After securing the money, she tromped down to Caleb’s cabin to get to the bottom of the matter. Once again, the door was closed—he must have been talking to his brother again—and it took a moment for him to open it.
“I noticed we’re missing one week’s worth of rent,” she told him. “I wondered if you forgot to deposit a payment into the lockbox?”
Caleb wrinkled his forehead. “Neh. I checked in two familye—the Garcias and the Jackmans. They both paid in cash, and I put their money in the lockbox, just like Eleanor showed me.”
“Are you sure? Because the Jackman and Garcia names aren’t crossed out and initialed in the reservation book. Didn’t she tell you you needed to do that, too?”
Caleb snapped his fingers. “Ach! You’re right, I completely forgot that part of the process. But I was very careful to put the cash with the rest of the money.”
“Are you positive? You were doing a lot of running around today, so maybe you set the money aside before you went to pick up Charity or—”
Caleb squared his shoulders and crossed his arms. “No matter how many times you ask, my answer is going to be the same. I put both payments in the lockbox,” he enunciated loudly. “Did you ever consider you or Eleanor forgot to deposit the cash you received?”
Rose didn’t understand why Caleb was being so defensive—she was only trying to jog his memory. “I’m certain I didn’t forget. Obviously Eleanor isn’t here, so I can’t ask her, but since she initialed the one guest she checked in and you didn’t initial either of yours, it seemed more likely you forgot to lock up the cash, too. Or something.”
* * *
Caleb didn’t appreciate Rose’s tone. He felt she was coming dangerously close to accusing him of stealing. “What do you mean, or something? I certainly didn’t take the money, if that’s what you’re implying.”
“I’m not implying anything,” Rose echoed scornfully. “I’m trying to figure out why we’re one week short of rent.”
“Who knows. Maybe someone stole it. Maybe if you had listened to me and locked the doors to your haus, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
Rose rolled her eyes. “That’s lecherich. The haus might not have been locked up, but the money was. And even if someone found the key and the lockbox, why would they steal only one week’s worth of rent? Why not take all the cash that was in there? That doesn’t make any sense.”
Caleb shrugged. “Then figure it out on your own. All I know is I checked two familye in today and I put two weeks’ worth of rent in the lockbox. Which, by the way, you never thanked me for doing.”
“Thanked you?” Rose’s voice was shrill. “I never asked you to check them in! And this kind of mess is exactly why I didn’t!”
Caleb’s heart felt like a fist of snow. “You’re right, you didn’t ask. I volunteered. My mistake. It won’t happen again.” He stepped inside and shoved the door shut with the heel of his boot. His temper flaring, he stood in the middle of the room snorting like a bull before retreating to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face. He’d been about to call Ryan when Rose appeared, but he was too angry to talk right now, so he reopened the front window, as well as the door. Not even the splashing of the water against the shore could calm him.
I’ve totally wasted my summer, he thought as he peered out over the lake. I’ll spend another week here so I can search the islands and the trails, and then I’m going back to Wisconsin.
* * *
If I don’t find that money, I’ll have to repay it from my savings. Then how will I ever afford to lease the café? Rose agonized as she lay in bed. Her body desperately craved sleep, but her mind was wide-awake. And what right did Caleb have to act so indignant? She hadn’t been accusing him of taking the rent money. But considering how careless he’d been about recording what he’d received in the reservation book, couldn’t he see why she’d wondered if he’d forgotten to lock up the cash, too? If anything, he was the one who was judging her unfairly by implying she was unappreciative of his help when she’d always tried to express her gratitude...
Eventually, sleep won out and Rose drifted off, but the next morning she felt annoyed all over again, especially when Caleb hardly spoke a word to her or the twins as they waited on the porch for Abram and Jaala to arrive for worship. After nearly half an hour had passed, Charity suggested maybe they were too ill to come, so the four of them read aloud from the book of James and then sang a few hymns, but the atmosphere was so somber it felt more like a funeral than a worship service. Rose was relieved when Hope volunteered to end with a prayer.
No sooner had she said “amen” than someone rapped at the door—Henry stood there with a pink envelope in his hand. After greeting everyone, he handed the note to Rose. “It’s from Eleanor. She’s sick and wanted you to know she won’t be coming to work tomorrow.”
Rose thanked him and asked if he’d like to stay for lunch, hoping his presence would lighten the mood, but Henry said his parents were sick, too, so he needed to get home. “My mamm wanted me to ask if you have any peppermint tea or ginger root she can have.”
“Jah, I’ll get it,” Charity said.
“And I’ll box up some mac and cheese, and cut you a piece of boi,” Hope offered. “If your mamm and schweschder are both ill, they won’t be preparing meals today.”
Henry followed the twins into the kitchen, leaving Caleb and Rose alone.
“So, Eleanor is actually sick,” Caleb said after an awkward pause. “Imagine that.”
“What do you mean?” Rose asked.
“You acted as if she wasn’t really ill. I suppose you thought she was lying, too.”
