Sarasota Dreams Read Online Free Page A

time, or should I wait to hear from you?”
    “I’ll call,” Abe said as he got out of the van. He handed David some cash. “Thank you for the ride, David. See you later.”
    David waved before he took off. Abe turned around and faced the front of Penner’s. For a moment, his resolution to work his way into Mary Penner’s life wavered, but he recognized his fear of rejection and dismissed it. That should never keep a man from following the Lord’s plan for him, and he was fairly certain of what God wanted. Otherwise, why would God plant Mary’s image on his brain so indelibly?
    “Abe.” Joseph Penner greeted him at the door. “Good to see you again. Where would you like to sit?”
    Abe nodded toward the right. “Is Mary still working in that section?”
    Joseph grinned. “She’s supposed to be in the kitchen this morning, but I can send her out if you want to see her.”
    “Neh, don’t change things on account of me.” Disappointment flowed from his chest to his abdomen, but he tried his best not to show it. “I’m sure we’ll see each other again soon.”
    “Go find a seat that suits you, Abe, and I’ll have someone right over to take your order. Want coffee?”
    “That would be good.”
    Abe had only been seated a few seconds when Mary showed up. Even dressed in plain clothes, she glowed with a unique beauty—with her deep green eyes and peaches-and-cream complexion framed by strawberry blond hair that peeked out from beneath her traditional head covering. A stray wisp hung down over her forehead, but she didn’t seem to notice it.
    “Grandpa said you wanted to see me?” She lifted an order pad and poised her pen above it. “Do you know what you want yet?”
    Abe didn’t have to look at the menu; he knew it by heart. “I’ll have a tall stack of pancakes, sausage links, two fried eggs sunny-side up, fried potatoes, and a side order of buttered toast.”
    “Pancakes and buttered toast?” she asked. “And all that fried food?”
    “Ya, that’s what I said.”
    She licked her lips and grimaced. “That’s a lot of bread and grease for one person at one time.”
    “But that’s what I want.” Abe challenged her with a stare down.
    She finally took a step back, nodded, and jotted his order on her pad. “Then that’s what you’ll get, Abe Glick, along with a big spike in your blood sugar to go with your clogged arteries.”
    “Are you saying you’re worried about my health?” He had to force himself not to show his amusement.
    “No, of course not. I was just calling it to your attention, that’s all. If you want to go to an early grave, who am I to stop you?”
    He blew out a breath. “Then what do you suggest I have?”
    “It’s not my place to suggest what you should have. If you want—”
    “Tell you what, Mary. I’ll change my order if you’ll consider going out with me after work.”
    “Why?”
    “Because I want to get to know you better. I like you, Mary Penner.”
    Her arms fell to her sides, and her pen fell and rolled across the floor.
    “What?”
    “I would like to take you somewhere.” It was hard not to laugh.
    Mary narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “Where?”
    Abe bent over to retrieve her pen as he tried hard to think of someplace specific, but nothing came to mind, so he relied on what he knew she enjoyed. “You like the beach, so why don’t we go there?” He held out the pen.
    She grabbed the pen from his hand. “I went to the beach yesterday.”
    “Then maybe out for ice cream?”
    She remained standing there, her stare intense, the surprise still evident on her face. “What is this all about, Abe? Did Grandma or Grandpa put you up to something?”
    “Are you saying you don’t trust me? Or your grandparents?”
    “No, of course I’m not saying that. I just want to know why you’re suddenly tracking me down, following me everywhere I go.”
    Abe leaned back and regarded her before saying, “I don’t follow you everywhere.”
    “Okay, so what