Chapter 27
— chapter twenty-seven
Ever since Trip, Mary, and their kinner visited, Evan had thought about his conversation with his son.
Trip had been right. Rose would’ve had something to say about him choosing to live alone instead of finding love again with Leanna.
She’d never wanted him to live the rest of his days pining for her. He’d promised her he wouldn’t.
He was also unable to forget just how good it felt to hold little Addie. And while it was very true that there was so much more to parenthood than holding a newborn, it was also true that he wouldn’t want to trade those moments for anything. They were precious and fleeting.
It had been wrong of him to act as if Leanna shouldn’t want to experience the same things.
As the days passed and he saw less and less of Jeremy—his son had gotten extra hours at Henderson’s and was spending any free time he had with Becca—Evan had a lot of time to think about babies and Leanna and parenthood.
He seemed to have nothing but time on his hands.
They’d had some production problems at work, and his boss cut his time down to just sixteen hours a week.
Working such a small amount wasn’t a blessing.
He now had far too much time to wander around the house, weed flower beds that didn’t need weeding, and sweep floors that were already clean.
When he’d found himself walking into Russell’s old room and sitting on his bed, Evan knew that something had to be done.
By Friday night, he’d had enough. He’d prayed. He’d cleaned. He’d remembered. And admitted to himself that he was falling in love with Leanna. He missed her.
He missed her enough to realize that he wasn’t going to be okay if she wasn’t happy. And if her happiness meant that maybe one day she’d like to get married and have a baby, then he was going to want that too. Because he loved her.
Yes. That was how it was. He’d fallen in love again. For a reason only He knew, the Lord had given him another chance at happiness. It wouldn’t be right to throw it all away.
“You’ve been a stubborn fool,” he told himself as he put on a fresh shirt and combed his hair. “It’s going to be a miracle if Leanna gives you the time of day, let alone allows you to call on her.”
But Evan knew he had to try.
With that, he picked up his bag of dog treats and toys for Bumble and headed down the street to Leanna’s. As always, the thirty-minute walk gave him time to practice pretty apologies.
But he forgot everything he’d been going to say when he spied Edmund Yoder’s horse and buggy in Leanna’s driveway. Slowing his steps, he tried to come up with a reason for the man’s rig to be there.
But since it was six thirty on a Friday night, only one explanation made sense. It was obvious.
Edmund was calling on her.
When he decided that there was no future for the two of them, Leanna had allowed another man into her life.
Edmund was a good person. He was quiet and hardworking. Faithful. He was the type of man who not only would give up a Saturday in order to help a family put up a barn, but he’d be one of the first to arrive and last to leave. He was well-liked too.
He would treat Leanna with kindness.
But Evan didn’t think Edmund could make her as happy as he could.
As he continued to stand there, staring at Edmund’s rig and debating whether he should interrupt her evening or go home and return the next night, her front door opened.
Turning, he watched Edmund say something to Leanna as he stepped onto the front porch. He listened to her chuckle in response and bit back yet another wave of regret.
Maybe he was wrong about Edmund too. Maybe he could make Leanna happy. Maybe Edmund and Leanna were a good match.
Maybe he was too late.
“Evan?” Leanna called out. “What are you doing here?”
He held up the gift bag in his hand. “I brought Bumble some things.”
Edmund’s eyebrows rose under the brim of his straw hat. “It’s kind of late to be dropping stuff off for a dog, don’t ya think?” he asked.
“It is late, but hopefully not by too much,” he replied. Raising his voice, he turned to Leanna. “Would you mind if I visited you and Bumble for a few moments? I promise I won’t stay too long.”
“I wouldn’t mind.”
He felt a burst of triumph before reminding himself that she’d said she wouldn’t mind. Not that she was happy to see him.
“Leanna, is that what you want?” Edmund asked. “I can stay a bit longer if you’d like.”
“There is no reason for you to stay. She is safe with me, Edmund.” Sure, he sounded a bit irritated, but that was because he was.
“That’s mighty kind of you, Edmund, but I’ll be fine. Evan and I are almost neighbors. We’ve known each other a long while.”
“I understand.” After shooting Evan a long, appraising look, he nodded. “I’ll be on my way now.” With a tip of his hat, he freed his horse’s lines, climbed into the buggy, and then finally headed down her driveway.
“Has he been visiting you often?” Evan asked as he strode toward the front porch.
“He’s been over a few times.”
“Do you like him? Are you taking his attentions seriously?”
Surprise lit her eyes before she seemed to tamp down her emotions. “I don’t believe that is any business of yours.”
He walked closer. “Listen, I’ve been doing some thinking, and I think I made a mistake.” When she remained silent, he added, “I’m talking about a . . . uh, baby.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
Sure she did. But he supposed he deserved that. He walked up the steps and stopped just two feet from her. “I decided that I’m not too old to have another child. If, you know, that is what the Lord intends.”
“Is that right?”
She didn’t look all that excited about his revelation. Feeling a little more cautious, Evan nodded. “Jah. You see, Trip and Mary came over the other day. While they were there, he talked some sense into me. Trip is my most levelheaded boy.”
“So that’s why you decided to come over again? Because your levelheaded son Trip gave you a talking-to?”
“Well, yes. I mean, I had some things for Bumble too.”
“Mm-hmm.”
He was starting to become even more uneasy. “Just to let you know, I didn’t need all that much convincing. Trip made a lot of sense. Plus, little Addison is adorable.”
“She truly is. She’s precious.” Leanna sounded slightly happier.
Relieved, he added, “Now, where is Bumble? I bet he’s gotten bigger since I saw him last.”
“He is in the house. He looks the same.”
She was not going to invite him in. “Leanna, can you not forgive me for being hardheaded and stupid?”
“Of course I forgive you. But if you are asking if I want you to come courting again . . . nee. No, I do not.”
He’d handled this all wrong. He’d said silly things and made everything about him. “Listen, I’m sorry about everything. I miss you. I . . . I care about you.”
Her expression fell before she gathered herself together again. “It’s time you went on your way.”
Setting the gift bag down, he called himself ten kinds of a fool. He’d really hurt her, and telling her that his son was the reason he’d come over again had been a misstep. “I’ll leave, but I’m not going to give up.”
“Goodbye, Evan.”
“Nee. Good night. Not goodbye,” he said as he turned and walked back down the steps. He felt her gaze on his back as he walked down the driveway.
He regretted so many things.
And then he began planning what to do next to win her over. He needed to be thoughtful about it too. He was going to need to visit more often, open his heart more, maybe even get his boys involved.
Somehow or someway, he was going to succeed. He belonged with her. Not Edmund.
Just imagining Leanna by Edmund’s side, maybe even holding his baby, made his heart ache.
There was no way he was going to be able to handle that. It could not happen.