Joyful Read Online Free Page A

time he didn’t seem eager to speak, either. Instead, he merely continued to dig and repair.
    And then, not even thirty minutes later, he handed her back the hoe and spade. “Now you’ll have all the potatoes a person could want, Elizabeth.” He frowned. “Probably more than you’d ever want.”
    â€œDanke.”
    â€œIt weren’t no problem.”
    As she watched him brush off his hands and roll down his sleeves, she murmured, “I don’t know whether to thank you again or hug you.”
    His head popped up. “You could do both,” he said with a wry grin. She knew he was only saying such a thing as a bluff.
    But because she was relieved enough to call it, she walked over, threw her arms around him, and gave Levi a little squeeze. “Thank you again, Levi. You’ve saved the day.”
    Raising his arms, he hugged her back, and then with a blush, hastily stepped backward. “Hardly that.”
    â€œI’m serious! You not only saved me hours of work, you saved me hours of frustration. I don’t know how I’m ever going to be able to return your favor.”
    â€œI do.”
    â€œOh?”
    â€œUh-huh. I came over to talk to ya about something, you see.”
    â€œI guess I had better listen, then. Come on in the haus and I’ll get you something to drink. I made some lemonade this morning. I bet it’s real cold by now.”
    â€œThat sounds really gut . Danke .” At last, he smiled, showing off those dimples that were surely going to be the downfall of many a girl’s heart.
    As Elizabeth led the way into the house, she wondered why he’d come over. And she couldn’t help but wonder about his blush when he’d hugged her.
    Of course, it probably meant nothing, but the way his eyes had lit up at her offer of lemonade made her wonder if he’d come courting.
    Surely he was too young for that; he was only sixteen to her twenty!
    But if he was? She was going to have to let him down gently.
    Her grandmother was resting so the house was dark and silent as they walked through the front room into the kitchen. At least there the room was sunny and bright. The yellow paint, blue cabinets, and white tiled countertops never failed to make her smile.
    â€œHave a seat and I’ll get you some lemonade,” she said after they washed up. “I have some cherry pie, too. Made it fresh just yesterday. Would you like a slice?”
    â€œI sure would.”
    She would have giggled at the speed to which he accepted the offering if not for his expression. It was one of pure bliss. Almost as if he didn’t get such treats all the time.
    Which was most curious. His sister-in-law, Miriam, was known to be one of the best cooks in the area.
    After serving him a generous slice, complete with a dollop of whipped cream that she’d just prepared that morning, she sat down across from him.
    Without a trace of embarrassment, Levi drank his lemonade like a man dying of thirst and attacked the pie like a man going into battle.
    Only when his plate was scraped clean did he look up. A pained expression entered his eyes as his fork clattered onto the dish. “Sorry. I was a real pig, wasn’t I?”
    His obvious embarrassment amused her. “I wouldn’t call you a pig. More like someone who was ravenous.”
    â€œI was, at that.”
    â€œAny special reason you’re so hungry? I never have known your family to have any problem keeping food in the cupboards.”
    â€œOh, it ain’t that. It’s just that no one in the haus can cook too gut .”
    â€œOh, Levi. We both know that Miriam can cook rings around most anyone, especially any girl my age.”
    â€œShe’s not there. Her parents helped buy her and Junior a haus near them.”
    â€œDoesn’t she still bring some meals around?”
    â€œNot too often.”
    â€œWhat about your sisters? I’m sure they’ve kept you fed just