Katie's Choice (34 page)

“It’s from all of us,” Ruth added.

“I-I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’ll read it.” This from Abram.

“Every day,” Zane promised, turning the book over in his hands. Never before had anyone given him such a special gift. No one but this Amish family, who hadn’t known him at all until three months ago. This family, who took him in and taught him about God, fed him both literally and spiritually.

Tears sprang to his eyes, and he lurched across the room, pulling Ruth into a one-armed embrace. The other hand still held the Bible, and he was unwilling to let it go.

After the gift giving, the younger children went out to check the new colt with Abram. Annie went to the kitchen to start another pot of coffee. And somehow Zane found himself sitting on the couch next to Katie Rose.

“I cannot thank you enough for the books, Zane Carson.”

So they were back to that, huh?

He gazed at her. “I’m glad you like them. Hopefully all of the children will enjoy them.”

“How did you know?”

“That
Little House
was on the approved reading list, or that you wanted them?”

“Both.”

Zane smiled. “Coln Anderson helped me in ordering them. He’s the one who told me they were okay for you to have.”

“The bishop does try to shield us from the sins of the world. It’s hard sometimes, but we all know and understand that it is for our own good.”

“In the world, but not of the world.”

Katie Rose’s eyes twinkled as he said the words. “
Jah
. But how did you know I wanted them?”

Zane tilted his head to one side and studied her. “You told me. That very first day you allowed me to have lunch with you.”

“I don’t remember.”

“Well, I do.”

“It would seem so.”

Zane looked down at the leather-bound Bible in his hands. “I still can’t believe this.”

Katie Rose just smiled, her version of the enigmatic Mona Lisa. Zane both loved and hated when she did that. He loved her smile, but hated that this particular one cut him off from guessing her thoughts. “It might be prideful to say, but I picked it out for you.”

“I love it.”

“We wanted you to have somethin’ beautiful to take with you next week.”

“I have a lot of beautiful to take home with me.”

“We wanted you to be able to pack it in your suitcase.”

Zane nodded. There wasn’t much more for him to do. He was leaving in just a few short days. He’d be home by the first.

The idea had grown less and less appealing the longer he stayed with the Amish. But with Samuel Beachy’s return the night before, Zane knew it would be next to impossible for him to stay. Katie Rose was more than half the reason he loved it here so much. Everything about her made him a better man. Like he could do God’s bidding, succeed in anything he tried. But she didn’t belong to him. She had given her heart to another long ago and now that other was back to claim it.

The fact didn’t make the desire to hold her in his arms lessen. It didn’t make the need to kiss her disappear. It would be so easy to lean into her, press his lips to hers as they sat there together. But Annie was just a few feet away. Besides, Zane was afraid that if he kissed Katie Rose even once, he’d go on kissing her forever.

A knock sounded on the door. It was Christmas Day and not the day for visiting, but Zane knew whoever it was would be welcomed inside to join in the family gathering. That was the Amish way. He just hoped it wasn’t Samuel with the preacher intending to marry Katie Rose no matter what the season.

“I’ll get it.” He stood bracing himself for whatever was to come. He couldn’t take many more surprises, as he was still reeling from the last one.

He opened the door, and a familiar dark-haired woman stood on the other side, fur coat pulled up around her neck, diamonds sparkling at her ears.

“Monica?”

“Surprise!” She smiled, holding up her left hand and flashing the deep red ruby he’d offered her so long ago. “I accept.”

15

S
urprise was right. Monica was the last person he’d expected to see. Not only was she in Oklahoma, she had somehow found her way to the Fishers’.

She threw her arms around him and pressed herself close, her lips naturally finding his. Instinctively he braced his hands on her waist. Too stunned to do anything else, he half-heartedly kissed her back.

She pulled her lips from his, but kept her arms anchored firmly around his neck, thankfully not seeming to notice his inattentiveness. “Oh, I’ve missed you. It’s crazy for us to be apart.” She gave him one last hard kiss on the lips, then pulled away.

Zane was too stunned to do much else but remove her hat and smooth down the static in her hair.

“Daddy got married.”

“Again?”

“Again.” She nodded. “Number five. He and his new wife decided to honeymoon in the Caribbean. They left yesterday. So . . .” she dragged out the word, running a finger suggestively down his lips. “I decided to come see you.”

“Wow.”
Eloquent, Carson
. But he didn’t know what to say. He was all too aware of Katie Rose watching their every move. All too aware that moments before his fiancée had arrived, he’d been contemplating kissing another.

“Plus, I wanted to give you the good news in person. Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

He stepped back, allowing her into the house. “Good news?”

In lieu of an answer, she held up her left hand and waggled her fingers as she stepped inside.

Oh. Yeah. The good news.

Her sharp blue eyes flickered around the room. He imagined her noting the crackling fire and the lack of anything modern. Zane had thought it quaint and unassuming, but Monica would find it backward, maybe even barbaric.

