Chapter 10
The most unexpected thing had happened just when Kyle had thought nothing else could take him by surprise. He’d met Winter Walker. He’d been walking through downtown Walden, trying to think of something to do on his afternoon off, when he’d practically run into her.
He’d been looking in the window of the hardware store, fascinated by the fancy egg-shaped grills that cost a small fortune but seemed to be mighty popular, when he knocked into the beautiful brunette.
Of course he’d immediately apologized. “I’m so sorry. Are you all right?”
“Jah. I mean, I think so.” She stared up at him with a pair of luminescent eyes the color of Lake Erie in the winter. A stormy, pale blue. They were the perfect contrast to her raven-black hair and ethereal temperament. She looked like a perfect angel.
Then her words registered. “You think so?” Had he knocked into her that hard? Before he realized what he was doing, he’d taken her elbow and guided her to a wooden bench that had recently been painted a deep forest green. “Here. Take a moment and get your bearings.”
“Only if you sit with me while I do it.”
He would’ve thought she was flirting if she didn’t look so innocent and fragile. He sat down, of course. “Since I practically ran over you, I should probably tell you my name. I’m Kyle.”
“I’m Winter.”
“That’s a pretty name.” It was most unusual, too. Though, as he gazed at her, he had to admit that the name suited her. Her dark hair, pale skin, and icy-blue eyes did make him think of chilly, snowy mornings in January.
Her eyelashes fluttered. “Do you really think so? Sometimes I wish I had a more traditional, common name.”
“If you had that, then your name wouldn’t suit you as much.
” He meant it, too. She was unusually pretty.
It was on the tip of his tongue to share that he thought she was the opposite of most other women he’d met, but he stopped himself just in time.
She was so sweet, such earnest words would likely scare her away.
Winter blinked, then smiled softly. “Danke.”
“You’re welcome, but I’m only speaking the truth.”
“Are you new here or just visiting?”
“I recently moved here from Kentucky. I live in Hart County, where Mammoth Cave is. Have you heard of that?”
“I have.” Her eyebrows lifted. “That’s so far away.”
“It is, but not as far as other places.” The moment the words left his mouth, he wished he could snatch them back. Could he have uttered anything more inane? Kyle darted a glance her way, but to his relief, nothing showed in her expression but interest.
“This area isn’t completely foreign to me, though. I was born in Millersburg. I lived there until it was time to start school.”
“What brought you here? A job?”
“Jah. I had kept in touch with a guy from here. Long story, but his parents recently bought a farm in the area and needed a helping hand. I offered to move here and help them for a while.”
“That’s so generous of you.”
He’d never thought of it that way, especially since they were paying him a good salary. He shrugged off the comment. “They are good people. I’m glad to help.”
“What is the name of the family?” She blushed. “I mean, if you don’t mind sharing.”
Had he ever met a sweeter woman? He couldn’t remember if he had. “They’re the Millers. Mervin and Ruthie Miller. They recently bought the Burkholders’ old property.”
The faintest of lines appeared in-between her eyebrows. “I haven’t met the Millers yet.”
“They are nice folks. Good people.”
“I hope you are finding our community to be welcoming?”
“To be sure. I met the Lapp family. They live next door.”
“Oh, jah. I suppose you would be living next to the Lapps.”
“Do you know them? Daisy Lapp is just about your age.”
“Jah, I know Daisy. Didn’t she just break her leg or something?”
Winter’s new expression took him slightly off guard. If she wasn’t so sweet and innocent, Kyle would have sworn it was a smirk.
“Jah,” he said. “She hurt herself on a bicycle.”
“Oh, yes.” She nodded. “I remember now. She was riding one of those newfangled electric bikes.”
“You don’t sound as if you are a fan of them.”
“I’m not, but then again, I’m not Daisy.”
Kyle was beginning to suspect that Winter was going out of her way to make him think less of Daisy. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Well, I’m sure you haven’t gotten to know her yet, but she’s something of a tomboy.” She wrinkled her nose. “A little rough around the edges.”
