Her Forgiving Amish Heart. Rebecca Kertz

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СКАЧАТЬ and blew the rain sideways while lightning continued to flash and was followed by horrific crashes of thunder.

      Feeling desperate, Leah leaned her face against the window to peer inside and caught a tiny flicker of light from the back room. Thanks be to God! She hurried around to the rear entrance and hammered on the door with her fist. She waited for someone to come, her heart racing wildly as she tried not to shrink with fear every time there was lightning and thunder. She pounded again. Please, Lord. Please, Lord.

      What was she going to do? Worried about her horse, she turned to leave.

      The door flew open behind her. “Leah?” a male voice roared above the wind. “Is that you?”

      She spun, then stared at the man who gazed at her from the open doorway. Henry Yoder. The last person she’d expected to see—and the last man she wanted anything to do with. He unsettled her. He’d once been her cousin Isaac’s best friend, until he’d betrayed him.

      “I have to go.” She gasped. A boom of thunder made her duck for cover, her arms shielding her head.

      “Leah.” His voice was soft and near. “Come in from the rain.” He captured her arm gently and pulled her into the store.

      Leah was tempted to stay, her fear momentarily getting the better of her. Then she met Henry’s gaze and closed her eyes, debating. Storm versus Henry Yoder. She bucked up as she made the choice to rein in her fear. She sprang out the door.

      “Leah!” he shouted as he came out after her.

      She halted and met his concerned gaze. “My mare.”

      Understanding brightened his blue eyes. He nodded. “We’ll put her in the storage barn. I’ll get your buggy.”

      She shook her head, refusing to allow him to see how frightened she was. “I’ll get it.”

      Their gazes locked. Henry stared at her, then inclined his head. “I’ll meet you over there.” He gestured toward the large pole-barn structure behind the store, then rushed out into the blinding rain after shutting the door behind him.

      Water streamed in her eyes as she ran to her buggy. Her horse was antsy, shifting nervously as she whinnied. Concerned for the animal despite her fear, she took the time to stroke the animal’s neck. “I’m going to get you inside where it’s safe, girl.”

      After one last pat, she lifted a leg to climb into the vehicle, slipping on the wet wood before she managed to get seated. Leah grabbed the leathers and steered the horse toward the Yoders’ outbuilding. Her heart gave a lurch when she saw that Henry had dragged open the two huge doors for her. He stood back and waved her into the building, but as she urged the mare closer, he grabbed hold of its halter and led her horse inside. The interior of the structure was dark except for the brief flashes of lightning that lit it up. Leah waited until he maneuvered her vehicle in as far as it could go before she let go of her tight hold on the reins and climbed down. Henry waited for her at the rear of the buggy.

      “’Tis a little noisy, but she will be safe here,” he said. Rain plastered his dark hair to his head. Rivulets of water ran down his handsome face and his clothes were soaked, but he didn’t seem to mind. “Come on. Let’s get back to the store.”

      Leah opened her mouth to refuse, to tell him that she would wait with her wagon inside the building, but then she closed it and nodded. She couldn’t be rude to Henry after he’d come to her aid. Besides, she wasn’t going to let the man see her as anyone other than a strong-minded individual who wasn’t fazed by anything. Especially by him. Bright lightning flashed, followed by a thunderous boom. She gasped. Except by thunderstorms.

      A bright white bolt shot from the sky, and there was an explosion as it hit something in the distance. “Come on!” Henry urged. “Let’s go now before things get worse.” She was shocked, conscious of the warmth of his fingers when he caught her hand and tugged her with him as he ran.

      * * *

      Aware of Leah’s hand in his, Henry hurried to safety. The storm was a doozy. It had been a long time since he’d seen one this bad. He pulled open the door, tugged her inside, then shoved the door shut against a gust of wind.

      “Are you oll recht?” he asked when he saw how hard she was breathing. Her eyes refused to meet his as she inclined her head. A crack of thunder made her flinch, and he reached for her and eased her away from the door. He flipped on the light in the storage room and urged her inside.

      She glanced at him with alarm that told him she was as afraid of him as she was the storm. Hurt, he hid his reaction and softened his expression. “’Tis safer here,” he explained. He gave her a crooked smile. “No windows.”

      Understanding flickered in her eyes and he was glad to see her relax.

      She shivered. He realized that she was cold, soaked through like he was. “I’ll be right back,” he said. He hurried to the front of the store. Behind the counter hung a quilt made by his mother. His mam had hoped to sell it, but with the Amish as their main customers there was little opportunity for a sale, so it hung high on the wall simply as a decoration. Henry reached up, slipped it from the wall rack and returned to the storage room. He caught sight of Leah, off guard, hugging herself with her arms. She was bent forward as if she could shield herself from the raging storm outside.

      He felt a painful lurch in his chest as he studied her without her knowledge. Wet blond hair, the bluest eyes and prettiest face he’d ever seen, Leah Stoltzfus was something to behold even as clearly upset as she was. He longed to pull her into his arms to comfort her, but from the look on her face when he’d answered the door, he knew she wouldn’t welcome his hug. She’d wanted to flee when she saw him and he understood why. Years ago Leah’s cousin Isaac and he had befriended some young Englishers during their time of rumspringa. Late one night, while Henry waited for Isaac to join them, Brad Smith and his English friends had spray-painted graffiti over the exterior of Whittier’s Store. When Isaac had arrived on the scene, Brad had shoved a can of spray paint into Isaac’s hands, then dragged Henry with him as he fled while the sound of police sirens echoed in the distance. Brad had warned Henry against telling the authorities who was responsible and promised retribution against him, his family and Isaac if Henry did. This new side of Brad had terrified him, and so Henry had kept his mouth shut and allowed his best friend to take the blame. Isaac had stayed silent and suffered because of it. Henry had waited too long before he’d finally come forward, confessed before the church congregation and asked for forgiveness. The community had forgiven him and so had Isaac. But given her cousin’s suffering because of Henry, and the fact that Leah had avoided him ever since, he didn’t think she had forgiven him.

      Henry sighed with disappointment before he eased back to where she couldn’t see him. He made a loud sound to give her warning of his return. With the quilt draped over his arm, he entered.

      “Here,” he said as he approached. He tried unsuccessfully not to be offended when she instinctively backed away. He exhaled loudly. “Leah, ’tis just something to warm you.”

      Her eyes flickered as she saw what he held. “I’m sorry.” He saw her swallow hard. “I...I’m not exactly fond of thunderstorms.” She seemed surprised by her admission.

      He smiled as he moved closer, relieved that she didn’t withdraw as he draped the quilt gently around her shoulders. He gazed at her and she stared back. The room was small, and he could see her fear of the storm in her pretty blue eyes, hear it in her heightened breathing, although he could СКАЧАТЬ