Joshua's Choice: Amish Romance (Seven Amish Bachelors Book 3) Read online

  Lucy left off talking to Levi and smiled at her younger sister.

  "Are you having a good time?" Adeline asked her.

  "I am. Are you?”

  “Jah. Everyone is."

  Lucy sighed. "It was a beautiful wedding if I do say so."

  "It hasn't finished yet," Adeline said.

  "I know and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it. You don't have to sit by me. Go talk to friends, or make some new ones." Lucy leaned closer to her. "There are lots of visitors. You might even find a boy that you like."

  She kept it secret from her sister that she’d already found one. If Lucy found out, she might mention something to Levi, and then Levi would surely say something to Joshua. That would be so embarrassing.

  And what if she was wrong about him liking her? There was always that chance. What if Joshua had been looking at her for an entirely different reason? It was possible he was looking at her because he thought she was odd, or maybe he just wanted to be friends with his new sister-in-law. Adeline then noticed Nella beckoning for her to come back.

  "I'll be back in a minute," Adeline said to Lucy.

  "Take your time—mingle."

  Adeline hurried over to see what Nella wanted. "What's wrong?"

  "You guessed it. Something's very wrong."

  "I can tell by your face. What is it?"

  "It's that Mary Lou. She's been talking to Joshua for the longest time."

  Adeline looked down at the ground. The last person she wanted to talk to Nella about was Joshua. It was awkward having two of her friends liking Joshua.

  "Will you go over and join the conversation? It’ll look too obvious if I do it," Nella said.

  "I can't."

  "Of course you can. Just go up and talk about something with them.”

  Adeline shook her head. "Nee, I can't do it. I'm too shy to do that."

  "Well, at least go close enough to hear what they’re saying."

  "Why don’t you?"

  Nella’s eyes opened wide. "Because he probably already knows I like him and it’ll be too obvious. It’ll look like I'm jealous and that I’m a different type of girl from the one I am."

  "But what will he think of me if I go and barge into their conversation?" Adeline bit her lip. She wanted Joshua to have a good impression of her.

  "You don't like him, so it doesn't matter."

  Adeline nodded. She had to let Nella think that.

  "If you don't do that for me, I don't know who will." Nella stood there looking around. "I can't see anyone else I can ask. There’s no one I can trust like I trust you."

  It was unfortunate that Nella kept saying things like that, not realizing Adeline’s feelings. It caused pangs of guilt to shoot through Adeline’s body. "There's not much you can do if he likes Mary Lou. He'll just choose whoever he likes best."

  "Nee, that can’t happen.” Nella put a hand on her heart. “I couldn't take that. I simply will die if I don't marry him."

  "You surely can't mean that. He's just a man."

  "He might be just a man to you, but he's the only man to me. The only man I want to marry. I can't stop thinking about him and I’ve felt this way for the longest time."

  "And you think he knows you like him?"

  "I think so. I've dropped enough hints around his friends and brieder, so he’ll be brave enough to ask me out."

  "Brave enough?"

  Nella nodded. "You've got a lot to learn before you start dating, Adeline. Men get nervous too. It's not just girls who get nervous."

  Nella was older than Adeline, as were most of Adeline’s friends. "I didn't know. I mean, I didn't realize they got nervous as well."

  "I'll have to take you under my wing and teach you a few things since Lucy will be busy setting up a new home and having bopplis. She’ll have no time for you anymore."

  Adeline whipped her head around to look back over at Lucy. They had been so close and now she felt like she was losing her sister, and she didn't like it. It was nice to have an older sister to learn from and also a younger one to teach. Being the middle child, Adeline felt she had the best of both worlds, but now she’d only have Catherine to teach. "Denke for your offer, Nella. I guess she will be too busy for me."

  "I'll be glad to teach you what I know."

  They both looked back at Mary Lou and Joshua, still talking.

  "I don't like it. They look like they're getting along far too well."

  "I don't see that there's anything we can do about it." Adeline bit her lip.

