Read Online Ties That Bind by Cindy Woodsmall - Free Book Online Page A

help leave. The key was to make staying more appealing to Susie than leaving.
    Would the answer be as easy…and as difficult…as buying the café and making Susie a partner?

    A Saturday evening breeze played with Abram’s straw hat as he pushed the reel mower across the lawn. The churning blades cut the grass, spewing tiny pieces in all directions at once. The action matched what was taking place inside his mind and heart.
    Between Barbie refusing to go out with him and Quill returning to Summer Grove, Abram couldn’t find a peaceful thought to hang on to. He tried not to, but sometimes he hated Quill Schlabach. The man knew exactly how to knock Ariana’s feet out from under her. Was Susie really thinking of leaving?
    Ariana had tried to set up an appointment with the real-estate agent for the café last week, but the woman had been on vacation. So Ariana would try to see her as early next week as possible. If Quill intended to take Susie, when? If the down payment for the café could be negotiated, how quickly could Ariana go to closing?
    “Abram!” Mark hung out the window of the driver’s vehicle. “You won’t believe it!” As soon as the vehicle stopped, Mark jumped out and hurried toward Abram.
    Extroverts.
Abram sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Sometimes Mark was brash and way too loud. Of course Mark thought Abram was overly calm and way too quiet.
    Abram stopped pushing the reel mower, and all the blades came to a halt. “Ya?”
    “Where’s Ariana?”
    She hadn’t wanted to go out tonight, but Abram had convinced her to take Rudy to the abandoned café and give him a tour of the place. She had a key, and Abram armed her with a good flashlight. “Out with Rudy.”
    “So what sister is here that would go with me—Malinda, Susie, or Martha?”
    “Only Salome and Martha are here.” Abram released the handle of the mower. “Salome won’t go anywhere. She has too much to do, and Martha is helping with her children. “What’s up?”
    “Rats!” He motioned to the waiting driver. “I wanted at least one sister to go with me so I could show her something. No one’s going to believe me unless they see it with their own eyes!”
    “See what?”
    Mark strode toward the house, but he turned, walking backward. “I’m going to get Mamm and Daed. They’ll want to see this.”
    Abram shrugged and grabbed the rubber handles of the mower. Before he pushed it a foot, Mark returned to him. “I saw a college girl who looks so much like Salome you won’t believe it.”
    Abram removed his straw hat and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. “Ya? Where’d you see her?” Abram didn’t really care, but it seemed rude not to show some interest.
    “On the stage I helped build today. She’s one of the performers from some artsy community college, and the students were doing what they call a musical. You’ll have to see this girl to believe it.”
    Abram shook his head, suppressing a sigh. “No thanks. You’re all excited over nothing. Who cares?”
    “Maybe Mamm and Daed.”
    “They aren’t going to invite trouble from the bishop by going to a musical in order to satisfy your”—Abram motioned from the top of Mark’s head to his feet—“whatever this is.”
    Mark looked at the house and then at Abram a few times before scowling. “I guess you’re right.”
    “There’s no guessing about it. If they went today, they’d get a visit from the bishop early next week.”
    Mark shoved his hands into his pockets. “You go with me. Looking at this girl is like looking at Salome a few years ago. I promise. They could be twins.”
    “I’m fine right here, getting some things done that will make Mamm’s week easier. You should try it sometime.”
    “I wasn’t out playing. I was doing a job. And I’ll do the yard for a month if you’ll come with me. Someone besides me has to see this. You know no one ever believes me.”
    “Maybe if you didn’t exaggerate so much…”
    “I’m not! Not