An Unexpected Amish Courtship

Book 2: Surprised by Love

by Rachel J. Good

Genres: Amish & Mennonite; Christian Romance

Synopsis

The luscious scent of fresh-picked peaches and summer apples . . . the warming promise of grilled corn, sweet and savory baked goods . . . and love. In Rachel J. Good's uplifting Amish romance series, blessed hearts come together in a bustling Pennsylvania community and farmer's market . . .
 
Jilted by her first love, Sovilla Mast fled her hometown to live in Pennsylvania with an aunt she's never met. Only after she arrives does she realize that the cantankerous woman has left the faith and alienated everyone around her. To take her mind off her sadness, Sovilla turns to baking homemade pet food and treats to sell at the Valley Green Farmer's Market. It's there she meets dog breeder Isaac Lantz . . .
 
Shy and kind-hearted, Isaac breeds Labrador retrievers and works as a puppy raiser for assistance dogs. When he and Sovilla bond at the market, he is immediately drawn to her. And when he tells her he needs a new puppy raiser, Sovilla jumps at the chance. But as their friendship deepens, Isaac can't help but notice that Sovilla keeps herself at a safe distance. Gaining a puppy's trust and affection has been easy for Isaac, yet he has no idea how to win the heart of the woman he's fallen in love with—until Sovilla needs advice in dealing with her aunt. Soon, Isaac is putting his lessons from man's best friend, and his faith, to work for the good of all involved . . .
 

Release date: July 27, 2021

Publisher: Zebra Books

Print pages: 296

Sample

When a knock sounded on the front door, Sovilla Mast sloshed the mop back into the pail and hurried to answer. The mop handle clattered to the floor behind her, splashing dirty water onto the wall, the floor, and the back of her dress. Sovilla didn’t care. She’d clean everything up later.

Perhaps Henry had been able to sneak away from work during his break after all. She flung open the door, her lips curved into a joyous welcome.

“O-Onkel Lloyd?” Her smile faltered along with her words.

“You look unhappy to see me.”

“Neh, neh.” Not unhappy. Scared. Petrified. His visit signaled trouble.

“Aren’t you going to let me in?” Nastiness oozed into his tone.

Sovilla loosened her white-knuckled grip on the door handle and stepped back. “S-sorry. Come in.” Ignoring her roiling stomach, she pasted on a lopsided smile she hoped he’d mistake for friendliness. “You must be tired after your trip. Would you like something to eat?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. A two-hour trip is not tiring, but it is almost mealtime.” He followed her down the hall to the kitchen.

Too late, Sovilla realized her mistake. Onkel had always chided her for untidiness.

He stopped short in the doorway. “What’s this mess? At your age, you should do a better job with chores.”

She withered under his critical stare. “I, um, had a little accident.”

“So, you’re still clumsy?” His expression reduced her to a pesky ant he’d be happy to crush under his boot.

Memories unspooled before her. All the times he’d scolded her as child for other accidents. Upsetting her glass of milk. Scorching the scrambled eggs. Shattering a plate. The list went on and on. For each infraction, he’d flayed her with his tongue.

Back then, whenever he’d thundered at her, she’d cowered. Now, at nineteen, she should be more courageous. But his contemptuous glance proved he could still make her shy and nervous.

To hide her edginess, she headed to the pantry. “Would you like spaghetti soup?”

He lowered himself into the chair at the head of the table. She assumed his grunt meant jah.

She bustled around, her muscles tense as she tried not to clank pots, bang the glass jar, or slop the sauce. Sovilla kept the flame low and stirred constantly as she heated the soup. She’d take care not to burn or spill the soup. She had no desire to hear more criticism.

For a brief moment, as they bowed their heads to pray, Sovilla exhaled a silent sigh at the temporary respite from her onkel’s glowers.

Lord, please help me to be kind and gracious.

She resisted the temptation to add, Help me to survive until Mamm gets home.

