A Christmas Bride in Pinecraft (21 page)

“Lukas.”

“Hello, Darla.” His light blue-gray eyes remained serious though his lips curved into the slightest of smiles. “How are you today?”

“I am well,
danke
,” she lied. “What are you doing here?”

“Rebecca told me you got this job here two weeks ago. I wanted to see how it was going.”

“I am learning a lot. It's a blessing, I think.”

His eyes narrowed. “It didn't sound like it when I arrived. Does that happen a lot?”

“Does Mary come in to give me grief?
Jah
.”

“I'll talk to her for you.”

“
Danke
, but I'd rather you did not. She is upset and grieving. Sooner or later she'll let go of her anger.” Well, she hoped so.

“What about you? Are you still grieving and upset?” he asked quietly.

She didn't know how to answer that. They'd once been good friends. Best friends. She should be able to converse with him by now. But ever since the accident, it felt like there was too much between them to ever speak to each other easily. Not only did they have their own grief to tackle but her brother was very angry. And, she heard, his brother was, too.

“I'm doing about as well as can be expected,” she murmured, thinking of their preacher's last visit. He'd prayed with her and spoke of forgiveness. She hoped one day soon that advice would ease her heart. After gazing out the store's front window and seeing it devoid of prospective customers, she forced herself to continue their stilted conversation. “And you, Lukas? How are you today?”

“Almost
gut.
”

“Why is that?”

The smile that had been playing on his lips transformed into a full grin. “The lambs are out.”

“I heard them this morning. The Millers have a lively bunch this year She almost smiled back at him. Even when he was a little boy, Lukas had loved the arrival of the spring lambs. Her
daed
used to ask him over just so Lukas could hold a newborn lamb from time to time. Just last year she'd teased Lukas, saying that it was a shame they no longer raised sheep because she would have enjoyed the sight of him in his plaid pajama bottoms and old undershirt, holding a day-old lamb like it was the most precious thing on earth.

He stuffed his hands in his back pockets. “We should stop by the Millers soon. You know they won't mind us visiting the lambs.”

Just like they used to do.

Darla looked at the door longingly. Wished another customer would enter so Lukas would move on and not make her remember how close they used to be. And how welcome Lukas would be at the Millers' while her appearance would be barely tolerated.

“I don't have time to visit lambs. With my new job, I am pretty busy, you know. Now, how may I help you?”

“Shouldn't I be asking you that?” he said softly as he stepped toward her.

His softly spoken question, laced with just the slightest bit of affectio made her flinch. She raised her guard. If she didn't keep herself firmly in check she was liable to weaken and say something she would regret.

They'd been friends for a very long time. Lukas knew how close she'd been to her father. He'd meant the world to her. Surely he had to have known how difficult it was for her for his reputation to now be tainted? Couldn't he imagine how hard it was for her to even get through each day?

Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at
hc.com
.