  "I do. I'm going to grab a plate of food and carry it around. I’ll offer them something.” Nella pulled on Adeline’s sleeve. “You do it too, so it won’t look odd that I’m the only one."

  "I told you I don't want to go near them, or anywhere near them."

  "Nee, you won't have to. I'll do this side of the crowd and you do the other."

  Adeline gave in. "Okay, I can do that."

  "Let's go."

  While Joshua was passing the time talking to Mary Lou, he managed to keep an eye on Adeline. He saw her taking a platter of food around to people. That was just the sweetest, kindest thing that he'd seen anyone do at a wedding. It confirmed to him that she was the right woman for him. He must've been staring at her for too long because Mary Lou had noticed that something else had taken his attention.

  "What is it?" She looked to where he’d been gazing.

  "Nothing," he answered.

  "If you're hungry I can get you something."

  "I’ve had quite enough, denke."

  "Anyway, why don't you and I do something sometime?" Mary Lou startled him with her boldness.

  "I'd consider it, but I've got quite a bit going on these next few weeks. My calendar is jammed and things will be worse with Levi away for the next week or so."

  "Me too." She giggled. "I’m busy too. I didn't mean now, I meant when Lucy and Levi come back from their visiting."

  "We'll see," he said, feeling it would be too cruel to give an outright ‘no.’ When he saw Mary Lou’s disappointed face, he felt sorry for her. She had very nearly become his sister-in-law, so she was more than just a friend. "When they come back, a few of us could do something together as a group."

  Her face lit up. "You mean it?"

  "Why not?"

  "I can hardly wait. What will we do?"

  He shrugged his shoulders. "I've got no idea. Why don't we wait until Levi comes back and I’ll arrange something then?" She looked so pleased and excited he was tempted to point out that it wasn't a date, but again, he didn't want to be cruel. Going on a group outing was just that, a group outing. "I'll ask some of the others when the time comes."

  "Okay."

  They were interrupted by Nella offering them chocolate shoo fly pies.

  He took a shoo fly pie off the plate. "Denke, Nella."

  She flashed him a smile and then said to Mary Lou, "Would you like one too?"

  "Nee, denke. I'm watching my figure." She fluttered her eyelashes and looked at Joshua from underneath them.

  "I never have to worry about mine," Nella said. "I eat as much as I want and never gain weight."

  Not to be outdone, Mary Lou replied, "Many people are like that when they’re young and it catches up with them when they're older."

  Nella pouted at Mary Lou.

  "When it comes to good food and shoo fly pies, I’m afraid I don't give a thought to my figure," Joshua said, which made the two girls go into fits of giggles. While they were twittering, he looked around for Adeline and saw her offering food to a group of young men. He didn't like it. He had to be quick and put together a plan to win her heart and her hand.

  "What were the two of you talking about before I came up?" Nella asked.

  "Joshua was talking about something we’re going to do together later."

  When Nella looked shocked, Joshua didn't want it to get around that he was going on a date with Mary Lou, because that's how Mary Lou had made it sound. "Jah, we're going on a group outing with some ot
her people and you’re very welcome to join us. I suggested to Mary Lou that when Lucy and Levi come back from visiting, we’d go out and do something together as a group."

  "All the young people?" Nella asked.

  Joshua nodded. "Jah."

  "I'd love to."

  "Good." Joshua felt sorry for Nella when he saw Mary Lou glaring at her. She wasn't happy at all. "If you two would excuse me, that shoo fly pie has made me hungry for some cheesecake."

  He hurried away leaving the two girls glaring at each other.

  Chapter 3

  "Mind if I have one?"

  Adeline turned around and looked up into the face of Joshua Fuller. It was the first time she’d seen him so close. Her heart leaped as though she was seeing him for the first time. His eyes were a dark green hazel, almost brown, and his skin was tanned yet smooth and creamy. She knew his skin would be soft to the touch. His lips offered a gentle smile that widened the longer she took to answer his question. "Oh, one of these?" She lifted up the plate of mini cheesecakes.

