Seasons of Sugarcreek 03. Autumn's Promise by Shelley Shepard Gray Page B
Authors: Shelley Shepard Gray
Ads: Link
reason that you should go back to Cleveland. You need to be around some more kids your age and have some fun. I can’t expect you to only go to Amish farmer’s markets!”
Her mom was right. Suddenly, Lilly felt silly. Had she really been thinking that spending her weekends at a farmer’s market was something she wanted to make a habit of? “I better get ready for work.”
“Me too.” Her mom hugged her again, and said, “I’m so glad we talked, honey. Everything’s going to be just fine for all of us. I know it.”
“I bet you’re right.” Lilly smiled as she turned away and walked to her room.
She was so glad things were ironed out between her and her mom.
But now, all she could think about was a twenty-four-year-old man with a light brown beard and icy blue eyes. A man who was kind and nice. And who could kiss like a dream.
A man who made her think that being in a relationship again might be just what she needed.
Chapter 9
To Lilly’s way of thinking, the fields beyond her house heralded each approaching season. Rarely used for planting, the rolling hills that stretched for two miles to the creek were left for Mother Nature’s care.
Spring brought wild raspberry bushes, short, fresh, bright green grass, and buds on the maple, ash, and oak trees. Summer arrived with an abundance of wildflowers and lazy bumblebees, each meandering from bloom to bloom.
Now, at the end of September, the colors of fall were chaotic and bright. Illuminating even the darkest spirits.
A beautiful last burst of vibrancy before winter arrived, bringing with it gray skies, dormant plants, lone deer, and snow.
Over the last few months, Lilly had begun to walk as much as possible. It gave her time to connect with nature and give thanks for her many blessings.
And she did have many blessings, even if sometimes she took them for granted.
Feeling in need of another bit of quiet time, Lilly went out after dinner. She’d just stopped to inspect an abandoned bird’s nest when she spied a neighbor sprawled out on one of the logs that lined the creek. “Hey, Caleb.”
Instead of looking happy to see her, he just stared. “What are you doing here?”
“Nothing. I just felt like going for a walk. Why? Am I bothering you?”
“No.”
She came closer. Noticing that his boots lay in a pile beside him, she added, “What about you? Why are you out here this time of day? It’s kind of cold to have bare feet, don’t you think?”
“Not really.” He wiggled his toes for emphasis. “We Amish like to run around barefoot, you know.”
Lilly detected more than a hint of bitterness in his voice. “I’ve heard that,” she quipped as she sank down on the grass beside him. “I, on the other hand, need layers of socks and thick boots when I’m out here. I’m too afraid of snakes to go barefoot.”
Sitting up, he shook his head. “You know nothing, Lilly Allen. There’re no snakes right now. It’s almost October.”
“I’ll file that bit of information away.” Studying him closer, she noticed his shoulders were hunched and his expression grim. “Seriously, Caleb, what’s wrong?”
At first, she didn’t think he was going to answer. “I’m thinking of leaving Sugarcreek,” he said bluntly. “What do you think of that?”
“I think that’s a pretty big deal.” By now she knew enough about the Amish to know that some kids went out at night and drove cars and experienced the outside world during their running-around years. Some left their families for a time. Some did crazy stuff—crazy even for English kids.
And some never came back.
As Caleb’s words hung between them, Lilly had to admit that she wasn’t all that surprised. Caleb had been hinting about wanting to leave ever since she’d first met him. He didn’t seem to have the same connection with the land and the family business that his older brother Josh had.
“I’m also thinking that I’m too afraid to do more than just think about it,” he
Her mom was right. Suddenly, Lilly felt silly. Had she really been thinking that spending her weekends at a farmer’s market was something she wanted to make a habit of? “I better get ready for work.”
“Me too.” Her mom hugged her again, and said, “I’m so glad we talked, honey. Everything’s going to be just fine for all of us. I know it.”
“I bet you’re right.” Lilly smiled as she turned away and walked to her room.
She was so glad things were ironed out between her and her mom.
But now, all she could think about was a twenty-four-year-old man with a light brown beard and icy blue eyes. A man who was kind and nice. And who could kiss like a dream.
A man who made her think that being in a relationship again might be just what she needed.
Chapter 9
To Lilly’s way of thinking, the fields beyond her house heralded each approaching season. Rarely used for planting, the rolling hills that stretched for two miles to the creek were left for Mother Nature’s care.
Spring brought wild raspberry bushes, short, fresh, bright green grass, and buds on the maple, ash, and oak trees. Summer arrived with an abundance of wildflowers and lazy bumblebees, each meandering from bloom to bloom.
Now, at the end of September, the colors of fall were chaotic and bright. Illuminating even the darkest spirits.
A beautiful last burst of vibrancy before winter arrived, bringing with it gray skies, dormant plants, lone deer, and snow.
Over the last few months, Lilly had begun to walk as much as possible. It gave her time to connect with nature and give thanks for her many blessings.
And she did have many blessings, even if sometimes she took them for granted.
Feeling in need of another bit of quiet time, Lilly went out after dinner. She’d just stopped to inspect an abandoned bird’s nest when she spied a neighbor sprawled out on one of the logs that lined the creek. “Hey, Caleb.”
Instead of looking happy to see her, he just stared. “What are you doing here?”
“Nothing. I just felt like going for a walk. Why? Am I bothering you?”
“No.”
She came closer. Noticing that his boots lay in a pile beside him, she added, “What about you? Why are you out here this time of day? It’s kind of cold to have bare feet, don’t you think?”
“Not really.” He wiggled his toes for emphasis. “We Amish like to run around barefoot, you know.”
Lilly detected more than a hint of bitterness in his voice. “I’ve heard that,” she quipped as she sank down on the grass beside him. “I, on the other hand, need layers of socks and thick boots when I’m out here. I’m too afraid of snakes to go barefoot.”
Sitting up, he shook his head. “You know nothing, Lilly Allen. There’re no snakes right now. It’s almost October.”
“I’ll file that bit of information away.” Studying him closer, she noticed his shoulders were hunched and his expression grim. “Seriously, Caleb, what’s wrong?”
At first, she didn’t think he was going to answer. “I’m thinking of leaving Sugarcreek,” he said bluntly. “What do you think of that?”
“I think that’s a pretty big deal.” By now she knew enough about the Amish to know that some kids went out at night and drove cars and experienced the outside world during their running-around years. Some left their families for a time. Some did crazy stuff—crazy even for English kids.
And some never came back.
As Caleb’s words hung between them, Lilly had to admit that she wasn’t all that surprised. Caleb had been hinting about wanting to leave ever since she’d first met him. He didn’t seem to have the same connection with the land and the family business that his older brother Josh had.
“I’m also thinking that I’m too afraid to do more than just think about it,” he
Similar Books
