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Authors: Kathleen Fuller
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the fire.
“No one likes to be alone all the time.”
“I’m not.” He cast a sideways glance. “You’re here.”
“I mean away from work. What about friends?”
He yanked the rod out of the fire and plunked it down on the anvil. “Elisabeth, you must be really bored.” Sparks flew as he slammed the hammer down on the rod.
“But—ow!” A spark landed on her cheek and she jumped back from the forge.
Aaron dropped the hammer and went to her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” But the burning sensation sharpened. She put her hand on her cheek.
“Let me see.” He whipped off his gloves and bent down slightly to peer at her face.
She removed her hand, the skin on her cheek still burning. “Does it look bad?”
“You have a red mark right here.” His finger brushed against her cheek. Then he yanked away his hand and stepped back from her. “Sorry.”
She wasn’t sure exactly what he was sorry for—accidentally burning her cheek or touching it. For one split moment she was sorry for neither.
Wait a minute. This was Aaron. Her coworker. A man she barely knew anything about. Why would a split-second gesture done merely out of concern affect her at all? Aaron was right; she had to be bored out of her mind for her imagination to run crazy like that.
“Some ice will cool the burn.” He went back to the forge, then glanced at her, not picking up the hammer until she moved away.
“It’s already feeling better.” She took a few more steps back. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have been so close.”
Aaron didn’t say anything. Instead he started pounding. A bead of sweat ran down his face.
Dismissed, she spun around and headed back to the office. Pulling a small mirror out of the top drawer of her desk, she checked her face. The sting had already diminished, and the red welt was hardly noticeable. She was grateful the burn hadn’t been worse.
Elisabeth turned around and leaned her backside against the desk. She should just go home like he suggested. Better than being at loose ends here and getting in the way. Gabe would fire her for sure if she caused any trouble. He wasn’t a harsh man at all, quite the opposite. In fact, after his twin brother had died a few months before Velda was born, Gabe had stood by Moriah’s side. Eventually, Gabe and Moriah had married, and they were one of the happiest couples Elisabeth knew. But he had a business to run, and she didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that. She enjoyed her job and wanted to keep it.
She put her black bonnet on over her kapp , pinned her shawl around her neck, then grabbed her lunch bag and purse. She did have a few chores to finish up at home before getting together with some of her friends later on that night, so taking off early wasn’t a bad suggestion.
As she left the office, she had an idea. On her way out the door she walked past Aaron, making sure she steered clear of the forge. When she called his name, he answered her but didn’t look up.
“A bunch of my friends are getting together tonight at the Troyers’ over on Bundysburg Road. They’ve got a big barn and we’re setting up a corn toss tournament. You should join us.”
“I’m busy.”
“Doing what?” She raised her voice to be heard above the noise at the forge.
He gave her a quick look, his blue eyes impassive. “Stuff.”
“Okay, what kind of stuff ?”
“Personal stuff, all right?” Impatience entered his tone.
“You don’t have to get all snippy about it. I’m just trying to be nice.”
He paused and took a deep breath. “Sorry. Danki for the invite, but I can’t make it.”
“How about tomorrow night, then? There’s a singing—”
“Elisabeth, I’m not interested.” He looked back down at the anvil and started working again.
Her feelings pricked, she left the shop and went to her buggy. She thought about stopping in the house to talk to Moriah, but she wasn’t in the mood. Instead her thoughts were on Aaron. Maybe he did have his
“No one likes to be alone all the time.”
“I’m not.” He cast a sideways glance. “You’re here.”
“I mean away from work. What about friends?”
He yanked the rod out of the fire and plunked it down on the anvil. “Elisabeth, you must be really bored.” Sparks flew as he slammed the hammer down on the rod.
“But—ow!” A spark landed on her cheek and she jumped back from the forge.
Aaron dropped the hammer and went to her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” But the burning sensation sharpened. She put her hand on her cheek.
“Let me see.” He whipped off his gloves and bent down slightly to peer at her face.
She removed her hand, the skin on her cheek still burning. “Does it look bad?”
“You have a red mark right here.” His finger brushed against her cheek. Then he yanked away his hand and stepped back from her. “Sorry.”
She wasn’t sure exactly what he was sorry for—accidentally burning her cheek or touching it. For one split moment she was sorry for neither.
Wait a minute. This was Aaron. Her coworker. A man she barely knew anything about. Why would a split-second gesture done merely out of concern affect her at all? Aaron was right; she had to be bored out of her mind for her imagination to run crazy like that.
“Some ice will cool the burn.” He went back to the forge, then glanced at her, not picking up the hammer until she moved away.
“It’s already feeling better.” She took a few more steps back. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have been so close.”
Aaron didn’t say anything. Instead he started pounding. A bead of sweat ran down his face.
Dismissed, she spun around and headed back to the office. Pulling a small mirror out of the top drawer of her desk, she checked her face. The sting had already diminished, and the red welt was hardly noticeable. She was grateful the burn hadn’t been worse.
Elisabeth turned around and leaned her backside against the desk. She should just go home like he suggested. Better than being at loose ends here and getting in the way. Gabe would fire her for sure if she caused any trouble. He wasn’t a harsh man at all, quite the opposite. In fact, after his twin brother had died a few months before Velda was born, Gabe had stood by Moriah’s side. Eventually, Gabe and Moriah had married, and they were one of the happiest couples Elisabeth knew. But he had a business to run, and she didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that. She enjoyed her job and wanted to keep it.
She put her black bonnet on over her kapp , pinned her shawl around her neck, then grabbed her lunch bag and purse. She did have a few chores to finish up at home before getting together with some of her friends later on that night, so taking off early wasn’t a bad suggestion.
As she left the office, she had an idea. On her way out the door she walked past Aaron, making sure she steered clear of the forge. When she called his name, he answered her but didn’t look up.
“A bunch of my friends are getting together tonight at the Troyers’ over on Bundysburg Road. They’ve got a big barn and we’re setting up a corn toss tournament. You should join us.”
“I’m busy.”
“Doing what?” She raised her voice to be heard above the noise at the forge.
He gave her a quick look, his blue eyes impassive. “Stuff.”
“Okay, what kind of stuff ?”
“Personal stuff, all right?” Impatience entered his tone.
“You don’t have to get all snippy about it. I’m just trying to be nice.”
He paused and took a deep breath. “Sorry. Danki for the invite, but I can’t make it.”
“How about tomorrow night, then? There’s a singing—”
“Elisabeth, I’m not interested.” He looked back down at the anvil and started working again.
Her feelings pricked, she left the shop and went to her buggy. She thought about stopping in the house to talk to Moriah, but she wasn’t in the mood. Instead her thoughts were on Aaron. Maybe he did have his
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