A Reluctant Bride (5 page)

“Sadie, I . . .” He clamped his mouth shut.

She stepped back, desperate to put space between them. Another step. When she took the third, her ankle twisted.

“Careful!” He grabbed her upper arm and moved to her side, preventing her from falling. “The ground is uneven here.”

She regained her balance as their eyes met. His other hand skimmed the back of her waist before he released her. “Are you okay?”

His concerned tone and gentle touch stole her words. She balked, expecting to recoil from the gesture.

She didn't. And that scared her more than anything.

“Sadie?”

When he stepped toward her, she rushed past him, confused. The surge that went through her when he touched her, when he showed her unexpected kindness, didn't make sense. She wasn't going to stick around and contemplate what had happened.

She hurried back inside the basement and went straight to Abigail. “We have to leave,” she said, breathless and still reeling from her reaction to Aden.

Abigail cast a bewildered look at Joel before addressing Sadie. “We just got here—”

“
Now
.”

“All right.” She looked at Joel again. “I'm sorry.”

“Is everything okay?” he asked, his words directed at Sadie.

“Everything is fine,” Sadie said through clenched teeth. “We just need to
geh
.”

Abigail nodded. “I'll get Joanna.” As she walked by Sadie she leaned over and whispered, “What's going on? You look white as a sheet.”

“I'll be in the buggy.” She brushed past Abigail and walked out the basement door. As she raced to the buggy, she looked to see if Aden, Sol, or their father was outside. But the yard seemed deserted.
Thank you, Lord
.

She climbed inside the buggy and sat on the bench seat, placing a steadying hand over her chest. She gripped the leather reins and fought for calm, praying her sisters would hurry up so she could get away as fast as possible.

I shouldn't have come tonight.

I shouldn't have touched her.

Aden stood by his beehives and watched Sadie as she ran from the basement and straight for her buggy. He had to fight the urge to follow her, to ask her if she was okay. He could kick himself for touching her, but it had been instinctive on his part. And for that brief moment when his hand rested on her waist, he hadn't wanted to let her go.

For years he'd wanted to apologize to her for what had happened, for running away and leaving her with Sol. He wasn't sure what actually had happened between Sadie and his brother in the cornfield that day, but Sol had returned home a couple of hours later, fuming and more sober than he'd been earlier in the day. Aden had known better than to question him.

And if he were honest with himself, he'd have to admit he didn't want to know what had transpired between Sol and Sadie. Which made him just as cowardly now as he was back then, when he was sixteen and afraid of Sol's fists and his father's retribution.

If he was a man instead of the weak-willed boy his father always called him, he'd go after Sadie right now. He'd ask her forgiveness. He'd tell her she'd never have to worry about Sol again.

But something more powerful than guilt and fear held him back. He'd observed Sadie during the singing, watching her as she stood in the corner, looking alternately pained and anxious. The only thing more surprising than her coming tonight was that she stayed as long as she did. And he knew part of the reason she was leaving was because of him.

He couldn't approach Sadie again. He didn't have the right to.

He heard the back porch door hinges creak and saw his father step out onto the patio. The flicker of a match glowed in the near darkness as he lit his pipe, smoke coming out in puffs from his mouth. Aden ducked out of sight farther behind the barn. Eventually he would sneak back into the house before his father noticed he was missing.

Aden heard the sound of a buggy leaving, and he knew it was Sadie's. Someday he would find a way to apologize to her . . . and he could only pray that she would find it in her heart to forgive him.

“That will be four dollars.” Sadie smiled as she handed Naomi Beiler a paper bag filled with Fuji apples.

“That's a bargain price,” Naomi said, handing Sadie the money. “Cheapest I've found anywhere.”

“We aim to have the lowest prices,” Sadie said.
Sometimes too low.
But she trusted that her parents knew what they were doing when it came to their grocery and tool business. Even now they were out with Joanna picking more apples from a local orchard to sell in the store. She gave Naomi her change. “Come back soon.”

“I definitely will.” Andrew and Irene's mother smiled and left.

Sadie picked up a broom and started sweeping the front of the store, which had seen quite a bit of traffic today. The customers had kept her and Abigail busy, and that had kept last night off Sadie's mind. Abigail had been irritated about what happened, but Sadie couldn't help that. She didn't say anything to either sister when they continued to ask her why they had to leave the singing early. Eventually they both gave up and went to their rooms, leaving Sadie alone.

She'd spent part of the night trying to forget Sol's stare and Aden's light touch. Finally she was able to get the Troyers out of her mind and get some much needed sleep.

“The cereal is all stocked,” Abigail said, coming from the back of the store. “
Mamm
and
Daed
should be back soon.” She grinned. “Joel said he might stop by today.”