  "Jah.” He chuckled softly. “One of those."

  "Of course." He took one and held it in his hand. "A group of us are going to go out together and do something exciting.” He gave a little chuckle. “It will be when your schweschder and Levi come back from visiting."

  "What are you going to do?"

  "I'm not sure, is there something you'd like to do?"

  "I'm invited?"

  "Of course you are. I should’ve asked you. I meant to. Would you like to come with us?”

  "Oh." Her cheeks burned and she wished she knew how to act and what to say. She didn’t have much experience with the opposite sex. If only she’d had an older brother, then she would’ve had young men coming to the house and she would’ve gotten used to them. "I guess I'll come then."

  "Good, I'll check back with you closer to the time.”

  No longer could she look into his eyes. With her stomach aflutter, all she could do was to give a quick nod, and then she hurried away.

  Adeline put the plate of food back onto the table and ran to Nella, and stopped when she saw Nella deep in conversation with Mary Lou. She stayed back, just close enough to hear what was being said.

  "He asked me out on a date and then you came up and pushed your way into everything." Mary Lou was angry going by the tone of her voice and the way she was glaring at Nella.

  "It wasn't a date, he said it was a group outing for all the young people."

  Adeline was heartbroken. It sounded like Joshua had given the same invitation to Mary Lou and Nella that he’d just given to her. Then it dawned on Adeline that he had said right away that it was a group thing. Somehow, she’d chosen to ignore that part of the invitation. Apparently, so had Mary Lou. Again, she focused in on what the girls were saying.

  "It probably wasn’t a group outing until you pushed yourself in," Mary Lou replied.

  "Stop it, Mary Lou. You're being mean."

  "I'm not. I'm just telling you how it is. He's nice and didn't want to make a fool of you, so he had to invite you too because you overheard him. That's what kind of a man he is. But it's really me he's interested in."

  "It's not; it's me."

  Fearing she’d be drawn into the conflict between the two young women, Adeline turned on her heel and went to walk away, but Nella saw her.

  "Adeline, come here."

  Adeline turned around and slowly walked over. "Jah?"

  "Who do you think Joshua Fuller likes, Mary Lou or me?"

  She could feel Mary Lou glaring at her while she thought how best to answer that question. "How would I know? I wouldn't have any idea."

  "She's just a child," Mary Lou said.

  Nella frowned at Mary Lou. "Jah, let's talk about age. Exactly how old are you, Mary Lou? You’re a lot older than Joshua."

  "Age doesn't matter.”

  "You're far too old for Joshua, and you threw yourself at Levi and you were too old for him, too. You should go for a man your own age.”

  "I don't think there should be ugly talk like this," Adeline said. "Joshua will choose the woman he wants. There’s no need for us to argue amongst ourselves. Gott has somebody for each of us."

  Mary Lou scowled at Adeline, took three strides to stand right next to her, and leaned over so her lips were close to Adeline's ear. "You have no idea what you're saying. You’re too immature." Then Mary Lou shot Nella a filthy look before she stomped away from both of them.

  Nella took a deep long breath. "I shouldn't have gotten into an argument like that. It was pointless. She just makes me so mad, though. I don't know why she does, she just does. It's almost like she tries to set me off. I really hope she doesn't marry Joshua, or I’ll simply die."

  "Nella, you must stop saying you’ll die. It's not a good thing to say."

  "I only just said it then. I don't say it all the time."

  "You do. You’ve said that at least four or five times today. You'll die if Joshua does this, you’ll die if Joshua does that. You’ll die if you don't marry him. Die, die, die."

  Nella giggled. "Okay, I'll stop saying it. Denke, Adeline, I didn’t realize. I’ll have to listen to what I say."

  Chapter 4

  “Why were you talking to Joshua? Do you like him?”

  “He’s one of our bruders-in-law now.” Adeline didn’t want Catherine to know she liked Joshua in case her younger sister let it slip to someone.

  “Mine too, but he didn’t look for me and talk to me. I watch people and study them. He likes you.”

