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that, but you can eat dinner with them whenever you want. And you’ll want to often, believe me. Mary’s a great cook.”
    I stared at my cup of coffee, its steam rising into the air-conditioned air. An Amish farm. I bet even Pop would consider that getting a life. “If I can make arrangements for, say, three months, I’ll do it.”

Chapter 5
     
    L et me go call Jake,” Todd said. “I’ll see if he’s got a renter lined up already or whether the place is still free.”
    “You’re going to call right now ?”
    “Sure,” he said, sliding out of the booth. “It’ll only take a minute. Just don’t eat my pie while I’m gone.”
    “Fat chance of that.” I eyed the repulsive-looking brown thing.
    I took a sip of coffee as I watched Todd walk across the dining room to the lobby and pull out his cell. I noticed a table of women watching him too. I felt a sudden delight that he was eating with me.
    I looked at the shoofly pie again. I could see three pieces of it sitting on the table of the four women who had eyed Todd with such interest. I watched as our waitress put two pieces on the table across the aisle from me.
    Surely if all these people were eating the disgusting thing, it couldn’t be all that bad, could it? I glanced toward the lobby and saw Todd was thoroughly occupied. I looked at Todd’s pie again. I looked at the people across the aisle enthusiastically enjoying their desserts.
    One tiny taste. Then I’ll know what all the fuss is about, and he’ll never even notice. Besides, I like whipped cream.
    I licked all the coconut custard off my fork and reached across the table. I took a smidgen of crumbs and brown custard. I sniffed it with distrust. I reached back for a bit of whipped cream and stuffed the mess into my mouth. I blinked in surprise.
    “Told you you’d like it,” Todd said as he slid into his seat. Then he scowled. “But I also told you not to take any.”
    “What makes you think I took any?” I said as I reached across the table for a decent-sized bite. It was either that or be embarrassed out of my mind.
    “Do you steal the food off the plates of all your dates?” he asked.
    I blinked. This is a date? “Only the ones I like,” I replied placidly.
    He pushed the pie to the center of the table, and we took turns taking bites.
    “Jake says the rooms are still available, and that if we come out tomorrow afternoon, you can look them over. He says tomorrow is a good day because it’s an off Sunday and the family’s going to visit Ruth and Isaiah.”
    I savored the last bite of pie and asked, “What’s an off Sunday, and who are Ruth and Isaiah?”
    “The Old Order Amish have church every other Sunday at each other’s homes. When there’s no church, it’s an off Sunday, and they often go visiting. Ruth and Isaiah are the Zooks’ daughter and son-in-law.”
    “They only go to church every other Sunday?” That surprised me for such a religious people.
    Todd nodded. “So are you free tomorrow afternoon to go out to the farm? I’ll take you if you are.”
    “Sure. Sounds good.” It sounded more than good, but I wasn’t going to tell him. “By the way, can you recommend a good church? I’d like to go tomorrow.”
    “My church. Why don’t I pick you up? After service we can grab a bite to eat and then go to the farm.”
    I shrugged nonchalantly, thinking I should have come to Bird-in-Hand a lot sooner. Silver Spring was never like this. “Sounds like a plan,” I said.
    The waitress brought the check.
    “I want to pay my part of the bill,” I said.
    We split the cost in half and left the restaurant.
    “But you should have paid more,” Todd commented as we walked across the parking lot. “After all, you ate half my dinner.”
    “Only the brown stuff,” I said as I looked into his amazing brown eyes. “Only the brown stuff.”
    We came to my beige Saturn, but instead of saying goodbye, Todd leaned against the fender and asked, “So are you enjoying your time