The Amish Marriage Bargain (Love Inspired) Read online

  “She even has a loud burp, louder than my boppli bu cousin.”

  “Jacob. A gentleman doesn’t tattle on a lady.” Caleb smiled. “She was the perfect haus guest. We will watch her any time you want us to.”

  Thad put his arms around both Leah and May and gave a hug. Leah turned to her daed and planted a big kiss on his cheek. “Danki, Leah, I missed you, too. Come in the haus, all of you. I’m sure May has some coffee she could brew.”

  While Caleb pulled Leah’s crib mattress from his buggy, Thad and Jacob carried in the rest of her things and toted them straight up to her room.

  May headed to the stove. “The coffee is hot. Would you like a cup, Sarah?”

  “Nein, we have other errands to run and thought we’d drop her off first. I knew you’d be anxious to see her.”

  The men tromped down the stairs and returned to the kitchen.

  “Come on, Jacob, time to go.” Caleb headed for the door, held it open and motioned for Sarah to go before him.

  Sarah turned back toward May. “Let me know if you need any more help. We’ll be glad to watch Leah again.”

  “Danki for everything.”

  Thad came back in the kitchen from seeing them off. He walked over to May, and kissed his tochter on the cheek. Leah reached her arms out to her daed. “Oh, so you are going to come and see me. I was feeling bad that May was the only special one.” He glanced at May.

  “Jah, she loves her daed.”

  “I have a surprise for you, Leah. Mama cow has a new baby. Shall we go see it?”

  Leah nodded.

  “Want to come, May?”

  “Nein, not right now. You spend time with your tochter alone.”

  May unpacked Leah’s boxes of bottles. Filled them and placed them in the refrigerator.

  The slamming of a car door pulled her gaze to the window. She hurried to the door and pushed it open. Her cousin stepped out of the car, as the driver lifted her luggage out of the trunk. She paid him and dragged her suitcase to the porch.

  “Ach, Josie, how nice to see you. Danki for coming.”

  “It’s no problem, I wanted to help. How are you feeling?” She gave May a hug.

  “Would you like a cup of coffee?”

  “Nein, sit. I’m here to help you.”

  “Danki, but I’m getting along much better.” May started toward the cupboard. “I’ll probably just need your help a couple of weeks or so.”

  The screen door banged as Thad stepped inside with Leah in his arms. He set Leah on the floor with her toys, then bent down to pick up Josie’s suitcase. “As long as she is here and ready to stay a few days, we will accept her offer of assistance. Leah and I just went out to the pasture to see a new baby calf.”

  Josie smiled and looked at Leah. “Hullo, sweet girl. Did you go out and see the baby calf?”

  Leah squealed and pointed her finger.

  “Did you see mama cow, too?”

  Leah jabbered on and on, laughing and giggling, then jabbered more about her adventure.

  Josie glanced at Thad. “You are a very popular daed right now.”

  He motioned to the door. “Danki for coming, Josie. I’ll take your suitcase upstairs so you can get settled in your room.”

  Thad tossed May a what-are-you-doing look with a raised brow. She raised her brow right back at him. She knew his concerns. She’d told Josie she didn’t need to stay too long, and he wanted to make sure May had all the help she needed.

  She shrugged, picked up Leah and laid her in her downstairs crib for a nap. She followed Thad and Josie to make sure Josie was comfortable with the room.

  Thad had plunked the suitcase down on the bed and gave May a cautionary look. “I’m glad you’re here, Josie. May really needs the help. She needs to stay off that foot or it will never heal.” His tone carried a note of concern.

  “We’re fine. Go do the chores. Supper will be ready when you’re done.” May rewarded his thoughtfulness with a gentle smile. “I can be on the foot. I just need to rest, too.”

  “Danki for coming, Josie.” Thad got the last word in. When they’d courted long ago, she had thought Gott had handpicked Thad for her. Who knew? Maybe this had been God’s purpose and plan for her all along.

  * * *

  Thad heaved a sigh as he unhitched Honeydew, and laid the collar and breeching off to the side. An image of May looking fetching today fought its way back into his mind. Her cheeks had a glow that he hadn’t seen in a long time. Had Josie’s visit put it there?

