A Little Bit of Charm by Mary Ellis Page B

I need to start for home. I’m already late.”
    â€œMr. Brady is my father. Call me Jake. And please give me another chance to start off on the right foot. I’m usually only this big of a jerk during first introductions.”
    Halting twenty feet away, Rachel glanced back. “Because I wear English clothes while working here, not realizing I’m Amish was an honest mistake. So you must not be the biggest jerk…Jake.” Her smile returned. “And because your sister is so nice, it’s hard to believe you’re a jerk at all. I’ll see you next Wednesday.” She straightened her bonnet and marched down the path at double time.
    He stared until her cornflower blue dress disappeared from sight. Such a pretty shade of blue—almost as pretty as the color of her eyes.
    Amish or not, Jake Brady had just met the woman of his dreams.

FOUR
    Was blind, but now I see
    Wednesday
    Y ou’re not running off to your new job with an empty belly.” Sarah stood at the bottom of the stairs, yelling in a fashion atypical of most Amish people.
    â€œI’ll be right down,” hollered Rachel, equally boisterous. She looked once more into her hand mirror before sticking it into the dresser drawer. She’d braided her long hair, coiled it atop her head and fastened it with pins, and then pulled on her kapp . Once at work, she would remove her head covering and the pins, allowing the braid to trail down her back. She tucked her English clothes into a tote bag and applied the tiniest bit of blush to her cheeks. Because she was never outdoors without a bonnet, she was pale compared to Jessie. She’d bought the makeup at the Dollar Store back in Lancaster while feeling particularly bold one Saturday afternoon.
    â€œRachel, anyone with your God-given beauty has no need for cosmetics.” Her sister’s declaration ran through her brain, bringingalong a fresh wave of homesickness. Amy—content raising organic celery and other vegetables in upstate Maine. And Nora—preparing to leave on a trip home to Pennsylvania with her new husband. Both of her older sisters were married and settled. Rachel sent up a silent prayer for them without the slightest shred of jealousy. The only thing she wanted was to give her first solo tour without forgetting everything she’d been memorizing for days.
    Please, Lord, stay close so I don’t make a complete fool of myself or get fired on my first day . With her prayer on its way, Rachel grabbed her bag and bolted down the steps.
    â€œThere you are,” huffed Sarah. “Sit. Isaac is hitching up the gelding. I made bacon, blueberry pancakes, buttermilk biscuits, and fried eggs. We have orange juice and coffee too.”
    Rachel poured a mug and sat down at the table. “Is that all? That’s barely enough to keep a sparrow alive.” She winked at her cousin.
    â€œThat’s why I packed you two sandwiches plus fruit and chips for your lunch.” Sarah sat across from her and they bowed their heads in silent prayer.
    Afterward Rachel bit into a biscuit dripping with butter. “ Danki . I am in your debt.”
    â€œNonsense. With all the housecleaning you did yesterday, I’m in yours. I should have invited you to Kentucky long ago. Oh, I almost forgot—I have a gift to celebrate your new job. I bought it at our English neighbor’s garage sale last summer.” She handed Rachel an insulated travel mug that read: I love Fridays. “It will keep drinks either hot or cold.”
    â€œThis will come in handy. Thank you.” Rachel concentrated on her plate to avoid becoming too emotional. After all, she was starting her first job, not leading the Israelites out of Egypt.
    With her new mug in hand, she drove the three miles to Twelve Elms Stables. As instructed by Jessie, she turned Isaac’s gelding into a paddock near the family barn and left the buggy in the shade.After changing into jeans and a