Letters to Katie (10 page)

“Right now it’s ten. But I hope to add on. There’s an empty field next to my property
that I plan to purchase.”
Soon, if you’ll
help me out
.

“What about the barn?”

“Six horse capacity. Again, I plan to expand. I’ll be happy to take you there. You
can have a look at the property, check out the facilities.” Johnny glanced at the
roast beef growing cold on his plate. His stomach growled again. He fidgeted in the
chair, hoping Wagner hadn’t heard. “I have a business plan I can show you too.”

“Sounds like you have a good start.” Wagner shoved away from the table and grinned,
expanding his jowls. “Tell you what. The wife and I will come out the day after tomorrow.”

“Your wife?”

“She’s my partner in everything, including business.” He chuckled. “Especially business.
Married a smart one, I did. What time is supper?”

Johnny opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. No way possible his
place could be ready for company in two days. Especially for female company. Then
there was the fact that he couldn’t
cook worth a whit, except eggs and toast. The way Wagner’s belly expanded in front
of him, Johnny knew that would hardly satisfy the man’s hearty appetite.

“Didn’t you hear me, son?”

“Six thirty.” Johnny swallowed air and forced a grin.

“Perfect. After we eat you can show me the facilities and that business plan of yours.”

“Gut.”
A knot formed in his stomach.

Wagner stood. “Looking forward to it. The food here is tasty, but there’s nothing
like a homemade Amish meal. Had a few over the years and thoroughly enjoyed them.”

“Uh,
ya
. They’re delicious.” Toast and eggs definitely wouldn’t work.

“Is the number you gave me still good? Just in case something comes up.”

Johnny nodded. “
Ya
, you can reach me there between eight and five.”

“Don’t expect I’ll have to, though. Lois and I will be looking forward to it.” Wagner
stuck his beefy hand in his pocket and jangled his keys. “Thanks for the lunch. We’ll
see you soon.”

Johnny started to stand, but Wagner waved him off. He walked away, leaving Johnny
with the bill and a near panic attack.

He leaned back in the chair, his ravenous appetite suddenly gone. What was he going
to do? He barely had money to cover the check and possibly a few groceries.

The business plan was no problem. He’d been working on it for months, ever since he’d
gotten the idea for Mullet’s Horse
Farm. But what about the house? The dinner? Once again, his dream was swirling the
drain, and he was powerless to stop it.

A waitress came up to him. Yankee, with thick black hair in a ponytail, and the typical
waitress uniform—plain blouse and a skirt that reached to midcalf. She looked at his
nearly full plate.

“Was there something wrong with your meal?”

“No.” Johnny’s mind still whirred.

She glanced at his plate again. “Are you sure?”

He nodded. “Can I get a box to
geh
?” He’d eat it later, if his appetite ever came back.

“Sure. Anything else?”

“Got a miracle on the menu?”

The girl gave him a puzzled expression. “What?”

“Just the box.”

He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to think. Maybe he could get the house in
decent shape by day after tomorrow. But making a meal was an entirely different story.
And it would have to be delicious, one that would make Wagner sign on the dotted line.

He couldn’t ask Mary Beth to help. Or his mother. His parents were leaving in the
morning for Pine Craft, an Amish settlement in Sarasota, Florida, for a long overdue
vacation.

Mary Yoder’s delivered. He might have to be satisfied with that—if he could figure
out a way to pay for it.

He looked up, searching for his waitress to ask for a takeout menu. At least he could
get an idea of the cost of the meal. Then he saw Katherine delivering a tray of drinks
to an older couple across the room.

His heart thumped in his chest as he turned his back on her. He closed his eyes, but
her face swam before him. She was so sweet. And so pretty. And one of the best cooks
in Middlefield. Which would impress the Wagners.

He stilled. No. He couldn’t ask her. He didn’t want to encourage her, not now. Not
yet.

While he was still arguing with himself, Johnny stood and headed toward her. His heart
pounded in his chest. This was a stupid idea. Absolutely idiotic. But when it came
to cooking and sewing and all those other girly things, no one was better than his
Katie.

Katherine avoided looking in Johnny’s direction as she carried the tray of drinks
toward her own table. Johnny and his Yankee friend were Chrystal’s customers, not
hers. And even though she knew Isaac was waiting for her to get his order, she had
to make sure her current table was pleased not only with the food but also the service.

“Here’s your tea.” She misjudged the distance and set the glass down a little harder
than she intended. Droplets shot out of the glass. “Oh, I’m so sorry.”

The man waved her off, but the woman glared at her. Katherine’s face heated. Why couldn’t
she get it together? Even without looking at Johnny, she could sense his presence.
Why did forgetting about Johnny Mullet have to be so hard?

“Miss?”

Katherine looked down at the table. Her hand was still on the glass. She released
it.

The woman picked up her napkin and set it in her lap. “I’ve heard good things about
this restaurant.” She narrowed her gaze at Katherine. “So far I’m disappointed.”

“Don’t mind her,” the man said, giving Katherine a friendly smile. “My wife gets cranky
when she’s hungry.”

“I do
not
.”

