Romancing Nadine Read online

  “Is that the mark of a modern romance? Sharing cup cheese?”

  “I’m just saying, the two of you sitting out there on the porch together looked like something more than friendship.”

  “Maybe you should make an appointment to have your vision checked,” Nadine said gently. “Because that’s all it is and all that will ever be between us.”

  “Uh-huh,” Charlotte said.

  Nadine didn’t argue. Charlotte would think what Charlotte wanted to think. Just like the rest of the church district. Nadine and Amos enjoyed one another’s company, nothing more, nothing less. Why, this was a new millennium—even for the Amish. A man and a woman could be friends without any underlying romance bubbling up to ruin things. And that’s just what they had.

  * * *

  Amos walked out of the bakery Friday afternoon, and instead of heading for his tractor, he made his way toward Austin Tiger Shed Company.

  Once again, he had waited long enough that most of the employees had headed home for the day. Pete and Dan were still at their desks when he entered the building.

  “Lookee,” Pete said with a silly grin. “Amos has done come a’visiting.”

  “Cut it out,” Amos said, though he laughed at Pete’s antics.

  “Still working at the bakery?” Dan asked.

  Amos nodded. “Jah. Three or four days a week.”

  “Good, good,” Dan said. “We’ve seen you more since you started baking cakes than the whole time since you retired.”

  “How’s everything on the romance front?” Pete asked.

  Amos pulled up a chair between their desks and sighed. “We’re friends.”

  Pete shook his head sadly. “Oh, man. I’m sorry.”

  “Firmly in the friend zone?” Dan asked.

  “I’m not entirely sure what that means,” Amos said. “But if I’m guessing right, then jah.”

  “That stinks,” Dan replied.

  “I’m okay with it,” Amos said. And he was. Sort of. He still got to spend time with Nadine, and she was more open to spending time with him. Now that she wasn’t fighting him at every turn, they were starting to have a good time together. “We’ve agreed to see each other as friends, so I get to spend time with her. Maybe that’s what God wanted from me at the start.”

  Pete frowned in confusion. “You mean you are doing things together, but only as friends?”

  “Jah. That’s right.”

  “Alone things or in a group things?”

  “Mostly in a group, but sometimes alone.”

  Dan and Pete shared a look that Amos didn’t understand. Sly grin was the only way he could describe their expressions.

  “What?” he asked.

  “If she’s wanting to spend time with you—alone—that says a lot,” Pete replied.

  “I don’t understand.” That was the only bad part about being friends with Englischers. Sometimes, he just didn’t get what they were talking about. He was sure there were days when he confused them just as much.

  “It sounds like she wants to take things slow,” Dan said.

  Amos shook his head. “There are no things.”

  “Trust me,” Pete said. “There are things.”

  Amos shook his head again, mostly to see if he could rattle his thoughts into a better place. What in the world were they talking about?

  “I mean, she likes you, man.” Pete leaned over and clapped him on the shoulder.

  “I believe so, jah,” Amos said.

  “What Pete is trying to say but is botching so terribly is that she likes you likes you.”

  A warmth started somewhere in the vicinity of his heart and spread throughout his entire body. “You think?” He couldn’t contain his grin. He might have agreed to just be friends with Nadine, but that didn’t mean that he had stopped caring for her.

  “I know,” Pete replied.

  “Just keep doing what you’re doing, and everything will fall into place. I’m sure of it.”

  * * *

  “Let’s go into town and get a cookie,” Nadine said. It was Saturday, midmorning. The sun was shining in a blue, blue sky, and she was feeling a bit restless.

  Nadine hadn’t seen Amos since Thursday at the camel farm. She had been surprised when he hadn’t come out to the house yesterday at some time or another. She supposed he might be working at the bakery or fixing on his house. So he was busy. But he had been busy before and managed to find time to come out for a quick chat.

  “I thought you were worried about putting on weight.”

  Nadine waved away the thought. “I’m an old Amish woman. What do I care if I get as big as a house?”

