me?” she asked.
“Because I’m a nice guy.”
“It’s more than that. You always see me at mei worst . . . but you somehow manage to make me feel a little bit better.”
He sat back on his haunches. “That’s the point.” Her eyes filled and she looked away, which made him want to take her into his arms right there. He wanted to sit in the rocking chair and cuddle her in his lap. He wanted to feel the softness of her cheek against his shoulder, to rub his hand down her back and tell her everything would be okay. That despite all the pain she’d been through, God was with her. Wasn’t that how he had survived the past few months? God had uprooted him, but he’d also been his closest ally.
But he couldn’t hold her. Couldn’t tell her what was on his heart. Not yet. He didn’t need God to tell him it was too soon. “I’ll make that kaffee .”
CHAPTER 10
A s Irene drove to the barn to put up her buggy and stable her horse, she noticed an extra buggy parked outside. Was Aden already here to pick up Abigail? But that didn’t make sense. In this weather he wouldn’t have gotten to her house before she did. Someone must be visiting. They would have to go home soon—the wind and snow were turning brutal.
She went inside, welcoming the cozy warmth of the house. She removed her coat and bonnet and hung them on the pegboard in the mudroom, then slipped off her boots. Her feet hit the concrete floor, coldness sliding through her stockings. She couldn’t wait for something warm to drink and something hot to eat. Then she’d relax with a book after supper. She’d been trying to finish this latest mystery for over two weeks, but she was having trouble getting into the story.
She opened the door to the kitchen and walked inside, ready to greet whoever was visiting, only to halt when she saw Sol Troyer. He was sitting at the table, where four birdhouses sat. She stared at them for a moment. Until he’d started creating birdhouses and selling them at the Schrocks’ store, she hadn’t any idea just how talented he was. No wonder he was doing well selling them at the store.
But what were they—and he—doing here?
He rose from his chair. “ Yer mamm ordered these a few weeks back. I was in the neighborhood and I thought I’d drop them off.”
She glanced at the birdhouses again. “I wonder who they’re for?”
Sol frowned. “I hope I didn’t ruin a surprise. She didn’t say they were a surprise.” He pointed his thumb toward the door. “She went to get her purse.”
Irene nodded and inspected the birdhouses. None of them was too fancy, but they were each made of different woods and stained to a dull but pretty gleam that would hold up well in any kind of weather. One was a simple replica of a log cabin, complete with square shingles and a front porch. The other three were more rustic with small angled roofs, a hole near the top, and a perch underneath. She liked all four. Sol was a master craftsman.
“They’re lovely, Sol.” She looked at him. “You do wonderful work.”
His cheeks reddened almost to the color of his hair. He shrugged off her compliment.
Mamm walked into the kitchen. “Sorry it took me so long.” She looked at Irene and smiled, then at Sol. “I remembered yer mamm wants to try that pineapple fluff recipe I brought over Sunday.” She held up a card. “I thought I knew where it was, but it took me awhile to find it. I put it in the wrong note file after I finished making it.” She turned her gaze back to Irene. “What do you think of the birdhouses?”
“They’re beautiful.”
“Aren’t they? They’ll make lovely gifts.”
“For who?”
Mamm ’s smile widened. “You’ll have to find out.”
Irene didn’t think she was being all that sneaky. Her birthday was next month, and everyone knew how much she loved watching birds. Some of her favorite memories were of sitting on her front porch or in the yard and watching the robins, cardinals, blue jays,
“Because I’m a nice guy.”
“It’s more than that. You always see me at mei worst . . . but you somehow manage to make me feel a little bit better.”
He sat back on his haunches. “That’s the point.” Her eyes filled and she looked away, which made him want to take her into his arms right there. He wanted to sit in the rocking chair and cuddle her in his lap. He wanted to feel the softness of her cheek against his shoulder, to rub his hand down her back and tell her everything would be okay. That despite all the pain she’d been through, God was with her. Wasn’t that how he had survived the past few months? God had uprooted him, but he’d also been his closest ally.
But he couldn’t hold her. Couldn’t tell her what was on his heart. Not yet. He didn’t need God to tell him it was too soon. “I’ll make that kaffee .”
CHAPTER 10
A s Irene drove to the barn to put up her buggy and stable her horse, she noticed an extra buggy parked outside. Was Aden already here to pick up Abigail? But that didn’t make sense. In this weather he wouldn’t have gotten to her house before she did. Someone must be visiting. They would have to go home soon—the wind and snow were turning brutal.
She went inside, welcoming the cozy warmth of the house. She removed her coat and bonnet and hung them on the pegboard in the mudroom, then slipped off her boots. Her feet hit the concrete floor, coldness sliding through her stockings. She couldn’t wait for something warm to drink and something hot to eat. Then she’d relax with a book after supper. She’d been trying to finish this latest mystery for over two weeks, but she was having trouble getting into the story.
She opened the door to the kitchen and walked inside, ready to greet whoever was visiting, only to halt when she saw Sol Troyer. He was sitting at the table, where four birdhouses sat. She stared at them for a moment. Until he’d started creating birdhouses and selling them at the Schrocks’ store, she hadn’t any idea just how talented he was. No wonder he was doing well selling them at the store.
But what were they—and he—doing here?
He rose from his chair. “ Yer mamm ordered these a few weeks back. I was in the neighborhood and I thought I’d drop them off.”
She glanced at the birdhouses again. “I wonder who they’re for?”
Sol frowned. “I hope I didn’t ruin a surprise. She didn’t say they were a surprise.” He pointed his thumb toward the door. “She went to get her purse.”
Irene nodded and inspected the birdhouses. None of them was too fancy, but they were each made of different woods and stained to a dull but pretty gleam that would hold up well in any kind of weather. One was a simple replica of a log cabin, complete with square shingles and a front porch. The other three were more rustic with small angled roofs, a hole near the top, and a perch underneath. She liked all four. Sol was a master craftsman.
“They’re lovely, Sol.” She looked at him. “You do wonderful work.”
His cheeks reddened almost to the color of his hair. He shrugged off her compliment.
Mamm walked into the kitchen. “Sorry it took me so long.” She looked at Irene and smiled, then at Sol. “I remembered yer mamm wants to try that pineapple fluff recipe I brought over Sunday.” She held up a card. “I thought I knew where it was, but it took me awhile to find it. I put it in the wrong note file after I finished making it.” She turned her gaze back to Irene. “What do you think of the birdhouses?”
“They’re beautiful.”
“Aren’t they? They’ll make lovely gifts.”
“For who?”
Mamm ’s smile widened. “You’ll have to find out.”
Irene didn’t think she was being all that sneaky. Her birthday was next month, and everyone knew how much she loved watching birds. Some of her favorite memories were of sitting on her front porch or in the yard and watching the robins, cardinals, blue jays,
Similar Books
