Love Finds You in Charm, Ohio Read online

  He smiled. “It won’t be the same around here without you. And you’ll be so busy in Charm with Lydia Ann and the twins, you’ll barely have time to blink before the summer will be over. So make the most of it.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Jacob’s green eyes bored into Emma’s.

  “Three months is a mighty long time. I don’t think I’ve ever gone that long without seeing you.”

  True. Because I rarely get to go any where.

  “Lydia Ann needs help with things, school is nearly out, and Abby will be busy working at the quilt store here.” The quicker she could get the words out, the quicker the conversation could be over. “And…” She grabbed his hand and took a deep breath. “I have a confession to make.” There was no turning back now. “I’ve been having some doubts about things. I think it will be good for me to go to Charm. Maybe I can figure a few things out.”

  Jacob’s jaw tensed. She could see that he wasn’t happy. At all. When Emma had rehearsed the little speech in her head, she’d imagined him being fine and even sharing her feelings. It was amazing how everything could work out perfectly in her imagination but then turn into a disaster when she actually lived it. She’d always had a special knack for disaster, though.

  “What do you mean ’doubts’?” he asked quietly. “I’m trying to understand what you’re saying here, but I am having a difficult time of it.” He dropped her hand and rubbed his forehead as if he’d just developed a huge headache. Named Emma. “Do you mean you’re having doubts about me?”

  “Really about everything. Abby says I’m crazy.” Maybe that would make him feel better. She looked at him. Nope. In fact, now he looked like he felt worse, so she plunged ahead. “I think I’m just…” she trailed off, unsure of exactly what to say. “I guess I feel a little lost. Sometimes I don’t know if I want to live in Shipshewana forever.” This revelation appeared to be a shocker to Jacob. But at least she was telling him now. Abby had tried to make her promise not to tell him about her unhappiness. But Emma thought it was better to be honest now rather than to spring it on him in August when she returned. At least this way he had some warning.

  “Emmy.” Jacob said the nickname with such tenderness she was tempted to beg him to forget what she’d just said. But she knew the turmoil inside her was there for a reason, so she kept quiet. “Why haven’t you mentioned this to me before?” He furrowed his brow, puzzled.

  “I’m not sure.” She twisted the hem of her apron and bit her lip. The fact that he hadn’t had any idea of her feelings only fueled her desire to get away. If Jacob truly knew her, he should’ve picked up on her feelings a long time ago. But he hadn’t. “I guess I kept thinking these thoughts would go away.” She glanced over at him. “But they keep popping up.” Like weeds in a flower garden.

  “I think you can have a wonderful life here in Shipshewana.” Jacob was so sincere, so kind. Emma hated knowing she was the cause of his hurt.

  “I’m just confused right now. But I don’t want to be unfair to you. I feel like you need to know what’s going on in my head.” She waited on his response.

  He sighed deeply and studied her face. “I believe in you. And I think that you’ll make the right decisions about your life.” A tear rolled down Emma’s cheek and Jacob wiped it away. “I don’t doubt for a second that you’ll choose your life here over whatever else may be tempting you. That’s what I’ll be praying for.”

  Chapter Six

  Abby

  “Are you nuts?” Abby screeched at her sister. Her insane sister. “I can’t believe you told Jacob what was going on.” She shook her head. “What if he gets tired of waiting on you?”

  “The thought has crossed my mind, but I guess that’s a risk I have to take.” Emma pulled a black suitcase out of the closet and threw it on her bed. “I’m not going to be dishonest with him. I’m tired of keeping secrets. He deserves to know how I feel before I leave.”

  For the past hour, Abby had grilled Emma on each word and every look that she and Jacob had exchanged when they said their good-byes. Sometimes Emma acted so outlandish. There was no reason to worry Jacob. “If you would just stop and think about everything, you’d see how foolish you’re behaving.” Abby perched beside the suitcase and watched her sister pace the floor.

  “Maybe you should find a man of your own so you’ll worry less about me,” Emma shot off.