“I never said anyone was lying!” Rose protested. But deep down, she knew he was right—about Eleanor anyway. Rose had suspected she was feigning illness, maybe to get back at Rose for her wisecrack. She justified her attitude by telling herself, Caleb would have thought the same thing if he knew Eleanor like I do. “I’ll go make lunch,” she said.
“Count me out. I’m not hungerich.”
Now who’s lying? Not that she cared if he joined them; it had been a long time since she’d eaten alone with her cousins and she was looking forward to it. But after they sent Henry off with a container of remedies and food, Hope and Charity told Rose their friends were picnicking on Black Bear Lake. “We’ll stop to see if Jaala and Abram need anything on our way there,” Hope said.
So, after changing out of her best dress, Rose made a sandwich and carried it to the porch, where she began writing a letter to Nancy. After inquiring about Sol’s health, she wrote, Because of the blueberry festival, we had a chaotic day yesterday, but Charity and Hope came to the rescue... Rose set down her pen and reflected on all that the girls—and Caleb—had done to help her sell jam and pies at the festival, and she was overwhelmed with shame. Caleb was right; she’d hardly so much as uttered a word of thanks. Instead, she’d snapped at them and bellyached about all the work she had to do.
Bellyache—the word reminded her she hadn’t read Eleanor’s note yet. She retrieved it from the house and opened it to discover a wad of bills folded inside. “Dear Rose...” She read as she stood near the porch railing. The word dear made Rose feel even guiltier about her attitude toward the young woman. “I have a high fever and won’t be able to come to work until it’s gone. I had to run to the bathroom so quickly yesterday I didn’t have time to lock up the rent from the Williams family. I tucked the money into my sleeve and forgot about it until I changed last night. Hope you weren’t looking for it!—Eleanor.”
Rose didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. But she did know she had to apologize. She locked the money in the box and ran to Caleb’s cabin. Halfway there, she spotted him on the beach, donning a life vest.
“Caleb, wait!” she called, but he continued preparing to go out on the water. She dashed toward him. “Eleanor had the money—it was in her note. She’d coll
ected it but, because she was sick, she forgot to put it in the lockbox.”
“Is that right?” he said dryly, not looking up as he pushed the canoe across the sand. Rose tugged on the side so he couldn’t propel it into the water.
“Caleb, please, absatz. This is important.” He scowled at her, but at least he made eye contact. “I’m sorry I thought you misplaced the rent.”
“You didn’t think I misplaced it—you thought I stole it.”
She gasped. “Neh, that’s not true. I didn’t think you stole it, not for a second. I know you’re not a thief. I just thought you were, you know, careless or forgetful or something.”
“Am I supposed to be flattered? You don’t think I’m a thief, just that I’m incompetent?”
Rose’s eyes brimmed. “Neh, I don’t think you’re incompetent. You were doing so much to help me yesterday I figured your head was spinning as much as mine was, that’s all.” She let go of the canoe and straightened her posture to wipe away the tears that were now streaming down her cheeks. “But I was wrong to think you’d been careless. And wrong to think Eleanor was faking being sick. As you said, I was terribly unappreciative yesterday. My behavior didn’t reflect how highly I think of you and how grateful I am for your support. I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart. What can I do to make it up to you?”
* * *
Caleb was moved by Rose’s words and pained by her tears. How was it possible he could be so angry with her one day and want to take her in his arms the next? He’d never experienced anything like this in a relationship before. Oh, he’d experienced his share of arguments, but he’d never received an apology like Rose’s, perhaps because he’d always run away instead of reconciling. He’d intended to run this time, too, but Rose’s contrition changed everything. “You can help me paddle to the islands. I want to go exploring.”
“Th-then you’ll forgive me?” She sniffed and blotted her eyes with her apron.
“Neh, I already forgive you,” he said, and it was true. The bitterness he’d felt was gone, just like that. “Kumme, before someone from kurrich shows up and wants to go fishing with me.”
But Rose said she needed to leave a note for Hope and Charity, and she dashed off to the house. She returned a couple minutes later carrying a cooler and a jug. They paddled to the smallest island first, which was exactly as Rose had described it: a lump of land with a few rocks and trees poking out of it. Caleb doubted anyone would hide anything there. It looked as if a good rain could raise the water high enough to submerge it. The second island was only slightly larger, so after a quick stop there, he suggested they take a detour to Relaxation Rock before heading to Paradise Point.
They were almost to shore when the white sky spit a few hot, fat raindrops at them and thunder rolled in the distance. Fortunately, they made it to land before the clouds really let loose. This time, they took extra care to pull the canoe completely out of the water.
“Follow me,” Rose called over her shoulder. She led him down a trail to a wooden birding pavilion, which contained a bench barely big enough for two people. Rose set the jug between them and Caleb placed the cooler at his feet. After pouring them each a cup of lemonade, she shifted sideways to face him. Her eyes were clouded and he hoped she wouldn’t cry again. “It’s really important you know I never thought you’d stolen the rent, Caleb.”
“I do know,” he acknowledged. Her expression was so concerned Caleb found himself admitting, “I probably overreacted to what you said because, well, because my bruder was once wrongly accused of being a thief and it’s nearly destroying—it nearly destroyed his entire life. His job, his familye, his well-being...”
