Love at Pebble Creek Page 3

  Clutching the drenched satchel, Jesse made his way back to the barn. Just as he’d guessed, the storm wasn’t over. But the lull had given him enough time to complete his mission.

  As he slammed the front barn doors and barred them closed, the loud crack of lightning made him sigh in relief that he was back inside. Another heavy downpour started up again.

  A smile tugged at his lips. This morning, when he’d awakened, he’d never dreamed that he’d be here at Paul King’s farm, in the barn, alone with his only daughter.

  He considered the girl he’d always referred to, in his mind, as “the artist.” The softness of her voice prompted Jesse to look at her like never before. Chaos flitted throughout his mind and his heart as he tried to figure out what was going on inside him.

  To his surprise, he wasn’t sure what he was feeling. He finally ascertained that he didn’t have to. That the events of the morning had been so unexpected and so unusual . . . that the oddness of what had occurred in such a short amount of time alone would play havoc with his emotions.

  She was where he’d left her. Sitting up and leaning against the wall.

  She lifted her chin in surprise. “You found it! Gut! Where was it?”

  “Caught in the spoke of a buggy wheel.”

  “I shouldn’t have let you go outside,” she said in an apologetic voice. “I’m sorry, Jesse. I wasn’t thinking.”

  As she eyed him, he handed her the satchel. But somewhere in between his hands and hers, it dropped to the cement floor.

  As thunder rumbled, she looked down at the newspaper entry that was soaking wet. Amazingly, the slightly faded ink was still readable. Jesse’s gaze followed Anna’s to the clip, and he glimpsed her eyes widening in regret as he took in the large black print. “ART CONTEST AUGUST 25. WINNER TO GET FULL SCHOLARSHIP TO WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, ST. LOUIS.”

  Chapter Two

  The moment it fell out of the leather satchel, a loud, bold bolt of lightning popped, and Anna jumped. But to her surprise, the weather didn’t scare her nearly as much as the fact that the bishop’s son now knew what she was up to.

  In her mind, there was nothing wrong with studying and teaching art. She had dreamed of it since childhood. And since that time, it had remained at the top of her list. But she acknowledged why she’d kept her desire a secret. And the look on Jesse’s face only reinforced the reason she’d never dared to tell anyone about her dream.

  As she tried for the right words, she wondered what would become of her life if her Amish community became aware of her goal. Her parents might suffer because of her. If she moved out of state for four years to go to college, everyone in their church would know that Anna couldn’t adhere to the Ordnung away from their community for that amount of time. And the Amish stayed pretty much within the confines of their tightly knit community to avoid temptations that they’d otherwise be exposed to.

  As they stared at each other, he arched a curious brow. “So, this is what’s so important?”

  His questions subdued her for a few moments. While she thought of the most appropriate response she could, she took in the gray flecks dancing with interest on his blue irises. But the way they moved indicated disapproval more than curiosity. At that very moment, she realized that the explanation she now owed Jesse was much more painful than her injury.

  While Anna eyed Jesse’s shocked expression, she was sure she should never have mentioned her satchel. Now she had some serious explaining to do that otherwise wouldn’t have needed to be done. But she’d be honest. It wasn’t in her nature to avoid difficult subjects.

  He bent to retrieve the soaking-wet newspaper clipping. Other than being wet, the print was still easily readable. He held it between his fingers before slowly handing it to her before dragging his hand over his mouth and chin. He leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his waist.

  As he did so, she reasoned that the circumstances of what had happened in the storm and her injury were affecting her more than she’d like to admit. As thunder rumbled, and the livestock reacted, Anna wondered how much worse the day could get. Deciding that direct honesty was the only approach, she swung her legs over the side of the straw and looked up at him.

  She pointed to the empty space next to her on the bale and motioned for him to sit down. “Please let me explain, Jesse. I don’t want you to think badly of me. You’re the only one who knows this.”

  “What?” Uncertainty edged his voice. He took a deep, steadying breath. “That you plan to pursue a four-year degree? Out of state?”

  She looked down at the cement floor and carefully considered her response before allowing words to spill out of her mouth, fully aware that whatever came out could not be undone.

  “Please.”

  He responded with a gruff “okay” as he plopped down next to her.

  As he skirted closer to her, she started her explanation. “Studying and sharing my art has always been my dream.” She paused to consider the right words. “It’s been at the top of my list since I was a kid. But in all honesty, I never thought I’d even have a chance at it. Jesse, all I know about my birth mother is that she was an artist. Maybe that’s why I love to draw. I know nothing else about my heritage.”

  After an emotional sigh, she went on. “Surely God gave me this talent for a reason. I’m sure He wouldn’t want me to waste it.”

  Jesse tapped his fingers against his thighs and remained in thoughtful silence. “So, you want to win this contest to feel connected to your maemm?”

  She considered his question and finally offered a nod. “That’s part of it. I know it’s a long shot, but I believe in the power of prayer, Jesse. I’m trusting God to guide me. For years, I’ve asked Him for something like this to happen.”

  When he still didn’t respond, she edged her voice with genuine compassion. “Finally, here’s my opportunity. I want to share my passion with others. To show them beautiful landscapes on paper. And people. To capture emotions on paper. Of course, there’s no guarantee I’ll win.”

