Free An Amish Match by Jo Ann Brown Page A

man.
    Joshua doubted he could ever be the man Lloyd Burkholder had been. When people spoke of Lloyd, they always mentioned his dedication to his neighbors and his family. More than once, he’d heard someone say Lloyd always accompanied Rebekah wherever she went. A truly devoted husband. With his work taking him to the shop each day, Joshua couldn’t be the doting husband his friend had been. He hoped Rebekah understood.
    As soon as everyone was seated at the table, he signaled for them to bow their heads for silent grace. He was pleased to see Sammy do so, too. Rebekah had taught her son well.
    He didn’t linger over his prayers, which again had more to do with making his new marriage work and less to do with the food in front of him. Clearing his throat, he raised his head. The kinder didn’t need prompting to start passing the food along the table.
    His worry about what to discuss during the meal vanished when Levi monopolized the conversation. His younger son was excited that he’d learned how to use one of the specialty saws Daniel had for his construction projects. As he described the tool in detail, Rebekah helped Sammy eat with as little mess as possible. Deborah and Timothy were busy enjoying the meal.
    Joshua realized he was, too. He’d been dependent on his own cooking or Deborah’s struggling attempts for too long. There had been plenty of meals at his mamm’ s house, but even she wasn’t the cook Rebekah was. Each dish he tried was more flavorful than the one before. Like his sons, he had seconds.
    â€œDon’t fill up completely,” Rebekah said as she smiled at his daughter. “There’s peach pie for dessert.”
    â€œYou’re spoiling us with your wunderbaar food,” he replied.
    She flushed prettily when the boys hurried to add their approval. She deflected it by saying quietly, “God gave each of us a unique talent, and the praise should go to Him.”
    Deborah jumped up, announcing she would serve dessert. She cut the pie and brought the first plate to the table and set it in front of Joshua with a hopeful smile. “Try it, Daedi .” Her voice dropped almost to a whisper. “I made it.”
    â€œYou made the pie, Deborah?” He hoped his disappointment didn’t come through in his voice. As gut as the rest of the meal had been, he’d been looking forward to sampling Rebekah’s peach pie. She’d brought one to the house years ago, and he still recalled how delicious it had been.
    Her brothers regarded the pieces their sister handed them with suspicion. As one they glanced at him. Neither reached for a fork, even when Deborah sat again at the table. When dismay lengthened his daughter’s face, he couldn’t delay any longer.
    Picking up his fork, he broke off a corner from the pie. Flakes fell on to the plate. That was a surprise because Deborah’s last attempt at making a pie had resulted in a crust as crisp as a cracker. Aware how everyone was watching, he raised the fork to his mouth.
    Flavors came to life on his tongue. Peaches, cinnamon and even a hint of nutmeg.
    â€œThis is...” He had to search for the best word. Not surprising or astounding and most especially not impossible , though he couldn’t believe Deborah had made the flaky crust that was as light as the biscuits at breakfast. When his daughter regarded him with anticipation, he finished, “Beyond wunderbaar .”
    â€œDanki,” his daughter said as she turned toward the other end of the table to watch her brothers dig in now that Joshua had announced the pie was gut . “Rebekah taught me a really easy way to make the crust. It’s important not to handle it too much. Mix it, roll it out and get it in the pan.”
    â€œShe did a gut job.” He broadened his smile as he took another bite.
    â€œIt wasn’t hard when I have such an eager student,” Rebekah replied,
    When they finished the meal with