I was determined to end this conversation. “I paid a visit to his father, and I don’t regret it.” Even if I’d come face-to-face with Brandy.
“I don’t see what you find so attractive about Jake to begin with.” He ran his hands up his suspenders like a puffed-up rooster.
“Are you trying to tell me I’m not capable of making decisions for myself?”
“Hold on. The last thing I want to do is anger you. I’m trying to make sense of what you don’t like about me.”
“You mean that you are too young for me, and you are being judgmental?”
“I’m sorry if my honesty hurts your feelings, Evie, but you and I should start dating. I want to court you.”
“What are you saying? We hardly know each other.”
“I know that if I wait any longer, I’ll never have a chance with you. I’d regret it the rest of my life.” He drew so close I thought he was going to kiss me. “Tell me what I need to do to get your attention. Be a renegade like Jake? Is he the kind of man you want to father your children?”
“Please, Mark. Leave him out of this conversation.” But my mind was writing its own narrative. Jake always loomed in my brain, forever out of reach.
“Fine, if you insist. But would you please come to the singing with me right now?”
He was beginning to annoy me with his persistence. How many times did I have to say no?
“Has no woman ever turned you down, Mark?”
“Not that I can think of. But no matter. You’re the only one I want.”
“As some sort of revenge against Jake?”
“Nee, I couldn’t care less about him. I thought we weren’t going to bring up his name again.”
“Mark, please let me say good night to you, and we’ll remain friends.” Before I said something I couldn’t take back.
“You’ll regret this,” were his parting words. Was he threatening me? No, this was just an inappropriate way to woo a woman that I chalked up to his youth. Once inside, I leaned against the door and let out a deep breath.
Ten minutes later a gentle rapping on my door made me jump. Mark had come back already? I swung the door open prepared for a verbal tussle and nearly walked into Jake, still dressed Englisch.
He pushed the door open wider and strode past me before I could say anything.
I peeked outside, and then I closed the door behind him. Fortunately, all the dogs were in the big house. I couldn’t imagine Beatrice would let them out again tonight unless she accompanied them.
“How did you get here?” I asked him, recalling seeing him driving his dat’s buggy. But his mother also said he had an automobile.
“A car I borrowed from an Englisch friend in New York. Brandy’s older bruder.”
“Then why were you driving your dat’s buggy the other day?”
“I told you. Brandy said she’d always wanted to ride in a buggy.”
Hearing Jake speak her name made me feel prickly inside, but I couldn’t help being happy to see him. And both he and Brandy had assured me he wasn’t the father of her baby. Yet I had to wonder if they were painting a facade for his mamm’s sake. And mine.
I tried to rid my mind of Brandy’s image. “I didn’t hear a car. How long have you been here?”
“Long enough.” He widened his stance and tilted his head. “Long enough to see you have suitors coming out your ears. And here you were trying to make me feel guilty because I’m helping out one young woman in trouble.”
“Nee, I wasn’t. I was just surprised to meet her.” My hands clamped on my hips. “I feel sorry for her, but shouldn’t she be home with her parents?”
“She told you. They booted her out. It’s a long story, but the bottom line is that I’m not the father. Do you believe me?”
“I want to.”
I drifted into the kitchen area, and I leaned back on the lip of the sink. He placed a hand on either side, pinning me against it. “Are you ever going to forgive me, Evie?”
“You haven’t asked for forgiveness.”
“I thought—Well, I thought you’d given up on me.” Light from the main house illuminated his face enough to see his manly features.
“I thought you’d completely forgotten me.” I folded my arms across my chest. “And I see no evidence to the contrary or that you care about anyone but yourself, unless it’s Brandy.”
Outside, Millie yapped. I froze and put one hand to Jake’s lips to hush him. He nibbled my fingers, but I turned away and stepped out of his reach. “Don’t you dare,” I whispered.
Minutes later, I heard Beatrice’s voice fade as she closed her back door.
Jake said, “Come on. Let me take you to my folks’ house for a little bit. My mamm begged me to fetch you.”
“Pay a visit twice in one day? But it’s so late.”
“Mamm doesn’t care. Anything to get Dat back.”
“I’m not a doctor. What could I possibly accomplish?”
“So far no one has accomplished more than you have.”
TWENTY-SIX
Denki for coming, Eva.” Ruth fluttered toward me to bestow a hug. Never had I expected Jake’s mother to show such affection.
“It wasn’t easy.” Jake removed his baseball cap and hung it on a peg in the kitchen next to Amos’s straw hat. Jake and I both stepped out of our shoes. “But I finally convinced her to come.”
If anyone had seen me get into his borrowed car, I was doomed. It was a beater in need of paint, but nonetheless, I was in a motorized vehicle alone with him.
“Amos is still in the hospital bed, but his head is propped up.” Ruth’s face glowed with childlike expectancy.
As I walked toward him, Amos lifted his chin the tiniest bit, and his eyes focused on me. “Eva…”
“Hello, Amos. How are you doing?” I had no idea what to do or say. The sheet and blanket covered him
