Amish Sweethearts Read online

  Praise for Amy Clipston

  “From the first line in A Place at our Table, talented Amy Clipston plunges the reader into a gripping, fast-paced novel of hope, friendship and redemption. I loved the story and loved its heart.”

  —NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR SHELLEY SHEPARD GRAY

  “A Place at our Table is a moving story of forgiveness and the healing power of love. Amy Clipston weaves beautiful tales of Amish life, family ties, and heartwarming romance. She has always been one of my favorite Amish authors.”

  —JENNIFER BECKSTRAND, AUTHOR OF RETURN TO HUCKLEBERRY HILL

  “A tender story about heartache, healing, and hope. This is a story Amy Clipston fans will absolutely love.”

  —KATHLEEN FULLER, AUTHOR OF THE AMISH LETTERS SERIES, ON A PLACE AT OUR TABLE

  “Warm and homespun as kitten tangled yarn, Amy treats the reader to hearth and table, flame and love. The invitation is open for a soul satisfying read. Come in and be blessed!”

  —KELLY LONG, BESTSELLING AUTHOR ON A PLACE AT OUR TABLE

  “Clipston is as reliable as her character, giving Emily a difficult and intense romance worthy of Emily’s ability to shine the light of Christ into the hearts of those she loves.”

  —RT BOOK REVIEWS, 4 ½ STARS, TOP PICK! ON THE CHERISHED QUILT

  “Clipston’s heartfelt writing and engaging characters make her a fan favorite. Her latest Amish tale combines a spiritual message of accepting God’s blessings as they are given with a sweet romance.”

  —LIBRARY JOURNAL ON THE CHERISHED QUILT

  “Clipston delivers another enchanting series starter with a tasty premise, family secrets, and sweet-as-pie romance, offering assurance that true love can happen more than once and second chances are worth fighting for.”

  —RT BOOK REVIEWS, 4 ½ STARS, TOP PICK! ON THE FORGOTTEN RECIPE

  “In the first book in her Amish Heirloom series, Clipston takes readers on a roller-coaster ride through grief, guilt, and anxiety.”

  —BOOKLIST ON THE FORGOTTEN RECIPE

  “Clipston is well versed in Amish culture and does a good job creating the world of Lancaster County, Penn. . . . Amish fiction fans will enjoy this story—and want a taste of Veronica’s raspberry pie!”

  —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ON THE FORGOTTEN RECIPE

  “[Clipston] does an excellent job of wrapping up her story while setting the stage for the sequel.”

  —CBA RETAILERS + RESOURCES ON THE FORGOTTEN RECIPE

  “Clipston brings this engaging series to an end with two emotional family reunions, a prodigal son parable, a sweet but hard-won romance and a happy ending for characters readers have grown to love. Once again, she gives us all we could possibly want from a talented storyteller.”

  —RT BOOK REVIEWS, 4 ½ STARS, TOP PICK! ON A SIMPLE PRAYER

  “. . . will leave readers craving more.”

  —RT BOOK REVIEWS, 4 ½ STARS, TOP PICK! ON A MOTHER’S SECRET

  “Clipston’s series starter has a compelling drama involving faith, family and romance . . . [an] absorbing series.”

  —RT BOOK REVIEWS, 4 ½ STARS, TOP PICK! ON A HOPEFUL HEART

  OTHER BOOKS BY AMY CLIPSTON

  THE AMISH HOMESTEAD SERIES

  A Place at Our Table

  Room on the Porch Swing

  (Available May 2018)

  THE AMISH HEIRLOOM SERIES

  The Forgotten Recipe

  The Courtship Basket

  The Cherished Quilt

  The Beloved Hope Chest

  THE HEARTS OF THE LANCASTER GRAND HOTEL SERIES

  A Hopeful Heart

  A Mother’s Secret

  A Dream of Home

  A Simple Prayer

  THE KAUFFMAN AMISH BAKERY SERIES

  A Gift of Grace

  A Promise of Hope

  A Place of Peace

  A Life of Joy

  A Season of Love

  YOUNG ADULT

  Roadside Assistance

  Reckless Heart

  Destination Unknown

  Miles from Nowhere

  NOVELLAS

  A Plain and Simple Christmas

  Naomi’s Gift included in An Amish Christmas Gift

  A Spoonful of Love included in An Amish Kitchen

  A Son for Always included in An Amish Cradle

  Love Birds included in An Amish Market

  Love and Buggy Rides included in An Amish Harvest

  Home Sweet Home included in An Amish Home

  Summer Storms included in An Amish Summer

  The Christmas Cat included in An Amish Christmas Love

  NONFICTION

  A Gift of Love

  ZONDERVAN

  Amish Sweethearts

  Copyright © 2017 by Amy Clipston

  Requests for information should be addressed to:

  Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

  Epub Edition October 2017 ISBN 9780718091163

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication

  Names: Clipston, Amy, author.

