She tried to look casual, but Jacob knew better. The two of them had always been a little compet.i.tive in spirit. But as twins, they were the first to defend each other whenever necessary.

Jacob put the ca.s.serole in the oven, set the temperature on low, and turned around. He stroked his chin and thought about it. "Well, I think Linda's best dish is chicken and noodles."

Rebecca smirked. "I taught her how to make that."

"Mamm taught you how to make that."

"But I improved on it and taught it to Linda."

"Better not let her hear you say that."

"Linda?"

"No. Mamm."

"But it's true. I make it better than her."

Jacob noticed that she looked over her shoulder as she said it. Laughing, he shook his head. "Yeah, better not let her hear you saying that."

Mamm was sweet but firm and more than once had quietly walked up on them saying or doing something they shouldn't have.

He pulled a mug from the cupboard. "Do you have time for a cup of coffee?"

She glanced at the clock. "A quick one."

He poured it for her and gestured at a chair but she stood instead.

"So, have you been to town lately?" he asked, hoping he sounded casual.

"Haven't had time. Why?"

He shrugged and poured himself a cup of coffee. "I thought I'd make a run there next day or two. Pick up Mamm's birthday present."

Rebecca's eyes narrowed. "It's not for two weeks."

"Don't want to wait until the last minute."

She laughed and set her coffee down. "You always wait until the last minute for that sort of thing. A couple of times you'd have even forgotten if one of us hadn't reminded you."

Remembering how his timing with Mary Katherine hadn't gone so well, he set down his coffee. Suddenly it tasted bitter.

"Yes, well, maybe it's time to admit that my timing's been a little off in some things." He knew just where he was going to go for that present.

Maybe he'd get a second chance with Mary Katherine.

She put the back of her hand to his forehead. "Are you feeling allrecht?"

He pulled her hand away. "I'm not one of your kinner. I'm fine." He kissed her hand to take away any possible sting from his words.

"I worry about you, baby brother. You're living alone here with no one to take care of you."

"I'm a man. I can take care of myself."

"Schur. That's why I just brought you supper. If I didn't, you wouldn't eat."

Stung, he stared at her. "I appreciate the meals but I'm not totally helpless in the kitchen, you know. I can cook."

"You've never cooked."

"Well, how hard can it be?"

Rebecca drew herself up. Her eyes flashed. "Maybe you should find out."

With that, she stomped toward the front door.

"Rebecca! Come back! I'm sorry! I just put my foot in my mouth!"

"Try some salt and pepper with it!" She shut the front door with a snap.

Jacob ran a hand through his hair. "What a dumbkoff," he muttered.

First his mother. Now his sister.

What was he doing wrong with the women in his family lately?

Maybe if he was this inept, he should stay away from Mary Katherine so he didn't offend her when he approached her again. A guy had only so many chances with a woman. A single man, that is. At least, that's what he'd heard.

6.

That makes five," Mary Katherine said as the door to the shop closed.

"Hmm?" Leah looked up from her study of the day's receipts. "Five? Five what?"

"Every one of the Miller girls has stopped in to the shop this week."

"Really?"

"I don't think they've all visited in one month, let alone one week before, do you? Not even in the weeks before Christmas when we get a lot of women who like to make gifts for friends and family."

Setting her reading gla.s.ses aside, Leah tilted her head and regarded Mary Katherine. "So what are you saying?"

"I don't know. I just-well, it seems strange, that's all." She straightened the display table where Anna's adorable cupcake hats for babies were displayed. They were one of the most popular items in the shop.

"Jacob's mother came in, too."

Mary Katherine's hands stilled on the hats. "Really? When? I didn't see her."

"Yesterday, when you went to lunch with Anna. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but now that you mention it, she asked about you."

"Me? Why? What did she say?"

Leah gathered up her receipts. "She asked how you were doing." She paused and looked thoughtful.

"What?"

"Well, I didn't think anything of it at the time."

"What?" Mary Katherine put her hands on her hips and waited impatiently.

