Read Online Gay Amish 03 - A Way Home by Keira Andrews - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Keira Andrews
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him.” David frowned. “But maybe I shouldn’t have. Is that dumb of me? Maybe I’m being too Amish.”
“No. Not dumb at all.” Aaron sighed. “I’m sure he did mean it. He’s not a bad person. Just selfish and thoughtless sometimes, especially when it comes to his love life. Though he’s also the kind of person who took the BART out to check on Jen’s parents every single day and help them around the house after they got in a car accident when Jen and I were in Australia. He never complained once. But he crossed a big line here, and he’s going to have to earn back that trust.”
“People…they’re complicated sometimes.”
Aaron nodded with a chuckle. “You can say that again.” He grew serious. “All right. Go make up with Isaac.”
June’s words as she’d sent him and Aaron on their way echoed in his mind. “Go make up with your boyfriend, because you two are a pair of hangdogs.” “I will. I’m going to make it right.”
“I know you will. You both will. You sure you’ll get back to June’s okay? Maybe you should take your phone.”
“It wouldn’t be right. I’ll be fine. Got by for my whole life without one. Hard to believe sometimes, and I barely use my phone compared to other people.”
“Yeah, technology’s funny like that. Want me to drive up closer?”
“No. I’ll walk.” David unbuckled his seatbelt. “Unless you want to drive up and…see.”
Aaron shook his head. “I don’t belong here. It would make it worse for them. For me too.”
“Thank you for bringing me. And for everything.” Resolutely, David opened the door and hopped down into the slush.
The engine hummed and the tires splashed through puddles as Aaron turned and drove away with a wave. Shivering, David started up the Byler’s driveway. His old Amish boots and coat had still been at June’s, tucked on a shelf in his dormant workshop. His plain pants and shirt were terribly wrinkled, but he hadn’t wanted to wait to iron them. Not that he knew how to iron. June surely would have offered, but she’d done enough.
He’d automatically skipped his underwear since he was putting on his plain clothes. It was both familiar and foreign to feel the rougher cotton of his pants brushing his privates. The strangest thing was to be wearing his Amish clothes without a hat. He ran his hand over his hair again, brushing his bangs forward as much as he could. He felt naked.
As he neared the Byler house, his heart galloped. Smoke curled toward the darkening sky, and the windows glowed with lantern light. In the distance, chickens clucked and horses neighed. A sheet fluttered on the laundry line.
Home.
Even though it wasn’t the house he’d lived in, they were almost all the same in Zebulon. He could imagine Kaffi bounding around the paddock, whinnying playfully. Anna’s teasing tone as she made Mary laugh despite herself, and the sweet giggles of Sarah and the girls. Their mother scolding them, but smiling just a bit all the same.
He stopped and pressed his hands against his eyes. There was no time for tears now. Isaac needed him. And Lord, how he needed Isaac. So near, but out of reach. David couldn’t rush to him and haul him into his arms. He couldn’t kiss him or breathe in his smell that was different from everyone else in the world.
Soon.
Squaring his shoulders, David closed the distance to the house. When he knocked softly on the door, the murmurs inside ceased. He held his breath as he waited, smoothing down his hair again. With a scrape and creak, the door opened and Isaac’s father filled the space.
“David Lantz.”
He cleared his throat. “Yes, sir. Hello, Mr. Byler.” He didn’t know what to do with his hands, and clasped them behind his back.
Mr. Byler’s gaze raked over him from head to toe and back again. “What do you want?”
“I…” His ears burned, and his skin prickled. Hatless and wrinkled, he was in no state to be paying a call to a neighbor’s home.
“David?”
“No. Not dumb at all.” Aaron sighed. “I’m sure he did mean it. He’s not a bad person. Just selfish and thoughtless sometimes, especially when it comes to his love life. Though he’s also the kind of person who took the BART out to check on Jen’s parents every single day and help them around the house after they got in a car accident when Jen and I were in Australia. He never complained once. But he crossed a big line here, and he’s going to have to earn back that trust.”
“People…they’re complicated sometimes.”
Aaron nodded with a chuckle. “You can say that again.” He grew serious. “All right. Go make up with Isaac.”
June’s words as she’d sent him and Aaron on their way echoed in his mind. “Go make up with your boyfriend, because you two are a pair of hangdogs.” “I will. I’m going to make it right.”
“I know you will. You both will. You sure you’ll get back to June’s okay? Maybe you should take your phone.”
“It wouldn’t be right. I’ll be fine. Got by for my whole life without one. Hard to believe sometimes, and I barely use my phone compared to other people.”
“Yeah, technology’s funny like that. Want me to drive up closer?”
“No. I’ll walk.” David unbuckled his seatbelt. “Unless you want to drive up and…see.”
Aaron shook his head. “I don’t belong here. It would make it worse for them. For me too.”
“Thank you for bringing me. And for everything.” Resolutely, David opened the door and hopped down into the slush.
The engine hummed and the tires splashed through puddles as Aaron turned and drove away with a wave. Shivering, David started up the Byler’s driveway. His old Amish boots and coat had still been at June’s, tucked on a shelf in his dormant workshop. His plain pants and shirt were terribly wrinkled, but he hadn’t wanted to wait to iron them. Not that he knew how to iron. June surely would have offered, but she’d done enough.
He’d automatically skipped his underwear since he was putting on his plain clothes. It was both familiar and foreign to feel the rougher cotton of his pants brushing his privates. The strangest thing was to be wearing his Amish clothes without a hat. He ran his hand over his hair again, brushing his bangs forward as much as he could. He felt naked.
As he neared the Byler house, his heart galloped. Smoke curled toward the darkening sky, and the windows glowed with lantern light. In the distance, chickens clucked and horses neighed. A sheet fluttered on the laundry line.
Home.
Even though it wasn’t the house he’d lived in, they were almost all the same in Zebulon. He could imagine Kaffi bounding around the paddock, whinnying playfully. Anna’s teasing tone as she made Mary laugh despite herself, and the sweet giggles of Sarah and the girls. Their mother scolding them, but smiling just a bit all the same.
He stopped and pressed his hands against his eyes. There was no time for tears now. Isaac needed him. And Lord, how he needed Isaac. So near, but out of reach. David couldn’t rush to him and haul him into his arms. He couldn’t kiss him or breathe in his smell that was different from everyone else in the world.
Soon.
Squaring his shoulders, David closed the distance to the house. When he knocked softly on the door, the murmurs inside ceased. He held his breath as he waited, smoothing down his hair again. With a scrape and creak, the door opened and Isaac’s father filled the space.
“David Lantz.”
He cleared his throat. “Yes, sir. Hello, Mr. Byler.” He didn’t know what to do with his hands, and clasped them behind his back.
Mr. Byler’s gaze raked over him from head to toe and back again. “What do you want?”
“I…” His ears burned, and his skin prickled. Hatless and wrinkled, he was in no state to be paying a call to a neighbor’s home.
“David?”
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