A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn(61)

Ben looked at him in appreciation. “Gut for you, Daed. You are ready at last.” Chuckling he added, “And it’s a gut thing, too.”

“Why is that?”

Ben stood up as the SCAT bus stopped with a small jerk and quiet squeak of brakes. “Because we’re here,” he said before he led the way out.

As Jay hurried to catch up with his boy, he had a feeling he was behind him in more ways than one.

WHEN HE WAS ALMOST at Emma’s doorstep five minutes later, Jay paused and closed his eyes. Lord, help me have the strength to follow my heart, he prayed silently. Help me not let doubts and worries overtake a glad and hopeful heart.

Figuring that was good enough—and since the Lord was probably about to send out a swarm of bees to hurry him along—Jay knocked on Emma’s door. When she opened it, he was struck by two things: one, her bright orange dress made her lightly tanned skin look even prettier than ever and her eyes look even bluer than they usually did.

And two, she’d been crying.

“Emma, what’s wrong?” he asked, walking right in and shutting the door behind him.

She bit her bottom lip. Obviously, she was trying to keep it from trembling. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s obviously something. What is it?”

“When I dropped off the girls at my parents’ haus, they worried that I was encouraging the girls to forget their father.”

“That couldn’t be further from the truth. Seeing someone new doesn’t erase the past.”

“I agree.” She bit her lip. “When I tried to explain that I needed to do something for myself, they ignored me.”

He couldn’t imagine how anyone could ever find fault with the way Emma conducted herself or raised her daughters. He couldn’t name a woman who led a more Christian life. “I’m sorry, Emma.”

“Jah. Me, too.” She swiped at a tear. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to see me like this.”

Jay knew some men would have had all the right words for her. But all he could think of doing at the moment was holding her in his arms. “Come here,” he murmured as he gathered her close. When she slowly wrapped her arms around his waist, and then, with a quiet sigh rested her head on his shoulder, he knew he hadn’t felt anything so special in a very long time.

When her tears finally subsided, she pulled away. “Oh, I bet I look even worse!”

He thought she looked very sweet. “Nope. You still look pretty.”

“Really? Because my skin gets all splotchy when I cry.”

To be honest, her skin was splotchy. But that didn’t bother him any. He liked the fact that she’d leaned on him for comfort. In fact, there was little about her that he didn’t find enchanting at the moment.

“Do you want to talk about things or go?”

She looked at him in wonder. “I didn’t ruin everything? You still want to go?”

“Of course. And I’m not letting you back out, either. We both have waited quite some time to go out to supper. We’re not going to let a couple of grumpy parents derail our plans.”

Her lips twitched. “They weren’t exactly grumpy. More like mighty determined to get me to see things their way.”

“I can be mighty determined, too, Emma,” he said, realizing that all of the doubts he’d shared with Ben had vanished the moment she’d shared her worries. “Go wash up and let’s go.”

After looking at him a good long moment, she nodded and walked to the washroom.

He sat down on the couch next to Frankie, who was reclining with two feet stretched out in front of him. “Beagle, you are a couch-hog. Move over.” Frankie yawned, gave him a small look of disgruntlement, then curled into a beagle ball.

“I’m ready.” She led the way outside, a tentative smile on her lips. She was happy again. And he’d helped her get there.

“Gut. Let’s go then.”

Ben had been right. They did suit. They suited each other well. Very well, indeed.

“DO YOU FEEL DIFFERENT, now that you are an engaged woman?” Ben asked.

Tricia was cuddled against her fiancé’s side in front of the fire pit on the inn’s back patio. They’d been sitting that way for the last hour and Tricia hoped she’d never have to leave. It was so rare for them to have any time completely alone.

Tricia thought about Ben’s question before replying. “I suppose I feel a little different,” she said at last. “I know I feel happier than I can ever remember being. I think I feel a little bit more grown-up, too.” She was now thinking about her future by Ben’s side. She’d gone from being centered on herself to focusing on Ben’s needs. Instead of making plans with only her wants in mind, they were dreaming about their future as a married couple.