“Thanks for proving my point.”

Katherine relaxed a little and even managed a smile. “I’m truly sorry,” she said.
“I promise to take
gut
care of you for the rest of your meal.”

The woman’s expression softened a little bit. “I appreciate the apology.”

Katherine nodded and turned to walk back to the kitchen, determined to make up for
the mistakes she’d made with the couple. Instead she slammed right into Isaac.

“Oh!” She closed her gaping mouth. “You surprised me.”

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to.” He grinned. He was always smiling at her. That must be part
of the flirting Chrystal was talking about.

“I was getting ready to
geh
to your table,” Katherine said. “I didn’t intend to make you wait.”

“
Nee
, that’s all right. Actually, I can’t stay.”

But she barely heard his words. A few steps away, Johnny Mullet was approaching. She
looked at Isaac. “What?”

“I wanted to ask you something,” he said.

Johnny came up beside him. He crossed his arms over his
chest, his lips tilted in a rare frown. He stared at Isaac. “Am I interrupting something?”

Katherine opened her mouth to speak, but Isaac interjected, “
Ya
. You are.” His grin had changed into a straight line.

Johnny looked at Katherine. “I need to talk to you.”

She couldn’t speak. There she was, closer to Johnny than she had been in months, ever
since that embarrassing volleyball game last year, and she couldn’t breathe, much
less think or say anything coherent. Both men stared at her, as if waiting for her
to choose which one to talk to first.

Finally she found her voice. “Johnny,” she said, then cleared the bullfrog out of
her throat. “This is Isaac, uh—”

“Troyer.” He held out his hand. Johnny paused, then shook it.

“I won’t keep you,” Isaac said, turning to Katherine. “I know you’re busy today. I
wondered if you would
geh
to the singing with me this Sunday evening?”

Katherine’s eyes widened. So did Johnny’s, right before they narrowed at Isaac.

“Uh . . .”

He smiled again. “Think about it. I’ll be back tomorrow.” He looked at Johnny. “She
makes the best coffee in town.”

“But I don’t make the coffee—” The words died on Katherine’s lips as Isaac walked
away. Whistling.

Johnny looked at her. “You’re not considering going, are you?”

His question suddenly annoyed her. “Why should you care if I did?”

He swallowed. His gaze dashed around the room, lighting on the kitchen pass-through,
the clock, the door—anyplace except on her. But he didn’t answer her question. Instead
he said, “Um, can I talk to you for a minute? In private?”

She nodded.

He led her down the hallway toward the restrooms, away from the rest of the customers.
He touched her arm, then withdrew it quickly, as if he’d made a mistake.

She didn’t care. The warmth of that brief touch seeped through her skin. And for all
of her rational thoughts, all of her praying that Johnny wouldn’t have this effect
on her, she thought she’d faint right there.

He looked down at her, his chocolate-colored eyes meeting hers. “I, um, wondered if
you could come over tomorrow.”

Her heart almost flipped out of her chest.

“As a favor. I mean, I have a favor to ask.”

“Anything.” The word burst from her mouth like the juice from a ripe tomato. She sounded
too eager. Too desperate. Isaac completely forgotten, she tried to act casual, leaning
against the wall, putting her hand on her waist. She missed, and her hand slid down
her dress. She recovered and said, “Sure.”

“What time would be
gut
for you? To come over?”

“I’m off tomorrow, so anytime.” Her voice trembled. This couldn’t be happening. Johnny
wanted her to come over? Could he have changed his mind after all these years?

“How about morning? The earlier, the better?”

“Six?”

He grinned. “Maybe not that early. Eight will do.”

“Oh
ya
. That makes more sense.”

“Okay. Great.” He gave her the address, then started backing away, wiping his hands
against the front of his pants. “Um, I’ll see you tomorrow. At eight.”

“
Ya
. Eight.”

The corner of his mouth lifted into a half smile. He nodded, then spun around and
walked away.

“See you tomorrow!” she blurted out. He—and nearly everyone else in the restaurant—turned
around.

He lifted his hand, giving her a small nod.

Katherine watched him walk away, the sounds around her dimming to nothing. Johnny
needed her. She could barely comprehend it.

She came to her senses and hurried to the kitchen, leaning against the counter as
she tried to catch her breath.

“Katherine?” A coworker pulled her out of her thoughts. “We need to get this food
out there.”

Katherine nodded and hid a smile.

Tomorrow she would see Johnny. Alone. The thought made her giddy and nervous and thrilled—more
emotions than she knew what to do with.

Could it be true? Could he finally be interested in her?

After all this time, perhaps her fervent prayers were coming true.

C
HAPTER
8

The next morning Katherine turned into Johnny’s driveway at five minutes to eight.
Never mind that she’d been up since four thirty, unable to sleep. She’d read her Bible,
cleaned her room, rearranged her closet, and ended up pacing for the last hour before
it was time to go downstairs and help
Mamm
with breakfast. Now she was here, in her parents’ buggy and parked in Johnny’s narrow
dirt driveway. She put her hand on her chest, felt her heart flutter. She then checked
to make sure her hair was tucked into her
kapp
.