  Abby flinched. How easy that sounded coming from Emma, who had known since she was a child that Jacob was the one for her. She swallowed hard. “I just feel sick to my stomach at the thought of you messing up such a good thing.” She folded a light blue dress Emma had thrown on the bed and placed it in the suitcase. “But it worries me even more that you might decide to leave our community. Promise me you’ll think seriously about this. If you decide to leave, our lives will never be the same.”

  Emma stopped what she was doing, and her expression softened. “Please don’t worry about me. Worrying never solved anything.” She smiled. “Listen to me. I usually leave sounding like mamm to you, but now I can’t help myself.”

  Abby’s own lips turned upward, but it was half-hearted. Why wouldn’t Emma take this seriously? “I’ll try not to worry. But I just want to make sure you know what you’re doing.”

  Emma sighed and sat down on the other side of the suitcase. She ran her hand over the neat stacks of clothes nestled inside the suitcase. “Look at my things. Light blue, black, gray.” She met Abby’s eyes. “I know it’s wrong. But sometimes I want to wear brighter colors. Emerald green, hot pink, or maybe even red.”

  Abby played with the edge of the quilt, willing herself to keep cool. Did Emma have to test everything? “Emma, really. Why would you even say such a thing?”

  Emma’s eyes blazed. “I saw a pair of pink high-heeled sandals in that magazine a couple weeks ago that had little diamonds on top. I could paint my toenails pink to match. I’ll bet I could add an extra hem to my dress and no one would ever know.” She turned her gaze back to the contents of her suitcase. She knew she was being unreasonable. There was no way she would ever try and wear high heels underneath her dress. She was only trying to get underneath her sister’s skin.

  The horrified expression on Abby’s face told her she’d been a success. “Oh, Emma. I just don’t understand you. Why can’t you just be normal?”

  “I didn’t say I wanted to rob a bank. Just that sometimes I wish there were more colors in my life.” She shrugged. “Besides, who’s to say what’s normal?”

  Abby closed her eyes. Patience. She needed patience. Once Emma was away, her life would be peaceful. Just as she liked it. She opened one eye and looked at her sister. Emma was staring into the suitcase as if the answers to all of life’s questions were inside.

  Abby stood up. “You amaze me. I don’t know anyone else who gets so caught up in their own thoughts that they totally forget the world around them.”

  Emma let out a sheepish smile. “I was just making sure I had everything I needed.”

  “Jah, sure you were. What’s really on your mind?”

  “I was wondering if I’ll ever be happy. Really happy. You know?” Abby’s irritation fled. She put her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “I’ll pray for you. I know I give you a hard time. But

  I really do want you to feel good about things.”

  Emma’s smile came quickly. “Thanks, sister. I could use your prayers.” She stood and grabbed a smaller black bag out of the closet. “Oh! I have an idea.”

  “That always means trouble,” Abby murmured, but as it always did when it came to Emma’s ideas, her curiosity got the best of her. “Tell me anyway.”

  “You have to come visit Lydia Ann and me this summer.”

  “Visit?” Abby shook her head. “You know I hate riding the bus, and that’s a long way to get someone to drive me.” And to be honest, she wasn’t much of a traveler anyway. Even as children, Emma had always been thrilled at the prospect of going somewhere new, while Abby preferred staying at home.
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  “I’ll take that as a no then…but I will at least expect a weekly letter from you.” She eyed her sister. “Or maybe even a phone call. Surely this will be the summer that Timothy Mast will finally start courting you, and I want to be kept informed.”

  “I wouldn’t get my hopes up if I were you.” Abby felt a blush rise to her cheeks. “We’re friends. That’s all.” Timothy had been sweet on Abby for years but was very shy. Abby didn’t know how she felt about him, anyway.

  Emma’s look said she didn’t buy that they were just “friends,” but Abby chose to ignore the doubt. Based on the limited conversations she’d had with Timothy, she was certain they weren’t right for one another. But it was kind of fun to let Emma think she might have a prospect of her own.

