The Amish Cowboy's Homecoming Read online

  “I know,” Grace agreed, happy for the interruption. “I think he’s a natural for dressage.” She inwardly cringed when she heard Isaac clear his throat. “We think that,” she tweaked, uncomfortable even thinking that they were on the same page. She needed to stay on her toes, remember her goal of being the finest horse trainer around.

  “Could be,” Daed said.

  “We’ll make him into a grand jumper,” Isaac added. “Might take a little longer at the beginning, but good things come to those who wait.”

  “I have no doubt,” her father said, his eyes narrowing as they followed Cincinnati around the ring. The sun was hitting the tops of the trees, and the empty feeling in Grace’s stomach told her it must be near dinnertime.

  “Why don’t you come for supper?”

  Horrified, Grace gawked at her father, who’d addressed Isaac.

  “Won’t be for over an hour or so,” Daed added. “Give you time to go home and fetch, uh, Sadie.”

  “That’s very kind of you,” Isaac said. For some reason, he looked at Grace, as if he needed her permission first.

  The invitation had been a complete shock to Grace. Didn’t her father understand that Isaac King was trying to muscle in and take her job? And honestly, Daed should’ve asked her first to see if it was okay that he came to dinner. And he really should’ve checked with Sarah. Oh heavens.

  “Umm… Of course,” Grace said, doing her best to smile pleasantly, even though being with the man after hours was the last thing she wanted.

  “Well, okay then.” Isaac blinked a few times, then scratched his chin. But Grace couldn’t fathom why he would seem confused at a simple dinner invitation for him and his wife.

  “He’s going that way—don’t let him into the corner,” Isaac said a few minutes later while they attempted to corral Cincinnati together for the first time.

  “I know what I’m doing,” Grace said, blowing the loose hair out of her face. When she glanced over at Isaac, it was infuriating that he was grinning at her. Was this some kind of test? Did he not understand how intrusive his mere presence was? Or did the smile mean he was finally giving in to her…her completely unsuccessful flirtations from earlier?

  Finally, the horse was back in his stall, having taken them twice as long to do it than Grace could’ve done on her own. So much for teamwork.

  Without a polite goodbye, Isaac jumped on his Arabian and headed home to fetch Sadie. Grace stared after him, feeling bewildered. First he grinned all charmingly at her, then he disappeared without a word?

  “Aren’t you going to change your dress?” Sarah asked as Grace washed her hands at the kitchen sink.

  Grace looked down at herself. Yes, she was dirty, but not dirty enough to get anyone else dirty.

  “Let me give you a hand,” Amos said, helping Grace’s mother from her spot on the sofa to her chair at the long dinner table. She always preferred to be close to the activities in the house, never wanting to miss a conversation if she could.

  “Danke, son,” Maam said, patting Amos’s hand. “Gracie, go put on a clean dress. Make your family proud.”

  Grace turned off the water. “Jah, Maam,” she said obediently, sending a quick sideways glance at Sarah, who was grinning smugly. While she was upstairs, Grace decided to give her hands a better scrub, up to her elbows, then wash her face well. The clean dress she decided on was mauve with short sleeves. The evenings were warm. She adjusted her kapp and slid on a clean apron.

  Just as she was walking down the stairs, she heard the front door close and new voices in the house. Isaac stood at the foot of the stairs, looking up at her. He’d changed again into a snow-white shirt, the sleeves down to his wrists, black vest, and black hat.

  “Guder owed,” he said.

  Grace nearly froze mid-step. Gracious, but he looked handsome. As handsome a man as she’d ever seen. Good thing he’s the enemy, she thought as she continued down. And of course, good thing he’s got Sadie with him—keeping Grace on her best behavior.

  As soon as she got to the bottom of the stairs, a little girl came running up to her. She looked to be about six years old, had brown hair under her tiny black bonnet, the sweetest face, and a big smile displaying a missing front tooth.

  “Hallo there,” Grace said after the girl had practically run into her.

  “Hi!” the little girl said. “Are you Grace? Daddy said he works with Grace.”

