Read Online Rosemary Opens Her Heart: Home at Cedar Creek, Book Two by Naomi King - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Naomi King
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friends,
it struck me that I remember when most of them were born.”
“Jah, and I changed the diapers of more than a few of them.” Abby smiled up at him
as they walked. “But I was tickled to hear my name called with yours, James, instead
of being matched up with some poor out-of-town Ropp cousin that Zanna didn’t know
who else to pair with. That’s what happens when an unattached woman reaches a certain
age, you know.”
James had often wondered why Abby hadn’t settled down with one of the local fellows.
Perry Bontrager and Mose Hartzler had both been eager to court her at one time, yet
nothing had come of it. Then, when Abby’s dat had helped her build her little home
up the lane, the men had stopped asking her out. Yet Abby was by no means old or mean-spirited
or difficult to get along with. She knew how to cook and sew and organize her time,
and she had a fine head for business, too.
But he had no room to talk about still being single, did he? “Jah, and when a man
reaches that age—”
“You’ll be thirty next month, if I recall.”
“—folks think he’s either too set in his ways for a woman to tolerate him, or that
he can’t find one who’ll look after him like his mamm did,” James continued in a low
voice. “Or the younger girls consider him a gut catch because they assume he’s built
up a big bank account.”
“Unlike the boys their own age, who want to run around with their friends, sampling
all the worldly temptations they’ll put aside when they join the church.” As they
entered the greenhouse, Abby stopped to gaze around the large, airy room. “What a
beautiful place this is,” she murmured. “Look at how the light sparkles on the glass
panes…the way the hyacinths and daffodils glow when the sun hits them. It feels holy
here, like God surely must be present.”
Mesmerized by Abby’s rapt expression, James held his breath. How like her it was to
find something extraordinary about everyday places like her mother’s greenhouse. It
was probably Abby’s doing that Beth Ann Yutzy had come out of her shell, too. And
although Rosemary had gotten upset about being here today, James was certain Abby
had done her best to comfort and reassure the young widow.
Love and sunshine
. Maybe those words hadn’t been so outlandish after all. Maybe his heart was trying
to tell him something and he should listen more closely. After all, if he had truly
forgiven Zanna—he had spent the past six months getting over her rejection—wasn’t
it time to open himself to seeing someone new?
As James stood with Abby, he was aware of other couples coming in around them, yet
he saw only this woman who smiled so steadfastly at him, wearing a dress the shade
of lilacs. “Abby, you have a way of making me look beyond the surface of the situations
I’m in. You seem to see inside me—and everyone you meet—to know exactly what we all
need,” he murmured. “I realize now that as muchas I loved your sister, Zanna and I would have had some major differences and disagreements
once the rosy glow of being newlyweds wore off.”
Abby cocked her head, thinking. “Every husband and wife disagree now and again. Part
of becoming a gut, solid couple is learning how to deal with life’s ups and downs.”
James steered her to a chair at the end of a table, where they would have a few more
moments to talk before the other seats filled. “And how do you know these things?”
he whispered. “Now that I see Zanna standing beside Jonny, holding their child, I
believe God worked it out just right. Your sister would never have found that sort
of happiness with me, no matter how much I wanted to give it to her.”
“James.” Abby rested her hand on his arm with a serene smile. “You gave her the very
best you had to offer. Zanna’s a lucky girl to still have you for a friend, truly
forgiving her for the way she behaved last fall. Any
it struck me that I remember when most of them were born.”
“Jah, and I changed the diapers of more than a few of them.” Abby smiled up at him
as they walked. “But I was tickled to hear my name called with yours, James, instead
of being matched up with some poor out-of-town Ropp cousin that Zanna didn’t know
who else to pair with. That’s what happens when an unattached woman reaches a certain
age, you know.”
James had often wondered why Abby hadn’t settled down with one of the local fellows.
Perry Bontrager and Mose Hartzler had both been eager to court her at one time, yet
nothing had come of it. Then, when Abby’s dat had helped her build her little home
up the lane, the men had stopped asking her out. Yet Abby was by no means old or mean-spirited
or difficult to get along with. She knew how to cook and sew and organize her time,
and she had a fine head for business, too.
But he had no room to talk about still being single, did he? “Jah, and when a man
reaches that age—”
“You’ll be thirty next month, if I recall.”
“—folks think he’s either too set in his ways for a woman to tolerate him, or that
he can’t find one who’ll look after him like his mamm did,” James continued in a low
voice. “Or the younger girls consider him a gut catch because they assume he’s built
up a big bank account.”
“Unlike the boys their own age, who want to run around with their friends, sampling
all the worldly temptations they’ll put aside when they join the church.” As they
entered the greenhouse, Abby stopped to gaze around the large, airy room. “What a
beautiful place this is,” she murmured. “Look at how the light sparkles on the glass
panes…the way the hyacinths and daffodils glow when the sun hits them. It feels holy
here, like God surely must be present.”
Mesmerized by Abby’s rapt expression, James held his breath. How like her it was to
find something extraordinary about everyday places like her mother’s greenhouse. It
was probably Abby’s doing that Beth Ann Yutzy had come out of her shell, too. And
although Rosemary had gotten upset about being here today, James was certain Abby
had done her best to comfort and reassure the young widow.
Love and sunshine
. Maybe those words hadn’t been so outlandish after all. Maybe his heart was trying
to tell him something and he should listen more closely. After all, if he had truly
forgiven Zanna—he had spent the past six months getting over her rejection—wasn’t
it time to open himself to seeing someone new?
As James stood with Abby, he was aware of other couples coming in around them, yet
he saw only this woman who smiled so steadfastly at him, wearing a dress the shade
of lilacs. “Abby, you have a way of making me look beyond the surface of the situations
I’m in. You seem to see inside me—and everyone you meet—to know exactly what we all
need,” he murmured. “I realize now that as muchas I loved your sister, Zanna and I would have had some major differences and disagreements
once the rosy glow of being newlyweds wore off.”
Abby cocked her head, thinking. “Every husband and wife disagree now and again. Part
of becoming a gut, solid couple is learning how to deal with life’s ups and downs.”
James steered her to a chair at the end of a table, where they would have a few more
moments to talk before the other seats filled. “And how do you know these things?”
he whispered. “Now that I see Zanna standing beside Jonny, holding their child, I
believe God worked it out just right. Your sister would never have found that sort
of happiness with me, no matter how much I wanted to give it to her.”
“James.” Abby rested her hand on his arm with a serene smile. “You gave her the very
best you had to offer. Zanna’s a lucky girl to still have you for a friend, truly
forgiving her for the way she behaved last fall. Any
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