  He brushed the horse down, hooked a fresh bucket of oats on the fence and closed the gate. He had hoped that eventually May would forgive him for the past, and it seemed like she had started to do just that. He just hoped and prayed that she never found out the true reason he’d married April or she’d never forgive him. Never.

  Thad finished his chores and made his way back across the barnyard to the haus. It bothered him that he’d lied to May, or rather, that he hadn’t told her the whole truth, but he knew it was for her own gut. He shuddered to think what she would say or do if she knew he had lied to her. To everyone. If she ever found out, this little bit of heaven with her that he’d found would be over.

  He approached the driveway, looked up and saw a buggy there. Nein... It was Elmer’s horse and buggy nearly blocking his way. What was he doing here?

  His stomach twisted into a knot as he opened the door to the aroma of baked ham, gravy and biscuits swirling through the air around him.

  May gestured him to the sink to wash up. “Gut, you’re here. We are ready to sit down.”

  Thad nodded. “Evening, Elmer.”

  Elmer nodded back. “It is indeed, Thad. I thought there for a minute you were going to leave me with these two ladies to enjoy their company by myself.”

  He raised a brow. “Not a chance.”

  Back when May had turned sixteen, Elmer had told Thad he wanted to ask May if he could court her. Thad had known that his brother Alvin and April would drop May off at the singing, so Thad ran over and asked May out first. He had done it to spite Elmer, not because he had any real interest in May. Since they were buwe, he and Elmer had always had a rivalry. They competed over everything. Who had the best horse, the nicest buggy, took the prettiest girl home from the singing.

  Elmer was plenty miffed at him when he asked first to court May. But he unintentionally led May to believe he cared about her. He did like her, but not true love. At least, he didn’t think he was in liebe with her. After Thad married April, Elmer had made it known what he thought of Thad for hurting May. He knew then how much Elmer cared for May.

  Sitting down at the opposite end of the table from May, Thad bowed his head for silent prayer.

  Moments later, he tapped the fork against his plate, then speared a piece of chicken from the platter sitting in front of him. “So, Elmer, how is the cheese business?”

  “Gut. Since they invited our cheese factory to join the Iowa Cheese Club and the Iowa Cheese Roundup, business has been booming. The artisanal cheese flavors that we developed at Sunnyhill Cheese Factory are popular. The bacon and dried tomato flavors are our two favorites. Now, we ship cheese to people all over the world.”

  “That’s impressive. I’m glad to hear it.” Thad nodded as he took a bite of food.

  Elmer glanced across the table at Josie. “So you’re May’s cousin? I don’t believe we’ve ever met before, or I would have remembered you. You and May look so much alike, you could be sisters.” His mouth opened as if he had something more to say, but he closed it again.

  “May, have you ever been to Elmer’s cheese factory?” Josie asked pointedly.

  May sat her fork down and glanced at Elmer, then at Josie. “Not for a long time. I’m probably way past due for a visit. Would you like to go sometime?”

  “Jah. Maybe Elmer will show us around.” Josie smi
led at him.

  “I’d be delighted. How about Monday?” His gaze bounced from Josie to May. “I’ll be expecting you both then.”

  Thad liked the idea of Josie’s sudden interest in Elmer. Maybe then Elmer would go over to her haus to visit instead of parking his buggy in his driveway.

  “And, May, dear,” Josie interjected, “if you get tired, you can sit and rest while Elmer shows me around the factory.”

  Thad glanced at May’s face. She was smiling, which told him that she might have the same idea as he did about Elmer and Josie. In fact, perhaps she was even matchmaking at this very moment.

  Only time would tell.

  * * *

  On Monday, May asked Thad to hitch up Gumdrop to the buggy for their trip to the cheese factory.

  “Sure you don’t want me to hitch Honeydew instead? He’s big, but gentle.”

  “No, danki. I appreciate the offer.” She gave him a wry look. “Gumdrop needs the exercise. And besides, I might be in a hurry on the way home and want a younger, faster horse.”

  “I’ll have the buggy at the door in a few minutes.” A chuckle followed his words.