Rose inhaled sharply. “That’s baremlich!”
“Jah.” Caleb realized he’d better stop talking; Rose was so sympathetic and easy to talk to he might just break down and tell her everything.
“No wonder you were upset when I questioned you about the money,” she acknowledged. “But I never, ever thought you’d stolen it—”
“Rose, you don’t have to keep apol—”
“Shh, please let me explain,” she said, putting a finger to her lips. Oh, her rosy lips. “I think I’ve told you about my former fiancé, Baker... Well, the fact is he stole money from my business account. He confessed to it and everything, so it wasn’t as if he was wrongly accused. My point in telling you this is to say I know you’re absolutely nothing like Baker. I know you’re a man of integrity.”
Caleb’s mind was spinning like a tornado. He was simultaneously delighted and devastated to hear Rose’s words. Would she still think that if she knew I’m Englisch? Would the reason I’ve been pretending to be Amish make a difference?
“Caleb?” she said, touching his arm lightly. It set his skin afire.
“Denki. I appreciate you sharing that with me,” he responded.
“Then why are you looking at me like that?”
Because I can’t look away from you. A teeny spider dotted the white kerchief Rose was wearing as a head covering. He reached toward her. “There’s a little insect by your ear, here,” he said. She lowered her eyelids as he wiped it away with his thumb. His fingers were so close to her chin he wanted to cup it in his hand. To draw her near and kiss her. Neither of them moved. The air felt charged, the way it does right before a lightning strike.
But no, he couldn’t. It was one thing to pose as an Amish man: that was a necessary deception. But he couldn’t cause Rose to break the rules of the Ordnung by unwittingly kissing an Englischer. Reluctantly, he withdrew his hand and cleared his throat.
“Looks like the rain has let up. How about if we go for a walk?” he said.
Chapter Eight
“Kiss and make up.” The expression occurred to Rose several times during the week following her conversation with Caleb at Relaxation Rock. She was so sure he’d been about to kiss her as they sat together in the pavilion, and she was equally sure she’d wanted him to. For a fleeting second anyway. But the more days that went by without any additional signs Caleb was romantically interested in her, the more preposterous the possibility seemed in hindsight. Yes, Rose valued his friendship as much as he seemed to value hers, but they weren’t courting, so a kiss wouldn’t have been appropriate. Besides, in less than a month, they’d go their separate ways. I have too much to do to be distracted by a passing moment of attraction. I’m glad Gott brought Caleb and me here at the same time, but a suitor doesn’t fit into my long-term plans.
Since Rose projected she was still several hundred dollars short of securing the lease on the café, she intended to double up on her baking and jam-making efforts. But Eleanor’s absence meant Rose had to leave the fields earlier than usual to prepare supper, and cleanup took her and the twins longer, too. When Eleanor returned, Rose needed to let her know how much she’d missed her help. Unfortunately, her young coworker’s illness lasted through the week and by Friday, Rose was so drained she forgot all about collecting the money jar and unsold produce from the roadside stand until after supper.
As she approached the little building, she spied a pair of crows pecking at the ground in front of it. At first Rose guessed a customer must have spilled a pint of berries, but then she saw it was piecrust the birds were eating. Ach! I wonder if the customer paid for that pie before dropping it. But when Rose got closer, she noticed a thick purple splat across the “Rose’s Pies” sign and she realized someone had smashed the pie against it on purpose. She couldn’t imagine anyone in their district wasting food like that.
It was probably an Englischer, she grumbled to herself. It must have been one of the tourists she’d seen slowing their cars to photograph her in the fields lately—the local Englischers were too respectful to snap pictures or destroy property like this. Rose sighed. Sometimes it felt like for each step she took forward, she took two steps backward and three steps sideways, getting further and further from her goal, and it made her wonder if
Gott really wanted her to have a business of her own after all.
She loaded the wagon with unsold items and carefully balanced the sign atop them. Back at the barn she scrubbed and scrubbed until the stubborn blueberry stain faded, and then she trekked to the road again to put the sign back in its place. There was still a faint blotch of blue clouding Rose’s name and she hoped Caleb wouldn’t notice it. Knowing what he was like, if she told him about the vandalism—which was actually more like graffiti, really—he’d probably suggest they needed to bolt their windows now, in addition to their doors.
When she got back to the house, Rose tallied the amount of produce and jam that hadn’t been sold, and then counted the money deposited in the mayonnaise jar. She was heartened to find she had a dollar more than she would have expected, which meant someone had actually paid for the smashed pie. It was a trifling amount, but Rose received the additional profit almost as if it were the Lord encouraging her to keep going. She returned to the dining hall and prepared the ingredients for Saturday’s pies with a smile on her face and a song of thanks on her lips.
She was even more joyful on Saturday morning when Eleanor showed up in the dining hall. “I’m hallich you’re back,” Rose said as she embraced her tall, thin coworker. “I really struggled without you here.”
Eleanor pulled away to meet Rose’s eyes. “Jah, but it was probably a lot quieter without me around, wasn’t it?”
Her Amish Suitor's Secret (Amish 0f Serenity Ridge Book 3) Page 12
