back.
Elisabeth poked her head back into the kitchen. “You’ve been sneaking bites from Ho Ho cakes since you were a kinn . Everyone knows that.” Then she disappeared.
Anna opened the wax paper tube of crackers and began placing them on the plain white plate.
“So now you know one of my deep dark secrets. I can never resist a Ho Ho cake.”
She gave him a half smile but didn’t say anything. Lukas watched her for a moment. “I’m glad you came.”
She paused briefly, then continued putting out the crackers, arranging them in concentric circles.
He moved opposite her and leaned his hip against the counter. “What made you change your mind?”
“You.”
A surge of happiness shot through him. He grinned.
“I wanted to square things between us. I have a check in my purse to give you before I leave.”
His grin faded. That wasn’t what he’d wanted to hear. “Anna, I won’t take your money.”
She put the last cracker on the plate and faced him. “I figured the labor costs based on what is typically charged for the jobs you performed, so I think you’ll agree it’s a fair amount.”
Her intelligence was impressive and one of the many things he liked about her. Right now it was also irritating. “You’re not listening to me. I didn’t help you out for the money.”
“I understand that, Lukas. And I know that it’s our way to give our time and talents to others. You’ve been generous to me with both.” She glanced away for a moment before looking back at him. “But I don’t need your help anymore. I want to make sure I’ve covered my obligations.”
Lukas shook his head. She was the most stubborn woman he’d ever met. “You’re not obligated to me, Anna. I don’t know what else I can say to make you understand that.”
“And I don’t know why you won’t accept that this is how it is.”
“Is it?” He stepped toward her, closing the distance between them. She averted her gaze. “Anna, be honest with me. If you and that other mann— ”
“Daniel. His name was Daniel.”
“Daniel,” he said, his tone tinged with derision, resenting the man that had hurt her so deeply. “If Daniel wasn’t between us, would you feel the same way?”
She frowned. “Daniel’s not between us. He’s married and living in Maryland. He’s not in my life anymore.”
“Are you sure? Because it feels that way. And you haven’t answered my question. Is Daniel the only thing keeping us apart?”
“There’s our age difference.”
“That doesn’t wash with me. Five years is nothing.”
“You say that now, but what about when I’m fifty and you’re forty-five?”
“Still doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t care if you were ten years older, Anna. I would still like you. I would still want to help you and your familye . And I would still want to court you.”
She crumpled the empty cracker sleeve in her hand.
“All I’m asking for is a chance.”
“I . . . I can’t. Not now.”
At least she hadn’t shut him down completely, as she had in the past. “What about friendship? Can we at least agree to be friends?” At the doubt on her face he said, “I promise I won’t push you for anything else.”
She looked him in the eye. “I would like to be friends.”
“Then friends it is.” He took a step back from her. She had given him a thin cord of hope to cling to, and he wasn’t about to let go.
He heard voices coming from the living room. “Looks like more people are here.”
“ Gut . I’m looking forward to meeting them.”
“Then as your new friend, I would be happy to introduce you.”
At her smile, his hope grew stronger. He’d have to be satisfied with what she could give him, although it wouldn’t be easy. But he wouldn’t abandon asking the Lord to change her heart.
Chapter 5
E lisabeth stood inside the office and peered out of the door’s small window and into the blacksmith shop. She could still hear the sharp clanging of the hammer hitting the anvil as Aaron
Elisabeth poked her head back into the kitchen. “You’ve been sneaking bites from Ho Ho cakes since you were a kinn . Everyone knows that.” Then she disappeared.
Anna opened the wax paper tube of crackers and began placing them on the plain white plate.
“So now you know one of my deep dark secrets. I can never resist a Ho Ho cake.”
She gave him a half smile but didn’t say anything. Lukas watched her for a moment. “I’m glad you came.”
She paused briefly, then continued putting out the crackers, arranging them in concentric circles.
He moved opposite her and leaned his hip against the counter. “What made you change your mind?”
“You.”
A surge of happiness shot through him. He grinned.
“I wanted to square things between us. I have a check in my purse to give you before I leave.”
His grin faded. That wasn’t what he’d wanted to hear. “Anna, I won’t take your money.”
She put the last cracker on the plate and faced him. “I figured the labor costs based on what is typically charged for the jobs you performed, so I think you’ll agree it’s a fair amount.”
Her intelligence was impressive and one of the many things he liked about her. Right now it was also irritating. “You’re not listening to me. I didn’t help you out for the money.”
“I understand that, Lukas. And I know that it’s our way to give our time and talents to others. You’ve been generous to me with both.” She glanced away for a moment before looking back at him. “But I don’t need your help anymore. I want to make sure I’ve covered my obligations.”
Lukas shook his head. She was the most stubborn woman he’d ever met. “You’re not obligated to me, Anna. I don’t know what else I can say to make you understand that.”
“And I don’t know why you won’t accept that this is how it is.”
“Is it?” He stepped toward her, closing the distance between them. She averted her gaze. “Anna, be honest with me. If you and that other mann— ”
“Daniel. His name was Daniel.”
“Daniel,” he said, his tone tinged with derision, resenting the man that had hurt her so deeply. “If Daniel wasn’t between us, would you feel the same way?”
She frowned. “Daniel’s not between us. He’s married and living in Maryland. He’s not in my life anymore.”
“Are you sure? Because it feels that way. And you haven’t answered my question. Is Daniel the only thing keeping us apart?”
“There’s our age difference.”
“That doesn’t wash with me. Five years is nothing.”
“You say that now, but what about when I’m fifty and you’re forty-five?”
“Still doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t care if you were ten years older, Anna. I would still like you. I would still want to help you and your familye . And I would still want to court you.”
She crumpled the empty cracker sleeve in her hand.
“All I’m asking for is a chance.”
“I . . . I can’t. Not now.”
At least she hadn’t shut him down completely, as she had in the past. “What about friendship? Can we at least agree to be friends?” At the doubt on her face he said, “I promise I won’t push you for anything else.”
She looked him in the eye. “I would like to be friends.”
“Then friends it is.” He took a step back from her. She had given him a thin cord of hope to cling to, and he wasn’t about to let go.
He heard voices coming from the living room. “Looks like more people are here.”
“ Gut . I’m looking forward to meeting them.”
“Then as your new friend, I would be happy to introduce you.”
At her smile, his hope grew stronger. He’d have to be satisfied with what she could give him, although it wouldn’t be easy. But he wouldn’t abandon asking the Lord to change her heart.
Chapter 5
E lisabeth stood inside the office and peered out of the door’s small window and into the blacksmith shop. She could still hear the sharp clanging of the hammer hitting the anvil as Aaron
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