Moses called as he jumped off his horse and led him to the barn with less enthusiasm than he’d ever had in his life. Sparky, lounging lazily under the shade of the porch, looked more excited than Moses felt. Why had Moses ever agreed to a picnic with Rachel? Some people considered her pretty, but...
His enthusiastic greeting usually put Noah in a good mood, no matter how bad a day it had been, but he didn’t think he’d be in a good mood ever again. “Hey, boy,” Noah said, patting his dog on the head and hanging his jacket on the hook in the hall. Shadows from the floor lamps danced on the wall...
His car didn’t sputter once. Fifi seemed to be getting used to the brisk Wisconsin weather. His heartbeat surged when he caught sight of her. She looked like a vision in a puffy white coat and red scarf. She wore a bright white beanie, and wisps of yellow hair escaped from under her hat. He gripp...
Then he poured pancake batter into the grease to form four perfectly round pancakes. Nothing better than pancakes flavored with bacon grease. He set the orange juice and bacon on the table and stepped back to admire his handiwork. Two crisp white plates sat on yellow placemats with a knife, fork,...
The gesture was almost unconscious every time she thought of Aden. Three weeks ago, he had given her her first, second, and third kisses ever. Four days ago, he had followed up with another kiss. Would life ever be normal again? Deftly, Lily threaded the wet clothes through the wringer with one h...
It felt so good to wash off the sticky honey and grime from two days’ worth of honey harvesting. They’d spent another full day extracting the honey from the clover field hives. Lily and Rose had spun the honey while Poppy and Aunt B had replaced supers and weeded the garden. They’d do the basswoo...
Repeated splashing of her face with cold water had no effect on her puffy, bloodshot eyes or her sallow complexion. She buried her face into the soft towel and breathed in the scent of springfresh laundry detergent. Ach, if everything in life could be as utterly lovely as newly washed hand towels...
“See? I can’t match a corner to save my life.” “You’re not patient enough,” Mamm called from the kitchen. Ever since Emma and Lizzie had renewed their friendship, Mamm hovered within earshot of every conversation, clearly trying to make sure not a word about Ben was spoken between them. Her strat...
Linda slept beside her, her deep breathing a sure sign that she would not be waking soon. Had it really only been twelve hours since the car accident? Rebecca felt as if seventy years had passed and she was now an old lady ready to die. Luckily all the siblings and Mamm had been in bed and Fater’...
Poppy’s cheeks ached from forcing a smile—a big, cheesy, I’m-not-crying-inside smile—all evening. She wanted to go home, get in her nightgown, eat a whole bowl of Rose’s honey lavender ice cream, and daydream about what her life would have been like if Luke Bontrager hadn’t saved her hand from th...