warm and comforting. She didn’t feel uncomfortable; in fact, she felt at home. It
was as if his touch was natural and familiar. Her pulse raced.
“Hannah, I love your ideas.” He leaned forward and gazed into her eyes. “I can see
the bed and breakfast coming to life while you talk.”
She nodded, her senses spinning with the enjoyment of his touch.
“I’m really surprised to hear that you’ve dreamt of owning a bed and breakfast.” He
released her hands and sipped his coffee. “I thought you loved the horse farm.”
Hannah blew out a sigh. “I do love the farm, but it was never my dream. It was always
Gideon’s dream, and I wanted him to be happy. He was the head of the household, and
he had good business sense. He made a decent living running the farm, and I never
considered doing anything else. But that all changed when he died. I realized that
I had dreams too.” She rested her chin on her hand. “But it’s not a reality. I can’t
open a bed and breakfast.”
“I’m going to need your suggestions when I’m ready to start decorating the bed and
breakfast.”
“I’d love to help.”
“I still want to come by your farm in the daylight so I can get a tour.”
“You’ll need to do that soon.” She glanced at the clock and gasped. “Oh, dear. I need
to get back to work. It was nice seeing you.”
“I enjoyed our coffee break.” He winked at her. “Have a great day, Hannah.”
“You too.” Hannah started toward the supply closet and felt as if she were walking
on clouds. She could feel a strong friendship and also an attraction developing between
her and this man. The feelings both excited and scared her. How could she develop
feelings for an
Englisher
? She pushed the thought aside and went to check on Ruth and retrieve her supply cart.
Hannah stepped out onto the porch the following morning and waved when she spotted
Trey’s shiny car bouncing up the rock driveway. She wiped her hands on her apron and
walked quickly down the stairs to where his car came to a stop.
“Mr. Peterson!” She stood by the car as he pushed open the door. “What a surprise.”
He climbed from the car while holding up a white box. “Good morning! I brought donuts.”
Hannah took the box from him. “Thank you.”
“You’d mentioned yesterday that I should come by for a tour of the farm, and I figured
there’s no time like the present.” His smiled faded and he clasped his hands together.
“I hope this is a good time. I wanted to call first, but I realized I didn’t have
your number. If it would be better for me to come back later, I can.”
“No, no.” Hannah waved off the comment. “Now is just fine.”
“Hi, Mr. Peterson!” Andrew rushed over from the first barn. “You came back to see
the horses.”
“Hi, Andrew.” Mr. Peterson pointed toward the box. “I brought donuts for everyone.”
“Donuts!” Andrew looked back toward the barns. “Let me go get Amanda and Lily. They
were feeding the chickens.” He ran back toward the barns yelling, “Amanda! Lily! Come
and get some donuts!”
Mr. Peterson grinned and shook his head. “He’s a very enthusiastic boy.”
“
Ya
, he is.” Hannah motioned toward the house. “Would you like to come in and sit down?
I can make some coffee to go with the donuts.”
“Oh, no thank you.” Mr. Peterson touched his belt. “I ate too much at the breakfast
buffet this morning. I brought the donuts for the kids, really.” He grimaced. “But
you’re welcome to one. I didn’t mean to imply that you weren’t welcome to enjoy a
warm, fresh donut.”
Hannah shook her head. “I appreciate the offer, but I think I’ll save mine for a treat
later in the day.”
Andrew hurried back from the barn with his sisters in tow.
Amanda smiled. “Good morning, Mr. Peterson. Thank you for bringing us donuts.”
“You’re welcome.” Mr. Peterson gestured toward the box. “I thought everyone
was as if his touch was natural and familiar. Her pulse raced.
“Hannah, I love your ideas.” He leaned forward and gazed into her eyes. “I can see
the bed and breakfast coming to life while you talk.”
She nodded, her senses spinning with the enjoyment of his touch.
“I’m really surprised to hear that you’ve dreamt of owning a bed and breakfast.” He
released her hands and sipped his coffee. “I thought you loved the horse farm.”
Hannah blew out a sigh. “I do love the farm, but it was never my dream. It was always
Gideon’s dream, and I wanted him to be happy. He was the head of the household, and
he had good business sense. He made a decent living running the farm, and I never
considered doing anything else. But that all changed when he died. I realized that
I had dreams too.” She rested her chin on her hand. “But it’s not a reality. I can’t
open a bed and breakfast.”
“I’m going to need your suggestions when I’m ready to start decorating the bed and
breakfast.”
“I’d love to help.”
“I still want to come by your farm in the daylight so I can get a tour.”
“You’ll need to do that soon.” She glanced at the clock and gasped. “Oh, dear. I need
to get back to work. It was nice seeing you.”
“I enjoyed our coffee break.” He winked at her. “Have a great day, Hannah.”
“You too.” Hannah started toward the supply closet and felt as if she were walking
on clouds. She could feel a strong friendship and also an attraction developing between
her and this man. The feelings both excited and scared her. How could she develop
feelings for an
Englisher
? She pushed the thought aside and went to check on Ruth and retrieve her supply cart.
Hannah stepped out onto the porch the following morning and waved when she spotted
Trey’s shiny car bouncing up the rock driveway. She wiped her hands on her apron and
walked quickly down the stairs to where his car came to a stop.
“Mr. Peterson!” She stood by the car as he pushed open the door. “What a surprise.”
He climbed from the car while holding up a white box. “Good morning! I brought donuts.”
Hannah took the box from him. “Thank you.”
“You’d mentioned yesterday that I should come by for a tour of the farm, and I figured
there’s no time like the present.” His smiled faded and he clasped his hands together.
“I hope this is a good time. I wanted to call first, but I realized I didn’t have
your number. If it would be better for me to come back later, I can.”
“No, no.” Hannah waved off the comment. “Now is just fine.”
“Hi, Mr. Peterson!” Andrew rushed over from the first barn. “You came back to see
the horses.”
“Hi, Andrew.” Mr. Peterson pointed toward the box. “I brought donuts for everyone.”
“Donuts!” Andrew looked back toward the barns. “Let me go get Amanda and Lily. They
were feeding the chickens.” He ran back toward the barns yelling, “Amanda! Lily! Come
and get some donuts!”
Mr. Peterson grinned and shook his head. “He’s a very enthusiastic boy.”
“
Ya
, he is.” Hannah motioned toward the house. “Would you like to come in and sit down?
I can make some coffee to go with the donuts.”
“Oh, no thank you.” Mr. Peterson touched his belt. “I ate too much at the breakfast
buffet this morning. I brought the donuts for the kids, really.” He grimaced. “But
you’re welcome to one. I didn’t mean to imply that you weren’t welcome to enjoy a
warm, fresh donut.”
Hannah shook her head. “I appreciate the offer, but I think I’ll save mine for a treat
later in the day.”
Andrew hurried back from the barn with his sisters in tow.
Amanda smiled. “Good morning, Mr. Peterson. Thank you for bringing us donuts.”
“You’re welcome.” Mr. Peterson gestured toward the box. “I thought everyone
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