Noah's Sweetheart by Rebecca Kertz

that it was necessary to lock it when no one was about. Such a shame. She would have liked to wander around inside again.
    Soon, she thought. Soon she would be standing before her class of eager students.
    Rachel rounded the building and headed along the dirt drive toward the teacher’s cottage. The day was quiet. The only sounds she could hear were an occasional insect or a passing car on the main road and the breeze stirring the nearby trees and her dress hem and apron. Perhaps the Lapps couldn’t find time to work on the house today, she mused, disappointed.
    Unlike the school, the cottage door stood partially open. With a frown, she hesitated only a few seconds before pushing the door in and entering.
    “Samuel? Jedidiah? Noah?” she called out. “Is anyone here?”
    “In the back of the haus, Rachel!” Noah appeared within seconds. “You’ve come to see the construction,” he said, sounding pleased.
    Her senses humming at the sight of him, Rachel nodded. “I brought muffins and a jug of water.”
    His eyes were warm as he smiled. “I am hungry and could use a drink.” He waved her to follow him. “Come and see what we’ve done.”
    Eagerly Rachel followed Noah toward the rear of the house, her neck tingling as she studied his back. He wore a royal-blue shirt under his denim overalls. She watched as he lifted his wide-brimmed straw hat, ran his fingers through his silky, sandy-brown hair before settling the hat back onto his head. There was a fine sheen of moisture across his nape. She tried not to look at his neck, glancing instead at the house as they walked through.
    “Is Samuel here?” she asked.
    “Nay,” Noah said without turning. “I am the only one working.” Suddenly, he spun to smile at her, and the impact of his twinkling, warm brown eyes made her head spin and her heart leap within her chest. “I told you that the house would be done in a month. It may take a little longer.”
    He nodded toward the kitchen area. A brick hearth had been built since her last visit. The walls had been insulated and the drywall hung. The room was large, bright and inviting. She could picture those walls whitewashed and a table with chairs in the center of the room.
    “A fine kiche, ” she said. She imagined the kitchen as it would one day be, filled with the smells of good food cooking and company gathered around the table.
    “My grossdaddi is making the kitchen cabinets,” Noah told her, helping to paint a better picture for her. “I think you will like them. He does gut work.”
    Both the school and the house seemed to solely be the work of the Lapp men, and she mentioned this to Noah.
    “We’ve had help from all,” he said. “We had a house-raising for the initial framework. But this land once belonged to mein grosselders and there was time before the house needed to be completed. With the spring planting, we worked when we were able…to make sure everything was right for the teacher in our community.” His voice softened. “ You. Grossdaddi is a kind man.”
    Like grossdaddi, like kinskind, she thought. The man’s grandson Noah, too, was kind. “Noah, everything is very nice. I know I will be happy here.”
    Her words trailed off as their gazes met and something warm passed between them. Flushing, Rachel glanced away.
    “I am glad, Rachel.” Noah studied the young woman before him, noticing how appealing she looked with soft tendrils of hair about her face and neck. She wore a lavender dress with a white cape that tucked into the waistband of her white apron. A matching white prayer kapp covered her shining dark hair. She had the prettiest eyes…large and glistening. He could feel himself drowning in her gaze, felt the pull of her nearness. He drew a sharp breath and looked quickly away. He hadn’t expected to see her today, and the pleasure he felt seeing her, hearing her voice, was beyond anything he’d ever experienced.
    There was a brief but potent moment of silence. Noah felt