Love Inspired March 2015 - Box Set 1 of 2: A Wife for Jacob\The Forest Ranger's Rescue\Alaskan Homecoming (8 page)

BOOK: Love Inspired March 2015 - Box Set 1 of 2: A Wife for Jacob\The Forest Ranger's Rescue\Alaskan Homecoming
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Barbara was quiet for a few moments as she continued to hang the damp garments. “Do
ya
think that's
gut
enough?” she asked.

“For Levi?” Annie frowned. “Barbara, the preacher has been coming to our house for dinner once a week for months. He always likes what we fix. Why should tonight be any different?”

Barbara secured a lavender dress to the clothesline and then faced her sister. “I just thought we could do something special for him.”

“Any particular reason?” Annie asked.

“Nay,”
she murmured. “I just thought, since he is a preacher...”

“Levi would be the first to tell you that he is no different than the rest of us.” Annie sighed. “Stop worrying, Barbara.”

Later, as she worked to fix the cherry cobbler, Annie grew thoughtful.
Is Barbara right?
She stirred the cherries until they were coated with sugar. Should she be fixing something special for the preacher? She frowned as she dumped the fruit into a large baking pan.
Nay, he always likes what I fix.

Next, she worked to prepare the crumb topping made with cinnamon, sugar and dry oatmeal, which she sprinkled over the cherries and dotted with dabs of butter.

She'd have to watch Levi this evening to see if he was enjoying the food or just being polite. Annie picked up the cobbler pan and put it in the refrigerator.

Preacher Levi Stoltzfus was an honest man. He wouldn't come to supper every week if he didn't enjoy the food, she realized. She smiled. Just as she had told Barbara, there was no cause to worry that Levi wouldn't enjoy the meal. Levi Stoltzfus was a kind older man, who would make someone a good husband. He came to dinner often because he'd lost his wife in childbirth two years ago.

She went still. Were Barbara and
Mam
trying to play matchmaker? Was that why Barbara was worried about whether or not Levi enjoyed tonight's meal?

Annie laughed softly, scolding herself for her silly concern.
Mam
hadn't said a word about Levi, and the preacher was a frequent visitor so his visit was nothing out of the ordinary.

Nay
, she thought. Barbara was just being Barbara, worrying about something for no reason.

Preacher Levi would make me a fine husband... He'd be kind to me, treat me fairly and I would never have to worry about him breaking my heart.

Unbidden came thoughts of Jacob Lapp with his twinkling golden eyes and warm smile, and Preacher Levi was temporarily forgotten.

Chapter Eight

A
nnie was at the stove, stirring potatoes, when she heard her sister's voice in the front room.

“Preacher Levi!”


Hallo
, Barbara. 'Tis nice to see
ya
again,” he replied pleasantly. Seconds later, they were in the doorway.

“Levi,” her sister said with warmth. “Are you hungry? We're having meat loaf for dinner.”

“It smells wonderful.” He entered the room behind Barbara.

Annie turned. “
Hallo
,
Levi,” she said with a smile. “Dinner is nearly ready. We'll be having mashed potatoes, buttered baby peas and fresh yeast rolls with the meat loaf.” She grabbed the pot from the stove, set it on a hot mat on the countertop and reached for the butter. “What would you like to drink?”

“I'll get it,” Barbara piped up. “Iced or hot tea? Lemonade? Coffee?”

“Iced tea would be fine.” He flashed Annie an amused glance as Barbara hurried to retrieve the pitcher from the refrigerator in the back room. She raced back into the kitchen where she withdrew two glasses from a cabinet. She filled one to the brim with tea and handed it to Levi.

Mam
entered the kitchen. “
Hallo
, Levi.”

“Miriam.” He smiled. “I appreciate the standing dinner invitation.”

“'Tis always a pleasure to have you, isn't it, girls?”

Annie agreed while Barbara nodded.

“Where's Joe?” Levi asked.

“In the gathering room,” Annie said. “Would
ya
mind telling him that it's time to eat?”

“I'd be happy to.” As the minister left to visit with their father, Barbara turned toward her and exclaimed, “Why did you ask him to tell
Dat
? He shouldn't have to do anything. He's our guest.”

Annie sighed. “Barbara, Levi wanted to see
Dat
—couldn't
ya
tell? And he is more like family than a guest.” After stirring the potatoes, she drained the liquid from the pot into the sink and grabbed the masher.

Barbara looked taken aback. “But he's the preacher!”

“And you and I are Joe and Miriam's daughters. Does that make us any less in the Lord's eyes?” She worked the potatoes into a fine mash, added butter, milk and seasonings. “Barbara, would you please put the peas on the table? And maybe some jam as well as butter.”

Soon supper was served and Annie called everyone to come and eat.

