Love Inspired March 2015 - Box Set 1 of 2: A Wife for Jacob\The Forest Ranger's Rescue\Alaskan Homecoming (14 page)

Eli returned with the empty wheelbarrow. “Are you going to Joe's this afternoon or not?”

“I don't know.” Something inside urged him to go, while another side of him caused him to hesitate. “I'm still deciding.”

“Think about going. If you see Annie, talk with her. If you don't, you'll regret that you missed an opportunity to win her love.”

After Eli left, Jacob put away the empty chicken-feed bucket and headed toward the house. He could go to the blacksmith shop to work. He wouldn't let Joe down, no matter how difficult circumstances might become for him.
Annie
,
he thought. He wanted to see her, talk with her...and reach across a bench seat in the dark to capture her hand.

Chapter Fourteen

“
M
am!
I'm going to take Jacob breakfast!” Annie called as she headed toward the door with a thermos and a covered plate of food.

“That's fine, Annie,”
Mam
said as she came out of the gathering room with corn broom in hand. “Don't be long. We've got a lot to do today.”

“I won't be,” she promised. Annie found she was eager to see Jacob. Had she imagined the attraction between them? Or had she simply dreamed of their kiss? She hurried across the yard, the jug in one hand, a plate of sticky buns in the other and a smile on her face. When she reached the shop, she experienced a tremor of excitement.

“Jacob?” she called as she opened the door to the building.

The shop was quiet, too quiet. Annie frowned. There was no light inside the building, no ring of steel against iron.

“Jacob?” she said hesitantly. She moved to stand in the inner doorway and stared inside. Everything was as neat as a pin, just as Peter and
Dat
had left it after Jacob's accident.

Where was Jacob? He had been well enough to attend the singing. And he'd offered his hand to help her onto the wagon. She became concerned. Had he done too much yesterday? Had he reinjured his hand?

Where is he?
She longed to see him in his leather apron, heating metal until it glowed red, raising the tongs to inspect the fiery red piece before setting it on the anvil to hammer into shape. She recalled how he looked, his eyes narrowed as he concentrated on the task, the movement of his forearms as he brought down the hammer again and again, fired up the metal and repeated the process. She felt an odd feeling in her chest at the mental image.

Annie left the thermos on the worktable in case Jacob came later. She eyed the plate of sticky buns and decided it would be fine to leave them, too. As she left the shop and headed back toward the house, she felt a rush of disappointment.
Mam
said that they had much to do today. It was just as well that Jacob wasn't here, for she had no time to visit with him this morning.

What if he regretted kissing her? she thought. What if he'd simply tried to prove a point? All the more reason for her to avoid him.

Annie walked slowly back to the house, wondering why it felt as if the sunshine and joy had been stolen from her day. She had to stop thinking the worst. She would see and talk with Jacob another day. She'd have to be satisfied with that. She picked up her pace and ran toward the porch steps. “
Mam!
I'm back! What would you like me to do first?”

* * *

There was no one around when Jacob arrived at Horseshoe Joe's. His brother had needed to run errands in town, so Eli had brought him with the promise to return for him later.

There was no sign of anyone in the yard, no sign of movement in the farmhouse windows. He entered the shop and pushed open a window to allow the sunlight inside. Then, he checked the work ledger to see what needed to be done. William Mast—handsaw repair. Bob Whittier—metal coat hooks.

He continued down the list. Arlin Stoltzfus requested that he make some shepherd's hooks, like
Englishers
liked to use in their front yards, on which to hang flower pots or wind chimes. The cold weather was an impending threat, and several neighbors had appointments for him to replace their horses' and mules' shoes.

He glanced toward the vise mounted on one end of the worktable. As he took down his leather apron, he caught sight of a thermos and a plate of sticky buns.
Annie.
He smiled. He wasn't ready to see her yet, but it was comforting to know that she cared enough to bring him breakfast. Laying the apron across the top of the worktable, he paused to pour himself a cup of coffee. After a few slow sips, he sighed appreciatively. The woman always remembered how he liked it best. The plate of sticky buns tempted him, making his mouth water, for he had eaten breakfast hours ago before helping his brothers around the farm. One delicious bite of the bun led to another until he had finished the first and started on a second one. Wouldn't it be wonderful if he had her in his life always! Then he scolded himself for being distracted by her.

