Love Inspired March 2015 - Box Set 1 of 2: A Wife for Jacob\The Forest Ranger's Rescue\Alaskan Homecoming (7 page)

Her mother glanced in Jacob's direction as she, Annie and Jacob exited the house. “Jacob. It's
gut
to see you again as always. How are things going in the shop?”

“
Gut.
Horseshoe Joe is an excellent teacher. I feel as if I'd never left.”

“Has he been behaving?”
Mam
paused on the front porch.

“
Ja.
It's
gut
to have his company,” Jacob said. “I feel like a young boy again, learning how to tackle various jobs.”

“What kind of jobs?” Annie wanted to know. She was curious and in no hurry to leave.

“There is a certain skill in reworking an old horseshoe to extend its use,” he said as he peered out into the yard, before refocusing his attention on Annie. “He's been teaching me how to create more traction on the bottom of an older worn horseshoe.” He smiled. “For your
vadder
, it's an easy thing. I've become accustomed to the work now, though.”

Jacob seemed to enjoy his surroundings. It was clear that he loved his family. Earlier, his eyes had been soft as he'd looked about the gathering room, apparently studying all the ladies who had come to meet in his parents' house. For a long minute, Annie hadn't been able to take her eyes off him. As was the custom, he had hung up his hat when he'd come inside. He had retrieved his hat and held it by the brim. His dark hair was shiny and looked newly combed. He wore a maroon shirt and navy
triblend
denim pants, held up by dark suspenders. His shirtsleeves were rolled up slightly, revealing strong, muscled forearms.

“We'd better get home,”
Mam
said as she continued down the steps. “Peter is waiting for us. He has chores to do, and I know he's eager to get started. He won't leave your
vadder
alone.”

“Take care, Jacob,” Annie said softly as she followed her mother.

“I'll be at the shop tomorrow,” he said. “Maybe I will see you then.”

Pleased by his parting words, Annie joined her mother and sister near the buggy. She climbed into the front seat and picked up the leathers.
Mam
sat up front on the other side, while Barbara took a seat in the back.

As if unable to help herself, Annie glanced toward the Lapps' front porch. There Jacob stood, watching her. With a funny feeling in her chest, she waved and felt glad when he lifted a hand in response. Although she somehow managed to carry on an easy conversation with her sister and mother during the buggy ride home, she couldn't get him out of her mind.

* * *

A week later, Jacob stood in the doorway of Abram Peachy's barn, wondering how they were going to set up the tables for the dinner fund-raiser. He heard the rumble of an engine and stepped outside as a large flatbed truck was backing up to the barn. His father directed the vehicle into position, until with a call of “ho!” he instructed the truck to halt.

Jacob was surprised by what the truck carried: long banquet tables and plastic chairs.

When the vehicle came to a complete halt, the passenger door opened and his brother Jed hopped out. He came to where they stood at the back of the truck. “Matt is on the volunteer fire department. The men wanted to help, so they offered us the use of these—no charge.”

Samuel
looked pleased. “That is kind of them.”

The driver shut off the engine and climbed out of the vehicle. Matt was Jed's construction-job foreman.

“What do you think?” he asked with a grin.

“We can certainly use these. Thanks,” Jacob said to the
Englisher
. He reached onto the truck and pulled off two chairs, which he leaned against the barn. Other available workers followed suit, hauling out the furniture and setting them with the rest.

As he worked to prepare the area inside the large fairly new space that was Abram's barn and church-gathering place, Jacob thought of the women who would be arriving soon to ready the tables. He imagined Annie carefully spreading linens over every available banquet surface and then arranging each place setting with care. That was something he'd noticed about her whenever he visited the Zook farmhouse. Whether it was serving cookies and iced tea or cake and coffee, she took care in whatever she did, making a plate of goodies look nice or remembering what he liked in his coffee.

Annie.
The way she was always in his thoughts, he was in dangerous territory. He mustn't make the same mistake twice. He had loved her once, only to get his heart trounced. He couldn't afford to fall for Annie a second time.

A buggy pulled into the barnyard and Annie stepped out. Jacob drew a sharp breath.
Dear Lord, keep me strong. Keep me safe from loving Annie.

