Read Online Huckleberry Christmas by Jennifer Beckstrand - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer Beckstrand
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fixed me a very nice breakfast,” Beth said. “We’ve had a wonderful-gute visit.”
Jah. Wonderful-gute. He’d made Beth cry, Toby had hurled pancake everywhere, and Beth had butchered a perfectly good sunflower.
Anna glanced up at Felty with a smug gleam in her eye. “I told you.”
Felty, looking unconvinced, sauntered into the great room. “You’re a wonder, Banannie.”
“I didn’t expect you back so soon,” Tyler said.
Anna sat at the table and helped herself to a pancake. “Roy got a flat tire halfway there.”
Felty patted the pocket of his trousers, where he always kept his small notebook. “Even though it was half a trip, I saw some gute license plates.”
Anna reached out and patted Tyler’s arm. “Felty has played the license plate game with himself every year for the last forty years. He hopes to see all fifty state plates every year.”
“I have eight yet to find before the end of December.”
“Anyway,” said Anna, “we’re back because Roy didn’t want to drive all the way to Green Bay on his spare. I worried about ruining your special day, but there was nothing for us to do but turn back and hope you’d had enough time to ask what you needed to ask.” Her lively eyes danced as if she already knew all the answers to the questions in her head.
A frown flitted across Beth’s face. She knew full well what Anna hinted at. But as Tyler had already observed, she couldn’t stay upset or serious for long. She leaned toward her mammi and grinned mischievously. “We’ve decided that I am going to find Tyler a wife.”
The smile lines around Anna’s mouth etched themselves deeper into her face. “I’ve already found Tyler a wife.”
Beth lifted her chin but kept that playful glint in her eye. “Well, Mammi, it’s not me.”
“Of course it is, dear. Who else?”
Tyler wished for nothing more than to crawl into a very deep hole. The deepest hole in the world. Could his embarrassment be more complete?
Beth glanced at Tyler and actually giggled. What was there to laugh about? “You are about seventeen shades of red, Tyler. We better stop talking about this or you’re bound to turn purple.”
“Okay,” said Anna, wiping her mouth on one of Tyler’s garish yellow napkins. “But I don’t see why you won’t accept an entirely suitable husband.”
Beth’s face lost its luster. She lowered her eyes and drew meandering, squiggly lines on her paper. “You know why.”
Tyler felt a wrench in his gut. Beth would always adore the memory of her late husband. He certainly couldn’t and wouldn’t compete with that.
Felty sat at the table and smacked his palm against it. “The very gute news is that I found Delaware. This is the best day I had all week, and it’s not even seven o’clock.”
Tyler frowned. It was the worst day he’d had all year, and it wasn’t even seven o’clock. He hoped it wouldn’t go downhill from here.
Chapter Eight
Awkwardly holding a hunk of cheese in one hand, Tyler tapped on the door. He wasn’t sure if he should have brought cheese, but what other sort of gift should a dairy farmer bring on a first date? Should he have brought a gift at all? Eva Raber was from Ohio. Maybe she’d be offended.
Tyler scratched at the hair tucked under his hat. Why had he agreed to this ridiculous scheme? He wanted a wife, but he certainly didn’t need help finding one. Beth had been so eager to help him, and he would have agreed to anything to keep her from bursting into tears at breakfast last week. If Beth wanted to couple him up with every single girl in Bonduel, then he’d endure every girl in Bonduel. Beth had seen enough of heartache in her life. He’d do just about anything to bring her a little happiness.
Sarah Beachy, Beth’s mother, opened the door and propped her hands on her hips. “Tyler Yoder. Come in.”
Sarah stood just shy of six feet tall, only a few inches shorter than Tyler. He followed her into the kitchen, and she motioned for
Jah. Wonderful-gute. He’d made Beth cry, Toby had hurled pancake everywhere, and Beth had butchered a perfectly good sunflower.
Anna glanced up at Felty with a smug gleam in her eye. “I told you.”
Felty, looking unconvinced, sauntered into the great room. “You’re a wonder, Banannie.”
“I didn’t expect you back so soon,” Tyler said.
Anna sat at the table and helped herself to a pancake. “Roy got a flat tire halfway there.”
Felty patted the pocket of his trousers, where he always kept his small notebook. “Even though it was half a trip, I saw some gute license plates.”
Anna reached out and patted Tyler’s arm. “Felty has played the license plate game with himself every year for the last forty years. He hopes to see all fifty state plates every year.”
“I have eight yet to find before the end of December.”
“Anyway,” said Anna, “we’re back because Roy didn’t want to drive all the way to Green Bay on his spare. I worried about ruining your special day, but there was nothing for us to do but turn back and hope you’d had enough time to ask what you needed to ask.” Her lively eyes danced as if she already knew all the answers to the questions in her head.
A frown flitted across Beth’s face. She knew full well what Anna hinted at. But as Tyler had already observed, she couldn’t stay upset or serious for long. She leaned toward her mammi and grinned mischievously. “We’ve decided that I am going to find Tyler a wife.”
The smile lines around Anna’s mouth etched themselves deeper into her face. “I’ve already found Tyler a wife.”
Beth lifted her chin but kept that playful glint in her eye. “Well, Mammi, it’s not me.”
“Of course it is, dear. Who else?”
Tyler wished for nothing more than to crawl into a very deep hole. The deepest hole in the world. Could his embarrassment be more complete?
Beth glanced at Tyler and actually giggled. What was there to laugh about? “You are about seventeen shades of red, Tyler. We better stop talking about this or you’re bound to turn purple.”
“Okay,” said Anna, wiping her mouth on one of Tyler’s garish yellow napkins. “But I don’t see why you won’t accept an entirely suitable husband.”
Beth’s face lost its luster. She lowered her eyes and drew meandering, squiggly lines on her paper. “You know why.”
Tyler felt a wrench in his gut. Beth would always adore the memory of her late husband. He certainly couldn’t and wouldn’t compete with that.
Felty sat at the table and smacked his palm against it. “The very gute news is that I found Delaware. This is the best day I had all week, and it’s not even seven o’clock.”
Tyler frowned. It was the worst day he’d had all year, and it wasn’t even seven o’clock. He hoped it wouldn’t go downhill from here.
Chapter Eight
Awkwardly holding a hunk of cheese in one hand, Tyler tapped on the door. He wasn’t sure if he should have brought cheese, but what other sort of gift should a dairy farmer bring on a first date? Should he have brought a gift at all? Eva Raber was from Ohio. Maybe she’d be offended.
Tyler scratched at the hair tucked under his hat. Why had he agreed to this ridiculous scheme? He wanted a wife, but he certainly didn’t need help finding one. Beth had been so eager to help him, and he would have agreed to anything to keep her from bursting into tears at breakfast last week. If Beth wanted to couple him up with every single girl in Bonduel, then he’d endure every girl in Bonduel. Beth had seen enough of heartache in her life. He’d do just about anything to bring her a little happiness.
Sarah Beachy, Beth’s mother, opened the door and propped her hands on her hips. “Tyler Yoder. Come in.”
Sarah stood just shy of six feet tall, only a few inches shorter than Tyler. He followed her into the kitchen, and she motioned for
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