  Her smile widened with great hope. “But God is offering me a chance.” She lifted her shoulders. “That’s all I can ask from Him.”

  Jesse looked away, and an expression that was a strong combination of uncertainty and deep thought crossed his face. “If you win, obviously, you’ll move to St. Louis . . .”

  He hesitated, as if carefully considering his words. “In the city, you won’t be able to live like we do. You’ll be exposed to a lifestyle that will tempt you to do things that are wrong.”

  She offered a firm nod. “I’m aware of the challenges I would face.”

  As the rain continued beating down on the roof, he lowered his tone and edged it with great curiosity. “Do your eltern know about this?”

  She gave a firm shake of her head. “No. And I’m not ready to say anything. To anybody. Not yet. And if I don’t win, I won’t even mention it.” She lowered her pitch. “I don’t have a backup plan.”

  The way he looked at her made her heart race. She’d known Jesse her entire life, yet she didn’t know him at all, and here she was trying to explain something to the bishop’s sohn that she was fully aware her community would disapprove of.

  The Amish believed in staying away from the temptations of the Englisch world. Because of that, residing in the city would definitely be something they would disapprove of. She’d had good reason to hide her dream, but now Jesse awaited a response. How do I further explain? I haven’t even figured things out myself.

  But first things first. She lowered her voice for emphasis. “Jesse, please . . . would you not say anything to anyone?”

  A tense silence passed between them while the rain beat down on the roof. She looked at him, hoping he’d keep her secret. Wishing she hadn’t asked him to find her satchel. Thinking of how the church would react if he didn’t keep what he knew confidential, and how her parents would suffer.

  When he finally spoke, the sound of his voice prompted a surge of relief that ran up he
r arms and landed in her shoulders. She didn’t know what he’d say, but just the mere soft, understanding tone helped her to relax.

  “So you want me to keep your secret?”

  Suddenly, she couldn’t find her voice. So she offered a quick, decisive nod.

  A long silence ensued while she clenched her fingers into her palms. She sat very still and held her breath. Finally, he lifted a brow and locked gazes with her.

  The thunder banged, and she startled. Loud noises came from the livestock.

  His voice was measured and reasonable. He rubbed his palms together and smiled a little. “Looks like we’re going to be in here a while. Why don’t you tell me the whole story?”

  When she parted her lips in surprise, he motioned toward the doors. “Neither of us can go anywhere until the rain lets up. We’ve got a lot to cover and plenty of time to do it.”

  He surprised her by moving closer to push her bangs off her forehead to get a close look at the wound. He nodded approval. “It looks better than it did. How d’you feel?”

  “Better, thanks.” She brought her legs up to her chest and wrapped her hands around them. At the same time, she leaned back against the barn’s wall.

  He did the same.

  He turned to her with a lazy smile. “I always knew you loved to sketch.”

  She lifted a curious brow. “You did? How . . .”

  He laughed. “Don’t forget, Miss King, I sat behind you in school.” The amused curve of the corners of his lips claimed her attention.

  Finally, she realized he’d seen what she’d been doing during math class. When she looked at him, he responded with a slow nod.

  She could feel the warm blood of embarrassment rush to her cheeks. In a more uncertain voice, she spoke. “I didn’t know you were watching.”

  “I didn’t make a point to intrude on your privacy, but math was pretty boring, and I had a full view to your desk.”

  She acknowledged that she couldn’t change what he already knew, so she smiled a little. “So you’ve been aware of my secret all along. At least partially.”

  He dipped his head in agreement.

  “I figured it really didn’t matter if Mrs. Graber caught me. She never did like me.”

  He arched a skeptical brow. “No? I have a hard time believing that because you were the smartest kid in class.”

  Anna shrugged. She didn’t feel like explaining that she’d overheard her teacher comment at church that she wasn’t a true Amish, so she stayed silent on the subject and instead focused on her dream.

  “For years, I’ve known what I wanted, but there wasn’t a means to make it materialize.” She shrugged. “It seemed impossible. But all the while, I still prayed for it to happen.”

  “And that prayer was answered when you found out about the contest and scholarship.”

  She nodded, and her voice picked up to an excited speed as she talked about finding the clip. “I came upon it at the bakery early this morning while I was cleaning tables; I work there when someone can’t make it. The ad was hard to miss because of the bold print at the top of the page. And as you already know, of course, the winner gets a full scholarship to a prestigious art school in St. Louis.”

  What she yearned for wasn’t simple. Because if she won the contest, she would leave her Amish upbringing and all that accompanied it. And she was prepared to do that. Not because she didn’t like the Amish faith; she fully respected it.

  But in Anna’s mind, she was fairly sure that on Judgment Day, God wouldn’t judge a person by which church they attended. To her, being a Christian was mostly about a belief in God and showing His love. Jesse must not tell.

  A combination of guilt and fear swept through her. Guilt because she loved her family as well as her Amish community. Loved and respected them with all her heart. And fear because now the bishop’s son knew her plan, which was highly unlikely to win approval from her church.