After they finished their meal, she washed the dishes and mopped under Lloyd’s watchful gaze. Knowing he planned to pounce on any errors, she worked slowly and cautiously.

Her onkel blew out an exasperated breath. “If you moved faster, you wouldn’t leave chores undone until afternoon.”

Her back to him, Sovilla squeezed her eyes shut. No matter what she did, he’d find fault. And if she tried to explain, he’d reprimand her for back-talking. She bowed her head and swished the mop across the floor in rapid jerks.

“You missed a spot.” Lloyd pointed to a place she hadn’t yet reached.

Stretching her arms, she swiped the spot he’d indicated. If only Mamm would get home.

The battery-powered clock seemed to tick off the minutes in slow motion. Once she finished her chores, they sat in the living room. Positioning himself directly opposite her, Lloyd probed for information that Sovilla parried with neutral answers, attempting to give as little information as possible. Years ago, she’d adopted that defense to keep her privacy.

When he’d exhausted his questions, they sat in awkward silence. The click of the door broke the tension. Mamm had arrived. Sovilla wished she could warn her mother, give her a chance to compose herself.

“Whew. We had such a busy day. I’m—” Mamm stepped into the living room and froze, her face ashen. “Lloyd? What are you doing here?”

He rose. “Is that any way to greet your brother?”

“I—I just meant we weren’t expecting you.” Mamm added a halfhearted greeting, then asked, “What brings you here?”

“You don’t sound pleased to see me.” The gloating expression on his face made it clear he enjoyed rattling her.

Without responding, Mamm sank into the closest chair as if sensing a disaster.

“I’m sure you know times are hard. Many businesses are closing.” He steepled his fingers and pinned Mamm with a searching stare. “That means I can’t afford to keep two households.”

Mamm flinched and shut her eyes as if to ward off a threat.

“This house must be sold.” Lloyd’s words fell like a hammer blow.

“Mark gave it to me. Sovilla and I have been making payments.” Mamm straightened her back and smoothed her apron over her black dress, which she still wore even though Daed had passed more than a year ago.

“But I’ve been taking care of the maintenance and taxes. Can you afford to take that on?”

Pain evident in her answer, Mamm said, “Neh.”

“Neither can I.” Lloyd leaned forward. “I can stop paying, and after a while, the government will sell the house for back taxes. Or we can sell it now for a profit.”

Mamm looked close to tears. “Mark and I moved in here when we married. We raised our children here. You can’t—” Her voice shook. “Where would we live?”

“You’ll move to Middlefield. My boys will move into one bedroom. You and your three girls can share the other bedroom.”

“Leave Sugarcreek?” Before she could stop them, the words burst from Sovilla’s lips. He couldn’t be serious.

But Mamm’s bowed head made it clear they had no choice.

Sovilla waited until Lloyd had gone to explode. “We can’t move. I’ll get another job.”

“Neh, dochder.” Mamm spoke heavily, as if she’d borne the burdens of twenty years in one afternoon. “If Lloyd needs the money for his business, we can’t be selfish.”

“But—”

Mamm held up a hand to stop Sovilla’s protest. “I’m going to lie down for a while and pray. Can you feed your sisters their supper?”

“You’re not going to eat?”

“Not tonight. I have no appetite. Please don’t say anything to the girls until I have our plans worked out.”

Sovilla’s heart plunged. Mamm looked so despondent.

The back door banged open, and her sisters’ chatter washed over Sovilla, flowing around her like waves of sound with no meaning. By rote, she settled the girls at the table with a snack, but her thoughts had carried her far away, back to the summers and holidays they’d spent at her onkel’s farm.

Once, she’d caught her three cousins in the barn smoking. Older and taller, they’d ringed her in, threatening her until she agreed not to tattle.

Sovilla had shuffled back to the house, her head bowed, uncertain whether she’d keep her promise. If a careless spark ignited the straw, the whole barn would go up in flames. An inferno that burned in her nightmares.

