Made with Love (32 page)

Lovina pushed the paper to the side and stood.

“Lovina,” said Grace, “I'd like to introduce you to Cara Johnson from the
Sarasota Sun
newspaper. She was in Yoder's today interviewing Hank about the excitement of the new season. Cara's going to shoot a few photos now with the empty streets, and then a few next week after the buses arrive.” Grace looked to the reporter, who was nodding enthusiastically. “I knew she'd want to hear about your shop.”

“It'll make a great story,” the reporter said. “I think people
have a hard time believing there's an Amish community just a few miles down the road from million-dollar homes.”

“When I overheard them talking I had to interrupt,” Grace continued. “Ms. Johnson here was so excited, especially when I told her that an Amish bachelor and Amish teens were helping to remodel this old warehouse. She agreed that it made the perfect human interest story.”

Lovina looked to her baby sister, her eyes growing wide. Grace had never been shy, but Lovina had never seen Grace in this element before. Grace's dark blonde hair was tucked neatly in her kapp and gave every appearance of being more comfortable in an Amish kitchen than talking to the media, but Lovina saw excitement in her little sister's eyes that gave her face a special glow.

“Yes, I'm so thankful your sister found me,” the reporter jumped in. “Grace also said you wouldn't mind if I interviewed you.” She pulled out a notebook and pen. “Can you start by telling me how this all got started?”

Lovina folded her hands in front of her. Her palms felt damp, and she wondered if the pounding of her heart was almost as loud as Noah's hammer pounding in the other room. She guessed it was. “Well, as a young girl I always enjoyed making pies. I think the first pumpkin pie I made was still runny in the middle, but my mem and dat just ate around the edges. I suppose one wants to continue what one gets praise for,” Lovina chuckled. “Thankfully my pies got better over time.”

“Food is a special part of Amish social life,” Grace butted in. “It's served at potlucks, marriage services, fundraisers, and farewells. Families gather in homes for church, and they always eat together before they leave.”

The reporter took notes and then turned her attention back
to Lovina. “And why did you want to open a pie shop? From that smile on your face I can see this means so much to you.”

“Well.” Lovina smiled bigger. “Food is also a way to connect people and reach out to a larger world. Offering a piece of pie makes a visitor, whether an old friend or a stranger, feel welcome. Like my sister said, we eat together as we gather, but it also is a sign of support when one's going through a hard time. It's a gesture of caring for each other. Sharing pie is loving another person in a caring way. And…it helps us to be reminded that God cares for us and offers us the gift of food and friends.”

Lovina looked to her sister, hoping Grace wasn't upset that she'd been cut off. Instead, Grace's eyes shone with pride, and for a moment Lovina felt like she was the little sister getting the big sister's approval.

They continued to talk, and after a while Lovina forgot she was talking to a reporter. It was so natural to share about the pie shop. To express how important it was for people to sit face-to-face and enjoy the company of friends in the middle of a busy day.

Lovina showed the reporter the list of pies she'd selected. Cara took the list and began to read aloud. “Coconut cream, banana cream, peanut butter cream pie, key lime pie, strawberry rhubarb pie, cherry pie, lemon meringue, shoo-fly pie, apple skillet pie, and…orange pie? I've never heard of that one before.”

“It's light and refreshing and perfect for Florida. I think it's going to be a wonderful taste of sunshine visitors will want to try during their stay. It's one of my favorites to make for church gatherings.”

The woman asked a few more questions, and then she turned her attention to Noah and the teens, who were installing a large pan rack in the kitchen.

Cara pointed her pen. “And tell me about them.”

“Oh, it's a lovely story,” Grace gushed. “That handsome Amish bachelor is helping wayward youth by giving them job skills. He also does salvage work, repurposing cast-off items.” Grace pointed to the large counter where the bakers were going to roll out the crusts. “Noah found that in an old house near the water. Can you believe someone was going to just throw that away?”

The woman scribbled notes, and a smile graced her lips. “This is great stuff. It'll make a nice story, but I have to ask one question.”

“Ja. What is it?” Lovina asked.

“Well, no one has mentioned it, but is it just a coincidence that a handsome bachelor is so generously giving his time to help a beautiful young Amish woman opening a pie shop?” The reporter leaned forward with her pen poised over the page. “A romance like that seems so lovely and innocent, so different from what we read in the papers today.”

“Well, I…it
is
a coincidence.” Lovina felt heat rising to her cheeks. “I mean, God probably had something to do with it, but it wasn't in my plans.” She touched her hand to her cheek. “I can't say too much, but I'm thankful…” She forced a smile. “Thankful that God brought Noah into my life.”

Grace placed a hand over Lovina's. “I think what my sister is trying to say is ‘no comment.' ” Grace wrinkled her nose, as if realizing how strange this would all sound to an outsider. “You see, in the Amish community a couple only lets others know of a possible marriage a few weeks before the wedding. It's called ‘getting published' when you let everyone know.” Grace laughed. “And unless my sister is planning on getting married even before the shop is open, I doubt she wants any news of their relationship in the press.”

Their relationship?
The words replayed in Lovina's mind. “Ja, no comment.” She released a breath with her words, realizing
again how God was giving her more than she ever imagined. A pie shop and many people to share the joy with. And Noah, who not only shared the joy with her, but also the work. She couldn't help but look at him. And when she turned back she realized the reporter's eyes were on her.

