Made with Love (11 page)

Gerald rose and gathered up all the dishes, taking them to the sink. “So if you're off wooing that girl, does that mean we can go back fishing?”

“Yeah!” Atlee chimed in. “We saw a huge fish that someone pulled out last week. It was nearly as tall as him.”

“Sure, but just watch out,” Noah warned. “It's brackish water and I heard that sometimes sharks make their way up the river.”

Excitement brightened their faces, which was the opposite of what Noah wanted to see. He considered telling the guys again to be careful, but he knew it would do no good. Teen boys were teen boys. At that age he would have been the first to be figuring out how to draw a shark into the area.

Mose, Gerald, and Atlee headed into their room to get their fishing poles, and he smiled at their banter. Noah had been praying that God would make a way for them to stay. He'd been praying for someone to give these guys a second chance. And he was pleasantly surprised to discover that God had sent someone pretty to do that task.

“Lovina.” He let her name play on his lips. It was as pretty a name as any he'd heard.

From the hesitant way that banker was acting it sounded like her ability to get the warehouse would be a long shot, but Noah was determined to help her any way he could. It would help these teens find work. It would help his cash flow, selling items to Sarasota Salvage. More than that, he'd get to spend more time with that pretty Amish lady.

Joy mixed with anxiety over the thought. He'd like to get to know her, it was true. The problem was, he worried about her getting to know him. That's when things usually fell apart.

The boys joked about sharks as they made their way out, waving a goodbye. It was funny how that worked—how easy it was to be attracted to danger. Would building a friendship with Lovina take him into murky waters? He had a feeling it would.

He needed to keep his mind on business and not her pretty smile. Noah wasn't worried so much about his heart. It had been broken before. But if he got too close to Lovina she'd discover the truth about him—about them—and that would hinder all he was working for.

A pretty face and a warm smile from a young, bright woman was the same lure to a bachelor as a shark was to daring teens. He knew this. He did. But even as he combed back his hair, preparing to meet Lovina, Noah felt the draw all the same.

Lovina held the bread pan in one hand and knocked on the door with the other. She'd been inside Vera Chupp's house a few times. They shared a love of baking and had worked together to make a nice meal and dessert for the bishop's family on his birthday. She tried to remember if Vera had talked about her nephew Thomas before, but nothing stood out in her mind. Like most Amish families Vera had dozens of nephews and nieces. It wasn't uncommon to have rooms full of guests during season, and Lovina hoped that Thomas didn't mind Pinecraft being more quiet this time of year.

The sun's rays warmed her kapp, and she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. With a squeak the door opened. Lovina expected to see Vera standing there. Instead there was a young man. He wore a bright smile, and his teeth were the whitest she'd ever seen. He opened the screen door, and she noticed his Amish clothes were fine. They were handmade, but whoever had made them had been skilled at the sewing machine.

“Hello.” He tilted his head and studied her, as if pleasantly surprised.

“Hello. I'm Lovina, and my mem sent me…I mean, what I've come for is to give you this—I mean it's for your family. My mem heard that Vera had family in town. She—we're—trying to be neighborly…” She held the bread out to him as an offering. As proof she wasn't rambling for no reason.

He sniffed the air and his smile brightened, if that was even possible. “That is so kind. Won't you come in?”

Lovina knew she shouldn't. She had less than five minutes to make it to Big Olaf's, but something about the expectant look in the man's dark eyes made it hard to say no.

“Ja, just for a moment. Is your aunt here?

“No, she and Mem just went for coffee at Sherry's house. They
read her stories in
The Budget
, and Mem went to her house and introduced herself yesterday. Mem is always one to make quick friends.”

I see where you get it from
, she wanted to add.

Lovina stepped inside. The air conditioning was running on high and a chill traveled down her spine. The simple living room was exactly like she remembered it, except for a guitar leaning in one corner of the room. She eyed the instrument but didn't say anything. Up north playing musical instruments was discouraged, but in Pinecraft people often gathered to listen to music or to sing together, accompanied by guitars.

Thomas moved in the direction of the kitchen. “Would you like some lemonade?”

She was going to decline, but with eager steps he'd already reached the kitchen. He set the loaf of banana sour cream bread on the counter, and then he opened the refrigerator, taking out the lemonade. She watched as he took two glasses from the open cupboard and realized it was strangely quiet.

Lovina glanced around, wondering if anyone else was in the house, unsure of what to do.