Later that night, when she whimpered in the dark, Mamm and Daed rushed in to comfort her and keep her quiet. But they couldn’t ease her conscience. What if keeping her cousins’ secret destroyed property or killed animals?

Each time she started to confess, a picture of her cousins’ angry faces frightened her into silence. Even now, she sometimes startled awake, trembling in terror as fire spread uncontrolled in her dreams.

Seven-year-old Martha Mae tugged at Sovilla’s apron. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing for you to worry about.” At least not yet. Sovilla forced herself back to the kitchen, back to normality.

But life would never be normal again. Not if they moved to Middlefield.

A month later, Sovilla’s footsteps echoed through the empty rooms. The house had sold quickly to another Amish family, and Lloyd had arranged for the sale of all their furniture at an auction. Mamm had remained stoic throughout, but as the auctioneers carted out the last of their possessions, tears trickled down her cheeks.

Sovilla wrapped an arm around Mamm’s bowed shoulders. “I’m so sorry. I wish Lloyd had let you keep some of the furniture.”

“Ach, dochder, I’m not crying over that. Furniture can be replaced. You’re why my heart aches.”

“Me?” Mamm made no sense.

“I’ve seen the way your cousins bully you. Now that you’re nineteen, well, I worry—” She pinched her lips shut.

“I’ll be all right.” Sovilla’s shaky response wouldn’t lessen Mamm’s fears.

“Neh. I don’t trust them. I’ve made arrangements to send you to live with Wilma. She’s been putting off her hip surgery, so I promised you’d take care of her and the house.”

Wilma? Mamm wanted her to live with some stranger? “Who’s Wilma?”

“My sister.”

Sovilla stood there, stunned. “You have a sister named Wilma? Why haven’t we ever met her?”

“It’s a long story. She ran away during rumspringa. I never knew why. I’ll let her tell you, if she’s willing. But whatever you do, don’t pry.” Mamm opened her purse and held out an envelope.

“What’s this?”

“Your tickets. Ardys at the quilt shop helped me print them.”

“Ach, Mamm, no! Don’t send me away. I’ll do whatever you want, but not that.”

Mamm’s eyes overflowed with tears. “You have to do this, dochder. This move is hard enough. Please don’t add to my burdens.”

How could Sovilla fight that? With every ounce of love in her heart, she managed to say, “I’ll do it for you, Mamm.”

She’d go for now, but as soon as Wilma recovered, Sovilla intended to find a way back to her family.

In a tear-choked voice, she asked the question, but dreaded the answer. “When do I have to leave?”

“In about ten minutes.”

“Ten minutes?” Sovilla practically screeched.

“Irene will be here to pick you up and take you to the station in New Philadelphia. The bus will take you to Harrisburg. Then you’ll catch the train to Lancaster. Wilma will meet you.”

Lancaster? Sovilla had never been farther from Sugarcreek than Middlefield. Those two-hour trips had been long and infrequent. To go all the way from Ohio to Pennsylvania? So far away she might never see her family again?

Sovilla blinked back tears. She didn’t even have time to say goodbye.

Mamm hugged her tight. “I didn’t want to tell you earlier and spoil our last few days together. I also want you out of here before Lloyd arrives in an hour. I’ll not have him changing my plans.”

“What about Henry?” They’d been courting for almost a year now, and Sovilla had been hoping he’d soon propose.

“You have a few minutes to write him a note. I’ll run over and give it to his mamm before Lloyd gets here. I’ll also give him Wilma’s phone number. Maybe he can call you from work.”

Sovilla didn’t want to spend her last few minutes with Mamm and her sisters scribbling a letter, but what choice did she have? How would she ever explain to Henry why she’d left so suddenly? And even worse, that she might never be back? If she returned to Ohio, she’d have to head to Middlefield, not Sugarcreek.

Unless Henry offered to marry her.

The scent of barbecuing chicken wafted through the air as Isaac Lantz stood in front of the baked goods counter at the Green Valley Farmers Market. He inhaled the aroma and almost tasted the crisp, crackling skin, the juicy meat. His stomach growled in anticipation, but he hadn’t had breakfast yet.

