Katie's Choice (31 page)

Zane blinked at her question, then threw back his head and laughed.

The man had a fine laugh that said he enjoyed his life. It made Ruth feel that everything was going to be just fine. It was also contagious, and she soon found herself chuckling along with him.

“That’s a good point, Ruth. A very good point.”

“There’s something else I’d like to speak to you about, if I may.” She ran her palms down her apron, suddenly unsure of how to say what needed to be said.

“Of course.”

“It’s none of my business other than it is happening in my house and under my nose. And I feel that I have to say somethin’.”

Zane immediately sobered, his laughter dying away like the last rays of daylight. “I—”

“Hear me out. Once I’ve said my peace, I’ll go on up to bed. But I did not miss the looks that passed between you and my daughter tonight.”

His shoulders relaxed, as if relieved that he had been called out, and Ruth wondered if there were other secrets in her house.

“There’s not anything.” He shook his head. “I mean, I think Katie Rose is fantastic and beautiful.”

Ruth nodded. She felt the same, of course. But she was the girl’s mother.

A shadow of something—sadness, perhaps?—passed over his handsome face. “I’m leaving in a couple of weeks.”

“I’ve been prayin’ to the Lord that He would send someone to help mend Katie Rose’s heart.” Ruth leaned her head to one side. “And He sent you.”

Zane started shaking his head before she even finished her thoughts. “It’s not like that.”

She clasped her hands around his and squeezed. “I know you are a good man. You are strong, and you work hard. You can cook and plow and milk and a host of other things.” She squeezed his hands tighter. “And I know love when I see it.”

His brown eyes grew wide.

“Oh, it’s not just on
your
face. I see it in my Katie Rose’s eyes every time she looks at you.” Something twisted in her heart. It was the same way that she herself had once looked at Abram—and he at her. That was a long time ago . . .

She stiffened against the stab of pain that thought brought her and instead concentrated on the young man before her. “I know that when the time comes, what is supposed to happen will come to pass. We all live within the Lord’s will.” She smiled up at him. “And love is no exception.”

Ruth’s words haunted him all of the next day as he wrapped his Christmas presents for the Fishers. It was hard to believe it was Christmas Eve. Hard to believe that in little over a week, he’d be headed back to Chicago. To reality.

And Katie Rose would remain here.

The thought that he was in love with her was absurd. He hadn’t even known Katie Rose for three months. Sure she was kind and generous, hardworking and thoughtful—and she would definitely make some strapping Amish man a good wife.

He ignored the flash of pain that shot through him at the thought.

Zane gave his head a tight shake. Just because she was compassionate and good with children, could bait a hook, and didn’t shy away when he had offered her skinned rabbits for a gift, none of that meant that he should fall in love with her. Or even could. Why, he had Monica.
She
was the one with his heart.
She
was the one he would marry.

He couldn’t be in love with Katie Rose. He hadn’t even kissed her . . . though he’d come awfully close. It was for the best that he hadn’t. She was a gentle and sensitive soul. She was smart, and she could feel the pull between them. Attraction yes, but love? Nuh-uh.

Besides, he didn’t want to take advantage of her. She was different from him, pure and chaste, good and wholesome, and not of the world. Though if others were seeing the connection they shared . . .

He would do everything in his power to keep his hands to himself and not to trifle with her emotions. He was leaving soon. He was about to get married. It was the right thing to do . . . for all of them.

All day long a suspended hush hung over the farm as if every creature held its breath, waiting for Christmas to come.

Zane was caught up in that aura of suspense too. He had wrapped all of his presents and hidden them under his bed. Even though he had never celebrated Christmas before, he knew some of the typical, non-Amish customs. Without a Christmas tree, he wasn’t really sure what to do with the gifts.

He was a grown man, and yet he couldn’t contain his excitement. This was his first Christmas, his first “real” Christmas. His uncle had considered the day a time to rest and watch football games. There were token presents, but nothing other than what was necessary—a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, nominal gifts to mark what the rest of the world considered one of the biggest days of the year.

This
Christmas would be different. He had heard the Bible story from the Gospel of Luke, had learned how Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem, and that Mary gave birth only to have to put their child in a manger instead of a bed.

The thought of a woman giving birth in a barn and laying her newborn baby in the trough where the animals ate . . . he shook his head at it all. And people thought today’s times were tough.