  Grace cleared her throat and looked at Isaac. “I am. What’s your name?”

  “Sadie!” she said brightly. “I’m Sadie.”

  Grace stared at the little girl for a second, trying to process what she’d said. Oh! Isaac and Sadie have a daughter, and they named her…Sadie, too?

  Again, Grace glanced around the room, looking for the new face of the real, grownup Sadie.

  “Will you sit next to me?” little Sadie asked, reaching for Grace’s hand.

  “Sure,” Grace replied. She shot a bewildered glance toward Isaac, who looked as confused as she felt.

  “Say please, dochder,” Isaac said.

  As Grace’s brain sluggishly began putting the pieces together, her head started to hurt, and she knew the front of her throat was turning pink and marbled with embarrassment.

  “What’s the matter with you, Grace?” Sarah said, causing her head to throb even worse. “We’re ready to eat.”

  “Nothing, I…” She forced herself to lift half a smile, then was practically dragged by the hand by Isaac’s daughter, Sadie, to the designated spot at the table.

  “Daddy can sit over there,” Sadie pointed to the empty chair across from them.

  “Good plan,” Maam said, smiling sweetly at the little girl, always the perfect hostess, when she was up to it.

  “Let us pray,” said Daed. They all bowed their heads for the food blessing, but Grace opened one eye, glancing first at the little girl beside her, then across the table at her…father.

  Her heart leaped into her throat when she saw Isaac looking back at her.

  Chapter Twelve

  Isaac’s impulse was to shut his eyes but, since Grace had caught him looking at her, it was just as well he kept staring right through the prayer. She opened her other eye, evidently unafraid to stare right back.

  He shrugged one shoulder. She shrugged both of hers. Then the next moment she slammed her eyes shut.

  “Amen,” John Zook said.

  “Who wants the first slice of meatloaf? I made it myself.”

  Right before Grace had come down the stairs, Isaac had been introduced to some of John’s family. So he knew that the woman who’d just spoken was Sarah, John’s son Amos’s wife. Grace’s sister-in-law. That Sarah.

  Because of the “lemonade,” Isaac couldn’t help glancing at Grace again. Were they all about to get food poisoning? When their eyes met, a coy smile sat upon Grace’s lips. She was clearly anticipating his worries.

  “I do,” Grace said, lifting her plate.

  “You love my meatloaf,” Sarah said, giving Grace a mighty large slice.

  Grace held a fist over her mouth, but Isaac caught the stifled giggle behind it. She met his gaze again, and it looked like she was about to smile, but then the grin disappeared, her expression turning stony. She abruptly broke eye contact and stared down at her plate.

  What just happened? Isaac wondered. Is she embarrassed about what she said to me about Sarah? Or maybe… Does it have something to do with Sadie? He looked across the table at his daughter. Everyone on that side of the table was fussing over her—filling her milk cup, cutting her food.

  He hadn’t exactly felt overly welcomed by Grace when John had invited him to dinner. In fact, before then, she’d been combative with him practically every time they disagreed about how to handle Cincinnati.

  Isaac felt awkward enough being in the Zooks’ house in the first place. He’d only just s
ettled into Honey Brook, and he’d rather not drag Sadie around from place to place—meeting people she may never see again—more than he needed to. But he had to admit, he’d felt a bit pressured to accept his boss’s invitation. So there they were.

  Soon enough, the meatloaf plate made its way to Isaac. He glanced at Grace to see if she was watching for how big a slice he took. But her attention was elsewhere. This deflated Isaac some. After all, the one reason he’d been looking forward to dinner at all was the hopes of getting to know his “apprentice” a little better.

  But apparently, she didn’t want to talk to him.

  Isaac took his first bite. It wasn’t…bad. Maybe the vegetables needed to be a little softer before being added to the meat. Or maybe all the ingredients of the dish could have been blended a little better. He took a second bite, then a spoonful of mashed potatoes, then a big drink of water. Regardless, he was always grateful for a meal he didn’t have to cook himself.