He and his brothers had gotten here early with their lambs and chickens for the auction. Once they’d gotten set up, he’d sneaked off to get one of Fern’s delicious cinnamon buns before her bakery sold out.

Isaac held Snickers’s leash and waved away people who wanted to pet his puppy. Market regulars knew better than to touch his dogs, but strangers gave him nasty looks or huffed and turned away.

He sighed. If only he could explain. But it was too hard to keep struggling to repeat the same information over and over. That wasn’t the worst part. He hated when people stared at him, their eyes filled with pity. Or, worse yet, got angry or impatient.

Keeping a close eye on Snickers, Isaac edged up to the counter when it was his turn. He didn’t bother glancing up. Fern would bag up a cinnamon bun and hand it to him, saving Isaac from speaking.

“May I help you?” A woman’s soft, sweet voice made him look up.

He blinked several times to clear his eyes. But this definitely wasn’t Fern. Instead, a green-eyed brunette with a starched white kapp jutting straight out from the back of her head stared at him, a question shining in her eyes.

Tongue-tied, he could only gaze at this beautiful angel.

She repeated her question. “May I help you?”

Perhaps being unable to utter a word was a blessing. But she was waiting for an answer. He tapped on the glass, pointing to the two remaining cinnamon rolls.

“You want a cinnamon bun?”

His chest tight, he nodded. He longed to ask her name, to find out where she’d come from, to get to know her. But he kept his mouth closed, handed her his money, and accepted his change.

As he turned to go, she leaned over the counter. “Cute dog.” Her gentle smile twisted his insides.

Isaac nodded his thanks, which must have appeared curt because hurt flared in her eyes. He longed to answer, but he wouldn’t take that chance. He’d rather she thought him rude than face her pity.

He waved before he left, and his spirits rose when her expression softened into a smile.

Hurrying back to the auction, he pulled his brother aside and plied him with questions. Who was the new girl at Hartzler’s barbecue stand? Did he know her name? When did she arrive? From where?

Judging by her kapp, she hailed from the Midwest. But Isaac wanted to know all the details.

Andrew laughed and shrugged. “Looks like someone’s interested in a girl,” he said to his brother Zeke, who was walking past.

“Isaac?” Zeke laughed. “Really?”

Isaac wished he could stop the heat rising up his neck and splashing onto his cheeks. I just asked a few simple questions, Andrew. You didn’t have to turn it into such a big deal.

Andrew clapped him on the shoulder. “Sorry, Isaac. I didn’t mean to tease. Tell you what. I’ll go over to the stand during our next break and see what I can find out. I’m curious about this girl myself.”

Torn between wanting information and worrying the angel would prefer his brother, Isaac set his jaw and nodded. The girl wouldn’t be interested in him anyway, not when she realized the truth.

If Sovilla hadn’t been committed to Henry, she might have been interested in the strange young man who’d stopped at the stand. His blond hair and handsome features arrested her attention. But he’d been downright rude. Maybe girls fawned all over him, so he treated them with disdain.

He didn’t even bother answering her questions. He just pointed at what he wanted and never thanked her for giving it to him. Yet something in his eyes called to her. A glint of loneliness.

She had no right to judge others.

The man who worked at the candy stand next to her laughed. “Wow, that kid has the hots for you.”

Since they’d come in that morning, the man, who’d introduced himself as Nick, had made crude remarks as if he wanted to get a rise out of her. Although they bothered her, Sovilla ignored them. If she could stay calm through Onkel Lloyd’s temper fits, she could handle Nick’s comments. She hoped that if he didn’t get a reaction from her, he’d soon stop.

“I noticed you eyeing him too. Oh-ho, we might just have another farmers market romance here.”

Sovilla had no idea what other romance he was referring to, but she didn’t want Nick to get the wrong impression. Keeping her tone polite and kind took some effort, but she managed to say, “I have a boyfriend in Ohio.”