He watched her approach and felt a hard jolt. It was too late. He had fallen in love with Annie, and he didn't know how he was going to get over her a second time.

Chapter Seven

A
nnie climbed out of her family's buggy and then reached in for the box of tablecloths, plates, eating utensils and napkins. She turned toward the barn. “It looks like they're just setting up the tables now,” she said to her sister.

“
Ja.
There is Josiah,” Barbara said. “Look! They have long tables and folding chairs!”

Annie nodded, but her attention wasn't on the furniture being unloaded from the back of the truck. It was on the men doing the work—her brother Josiah, Amos King, Samuel Lapp and his sons—and Levi Stoltzfus who had come to help out. She looked from one man to the other, settling briefly on Jacob before quickly moving on. Levi glanced over and waved. Annie grinned and waved back. She was happy to see him. She always felt comfortable in his company.

“Girls, hold up,”
Mam
said. “What are we going to do about these pies and cakes?”

Annie turned carefully, her arms full. “Why not leave them where they are until we can get one of the food tables set up? Unless you want to ask Charlotte if we can store them in her pantry.”

Mam
nodded. “If we leave them here, the boys are liable to find and eat them.”

Annie agreed. Cradling the box of items, she approached the barn. “Noah,” she greeted. “Amos. Samuel.” Her heart skipped a beat as she and Jacob locked gazes. “
Hallo
, Jacob.”

“That box looks heavy,” Jacob said as he reached out to take it from her.

“Danki.”
She followed him inside the barn and checked the placement of furniture.

She saw Jacob study the room. “Where would ya like me to put this?”

Annie gestured toward a table along the wall. “There would be fine.” He set the box down and she managed a smile for him when he faced her. “The room looks
gut
. We'll be able to handle a lot of paying guests. Who gave us the use of all this?”

“The fire department. Jed's construction foreman, Matt Rhoades, is a member.”

“Gut, gut,”
she said. “The English will be more comfortable on chairs than on our benches.”

“Ja,”
he agreed and she could sense him studying her as she inspected the room.

His scrutiny made her feel suddenly uncomfortable. “I should get to work. I have a lot of to prepare.”

He nodded. “I have things to do, as well.”

“I appreciate the help,” she offered as he started to walk away.

He stopped, glanced back. “'Twas my pleasure, Annie,” he said silkily.

Heart thumping hard, Annie watched him walk away. She had to focus on the task at hand. She drew in a steadying breath as she reached into the box for the tablecloths. Instead of plastic, the churchwomen had decided to use linens instead. She envisioned how the room would look when the tables were covered and place settings done and felt pleased.

“Annie, where are the plates and napkins?” Barbara asked. Annie hadn't missed her sister's approach. She gestured toward the box.

Barbara flashed a grin as she headed toward it. Their relationship was back to normal after a sisterly discussion last week. They shared a bedroom, and one evening, after they'd gone upstairs to bed, Annie had broached the subject of David Byler, the boy Barbara had fallen for during her visit to their great-aunt Evie's in northern Pennsylvania. At first, Barbara had been upset, almost defensive, until Annie had offered sympathy while talking of her own heartbreak over Jedidiah Lapp.

“I feel foolish, Annie,” Barbara had whispered into the dark silence of their bedroom. They not only shared a room but a bed large enough for two.

“Why?” Annie had asked. “Because you fell in love? There is nothing wrong with loving someone.” They had lain side by side in their white cotton nightgowns, their hair free from their head coverings, unpinned and flowing well down their backs—Annie's golden blond and Barbara's rich dark brown. When she was younger, Annie had shared a room with Joan, their eldest sister. Joan had lain next to her each night and shared private, whispered conversations, usually about the boy Joan liked and later married, while other times they had discussed Annie's feelings for Jedidiah Lapp. Barbara and she, closer in age than Joan and her, shared a friendship beyond being sisters. Barbara's distance from her after she'd returned from her trip with their
grosseldres
had hurt. Once she'd learned the truth of Barbara's painful experience, she was able to offer her sister kindness and understanding—and the assurance that Barbara had neither been foolish nor rash.