Smiling, Leah walked around the counter. "Well, she didn't ask about Naomi or Anna."

Mary Katherine stared at her grandmother as she walked to the back room. What was she supposed to think about that?

A customer walked in, an Englisch one, and smiled at her. Mary Katherine returned her smile.

"Can I help you with anything?"

"I'd like to browse a little if you don't mind."

"Of course. Let me know if I can be of any help," Mary Katherine told her.

A glance through the shop window showed few shoppers out. No wonder. It had been drizzling since early morning. Her grandmother and her cousins were doing inventory, leaving Mary Katherine in charge.

The woman walked around the shop, studying the quilts displayed on the walls, especially the collage quilt Mary Katherine had made.

Mary Katherine walked over to her loom and studied her pattern.

"Are you Mary Katherine?"

She looked up at the customer. "Yes."

"Jamie told me about you. Jamie Patterson. She said I should stop by your shop. I'm Allie Prentice, one of Jamie's college instructors."

She studied Mary Katherine's work on the loom. "This is lovely. Quite a creative use of pattern and color. Where did you learn to do this?"

"An aunt of mine taught me years ago."

"Could I get you to come in and talk to my cla.s.s about your weaving?"

Shocked, Mary Katherine stared at her. "I-I wouldn't know what to say. I just . . . weave."

"And quilt," the woman said, gesturing at the collage quilt. "I love the images, the unusual quality to it. I haven't seen many examples of collage quilts. I'd like you to talk about both to my Fabric Arts cla.s.s."

"Jamie let me see her textbook for that cla.s.s," Mary Katherine said, excitement welling up in her. "It looks so interesting."

The woman smiled. "Why don't you come in and speak, and then you can observe the cla.s.s a few times if you like?"

"Observe?"

"Sit in, see what we do. You don't have to pay. Or take the quizzes," she added with a smile.

Mary Katherine hesitated. "When is the cla.s.s?"

"Ten to eleven a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays." She pulled a business card from her purse and handed it to her. "Think about it and let me know what day is best for you. Oh, and I can send a driver to pick you up and bring you back."

She looked at the card in her hand, then at the woman. "I'll think about it and let you know."

"Great." The woman glanced at the clock on the wall. "Well, much as I'd like to browse for hours in here, I need to get back to campus. I have a ton of work to do."

Her grandmother came out a little while later. "Still quiet out here?" She peered at Mary Katherine. "You look a little flushed. Are you feeling allrecht?"

She still didn't know what to think of the visitor who'd walked out the door just a few minutes ago. "Wait until you hear who came in."

"Not another Miller."

Mary Katherine laughed. "No." She told her grandmother about the professor and how she wanted her to speak to the cla.s.s.

"I don't know why she thinks I have anything important to tell the students," Mary Katherine said.

"Will you hide your light beneath a bushel?" Leah asked her quietly. "Child, I know that we teach-we live-working at not being filled with hochmut, with pride. But it's not prideful to share yourself and what you know with others, liebschen. You're not bragging about yourself, about your G.o.d-given gift, are you?"

Mary Katherine shook her head. "Never."

"And I've never known you to be self-important. As a matter of fact-"

"What?"

Leah sighed and reached out to touch Mary Katherine's cheek. "I love my bruder, but he is not an easy man to be around. You've blossomed here."

Unbearably touched, Mary Katherine hugged her. "Danki," she whispered. "I was miserable on the farm."

"It wasn't the farm, it was-"

Conversation ceased as Naomi and Anna entered. They stopped when they saw their grandmother embracing Mary Katherine.

"Is everything all right?" Naomi asked, looking concerned.

"It's fine," Leah rushed to say. She stepped back from Mary Katherine. "Why don't you tell them your news while I make us some tea?"

"News?" Anna grabbed Mary Katherine's hand and began leading her to the back room. She held up the bag she clutched in her other hand. "We got some more of those cinnamon rolls from the bakery. You can have the first one if you tell me your news."

"It's hardly big news," Mary Katherine said.