Forcing her from his mind, Jacob focused on the work. He donned his apron and pulled on gloves to protect his hands. As canvas and leather brushed his burn injury, he winced, but then the pain passed and he was ready to begin. He grabbed solid iron pieces from a shelf and set them on the worktable. Then he reached for a pair of recently purchased safety glasses and put them on. He readied the forge, grabbed his metal tongs and cross-peen hammer and went to work.

* * *

“Annie!”
Mam's
voice came from the bottom of the stairs.

“Ja?”
Annie left her brothers' bedroom to look down at her from the top landing. “Do you need me?”

“I'd like you and your sister to run an errand for me.”

“I'll be right down.” Annie returned to the bedroom and grabbed the sheets she'd stripped off the two beds.

Mam
and Barbara were in the kitchen when Annie came downstairs.
Mam
stood near the stove, ladling homemade soup into a large bowl. When she was done, she turned to her daughters. “I'd like you to take this chicken soup over to Ike King.”

Annie exchanged glances with her sister. “Is he ill?” she asked.

Mam
nodded. “Josie stopped by on her way to Whittier's Store. She said he has stomach pains.” She worked as she talked, withdrawing a sleeve of saltines from the pantry and setting them near the soup bowl.

“Do you think we should bring him chamomile tea?” Barbara suggested. “He may want a cup to settle his stomach.”

“That's a fine idea, Barbara,”
Mam
said.

Annie pitched in to gather things to take to Ike. Her mother's concern for him alleviated the fear that this was a way for
Mam
to get her into Ike's company. She didn't think her mother was trying to make her a match—this time.

When she was done preparing Ike's care package,
Mam
gave Barbara a plastic bag with the crackers, one of her home remedies for stomachaches and the chamomile tea.

“Annie, you take the soup,”
Mam
instructed. “Barbara, put some paper bowls in the bag so there will be no dirty dishes to wash.”

Soon, the sisters were in the buggy, with Annie steering the horse toward Ike King's farm. They arrived within minutes. Annie parked their vehicle in Ike's barnyard, and the sisters climbed out.

“Shall we knock or just call out?” Barbara asked as they approached the house.

“Why not do both?” Annie shifted the bowl of soup to one arm as she climbed the porch steps. She tapped lightly on the wooden door. “It's a big place,” she commented. Ike's home was an impressive two-story whitewashed brick farmhouse.

Annie rapped on the door again. “Ike?” When there was no response, she grew concerned. She knocked harder.
“Ike?”

“What do we do if he doesn't answer?” Barbara peered inside a window. “I don't see him.”

Annie thought a moment. “If he doesn't come, we'll go around to the back. He might have fallen asleep in a chair.”

“Let's try again,” Barbara suggested. This time she knocked.
“Ike!”

Finally, they heard movement inside and then the door opened. Ike stood on the threshold, looking ill and with his hair mussed up as if he'd run his fingers through it. He appeared disoriented at first, and his eyes widened as realization dawned. “Annie!” he said. “Barbara.”

“We heard you were feeling poorly,” Annie explained with a sympathetic smile. “We've brought soup and crackers and some chamomile tea to settle your stomach.
Mam
sent some of her bellyache medicine.”

“Danki.”
He moved aside to allow them to enter. Suddenly, he gasped, “I'm sorry, I have to—” And he ran out of the room.

Annie set the soup on his kitchen counter while Barbara took items out of the paper bag.

Minutes later, Ike returned, looking green in the face. His eyes had a glassy look to them as he stood teetering on unsteady legs.

“Sit down, Ike,” Anne urged. “Would you like some chicken soup?” She held up
Mam's
bowl.

Ike agreed, and Annie went to work heating it. After Ike ate and returned to rest on the sofa in his gathering room, Annie and Barbara left. Once home, Annie went inside the farmhouse while Barbara headed toward the clothesline to check on the garments they'd hung earlier.

Peter was at the kitchen table when Annie walked in. “Where have you been?” he asked as he munched on a cookie.

“Ike King's. He's ill, and
Mam
wanted him to have some of her chicken soup.

Her brother set his glass down after taking a drink of milk. “He didn't look sick yesterday,” he said as he reached for another cookie.

“He's sick today. He looks awful.” Annie grabbed Peter's now empty glass and held it up. “More?”