  Title: Amish sweethearts : four Amish novellas / Amy Clipston, Amy Clipston.

  Description: Nashville : Zondervan, 2018.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2017039623 | ISBN 9780718091156 (softcover)

  Subjects: LCSH: Amish--Fiction. | GSAFD: Christian fiction. | Love stories.

  Classification: LCC PS3603.L58 A6 2018 | DDC 813/.6--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017039623

  All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com.

  Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

  Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Printed in the United States of America

  17 18 19 20 21 /LSC/ 5 4 3 2 1

  Contents

  A HOME FOR LINDSAY Glossary

  Kauffman Amish Bakery Family Trees

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Epilogue

  Discussion Questions

  Acknowledgments

  LOVE AND BUGGY RIDES Glossary

  Amish Heirloom Family Trees

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Discussion Questions

  Acknowledgments

  WHERE THE HEART IS Glossary

  Family Tree

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Discussion Questions

  Acknowledgments

  LOVE BIRDS Glossary

  Amish Heirloom Family Trees

>   Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Discussion Questions

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  A Home for Lindsay

  For Becky Biddy, with love and appreciation

  Glossary

  ach—oh

  aenti—aunt

  appeditlich—delicious

  boppli—baby

  bruderskinner—nieces/nephews

  danki—thank you

  dat—dad

  Dummle!—Hurry!

  fraa—wife

  freind/freinden—friend/friends

  froh—happy

  gegisch—silly

  gern gschehne—you’re welcome

  gude mariye—good morning

  gut—good

  gut nacht—good night

  haus—house

  Ich liebe dich: I love you

  kaffi—coffee

  kapp—prayer covering or cap

  kichli/kichlin—cookie/cookies

  kinner—children

  kumm—come

  liewe—love, a term of endearment

  maed/maedel—young women, girls/young woman

  mamm—mom

  mei—my

  naerfich—nervous

  narrisch—crazy

  onkel—uncle

  schee—pretty

  schtupp—family room

  schweschder/schweschdere—sister/sisters

  sohn—son

  Was iss letz?: What’s wrong?

  Wie geht’s—How do you do? or Good day!

  wunderbaar—wonderful

  ya—yes

  *The German dialect spoken by the Amish is not a written language and varies depending on the location and origin of the settlement. These spellings are approximations. Most Amish children learn English after they start school. They also learn High German, which is used in their Sunday services.

  Kauffman Amish Bakery Family Trees

  Eli m. Elizabeth Kauffman

  Robert m. to Sadie

  Daniel m. to Rebecca

  Kathryn m. to David Beiler

  Timothy m. Miriam Lapp

  Elizabeth “Beth” Anne m. to Paul Bontrager

  Sarah Rose m. to Peter Troyer (deceased), then Luke Troyer

  Robert m. Sadie Kauffman

  Samuel

  Katie

  Nancy

  Raymond

  Jane

  Linda

  Aaron

  Daniel m. Rebecca Kauffman

  Jessica Bedford: niece

  Lindsay Bedford: niece

  Daniel Jr. (“Junior”)

  Emma

  Grace

  David m. Kathryn Beiler

  Amanda

  Lizzie

  Ruthie

  David Jr.

  Manny

  Timothy m. Miriam Lapp

  Nellie

  Beth Anne m. Paul Bontrager

  Lydia

  Titus

  Irma

  Ruth

  Sarah Rose m. Peter Troyer (deceased), then Luke Troyer

  Twins: Seth and Rachel (fathered by Peter)

  Twins: Benjamin and Peter (fathered by Luke)

  Elmer m. Sally Yoder

  Jake Miller: grandson

  Clyde m. Anna Mary Miller

  Jake

  Jeremy (deceased twin)

  Titus m. Irma King

  Naomi m. Caleb Schmucker

  Elam

  Lizzie Anne

  Amos

  Willie

  Levina

  Sylvia

  Leroy

  Joseph

  Caleb m. Naomi Schmucker

  Susie (from Caleb’s deceased wife)

  Millie

  Jesse (deceased) m. Nellie Glick (deceased)

  Betsy m. Earl Lantz

  Matthew

  Earl m. Betsy Lantz

  Suzanne

  Ella

  Chapter One

  The rocks under Matthew Glick’s boots crunched as he walked up the driveway that led to his sister’s small farmhouse. At the back of the modest clapboard two-story white structure, he could see lights burning in the kitchen. He imagined Betsy, Earl, and their daughters, Suzanne and Ella, sharing supper around their table earlier, but it was late now. Perhaps Betsy and Earl were having a snack.

  As his driver backed down the driveway, the headlights from his car cast ghostlike shadows on the skeleton of the house Matthew was building for Lindsay Bedford, his fiancée, at the back of the property. A smile turned up the corners of his mouth. In only five months he and Lindsay would be married and start a new life in that house.