“My dat just went to lie down,” Thomas said, as if reading her thoughts. “He isn't feeling too good. He's been sickly lately, which is the reason my parents are considering moving to Pinecraft.”

“Ja, my dat too. It's the reason we're here.”

Thomas approached with a glass of lemonade.

“I'm so sorry.” Compassion filled the man's gaze. “I hope your dat is well. I'm Thomas, by the way. Thomas Chupp.”

“Ja, my Mem told me. And I'm Lovina. Lovina Miller.”

“Aha!” He pointed a finger into the air. “You're the Pineapple Pie lady.”

“Excuse me?”

“My Aunt Vera told me she was invited to a sewing frolic at her friend's birthday and she was served Pineapple Pie, and it was the best pie she'd ever eaten. She said it was made by a young lady named Love, and that it was a delightful name.”

Lovina blushed and took a sip of lemonade. “Oh, that's just a family nickname. When my sister Hope couldn't say Lovina, she called me Love. Mem and Dat thought it was sweet, having daughters Love and Hope. That hadn't been the plan. But when they had another daughter they named her Faith—after one of my mom's sisters who passed—and then they had to keep going.”

“And there are more of you?” He looked at her with large brown eyes full of amusement.

“Five girls in all. Me, Hope, Faith, Joy, and—”

“Let me guess, Peace!” Thomas's grin added brightness to the small cottage.

Laughter spilled out. “No, Grace. Although if Mem and Dat had more kids Peace, Gentleness, and Longsuffering were options.” She winked.

Laughter bubbled up, and the sound of it made her laugh too. Then she covered her mouth with her hand. “I'm so sorry. I hope I didn't wake your dat.”

Thomas shook his head. “No. He always takes his hearing aids out before he lies down. He's a bit older. I'm the youngest son of his second wife, who is quite a bit younger than him. His first wife died of cancer years ago.”

Lovina nodded, feeling the gleefulness of a moment before slip away. “I'm so sorry.”

“Ja, horrible thing, but I do think Pinecraft would be a good move for my parents.”

The clock on the wall chimed, and Lovina startled. “Oh no, I'm so sorry. I have to go.” She handed the glass back to him and
moved to the door. “I have to meet a friend.” She smiled. “It was nice meeting you. I hope you enjoy your stay!”

He followed her out onto the porch, still holding two glasses of lemonade in his hands.

“I'll see you again,” she said as she climbed onto her bicycle.

“I look forward to it.”

The way Thomas said those words made Lovina really feel that he would. And as she pedaled away on her bicycle, she didn't know what to think. Two handsome bachelors in one day.

Of course just because she'd met two friendly, handsome men didn't mean anything would come from it. In fact, she was sure nothing would. Instead she needed to set her mind on what she could accomplish.

She'd never fared well with men. She'd never known what to say or do. She'd always felt as if every kind word offered her was given out of duty rather than interest.

But she did know how to make pie.

The sun bore down upon the top of her kapp as she rode toward Big Olaf's ice cream shop. Nervousness fought with excitement inside her. Would Noah Yoder really be able to help her?

And what about her parents? Would they think it was a good idea?

Mostly, would teaming up with Noah Yoder help or hurt her plans? After remembering how Mem had made no mention of his presence to any of her daughters, Lovina worried that the very help she needed might be the thing to keep her from achieving her dreams.

 

Pineapple Pie

1 large (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice

2 small boxes vanilla instant pudding

1 (16 ounce) container sour cream

graham cracker pie crust

nondairy whipped topping for garnish

maraschino cherry halves for garnish

Stir pineapple and pudding together. Fold in sour cream and spread in crust. Top with nondairy whipped topping and cherry halves.

Nine

When faith is most difficult, that is when it is most necessary.

A
MISH
P
ROVERB

L
ovina parked her bike in the rack next to the picnic tables in front of Big Olaf's Creamery. The building, she'd heard, used to be the old post office. Now the ice cream shop was up front and Village Pizza was in back. During the season, and on some cooler days during the summer—when people were out—Mike had his pretzel stand near the rear of the building.

The clerk behind the counter greeted Lovina as she entered Big Olaf's. Noah was sitting at a black garden table in the back of the ice cream shop, and she thought he seemed much too large for the small chair.

The doorbell chimed, stating that a customer had arrived, and Noah looked up. His eyes met hers and a smile lit his face. He stood up as she approached. There was a sketchbook on the table, and she placed her notebook next to it. She was about to ask him if he wanted something to drink or some ice cream when the motion of her notebook caused his pencil to roll off the table to the floor.