Introduction

Katie Ann lost the love of her life. Then God offers her a new beginning in Colorado.

Katie Ann Stolzfus lives in the small Amish community of Canaan, Colorado. At forty she is widowed and raising her first child. But baby Jonas will never know his father, and Katie Ann wonders if her Heavenly Father hasn't forgotten about her as well. Is it really God's plan for her to be a single parent?

Eli Detweiler has come to Canaan for a wedding and a long vacation. Having raised six children following the death of his young wife, Eli is finally an empty-nester. He's enjoying the slower pace of having no one to care for but himself.

When Katie Ann and Eli meet, there is an instant connection. Yet as strong as the attraction is, they both acknowledge that a romance would never work. He is done parenting, while she has just begun.

But as their friendship slowly blossoms into feelings that are as frightening as they are intoxicating, Katie Ann and Eli question if the plans they made for themselves are in line with God's plans.

Can Katie Ann entrust her heart to another man, and rediscover the wonder of God's love?

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Excerpt

One

Katie Ann reached into the drawer of the

end table next to the couch and pulled out the letter she’d

received two weeks ago. She knew it would upset her stomach

to read it—as it had a dozen times already—but she unfolded

it anyway. She couldn’t imagine why her husband’s mistress,

Lucy Turner, was planning to travel all the way to Colorado to

see her. She took a deep breath and read the letter again.

Dear Katie Ann,

I hope this letter finds you well. I heard from some

of our mutual acquaintances here in Lancaster County

that you had a healthy baby boy and named him Jonas.

Congratulations to you. A baby is such a miracle from God.

Katie Ann rolled her eyes, the way she always did at Lucy’s

mention of God. A good, godly woman wouldn’t get involved

with another woman’s husband. Although she knew good and

well that it took two for such deception. She let out a heavy

sigh and continued reading. I’m sure that I am the last person you want to hear from, and

I’m sorry to bother you, but I need to meet with you. I know

it is awkward, but I have something important to discuss,

and it’s too much to say in a letter, or even over the phone.

As soon as I can arrange to be off work, I will be traveling to

Colorado. I hope that you can find time to meet with me to

discuss this urgent matter. I thought it might be easiest for

you if you knew in advance that I’m coming.

All the best to you and your new little one,

Lucy Turner

Katie Ann folded the piece of paper and put it back in the

drawer, determined not to let thoughts of Lucy ruin this day.

But as she crossed through the living room toward the kitchen,

she couldn’t help but wonder exactly when Lucy was going to

show up on her doorstep. And what she wanted.

Katie Ann poured a large bag of M&M’s into a Tupperware

bowl, then put the container next to the other food she would

be carting to the Detweilers’ house. Both the candy and container

were a gift for the bride and groom. It was traditional to

place a fun and edible gift on the eck, something that held special

meaning between the giver and the recipient. Katie Ann

guessed that lots of people would choose M&M’s, though. It

was no secret that the candy was Emily’s favorite.

She couldn’t believe that the wedding was tomorrow. It

seemed like just yesterday her husband’s nephew David was a

young boy, but tomorrow he would marry Emily in front of a

hundred friends and family. A small crowd for an Amish wedding.

She recalled the nearly four hundred guests at her own

wedding, but she quickly brushed the memory aside as she

snapped the lid closed on the bowl.

“Martha! Are you ready? Is the baby ready?” She walked

back through the living room, turned the corner, and strolled

into little Jonas’s bedroom. It was a beautiful room, painted in

powder blue and trimmed with a lively, multicolored border

of dancing ponies. Matching curtains covered the two windows

facing the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The fancy décor

would be frowned upon by the bishop if he were to visit, but

it was all Martha’s doing, and Katie Ann didn’t have the heart

to change it. Martha was a widow and didn’t have any children

of her own.

“This little one needs a real nursery,” her Englisch friend

had said with a huff before Jonas was even born.

Martha would be upset if she knew that Katie Ann had

heard from Lucy.

