Jocelyn McClay - The Amish Bachelor's Choice

She closed her eyes. If she tried hard, she could still see her father’s handling of the wood. It’d been the last thing he’d worked on before he died. Every year for Christmas, Daed would make her a piece of furniture. The rocker was to be this year’s gift. He’d tried to work on it, tried to hurry when he knew his time was running out, but the illness overcame him. Whenever she wanted to feel close to her father, she worked on the rocker. With dismal results. Because anytime she tried, like now, unshed tears burned her eyes.

This would not do, especially today. Ruth reluctantly tucked the oak back with the other unfinished pieces and wiped her sleeve across her eyes. As she lowered her arm, she caught the movement of the door to the showroom opening. All eyes in the room focused on the man who stepped through. Ruth took a deep breath. Time to start a new approach and hope her previous one hadn’t obliterated her coworkers’ options. Another Amish proverb popped into her head. A smile is a curve that can straighten out a lot of things. If only it were that simple. But it was worth a try.

* * *

Normally, Malachi strove to avoid being the center of attention. Emphatically strove to avoid it. Today, he knew there was no possibility of evading scrutiny. He was new. He was unknown. And he had some control over their lives. Until that changed, his actions and presence would be closely watched.

Looking out over the well-ordered workroom, he briefly met the eyes of the occupants, nodding at them as his gaze swept over their locations. Four men. And her. The fierce bantam hen. The distance to where she stood at the back of the room didn’t diminish the energy that almost vibrated from her.

Whereas the men immediately returned his acknowledgments, there was a heartbeat or two from when his eyes met hers and he nodded to when she returned the nod. Apparently she’d thought better of her initial greeting, because after another beat or two, a smile curved her lips. It didn’t reach her green eyes as he knew it could, from her initial response in the showroom. But it was an effort at least, albeit one that looked more like a grimace. Malachi wondered if it covered gritted teeth.

Not something he intended to explore or address today. He’d come in at Ezekiel Weaver’s invitation for an official meeting. Malachi didn’t know why the bishop needed to make it so official when a simple visit at Malachi’s new farm would have sufficed. Perhaps, in having such an obvious meeting at the business, the man was attempting to extend over the new owner some additional authority as the district’s bishop. Perhaps it was to make a point to the old owner’s daughter. The man surely had his reasons. Malachi wasn’t going to pursue them. He would establish his own path.

He made his way into the workroom, stopping to review and admire some projects, inspect equipment and visit with his new employees. In their own way, the four men expressed their welcome and interest in working for him.

Jacob, one of the two single men, was the most talkative. He also introduced himself as a nearby neighbor. Benjamin, the other unmarried man, was quiet but quick with a nod or smile. His eyes were sharp, taking in everything without being obvious. Isaac and Nathaniel, the two married men, were congenial and accepting. All of them seemed very capable in their work. All seemed ready to give him a chance. Except her.

She didn’t approach him and Malachi didn’t go back to greet her. An omission that perhaps had been a mistake, he reflected, as he went down the steps to the patiently waiting gelding. Ach. He wasn’t going to retrace his steps now. He’d already met her. The rest of the workforce was aware of that. If they wanted to speculate about what they might perceive as an exclusion, so be it. He couldn’t control their thoughts. He hadn’t meant anything by it.

Except, Malachi realized as he climbed into the buggy and lifted the reins, maybe he had. Maybe he’d been unconsciously indicating that he was now in charge. Malachi winced as he released the brake. That hadn’t been his intent, either. He had no problem with unmarried women working. He’d worked with some back in Ohio. Most were very intelligent. He had sisters who were sharper than some of the men he’d worked with.

The truth of it, Malachi admitted as the clip-clop of the bay’s hooves signaled a ground-eating trot back to what was now the Schrock farm, was that he wasn’t prepared to face the buzz saw of energy that radiated from her. His lips quirked. To think he’d be intimidated by a slip of a woman whose kapp barely reached his chin. Malachi’s gaze took in the surrounding countryside that rolled by, his countryside now.

Well, he’d learn how to deal with her, one way or another.

Bess trotted down the road at her usual lackadaisical pace. Ruth couldn’t summon the energy to urge the mare to go any faster. She was in no hurry to get home to an empty house where the only sounds other than what she created were cracks and groans as the old structure settled.

Jacob, Isaac, Nathaniel and Benjamin had been encouraged by the short visit with the new owner. The reins dropped farther into her lap as Ruth sighed. Malachi Schrock. She supposed she should start thinking of him by his name and not as “the new owner.” He wouldn’t always be the new owner. One day he’d just be “the owner.”

And she’d be gone.

A black-and-white blur, accompanied by energetic yapping, darted into the road. Bess shied away from it, causing Ruth to smack herself in the chin as she jerked the reins up to regain control. Guiding an agitated Bess into a nearby field lane, she set the brake. Heart pounding, Ruth looked around to identify the problem. A border collie puppy bounced out from under the buggy and plopped his rump down a few feet from the buggy step. He looked up at Ruth with his pink tongue lolling out one side of his grinning mouth, one ear up and one down. His eyes above the black button nose sparkled, as if waiting for Ruth to respond to his actions. She couldn’t help smiling.

Securing the reins, Ruth hurried down from the buggy and squatted next to the pup. He rested his front paws on her bent knees. The white tip at the end of his black tail wiggled on the gravel as he showed his appreciation for her attention.

“Oh, you sweetie.” Picking up the pup, she cuddled him against her chest. His warm squirming weight fitted into her arms, and her empty heart, like a puzzle piece. Closing her eyes, Ruth hugged him and smiled as he licked her cheek. Her eyes popped open and both she and the pup turned their heads at the exasperated call from up the lane.

“There you are, you rascal. Are you all right, Ruth?” Hannah Lapp strode down the lane, a frown on her pretty face. “I’m so sorry. We can’t seem to keep the little stinker inside. All the rest of the pups stay put, but this one must be some type of magician, because he keeps escaping. Much to the dismay of the chickens and the pigs and the goats, and basically everyone on the farm.” She stopped beside Ruth, hands on her hips as she regarded the errant pup.

“I don’t think he made a good first impression on Bess, but no harm’s been done. In fact,” Ruth added after tucking her chin against the pup’s soft head, “he’s just what I need right now.”

Hannah eyed her quizzically.

“The new owner came in today.” The words were mumbled into the top of the puppy’s head but her best friend heard them.

“Oh, Ruth, I’m so sorry.” Hannah placed a hand on Ruth’s shoulder. “I know how hard that must’ve been for you.” Ruth had shared her feelings about the loss of the business with Hannah yesterday after church.