For the Amish, Christmas Eve was a fairly typical day. There were chores to be done, meals to get on the table, darning to be completed. Everyone went about these daily tasks as though it wasn’t a special day. Still, the excitement hung in the air.

Katie Rose came to dinner, and Zane wanted to believe that she came because of him. That was certainly being proud. She probably came to spend time with her family, most important, her mother.

Not many days were left for Zane and Katie Rose to spend together. Once he returned to Chicago, things would look vastly different. Maybe he would come to believe that he had simply been caught up in the charm of the Amish, the beauty of her smile, and the thought of love. That it was all just a trick of the lighting, or sleight of hand.

None of this made seeing her any less special.

The room was dark except for the flicker of the fire and the steady glow given off by the propane light. The house was quiet, creaking and popping every now and then as if to remind them they were not alone.

How had they managed to be the only two people left downstairs while everyone else was getting ready for bed? Katie Rose knew she should leave. Mary Elizabeth was probably having a dandy of a time getting the boys to lie down and settle in for the night. As they impatiently waited for the morning to come and Christmas festivities to begin, every child knew that tonight was the longest night of the year. Samuel would be especially challenging without her there.

She stood, suddenly nervous in her own home. “I should go.” She had grown up within these walls. He should be the one feeling out of place, not her.

But she did. She stood to make good on her words, but Zane reached out a hand to stop her. “Stay a little while longer.”

It was more of a plea than a command, softly spoken into the dim light of the room. One might even say that the atmosphere was romantic, and Katie Rose wasn’t sure if she could handle the intimacy of the air alone.

“I really should get home,” she whispered in return, but she sat back down, as if her knees folded beneath her on their own.

He scooted a little closer, their legs brushing. She shivered, and wrapped her shawl a little tighter around her. She was fooling herself if she thought this reaction came from the cold. “Stay,” he said, reaching for her hand. “For just a little bit. I’ll take you home in the buggy.”

His gaze flickered down to her lips, and she licked them nervously. She had seen that look before. He wanted to kiss her. And she wanted just as much to feel his lips on hers. She had been kissed before, but never had the anticipation made her heart thump painfully in her chest. Never before had it turned her brain to mush, her breath tight.

He cupped his hands on either side of her face, and she was helpless to move away from him. Not from his hold.
Nay
, his touch was gentle as a babe. But the power of his gaze pulled her to him in a way nothing else could.

He lowered his head toward hers. She waited, her breath trapped in her throat. The fire cast shadows across his features, but there was enough light for her to see the yearning on his face. She feared her own expression reflected the same.

What difference did it make? He was with her tonight. He might be leaving soon, but for tonight he wanted to kiss her. And she wanted him to kiss her. She would sort out the details later.

Her gaze flickered to his mouth. Her lips parted in anticipation, and his sweet breath brushed against her lips. He smelled of coffee and pie and all things good.

Her eyes fluttered closed.

A loud knock sounded, exploding the atmosphere and destroying the moment. Katie Rose jumped, instinctively moving away from Zane. She pulled in a steadying breath, her gaze darting about the room, trying to locate the disturbance.

The knock sounded again. Only then did Katie Rose realize that someone was at the front door. She couldn’t look at Zane, her hands automatically smoothing down her skirt.

She shook her head. What had she been thinking? She hadn’t been. She had been caught up in the beauty of the night, the magic that was Christmas. She had been taken in by Zane, his handsome smile and unexpected carin’ ways.
Ei, yi, yi
, she couldn’t blame him for her slip. That was hers. She just had to make sure something like this never happened again. It would be all too easy for her to lose her heart to the handsome
Englischer
.

A third knock sounded before Katie Rose made her way to the door. She took a deep, steadying breath, hoping she didn’t look as guilty and flustered as she felt. She ran her palms over her cheeks, hoping they weren’t as red as the heat emanating from them, and opened the door.

A gasp of shock rushed from her lungs. Of all the people she had expected at the door at this time of night on Christmas Eve, there before her stood the last person on that list.

“Katie Rose.” His voice was the same as she remembered, his eyes just as blue. Until he spoke, she’d wondered if she had somehow imagined that he was there. His voice, however, proved that theory wrong.

After all these years, Samuel Beachy had returned.

13