He nodded. She picked up the jug from the counter when she spied the thermos sitting in the dish drainer. “Did you bring this in from
Dat's
shop?” she asked.

“
Nay.
Jacob brought it before he left earlier. He said the coffee—and the sticky buns—were
gut
.”

“Jacob was here?” Recalling his kiss, Annie felt a short burst of joy but then was disappointed when she realized that he'd left and she missed him. “Is he coming tomorrow?” she asked casually as she handed her brother his milk.

Peter shrugged as he drank from his glass. “He didn't say.”

Annie stared out the kitchen window. He'd kissed her. It could mean nothing. Handsome young men were always trying to catch women off guard.

She frowned. Kiss or not, handsome young men like Jacob were not in her plans, while someone like Ike would be the husband she needed. But was Ike really what she wanted? Or did she want Jacob?

She recalled Jacob's golden gaze, his warm smile, the feelings she had whenever he was near. Annie hugged herself with her arms. She had done the unthinkable. She had fallen in love with Jacob Lapp, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
Except to walk away, keep to the plan and marry someone like Ike.

Two days later...

“Annie.” Ike stood a few feet away from the clothesline where Annie worked hanging laundry.

“Ike!” Surprised to see him, she faced him with a smile. “You're looking well.”

“I'm feeling better.” Ike was an attractive man in his late thirties with sandy-brown hair and a matching beard that edged along the line of his chin. His pale blue eyes twinkled with good health. “It was
gut
of you to bring me soup.”

“
Mam
made it.” She secured her brother's shirt on the rope with clothespins. “Have you brought work for Jacob?”

“
Nay
, I've brought back your
mudder's
dish. The chicken soup was delicious. It made me feel better.”

“I'm glad to hear it.” She faced him, squinted against the sun, then held her hand up to shield her eyes. “
Mam
is a wonderful cook.”

“So are you,” he said with a small smile. “I've tasted your cakes and pies.”

Annie felt her face turn warm. “My sister can cook, as well.”

He glanced toward the house. “Where is Barbara?” he asked, and Annie was relieved at the switch in the topic of conversation.

“Inside. Why don't you go in for a visit? My
mudder
will make you tea and give you some fresh-baked cookies.”

Ike appraised her with an intensity that gave her pause. “And you?” His voice was soft. “Will you be coming up to the
haus
?”

“
Ja
, as soon as I finish here.”

“Then I will see you when you are done.” Ike smiled at her and then headed toward the farmhouse.

Annie went back to hanging clothes. When she was done, she picked up the laundry basket and strode toward the house. She stopped suddenly and changed directions, moving toward her father's blacksmith shop, her thoughts now focused on Jacob Lapp.

She hadn't seen him this morning. In fact, she hadn't seen them since he'd kissed her the night of the singing.
He was avoiding her.
Why?

Because he regretted the kiss and their time together? She needed to know.

Again Annie halted and turned back to the house. Why was she chasing Jacob, a man who clearly bemoaned his time with her, when there was Ike—a
gut
, hardworking, caring man—waiting in the house for her?

She retraced her steps until she reached the back porch. As she pushed the door inward, she could hear Ike and
Mam
talking. Ike's voice was easily recognizable from the kitchen.

Annie sighed. The sound of his voice might not incite butterflies in her stomach or make her breath catch, like Jacob's did, but it was kind and gentle and she was drawn to the sound. She set the basket near the bottom of the stairs and went to the kitchen.
“Hallo,”
she greeted with a smile. Ike, Barbara,
Mam
and
Dat
were seated at the table, each with a steaming cup of tea in front of them.

She crossed the room to take out a cup for herself. “What's that delicious aroma?” she asked.

“Cinnamon rolls,”
Mam
said. “I'm warming the buns you made this morning.”

“They smell wonderful.” Ike flashed Annie an appreciative smile.

“I'm ready for tea,” Annie said. “Does anyone want another cup?” She ignored her mother's pleased look.

“I'll have another,” Ike said.

* * *

When he entered the Zook farmhouse, Jacob heard Annie's laughter coming from the kitchen. Enjoying the delightful sound, he made his way toward the back of the house. Whenever he wasn't with her, he missed her. He anticipated her smile, longed for her response the next time he held her more properly in his arms and kissed her.