her. After all this time of working together, he thought she had so little character . . . so little common sense . Even when she had explained and defended herself, he still didn’t trust her enough to let the subject drop.
And since when did he actually care what she did? He’d never expressed any interest in what she did outside of work, and he had done nothing but refuse the gestures of friendship she’d extended his way, their miniscule conversation at Carol and Christian’s wedding the one exception. What right did he have to tell her what to do?
Well, she’d prove him wrong. She’d go to the party with Deborah tomorrow night, she’d have a good time, and she’d stay out of trouble. She’d show him she wasn’t as weak and stupid as he thought she was.
“This is useless, Aaron.” Gabe picked up a warped horseshoe, the second of a pair of shoes Aaron had made a little over an hour ago, just after he had talked to Elisabeth. He had a feeling everything he said went right through her ears without sinking into that stubborn brain of hers.
“Sorry.” He grabbed the shoe and its ruined match and tossed them into a pile of scrap. He’d recycle the shoes later, but he hated doing poor work. He had always taken pride in producing quality work for Gabe and his father. He never wanted to let them down.
Gabe looked at him, his expression concerned. “You seem to have something on your mind. Anything you want to talk about?”
Aaron shook his head. He didn’t want to worry Gabe about Elisabeth, and he held on to a thin reed of hope that what he’d said to her would make her change her mind. “I don’t want to get behind on that order for that farm down in Ravenna.”
“All right.” Gabe touched Aaron’s shoulder. “But if you need anything, let me know. The work’s important, but not as important as familye .”
He nodded, touched by Gabe’s words. “ Danki .”
Gabe patted him on the arm and walked away.
For the rest of the day, Aaron tried not to think about Elisabeth going to the Schrocks’, but it took every ounce of his concentration to put her out of his mind. He’d never been so relieved when quitting time drew near.
A few minutes after five o’clock, he saw Elisabeth walk out of the back office and exit the shop. Shoving his work gloves in his pockets, he went out after her. She might fight with him again, or even ignore him, but he had to give it one last shot. “Elisabeth. Wait.”
She didn’t turn around, so he continued to go after her. When she finally stopped at the bottom of the Millers’ driveway, he moved to stand in front of her. The only way she could avoid him now was to turn her back on him and walk away. Fortunately she didn’t. “We need to finish our talk. I wanted—”
“There’s nothing else to say.”
Dusk had descended, and the sky was clear, turning the day’s brisk air downright cold. Not that the temperature would have an effect on certain social plans. For some of the kids, it was never too cold, too hot, or too much of anything to have a party. “I disagree. Let me take you home and we can discuss it.”
“Stephen’s on his way to pick me up, so I already have a ride. I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Elisabeth, listen to me. I’m asking you—”
“If you say ‘don’t geh to the party’ one more time, I’ll scream.” She glared at him. “It’s not up to you what I do.”
“ Nee , it’s not.”
“Finally we agree on something.”
“But in this case, I’m right.”
“You only think you’re right.”
Her words, laced with derision, bruised his ego, but he continued. “I don’t know what I can say to convince you—”
“There’s nothing you can say. I’m not like you, Aaron Detweiler. I’m nothing like you. And on Monday morning I’ll be more than happy to tell you what a gut time I had at the party.” Elisabeth turned her head in the direction of the Bylers’ buggy as it pulled into the driveway. “There’s
And since when did he actually care what she did? He’d never expressed any interest in what she did outside of work, and he had done nothing but refuse the gestures of friendship she’d extended his way, their miniscule conversation at Carol and Christian’s wedding the one exception. What right did he have to tell her what to do?
Well, she’d prove him wrong. She’d go to the party with Deborah tomorrow night, she’d have a good time, and she’d stay out of trouble. She’d show him she wasn’t as weak and stupid as he thought she was.
“This is useless, Aaron.” Gabe picked up a warped horseshoe, the second of a pair of shoes Aaron had made a little over an hour ago, just after he had talked to Elisabeth. He had a feeling everything he said went right through her ears without sinking into that stubborn brain of hers.
“Sorry.” He grabbed the shoe and its ruined match and tossed them into a pile of scrap. He’d recycle the shoes later, but he hated doing poor work. He had always taken pride in producing quality work for Gabe and his father. He never wanted to let them down.
Gabe looked at him, his expression concerned. “You seem to have something on your mind. Anything you want to talk about?”
Aaron shook his head. He didn’t want to worry Gabe about Elisabeth, and he held on to a thin reed of hope that what he’d said to her would make her change her mind. “I don’t want to get behind on that order for that farm down in Ravenna.”
“All right.” Gabe touched Aaron’s shoulder. “But if you need anything, let me know. The work’s important, but not as important as familye .”
He nodded, touched by Gabe’s words. “ Danki .”
Gabe patted him on the arm and walked away.
For the rest of the day, Aaron tried not to think about Elisabeth going to the Schrocks’, but it took every ounce of his concentration to put her out of his mind. He’d never been so relieved when quitting time drew near.
A few minutes after five o’clock, he saw Elisabeth walk out of the back office and exit the shop. Shoving his work gloves in his pockets, he went out after her. She might fight with him again, or even ignore him, but he had to give it one last shot. “Elisabeth. Wait.”
She didn’t turn around, so he continued to go after her. When she finally stopped at the bottom of the Millers’ driveway, he moved to stand in front of her. The only way she could avoid him now was to turn her back on him and walk away. Fortunately she didn’t. “We need to finish our talk. I wanted—”
“There’s nothing else to say.”
Dusk had descended, and the sky was clear, turning the day’s brisk air downright cold. Not that the temperature would have an effect on certain social plans. For some of the kids, it was never too cold, too hot, or too much of anything to have a party. “I disagree. Let me take you home and we can discuss it.”
“Stephen’s on his way to pick me up, so I already have a ride. I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Elisabeth, listen to me. I’m asking you—”
“If you say ‘don’t geh to the party’ one more time, I’ll scream.” She glared at him. “It’s not up to you what I do.”
“ Nee , it’s not.”
“Finally we agree on something.”
“But in this case, I’m right.”
“You only think you’re right.”
Her words, laced with derision, bruised his ego, but he continued. “I don’t know what I can say to convince you—”
“There’s nothing you can say. I’m not like you, Aaron Detweiler. I’m nothing like you. And on Monday morning I’ll be more than happy to tell you what a gut time I had at the party.” Elisabeth turned her head in the direction of the Bylers’ buggy as it pulled into the driveway. “There’s
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