Free A Husband For Mari (The Amish Matchmaker 2) by Emma Miller

all of this for other people’s children?”
    Sara chuckled. “Not alone. It’s really for everyone. My socials are always open to the entire neighborhood. You rarely run into opposition from parents if you have a preacher or bishop present.” She lowered her voice. “I’m an obedient member of my church, but some of my ideas do stretch the boundaries of tradition.”
    Mari nodded. She’d always admired Sara, and now she admired her even more. It was endearing to see that her kindness didn’t extend to just old acquaintances who’d fallen on hard times.
    Families were filing in, and Mari glanced around, hoping to catch sight of Zachary. So many people who all knew each other was daunting to her. She could imagine how it might be difficult to her son.
    The main door swung open again, and James and another man entered, followed closely by Zachary. “Mom!” her son called. He said something to James, who smiled at him and waved him toward her and Sara. Zachary ran to join them. “Hey, Mom.” He stopped short and shoved his hands into his pockets.
    “I’ll be in the kitchen,” Sara said, giving Mari a pat on the shoulder. “Through that doorway.”
    “I’ll be in in just a minute to help.” Mari turned back to her son. His cheeks were bright red, and she noticed that the cuff of his hoodie was torn. She thought about telling him to run back to the house and grab one of the spare coats from Sara’s house, but he looked so happy that she didn’t want to seem critical. And to his credit, he was wearing a wool cap pulled down over his ears, like the other boys. She’d thought of Zachary often today, wondering how he was making out. It was a relief to see that he seemed in good spirits.
    “I was helping James with the horses.” Zachary bounced on the balls of his feet. “He’s teaching me how to clean Jericho’s hooves. Stones get stuck in there.”
    “He learns quick, your boy.”
    Mari looked up to see James walking over to join them. “I hope he isn’t being a bother,” she said.
    James shook his head. “No. Not at all.” The warmth of his expression told her that he wasn’t simply being polite. “It’s a good thing to find a young man who’s interested in the care of animals.” He raised one shoulder in an easy shrug. “With a horse, feet and legs are everything. They’re surprisingly frail for such a large animal. You have to pay close attention to their health.”
    “Absolutely,” she agreed. “My uncle had a horse that had to be put down because a sharp rock caused a hoof infection that spread up the animal’s leg.”
    Zachary looked up at her with obvious admiration on his face. “You never told me that your uncle had a horse.”
    A lot I haven’t told you , she thought. But she just smiled. There would be time when he was older to tell him the whole story of her life before he became her life. “I’m going into the kitchen to help Sara, Zachary. Want to come along?”
    “Can’t. James says the men have things to do.” He glanced at James again. “I can’t believe we’re having tacos tonight. I didn’t know you people...” Mari saw the hint of a flush creeping up his neck and face as he averted his gaze from James’s. “Ate stuff like tacos,” he finished, suddenly fascinated by the toe of one of his sneakers.
    “I love tacos,” James said. “And I like them spicy.”
    Zachary grinned, his eyes wide with admiration. “Me, too. And lots of sour cream.”
    James looked to Mari. “I could use Zach’s help,” he said. “If it’s all right with you. I’d like him to meet some other neighborhood boys his age. We’ll be right here in the barn.”
    “Please, Mom,” her son begged. “I’ll come and help you later. Promise.”
    James waved to a slender boy with an olive complexion. “’Kota, come here,” he called.
    ’Kota ran to join them. Mari didn’t think he was Amish because he had an English haircut, but his plain blue sweater and hand-sewn denim jacket