Building Her Amish Dream by Jo Ann Brown

Author:Jo Ann Brown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-11-25T20:50:17+00:00

* * *

Mattie didn’t follow when Daisy asked Benjamin to wheel her to a large rock at the edge of the water. When she heard his footfalls crunching on the dirt and sand, she looked over her shoulder, amazed he’d left Daisy sitting by the boulder.

“The paint needs another fifteen minutes or so before I can put on the second coat,” he said as he came to stand beside where she’d been staring out at the thin ice clinging to the far side of the bay.

“All right.” What else could she say?

“Daisy asked me to tell you that she’s worried Boppi Lynn will get too cold if she stays out much longer.”

“I should—”

“Leave her be for a few minutes. She wants to be alone.”

“As Mamm must have. I didn’t know she was so unhappy.” She wrapped her arms around herself as a cold blast struck them. “I should have paid more attention. I shouldn’t have let other things distract me.”

She saw curiosity in his eyes, but he didn’t ask what other things she’d had on her mind. Did he suspect the “things” had been him?

“Maybe,” he said, “there wasn’t anything for you to pay attention to.”

“What do you mean?” She faced him, hopeful that he’d give her a way to forgive herself for not easing the pain that had driven Emmaline Albrecht away from her family.

“I mean some people don’t share their feelings when they’re about to make a huge decision.” He shuffled his feet in the sand. “Sometimes, they need to mull them over and consider all the ramifications. Other times, they’re afraid they’ll look foolish if they speak about what’s on their minds. But often people want to keep that decision to themselves because they don’t want to take the chance of someone talking them out of it.”

“You’ve met Mamm, Benjamin. Do you think anyone could have talked her out of doing what she wanted to do?”

He gave her a wry smile. “She’s a force of nature. A lot like you.”

“Me?” She stared at him in shock. “I don’t feel like listening to your teasing.” She walked away, but heard Benjamin following her along the shore.

He used the driftwood as if it was a walking stick. As soon as he’d caught up with her, he said, “You are a force of nature yourself. A benign one, it’s true, but once you set your mind on a course of action, I pity whoever attempts to stand in your way.”

“I’ve got to be single-minded. Everyone and everything depends on me getting the shop open.”

“It will open.”

“On time.”

“On time.” He chuckled, though she wondered what he found amusing about her greatest fear. “It won’t take long to get the rest of the painting done. All that remains after that is arranging the stock, right?”

They continued walking as she listed the tasks waiting to be done, including having the vegetable scales certified as accurate and having several different inspections completed.

“I had no idea all of that had to be done,” he said. “I wonder if I should give up on opening my own shop.

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