  “You will if you have to spend all your spare time behind the sewing machine making new clothes.”

  “New clothes,” Nadine murmured. “I think I would like a new dress. Want to ride into town to the fabric store and help me pick something out?”

  Charlotte looked from the crochet project she held in her lap to Nadine. Her expression was unreadable. “A new dress, huh?”

  It had been an excuse to go into town and see if Amos was working at the bakery today, but the more she thought about it, the more she really did want to make a new dress. She would look pretty for church tomorrow—not that she was dressing up for anyone special—and she would have something to keep her hands and her mind busy for a while.

  “Jah,” Nadine replied. “Let’s go. It’s a beautiful day.”

  “Can we sit in the park and eat our cookies?”

  Nadine stumbled a bit, her thoughts tumbling. “Jah. Sure. I mean—” She wasn’t sure what she should mean. “Jah.”

  Charlotte’s knowing smirk rankled a bit, but she put away her crochet and stood. “Fine,” she said. “Let’s go to town. We can eat in the park, but you’re buying the cookies.”

  * * *

  The trip into town was quick and breezy. They passed several people they knew on the way and waved at each one. It felt good to be out of the house and—well, that good feeling had nothing to do with seeing Amos. Possibly. It was only possible that she would get to see Amos so how could such an uncertain future cause her happiness? It couldn’t. Plus, if they ate in the park like Charlotte wanted, she wouldn’t be able to see Amos for more than a few seconds. So it wasn’t like a long visit. Just a quick hi and bye, but it would be worth it. So worth it.

  Charlotte parked the tractor a couple of spaces down from the bakery and Nadine’s heart sped up a bit. So ridiculous. They were just getting a cookie and saying hi—given that he was even at the bakery. There was a strong possibility that he had the day off. But it was Saturday, and he might be there. Her mouth went dry. She wouldn’t be in such a state if he had come by yesterday.

  But you told him the rules, she reminded herself. She’d told him when they could see each other, even as friends. If she wanted to see him more than that, she would have to lift that instruction.

  The bell rang overhead as they entered the bakery. As usual for a Saturday, the place was busy. Families in to get a sweet treat, moms buying loaves of bread for after-church sandwiches the following day, dads and kids picking up a snack for late-afternoon fishing trips.

  “We should go fishing,” Nadine said, as they got into line. She hadn’t been fishing in such a long time. When a woman got married and started having children, there just weren’t enough hours in the day for such things. But now that she was older, she needed to get back to doing some of the things she had enjoyed before she’d had so much responsibility.

  “Please tell me you are joking.” Charlotte’s expression was nothing sort of disgusted.

  “If you’re worried about baiting the hook, I’ll do it for you.” She was talking to Charlotte but couldn’t keep herself from searching for Amos. Esther was there behind the counter, along with Jodie Miller. He could be in the back.

  Or he might not have been scheduled to work and you came all this way for a cookie you really didn’t want.

  “And take the fish off the hook?”
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  “If need be.”

  He might be out on a smoke break. Not that he smoked, but wasn’t that what they called it?

  “Then what will we do with them?”

  “Eat them.” They took a step forward as the couple at the counter received their order and went in search of a free table. She was closer, jah, but she still couldn’t find Amos.

  “Are you going to clean them?”

  “I suppose.”

  Charlotte snapped her fingers in front of Nadine’s face, bringing her attention around from the goings on behind the counter. “Are you even listening to me?”

  Nadine nodded. “Jah. You don’t want to go fishing.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “So you do want to go fishing, but you don’t want to bait the hook, take the fish off the hook, clean them, or eat them.”

  “I never said I wouldn’t eat them.”

  Nadine almost laughed, but she didn’t have the opportunity as a familiar voice sounded from behind them.

  “I’ll take you fishing.”

  Aubie Hershberger had gotten in line behind them.