Katie Rose stood, her gaze darting between the two of them. The Mona Lisa smile was back, and Zane felt like an outsider.

Monica’s voice interrupted the stillness. “Aren’t you the cutest thing!”

Inwardly, Zane cringed, until he realized Monica was talking to him and not Katie Rose.

She flipped a hand toward his barn-door pants and suspenders, then rubbed her palm down the side of his face. “And this beard. I like it. So manly.”

He was scum. He hadn’t called her in weeks, hadn’t made any attempt to contact her, hadn’t thought about her as he should. He’d been too wrapped up in the here and now. He had taken a vacation from reality, and his real life had come knocking on the door—literally.

Zane stood between the two women. “Monica, this is Katie Rose Fisher. Her parents are my host family.”

Monica stepped forward and took Katie Rose’s limp hand into her own. She gave it a girlie handshake squeeze. “It’s so nice to meet you.”

“
Danki
.” Katie Rose nodded. “Thank you.”

Monica smiled, and Zane relaxed. She was cordial and collected around Katie Rose, and he knew that she didn’t consider the Amish woman to be a threat. His secret was safe.

Lord, please forgive me. I’ve not been the faithful man I am supposed to be.

Zane pointed to the kitchen where Annie was drying her hands on a dishtowel. “That’s—”

“Avery Ann Hamilton.” Monica’s voice rose. “So the rumors
are
true.”

To his surprise, Annie smiled. “Monica.”

Zane turned to Monica. “You know Annie?”

“Yes, silly. And you do too.”

Annie spoke up. “We met at the Dunstan Pro-Am a couple of years ago. I never mentioned it because I didn’t think you remembered.”

So that’s why she looked so familiar. What was a Dallas socialite doing in Amish country Oklahoma? Then it struck him. Love. He had seen the way she looked at Gideon. The way Gideon looked back at her.

Had love been the only reason, or was God at work here too?

Monica returned her gaze to him. “You didn’t answer your phone the other day. And you didn’t call me back.” She gave a pretty pout, and once upon a time, he thought the action cute. Now he found it annoying.

Or maybe he was just upset that, once again, his opportunity to kiss Katie Rose was gone. Maybe, too, he was upset with himself for forgetting all the things that he needed to remember . . .

That he was engaged to another.

That he’d be leaving soon.

That he’d be in Mexico before President’s Day.

It was better this way. He didn’t need to be kissing Kate. He was leaving in just a few days. After that, he’d never see her again. There was no sense starting something that neither one of them could finish.

Annie snapped her fingers. “You’re Zane’s fiancée!” Then she frowned and shot a glance at Katie Rose.

Katie Rose tilted her head. “Fiancée?”

“That’s right.” She passed him a loving look over her shoulder and hooked her arm through his. “Zane asked me to marry him just before he came here.”

He saw the hurt flash through her jade green eyes. He wanted to go to her, to explain, but stayed where he was. He’d done enough. More than enough.

Katie Rose stood, and ran her hands down her apron. “I think I’ll go to check on my Samuel.”

Zane wasn’t certain if she meant Gabriel’s son or the one who belonged to the bishop. Either way, it was time to let her go.

Helpless, he watched her stumble toward the door, not even bothering to put on a coat to fight back against the cold December air.

Annie hurried behind her, grabbing a coat for each of them off the pegs by the door. “I think I should . . . go help Katie Rose.”

Monica watched her close the door and turned back to Zane. “They seem like very nice ladies.”

Around the lump in his throat, he choked out, “She is.” Too nice to deserve how he’d treated her. He owed her an apology. A big one. But he had the sinking feeling that he wouldn’t see Katie Rose again.

Katie Rose let the screen door slam behind her, realizing only when she was halfway across the yard, that she’d forgotten her coat. It didn’t matter. The heat in her cheeks would be enough to keep her warm.

“Katie Rose.”

She turned at the sound of her name. Annie hurried across the yard toward her, jacket in hand. “I, uh . . . didn’t want you to get cold.”

“
Danki
.” She took the garment from Annie and quickly pushed her arms into the sleeves.

“You want to talk about it?”

Katie Rose shook her head. “There is nothin’ to talk about.”

“Seems like there’s a lot to talk about, if you ask me.”

And what would she say? That she thought she was special to Zane? That she’d fallen hopelessly in love with him? Or that she’d harbored a little dream that he would stay and join up with the Amish? Maybe even marry her? And they would be happy for the rest of their days?

It was only a dream. Their real lives had come calling. And next week the dream would end forever.

“There is not. I am just bein’ foolish.”

“Love can do that to you.”

“I’m not—” She stopped, unable to tell the lie upon her lips. “It doesn’t matter. He loves another.” All things for a reason. She had been taught that her entire life. Still she couldn’t ignore her breaking heart.

“I’m no expert, but he doesn’t look like he’s in love to me. At least not with Monica.” Annie shot her a pointed look.