Read Online Plain and Fancy by Wanda E. Brunstetter - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Wanda E. Brunstetter
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around two o’clock.
He said he had tried to call your cell phone several times and only got your voice mail. He wants you to call him as soon as possible.
Laura sucked in her breath. Is Dean really missing me, or is he just checking up on me? Should I call him first thing in the morning or make him wait a few days?
***
“You ought to keep your cell phone charged and check your voice mail once in a while, Laura. I tried for two days to get you and finally had to call your school and leave a message.”
Laura held the cell phone away from her ear and grimaced. She knew she had made a mistake calling Dean so early in the morning. She should have remembered he was a bear before his third cup of coffee. “Well, you’ve got me on the phone now, so you don’t have to make such a big deal of it.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“What did you want, Dean?” she asked, tapping her foot impatiently.
“I thought that I’d come to Lancaster to see you next weekend.”
“What?” Laura’s mouth went dry. “Coming here is not a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“I’m busy, that’s why.”
“But I miss you, Laura, and I—”
Laura lifted her gaze to the ceiling. She and Dean had only begun dating a few months before she’d left Minneapolis to come here, but he acted like they were practically engaged. “It’s not that I don’t want you to come. It’s just that—well, I’ll be coming home for Christmas soon, and—”
“Christmas? That’s three months away!”
Laura could almost see Dean’s furrowed brows and the defiant lift of his chin. He was a handsome man with jet black hair that curled around his ears, and eyes as blue as a summer sky, but he was way too possessive. “It would be nice to see you, Dean, but I always have a lot of homework to do on the weekends.”
“Were you studying when I phoned yesterday?”
Laura knew she couldn’t tell Dean about her Saturday date with Eli Yoder, but she didn’t want to lie to him, either. “I went to the farmers’ market.”
“What’s that got to do with homework?”
“I was researching the Amish culture.”
“Sounds real interesting.” Dean’s tone was sarcastic, and it irritated her.
“Actually, it’s very interesting. I’ve been studying their quilts and getting some ideas for my next design project.” I’ve been studying a fascinating Amish man, too.
Dean cleared his throat. “How about next weekend? Can I come or not?”
Laura chewed on her lower lip. She liked Dean ... or at least she had when they were seeing each other socially. So why was she giving him the runaround now? It took only a few seconds for her to realize the answer. She was infatuated with Eli and wanted to spend her free time with him. Dean would only be a distraction, and if Eli found out about her English boyfriend, it might spoil her chances with him.
“Laura, are you still there?”
Dean’s deep voice drew Laura back to their conversation, and she sighed. “Yes, I’m here.”
“What’s it going to be?”
“I’d rather you didn’t come.”
“Is that your final word?”
“Yes, but as I said before, I’ll be home for Christmas, so I’m sure we’ll see each other then.”
Dean grunted and hung up the phone without even saying good-bye. Laura breathed a sigh of relief.
CHAPTER 7
Over the next several weeks, Eli saw Laura as often as possible. In fact, he could hardly get her out of his thoughts. The vision of her beautiful face, smooth as peaches and cream, inched its way into his mind on more than one occasion. When he’d told his folks he was still seeing Laura, the news hadn’t gone over so well, especially with Mom.
“She’ll try to change you,” she admonished one Saturday as Eli hitched the buggy for another trip to meet Laura. “Why, the first thing you know, that woman will be asking you to leave the faith.”
“ Ach, Mom, you worry too much. No one could ever talk me into something I don’t want to do.”
His mother pursed her lips.
He said he had tried to call your cell phone several times and only got your voice mail. He wants you to call him as soon as possible.
Laura sucked in her breath. Is Dean really missing me, or is he just checking up on me? Should I call him first thing in the morning or make him wait a few days?
***
“You ought to keep your cell phone charged and check your voice mail once in a while, Laura. I tried for two days to get you and finally had to call your school and leave a message.”
Laura held the cell phone away from her ear and grimaced. She knew she had made a mistake calling Dean so early in the morning. She should have remembered he was a bear before his third cup of coffee. “Well, you’ve got me on the phone now, so you don’t have to make such a big deal of it.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“What did you want, Dean?” she asked, tapping her foot impatiently.
“I thought that I’d come to Lancaster to see you next weekend.”
“What?” Laura’s mouth went dry. “Coming here is not a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“I’m busy, that’s why.”
“But I miss you, Laura, and I—”
Laura lifted her gaze to the ceiling. She and Dean had only begun dating a few months before she’d left Minneapolis to come here, but he acted like they were practically engaged. “It’s not that I don’t want you to come. It’s just that—well, I’ll be coming home for Christmas soon, and—”
“Christmas? That’s three months away!”
Laura could almost see Dean’s furrowed brows and the defiant lift of his chin. He was a handsome man with jet black hair that curled around his ears, and eyes as blue as a summer sky, but he was way too possessive. “It would be nice to see you, Dean, but I always have a lot of homework to do on the weekends.”
“Were you studying when I phoned yesterday?”
Laura knew she couldn’t tell Dean about her Saturday date with Eli Yoder, but she didn’t want to lie to him, either. “I went to the farmers’ market.”
“What’s that got to do with homework?”
“I was researching the Amish culture.”
“Sounds real interesting.” Dean’s tone was sarcastic, and it irritated her.
“Actually, it’s very interesting. I’ve been studying their quilts and getting some ideas for my next design project.” I’ve been studying a fascinating Amish man, too.
Dean cleared his throat. “How about next weekend? Can I come or not?”
Laura chewed on her lower lip. She liked Dean ... or at least she had when they were seeing each other socially. So why was she giving him the runaround now? It took only a few seconds for her to realize the answer. She was infatuated with Eli and wanted to spend her free time with him. Dean would only be a distraction, and if Eli found out about her English boyfriend, it might spoil her chances with him.
“Laura, are you still there?”
Dean’s deep voice drew Laura back to their conversation, and she sighed. “Yes, I’m here.”
“What’s it going to be?”
“I’d rather you didn’t come.”
“Is that your final word?”
“Yes, but as I said before, I’ll be home for Christmas, so I’m sure we’ll see each other then.”
Dean grunted and hung up the phone without even saying good-bye. Laura breathed a sigh of relief.
CHAPTER 7
Over the next several weeks, Eli saw Laura as often as possible. In fact, he could hardly get her out of his thoughts. The vision of her beautiful face, smooth as peaches and cream, inched its way into his mind on more than one occasion. When he’d told his folks he was still seeing Laura, the news hadn’t gone over so well, especially with Mom.
“She’ll try to change you,” she admonished one Saturday as Eli hitched the buggy for another trip to meet Laura. “Why, the first thing you know, that woman will be asking you to leave the faith.”
“ Ach, Mom, you worry too much. No one could ever talk me into something I don’t want to do.”
His mother pursed her lips.
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