  “Stop that, Amos.” Sarah slapped her husband’s hand when he’d reached across the table for a slice of bread.

  “Apologies,” Amos said under his breath as he pulled back his arm, laying his hand in his lap.

  “Can’t even mind your manners when we have guests.”

  Besides the sound of Sadie talking to her food—which had become a new thing with her—silence filled the room, a very tense silence that, when he glanced around, he knew was felt by everyone.

  Grace was staring down at her plate. Even with her chin lowered, he could tell she was blushing. But it wasn’t her who should feel embarrassed. He wanted to say something. Not to Sarah—that wasn’t his business—but to Grace; something to soothe her or preoccupy her. Maybe tell the joke about the Mennonite and the cow.

  He chuckled inside at the memory of their first meeting out in the front pasture. Suddenly, all eyes in the room were on him. Maybe his chuckle hadn’t been internal.

  “Sorry,” he said after a quick throat clear. “Tickle in my throat. Uh, Sarah, this sure is good.” But Sarah only stared back. “Amos, what kind of work do you do?”

  “I have a position down at Keim’s sawmill.”

  “Jah?” Isaac added, then nodded for him to go on. “Sounds interesting. Sadie, careful not to spill.” While Amos spoke about his job, Isaac kept an eye on Sadie, not wanting her to cause much trouble, though she was usually very well-behaved when they were at someone else’s house. Goodness knew she hadn’t picked up her good habits back home with his in-laws. Their evening meals could look like something out of a pigpen.

  Isaac was about to lose his appetite. Not only was the food a bit questionable, but he felt guilty about what he’d just thought about his in-laws, and Grace was still ignoring him, and he worried that Sadie was too much to handle, and even with Amos talking and Sarah occupied with her supper, there was still an air of tension in the room.

  He wondered if it were always there.

  Every time he looked at Grace, it was as if she’d just been looking at him but then glanced away. The times he did catch her eye, that expression of confusion from when he’d first arrived—and maybe even frustration now—still colored her face.

  It was going to be a difficult few months if he didn’t find a way to get Grace to like him, let along work as a team. To trust each other.

  “Another fire was set in town,” John said.

  “Moses told me,” said Amos. “They’re getting closer to houses.”

  “I heard about that,” Isaac said, putting down his fork, needing to engage in any kind of conversation. “The Chupps were talking about it the other night.” He paused to wipe his mouth with a cloth napkin. “They said it’s a group of kids from a few towns over.”

  “Aye.” John nodded. “That’s what I suspect.”

  “Fires?” Grace said, looking at her father. “You told me they only spray-painted some sidewalks.”

  “It’s been escalating,” her father said, then he glanced at Eve, his fraa. “Nothing for us to worry about,” he added, putting a hand on Eve’s arm. “We’re a safe distance. It’s just boys being boys, I suppose.”

  “Someone ought to give them a good licking.” No surprise, this had come from Sarah.

  “They might just be bored,” Amos said. “School’s about to be out for the summer. Hopefully, they’ll be put to work then, and not have time to mess around over here.”

  “I tell you, they need to be punished,” Sarah said. “If I was their mother, I’d…” Surprisingly, her voice trailed off, leaving behind more tense silence. “Well, anyone want seconds?”

  When no one spoke up, Isaac lifted his plate. “The mashed potatoes were delicious. I’d love another helping.” It wasn’t an actual lie because the potatoes were the most edible thing on his plate.

  “Of course,” Sarah said, smiling at him, then glaring down at her husband as she passed by him. Isaac wasn’t sure if he’d made matters better or worse.

  “Danke,” he said after she’d given him two heaping servings. As he shoveled in his first bite, he noticed that Sadie and the two little Zook girls were away from the table. He pushed back his chair to stand.

  “They’re upstairs with a puzzle.” Grace’s voice sounded distant, and she’d barely even looked at him when she spoke.

  “Okay.” He looked at Eve, who—despite Sarah’s overbearingness—was the matriarchal head of the house. “If it’s okay with you.”

