fine, but my dignity is a little bruised.”
He helped her to her feet. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you. What were you doing on the floor?”
His hands lingered on her arms. She could feel the warmth and strength of them through the thin fabric of her dress. He was so close. His masculine scent enveloped her, sending a wave of heat rushing to her face that had nothing to do with embarrassment or fear. She wasn’t frightened of him. His touch was strong but gentle. She was frightened by how much she wanted to move closer, to step into the circle of his arms and rest there.
She took a step back. He slowly let her go, his hands slipping from her elbows to her wrists in a soft caress. She said, “I dropped my pencil.”
“What?” He seemed as confused as she was by the tension that shimmered between them.
“I was trying to reach my pencil. I dropped it and it rolled under the chair.” She brushed at the back of her dress. Her blood hummed from his nearness and the way his gaze lingered on her face. Suddenly, she saw an attractive man in the prime of his life. A single man.
She crossed her arms and looked down, hoping he wouldn’t read this new and disturbing awareness in her eyes.
“No wonder I didn’t see you.” He stepped inside the building and retrieved her pencil.
He held it out and she took it gingerly, careful not to touch him. “Danki.”
“I will let you finish your call.”
“I’m only making a doctor’s appointment. If you need the phone, you may use it now. I can wait.”
His brow furrowed into sharp lines. “Are you sick?”
She was flattered by the concern etched on his face. “ Nee, it is nothing like that. The adoption agency I’m using requires me to have a physical. I need to have a fire safety inspection of my home, too. Do you have any idea who I would call to see about that?”
“Michael Klein is our local fire chief. I’m one of the volunteer firemen. His number is in the book.”
“Michael Klein. I will remember that. What would I do without you, Adrian? You have helped me at every turn.”
“I have no doubt you would manage. Make your calls. I can wait.”
He walked away to stand in the shade, giving her some privacy. She went back inside the phone booth, quickly placed her first call and was happy to find out the doctor’s office could see her that afternoon.
The second call went smoothly, as well. The fire chief agreed to come by the following day and inspect her home. With her appointments made, she stepped outside. “I’m finished, Adrian.”
He walked over, but instead of taking a seat inside the phone booth, he leaned against the doorjamb. “How is your adoption going?”
Faith struggled against the urge to linger here with Adrian and lost. She liked his company; she liked spending time with him.
“Things are going well, I think. The doctor can see me today and the fire chief can come tomorrow. The social worker did not run screaming from my house, although when we were in the cellar, I thought she might.”
“You have not introduced her to Myrtle, have you?” There was a glint of humor in his eyes and in his voice.
Faith grinned. “ Nee, I made sure Miss Watkins stayed away from her.”
“That’s goot. The bishop’s wife and I are forgiving of such an insult, but an Englisch woman in her fancy suit might not be.”
The clip-clop of a horse and buggy approaching made them look toward the highway. Samuel Stultz pulled to a stop. “Are you using the phone?”
Faith grinned for she already knew his good news. “You have a message, Samuel.”
As he hurried to get down, Faith turned to Adrian. “I must be going. I will have to hurry if I am to find the clinic in time for my appointment. Poor old Copper isn’t as fast as she once was.”
“I need to take a harness into Rueben Beachy’s shop for repairs. I go right by the clinic if you want to ride with me.”
“That is very kind of you, but I have no idea how long I will be.”
They
He helped her to her feet. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you. What were you doing on the floor?”
His hands lingered on her arms. She could feel the warmth and strength of them through the thin fabric of her dress. He was so close. His masculine scent enveloped her, sending a wave of heat rushing to her face that had nothing to do with embarrassment or fear. She wasn’t frightened of him. His touch was strong but gentle. She was frightened by how much she wanted to move closer, to step into the circle of his arms and rest there.
She took a step back. He slowly let her go, his hands slipping from her elbows to her wrists in a soft caress. She said, “I dropped my pencil.”
“What?” He seemed as confused as she was by the tension that shimmered between them.
“I was trying to reach my pencil. I dropped it and it rolled under the chair.” She brushed at the back of her dress. Her blood hummed from his nearness and the way his gaze lingered on her face. Suddenly, she saw an attractive man in the prime of his life. A single man.
She crossed her arms and looked down, hoping he wouldn’t read this new and disturbing awareness in her eyes.
“No wonder I didn’t see you.” He stepped inside the building and retrieved her pencil.
He held it out and she took it gingerly, careful not to touch him. “Danki.”
“I will let you finish your call.”
“I’m only making a doctor’s appointment. If you need the phone, you may use it now. I can wait.”
His brow furrowed into sharp lines. “Are you sick?”
She was flattered by the concern etched on his face. “ Nee, it is nothing like that. The adoption agency I’m using requires me to have a physical. I need to have a fire safety inspection of my home, too. Do you have any idea who I would call to see about that?”
“Michael Klein is our local fire chief. I’m one of the volunteer firemen. His number is in the book.”
“Michael Klein. I will remember that. What would I do without you, Adrian? You have helped me at every turn.”
“I have no doubt you would manage. Make your calls. I can wait.”
He walked away to stand in the shade, giving her some privacy. She went back inside the phone booth, quickly placed her first call and was happy to find out the doctor’s office could see her that afternoon.
The second call went smoothly, as well. The fire chief agreed to come by the following day and inspect her home. With her appointments made, she stepped outside. “I’m finished, Adrian.”
He walked over, but instead of taking a seat inside the phone booth, he leaned against the doorjamb. “How is your adoption going?”
Faith struggled against the urge to linger here with Adrian and lost. She liked his company; she liked spending time with him.
“Things are going well, I think. The doctor can see me today and the fire chief can come tomorrow. The social worker did not run screaming from my house, although when we were in the cellar, I thought she might.”
“You have not introduced her to Myrtle, have you?” There was a glint of humor in his eyes and in his voice.
Faith grinned. “ Nee, I made sure Miss Watkins stayed away from her.”
“That’s goot. The bishop’s wife and I are forgiving of such an insult, but an Englisch woman in her fancy suit might not be.”
The clip-clop of a horse and buggy approaching made them look toward the highway. Samuel Stultz pulled to a stop. “Are you using the phone?”
Faith grinned for she already knew his good news. “You have a message, Samuel.”
As he hurried to get down, Faith turned to Adrian. “I must be going. I will have to hurry if I am to find the clinic in time for my appointment. Poor old Copper isn’t as fast as she once was.”
“I need to take a harness into Rueben Beachy’s shop for repairs. I go right by the clinic if you want to ride with me.”
“That is very kind of you, but I have no idea how long I will be.”
They
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