“Your
vadder
and Levi will be right in,”
Mam
said. “I'm going to get your
grosseldre
.”

“What's for dinner?” Peter asked as he passed his mother and entered the room. Annie gestured toward the table. “Meat loaf!” he cried, sounding pleased.

Josiah came in behind him and reached down to snag a piece of bread. “Looks
gut
.”

“Josiah!” Barbara scolded. “Save some for supper.”

Josiah gave her a look. “This
is
supper time, sister.”

“Smells wonderful,” Levi said as he pushed
Dat
into the room and into position at the table.

Soon
Mam
had returned with Annie's grandparents, and everyone was seated and ready to eat. The meat loaf was passed around, followed by the vegetables and bread.

“Levi.”
Mam
handed him the dish of peas. “How long has it been since Rebecca passed on?”

Annie heard her sister gasp from beside her.

“Two years,” Levi murmured.

“It must get lonely in that big house of yours.”
Mam
smiled as she spooned mashed potatoes onto her plate.


Ja
, it can be,” the preacher admitted.

Annie frowned. Levi had lost his wife in childbirth along with their baby. The preacher had no family left in Happiness. His parents had passed away ten years ago, leaving Levi and his five siblings. His two sisters had married and moved with their husbands to Indiana, while his eldest brother had died three years after their mother and father. Not long afterward, Levi's two living brothers had left Happiness and followed his sisters to Indiana.

Levi hadn't minded when his family moved away, for he had met and happily married Rebecca Troyer. Rebecca and Levi had wanted children, and at first it seemed that it wasn't meant to be. After five years of marriage, Rebecca and Levi had rejoiced that they were finally to have a child. Only it had all gone wrong, and Rebecca, who had suffered a difficult pregnancy, had endured a childbirth that had taken her life and their baby's.

Much to Annie's relief, her father changed the subject and asked Levi about the preacher's corn harvest.

Levi smiled. “
Ja
, it has been a
gut
year. The weather was fine for us. Now we have to think of next year. I was thinking of trying to plant some...”

The conversation turned to farming and from farming to this visiting Sunday.

“You will come tomorrow, won't you, Levi?” Barbara asked.

“With all the fine food you provide?
Ja
, I'll come.” Levi had finished his plate and taken seconds.
Mam
rose to remove his dish when he was done.

“Annie made chocolate cake and cherry cobbler,”
Mam
said as she carried the dessert to the table.

Levi smiled at Annie. “They both sound wonderful, but I'd like a piece of cherry cobbler.”

“Annie is a
gut
cook, Levi. She will make some man a wonderful wife.”
Mam
continued to extol Annie's talents, causing Annie's face to redden.

“Mam—”

“'Tis true, Annie,”
Mam
said.


Ja
, you do cook well,” Levi told her gently.

“She will make a fine wife,
ja
?”
Mam
asked.

Annie could feel the intensity of Levi's regard.
“Ja.”
He appeared thoughtful, and she wished she could be anywhere but here at this moment.

“Miriam,”
Dat
said, “you are embarrassing the girl, and you are forgetting your youngest daughter. Barbara is a fine cook, as well.”

Annie was suddenly grateful that the attention had shifted to her sister, who didn't seem the least embarrassed by it. She frowned.
What is
Mam
doing?
She gasped.
Trying to make a match!
She closed her eyes. This wasn't the way to find a husband!

The preacher was a nice man, it was true, and he was attractive with his golden-blond hair and blue eyes. And she did feel comfortable around him, but something inside her rebelled at her mother's interference in matters of her heart.

Later that night, in her room, the memory of that moment mortified her. Levi Stoltzfus? Annie shook her head. She couldn't think of this now. She couldn't. Was her mother so determined to get her out of the house that she would push her toward Levi when the man wasn't ready to court or marry again?

“Annie?” Barbara's voice came out of the dark.

“Ja?”
She stared up at the ceiling, not seeing anything but the images inside her head.

“Do you like him?”

“Who?” Annie rolled to face her.

“Preacher Levi.”


Ja,
he is a nice man.” He was more than a nice man, she thought, but she didn't want to be pushed into a relationship by her mother or her sister.


Mam
seems to think he should be for you.”

Annie sighed. “That was obvious at dinner.”

“What are you doing to do?”

She thought long and hard before answering. Levi would make her a fine husband, but he would have to be the one to show interest in her. “What can I do? 'Tis God's will that will decide.”

* * *

Monday morning, Jacob was hanging up his hat in the shop when he heard a sound behind him.

“Jacob.”

He spun, startled to see her. “Annie! You're here early.”

“I couldn't sleep.”

Jacob became concerned. Annie looked exhausted; there were dark circles beneath her eyes and a look of anxiety in her expression. His worry for her grew. “What's wrong? Is it Joe?”

