
�
�Sure. What do you need?”
Drawing a deep breath, Adrian forged ahead before he could change his mind. “I need someone to stay with Faith Martin’s boy for an hour or so.”
There was a long moment of silence, then Ben crossed his arms. “Why?”
“Because…because I need to speak to Faith, alone.”
Ben grinned from ear to ear. “You’re going courting.”
Adrian closed his eyes. This had been another bad idea. What was wrong with him today? “I never said that.”
“You don’t have to say anything. It’s written all over your face. The whole family has been wondering when you’d finally wise up. Wait until I tell Mamm she was right about you two.”
“Please, don’t. Not until I know how Faith feels.”
Ben stepped forward and laid a hand on Adrian’s shoulder. “She’d be a fool to turn you down and I don’t think Faith Martin is anyone’s fool.”
“I pray you are right.”
“Let me wash off this grease and then we can go. I won’t keep you waiting to see your lady love.” Ben walked away, chuckling to himself.
Adrian blew out a deep sigh of frustration. This was to be his punishment for involving his baby brother. Ben was never going to let him live this down, and he was never going to keep it a secret.
Twenty minutes later, the two men were driving toward Faith’s house with Ben at the reins. Adrian’s stomach churned with butterflies now that he was actually on his way. He rubbed his sweaty palms on his pant legs and tried to figure out what he was going to say.
Ben slipped his arm around Adrian’s shoulder and gave him a brotherly hug. “Relax. She isn’t going to bite your head off and I doubt she spits like an alpaca. You should drive her over toward the Stultz place and take the left fork just past their barn. The road winds up in a pretty little meadow beside Croft Creek.”
“Where the old stone bridge has fallen down?”
Ben shot him a surprised look. “You know the place?”
“You don’t think you’re the first fellow to take a girl out there for a picnic, do you? Dat took Mamm there when he was courting her.”
“No kidding? Our folks?” Ben looked as if he’d bitten a lemon.
It was Adrian’s turn to laugh. “Love finds all sorts of people, little bruder. Every papa and granddad you see was once a young man with stealing a kiss on his mind.”
“I reckon you’re right.” Ben pulled the horse to a stop in front of Faith’s gate.
She and Kyle were both outside. Faith sat at her spinning wheel on the porch. Kyle was playing on the swing Adrian had built for him. The moment Kyle caught sight of them, he jumped out of the swing and ran toward them.
“Howdy, Adrian. Howdy, Ben. What are you doing here?” He slowed to a walk when he drew near the horse.
Ben hopped out of the buggy. “I’ve come to see your alpaca herd up close.”
“I’ll show them to you. We’ve got a new cria. His name is Shadow and he belongs to me. Adrian gave me a baseball glove. Want to see it?”
“Sure. Maybe we can play some catch after we’re done seeing your critters.”
“Cool beans.”
Ben gave Adrian a wave and walked toward the barn with the boy dancing beside him.
Adrian sat in the buggy as Faith came down the steps toward him. She looked so pretty this evening in a dark purple dress with an apron of the same color over it. His butterflies returned in full force. He nodded toward her. “Evening, Faith.”
She paused behind her gate. “Hello again.”
“It’s a right nice evening, isn’t it?” He tried not to fidget.
“Very nice.”
“I was wondering if you might like to take a buggy ride?”
She glanced toward the barn. “I’m sure Kyle would enjoy that.”
“Ben is going to stay here with Kyle until we get back.”
“Oh.” Her eyes widened.
Adrian held out his hand. “It will be just the two of us.”
Faith hesitated. She wanted to go with him, but what was she getting herself into? This wasn’t going to be a farming discussion. She had sense enough to know that. Could he really want to be alone with her because he was ready to open his heart to another woman? To her?
Was she ready for another relationship?
There was only one way to find out. She pushed open the gate and took his hand to climb in his buggy.
When she was settled beside him, he clicked his tongue and slapped the reins to set Wilbur in motion.
At the highway, he turned south toward his farm but passed by his lane without stopping. She asked, “Where are we going?”
“Some place we can talk without being interrupted.”
He turned off at the first dirt road to the Stultz place and then took the left fork just past their big white barn. The little-used road wound around the side of a hill and came out into a small meadow. A white-tailed doe grazing near the trees along the creek threw up her head and then bounded away in alarm.