  “Of course I’ll write you. I expect you to do the same. You and Lydia Ann are going to have plenty of fun together.” Abby couldn’t keep the wistful tone out of her voice. She was looking forward to the peace and quiet. But she felt sad nevertheless. After all, Emma had been around her entire life. It would be an adjustment not to talk to her on a daily basis.

  “I’ll miss you. And I’ll fill you in on every little detail. Although I imagine it will just be a summer filled with selling quilts to tourists and running after the twins.” Emma placed the suitcase and bag beside the bedroom door.

  “And making important decisions,” Abby added, raising her eyebrows for emphasis. Emma’s entire life was at stake. Abby just hoped her sister would carefully consider things and not jump headfirst, as she was prone to do.

  Chapter Seven

  Kelly

  The regret had begun to wash over Kelly before she was an hour down the road. Was Michelle right? She could turn her X-Terra around right now and stay in Columbus. What if she were making a huge mistake? She barely knew her aunt. She wouldn’t know anyone else in Charm. The thought of being an outsider in what was likely to be a closely knit community was freaking her out a little.

  But on the other hand, it would be a nice change. It might be cool to be unknown. The new girl in town. And maybe she could figure out a way to turn her life around.

  So, she’d have to put on her best Pollyanna attitude and embrace her decision. She’d spent years second-guessing herself, and where had it gotten her? Changing majors a million times and still not being sure the one she chose was for her. Dating a long string of guys who were totally wrong for her, only to end up with her heart smashed to smithereens. In fact, her knack for bad decisions was part of the reason why she’d decided on graduate school rather than entering the workforce. She’d probably make terrible decisions about a job, too.

  The best part about spending the summer in Charm was that it would give her a temporary buffer from the rest of the world. And come August, she’d be back in Columbus at her cool new apartment. She and Michelle had had tons of fun over the last week, getting things settled into the new apartment and figuring out the décor.

  Plus, Charm was only a couple of hours from the apartment in Columbus. So if she started to feel too isolated, she could always drive in for a visit. Although, looking at the changing landscape outside her window, she almost felt as if she were entering a different country. After she’d gotten off of I-70, the hustle and bustle of the city had begun to disappear. Now that she was nearing Charm, there were rolling hills and farms. She’d already seen a few buggies.

  Kelly had never even ridden a horse, much less been in a buggy. She had gone on a horse-drawn carriage ride one time, though, when she was a little kid. It had been a family vacation to New York. She’d been about seven at the time, and it had been her favorite trip until last summer’s European adventure. Although, she supposed the trip had been less of a family vacation and more of her dad having had a business trip that he’d allowed her and her mom to tag along on. Even sixteen years ago, they’d already been dysfunctional. It really was a wonder her parents had waited so long to officially go their separate ways.

  Pushing those thoughts from her mind, she hit the button on her steering wheel to change the radio station. A slow country ballad blared from the speaker, and she fumbled to turn off the radio completely. She didn’t have any more room in her life for heartbreak, even if it were just in the form of a country song.

  The silence was quickly broken by a familiar tune coming from her purse. She recognized Michelle’s ringtone. With one hand on the wheel, she blindly felt around inside her purse until she grasped the phone.

  “Hello.”

  “Hey. Just thought I’d see how you were making it.”

  “You afraid I’m having second thoughts already?”

  Michelle laughed. “Okay. You caught me. Are you?”

  Kelly decided against confessing her doubts to Michelle. Her friend didn’t need any more ammo to try and get her to return to Columbus. “Nope. I’m fine. Looking forward to the peace and quiet.” At least that part was true.

  “Well, I also have news.” Michelle paused. “Nick showed up at the apartment. He thought you might still be there. He seems pretty determined to talk to you.”

  “I’ll bet he does. You didn’t tell him where I was going, did you?” Kelly held her breath, hoping against hope that Michelle had kept her destination a secret.

  “Yeah…the thing about that. Um.” Michelle sighed loudly. “It seems that he e-mailed your mom and asked her for your mailing address for the summer. Told her he’d misplaced it and wanted to surprise you or some such thing.”