  If he told of her contest entry, the truth could harm her parents. In fact, the community might very well blame her maemm and daed for her even thinking of going so far as to pursue an extended education. To consider leaving what they had. The only life she’d ever known.

  For long moments, silence ensued between them until Anna couldn’t stand the tension. The worst was over. Now, she may as well finish.

  As she watched the thoughtful expression on Jesse’s face, reality hit her. Here she was, baring her soul to someone who couldn’t possibly understand how much she wanted her dream. That she’d yearned for an opportunity like this for years.

  Judging by what she knew about Jesse Beiler, he was undoubtedly satisfied living here and working on the farm. Forever. So it was probably a good guess that he didn’t have an inkling of how much this opportunity meant to her.

  Of course, she would give him the benefit of the doubt. He deserved that. But the real crux of the matter hit her until her shoulders tensed. He hadn’t promised to keep her secret.

  The speed of the wind picked up, and she automatically clutched her satchel tightly against her chest for reassurance. Thunder rumbled. The wind whistled as it came through the front doors.

  A goat wandered over to them and eyed them with curiosity before moving in the opposite direction. A chicken that belonged in the coop clucked from a clean pile of straw in the corner of the building.

  “Anna, have you considered how the outcome might affect your parents if you win this contest?”

  The question made her swallow an emotional knot. “Jah. I’ve given it a lot of thought. And Jesse . . . I know to you this might sound like something risky.”

  She waited for him to respond, but he only looked at her, waiting to continue.

  “But I know my own heart. What I feel. And my life . . .” Before she went on, she nixed any further thought. “I’m sure I’m a bit different from most of the women around here. Maybe it’s good; maybe it’s bad.”

  Finally, he nodded and slapped his palms against his thighs as if a big decision had been made. “Anna, I respect your wishes. I want you to be happy. But I’m curious . . .”

  “What?”

  He gave a dismissive roll of his eyes. “Never mind.”

  She motioned with her hand. “No. Go on. What were you going to say?”

  “It was what I was going to ask. Not to undermine your talent, but there’s only one winner, right?”

  She nodded.

  “So I think it’s safe to assume that the competition will be fierce.” He turned a bit to better face her. “Especially with a prize like that.”

  “Jah.”

  “The last thing I want to do is to discourage you. But . . .” He lowered his tone to a more sympathetic pitch. “We might very well be having this conversation for no reason at all.”

  When she started to retort, he raised a hand to stop her. “Like I said, I am not in any way undermining your talent, and obviously, you have a chance to win. In fact, even with a slew of entries, I think you stand a good chance.”

  She smiled widely.

  “I don’t know much about art, but your work . . . what I saw sitting behind you . . .” He winked and smiled a little. “It looked so real.”

  The softness of her voice seemed to float through the air. “I’ve prayed for years, every night, for God to let my dream come true. I know what you’re thinking . . . that I’m an amateur. And I am. And there will undoubtedly be many, many submissions.”

  After a slight pause, she went on. “And if you look at just that part of it, I’m sure my chances of winning are a long shot. I mean, I have no formal training. However, what I do have is the God-given ability to draw and what I’ve learned from books in the public library. And a strong faith. I believe that God handed me this contest entry for a reason.”

  She lifted her palms to the ceiling. “It’s like He planted that contest entry on the table, right in front of me, so I’d find it. And Jesse, as you’re aware, nothing can compete with the power of prayer. Please promise me you won’t say anything.
”

  She expelled a sigh.

  “Will you do that for me?”

  * * *

  As Jesse considered Anna’s question, the ringing of the phone startled him. At the same time, they both turned in the direction of the sound. Anna responded. “It’s probably Daed checking to see if I’m okay.”

  Jesse stood, and quick steps took him to the wall phone. He lifted the receiver from its holder. “Hello.”

  She watched as he tapped the toe of his boot against the floor. Then he glanced at her.

  “No need to worry. We’re here in the barn. And she’s okay.” He went on to briefly explain what had happened. After reassuring his new boss that his daughter was fine, Jesse hung up and stepped back to Anna.

  Huge bolts of lightning flickered throughout the large area, and rain continued hard against the barn’s roof. Jesse considered his brief conversation with Anna’s daed as slow, thoughtful steps took him back to her.

  He considered the irony of the call. Paul had asked if everything was okay. Anna seemed to be doing fine, and Paul and Naomi planned to get her to the nearest emergency room for stitches as soon as they got home.

  Jesse let out a breath and took in the innocent expression on Anna’s face as he rejoined her on the bale of straw. He couldn’t stop amusement from tugging up the corners of his lips. Because the far more serious issue was what Anna’s eltern didn’t know.

  * * *

  Later that evening, Jesse stepped up the porch steps and into his home. As soon as he opened the door, two of his young nephews, Stephen and Thomas, rushed to him. The aroma of delicious-smelling chicken soup filled the air. A pile of dinner plates was stacked next to the kitchen sink.

  “Hallo!”

  Jesse’s heart warmed with that all too familiar joy that only a family could offer. After big hugs, he gently released the boys and held them at arm’s length. Two-year-old Jacob joined the trio, throwing his small arms around Jesse’s thighs.