  “They’re just fine,” Eve said with a smile. As she reached out to take her glass of milk, she suddenly flinched as if in pain.

  “Are you all right, liebchen?” John asked softly, leaning in to her side.

  “Fine, fine, don’t fuss.” Eve was holding her right hand, rubbing the palm. “End-of-the-day aches.”

  She’s ill, or…injured, Isaac considered when he realized he’d never seen her standing or walking on her own—someone was always helping. His thoughts wandered, wondered. He’d have to ask Grace about it.

  At the thought, his gaze automatically turned to her, but she was watching her mother, a definite look of concern in her eyes, maybe even fear. Isaac was about to ask if he could help, then decided not to. Hadn’t he already interjected when he shouldn’t have?

  Again, the room fell silent. He knew an Englisher idiom about the “elephant in the room,” and wasn’t sure if there were always a level of unspoken tension in the house, or if no one was talking because he was there.

  He began to feel pressure on his chest, pure discomfort for simply existing.

  Just then, Sadie came running down the stairs. “We finished the puzzle, Daddy!” she said. “It’s a horse drinking water, and it says for ages eight and up.” She grinned. “And we did it, even though I’m only six.”

  “Wunderbar, Sadie,” he said, standing up.

  “It’s a brown horse,” Sadie went on. “Is that the color of the horse you’re training?”

  “It is,” Isaac said, sweeping her up in his arms. “How did you know that?”

  “I don’t know, I just did.” She giggled but then pinched her eyes closed as she yawned. Isaac leaped at the excuse.

  “Looks like someone is ready for bed. It’s getting late for you after such an eventful few days.”

  “Not yet, Daed.”

  Isaac turned to Eve. “Do you mind if we call it a night? I should get this one home.”

  “Of course not,” Eve said. “It was wonderful to meet both of you. Please come back soon.”

  “Danke. And thank you for our supper,” he said to Sarah.

  “You’re more than welcome.” Sarah smiled, but then crossed her arms and sent a sideways glance to Amos. “I’ll be sure to make extra of my mashed potatoes next time you come.”

  Isaac swallowed, not knowing what to say. All he knew was he was more than anxious to get out of the house. “See you later?” he said, shifting his eyes to Grace. It looked li
ke she’d finally let go of that breath she’d been holding. Perhaps she was just as anxious for him to be gone as he was.

  “Jah,” she said, standing up from the table. “Guti nacht.”

  “Nacht,” he said, then addressed John. “Danke again for the invitation.” When they’d all said their goodbyes, Isaac turned to the front door and was out on the porch before he could take his next breath.

  When the door was safely closed behind him, he took in a deep breath, then another. That had been one strange, mighty awkward situation. And what had been the matter with Grace this time? She’d hardly said two words after he’d arrived. Though maybe that was better than arguing with him about Cincinnati.

  Although, he did kind of enjoy how fiery her blue eyes got when she was annoyed. Not that he would annoy her on purpose, but there was something about her that he still couldn’t figure out. Like the puzzle Sadie had worked on, Isaac was more than tempted to work on Grace Zook.

  “Can I get down?”

  “Oh, jah!” Isaac had been walking so quickly away from the house that he’d almost forgotten where he was going. “Do you want to drive?” he said, setting his daughter down on the front seat of the buggy.

  All the way home, Isaac ran the evening over and over through his mind, but came up with no idea of what he would say to Grace when he saw her next. Or if she would speak to him at all.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Grace helped her little sisters get ready for bed, then came back downstairs, finding Sarah alone at the oversized farm sink, washing dishes by the light of a battery-powered lamp above her head. For a moment, she considered tiptoeing upstairs unnoticed, forgetting the book she’d come down to fetch.

  But wasn’t it enough that her sister-in-law had to fix three meals a day for seven people—nine tonight—and then clean up on her own? It must be even more trying if you’re not getting along with your spouse, Grace thought. Is there any way I can help them?

  Grace was not even close to being an expert in relationships, though. After all, she’d never been in one, had only a handful of dates to her credit, in fact.