“I canna promise you that. The way you are sprawled out, why it would make a man have a difficult time getting around you.”
With effort, Katie pulled a foot in so it rested under the table. “Better?”
Jonathan pretended to have a difficult time squeezing through the opening. “Only a bit,” he said, sucking in his stomach comically.
Katie couldn’t help but notice that he didn’t have much of a stomach to tuck in. No, Jonathan Lundy was all solid muscle, and that was the truth. But no matter how attractive she found him, there was certainly no way she could let him—or anyone else in the room—see that. “How’s this?” she asked, pulling in her chair a bit more. But in her soreness, the feet of the chair only moved an inch or so in.
He took things into his own hands and merely pushed the chair forward, then walked around her easily. “This is much better, now.”
As everyone around her chuckled, Katie did her best to not let everyone see how drawn to Jonathan she was.
When she’d first arrived, he’d seemed terribly aware of her, yet emotionally distant. But things had changed during the last two weeks. Little by little, he’d unbent enough for Katie to see glimpses of the warm person underneath the distant manner. This playful attitude drew her to him even more than his handsome looks.
Blissfully unaware of her feelings, Jonathan walked passed her and joked some more. “If I would’ve known a simple church service was going to wear you out, I would’ve asked for more help.”
“I did just fine.”
The laughter in the room rose again. “He has you there, Katie,” her mother said, her voice merry. “If you complain much more, we’ll all think preparing for services was too big a job for you. You might have to get up, after all.”
“Jah. Otherwise, you will be covered in footprints.” With a wink toward Anna, Daed said, “And you would dirty your new dress.”
Katie sat up and smiled at her father. “Well, I certainly don’t want that to happen.” With only a bit of a wince, she stood up and faced her family. “I can’t believe how worried I was about today. Mamm, even though I helped you prepare the house for church many a time, I never fully understood why you would get so short-tempered with us just hours before everyone was due to arrive. Now I know.”
“I was never short-tempered.”
Henry folded his arms across his chest. “No, Daed always spent most of his time in the barn during preparations for no reason at all.”
“Well, maybe I was a bit cross.”
“Only a bit, Irene,” Katie’s father said with a smile.
Jonathan perked up. “I think Katie did a fine job. We had a lot of people here, and everyone enjoyed both the worship and the luncheon. Our house looked neat and shiny clean, as well. You did all of us proud, Katie.”
Katie beamed at the praise. Though she felt as if she could sleep for a week, she also was terribly pleased with how well everything turned out. Of course, none of it could have gone so well if not for the many hands that worked together. Over the last three days, the Lundy home had been full of women helping to clean the kitchen, prepare the meal, and help tend to the walkway. Cabinets shone and the oak floor gleamed.
“Danke, Jonathan, but we know it took many people to make today a success.” Looking around the room, she added, “I know I would have burst into tears yesterday if not for knowing that all of you were working by my side.”
“Hosting one hundred fifty people is a lot, no matter how prepared you are. I, for one, am glad that we will not be hosting next,” her mother said.
“Me, too. I was so nervous about making sure everything was perfect that I thought I was going to get sick,” blurted Anna. Then, as she realized how she sounded, she looked around the room. “I hope that’s okay to admit?”
“Only among family and friends,” Eli teased. He rocked back on his heels. “And speaking of family, I think I’d best get going. I promised my nephews I’d play basketball with them later.”
As he walked to the door, Eli scanned the group of them again. “It’s just a shame that Winnie wasn’t here, you know? It didn’t feel the same.”
As the door shut behind his friend, Jonathan nodded, his features far more reflective. “I have to admit to feelin’ the same way. I want Winnie to be happy, but it is difficult to imagine her not being here in the future. I hate the thought of her always living in Indiana.”
“If it’s any consolation, I can tell you that I’ve found that worrying and second-guessing makes no difference,” Katie said softly. “People will do what they will. All we can do is hope their decisions are good and that they made their choices with both their head and heart.”