Harlequin Love Inspired March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Patrice Lewis (best large ereader .txt) 📕

the yard before the meal started. “Come here, Jane! I want you to meet some people.”

Jane hesitated, fighting a desire to avoid the laughing, chattering groups. But she mastered her reluctance and prepared herself to endure her inevitable lack of social graces.

Rhoda introduced her to more young people their age, pulling her toward the more gregarious of the bunch. She received numerous invitations.

“We’re having a barbecue—can you come?”

“I’m going to the singing next week, will you be there?”

“Everyone’s going to the hot dog roast at the Herschbergers’, can you make it?”

Jane smiled through clenched teeth. Of course she would attend all these events. How else would she get to know anyone? And if a young man among the group should ever see beyond her glasses and plain features, perhaps she might have a hope for a family someday. The only way that would happen was if she forced herself to become a social butterfly.

At last she excused herself from the group and caught up with her aunt. She began bringing food out of the kitchen to the long tables set up under the shade of some trees.

“It’s too nice a day to be inside. I’m glad we’re eating outdoors.” Jane placed a platter of fried chicken next to a bowl of potatoes.

“Ja, it’s been so warm lately.” Catherine wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead with a corner of her apron. “It looks like you’ve made some friends.”

“I’m trying. I’ve received a lot of invitations.”

“That’s gut. You’re a bit on the shy side, child, so going to social gatherings will help.”

“I hope so. Everyone seems very nice.” Jane bit her lip. “I just feel so awkward. It was bad enough back in Jasper, so why did I think it would be easier here, with a bunch of strangers?”

“It’s putting you outside your comfort zone, for sure and certain,” chuckled Catherine.

Jane remembered Levy using that very phrase when it came to learning salesmanship at the farmer’s market. “Ja. That’s exactly it. When will that end?”

“I don’t know, but perhaps you’ll meet a special young man at one of these gatherings.”

“Don’t get your hopes up.” Jane spoke with a tartness she hadn’t intended. “I’m sorry,” she added.

Her aunt smiled. “I think things will get easier for you the more you go.”

“I’m sure you’re right.”

“Come now.” Aunt Catherine gestured. “Let’s eat. People are starting to sit.”

Everyone except Levy. Jane saw him at the edge of the large yard, standing under a tree, gently bouncing the baby. He looked ill at ease. Jane thought about taking over the care of little Mercy, and her conscience stung as she justified not following through. It was her day off, after all. And Levy had gotten enough baby lessons from her that he should be able to wrestle with his tiny bundle of responsibility.

Shouldn’t he?

* * *

Juggling the baby in his arms, Levy watched the young people gathering around Jane. It concerned him to see her mingling with so many youngies. From where he was, he couldn’t tell if she was enjoying it or not. He realized he didn’t want Jane to be popular among her peers. Popularity wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

His sister, Eliza, had been a popular young woman, and look what had happened to her.

He fought the instinctive reaction down. Jane wasn’t like Eliza. She was a baptized member of the church, while Eliza was not. Still, it worried him.

Mercy stiffened in his arms, and her tiny face screwed up. She began to wail. Levy unslung the diaper bag from his shoulder and seated himself on the grass, rummaging for a bottle of formula. The minute the tip was in her mouth, she stopped crying.

Despite himself, he softened. Caring for a baby was a lot more work than he’d ever anticipated, but it had its redeeming moments. This was one of them. He even fancied he could see a resemblance to Eliza in the infant’s features.

Did his sister think about what she was missing? Did she regret not seeing Mercy’s first smile, her first step, her first word…

It was hard to think about that. He said a silent prayer for his sister’s health and safety.

“There, little one,” he crooned.

“You’re getting good at that,” said a voice.

Levy looked up to see Peter Troyer, Jane’s uncle. “I don’t have much choice.” He lifted the baby into his arms.

“Seems like you’re getting more comfortable holding her,” Peter chuckled. “Though it was definitely an odd sight, having a baby on the men’s side during worship.”

“I felt pretty funny about it,” admitted Levy. “But it’s not as if I could ask Jane to take the baby for me. She’s entitled to a day off like anyone else.”

“I’ll admit, Catherine said she was itching to give you a hand. But sometimes a man has to just cope, no matter whether it’s babies or crops, ain’t so?”

“Ja.” Levy bounced the baby. He liked Peter Troyer. He was a solid man who never shirked his responsibilities, and managed to keep a twinkle in his eye and a grin on his face. “I’ll admit, this little one has her good and bad moments. When she’s not crying, she’s cooing. It melts the heart.”

“It’s Gott’s way of keeping us from doing our children harm,” chuckled Peter. “Come, we’re deciding on the Church Sunday hosting schedule. We need your voice.”

* * *

Levy drove his buggy home with Mercy asleep in the basket he used as a traveling cradle. He’d gotten through the entire church service with minimal fussing on the part of the baby. He was rather pleased by this accomplishment. Maybe Jane’s baby lessons were sinking in.

The boppli remained asleep as he parked the buggy in the barn and unhitched the horse. Not until he entered the house did she open her blue eyes. She wasn’t quite ready to smile yet—she was too young—but that would come soon enough.

“Ach, liebling, I need to think what to do with you,” he murmured to her as he lifted her from her basket to the bouncy