hadn’t overstepped his bounds with Peter’s family. Jealousy bubbled up inside him at the thought.
Did Peter even realize how lucky he was to have a family like this?
Ack, what Luke would’ve given to be surrounded by a large, loving family like the Kauffmans.
The women finished delivering the various dishes, then sat. Luke bowed his head in silent prayer along with the rest of the family and looked up when the sounds of cutlery banging against the dinnerware broke through the silence. He began to fill his plate, putting each entree on a different corner of the dish in order to prevent the food from touching—a habit he’d learned from his father when he was young. When he felt someone’s eyes boring into him, he glanced across the table to find Sarah staring at his plate. Her gaze met his, and her eyes widened with astonishment.
Luke chuckled in response to her disbelief. “It’s an old habit.”
She nodded, the blood draining from her pretty face.
“You all right, Sarah Rose?” Eli asked, his face full of concern. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
She blinked and lifted her glass of water to her lips. Elizabeth whispered something, and Sarah averted her eyes to her plate. Luke wished he could read Sarah’s mind. He hoped he wasn’t the cause of her distress. Like Timothy, he was concerned for her welfare.
“How long do you plan to stay in Bird-in-Hand, Luke?” Eli asked, slapping mashed potatoes onto his plate.
“I’m not certain.” Luke stabbed his meatloaf. “I thought I’d stay at least a couple of weeks to learn about Peter’s life.” In his peripheral vision he spotted Sarah watching him. When he looked up, she quickly glanced back at her plate. He wished she would look at him. He couldn’t bear making her uncomfortable in her parents’ home.
“Do you have a place to stay?” Elizabeth asked.
Luke shrugged. “I figured I’d find something out on that main highway. What is it—Route 30?”
“Route 30 out by the English tourists?” Eli asked. “Don’t be ridiculous. We have plenty of room here.”
Covering her mouth, Sarah began to sputter and choke.
“Sarah Rose?” Elizabeth leaned over and held her hands while her daughter continued to cough, tears streaming down her porcelain cheeks. “Lean forward,” she ordered. Once she moved, Elizabeth rubbed her back. “It’s all right. Just breathe easy.”
After a few deep breaths, the coughing subsided.
“Take a drink,” Elizabeth said.
“Are you all right?” Luke asked.
Sarah nodded. “Something went down the wrong way.”
Her glance met his for a split second, and he saw something flash deep in her eyes—sadness or perhaps loneliness. Luke stood and picked up her glass from the table.
“What are you doing?” Sarah asked, her voice laced with annoyance.
“Refilling your glass,” he said, wrenching open the refrigerator door.
“You’re our guest,” Sarah said. “You’re supposed to sit while I refill your glass.”
Luke topped off the drink and brought it back to her. “A simple thank you would suffice.” He then returned to his seat.
Sarah studied Luke while Eli snickered.
“He told you, daughter,” Eli said.
Sarah shot her father an evil look while Luke grinned. Ack, she was beautiful, especially when she was angry.
Turning toward Timothy, Luke found the man glaring at him. Luke cleared his throat and turned his attention back to his plate. He had crossed a line and gotten a cold stare for the effort. But he sure didn’t regret it.
“I was thinking you could stay here,” Eli repeated. “It would be wasteful to spend money on a motel when we have so much room.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Luke spotted Sarah shooting her father a look of horror. His heart twisted with disappointment. He couldn’t fault Sarah for being upset after hearing Peter had lied to her. However, he’d hoped they could somehow forge a friendship. He longed to be a part of her twins’ lives, since they
Did Peter even realize how lucky he was to have a family like this?
Ack, what Luke would’ve given to be surrounded by a large, loving family like the Kauffmans.
The women finished delivering the various dishes, then sat. Luke bowed his head in silent prayer along with the rest of the family and looked up when the sounds of cutlery banging against the dinnerware broke through the silence. He began to fill his plate, putting each entree on a different corner of the dish in order to prevent the food from touching—a habit he’d learned from his father when he was young. When he felt someone’s eyes boring into him, he glanced across the table to find Sarah staring at his plate. Her gaze met his, and her eyes widened with astonishment.
Luke chuckled in response to her disbelief. “It’s an old habit.”
She nodded, the blood draining from her pretty face.
“You all right, Sarah Rose?” Eli asked, his face full of concern. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
She blinked and lifted her glass of water to her lips. Elizabeth whispered something, and Sarah averted her eyes to her plate. Luke wished he could read Sarah’s mind. He hoped he wasn’t the cause of her distress. Like Timothy, he was concerned for her welfare.
“How long do you plan to stay in Bird-in-Hand, Luke?” Eli asked, slapping mashed potatoes onto his plate.
“I’m not certain.” Luke stabbed his meatloaf. “I thought I’d stay at least a couple of weeks to learn about Peter’s life.” In his peripheral vision he spotted Sarah watching him. When he looked up, she quickly glanced back at her plate. He wished she would look at him. He couldn’t bear making her uncomfortable in her parents’ home.
“Do you have a place to stay?” Elizabeth asked.
Luke shrugged. “I figured I’d find something out on that main highway. What is it—Route 30?”
“Route 30 out by the English tourists?” Eli asked. “Don’t be ridiculous. We have plenty of room here.”
Covering her mouth, Sarah began to sputter and choke.
“Sarah Rose?” Elizabeth leaned over and held her hands while her daughter continued to cough, tears streaming down her porcelain cheeks. “Lean forward,” she ordered. Once she moved, Elizabeth rubbed her back. “It’s all right. Just breathe easy.”
After a few deep breaths, the coughing subsided.
“Take a drink,” Elizabeth said.
“Are you all right?” Luke asked.
Sarah nodded. “Something went down the wrong way.”
Her glance met his for a split second, and he saw something flash deep in her eyes—sadness or perhaps loneliness. Luke stood and picked up her glass from the table.
“What are you doing?” Sarah asked, her voice laced with annoyance.
“Refilling your glass,” he said, wrenching open the refrigerator door.
“You’re our guest,” Sarah said. “You’re supposed to sit while I refill your glass.”
Luke topped off the drink and brought it back to her. “A simple thank you would suffice.” He then returned to his seat.
Sarah studied Luke while Eli snickered.
“He told you, daughter,” Eli said.
Sarah shot her father an evil look while Luke grinned. Ack, she was beautiful, especially when she was angry.
Turning toward Timothy, Luke found the man glaring at him. Luke cleared his throat and turned his attention back to his plate. He had crossed a line and gotten a cold stare for the effort. But he sure didn’t regret it.
“I was thinking you could stay here,” Eli repeated. “It would be wasteful to spend money on a motel when we have so much room.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Luke spotted Sarah shooting her father a look of horror. His heart twisted with disappointment. He couldn’t fault Sarah for being upset after hearing Peter had lied to her. However, he’d hoped they could somehow forge a friendship. He longed to be a part of her twins’ lives, since they
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