  Josie talked nonstop the whole way over to Sunnyhill Cheese Factory about Elmer—he was nice, handsome, caring, etc., etc., etc. May nodded in response but hoped Josie didn’t talk nonstop on the tour.

  Elmer was waiting when they pulled in the drive and helped them down from the buggy. “I cleared my schedule so I could show you around this morning.”

  He escorted them to his office, where May left the boppli bag and tied Leah to Josie’s back. That way, she could sleep and wouldn’t be so hard to carry. Elmer started the tour by taking them to a large white building.

  After pointing out the different areas first, he started explaining the process from the beginning, with the arrival of the milk. He showed the fresh, foamy milk, supplied by the surrounding small-herd Amish farmers, pouring into a large vat. He waved his arm at the large sign that read:

  Sunnyhill uses only organic milk from Amish farmers’ pasture-fed cows.

  May tried to linger behind them as much as possible to give Josie and Elmer time alone to get acquainted. Jah, she was going to make sure Josie was the first thing he saw every time he turned around. She hoped it worked out between them. They were both special to May and they deserved happiness.

  Elmer showed them the process for making cheese, then explained the ripening process. He took them into the aging room so they could see the large wheels of cheese stacked on shelves all the way to the ceiling. May surveyed the huge amount of cheese that Elmer had stacked and aged that would bring him in money months from now.

  Josie stood next to Elmer. Very close, in fact. “I have never seen so much cheese before. It’s definitely macaroni and cheese for supper tonight.”

  “I’ll happily supply the cheese,” Elmer volunteered, “so you can see how gut the cheese is that we make.”

  “Nein, Elmer.” May shook her head. “I’ve been here before and bought your cheese. You don’t need to give us any.” She tried to keep the tease out of her voice and make it sound serious.

  “But I’m anxious for Josie to try it. Then she can come back and tell me how she liked it.”

  Josie beamed. “Jah, I’ll do that.”

  “While you two finish the tour, I need to change a diaper. I’ll wait for you in Elmer’s office.” She untied Leah from Josie’s back, turned to leave and caught Josie batting her eyes at Elmer. “Don’t be long, Josie.”

  She guessed Elmer wouldn’t be stopping by the house to help her out any more. Not that he ever really did, except for the time Thad requested he help him fix the swollen doors.

  At the time, she’d been angry with Thad for disturbing them. Farm life could be lonely, and it was nice when Elmer paid a visit. Yet she’d known that at some point she’d have to tell Elmer she wouldn’t marry him. Now it appeared Josie had set her sights on him. So that was one task stricken from her to-do list.

  May sat Leah upright and she smiled and pointed here, then over there, then somewhere else. “So many new sights in Elmer’s office for little eyes, huh?”

  Leah smiled as if it was some fun game to play. May picked her up and snuggled her close.

  “What are you telling me, sweetheart, some really big story about the cheese factory?” May tickled Leah’s tummy.

  She giggled. “Stop, Mamm.” She pulled herself up on the back of the couch and gave May a toothy smile.

  Josie hurried into the office. “Elmer is bringing our buggy to the door. I’ve asked him to come to dinner tonight.” She held out a big brick of cheese. “I promised I would make macaroni and cheese for him with this. What do you think?”

  “I think if you are cooking, then that is a terrific idea. So are there sparks flying between you two?” May stuffed Leah’s things back into her bag and handed it to Josie. “Do you mind carrying this? My leg is tired from lugging this boot around, and I don’t want to fall. That’s all I need, another injury.”

  Josie led the way to the buggy. “We’re just friends, Elmer and I,” she said, shooting May a coy look. “For now anyway.”

  After Elmer brought the buggy around and helped them up into it, May shook the reins and Gumdrop took off with a jerk, but soon settled into an even trot. Before they were out of the drive and past the big buildings, Leah was fast asleep.

  May glanced at Josie, who was staring out the window. Her cousin looked deep in thought worrying her bottom lip. “Something wrong, Josie?”

  “Nein. Do you think Elmer is courting anyone?”

  There it was. May had wondered when Josie would get around to asking that question and how she should answer. In the Amish community, courting was a private affair and not talked about, and folks never knew who was courting who until the reading of the banns at church.

