Emma Blooms At Last by Naomi King Page A

the moneybetween them. She gazed up at him with her expressive eyes. “I can tell you’re worried about making the money stretch until your elevator’s up and running. And what with all the jars of food from your house and my garden this past summer, and the meat that’s in our freezers, I want you to stop worrying
right now
. The Lord
will
provide, Wyman.”
    Wyman thought his heart might fly out of his chest. While Amanda’s pottery money would buy a lot of groceries, he still felt bad that his wife was handing over her income. He’d made a point of not discussing the finances with her after Reece’s phone call . . . “So, what makes you think—”
    Amanda’s lips twitched. “You talk in your sleep, dear man—when you’re not tossing and turning,” she said slyly. “So let’s be grateful to God for this new opportunity, and to Lamar Lapp for being lenient as well. It’ll all work out for us. Jah?”
    As she playfully jabbed his chest with her finger, Wyman couldn’t help but laugh out loud. How could he possibly argue with this determined woman as she gazed up at him with such joy and challenge on her pretty face? On impulse, he kissed her—and then he kissed her again, even as some of the older fellows across the yard hooted and whistled. “Yes, dear,” he teased.
    â€œLouder.”
    Wyman chortled. “Yes, Mrs. Brubaker,” he declared. “You and the preachers and the Lord seem to have me outvoted. Who am I to argue?”
    â€œThat’s better. Now slip this money into your pocket,” she said breezily. “I’ll get back to helping with the dinner so someone else can take a break.”
    Wyman watched her practically
bounce
back to the greenhouse.
And who could’ve seen this coming?
he mused.
I came here feeling strung out and stretched too thin, and now I’m solid again.Right with myself and the elevator situation, even though it’s not nearly settled yet.
    â€œYour bride looks mighty perky,” Mervin Mast called out as Wyman approached the fellows who were still chatting with Merle Graber. “So how’s life treating you at your new place?”
    â€œCouldn’t be better,” he replied. And thanks to Amanda, he believed his life would improve beyond his wildest imagination.

Chapter Five
    â€œA bby-girl, is this a dream, or are we really finally married?”
    Abby sighed contentedly as James stood behind her at the kitchen counter on Friday morning. With his arms wrapped around her and his head resting on her shoulder, she was living out her own dreams after their months of courting—after the past several
years
, when she’d been in love with James Graber and he hadn’t had a clue. “Jah, it’s true,” she whispered. “For better or for worse, you’re stuck with me now!”
    â€œStuck
on
you is more like it,” he teased as he turned her in his arms. “Much as I loved seeing all the family and friends who came to celebrate with us yesterday, I couldn’t wait for them all to leave.”
    As she gazed into her new husband’s handsome face, Abby tingled with joy. Her maidenly worries about their first night together had evaporated like steam from fresh-baked bread. And even though Vernon Gingerich had preached about how love grew stronger and more resilient over the years of a good marriage, shecouldn’t imagine feeling more
at one
with James than she did at this moment. “It was a long party and a short night,” she agreed, feeling somewhat weary from their big day. “But tonight we can catch up on our sleep.”
    â€œSleep?”
James countered. “How can I even
think
of dozing off with you beside me? It was wonderful-gut to be here in your little house, just the two of us, for our first night together.”
    Abby’s face prickled with warmth. “Let me rephrase that. Tonight