Reckless Heart (Kauffman Amish Bakery 5.5) Read Free Page A

might fall out of her little head. “You don’t have television?”
    “No,” Lydia said. “I don’t.”
    “But how come—” the little girl began.
    “Michaela,” Tristan interrupted with a stern tone. “You know what Mom and Dad have told you about asking too many questions. It’s very rude to put Lydia on the spot like that. You need to stop.”
    “Okay. Fine.” Michaela sighed. “I’m sorry for being rude.”
    “You’re not rude,” Lydia said. “You’re just curious. I’m certain you’ve never met an Amish person before.”
    Michaela shook her head. “We didn’t have them in New Jersey. Everyone there had a TV and went to a big school and they all wear jeans.” She glanced toward the house. “I’m going to go see if Mom needs help. See you later.” Michaela trotted up the driveway.
    “Sorry about that,” Tristan said with a smile. “She’s a little overwhelming.”
    “She reminds me of my younger sisters,” Lydia said. “I love listening to children talk. They say the funniest things sometimes.”
    “They do say funny things, and sometimes it’s at the worst opportunity,” he agreed. “How many brothers and sisters do you have?”
    “Three, and they’re all younger,” she said while adjusting her bag on her shoulder. “A brother and two sisters.”
    “That’s a big family,” Tristan said. “I only have Michaela to deal with.” He hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his shorts. “So you teach? Are you old enough to be a teacher?”
    “
Ya
,” Lydia said. “We graduate from our schools when we’re fourteen. For the last two years I’ve worked as an assistant teacher. How old are you?”
    “Seventeen,” he said. “I’ll be a senior this year.”
    “Do you like school?”
    He shrugged. “I do. My dad’s a college professor.”
    “A college professor,” Lydia said. “That sounds really interesting.” She couldn’t help but wonder what Tristan’s life was like. It was so different than living on a farm and never moving from the house in which she was born. “Was it hard to move away?” she asked. “I always wondered what it would be like to have to pack up everything you own and start over somewhere new.”
    Tristan folded his arms over his blue T-shirt and looked at her with a thoughtful expression on his face. “Moving is never easy. I really didn’t want to leave my friends before senior year.” He frowned a little. “And I had to leave my girlfriend behind. That was really difficult. We’re going to try surviving a long-distance relationship. I won’t see her until later this summer, but we talk almost every day.”
    “What’s her name?” Lydia asked, trying to imagine what his girlfriend would look like.
    “Lexi,” he said.
    “Lexi?” Lydia said. “That’s an unusual name.”
    “I guess it is,” he agreed. “It’s short for Alexis.”
    “Alexis,” Lydia repeated. “I like that name. How long have you known her?”
    He grinned. “I’d say nearly all my life. We grew up near each other and went to the same schools.”
    Lydia couldn’t stop her smile.
Like Josh and me
. “So you must have a lot in common.”
    “We do,” he said. “We’ve gone through just about everything together. She knows me better than anyone else.”
    “Tristan!” another masculine voice hollered. “Come help carry boxes!”
    “I better go,” Tristan said. “It was nice meeting you. Stop by to visit sometime.”
    “I will,” Lydia said. “Nice meeting you too.”
    While Tristan followed Michaela up the driveway toward the house, Lydia continued her trek home. Despite her continuing headache, she smiled while contemplating Michaela’s funny conversation. The little girl was a very sweet and precocious child. She would certainly liven up a classroom. And she’d enjoyed talking to Tristan too. It seemed like they might have some things in common.
    Turning to her left, she looked toward the big white farmhouse where Barbie’s aunt Deborah lived. She