  Elmer had never officially asked May if he could court her, but at times when she was single, she thought he might. Yet that seemed like it was ages ago, and today, on the cheese tour, she was sure she’d seen Elmer stare at Josie.

  May felt Josie’s stare, waiting for an answer. “You know courting is a private matter. He has not mentioned anything to me, so I don’t have the answer for you. I’m sorry, Josie.”

  “Gut. I’m going to take that as nein.” Josie settled back in the seat and crossed her arms.

  Josie talked a lot and Elmer had his quiet moments; they would be a gut match.

  If that was true, was it also true that the bishop saw some qualities that were compatible between her and Thad? That he at times seemed resigned to give up the farm but she had a spark of energy that could get them through these hard times.

  And just like that, she knew how to save the farm...

  Chapter Nine

  At the end of his long workday, Thad crossed the barnyard toward the haus, sweat running down his face and trickling down his back. He’d sleep gut tonight. His pace slowed as he approached the haus. A spanking-clean buggy sat in the drive. Elmer. Was he here courting Josie?

  He climbed the porch steps and paused for a second before opening the door. Elmer’s deep voice had said something he didn’t catch. May and Josie both laughed. Did the man ever work? Thad blew out a breath, plopped his hat on the wall peg, then washed his hands at the metal basin in the sink in the kitchen.

  May hurried into the kitchen from the sitting room and began uncovering serving bowls and setting them on the table. “Thad, you look tired and hungry. Dinner will be on the table in a minute. Sit down.”

  “How is your foot after walking on it for the factory tour?”

  “Gut, but I’m a little tired.”

  Thad looked Elmer up and down as he made his way to the table. There were no cheese curds on his clothes. He’d cleaned up for his visit. “Not busy at work today, Elmer?”

  “On the contrary, business is booming. Tour buses c
ome in every weekend. I had to hire more help. Mondays are slower, and it’s the day I usually catch up on paperwork, but I reserved this morning for May and Josie’s tour.”

  Thad nodded. Tour buses.

  Josie helped set the food on the table, then sat across from Elmer. “He gave us a wunderbaar tour and a brick of cheese, so we’re having mac and cheese for supper along with the pork chops.”

  “My favorite.” Thad’s voice went a little flat with fatigue stretching across his shoulders and down his back. He bowed his head for prayer, then silence swept over the room.

  Thad listened to Josie go on and on about their visit to Sunnyhill Cheese Factory. Her face glowed as she spoke about his operation. The way Elmer looked back at Josie, Thad was sure he was only waiting until he knew her well enough to ask to court her.

  Thad’s heart thumped against his chest as he watched Elmer talk to May and smile at her. The three of them laughed and enjoyed reminiscing about the morning they’d shared together at the factory.

  “Thad?”

  He jerked his head to the other side. “I’m sorry, Josie, did you say something? I’m so tired even my ears are sleeping.” Everyone chuckled at his joke.

  “What do you think of the macaroni and cheese? I made it with cheese from Sunnyhill.” Josie looked earnestly at Thad, waiting for an answer.

  The three sets of eyes and ears at the table were not going to let him off without hearing his opinion. “It was very tasty. Maybe the best I’ve ever had.”

  After Josie and May heaped mountains of praise on Elmer’s cheese, they finally expanded their conversation to other wonderful dishes that could benefit by Elmer’s prize-winning cheese.

  “Elmer, what do you say to one day we take these ladies on the Cheese Roundup? It could be a fun outing. We could hire a car.” Thad picked up the bowl and piled more mac and cheese on his plate.

  “What is the Cheese Roundup?” Josie glanced toward Thad, then back to Elmer. “I’ve heard of it but not quite sure what it is.”

  “That would be a wunderbaar time.” Elmer nodded. “It’s a mapped trail around Iowa that hits all the cheese factories. Along the trail are other places to visit like state parks and the Amana Colonies. It goes through Des Moines, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, with all kinds of things to do. And there are lots of fun places to stay—lodges, inns and campgrounds. Of course, we wouldn’t be gone that long, but cheese-tastings have been paired with all kinds of other events and festivals, so the customers can take a vacation, along with visiting the factories and shops.”