Free Sweet as Honey by Jennifer Beckstrand Page B

swallowed hard. Kissing Paul sounded like eating a spoonful of shortening. Why would she want to?
    She knit her brows together. Would she have to talk herself into the idea?
    She forced a smile and tried to put the thought of Paul’s lips out of her mind. “Paul and I have never kissed.”
    Aunt B turned her face to the ceiling. “ Denki, Lord. I was beginning to think You hadn’t heard my prayer this morning.”
    Lily giggled. “You prayed that I wouldn’t kiss Paul today?”
    Aunt Bitsy curled one side of her mouth. “I prayed that He would keep you from the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Same thing.”
    Kissing Paul wouldn’t be as bad as a walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Would it? All the same, she was grateful to Aunt B for the prayer. It couldn’t have hurt.
    â€œAfter we ate, Paul wanted to show me some of the new products they’re carrying at the market. They’re buying a new freezer, so he showed me where it will go. The bishop has approved it.” Many Amish businesses used electricity and phones. Glick’s market was nearly as modern as the Walmart in Shawano.
    She didn’t mention that Paul had also taken her back to his house to show her where he was going to build a house. He already had a floor plan mapped out and wanted to show her where everything in the house would be.
    If she mentioned the property, the conversation would inevitably turn to why Paul wanted to build a house and if Lily planned on getting married this fall. They were questions she didn’t want to answer. Questions she didn’t even have the answers to.
    Aunt B threw a pinch of salt into her pot and looked up. “I almost forgot. I wish I could forget. That other boy brought something for you.”
    Lily’s chest tightened. “What other boy?”
    â€œThat one boy who steps on dandelions and calls you names.”
    Oh. That boy.
    Aunt B searched briefly, as if she couldn’t remember where she’d put it, then found it under one of the pillows on the window seat. “He begged me to be sure to give it to you.”
    The tightening in the chest joined a sinking feeling in her stomach as she recognized the box. The entire nine-book Little House on the Prairie set. He was mocking her—mocking the ugly girl because her boyfriend had dared to stand up to him.
    She bit down on her tongue to keep the tears from pooling in her eyes. Who cared what Dan Kanagy thought?
    â€œHe seemed upset. He probably stepped on my dandelions and didn’t want me to know . . .” Aunt B paused midsentence and studied Lily’s face.
    Lifting her gaze, Rose gasped. She immediately rushed to Lily’s side. Poppy weaved around the island and put an arm around Lily as if she thought she might faint.
    â€œWhat’s wrong, little sister?” Aunt Bitsy said, pulling up a chair and reaching out for Lily’s hand. “Little sister” was what Aunt Bitsy called her when things were really bad.
    Lily obviously wasn’t very good at hiding her distress.
    She huffed out a breath, embarrassed that she let the name-calling upset her. “Dan said something horrible.” Even though she’d heard it for the first time today, Dan had said the ugly words years ago. They had both been fourteen years old. It was plenty long to hold a grudge.
    Poppy squeezed her shoulder. “I knew I should have shoved him harder the other day.”
    â€œOh dear,” Rose murmured, oozing compassion as she sat next to Aunt B at the table.
    Lily couldn’t resist all that sympathy. She burst into tears and buried her face in Aunt B’s neck.
    Aunt B rubbed Lily’s earlobe between her thumb and forefinger. “There, there. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but a shotgun would really do the trick on that boy.”
    Lily laughed in spite of herself.
    â€œI’m serious,” Aunt B said.
    She wasn’t really, but she’d