  “Oh, well, uh, danki,” Nadine said. She really didn’t want to go fishing with Aubie, but she wanted to go fishing and he obviously wanted to go too.

  “Just pick a day.”

  “Oh, well, uh, sure. I will. I’ll tell you a day after the seniors’ meeting.”

  “Or tomorrow after church.”

  Great. Now she only had one day to figure out a way not to go fishing with Aubie. Or maybe not.

  “Danki, Aubie. I’ll let you know.”

  He nodded, and Nadine turned back around. They were almost to the counter.

  “Aren’t you popular all of a sudden.” Thankfully, Charlotte said the words softly enough that Aubie couldn’t hear. His hearing wasn’t the best. It was surprising enough that he had heard them talking about fishing, but Nadine surely didn’t want him to know they were talking about him now.

  “Hardly.”

  “Or you could see if Amos will take you.”

  Nadine nudged Charlotte forward, mainly to keep her from staring at Nadine with those knowing eyes. But also because it was time for her to order.

  Charlotte ordered their cookies and coffee, and Nadine paid as she had promised. It wasn’t easy trying to peer into the back to see who was behind the scenes today while trying to get money in and out of her wallet.

  An elbow landed softly into her side. “Ask her,” Charlotte said.

  “What?” Nadine ducked her head so she could put her change back into her coin purse, hoping that Charlotte would just forget the whole thing.

  “Is Amos here?” Charlotte asked brightly.

  Jodie shut the drawer to the till and gave them a small smile. “Not now, but I think he’ll be back in a minute.”

  There went her heart again, acting up. Getting old was hard. How was she supposed to know if she was having a heart problem or was just being a silly schoolgirl over something that was never going to be?

  “Let me get those cookies.”

  “We’re still eating in the park, jah?” Charlotte asked.

  Nadine nodded.

  They thanked Jodie and took up their coffees and cookies and made their way over to the park. They weren’t the only ones out enjoying such a beautiful day. This time of year, the weather could be unpredictable, cold one day, downright hot the next, rain in the morning, with a sunny afternoon, so when perfect days like this came about, everyone tried to enjoy them.

  The park was alive with children playing, teens throwing a Frisbee. A man played fetch with his dog, a marvelous golden retriever. Nadine wondered if it was one of Obie Brenneman’s pups.

  They found a place in the shade of the large oak tree and sat back to watch.

  She might regret sitting on the ground later, when she had to get her old bones up, but for now it was perfect. They were out of the way and could still see all the activity.

  “Maybe I should get a dog,” Charlotte mused.

  Nadine frowned, then took a bite of her cookie. “Why would you get a dog?”

  “I don’t know. Companionship.”

  “Do you need companionship?” It wasn’t like she lived alone.

  “Sometimes. Jenna is gone, and you are always off with Amos.”

  “I’m not either.”

  “And now you’ll be off fishing with Aubie Hershberger.”

  “I’m not sure I’m going.”

  “Going where?”

  Their conversation stopped as Amos Fisher plopped down on the ground in front of them.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Nadine pressed her hand to her heart, and it had nothing to do with seeing Amos again, only that he had scared her. “What are you doing here?”

  “Talking to you now. Going where?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” Now why was she so reluctant to tell Amos about Aubie’s kind—and she hoped platonic—invitation to go fishing? After all, everyone in the district knew that he had a thing for Verna Yutzy. She either didn’t know or chose to ignore it.

  “Aubie Hershberger offered to take Nadine fishing.”

  Amos frowned. “Out of the blue? He just came up and said, ‘Hey, Nadine, let’s go fishing’?”

  Nadine shot Charlotte a look, which she promptly ignored. “We were at the bakery, and he was behind us in line. Nadine was talking about fishing, and he offered to take her.” She said the words as if she should have ended her speech with, It’s as simple as that.

  But it wasn’t simple. Not at all.

  For a moment, Amos looked hurt, maybe even a little crushed. Then he recovered, and the look was gone. But Nadine had seen it.