  “And she responded? From her divorce recovery trip through Italy?” Kelly’s mom and one of her friends had decided to spend the summer “celebrating freedom,” which translated into shopping, eating, and flirting with Italian men. She’d hopped on a plane almost as soon as the diploma was in Kelly’s hand. But at least she’d attended the graduation ceremony.

  “I guess so. Because he knew. He thought it was pretty funny that you’re spending the summer among the Amish.”

  “He’s such a jerk.”

  “Yes. A jerk that you’ve been on again/off again with for how many years now?”

  Her words were harsh but true. “I don’t want to talk about it.” “Well, at least promise me you won’t take him back again.”

  Kelly groaned.

  “And what’s the deal with your mom telling him where you are, anyway? She knows you broke up, right?”

  “She knows. That didn’t stop her from trying to invite him to go with us to lunch the day before graduation, though. You know how she loves him.” Her mother’s affection most likely stemmed from his family being affluent. Because it certainly wasn’t because of the way he treated her only daughter.

  “Ugh. Sorry. Well, I’ll let you get back to the drive. Please keep in touch this summer. You will have cell service, won’t you?”

  “As far as I know, I will. It isn’t a third-world country. And you should totally come to Charm for a visit.” Aunt Irene had warned her that cell service could be spotty. But there was no need to tell Michelle. She could always drive until she found a signal.

  “Maybe.”

  They said their good-byes, and Kelly turned her full attention back to the road ahead. Her Garmin estimated it to be another half hour to her destination. That wasn’t too far, but the growling in her stomach urged her to speed. The lunch she’d shared with Michelle felt like an eternity ago, and the first thing she was looking forward to upon arrival in Charm was a good meal. Aunt Irene had promised to have supper on the table at seven sharp.

  Kelly’s grandmother was the kind of cook that made eating at a restaurant seem like slumming. And according to Gram, her sister Irene was even better at it and had even taught her a thing or two. Since Kelly had lost fifteen pounds over the past few months, a summer of home-cooked meals was just what she needed. She had a tall, naturally slender frame, and with the missing fifteen pounds, she had a gaunt look about her that she hated. Slender was fine. Waifish wasn’t her best look, though.

  Last night on the phone, Aunt Irene had also mentioned a su
rprise. Kelly couldn’t imagine what that might be.

  But as long as it was a pleasant surprise, she’d be happy. She’d had enough unpleasant surprises to last a lifetime.

  Chapter Eight

  Emma

  Maybe Emma would never be satisfied. All this time she’d wanted to get out of Shipshewana, and now that she was on a bus heading out of town, all she could think about was the stench coming from the seat in front of her. She must have a special talent for being seated on public transportation beside people who have strange smells wafting from them. Old men with gas, mothers holding babies with poopy diapers, people with smelly feet who take off their shoes mid-trip. That was usually the crowd she ended up sitting with during the few trips she’d gone on to visit Lydia Ann or her grandparents. And today was no exception.

  She stood halfway up and peered over the seat in front of her. Sardines. Who brings a can of sardines on a bus? For that matter, who eats sardines straight out of the can? She covered her nose with one hand and tried to think nice, sweet-smelling thoughts.

  The passenger in front of her finally put the sardines away, and the air surrounding Emma cleared. Finally. Emma leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes.

  A poke to her head jolted her upright. She smoothed her kapp and leaned back again. She must’ve been bumped accidentally by someone behind her. As soon as she was settled against the seat, it happened again, this time accompanied by a giggle.

  Emma turned in her seat. A tiny redheaded boy stood in the seat, his stubby fingers outstretched. The guilty party was not a day over three years old. A woman Emma assumed to be his mother, based on her matching red hair, simply shrugged. Prodding strangers on a bus must not be discipline worthy in their family.

  Maybe if the white kapp weren’t visible to the child, it wouldn’t tempt him. Emma turned back around and sank down in the seat. She closed her eyes again and leaned against the window. Sleep would be welcome.