  He started for the back-porch steps of his sister’s home but then halted. Instead he stepped into his workshop off Earl’s barn. He lifted a Coleman lantern from his workbench, clicked it on, and walked toward his unfinished house. The only sounds came from the singing cicadas and a distant car.

  As he stood in front of the work he’d accomplished so far, an image of Lindsay filled his mind. When he first met her, he was awestruck by her red hair and emerald eyes, but her beauty wasn’t all that drew him to her. Her sweet and thoughtful personality quickly won him over. He’d been shy and taciturn when he arrived in Bird-in-Hand, but Lindsay had been determined to be his friend.

  The move to Bird-in-Hand hadn’t been under the best of circumstances. He’d brought his mother there so Betsy could help nurse her in her last days. He’d needed Lindsay more than he wanted to admit. She was a bright light during that dark time in his life, and he’d quickly fallen in love with her easy sense of humor and giving heart.

  With no front steps for a porch yet, Matthew had to set down his lantern and haul himself up into the framework of his house. As he walked around the first floor, he thought about when he had proposed to Lindsay, he had promised to build her a home on Betsy’s farm. Keeping his promise to her, the house would have five bedrooms, a good-size kitchen, and a spacious family room. It certainly would be all they’d need.

  He walked to the far side and shone his light where the kitchen would be. An image came into clear focus in his mind—oak cabinets with a tan granite counter, a window above the sink, a long oak kitchen table with six chairs. He imagined Lindsay standing at the counter, preparing supper. She would smile over her shoulder when he came home after a long day working at the Kauffman & Yoder Amish Furniture store. He would kiss her cheek before they sat down to eat together, and they’d discuss their days and then spend the evening in each other’s company. Their relationship would grow over time, and hopefully, with God’s blessing, they would raise a few children in this house.

  Lindsay was the love of his life, his future, his everything. He could hardly wait to start a new life as her husband.

  Matthew turned and stared out a window frame toward the trees that separated this property from Robert Kauffman’s pasture next door. Tomorrow night he would join the Kauffmans for their weekly Saturday-night gathering. He’d been blessed beyond measure when Eli Kauffman, the family patriarch, hired him to work at his store. Not only had he met Lindsay, Eli’s great-niece, but he’d also been accepted into that warm and loving extended family.

  Because his father abandoned his family when he was ten years old, Matthew hadn’t known what it was like to have a consistent father figure in his life. Daniel Kauffman, Lindsay’s uncle and guardian, however, quickly became like a father to him, offering advice and encouraging his work. He was grateful he’d be part of the Kauffman family, and he prayed he was worthy of Lindsay’s hand in marriage.

  He was looking forward to spending time with her at the gathering. They hadn’t seen each other since yesterday.

  A sudden yawn overtook him. He’d worked hard today at the furniture store, staying late to finish a project, and he was ready to eat the supper Betsy saved for him and go
to bed. He jumped down from the house and headed for his sister’s back porch.

  Matthew climbed the steps and quietly entered the house through the mudroom. He didn’t want to wake up his nieces if they were already asleep. He removed his straw hat and boots.

  When he stepped into the kitchen, he saw Earl at the table, staring dejectedly at a pile of papers. Betsy leaned with her back against the counter, wiping red and puffy eyes. Matthew froze as alarm swept through him. Should he leave and give them privacy? Or should he ask them if they were all right?

  “Matt. You’re home. How was work today?” Betsy’s voice sounded thin as she gave him a watery smile.

  “It was gut.” Matthew remained in the doorway as a thick fog of anxiety hung over the kitchen. Maybe he should go back outside. But this was his home, too, and he was tired. Maybe he should go straight up to his room. When his stomach growled in protest, he shifted his weight on his feet.

  “You worked late.” Betsy sniffed again as her body shuddered, the apparent remnant of a sob. “Did you finish that dresser that’s been giving you a fit?”

  Matthew nodded. “Ya. The customer picked it up today. Daniel told me the customer was very froh with it.”

  “I’m not surprised. You do gut work.” She nodded toward refrigerator jars sitting on the counter. “The maed are already upstairs for the night. I saved some food for you. Would you like some?”

  “Ya. Danki.” Matthew crossed the kitchen and washed his hands at the sink while Betsy put meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans on a plate. “That smells appeditlich.”

  “It’s still warm.” Betsy placed the plate on the table and smiled, but the smile didn’t reach her golden-brown eyes. At thirty, she was ten years older than Matthew, but she shared the same eye color and curly hair he’d inherited from their mother.

  Matthew gathered utensils, poured himself a glass of water, and sat down across from Earl. After a silent prayer, he began to eat. Now Earl was scowling at the stack of papers as he flipped through them. Betsy put clean dishes into a cabinet, and the rustling of papers, clinking of dishes, and scraping of utensils were the only sounds. The tension in the kitchen nearly choked Matthew as he ate.