was at least a foot of snow on the ground. If only he could get Laura out of his mind.
“You’re not denying it, so it must be true,” Jonas persisted. “She’s gotten under your skin, huh?”
Eli whirled around to face his brother. “Laura and I are just friends.” His right eyelid began to twitch. “Even if I wanted it to be more, it could never happen.”
“How come?”
“She’s English.”
“I know, but—”
“There are no buts.” Eli felt his patience begin to wane. “I don’t want to leave our faith, and I sure couldn’t ask Laura to become one of us.”
“Why not?”
Eli folded his arms and drew in a deep breath. He was getting frustrated with this ridiculous conversation. “Let’s put it this way—would you throw a newborn bussli into the seischtall? ”
Jonas tipped his head and looked at Eli as if he’d gone daffy. “Huh? What’s a little bitty kitten and a pigpen got to do with Laura Meade?”
Eli shook his head. “Never mind. You’re probably too verhuddelt to understand.”
“I’m not confused! Just say what ya mean, and mean what ya say!” Jonas’s forehead now dripped with sweat.
“Calm down. This is a dumb discussion we’re having, and I say we drop it.”
Jonas stuck out his chin. “Want to know what I think?” Eli blew out his breath and lifted his gaze toward the rafters. “No, but I’m sure you won’t scram ’til you’ve told me.”
“I think you’re in love with Laura, but you know she’s not good for you. I’m thinkin’ the best thing for everyone is for you to hurry and get baptized, and then join the church so you can marry Pauline Hostetler.”
Eli clenched his fists. If Jonas didn’t leave soon, he couldn’t be sure what he might do. “Just go now before I drag you outside and push your face into a pile of snow.”
“Jah, right.”
“I mean it, little brother.”
“You think you’re big enough?” Jonas planted his hands on his hips and stared at Eli as though daring him to make a move.
Eli didn’t hesitate. He lunged for Jonas, and Jonas darted for the door. When they bounded into the snowy yard, all thoughts of Laura vanished as Eli focused on catching his nosy brother and giving him a good face washing in a mound of frigid snow.
CHAPTER 10
Christmas Day turned out to be pretty much the way Laura had expected it to be. Her father had invited several people from his law firm to dinner, and most of them spent the whole time talking about trial dates, briefs, and who they thought might get out of going to jail.
Dean Carlson was among the guests, seated next to Laura. She studied him as he droned on about the new computer system they’d recently installed at the office. There was no denying it—Dean was one of the most handsome men Laura had ever met. The funny thing was Laura used to enjoy Dean’s company. Now he seemed superficial and self-absorbed. She kept comparing him to Eli, whose warm, sincere smile could melt her heart and whose infectious laughter seemed genuine, not forced like Dean’s. She didn’t know why she’d never seen it before, but Dean’s whole mannerism was brash, and he was certainly the most egotistical man she had ever met. Eli, on the other hand, was gentle and genuinely humble.
“Laura, are you listening to me?” Dean nudged her arm.
She managed a weak smile. “I think Dad may have mentioned the new computer system.”
“You weren’t listening. The computer system was not the last thing I said.”
She blinked. “It wasn’t?”
“I was asking if you’d like to go to the New Year’s Eve office party with me.”
Laura stared at Dean. How could she even consider dating a man like him? Oh, sure, he had money, a good education, great looks, and a prestigious job, but he simply wasn’t Eli Yoder.
“I want to take you to the party,” Dean said again. “Will you go with me or not?”
Every fiber of Laura’s being shouted no! She reached for her glass of water and took a few sips,
“You’re not denying it, so it must be true,” Jonas persisted. “She’s gotten under your skin, huh?”
Eli whirled around to face his brother. “Laura and I are just friends.” His right eyelid began to twitch. “Even if I wanted it to be more, it could never happen.”
“How come?”
“She’s English.”
“I know, but—”
“There are no buts.” Eli felt his patience begin to wane. “I don’t want to leave our faith, and I sure couldn’t ask Laura to become one of us.”
“Why not?”
Eli folded his arms and drew in a deep breath. He was getting frustrated with this ridiculous conversation. “Let’s put it this way—would you throw a newborn bussli into the seischtall? ”
Jonas tipped his head and looked at Eli as if he’d gone daffy. “Huh? What’s a little bitty kitten and a pigpen got to do with Laura Meade?”
Eli shook his head. “Never mind. You’re probably too verhuddelt to understand.”
“I’m not confused! Just say what ya mean, and mean what ya say!” Jonas’s forehead now dripped with sweat.
“Calm down. This is a dumb discussion we’re having, and I say we drop it.”
Jonas stuck out his chin. “Want to know what I think?” Eli blew out his breath and lifted his gaze toward the rafters. “No, but I’m sure you won’t scram ’til you’ve told me.”
“I think you’re in love with Laura, but you know she’s not good for you. I’m thinkin’ the best thing for everyone is for you to hurry and get baptized, and then join the church so you can marry Pauline Hostetler.”
Eli clenched his fists. If Jonas didn’t leave soon, he couldn’t be sure what he might do. “Just go now before I drag you outside and push your face into a pile of snow.”
“Jah, right.”
“I mean it, little brother.”
“You think you’re big enough?” Jonas planted his hands on his hips and stared at Eli as though daring him to make a move.
Eli didn’t hesitate. He lunged for Jonas, and Jonas darted for the door. When they bounded into the snowy yard, all thoughts of Laura vanished as Eli focused on catching his nosy brother and giving him a good face washing in a mound of frigid snow.
CHAPTER 10
Christmas Day turned out to be pretty much the way Laura had expected it to be. Her father had invited several people from his law firm to dinner, and most of them spent the whole time talking about trial dates, briefs, and who they thought might get out of going to jail.
Dean Carlson was among the guests, seated next to Laura. She studied him as he droned on about the new computer system they’d recently installed at the office. There was no denying it—Dean was one of the most handsome men Laura had ever met. The funny thing was Laura used to enjoy Dean’s company. Now he seemed superficial and self-absorbed. She kept comparing him to Eli, whose warm, sincere smile could melt her heart and whose infectious laughter seemed genuine, not forced like Dean’s. She didn’t know why she’d never seen it before, but Dean’s whole mannerism was brash, and he was certainly the most egotistical man she had ever met. Eli, on the other hand, was gentle and genuinely humble.
“Laura, are you listening to me?” Dean nudged her arm.
She managed a weak smile. “I think Dad may have mentioned the new computer system.”
“You weren’t listening. The computer system was not the last thing I said.”
She blinked. “It wasn’t?”
“I was asking if you’d like to go to the New Year’s Eve office party with me.”
Laura stared at Dean. How could she even consider dating a man like him? Oh, sure, he had money, a good education, great looks, and a prestigious job, but he simply wasn’t Eli Yoder.
“I want to take you to the party,” Dean said again. “Will you go with me or not?”
Every fiber of Laura’s being shouted no! She reached for her glass of water and took a few sips,
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