“How’d ya hear ’bout us?” Susie asked.

“People were talking up your place at the bed-and-breakfast where we’re staying,” the woman said, glancing at the other two.

“Is that right?” Susie smiled. “Well, my mother’s behind the counter, and we’re happy to help ya. Let me show you inside.”

With that, she opened the shop door for them, thinking her stitching might just have to wait a little longer.

Late that afternoon, Susie was surprised to see Obie arrive in his father’s spring wagon. He was still in work clothes and black boots, but his blond hair gleamed in the sunlight. She put down her cross-stitching and walked out to meet him in the driveway, feeling both awkward and tickled to see him.

“I thought of dropping you a line, but since I was passin’ by, it made sense to just stop to see ya. Hope that’s okay,” he said, his look serious. “If you can get away, I’d like to take ya ridin’.”

She was taken aback, since they’d never really gone anywhere together before. “Right now?”

“Jah, just a short ride . . . as friends sometimes do,” he added.

I thought you’d never ask, she mused.

“Or, if it doesn’t suit—”

“Now is fine,” she said, recalling again what Jerome had told her.

Obie moved back toward the right side of the wagon. Then, stopping, he said, “Listen, what if I bought up the rest of your Mamma’s peanut butter spread for the day? It’d save her some time and make my Mamm happy, too.” He smiled briefly and glanced toward the shop.

“Not sure how much is left, but you can go an’ check with Mamma.”

“Maybe that way, she can close up shop early,” Obie said, catching Susie’s eye. “At least a few minutes early, anyway.”

Susie was moved by his generosity toward Mamma. And yet, she was unable to shake the feeling that he was about to tell her something she didn’t want to hear.

CHAPTER
7

While Obie was checking on peanut butter with Mamma, Susie imagined how it would be to sit in the spring wagon beside him, in plain sight.

Like a courting couple, she mused, knowing better.

Quickly, she slipped inside to smooth her hair and to reposition the blue bandanna. It crossed her mind to wear her Kapp instead, but Obie had come straight from work, so she didn’t want to dress up much. She did remove her old coat and put on a newer one, however. Then, hurrying down the hallway, she found Britta in the sewing room, pinning a dress pattern to cocoa-colored fabric. “I’ll be gone for a little while with Obie,” she told her.

Britta’s eyes widened. “Obie?”

“It’s not a date, silly.”

Britta shrugged. “Still, goin’ out riding with him’ll be nice,” she said, then added, “Guess he’s not upset ’bout the farm sale.”

Susie frowned. “Farm sale?”