pleased God has smiled on your efforts.”
“ Danki. Has my aunt’s order come in?”
“ Ja, yesterday morning. I’ll get it for you.”
Rebecca heard Sarah walk away. A few minutes later she returned. A muffled thud told Rebecca she had placed a large bolt of material on the wooden countertop.
“This is the lot I was telling your aunt about. It’s a soft shade of lavender and we got an excellent buy on a large quantity.”
Reaching out, Rebecca fingered the fabric. It was a cotton-polyester blend that would be durable enough for everyday dresses. “You are sure it is a color the bishop will find acceptable?”
“I hope so. His wife ordered six yards of it.”
“We’ll take it, then. I’ll also take any of the fabric remnants you have.”
“I bundled some together for you last night. Tell your aunt she can send back anything that doesn’t work.”
“Danki.”
When Sarah rang up the total, Rebecca drew out her wallet and carefully searched through the folded bills. With her aunt’s help, Rebecca was able to separate the identical-feeling currency. The ones folded lengthwise were one-dollar bills, those folded in half were ten-dollar bills and the ones folded in thirds were twenty-dollar bills.
Sarah handed back Rebecca’s change and asked, “Who is your friend outside? Wouldn’t he like to come in out of the cold?”
“He’s waiting outside?”
“He’s leaning against the lamppost and beginning to look like an icicle.”
“Excuse me a moment.” Rebecca turned and made her way to the door. Pulling it open, she called out, “Booker, what do you think you’re doing?”
Chapter Five
“A re you trying to catch pneumonia?” Rebecca demanded.
For a long moment Booker didn’t answer. Then she heard the crunch of his footsteps approaching through the snow. “How did you know I was waiting?”
“I heard your teeth chattering.” She stepped back to allow him inside.
“You couldn’t hear that, could you? Man, it feels good in here.”
“I can hear them now. You don’t have the sense God gave a goose.”
“I’m not sure that’s true.”
“Why are you waiting outside?” she demanded.
“To walk you back to the inn.”
“I thought you had somewhere to go.”
“Not really.”
Exasperated, she said, “I’m perfectly capable of finding my way back unaided.”
“I believe you.”
His voice was so hoarse she wanted to wrap him up in warm flannel and poor hot tea into him. “If you know I can find my way back then why were you waiting for me?”
“I enjoy spending time with you.”
And she enjoyed spending time with him. This had to stop. “Booker, you barely know me.”
“That can change.”
She crossed her arms and tried to look stern. “Is this concern because I’m blind?”
“No. Why would you think that?”
From behind her, Rebecca heard Sarah ask, “Is everything all right?”
“ Ja, everything is fine,” Rebecca answered.
She spoke softly to Booker. “You should go back to the inn.”
“I’m not in a rush. Besides, it’s toasty warm in here. This may be a dumb question, but how do you choose the fabrics for your quilts?”
Rebecca heard the outside door open. A gust of cold air carried in the sounds of several Amish women speaking in Pennsylvania Dutch. The more people who saw her with Booker the more likely it was that she would become the object of gossip. It was time to end this…whatever it was.
“I must be going.” She started toward the door and hurried outside. A second later, she heard someone come out behind her. If it was Booker, it would be best to ignore him. She made her way down the sidewalk. Footsteps told her someone was walking beside her.
After a dozen steps, Booker asked, “So how do you do it? How do you know what fabrics to use?”
“Why do you want to know?”
“Because you are an interesting person, and I admire your skill.”
He was as tenacious as a toothache. Other than ordering him away, she couldn’t see
“ Danki. Has my aunt’s order come in?”
“ Ja, yesterday morning. I’ll get it for you.”
Rebecca heard Sarah walk away. A few minutes later she returned. A muffled thud told Rebecca she had placed a large bolt of material on the wooden countertop.
“This is the lot I was telling your aunt about. It’s a soft shade of lavender and we got an excellent buy on a large quantity.”
Reaching out, Rebecca fingered the fabric. It was a cotton-polyester blend that would be durable enough for everyday dresses. “You are sure it is a color the bishop will find acceptable?”
“I hope so. His wife ordered six yards of it.”
“We’ll take it, then. I’ll also take any of the fabric remnants you have.”
“I bundled some together for you last night. Tell your aunt she can send back anything that doesn’t work.”
“Danki.”
When Sarah rang up the total, Rebecca drew out her wallet and carefully searched through the folded bills. With her aunt’s help, Rebecca was able to separate the identical-feeling currency. The ones folded lengthwise were one-dollar bills, those folded in half were ten-dollar bills and the ones folded in thirds were twenty-dollar bills.
Sarah handed back Rebecca’s change and asked, “Who is your friend outside? Wouldn’t he like to come in out of the cold?”
“He’s waiting outside?”
“He’s leaning against the lamppost and beginning to look like an icicle.”
“Excuse me a moment.” Rebecca turned and made her way to the door. Pulling it open, she called out, “Booker, what do you think you’re doing?”
Chapter Five
“A re you trying to catch pneumonia?” Rebecca demanded.
For a long moment Booker didn’t answer. Then she heard the crunch of his footsteps approaching through the snow. “How did you know I was waiting?”
“I heard your teeth chattering.” She stepped back to allow him inside.
“You couldn’t hear that, could you? Man, it feels good in here.”
“I can hear them now. You don’t have the sense God gave a goose.”
“I’m not sure that’s true.”
“Why are you waiting outside?” she demanded.
“To walk you back to the inn.”
“I thought you had somewhere to go.”
“Not really.”
Exasperated, she said, “I’m perfectly capable of finding my way back unaided.”
“I believe you.”
His voice was so hoarse she wanted to wrap him up in warm flannel and poor hot tea into him. “If you know I can find my way back then why were you waiting for me?”
“I enjoy spending time with you.”
And she enjoyed spending time with him. This had to stop. “Booker, you barely know me.”
“That can change.”
She crossed her arms and tried to look stern. “Is this concern because I’m blind?”
“No. Why would you think that?”
From behind her, Rebecca heard Sarah ask, “Is everything all right?”
“ Ja, everything is fine,” Rebecca answered.
She spoke softly to Booker. “You should go back to the inn.”
“I’m not in a rush. Besides, it’s toasty warm in here. This may be a dumb question, but how do you choose the fabrics for your quilts?”
Rebecca heard the outside door open. A gust of cold air carried in the sounds of several Amish women speaking in Pennsylvania Dutch. The more people who saw her with Booker the more likely it was that she would become the object of gossip. It was time to end this…whatever it was.
“I must be going.” She started toward the door and hurried outside. A second later, she heard someone come out behind her. If it was Booker, it would be best to ignore him. She made her way down the sidewalk. Footsteps told her someone was walking beside her.
After a dozen steps, Booker asked, “So how do you do it? How do you know what fabrics to use?”
“Why do you want to know?”
“Because you are an interesting person, and I admire your skill.”
He was as tenacious as a toothache. Other than ordering him away, she couldn’t see
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