Love Is Only A Letter Away
So what if Joann Yoderâs Amish community deems her a spinster? Sheâs content to stay single. In the meantime, sheâs working hard to finally buy her dream house. So itâs problematic when sheâs fired from her job to make room for the nephewâs owner, Roman Weaver. His blue eyes aside, she simply canât stand him! Good thing she has the secret letters sheâs been exchanging with a mystery man to keep her going. But who is writing her letters? And could she possibly fall for him in real life, too?
âMy buggy is just around the corner. Would you care to share a ride?â Roman asked.
There wasnât a cloud in the sky. He had no reason to offer her a lift today. âIt doesnât look like rain.â
âI thought since we were going the same wayâ¦â His voice trailed off. He cocked an eyebrow and waited.
It was a long walk after a long day, but sheâd rather crawl home on her hands and knees than spend another minute in his company. Thankfully, Joann managed not to blurt out her opinion. âI have errands to run. Iâll see you tomorrow.â
Tomorrow would arrive all too quickly.
âSuit yourself.â Without another word, he walked away and turned the corner.
Had he actually sounded disappointed?
And God blessed them, and God said unto them,
Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
âGenesis 1:28
Chapter One
âThis isnât easy to say, but I have to let you go, Joann. Iâm sure you understand.â
âYouâre firing me?â Joann Yoder faced her boss across the cluttered desk in his office. For once, she wasnât tempted to straighten up for him. And she didnât understand.
âJa. Iâm sorry.â
Otis Miller didnât look the least bit sorry. Certainly not as sorry as she was to be losing a job she really needed. A job she loved. Why was this happening? Why now, when she was so close to realizing her dream?
Sheâd only been at Miller Press for five months, but working as an assistant editor and office manager at the Amish-owned publishing house was everything sheâd ever wanted. How could it end so quickly? If she knew what she had done wrong, she could fix it. âAt least tell me why.â
He sighed heavily, as if disappointed she hadnât accepted her dismissal without question. âYou knew when you came over from the bookstore that this might not be a permanent position.â
Joann had moved from a part-time job at the bookstore next door to help at the printing shop after Otisâs elder brother suffered a heart attack. When he passed away a few weeks later, Joann had assumed she would be able to keep his job. She loved gathering articles for their monthly magazine and weekly newspaper, as well as making sure the office ran smoothly and customers received the best possible attention. She dropped her gaze to her hands clenched tightly in her lap and struggled to hang on to her dignity. Tears pricked the back of her eyelids, but she refused to cry. âYou told me I was doing a good job.â
âYou have been. Better than I expected, but Iâm giving Roman Weaver your position. I donât need to tell you why.â
âNee, you donât.â Like everyone in the Amish community of Hope Springs, Ohio, she was aware of the trouble that had visited the Weaver family. She hated that her compassion struggled so mightily with her desire to support herself. This job was proof that her intelligence mattered. She might be the âbookwormâ her brothers had often called her, but here she had a chance to put her learning to good use. Now it was all being taken away.
She couldnât let it go without a fight. She looked up and blurted, âDoes he really need the job more than I do?â
Otis didnât like conflict. He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his broad chest. âRoman has large medical bills to pay.â
âBut the church held an auction to help raise money for him.â
âHe and his family are grateful for all the help they received, but they are still struggling.â