“I didn’t find her to be like that.” Sure, Daisy had a bit of fire and snap to her personality, but he wouldn’t describe her as a tomboy.
She pressed three fingers to his forearm. “Please forgive me if you thought I sounded unkind. There’s nothing wrong with being … different, is there?”
“I never thought so.”
Winter’s expression eased. It was as if she’d been so disturbed that he might have taken what she said as hurtful that it had truly worried her.
Once again Kyle felt drawn to her. She was so shy and good, he realized that he needed to only act proper around her. His mother would be embarrassed if he didn’t give a woman like Winter the respect she deserved. “Winter, I should let you go. That is, if you are feeling better now?”
“Oh yes. I am feeling much better. Thank you so much for sitting with me. I hope I didn’t ruin your day?”
“Not at all.” Taking a chance, he lowered his voice. “Forgive me if this is presumptuous, but do you have a beau?”
“Nee.”
“I’m shocked. I would’ve thought a woman as lovely as you would’ve been snatched up.”
“Oh. Well, I was in a relationship, but we broke up.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Me too, but I suppose it’s best that I found out his true colors before we got engaged.”
That was what had happened to him and Mary. “Something similar happened to me,” he said quietly.
“Then you understand how I’m feeling.” Her bottom lip trembled.
His heart went out to her. Winter had been heartbroken, too. No wonder she was so shy and fragile. “Winter, would you be opposed to me calling on you one evening soon? Or perhaps we could take a walk together?”
“I wouldn’t be opposed at all, but we’ll need to be at my house. My parents like me to be chaperoned.”
He was a bit surprised by that. Usually, most women ceased needing a chaperone by the time they were twenty-one.
But of course, most women were not her. “I would expect nothing less,” he said.
He hoped he sounded reassuring and not corny.
If his sister, Sarah, could hear him, she’d be giggling up a storm.
“I hope to see you again soon. Maybe even on Wednesday night?”
“Jah. Sure,” he replied, a bit taken aback by her setting the date. But it was obvious that she didn’t have a lot of experience with men. “Wednesday is fine.”
She exhaled.
It was adorable. Just like she’d been holding her breath on the off chance that he would tell her that Wednesday night wasn’t acceptable for him.
He stood up. “I’ll look forward to calling on you soon, Winter.”
Instead of rising as well, she held out her hand. Obviously she needed help getting to her feet. As he carefully gripped her slim, pale hand, he noticed that the faint scent of rose shimmered around her and her palm was smooth and soft.
It was as if it had never done a day’s hard work. Which was ridiculous, since she was Amish. He didn’t know of any Amish man or woman who hadn’t been taught the value of a full day’s work from the time they could walk.
“Danke,” she whispered.
He tipped the brim of his hat. “I wish you a good day.”
“Ah, Kyle?”
“Yes?”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“You didn’t ask me my last name or my address.”
She was right. It was a wonder that she still was giving him the time of day. First, he’d run into her and now he hadn’t even taken the time to ask her for the most basic of information. “Forgive me, I assumed that everyone around here would know you.”
She blushed again. Her chin lifted slightly. “I imagine they might. I mean, because I’ve lived here for so long. But if you are still interested, my last name is Walker, and we live on Cherry Hollow Lane.”
“Winter Walker, of Cherry Hollow Lane. I won’t forget that.”
She smiled at him, then. A perfectly lovely smile. So much so, that he gaped at her for a split second. Startled by her beauty.
Then she turned away and headed down the street. Walking much more quickly than he’d anticipated.
Not wanting her to catch him staring at her retreating form, he walked into the hardware store to take another look at the green egg grill.
“May I help you, young man?” the owner asked.
“Nee. I’m just looking.”
“If you change your mind, please let me know.”
“I will, danke.”
As he stared at the grills, he realized that he could’ve been staring at a wasp nest and it wouldn’t matter. All he could seem to think about was Winter Walker.
And how very different she was from any woman he’d ever met.
Especially Daisy Lapp.