As she and Barbara worked together to set up the tables for tonight's dinner fundraiser, Annie felt good. She had missed their quiet conversations. Now they gave each other frequent smiles as they discussed how to arrange each place setting.

Annie stood back to admire their handiwork. “We need five more tablecloths.”

“Katie Lapp mentioned bringing more, in case we need them,” Barbara said.

“So did Mae King.”

Several women entered the room, among them their mother, Miriam, with Katie and Mae. Each woman carried a metal rack with an aluminum chafing dish and a can of gelled cooking fuel.

“The room looks
gut
,”
Mam
stated as she approached.

“We need more tablecloths,” Barbara said.

“The extras are in the buggy,” Katie said. “Noah told me about the tables and chairs.”

Mae King set down the chafing dish. “I hope we have a
gut
turnout.”

“I think we will,” Katie said. “We've had over a week to get the word out. The boys put posters in all the local stores and in the shops at the Rockvale Outlet Mall and Tanger Outlets. Bob Whittier told everyone who came into his store.”

“I hope so.” Annie wanted this fund-raiser to be a success for her father's sake.
Dat's
worry over his medical bills was taking a toll on his recovery.

“After we're done setting up, we'll head home,”
Mam
said. “Later, we'll come back with the food, an hour and a half before dinner starts.”

Alta Hershberger entered the barn. “Miriam, the place looks nice.”

Mam
smiled. “It should do the job.”

“Where do you want these?” Annie's aunt seemed genuinely happy to help out.

Mae gestured toward a table. The women discussed the arrangements. Except for the dessert portion of the meal afterward, they would be serving their guests. Several side items would be set out family style while the younger women, including Annie, Barbara, Nancy King and young Ellen Mast, would be on hand to make sure that no one left hungry.

The women finished dinner preparations and departed. Annie, Barbara and their mother discussed the fund-raiser as they drove home in their buggy.

“We have plenty of seats for our guests,” Barbara said.

“
Ja
, now we should pray that we see a
gut
profit.”

“'Tis a fair
price,
Mam
,” Annie said. She directed the mare onto their dirt driveway. “Rick Martin's bringing his family, and he told his friends. The dinner fund-raiser will be successful.”

“I pray that it will be so,”
Mam
said somberly.

Annie reached out to clasp
Mam's
hand. “I have faith,
Mam
. You must, too.” She drove skillfully down the drive and into the barnyard. Josiah and Peter had returned home earlier in their market wagon. She lifted a hand to smile and wave at Josiah in the yard. “The Lord will guide us in our time of need,” she told her mother. “He has been
gut
to us.
Dat's
injuries could have been worse.”

The silence in the buggy, as the vehicle came to a complete stop, felt heavy. Annie thought of what might have happened if her father had injured himself more severely. What if he'd broken his neck or cracked his skull?

“We have a lot to be thankful for.”
Mam
smiled at her as she climbed out. “Come, we have much to do yet.”

* * *

The fund-raiser was a success. Jacob stood near the door and watched as the diners enjoyed the dinner prepared by the women of the Happiness Amish community. Earlier, he had gone home to wash and change his clothes. He looked for where he might be able to help. He observed the young women—including Annie—attending to their dinner guests.

There were bowls of sides on the tables: potato salad, green beans, coleslaw, dried-corn casserole, sweet-and-sour chow-chow and fresh home-baked bread. The women went from guest to guest to inquire about their choice of meat—fried chicken, roasted chicken or roast beef—and whether or not they preferred other sides.

So far the people who'd come were pleasant. The first to arrive had been the Zooks' neighbors, Rick Martin and his wife and children—a teenage son and daughter. Store-owner Bob Whittier, with his brood, came soon afterward, followed closely by his other relatives and friends.

The first seating was filled to capacity. As their guests left after dessert, others came in to take their place.

He wondered how many meals had been served so far.
Two hundred? Three hundred? More?
His mother looked pleased. He prayed that the amount raised would be enough to pay Joe's medical expenses.

“Jacob!”