She shook her head. “
Nay, Dat
is doing well. He goes back to the doctor this week.”

“What's wrong, then?”

She blinked up at him, then looked away. “You'll think it's silly—”

“Something is worrying you, and I doubt it's silly.”

She wandered about the room, running her fingers over the items on the worktable: a metal fire poker...different sizes of tongs and cross-peen hammers.

“Annie—”

“I think my
mudder
is trying to make me a match,” she rushed to say.

“A match?” He stared at her.
With whom?
“You think she's trying to find you a sweetheart?”

“Sweetheart,
nay
.” She stopped fidgeting to face him. “A husband.”

“Your
mudder
wants to marry you off?” Jacob thought of other families within the community. It was possible. Not everyone was like his
mam
and
dat
,
who had married for love and were happy to see their children discover the same happiness on their own.

“Preacher Levi comes to the house every week for supper,” she began.

Jacob nodded. The preacher came to their house often, as well.

“The last time Levi ate with us,
Mam
suddenly mentioned his late wife and how long it had been since Rebecca had passed on—”

“Surely it was just an expression of concern for our preacher,” he suggested as he reached for his leather apron. He slipped it over his head and tied it in the back at his waist.

Annie shook her head. “After reminding Levi how lonely he must be in his big house,
Mam
praised my cooking.” She looked horrified, and he fought not to smile. “And then she told him what a wonderful wife I'd make.” She blinked back tears. “It was humiliating.”

“You said that you'd wanted to marry an older man.” He gathered his tools and placed them within reach. “Levi is older. What's wrong with him?”

“There is nothing wrong with him,” she said. “He's a kind man. Once he is over his late wife, I believe he will make someone a
wonderful
husband.”

Jacob felt his heart skip a beat as she spoke. Levi Stoltzfus sounded like the perfect husband for her. “Then I would consider what you want and take your time to decide,” he said.

“I could do that. It's not as if they will force me to marry him.” Annie smiled and looked relieved. “That is sound advice.
Danki
, Jacob.”

He nodded as he watched her closely.

Annie glanced about the shop. “I don't see any food in here. Would you like coffee and a cinnamon bun?”

“Ja.”
He grinned. “You are a fine cook, Annie Zook,” he teased. “You'll make some man a wonderful wife one day.”

She flashed him a look that told him she didn't mind his teasing. “I'll bring your coffee and roll.” She suddenly looked mischievous. “Or I'll send Barbara out with hard-boiled eggs and castor oil.” She laughed as she left, and the sound of her laughter was like music to his heart.

Jacob felt a burning in his stomach. He didn't like the idea of Annie marrying Levi; he didn't like the idea of her marrying anyone but him. But if he had to pick an older husband for her, then Preacher Levi would be his choice.

He sighed. He seemed destined for heartbreak. He'd thought he could work in the shop and keep his emotions under control, but he'd lost that battle. He loved Annie. He wanted her for his wife. If being friends with her was his only choice, he'd take it. Friendship was better than having no relationship with her at all. But would he feel the same after she married someone else? Could he endure watching her with another man, holding his children? He wanted Annie to be happy and if her happiness meant her marriage to Levi Stoltzfus, then he would pray to the Lord to help him accept it.

* * *

Preacher Levi Stoltzfus wasn't the only man that
Mam
invited to take supper with the family. The following Wednesday, Joseph Byler arrived, much to Annie's surprise. Joseph was a young man who tended to be overeager in everything he did. He was the son of Edna and the late John Byler. He was single, eighteen, and while he was attractive, he irritated Annie.

Joseph's presence, along with
Mam's
questions and comments regarding Annie's cooking skills, made Annie realize that Joseph was only the second in what could potentially be a long parade of prospective husbands invited by her mother.

Annie confronted
Mam
after Joseph went home. “What are
ya
doing?”

Her mother shrugged. “You promised to consider any man who showed an interest in you.”


But
Joseph Byler
? I can't possibly spend time with him. He is...
annoying
.”

Mam
stared at her. “Annie!” she scolded.

Annie stood at the sink, drying the last of the supper dishes. “Would you want his attention?”

“He's a nice young man.”


Ja
, too young. I want an
older
husband. I'll not accept him if he asks to court me. It wouldn't be fair to give him hope.”

Her mother sighed, apparently accepting defeat. “I agree he can be overwhelming.”

“Trying, you mean.” Annie wrinkled her nose.

Mam
gave her a look. “You need to think seriously about your future. If not Joseph, you must consider someone else.” She paused. “What about Levi?”

“I'm not sure he's over his late wife.”

“But you like him.”

Annie nodded. “
Ja.
He is a kind man.”

BOOK: Love Inspired March 2015 - Box Set 1 of 2: A Wife for Jacob\The Forest Ranger's Rescue\Alaskan Homecoming
2.85Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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