“I won't write anything about it now, but maybe when I return.” The woman offered a wistful smile. “It's stories like these our world needs to hear. Stories to let people know that not every place is corrupt with people wanting more power, more attention, more fame.”

“When you return?” Lovina asked.

“Yes, when the pie shop is open.” Cara Johnson stood, tucked a pen behind her ear, and held her notebook to her chest. “I can't wait to sample that orange pie.” And then the reporter looked to Noah, still hard at work, and released a sigh. “And see how the rest of this project turns out. Sweet and happy, I'm certain. For both the shop and the baker.”

There was a far-off look in Cara's eyes—one that Lovina didn't want to ignore. “Is it difficult being a reporter?” Lovina asked. “I'm sure you see so many hard things.”

“I do.” Cara nodded. “It is hard at times. Sometimes I've questioned why God lets bad things happen. But then I come to a place like this, and I'm reminded…” Her voice trailed off.

“Of what?” It was Grace who asked this time.

“I'm reminded that good things are happening too, and it may sound silly, but I can feel God here.” The woman's eyes flickered to Lovina, but then she looked away, almost embarrassed. “I won't write it in the story…but I having a feeling you're going to serve up more than just pie, Lovina. I have a feeling you'll be serving faith and hope too.”

A chill raced up Lovina's arms. She looked to Grace and
noticed her sister's smile. And deep down she had a feeling the woman was right. Maybe this place wasn't just about pie after all.

Lovina sat on her bed running the brush down her long hair. She was tired and sore, but in a good way. She and Faith hadn't gotten around to working on the menus as she'd hoped, but she hadn't minded. Instead, after the reporter had left, she'd worked with Noah, sifting through a few more items from his storage area that he thought they could repurpose for the store.

She was amazed by Noah really. Once Lovina had relayed Grace's vision for the pie shop being a mix of Amish comfort and vintage, he'd found more items to repurpose. Her favorite item was an old, rusty metal stepladder that he'd used to display cookbooks. He'd set it up by the door, and joy bubbled up in Lovina as she imagined how delighted customers were going to be when they walked inside. There was so much to appreciate, to look at. Lovina released a contented sigh and lay back on her pillow.

On the next bed over, Hope twisted her strawberry blonde hair into a long braid. Out of all the sisters, Hope was the no-nonsense one. The sister more prone to practical ideas than wistful thoughts.

“Thinking of pies again? Have you narrowed down which ones you're going to have on your menu?” Hope asked.

“Uh, well…” Lovina couldn't help the smile that played on her lips.

Hope tied off her braid and then glanced over, waiting for Lovina's answer. Then she leaned forward and studied Lovina's face. “You're not thinking about pies at all!” Hope gasped. “You are thinking about a bachelor.”

“Why would you think that?”

Hope's eyes widened. “Look at you. Your cheeks are all red. It's him, isn't it?”

“Him who? I don't know what you're talking about.”

Hope pinned her sleeping handkerchief to her hair, a large smile on her face. “Who am I talking about?” She laughed. “As if you didn't know. Noah.”

Lovina tried to hide her smile, but it didn't quite work. Hope reached over and placed a soft finger on Lovina's chin, urging her to look up.

Lovina did and the smile came.

“You like him!”

Out of all the sisters Hope had been around the pie shop the least, and Lovina knew that was why Hope was just now realizing how close she and Noah had become.

“Shhh…” Lovina placed her finger to her lips. “Of course I like him. He's a great worker. You should see him. He's become a favorite supplier at Sarasota Architectural Salvage, and just yesterday he traded some old wooden crates for some fencing pickets for the shop. He didn't have to do that. We agreed that he could have everything inside that he wanted, but he said he had a wonderful idea. He's going to create a white picket fence to separate the girls rolling pie crusts from the tables out front. I never would have come up with that, but I love the idea! I loved it from the first moment he showed it to me on a sketch. Grace loved it too.” Lovina didn't tell Hope about the surprise birthday breakfast. She was cherishing that all to herself.

“So you're saying you're interested in him as a carpenter only?” Hope cocked one eyebrow. “I haven't seen him close up for myself, but I overheard one of the waitresses at Yoder's talking about how handsome he was.”

A strange jealousy stirred in Lovina's chest. She swallowed hard. Which waitress was talking about him? Someone she knew?

“Look at you!” Hope chuckled. “I think you're going to have smoke escaping your ears.”

“Why would I be concerned if other women think Noah handsome? It's not as if I have any ownership over the man. We've only gone on one real date.” Yet even as she said those words, she knew they had an understanding. The way he'd held her…well, hadn't that meant something special?

Lovina put on her sleeping kapp and turned down the wick on their lantern. Even though they had electricity in their room, both she and Hope agreed that they loved the ambiance of lantern light at night when they read and talked in bed. They'd lived with lantern light their whole life. It seemed unnatural to fill their room with the harsh white light from the lightbulb now, no matter if they had electricity or not.

Hope chuckled. “And when would you have time to go on dates? You're at the shop from morning to night. Do you ever stop to eat?”

Lovina rolled to her side. “There's a lot to get done.”

“Ja, and it helps things that your coworker is nice to look at too.”

Lovina didn't say anything then. She didn't want to argue and she couldn't lie. Instead, she decided to change the subject.