desk.
“That’s right. Virginia Beach.” She settled back in the chair and wished her cheeks would cool down. She imagined her embarrassment ran a deep pink from her neck to her nose.
“Virginia Beach.” He grinned. “I was there once with my folks for a church retreat. It’s a nice place. I love that ocean-front. We rented bikes and rode from Rudee Inlet to the north end. It was fun.”
“I like it there. I sure miss the beach.” Glancing at the ceiling, she found strange, round glass light fixtures that hummed and emitted heat. “What’s with the lights?” she asked, pointing toward the ceiling.
“They run on gas.”
“Are they bright enough for intricate woodworking?” she asked.
He shrugged. “Yeah. Sometimes we use portable kerosene lamps if we need better lighting. We make do.”
“What about air conditioning? It’s pretty warm in here. I bet it gets really hot back there with all of the tools and compressors.”
“We have fans that run through power inverters.” He stood up straight and crossed his arms across his wide chest.
Man, he was handsome.
She pushed the thought away and glanced toward the walls finding no light switches, just like at Rebecca’s house. “So there’s no electricity in this building at all?”
“Nope.” Jake grinned. “This is true Amish.”
Jessica cinched her eyebrows with confusion. “Then how do the tools work? I heard air compressors and everything in there.”
“The air compressors run off diesel generators. We use some electric tools, but the same diesel that powers the compressor also powers the generators.” He gestured toward the shop. “So, there’s still no electric bill.”
She tilted her head while considering the process. “But isn’t diesel like super expensive right now?”
He shrugged. “It depends on how you look at it. Utility costs are rising too.”
“Hmm.” She nodded. “That’s very true. I guess everything is expensive these days.” She contemplated the power inverter and thought of her iPod. She’d recently bought a charger for it. Maybe she could charge it here.
“Hey,” she asked. “I have the power cord for my iPod. Would it be all right if charge through the power inverter here?”
He shrugged. “Sure. Why not?” He held out his hand. “I’ll do it for you back in my work area.”
“Cool.” She fished the iPod and cord from her purse and handed it to him. “Thanks.” Her gaze moved to the doorway, where Mr. Yoder stood. His stern expression gave her the same uneasy feeling as Daniel’s cold comments earlier.
“Jake. There you are,” Mr. Yoder said. “Can you come back here when you get a moment? I have a question for you on that wishing well you’re building.”
“Be right there.” Jake held up a finger and turned back to Jessica. “Duty calls. I just wanted to introduce myself. Maybe we can go to lunch sometime. There’s a great pizza place down the road that I like to eat at.”
Was he asking her out? Jake was handsome, but she’d just met him. It seemed a bit forward. Jessica almost told him she wasn’t interested in going to lunch or going anywhere with him, since she had a boyfriend.
However, Jake had a truck, which meant she could charge her phone in it. She’d stuck her phone charger in her purse just in case she had the opportunity to use it.
“Pizza?” Jessica asked. “That sounds good.”
He winked when he stood. “Just yell if you have any questions. I used to work the front before my grandpa actually let me work with wood. I know it can get confusing sometimes.”
“Thanks.” She watched him go, and her eyes admired his broad shoulders. He sure was handsome, but she had a boyfriend.
Sighing, Jessica pulled out her phone and studied the display. No calls. No messages. She lifted it and punched up Brian’s number. Before she hit Send, the shrill ring of the store phone rang out.
Placing her cell phone on the counter, Jessica lifted the receiver to her ear.
“That’s right. Virginia Beach.” She settled back in the chair and wished her cheeks would cool down. She imagined her embarrassment ran a deep pink from her neck to her nose.
“Virginia Beach.” He grinned. “I was there once with my folks for a church retreat. It’s a nice place. I love that ocean-front. We rented bikes and rode from Rudee Inlet to the north end. It was fun.”
“I like it there. I sure miss the beach.” Glancing at the ceiling, she found strange, round glass light fixtures that hummed and emitted heat. “What’s with the lights?” she asked, pointing toward the ceiling.
“They run on gas.”
“Are they bright enough for intricate woodworking?” she asked.
He shrugged. “Yeah. Sometimes we use portable kerosene lamps if we need better lighting. We make do.”
“What about air conditioning? It’s pretty warm in here. I bet it gets really hot back there with all of the tools and compressors.”
“We have fans that run through power inverters.” He stood up straight and crossed his arms across his wide chest.
Man, he was handsome.
She pushed the thought away and glanced toward the walls finding no light switches, just like at Rebecca’s house. “So there’s no electricity in this building at all?”
“Nope.” Jake grinned. “This is true Amish.”
Jessica cinched her eyebrows with confusion. “Then how do the tools work? I heard air compressors and everything in there.”
“The air compressors run off diesel generators. We use some electric tools, but the same diesel that powers the compressor also powers the generators.” He gestured toward the shop. “So, there’s still no electric bill.”
She tilted her head while considering the process. “But isn’t diesel like super expensive right now?”
He shrugged. “It depends on how you look at it. Utility costs are rising too.”
“Hmm.” She nodded. “That’s very true. I guess everything is expensive these days.” She contemplated the power inverter and thought of her iPod. She’d recently bought a charger for it. Maybe she could charge it here.
“Hey,” she asked. “I have the power cord for my iPod. Would it be all right if charge through the power inverter here?”
He shrugged. “Sure. Why not?” He held out his hand. “I’ll do it for you back in my work area.”
“Cool.” She fished the iPod and cord from her purse and handed it to him. “Thanks.” Her gaze moved to the doorway, where Mr. Yoder stood. His stern expression gave her the same uneasy feeling as Daniel’s cold comments earlier.
“Jake. There you are,” Mr. Yoder said. “Can you come back here when you get a moment? I have a question for you on that wishing well you’re building.”
“Be right there.” Jake held up a finger and turned back to Jessica. “Duty calls. I just wanted to introduce myself. Maybe we can go to lunch sometime. There’s a great pizza place down the road that I like to eat at.”
Was he asking her out? Jake was handsome, but she’d just met him. It seemed a bit forward. Jessica almost told him she wasn’t interested in going to lunch or going anywhere with him, since she had a boyfriend.
However, Jake had a truck, which meant she could charge her phone in it. She’d stuck her phone charger in her purse just in case she had the opportunity to use it.
“Pizza?” Jessica asked. “That sounds good.”
He winked when he stood. “Just yell if you have any questions. I used to work the front before my grandpa actually let me work with wood. I know it can get confusing sometimes.”
“Thanks.” She watched him go, and her eyes admired his broad shoulders. He sure was handsome, but she had a boyfriend.
Sighing, Jessica pulled out her phone and studied the display. No calls. No messages. She lifted it and punched up Brian’s number. Before she hit Send, the shrill ring of the store phone rang out.
Placing her cell phone on the counter, Jessica lifted the receiver to her ear.
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