She hadn’t heard from Henry yet, which had raised some doubts. What if he didn’t want a long-distance relationship? What if he found someone else closer to home?

“Sorry. I’m just teasing.”

Nick’s apology startled her.

Sovilla handed her customer a bakery bag and some change, then she turned to face Nick. “That’s all right. You didn’t know.”

He shook his head. “What’s with all you Amish girls? You’re so sickeningly sweet.”

Sovilla could introduce him to a few sharp-tongued Amish girls or women who’d change his mind. “Not all of us are.”

“Just my luck to get stuck with the ones who are, especially when I’m itching for a fight.”

“Why?”

Her question had caught him off guard. He sputtered. “Well, because—because . . .”

“Because what, Nick?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Pent-up anger and irritation, I guess. My son gets on my nerves. My wife, well, we had an argument this morning, and she got in the last word before she slammed the door.”

Sovilla hid a smile. Nick seemed like the type who liked to dominate. Sort of like her onkel. It frustrated them if they didn’t win an argument. Lloyd kept going until he did. Was Nick the same way?

She kept her tone gentle. “Maybe it’s nice for your wife to get the last word in.”

“Ya think? Now you sound like her.” He peered at her suspiciously. “You been collaborating with her?”

“I’ve never met her.” Then she added almost under her breath, “But I know what it’s like to never win an argument.”

Was that sympathy in Nick’s eyes? Sovilla didn’t have time to find out. She waited on another customer.

During their next lull, Nick sidled over. “Hey, I can understand you not wanting to get tromped on. That’s what my wife says I do to her ideas. I imagine it’s even worse with old battle-ax Wilma. People around here call her Pickle Lady.”

Sovilla winced. She’d sensed a deep sadness under her aenti’s gruffness. Someone or something had hurt Wilma badly.

“Sorry,” Nick said. “I guess with her being your relative and all, I shouldn’t criticize.”

“You’re right.” Sovilla didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but she’d rather not hear negative things about her aenti.

“But you gotta admit, she can be one mean lady.”

Nick had to get the last word in. Sovilla might have smiled if his words hadn’t been so true. Still, she had to defend her aenti. “She’s not as cruel as some people I know.”

“Me?” Nick clapped both hands against his heart and fake swooned. “You wound me.”

He was quite an actor and seemed to enjoy creating drama. “I didn’t mean you, Nick.”

“You didn’t?” He looked almost disappointed. He obviously relished being the center of attention. Then his eyes widened. “Not your boyfriend, I hope.”

“Neh.” She’d chosen Henry for his kindness and gentleness.

“Who, then?” Nick prodded.

Sovilla clammed up. She shouldn’t be speaking negatively about her family this way.

“Oh, all right. Be that way.” Nick lifted his nose in the air and strode off to wait on a customer.

How did Fern share her bakery stand space with such a temperamental man? It must be exhausting.

Speaking of temperamental men, here came that blond again. But as he neared, she changed her mind. He might be a mirror image of that previous customer, but he carried himself differently.

With a swagger and a confident smile, he leaned one elbow on the counter to study her. “You’re not Fern.”

Sovilla nodded. “May I help you?”

“I don’t know. Can you? I’d like a little information.”

“I’m brand-new here, but I’ll to my best to help.”

“Good. You answered my first question. I wondered why I hadn’t seen you before.”

Gideon glanced her way and cleared his throat. Sovilla jumped. He was paying her to wait on customers, not flirt with them. Not that she’d been flirting, but from a distance it might look that way.

“Did you want to order something?”

“I hadn’t planned to, but I don’t want you to get in trouble with your boss. Gideon can be vicious when he’s cross.”

Sovilla stared at him. So far, Gideon had only been kind.

The blond laughed. “You should see your eyes. You look scared. I was only kidding. I’ve never met anyone as easygoing as Gideon.”

“Hey, Sovilla, is that kid bothering you?”