Adrian drew his horse to a stop. “Will it bother you to walk a little way?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“It isn’t far.” He got out and helped her down. As his strong hands grasped her waist, she realized she didn’t fear his touch. It didn’t matter how strong Adrian was. He was always gentle.
Together, they walked side by side into the forest and down a faint path. She could hear the sound of the water splashing over rocks. The smell of damp earth and leaves mingled with the scent of pine needles crushed underfoot. A few yards later, they came to the remnants of an old stone bridge, an arch broken in the middle and covered by leafy vines. Just below it, a wide flat slab of stone jutted out over the creek. A single boulder made a perfect seat in the center of it.
“How pretty it is in here.” Faith sat on the moss-covered stone. The coolness of the forest and the rushing water brought a welcome relief from the summer heat and the heat in her cheeks.
Adrian took a seat beside her. “This was one of my wife’s favorite places.”
There it was, the reminder that he still loved his wife. Faith’s heart sank. She looked down at her hands clasped together in her lap. How foolish she’d been to think there could be something between them. “I can see why she liked it.”
Adrian said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t bring you here to talk about Lovina.”
“I understand if you feel the need to talk about her. You must miss her very much.” If nothing else, Faith could lend a sympathetic ear. If that eased his pain even a little, then she would be glad.
“I did miss her deeply for a very long time, but lately I haven’t been thinking about her as much.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I’ve been thinking about you.”
Faith raised her face to look at him. “Me?”
“You have no idea what kind of effect you have on me, do you? You and your creatures upset my solitude, played havoc with my work, forced me to take a look at the way I…wasn’t living. Until you came, I was only biding my time until I died, and I didn’t even know it.”
“I’m sorry.” She didn’t understand what he was trying to say.
He smiled at her. “Don’t be sorry. Don’t ever be sorry, Faith Martin.”
He reached out and cupped her face in his hands. “You and Kyle have brought joy to me when I never expected to have it again. I will never be able to thank God enough for bringing you here.”
Before she could say anything, he bent his head and kissed her.
Startled, Faith pulled away. Adrian’s hands still cupped her face. He stared into her eyes, waiting.
Waiting for her to say yes or no.
Oh, she wanted to say yes. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. Softly, his mouth covered hers again.
The sound of the rushing water faded away as Faith tentatively explored the texture of his lips against hers. Firm but gentle, warm and tender, his touch stirred her soul and sent the blood rushing through h
er veins. She had never been kissed like this. She didn’t know it was possible for her heart to expand with such love and not burst.
When Adrian drew away, she kept her eyes closed, afraid she would see disappointment or regret on his face.
“Faith, look at me,” he said softly.
“Nee.”
“Why not?”
Old insecurities came rushing back to choke down her happiness. “You will say you’re sorry. That this was a mistake.”
“It was not a mistake. I will kiss you again if you need me to prove it.”
Her eyes popped open. She couldn’t believe this was happening.
He sat back. “I’m rushing you. That wasn’t what I had in mind when I brought you here.”
“Why did you bring me here?”
“To tell you that I care about you and about Kyle. To discover if you care about me. I know this is too soon, we’ve only known each other a short time. I know you have much on your mind and you are worried about Kyle’s adoption, I know you have said you’d never marry again, but—is there a chance you could look with favor on me and allow me to court you?”
“Adrian, I don’t know what to say.”
“If you’d but nod, I’d take that as a goot sign.”
She smiled at his teasing, even though she saw the seriousness in his eyes. How was it possible to feel so happy? “Ja, Adrian Lapp, you may court me, but I warn you, I’m no prize.”
“I will be the judge of that.”
The word “judge” brought her back to earth with a thump. Would the adoption proceeding be put on hold if Miss Watkins or the agency learned of this? Would Adrian be subjected to the same scrutiny she had endured? It could take months. Now that the hearing was finally drawing near, she couldn’t face another delay.
“Adrian, this must remain just between us until after Kyle’s adoption is final.”
“Why? Surely it could not hurt your case for the Englisch to know I stand ready to serve as Kyle’s father.”
She grasped his arm. “Perhaps not, but I can’t take that chance. We must be friends until then and nothing more.”
He covered her hand with his large warm one. “I will always be your friend. Do not look so worried, Faith. It is all in God’s hands.”
The Farmer Next Door Page 16