  “Just as friends,” she said, hoping that would ease her betrayal.

  Betrayal? What was she thinking? She had no obligation to Amos. She could go fishing with anyone she wanted to. Amos had no say in that.

  “I would have taken you fishing if you had asked.”

  “I know.”

  “Wanna go fishing sometime?” he asked.

  Nadine’s breath bumped around in her chest. “I would like that very much.”

  “Tomorrow after church?”

  She gave a quick nod. “That sounds perfect to me.”

  * * *

  He had wanted to see Nadine and had been so surprised when he’d spotted her in the park. It had been as if God had brought her to him. Then she’d told him the truth.

  Why in the world would she want to go fishing with Aubie Hershberger?

  He just didn’t understand. What did Aubie have that he didn’t? Why didn’t she just come ask him? And why was Aubie making a date with Nadine when everybody knew he was crazy about Verna?

  None of it made sense.

  But he’d saved it. She was going fishing with him tomorrow after church.

  Amos got up from the couch, where he had been sitting ever since he’d gotten home from work. He’d been so surprised when Jodie had told him that Nadine had been by to see him. His heart had soared. He’d always heard people saying that, but this was the first time that he’d ever gotten to experience it firsthand. It was ... spectacular! Nadine had come into the bakery and asked about him.

  His smile grew wider as he made his way to the hall closet. He supposed people called them linen closets, but he didn’t have any linens to speak of. He did have a fairly large collection of fishing gear, and that was where he stored it.

  He took out a couple of rod and reels and leaned them against the paneling in the hallway. He didn’t know if Nadine had any fishing equipment, but he was ready. He pulled out his tackle box and another package of his favorite lures. The Walmart over in Pryor had stopped stocking them, so he’d bought all they had last year. Best thing in the world for catching largemouth. Maybe he would even share one of those with Nadine. If she was lucky.

  He took everything into the kitchen, plopped down in one of the dining chairs, and started rethreading the rods. He wanted everything perfect for tomorrow.
He wanted to make sure that if she did happen to go fishing with Aubie Hershberger—and he had to be prepared for the fact that she might—that her fishing trip with him, Amos Fisher, was the better by far. Even his name said it.

  He smiled a little to himself as he continued to work. Jah, everything was going to be perfect.

  * * *

  For the first time in her life—that she could ever remember—Nadine was glad when church finally ended, and even more so when the meal was over and everything was cleaned up. She had spent the entire morning ignoring Amos. She was afraid that if she started looking at him, she would stare and stare until someone called her out.

  This evening, they were going fishing. The prospect excited her more than it should have. But this would be the first time that she had been fishing in so very long. She felt like a kid again.

  “Are you ready to go?” Amos came up next to her as she worked to hitch her horse to her buggy. Everyone was preparing to go home. But she was going fishing.

  “What?” She tried to make her expression look normal, but her grin was a little too big.

  “I thought we’d go from here,” he said. “I put everything in the buggy this morning.”

  His buggy was parked a few down from hers. No fishing poles stuck out the back, but she believed him all the same.

  “Amos Fisher, I cannot go out to the pond in my church dress.” It was the new one she had made yesterday. She had even stayed up late finishing it. But so far, no one had noticed.

  He sighed as if waiting one more second before casting his line was more than he could take. “Jah. Fine. Go on home. I’ll change too and meet you there, okay?”

  “Jah.” She nodded. That was the one thing she hadn’t thought about yesterday. She had been so busy making her dress for today that she had totally forgotten about needing a dress to go fishing in.

  “An hour,” he said, then he turned on his heel and headed for his buggy. He stopped halfway there and turned around. Still walking backwards he said, “Nice dress, by the way. That’s a good color on you.” Then he whirled around and made his way to his buggy.

  Nadine wished she could control the blood flow to her face. Imagine! Sixty-five years old and blushing as if she were twelve. She didn’t have to see herself to know that she was as pink as sweet, sweet watermelon.