“I’m not bothering her, Nick. Am I, Sovilla?” He emphasized her name as if checking he’d gotten it correct.

“Neh, but some of the customers behind you might want to order.”

With a sheepish grin, he stepped aside to let her fill the orders. He waited until everyone had gone and then stepped up to the counter again.

“Which Lantz are you?” Nick challenged.

“I’m Andrew. But you can tell us apart by now, Nick.”

“Then that was your twin Isaac who was mooning over Sovilla this morning. Now you. It’s her first day. Stop your pestering. Leave the poor girl alone.”

“I’m just trying to get to know her.”

“You and a dozen other Amish guys. Besides, she has a boyfriend.”

Sovilla ducked her head. Nick sure knew how to embarrass people.

Andrew must have sensed her distress. “Sorry, Sovilla. I only wanted to be friendly and welcome you to the market.”

“And snoop for details,” Nick’s voice boomed around the market, and customers turned to stare.

Sovilla wished she could sink into the floor and disappear.

“You’re embarrassing her, Nick,” Andrew said.

“I think the shoe’s on the other foot. If I give you the gory details, will you go away and leave her alone?”

Andrew tapped his chin with one finger. “I’ll think about it. Especially if you lower your voice.”

“She’s from Sugarcreek, Ohio. And she’s living with her aunt Wilma, also known as the Pickle Lady.”

Andrew’s eyes popped open at that information.

“She’s helping out this week while Fern’s away. And she’s probably around your age. Twenty or so?”

“Nineteen,” Sovilla whispered. She didn’t want all her personal details broadcast around the market.

“Perfect.” Andrew smiled.

“She’s already taken,” Nick warned.

“Right. I heard you.” Andrew turned to Sovilla. “Nice to meet you.”

Just before he headed off, Nick said, “Watch out for those Lantz boys. There’s a whole passel of them.”

“Better be nice, Nick.” Andrew’s voice held a teasing note. “You wouldn’t want to lose all twelve of your best customers.”

“They have twelve boys?” Sovilla asked after Andrew had gone.

“Naw, only seven of the twelve are boys.” Then he leaned close and said quietly, “They’re all good kids, but don’t let them know I said that.”

Sovilla doubted she’d have the opportunity to tell them anything. Most likely Nick had scared them off. Not that it mattered. She already had a boyfriend. One she hadn’t heard from since she’d arrived.

“So, Isaac, here’s the good news,” Andrew announced when he returned from his scouting trip. “She’s nineteen. Her name’s Sovilla. A pretty name for a pretty girl.”

Isaac frowned. He hadn’t intended for Andrew to get interested in the girl. If his twin decided to go after her, Isaac had no chance.

“Now for the bad news.” Andrew lowered his voice. “She’s Pickle Lady’s niece.”

No way. That sweet girl couldn’t possibly be related to the meanest woman in the market.

Zeke rushed past. “I saw her getting out of Wilma’s car this morning, so Andrew’s right.”

Poor Sovilla. Isaac wanted to rescue her. He couldn’t even imagine how horrible it would be to live with Pickle Lady. She’d been awful to him from the time he was little. If she treated strangers and acquaintances so terribly, how did she treat her own relatives?

“Before you go charging off to save her . . .”

His brother had read his mind. That was the frustrating part of being a twin. Andrew always seemed to know what he was thinking. Caught up in pondering that, he almost missed the rest of Andrew’s sentence.

“. . . you should know she has a boyfriend.”

Isaac’s spirits plunged. Of course. Any girl that pretty and sweet would be taken.

Not that he had any chance with Sovilla—he rolled the name around in his mind, feeling the beauty and weight of it—but he wished she were free to date. He didn’t feel right daydreaming about a girl who wasn’t available. As hard as he tried to stop them, though, his thoughts kept straying.

Although he fought the temptation until midafternoon, Isaac couldn’t stay away from the stand. He avoided the bakery counter at the end and instead got in line for chicken barbecue.

By . . .