Read Online Just Plain Sadie by Amy Lillard - Free Book Online

look on her face, for her mother wore one almost identical. Had the same thing that placed her in a wheelchair put that sadness in her eyes? Sadie knew what happened with her own mamm , but she might not ever know Ellen Hein’s story. After all, come next week, she wouldn’t have an excuse to see Ezra again.
    Not until they needed more bison meat.
    If Mamm even let them reorder.
    The thought made her heart stutter. It was ridiculous really, this need she felt to get to know Ezra better. She blamed it on Chris’s recent revelation. When he broke his news to her, all her hopes flew out the window. She supposed it was only natural for her to pin them to someone else. But using a Mennonite man was absurd.
    Ellen gave them one last frown, then clinked her way back into the other room. Sadie and Daniel made themselves comfortable in the oak chairs surrounding the oval table set off to one side while Ezra got down coffee mugs and started filling them with water.
    â€œEzra,” Sadie started hesitantly. “Are you making the boxed hot chocolate?” She almost hated to ask. After all, he was kind enough to offer them a drink. But powdered hot chocolate? She mentally shuddered.
    â€œOf course.” Ezra frowned as if he couldn’t figure out any other form hot chocolate could come in.
    Sadie shook her head and stood. “Do you have a saucepan?”
    â€œI’m sure we do.” He started opening cabinets, peering into each one until he found a copper-bottomed saucepan for her to use. “I take it you’re going to make the hot chocolate.”
    â€œ Jah .” She smiled to take any sting from her word. “I need milk, sugar, cocoa,” she rattled off the ingredients quickly, “and vanilla.”
    Ezra turned from where he had been peering into the refrigerator to find the milk. “Vanilla?”
    â€œTrust me on this.”
    A few minutes later Sadie had all the ingredients laid out on the counter, including the questionable vanilla, and the milk warming on the stove. It didn’t take long before she had the rich hot chocolate poured.
    Daniel had been sitting there while she worked, swinging his legs and watching the two of them with great interest. He tended to do that; either he absorbed everything around him or he blocked it out. Sadie thought it was a defense mechanism. But at least he wasn’t coloring. When things became too much, he shut down and got out his crayons. Once he began, it was hard to talk him into doing anything else.
    â€œWait.” Ezra made his way back to the refrigerator, pulled out some whipped cream in a can, and gave each one of them a squirt on top. “Perfect.” He smiled, his brown eyes sparkling, and Sadie’s heart did that stutter thing again.
    Why did he have to be so handsome? Why couldn’t he have been a normal Mennonite boy without such thick blond hair and bottomless brown eyes? It would’ve been a lot easier on both of them. Still, she had no regrets about bringing Daniel out. In fact, the whole situation was win-win, as the Englisch said.
    They sat down at the table with their hot chocolate mugs in front of them.
    Ezra took a sip, then closed his eyes. “Wow, that’s good. Thanks for making it.”
    Sadie smiled. “You’re welcome. I’m glad you like it.” As far as compliments went, it wasn’t the best she had received. So why did she feel like she had won an award?
    Ezra took another drink, this time coming away with a smear of whipped cream dotting his upper lip.
    â€œUh, you have a little . . .” Sadie said, gesturing toward the smudge.
    He smiled and tried to lick it off, but only managed to get part of it.
    She laughed and grabbed up a napkin from the wire holder in the center of the table. Leaning in close, she dabbed at the spot as the air grew thick.
    Ezra held his breath, and his eyes darkened until she could no longer see his pupils.
    â€œThere,” she said