coupled with the still-dark emerald hue of his eyes, almost made her speechless. “I-it’s okay,” she said. Why did she sound breathless?
He moved farther from her. “I . . .” He gulped. “Do you know where Aden is?”
She saw his features go blank, and whatever had been in his eyes disappeared. If there had been anything there at all. That was enough to bring her partially to her senses. “He’s in the store with Sadie.”
Sol nodded, then hurried out of the house without saying another word.
Irene turned around and leaned over the sink. Her dress was wet, and despite the heat in the kitchen she felt cold. She couldn’t say the same for her cheeks.
No, Sol wasn’t the same man she’d been attracted to last year. He was different, in a way that made her interest in him months ago pale against what she was feeling now . . . and she had no idea why.
Sol shook his head as he walked from Aden and Sadie’s house to Schrock Grocery and Tools. What had he been thinking, touching Irene Beiler like that? In the past he wouldn’t have missed the chance to flirt with her. He would have used the opportunity to get close to her, closer than he had been in the kitchen. To sneak a kiss. Possibly something a little bit more.
That was before his life changed. Before God saved him from himself.
But today something in her eyes had shot straight through his soul, enough that it scared him. She should be repulsed by him. Instead, she seemed the complete opposite. He’d seen the longing in her eyes. Recognized it, because he felt the same thing.
But Irene was a good woman. She was sweet and kind and had a heart bigger than Birch Creek. She was the kind of woman who deserved a man of integrity, one with an unblemished past and no baggage.
A man the opposite of Sol.
A brisk wind seemed to go through him as he opened the door to the store. He saw Abigail behind the counter, staring in confusion at several pieces of paper spread in front of her. She looked up as he walked inside. “Hi, Sol.”
He nodded his greeting and gestured to the papers. “Looks like you’re studying for a test.”
“I might as well be.” She leaned forward and put her chin on her hand. “I don’t get this.”
“What?”
“Paperwork. Specifically accounting paperwork.” She scowled. “Apparently I haven’t been recording the sales of mei rugs, yer birdhouses, or Joanna’s baked goods correctly.” Then she straightened. “That doesn’t mean you haven’t been getting yer money and the correct amount,” she added quickly.
“Oh, I know. I’ve been paid right and fair.”
“But Sadie has a system.” She frowned again. “I’m not a fan of systems. She knows that.”
Sol didn’t want to get in the middle of Sadie and Abigail’s business. “I’ll leave you to it, then. Irene”—he nearly fumbled over her name—“said Aden is here.”
“Back in the office.” Abigail gathered up the papers into a crooked pile. “I’m done with this today. I’m going back to the haus .”
Sol nodded and headed for the back of the store. The office door was partway open. He was about to knock when he saw Aden and Sadie in a passionate embrace through the crack.
He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. That was the last thing he needed to see. He was glad for his brother, who had always loved Sadie, even when she despised both him and Sol. But seeing Aden kissing his wife just drove another nail into the coffin of hope he had for a happy future. He couldn’t imagine getting married. He didn’t know how to be a husband, and he especially didn’t know how to be a father. All he knew was violence. Control through fear. Coping by drinking . . . something that had never completely gone away.
“Someone out there?” he heard Aden say.
Sol took a breath as he pushed open the door. He fought to appear nonchalant. “Hey, Aden. Sadie.”
Sadie nodded at him, her cheeks flushed, and sat down at the desk. He swallowed, remembering
He moved farther from her. “I . . .” He gulped. “Do you know where Aden is?”
She saw his features go blank, and whatever had been in his eyes disappeared. If there had been anything there at all. That was enough to bring her partially to her senses. “He’s in the store with Sadie.”
Sol nodded, then hurried out of the house without saying another word.
Irene turned around and leaned over the sink. Her dress was wet, and despite the heat in the kitchen she felt cold. She couldn’t say the same for her cheeks.
No, Sol wasn’t the same man she’d been attracted to last year. He was different, in a way that made her interest in him months ago pale against what she was feeling now . . . and she had no idea why.
Sol shook his head as he walked from Aden and Sadie’s house to Schrock Grocery and Tools. What had he been thinking, touching Irene Beiler like that? In the past he wouldn’t have missed the chance to flirt with her. He would have used the opportunity to get close to her, closer than he had been in the kitchen. To sneak a kiss. Possibly something a little bit more.
That was before his life changed. Before God saved him from himself.
But today something in her eyes had shot straight through his soul, enough that it scared him. She should be repulsed by him. Instead, she seemed the complete opposite. He’d seen the longing in her eyes. Recognized it, because he felt the same thing.
But Irene was a good woman. She was sweet and kind and had a heart bigger than Birch Creek. She was the kind of woman who deserved a man of integrity, one with an unblemished past and no baggage.
A man the opposite of Sol.
A brisk wind seemed to go through him as he opened the door to the store. He saw Abigail behind the counter, staring in confusion at several pieces of paper spread in front of her. She looked up as he walked inside. “Hi, Sol.”
He nodded his greeting and gestured to the papers. “Looks like you’re studying for a test.”
“I might as well be.” She leaned forward and put her chin on her hand. “I don’t get this.”
“What?”
“Paperwork. Specifically accounting paperwork.” She scowled. “Apparently I haven’t been recording the sales of mei rugs, yer birdhouses, or Joanna’s baked goods correctly.” Then she straightened. “That doesn’t mean you haven’t been getting yer money and the correct amount,” she added quickly.
“Oh, I know. I’ve been paid right and fair.”
“But Sadie has a system.” She frowned again. “I’m not a fan of systems. She knows that.”
Sol didn’t want to get in the middle of Sadie and Abigail’s business. “I’ll leave you to it, then. Irene”—he nearly fumbled over her name—“said Aden is here.”
“Back in the office.” Abigail gathered up the papers into a crooked pile. “I’m done with this today. I’m going back to the haus .”
Sol nodded and headed for the back of the store. The office door was partway open. He was about to knock when he saw Aden and Sadie in a passionate embrace through the crack.
He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. That was the last thing he needed to see. He was glad for his brother, who had always loved Sadie, even when she despised both him and Sol. But seeing Aden kissing his wife just drove another nail into the coffin of hope he had for a happy future. He couldn’t imagine getting married. He didn’t know how to be a husband, and he especially didn’t know how to be a father. All he knew was violence. Control through fear. Coping by drinking . . . something that had never completely gone away.
“Someone out there?” he heard Aden say.
Sol took a breath as he pushed open the door. He fought to appear nonchalant. “Hey, Aden. Sadie.”
Sadie nodded at him, her cheeks flushed, and sat down at the desk. He swallowed, remembering
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