Elijah And The Widow (Lancaster County Weddings 4) by Rebecca Kertz Page B

Suddenly Eli looked up, and Martha gasped, pulled back, afraid to be seen. She still wore her nightgown and nightcap.
    Did he see me? She experienced a fluttering as she hurried back into her room to dress. In less than twenty minutes, her hair was rolled, pinned and covered by her white kapp , and she was dressed in royal blue, ready to begin her day. She hurried downstairs to put on the coffeepot. Eli hadn’t come to the door as he usually did, but the sound of the truck was loud enough to announce their presence.
    As the coffee perked, Martha set about making biscuits. Then she made a double batch of sweet bread, adding chocolate chips to one loaf for Eli. She kept busy, trying not to worry whether or not Eli had seen her in the window.
    Once the coffee was ready, Martha took it outside. A ladder was propped against the side of the house. Eli and Samuel stood below, deep in discussion about window replacement.
    “Guder marriye!” she greeted them. “Coffe?”
    Samuel’s face brightened. “Danki , Martha . ”
    She gave him a mug. Then she transferred her gaze to Eli and felt the impact of the man’s watchful blue eyes.
    “Smells gut .” He accepted the cup she offered him.
    “I’ve biscuits in the oven, and I made sweet bread with chocolate chips.”
    Eli gave her a slow pleased smile that made her nape tingle and her insides warm. He took a tentative sip of his coffee, his pleasure mirrored in his eyes.
    “I heard the truck. I’m sorry I didn’t come out to meet it,” she apologized.
    “It’s our job to handle deliveries. I didn’t expect this one so early.” Samuel raised his mug to inhale the coffee’s aroma. “But Eli thought we should come just in case.”
    She exchanged looks with Eli as his father sipped his drink. “Danki.”
    “You wouldn’t have known if they were the right ones,” Eli said.
    “That window there—” She pointed to where she’d stood earlier. “Is that one to be replaced?”
    Had they been discussing it when Eli had gestured toward where she’d stood, hidden behind the window curtain? She hoped so.
    “Ja.” But something in his gaze made her face heat.
    “I’ll check on the biscuits.” She grabbed her tray and escaped. If Eli had seen her, there was nothing she could about it now. She had to get past her embarrassment and move on.
    The biscuits were golden brown when she removed them from the oven. The scent of the baked goods filled the air, making her stomach rumble as she placed biscuits and slices of chocolate-chip bread on plates, which she put on the tray with butter and jam.
    As she stepped outside, she saw Samuel and Eli still having a conversation about the windows. “Here you go,” she said as she interrupted them to set down the tray. Their conversation looked intense, as did Eli’s gaze as it settled on her. Leaving them to their work, she went quickly back to the house.
    * * *
    Eli stifled a small smile as he watched Martha’s escape. He had seen her at the window. It was only a tiny peek, but he liked knowing that she was there, peering down at him.
    “We’ll do this one first,” his father said.
    “What time are Noah and Jedidiah coming?”
    “Anytime now,” Dat said. Eli’s brothers arrived within minutes.
    “I’ll let Martha know we’ll need to get into the upstairs rooms again,” Eli offered. He knocked on her door.
    “Come in, Eli,” she called from inside the kitchen. “Here for coffee?” she said without turning from a cabinet where she was putting away their breakfast dishes. She faced him. “Did Isaac come? I thought I heard his voice.”
    Eli shook his head, enjoying the sight of her. “Jed and Noah are here.” He told her of their plans for the day, then started to leave.
    “Eli?”
    He paused expectantly. “Ja?”
    “Is everything all right with Isaac? I don’t meant to pry, but he’s not here, and Samuel seems upset.” She worried her bottom lip. “I know it’s none of my business—”
    His expression