“That's nice.” Sadie continued to sweep, pushing away the small carpet remnant from the store entrance and sweeping the dust from underneath.

“If he does, would you mind if I went with him for a little bit?”

Sadie stopped mid-sweep. “Where?”

She shrugged. “Wherever he wants to
geh
.”

“Abigail—”

“To lunch, Sadie.” Abigail chuckled. “You're always so serious.”

“Someone around here needs to be.” She leaned the broom against the wall behind the counter, then went to one of the shelves nearby and straightened several packages of cookies.

Abigail stood beside her. “I don't suppose you feel like talking about last night?”

“Like I said last night,
nee
. I don't feel like talking about it.”

Her sister sighed and went back to the counter. “There's a
picture of you next to the word
stubborn
in the dictionary. I'm sure of it.”

“I'm flattered.” Sadie focused on the packages of chocolate-cream sandwich cookies in front of her. Hopefully Joel Zook would walk through that door any minute and relieve her of dodging any more of Abigail's questions. When she heard the bell over the door ring as a customer came in, she smiled.
Perfect timing.
She turned to say hello, only to choke on the word as both Sol and Aden walked into the store.

CHAPTER 2

S
adie's hand remained on the package of cookies as she saw Abigail approach the Troyer brothers. As soon as she saw Sol move closer to her sister, Sadie regained her senses and went to stand between them. “What are you doing here?” she asked, her narrowed gaze bouncing from Sol to Aden.

“Sadie,” Abigail said, stepping to the side. “That was rude.”

But Sadie moved her glare back to Sol.

“We're just here to pick up an order,” Aden said quietly.

She glanced at him for a second. Whatever she thought she'd felt last evening when he'd kept her from tripping in his yard had disappeared. She focused her sights on Sol again. Although he hadn't so much as glanced at her sister, she wasn't taking any chances. He wasn't getting near her or anyone else in her family.

“
Mamm
talked to
yer mudder
about it,” Sol added, taking a step toward Sadie. “Food. Tools. Some other stuff. Too much for
Mamm
to take home on her own.”

Aden did move to stand beside his brother, but his eyes never met Sadie's. Instead they remained focused on the tops of his
boots, much in the same way they had when he had arrived in the cornfield six years ago.

Her nails dug into her palms, but Sadie didn't move, standing her ground. If he thought he was going to intimidate her again—

“I'll check the order sheet,” Abigail said, moving toward the counter, which put her in closer proximity to the Troyer brothers.

“I'll do it.” Sadie nearly pushed Abigail out of the way to get behind the counter, keeping her attention on Sol.

Sol leaned his hip against the counter. He was only a foot away from Sadie. At least he hadn't been drinking, from what she could tell. Sadie forced her hands to stay steady as she thumbed through the order sheets, praying she'd find the Troyers' order quickly. When she found it she held up the yellow page. “The boxes are in the back.”

“I can get them,” Abigail said.

Sol turned to Abigail and smiled. He suddenly looked genuine. Even slightly charming.

If a snake could be called charming.

“Actually,” Abigail continued, looking from Sol to Sadie, then back to Sol, “I could use some help. Aden, would you mind?”

Sadie shook her head while Abigail grinned and gave her a knowing look. Her sister might have good intentions, but they were pointed in the wrong direction. Sadie started to move from behind the counter. “
Nee
need to bother Aden,” she said quickly. “I'll help you.”

Abigail held up her hand. “That's all right, Sadie. Aden and I can handle it.” She glanced at Aden before winking at Sadie.

Sadie looked at Aden, a horrible sense of déjà vu washing over her. Would he leave her alone with Sol again? Indecision
was written on Aden's lightly freckled face, and she realized she still couldn't trust him any more than she could Sol.

Lord, please, do something. Send a customer through that door . . . anything to distract Abigail.

The bell over the front door rang, and Sadie nearly fainted with relief.
Thank you, God.
She turned to see a stocky man with a black mustache walk into the store. He wore a brown uniform Sadie didn't recognize. Her gaze went to his belt . . . and she saw the gun.

Sol immediately stepped away from the counter.

The man walked toward Sadie, his expression somber.

Strange. He was obviously a law officer of some sort. But why would he be in their store? Their community had little to do with the outside world, something Bishop Troyer always stressed in his sermons. While they had
Englisch
customers and were always friendly toward them, Sadie and her family didn't interact with the
Englisch
beyond that.

As the officer removed his hat, Sadie's chest tightened. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

“I'm looking for Sadie Schrock.”

Her throat went dry, as if someone had stuffed it with cotton. She swallowed, somehow finding her voice. “I'm Sadie.”