His Amish Sweetheart
An Amish ReunionNathaniel Zook returns to his Amish community of Paradise Springs after inheriting his grandparents’ alpaca farm—but knows nothing of the furry creatures. Only one person can teach him what he needs to save his family’s homestead. But his childhood best friend, Esther Stoltzfus, still the pretty tomboy he remembers, is unusually reluctant. Nathaniel suggests the schoolteacher bring along some students so they can all learn together. Suddenly, the sweet alpacas and a dear young orphaned boy are bringing Nathaniel and Esther closer than ever. Yet he’ll have to risk sharing all that’s in his heart to form the family he always dreamed of.Amish Hearts: Love comes to Lancaster County.
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An Amish Reunion
Nathaniel Zook returns to his Amish community of Paradise Springs after inheriting his grandparentsâ alpaca farmâbut knows nothing of the furry creatures. Only one person can teach him what he needs to know to save his familyâs homestead. But his childhood best friend, Esther Stoltzfus, still the pretty tomboy he remembers, is unusually reluctant. Nathaniel suggests the schoolteacher bring along some students so they can all learn together. Suddenly, the sweet alpacas and a dear young orphaned boy are bringing Nathaniel and Esther closer than ever. Yet heâll have to risk sharing all thatâs in his heart to form the family he always dreamed of.
âDanki for your help today, Esther.â
âIâm glad youâre my friend. Youâve been my friend since we were kinder, and I hope youâll be my friend for the rest of our lives.â She put her hand out and clasped his. Giving it a squeeze, she started to release it and turn away.
Nathanielâs fingers closed over hers, keeping her where she stood. She couldnât look away from his eyes. She longed to discover what he was thinking.
Suddenly she stiffened. What was she thinking? Hadnât she decided she needed to make sure he knew friendship was all they should share? She drew her arm away, and, after a momentâs hesitation, he lifted his fingers from her arm.
âJa,â he said. âIâm glad, too, weâre always going to be friends. Itâs for the best.â
âFor us and for Jacob.â
âOf course for Jacob, too.â A cool smile settled on his lips. âThatâs what I meant.â
âI know.â She took another step away. She couldnât remember ever being less than honest with Nathaniel before. But it was for his own gut.
She had to believe that, but she hadnât guessed facing the truth would be so painful.
JO ANN BROWN has always loved stories with happy-ever-after endings. A former military officer, she is thrilled to have the chance to write stories about people falling in love. She is also a photographer, and she travels with her husband of more than thirty years to places where she can snap pictures. They live in Nevada with three children and a spoiled cat. Drop her a note at joannbrownbooks.com.
For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy fatherâs house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
âEsther 4:14
For John Jakaitis
Thank you for helping us find our way home.
Contents
Paradise Springs
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Esther Stoltzfus balanced the softball bat on her shoulder. Keeping her eye on the boy getting ready to pitch the ball, she smiled. Did her scholars guess that recess, when the October weather was perfect for playing outside, was her favorite part of the day, too? The kinder probably couldnât imagine their teacher liked to play ball as much as they did.
This was her third year teaching on her own. Seeing understanding in a kindâs eyes when the scholar finally grasped an elusive concept delighted her. She loved spending time with the kinder.
Her family had recently begun dropping hints she should be walking out with some young man. Her older brothers didnât know that, until eight months ago, sheâd been walking outâand sneaking out for some forbidden buggy racingâwith Alvin Lee Peachy. Probably because none of them could have imagined their little sister having such an outrageous suitor. Alvin Lee pushed the boundaries of the Ordnung, and there were rumors he intended to jump the fence and join the Englisch world. Would she have gone with him if heâd asked? She didnât know, and she never would because when she began to worry about his racing buggies and fast life, heâd dumped her and started courting Luella Hartz. In one moment, sheâd lost the man she loved and her gut friend.
Sheâd learned her lesson. A life of adventure and daring wasnât for her. From now on, she wasnât going to risk her heart unless she knew, without a doubt, it was safe. She wouldnât consider spending time with a guy who wasnât as serious and stolid as a bishop.
As she gave a practice swing and the kinder urged her on excitedly, she glanced at her assistant teacher, Neva Fry, who was playing first base. Neva, almost two years younger than Esther, was learning what she needed so she could take over a school of her own.
Esther grinned in anticipation of the next play. The ball came in a soft arc, and she swung the bat. Not with all her strength. Some of the outfielders were barely six years old, and she didnât want to chance them getting hurt by a line drive.
