His Amish Sweetheart by Jo Ann Brown

Author:Jo Ann Brown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-08-29T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Esther had planned to go home from the Huyards’ with Mamm, but stayed for the evening’s singing when Mamm insisted she wanted some time to talk with Ezra and Leah about the wedding alone. They were waiting at the house.

“You’ll be able to get a ride home with someone else,” Mamm said, her eyes twinkling. “The Huyards have invited Jacob to stay with them and their kinder tonight, so Nathaniel doesn’t have to bring him to school in the morning. Jacob is excited, and Nathaniel can have an evening without worrying about the boy. See how well that’s working out?”

“Ja.” She didn’t add anything else. Telling Mamm to stop her matchmaking would be rude. Her mamm wanted all her kinder to be happily married.

She didn’t want to be matched with Nathaniel. Right? Why did she keep thinking about riding in his buggy without Jacob sitting between them? The quiet night with only the sound of buggy wheels and horseshoes to intrude, a blanket over their laps to ward off the cold...his arm around her. She could lean her head against his shoulder and listen to his voice echo in his chest as he spoke.

She ejected those too-enticing thoughts from her mind. It’d be better if she just thought about the singing that had already started. From across the yard she could hear voices, which didn’t sing as slow as during the church service. Going to a singing was the perfect way to end a church Sunday. As the weather worsened with the coming of winter, many singings would be canceled so people could get home before dark.

The barn doors were thrown wide open. Inside, propane lights set on long tables and on the floor sent bright light in every direction. A trio of tables to one side held snacks. Most of the singers had chosen a place on either side of the long tables. Couples who were walking out together sat across from each other so they could flirt during the songs.

Esther paused outside the crescent of light by the doorway, not wanting to intrude on the song. She wrapped her arms around herself as the breeze blew a chill across her skin.

“Are you going in or not?” asked Nathaniel as he stopped next to her.

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“Ja, you could. They don’t need me croaking like a dying frog in time with the music.” He rubbed his right shoulder and grinned. “I’m not sure I want to show off how throwing a ball the whole afternoon for the kinder has left my shoulder aching.”

“Only half the afternoon,” she replied, wagging her finger. “The other half I was throwing the ball.”

“You look as fresh as if you’d gotten a gut night’s sleep. Don’t rub it in.”

She closed her eyes as the voices swelled out of the barn and surrounded them with “Amazing Grace.” It was one of her favorite songs.

“You look pensive. Singings are supposed to be fun.” He leaned against the wall by the door.

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