Noah's Sweetheart by Rebecca Kertz Page B

outside.
    “We’ll be putting in two swing sets for your students to use at recess.” Samuel showed her where they planned to construct the swings.
    “Two! How wonderful,” Rachel said. The nearest schuul to her parent’s home had an old swing set in the yard, and she had often watched how much the children enjoyed it. With the number of students she expected in her classroom, she realized that they would need more than one set.
    “There will be a bench for you there,” Noah said. “I should be done with it soon.”
    Rachel felt her throat tighten with emotion. The Lord had brought her to this new home, and now she was beginning to see that He had decided that she and Abraham were not meant to be together. Some of her burden of pain began to ease. There were feelings, though, that would take longer to resolve, but with the Lord’s help, she would settle them.
    “I’d best get back to work.” Samuel’s sincere gaze warmed her. “You come here whenever you’d like.” He nodded at his son. “You will help with the floors?”
    “Ja.”
    Samuel smiled. “Gut.”
    “I will see you Sunday, Rachel,” Samuel said.
    “ Ja, Samuel,” Rachel said. “Thank you for building me such a gut house. I am grateful for your hard work.”
    “Sunday service is at your aunt’s,” Noah said quietly after his father had gone back inside the cottage.
    “We have been baking cakes and pies.” She felt tingling along her spine whenever she was in Noah’s presence.
    Noah’s eyes lit up. “What flavor did you bake?”
    “Strawberry,” she said, thrilled by his reaction. “And chocolate.”
    He grinned. “I will enjoy having more of your pies.”
    Her reaction to his grin made her glance away. She should have come with her cousin. Noah was Charlotte’s friend; she should not be feeling anything but friendship whenever she was with him. The closest thing she’d ever felt to this was when she and Abraham Beiler first started to walk out together. Only this feeling with Noah seemed more…intense.
    Guilt made her stomach churn. She sent up a silent prayer that God would help her to control her feelings, to remember that she and Noah were meant only to be friends. The sound of a buggy’s wheels and the clip-clop of horses’ hooves on macadam made Rachel glance to the road, where she caught sight of Charlotte behind the reins of the Kings’ gray family buggy.
    “Rachel!” she cried. “I’m headed over to Abram Peachy’s for Dat. Care to go with me?”
    Noah stepped out and waved to her. “Charlotte,” he greeted with a grin.
    “How’s the construction coming, Noah?” she asked, grinning back.
    “Comin’ along.” He gestured toward the cottage. “Do ya have time to take a look?”
    “Nay.” She appeared disappointed. “But I’ll stop by to see it the next time Rachel wants a look.”
    Rachel smiled at Noah before hurrying toward the King buggy. “I enjoyed the tour, Noah. The teacher’s house is looking fine.”
    “A few more weeks, and it will be done.” He nodded toward the school. “We’ll have the swing sets finished as well.”
    “A swing set,” Charlotte said, looking pleased. “The children will enjoy that.”
    “Ja,” Rachel said as she climbed into the buggy to sit beside her cousin. She could envision the kinner at play.
    “We will see ya at Sunday church service,” Charlotte said to Noah.
    He nodded, and with a last quick look in Noah’s direction, Rachel settled in to enjoy the ride with her cousin and remind herself that Noah had just been nice to the new schoolteacher when he took her on a tour of the house and school. It was Charlotte who was his friend, Charlotte who had his interest.
    “I promised to watch Abram’s younger children whenever he and Dat head over to work on your new floors.”
    “That is thoughtful of him to help,” Rachel said.
    Charlotte nodded. “Abram Peachy is a fine man.”
    Rachel looked at her, surprised by her cousin’s tone, but nothing about