“Rachel.” With a smile, he approached his sister-in-law. “Need help?”

“
Ja
, there is more bread in Charlotte's kitchen. Would you mind getting five loaves?” She moved the breadbasket toward the front of the table.

Jacob nodded. “Do
ya
need anything else?”

“Nay.”
She glanced about the room. “Have you seen Noah?”

“He is outside with Arlin, helping him set up a table to sell his woodcrafts. Our uncle wants to help with Joe's expenses. He's suffered medical bills with our cousin Meg and appreciated the help he got from his community.”

“That's kind of him.” Rachel spied her husband and waved at him. She flashed Jacob a smile. “Keep Noah away from the dessert table. Tell him there is chocolate cake at home for him. I don't want him sampling the fund-raiser treats.”

Jacob laughed. “I'll tell him and be right back with the bread.”

Rachel smiled her thanks. Grinning, Jacob turned and stopped short. Annie Zook stood directly behind him with baskets of rolls, biscuits and muffins.

“Annie.” She looked lovely in a light blue dress that matched her eyes, over which she wore a black apron. Silky tendrils of her golden hair peeked out from beneath her white prayer
kapp
and caught the light. Her smile reached her bright blue eyes. Her pink lips and pretty nose were exquisitely formed.
A glorious vision from God.

Startled by his thoughts, he said, “I have to get bread.” Then he excused himself and left. He stopped once briefly to speak with Noah before he headed toward Charlotte Peachy's kitchen.

* * *

Except when he helped carry items to the food table, Jacob seemed to avoid her, she noticed. When it came time for him to eat dinner, he chose to sit in his sister-in-law's area, a fact that bothered her greatly. She thought they were friends. At times, he talked and teased her, but on other occasions, he would eye her with a strange look that was disconcerting.

She watched from a distance as he smiled and laughed, at ease while talking with Rachel. Eli Lapp entered the room and approached his twin. Eli saw her and grinned. Her heart lightened as she waved at him.

“Annie!”
Mam
called her from the kitchen doorway, just a few feet away. “We're almost done,” she said. “Did you eat?” Annie shook her head. “Well, get something, daughter. You've been working hard. You need to eat, and not only from the dessert table.”

“Ja, Mam,”
she said without argument.

Toward the end of the evening, Charlotte Peachy approached. “We've done well.” She beamed. “Almost four-thousand dollars!”

Arlin Hostetler, Katie Lapp's brother, entered the barn behind Charlotte. “And I sold over eight hundred dollars worth of merchandise,” he said with a grin. He turned the money over to Charlotte.

“Nearly five thousand dollars in all,” Charlotte corrected.

Annie blinked back tears. “
Danki.
You don't know how much this means to us.”

“I think I do,” Arlin said.

Annie sniffled and wiped her eyes. “What would we do without all of you?”

Mam
approached. “How much did we make?” she asked, and Charlotte told her. “Thanks be to God!” Her eyes filled with tears.

“Let's clean up,” Charlotte said. “I'll give this cash to Abram to lock up until tomorrow.”

Annie, her mother and all who had helped to set up or serve pitched in to clean up afterward. When they were done, after the women promised to gather and discuss a future Saturday breakfast fund-raiser, families left for home.

“We did well at the fund-raiser today.” Annie felt pleased that the breakfast had been such a success.

“Ja,”
her
mam
said, “the money will be a good payment toward the hospital bills.”

Annie murmured her agreement. Perhaps now her father would feel less stressed about the state of their finances, she thought with relief.

* * *

Saturday morning Annie started her chores. She did the wash and hung it on the clothesline with Barbara's help. The day was sunny but a bit cooler than it had been yesterday.

“There's a nice breeze,” Annie said.

“
Ja
, the clothes will dry in no time.” Barbara reached into the wicker basket and withdrew one of Peter's shirts. She fastened the bottom hem on the line with wooden clothespins. “Have you decided what to make for supper?” she asked casually.

“
Ja
, meat loaf, mashed potatoes and peas.” Annie picked up a wet pillowcase and shook the wrinkles from it before pinning it into place. “I'm thinking cherry cobbler for dessert.”