A Love Made New by Kathleen Fuller Page A

the last time he’d been in this office with her. Daed had a horrific plan for Sol to marry her so his father could get his hands on the lucrative natural gas rights on the Schrocks’ property. And Sol had gone along with it, not because he loved her, but because he had seen it as his escape from a life he hated. But Aden had thwarted the plan, angering both his father and Sol, even though his actions had been out of love.
    And while Sadie forgave Sol for the past, there was still a distance between them Sol was sure would always be there.
    He turned to Aden as Sadie focused on a stack of papers on the desk. “I wanted to talk to you about the birdhouses.”
    “You’re going to keep making them, ya ?” Sadie asked, looking up. “They’re selling very well.”
    One thing he’d learned about Sadie since her marriage to Aden was that she was very serious about the family business. The grocery and tool store had flourished under her management. “ Ya , I’ll still make them. I like creating them, better than the carpentry work I was doing before.”
    “ Gut ,” Aden said. “I’m glad you’ve found something you enjoy.”
    Sol knew his brother’s words were genuine, and he marveled at how easily Aden had forgiven him for the abuse Sol had put him through most of their lives. For Sol, forgiving himself wasn’t easy. Right now it seemed impossible. “I thought about making a few different kinds of houses instead of the same plain ones. Also, maybe painting some of them. I’ll need to find someone who can paint, though. I’m terrible at it.”
    “Sadie’s a gut artist,” Aden said.
    Sadie shot Aden a quelling look. “I don’t have time to paint birdhouses.”
    Her tone wasn’t rude, but it held double meaning. She didn’t have the time, but she also wasn’t going to go out of her way to help Sol, either. He didn’t resent her for it, not when it was his fault she felt that way.
    Aden’s brow furrowed as he nodded apologetically to his wife. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have mentioned it.”
    Sadie’s expression softened. “It’s okay.” She turned to Sol. “Once the honey comes in from the hives, I anticipate we’ll have even more business.”
    Sol nodded. “I understand. Do you know anyone who might be interested in painting them?”
    “I’ll ask around,” Aden said with a nod.
    “ Danki. I’ll pay them, of course.”
    “I’ll let you know if I find anyone.”
    Sol was relieved Aden had taken the initiative on this. “Guess I better get back to work,” Sol said, pushing his hat lower on his head. “Sadie.”
    She lifted her chin and gave him a tiny nod. “Sol.”
    He went back outside and to his buggy. The snow was coming down harder now and he needed to get home before it became too slushy on the roads. As he drove down the Schrocks’ driveway, he glanced at the house. From here he could see Irene and Abigail through the kitchen window. He couldn’t take his eyes off Irene, remembering the softness of her features when she chuckled over spilling the water. Then he remembered himself and stared straight ahead. He didn’t need to think about Irene or any other woman. You get what you deserve . After the sins he’d committed, he deserved nothing.

CHAPTER 6

    A s Abigail waited on customers in the store one day in late February, she thought about how January and now most of February had come and gone. Each day had folded into another with almost icy boredom. She knew she should be thankful for a respite after what had seemed like an endless barrage of grief and pain.
    Her rug business was going well, though—almost too well. She was having trouble keeping up with the orders even with Irene’s help. And Sadie was still nagging her to do a better job of keeping track of her business records. But Abigail had never had a head for business, and as winter stretched on, her growing apathy didn’t help.
    Not only had her listlessness not improved, but resentment had reared up a week before