The Amish Marriage Bargain. Marie E. Bast

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      The next morning, Thad’s gut clenched when he saw Elmer’s buggy pulling into the drive. What did he want? But he already knew. May.

      Perhaps the bishop had sent Elmer out here to see May. Thad settled his feet like a bulldog with his paws planted squarely in the center of the walkway.

      “Gut morgen, Thad.” Elmer smiled as he approached.

      Thad nodded. “Elmer. What brings you out this way?”

      “Come to help May in her garden and visit with her a while.”

      Thad shot Elmer a cold stare, stepped off the walkway and stalked across the barnyard, the dust flying off the heels of his boots. He grabbed his toolbox off the shed’s workbench and headed back to the haus.

      He shook his head and tried to clear May out of his brain. She had a right to a life of her own but all he could see were her smoky-gray eyes staring at Elmer. Those same eyes made his heart swell until he could hardly breathe. Her hair and skin smelled like strawberry blossoms on a sunny June day.

      He took the porch steps two at a time, stopped and caught his breath before entering the kitchen. Bumping the screen door open with his hip, he maneuvered his toolbox through the doorway and set it on the floor, letting the door bang closed.

      May and Elmer turned and scowled at his abrupt entrance. He looked up and locked on to her eyes, then let his gaze drop to her peaches-and-cream cheeks.

      “What are you doing, Thad?” She squared her shoulders and lifted a brow. “Forget something?”

      “Nein. I just remembered you wanted the doors fixed. Since Elmer was here, I thought it would be the perfect time to take off the swollen cupboard doors and fix them. Leah’s door also sticks from the humidity. It squeaked when I opened it. We can take it off the hinges and plane a couple of spots to make it level. Since Elmer has two gut hands, I figured he’d want to help.” Thad felt his face trying to smile but he controlled the urge.

      Elmer pursed his lips and tossed Thad a displeased stare. “Jah, okay. Let’s get to it so I’ll have a few minutes to visit with May.”

      “We’ll start with the kitchen doors.” Thad’s instincts kicked in and told him he was in trouble, but he wasn’t going to let Elmer have the upper hand before he tried to work things out with May.

      He felt Elmer’s glare as they finished up in the kitchen. Of course, he forgot a couple of tools and had to go to the shed twice. Thad nodded toward the stairway that led to the second floor and to Leah’s room, but as he did, the glare in May’s eyes and her furrowed brow signaled he’d upset her plans for a nice afternoon with Elmer.

      Gut. A pang of uneasiness settled in his stomach. May deserved a nice man to court her, and Elmer was a gut-hearted man with many skills that kept him in demand, like his cheese business. But Elmer was also a stern man who worked his employees hard and no doubt would demand his frau do the same.

      As Thad picked up his toolbox, he shot another glance in May’s direction. A rosy blush tinged her cheeks like a January wind had just whirled through the room. She held her back straight as a yardstick and stared him down. He’d made his choice, married April, and now he should step aside and let May find happiness.

      But he just couldn’t. After speaking to the bishop, he wanted one more chance. With May.

      Jah, he had no right disrupting her time with Elmer. Regret crept up his back but a smile curved his lips as he turned to head upstairs.

      He had tossed May aside to marry April, now he was trying to prevent her from courting Elmer. What was wrong with him? Why did he keep hurting her? She was a wunderbaar woman any man would be proud to have as his frau.

      Guilt pushed out a frustrated sigh, and his insides warred. He needed to back away and let May have her chance at happiness. Elmer needed his chance at winning May’s heart. Thad owed her that, but why did it feel like a pitchfork was stabbing his heart?