Chapter 19
E LLIE
My cheeks are on fire. I throw my hands up and cover my face, although I’m not sure my brother even sees me in his dark buggy.
“Come on, Ellie. I told Henry you’d probably say yes.” Elijah goads as we inch closer to the Yutzys’ where we’ll be having the singing tonight.
I know I should be ready for this, but I’m not. I’ve rejected Henry’s offer so many times, agreeing now just seems wrong.
“You’ve already kissed him, for crying out loud!” He shakes his head. “You women make no sense.”
It makes perfect sense to me. It’s not my fault my bruder is too dumm to understand. “But what about Simon?”
“You don’t give a fig about Simon, Ellie!”
I cross my arms and sit up all proper-like. Not that Eli sees me this time, either. Where is the moon tonight, anyhow? “And how do you know?”
“Have you kissed him like you’ve kissed Henry?”
I gasp. Kiss Simon? Yuck. “Of course, not!”
“I rest my case,” Eli says as we finally pull into the Yutzys’ lane and drive toward the barn. “I’ll tell Henry you said yes.”
Eli jumps down from his side of the buggy, leaving me speechless. With dry heaves. Or night sweats. Okay, I’m not really sweating or vomiting, but my stomach is doing somersaults.
Because up until now, I’ve only been having fun. Casually riding with bu , knowing that nothing would come of it. That’s why I was going to ride with Simon. He was safe. Boring, even. My heart was safe.
But tonight? With Henry? It feels anything but safe. Or boring.
My hands tremble as Henry makes his way toward me. I still can’t believe this is happening.
His fingers rest on my dress sleeve, leaving a zing of warmth on my skin. “Ready to go, Ellie?” Has his voice always rumbled low and tempting like that?
I. Am. In. So . Much. Trouble.
I nod and try to say yes, but it sounds more like a peep.
“I’ll bring my buggy around.” He grins. “Meet me by the back door?”
At the mention of his buggy, I finally find my bearings. “Your buggy? Not Simon’s tonight?” I tease.
Henry laughs now. “That ol’ thing? No way. Nothing but the best for you.” He winks, then saunters off before I have a chance to reply.
My heartbeat quickens as I make my way toward the back door.
Eli stops me with a hand on my arm. My eyes meet my brother’s. “What is it?”
“Ellie.” He gives me a look. “Behave yourself.”
“Me?” I squeak.
“Yes, you . No shotgun weddings, okay?”
We’ve watched enough old westerns in secret at Jude’s house for me to understand what he means. But I gasp when I realize his implication, then give him a shove.
As I walk out the door, I hear his chuckle echoing behind me, and I shake my head.
As soon as I step outside, Henry’s eye catches mine and he hops down and offers his arm. I take it and we round the buggy. “What’s that look all about?”
“ Ach , just my bruder being a dummkopp .” I would never reiterate Eli’s words in front of Henry. I would die of embarrassment on the spot.
“I see.”
Oh, but I’m glad he can’t see in this instance.
“I have a surprise planned.” He covers me with a lap robe, and I can see the gleam of his grin even in the dark. “Mind if we stop by my place before I take you home?”
Henry’s house? Just the two of us? I gulp. “Is Ivy or your mamm there?” I hear the nervousness in my voice.
The buggy dips as he enters on the other side, and I’m super aware of his presence as his thigh slides next to mine. He smells really good tonight. “ Nee , it’ll just be us. But we won’t be going inside the house. Unless you, um, need to.”
“I don’t,” I blurt out.
“The surprise is in the barn.” He nods, and I wonder if there is a new litter of kittens I haven’t seen. I’ve always loved kittens.
“Okay.” At the thought of kittens, I allow myself to relax awhile. But it proves difficult with our bodies so close.
“You warm enough?” Henry holds the reins steady as we travel toward the Yoders’ property.
“ Jah .” Am I warm enough? I want to laugh. Just being close to Henry makes me feel like I’m on fire. I wonder if his seat is this narrow on purpose as his arm—and everything else on his left side—is constantly brushing against me. I get the ferhoodled notion to wrap my hand around his bicep, but I force myself to ignore the urge.
Goodness, what is wrong with me? I remind myself that this is Henry Yoder. The boy I’ve loathed for almost a decade.
Henry is quiet and I wonder what he’s thinking, but I refrain from asking.
“For the life of me, I can’t think of anything to say.” He chuckles.
“ Jah . Me neither.”
He reaches over and squeezes my hand. “I’m still having a hard time believing you finally said yes to riding with me.”
“ Jah . Me too.”
His arm nudges mine. “You’re very agreeable tonight.”
I nod, confirming his words.
He chuckles. “Well, then, I hope you’ll be agreeable to other things too.”
“Other. Things ?” My voice squeaks, and Elijah’s words about a shotgun wedding pop into my mind.
“Like agreeing to court me.” He studies me now, hope showing in his eyes.
“I thought that’s what we were doing.”
“I mean for real, Ellie. Not just tonight.” His voice holds so much conviction I want to say yes on the spot. But I can’t. This is Henry Yoder, after all.
“I’m…I…” and I’m at a loss for words.
“Can we just see how tonight goes? We can take it a day at a time, if you’d like.” He inhales deeply. “But make no mistake about it, Ellie Petersheim. I aim to make you fall in love with me.”
At his words, my gaze flies upward and tangles with his. For sure and certain I cannot fall in love with Henry Yoder.
Ever-so-gently, he takes my hand in his and brings it to his warm lips.
I gulp. I was right.
I. Am. In. So . Much. Trouble.