Winter of Wishes Read Free Page A

he’d seen cooking and waiting on tables, and
     he’d noticed how a lot of local folks ate here—which, in small towns like Willow Ridge,
     meant the food was excellent and the prices were right.
    Rhoda Lantz had sounded like a delightful young woman over the phone, bubbly and cheerful.
     That was exactly the sort of caretaker his mom and kids needed. Oh, don’t lie to yourself , he thought as he climbed out of the car. You’re tired of having to be the cook and the maid and the dad and the mom and —
    Andy paused at the door, reminding himself that if he carried his frustrations inside,
     he’d frighten Rhoda away. As he stepped into the Sweet Seasons, heavenly aromas of
     roasted turkey and stuffing still lingered after the lunch shift. Inhaling deeply,
     he gazed around at the sturdy tables and chairs . . . the homey calico curtains at
     the glistening windows. Two mature women and a young girl back in the kitchen chattered
     happily, wearing aprons over their dresses of deep green and blue, with their hair
     tucked up under their head coverings. Another young woman turned from the glass bakery
     case near the cash register, where she was taking out pies.
    “ Jah , and how can we help ya today?” she asked as she approached him. “Did ya come for
     a bite of lunch? Or would ya just happen to be the Mr. Leitner I jabbered at this
     morning?”
    Andy couldn’t help himself: for the first time in weeks he was smiling from the top
     of his head to the tips of his toes, listening to this young woman’s lilting German
     accent. He held out his hand, gazing at her face . . . so fresh and open. Even without
     makeup she was remarkably attractive. “And would you be Rhoda? It’s wonderful to meet
     you.”
    “ Jah , jah , that’s me.” She glanced at the women in the kitchen and lowered her voice as she
     steered him toward a back table. “But I’ll tell ya straight out that I haven’t had
     the chance to mention this interview to Mamma,” she confessed with a nervous laugh.
     “So if she comes back to check on us, she’ll be in for a big surprise.”
    Andy pulled out a chair for her and sat down across the table. He wanted to hire her
     on first sight—could already see she was exactly the sort of caretaker he’d had in
     mind—but he didn’t want to get crossways between mother and daughter, either. “Is
     it permissible for a Plain girl to work for me? To watch my kids and—”
    “ Jah , that’s not a problem! It’s just that, well—” Rhoda again glanced toward the kitchen,
     her cheeks turning pink. “When I saw your note in Zook’s Market, it was like the sign
     I’d been waitin’ for, that I was to move along into something new for myself. What
     with my twin sister gettin’ hitched, and my mamm marryin’ the new farrier come New Year’s, and Naomi’s girl comin’ to work here, and
     all the fellas either treatin’ me like I’m invisible, or—well, never mind about that
     part! I’m jabberin’ at ya again.”
    Andy studied her face, sensing her hesitation. He didn’t know any Amish folks as friends,
     but he respected their faith and didn’t want to get her in trouble with her church
     leaders. “Rhoda, if you have reservations about working in a non-Amish home—”
    “No, no—that part’s fine and dandy,” she blurted with an apologetic smile. “It’s just
     that I’ve not done any caretakin’ before, and—well, here comes my mamm , so the cat’s gonna get let out of the bag.”
    Andy watched the woman who was approaching from the kitchen, drying her hands on a
     towel. She had energy about her, a liveliness he enjoyed before she even opened her
     mouth. He stood up, smiling because he couldn’t help it: this was the coziest, friendliest
     place he’d been in a long while.
    “And what can we feed ya?” she said, her gaze flowing from his face to her daughter’s.
     “We’re closed for the day, but we’ve got—”
    “Oh no, Mrs. Lantz, it’s not lunch