  “Nee, he doesn’t.”

  “And perhaps—“

  “I don’t!”

  “Don’t what?” A slight smile turned Catherine’s lips upward.

  “Whatever you were just about to say.”

  Catherine giggled. “You like him. I’m telling Mamm you like him.”

  It was no use. Her sister knew her too well. “If you tell Mamm anything I’ll tell her how you broke her wedding clock.”

  Catherine’s eyes opened wide. It was a secret they’d both held for many years. “You wouldn’t!”

  “I would.”

  “I’m right anyway about your liking Joshua Fuller. That’s kinda weird with him being your bruder-in-law,” Catherine said smugly.

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “If you like him you should tell me because Nella likes him too.”

  “Nella’s your friend,” Adeline said. It was Catherine who had first become good friends with Nella despite their age difference.

  “And yours.”

  “All right, I like him, so do you see my problem? If it’s Gott’s will that something happens between us then something will. I don’t believe in chasing a man. If he likes me, things will happen in their own time.” Adeline hoped she’d said enough to keep Catherine quiet.

  Catherine looked in Joshua’s direction. “It’s okay. I won’t tell anyone anything.”

  “Gut, denke.”

  She fixed her eyes back onto Adeline. “Just don’t tell Mamm about the clock. She’ll be so upset.”

  “Okay, I won’t.”

  When the bell rang for lunch at his father's large joinery company, Joshua stopped work. He and his six brothers, his father, and his sister-in-law, Hazel, all worked in the company. Levi had moved on to take over the quoting for jobs along with the eldest brother, Isaac, but Joshua was happier to stay in the shop, working directly with the wood. Joshua wasn’t good at talking to people and making sales like his older brothers, but he loved everything about wood—the grain, the smell of a freshly sawn piece of timber, and the way a raw piece could be fashioned into something beautiful, yet useable. Each piece of timber had its own peculiarities much like every person has their own personality.

  Every day at lunchtime, he and his brothers would walk up the road to have lunch at the same café. As they were walking past Hazel’s office, Hazel called out to Joshua.

  He stuck his head through her doorway. “Jah, Hazel?”

  “
I have a surprise for you.”

  “For me?”

  “Jah. Come with me.”

  Joshua followed Hazel through the back of the storage area, opened the back door, and there was Mary Lou. He stared at her, wondering what she was doing and why she was standing there grinning. Then his gaze fell to the table she was standing beside. It was a small round table covered with food, and nearby were two chairs.

  He looked at Mary Lou, and then looked back at Hazel, waiting for some kind of explanation.

  “Surprise, Joshua!” Mary Lou said. “I’ve made lunch for you.”

  Chapter 5

  Joshua’s heart sank. This was the worst possible thing that could’ve ever happened to him. Now he knew for sure that Mary Lou was pursuing him. He couldn’t understand it. He had given her absolutely no hint that he liked her back, and he remembered how she had thrown herself at Levi after their oldest brother had rejected her. He felt sorry for her and thought she was a nice enough girl, but he definitely didn’t want to have lunch with her.

  “What’s all this?” He looked over the table of food while wondering how best to handle the situation.

  “I made a special lunch just for you.”

  “That’s very kind of you, but it’s not even my birthday.”

  She giggled. “I figured you needed to be spoiled. Everyone needs that once in a while. Sit down.”

  He turned around hoping to get help from Hazel, but she’d disappeared completely. He tugged at the neck of his shirt to loosen it. He felt he was being strangled. “It’s very kind of you.”

  “That’s just the kind of person I am—kind.” She giggled again. “Sit down,” she ordered.

  He pulled one chair away from the other one, so he wouldn’t be sitting too close. There was no other way around it, by the end of the lunch he had to let her know he didn’t return her feelings—even if he had to tell her outright.

  “I’ve got cold roast chicken, coleslaw—”

  “It all looks delicious.”

  “I’m a very good cook. I’m not being prideful, I’m just saying the truth.”