Katie Ann stood quietly in the doorway for a moment,

savoring the view of her little miracle in Martha’s arms and the

contented expression on the older woman’s face. Martha was

as much a grandmother to Jonas as Katie Ann’s own mother

would have been if she were still living. Katie Ann smiled as

Martha gently cradled Jonas in her arms, pushing the oak

rocking chair into motion with her foot.

“Why don’t you let me stay with the baby while you go on

over to the Detweilers’ house? No need to drag this young one

into the cold, plus he’s finally stopped crying and is sleeping

soundly.” Martha touched her finger to Jonas’s cheek as her

lips curved into a smile. After a moment, she looked back up

at Katie Ann. “Unless it’s too cold for you to take the buggy. We

can bundle him up real good and take my car.”

Katie Ann shook her head. “No, no, I don’t mind the buggy

ride. It’s crisp outside, but sunny. It would be gut if you could

stay with Jonas. Are you sure you don’t mind?”

Katie Ann had been up more than usual during the night

with Jonas. He just wouldn’t stop crying, and nothing she did

seemed to calm him.

Martha looked up at her and scowled. “Now where else

on the planet do you think I’d rather be than with this baby?”

She raised one hand out from under Jonas and tucked a piece

of brownish-gray hair behind her ear, a strand that had fallen

from beneath the butterfly clip on the top of her head.

Katie Ann pushed a loose tendril of her own hair beneath

her kapp as she moved toward the rocker. “Just checking.” She

leaned down and kissed her precious bundle on the cheek.

“See you soon, my darling.”

Martha raised her chin as she spoke in a whisper. “You tell

Vera Detweiler that I’m expecting creamed celery tomorrow.

Lots of it.”

Katie Ann nodded as she moved toward the door. “You

know there’s always lots of celery at weddings.” She pulled her

heavy black coat, gloves, and bonnet on. Once she was bundled

up, she came back to the bedroom door and glanced in at

Martha. “I’ll be back soon. You’ll check on him often, right?”

Martha nodded. “Yes, I will. Now, you go.” She waved a

hand at Katie Ann.

Martha hadn’t missed a day since Jonas was born. Sometimes

she stayed for hours, and she often spent the night. Katie

Ann was grateful to have the older woman in her life. Being a

single mother was challenging.

As she closed the door behind her, she thought about Ivan.

Despite her husband’s infidelity, she was sorry that he would

never see his son. She still mourned Ivan’s untimely death, but

with each passing day, her sorrow became less as her anger grew stronger. She was thankful to God for blessing her with Jonas

so late in life, but even her relationship with Him had suffered.

Maybe it was all the sleepless nights she’d been up with Jonas,

too tired even to pray. That’s what she kept telling herself.

She climbed into the buggy and turned on the batteryoperated

heater on the seat next to her. The thermometer

outside her window showed thirty-three degrees, but as was

usually the case here in the San Luis Valley, the sun shone

brightly, making it seem much warmer than it was. Clicking

her tongue, she set the buggy in motion and breathed in the

fresh country air, wondering if it would snow later. She’d read

in the newspaper that morning that there might be a flurry, but

no hard weather was forecast. She wondered if the Detweilers’

relatives had arrived safely. Vera was doubtless beside herself,

busy with preparations for her daughter’s wedding. Katie Ann

was disappointed that the weather back in Lancaster County

would prevent Ivan’s side of the family from attending. She’d

always been close to her in-laws, and she was sure David must

be disappointed as well.

Once again, recollections of her own wedding swirled in

Katie Ann’s head, and her eyes filled with tears as she thought

about the good years she’d had with Ivan. And the bad. But she

never could have predicted that Ivan would leave her—for the

likes of Lucy Turner—and take up residence with the Englisch

woman back in Lancaster County. She still struggled to forgive

her dead husband’s choices . . . and Lucy Turner.

Eli Detweiler thanked the cabdriver and whistled a

tune as he walked across the snow to his cousin’s house. He blocked the sun’s glare with his hand; he’d never seen a more

beautiful day. His spirits were high, and he felt like he had his

entire life ahead of him—even though he’d already lived at

least half of it. But at forty-three he had a new sense of freedom,

the kind that comes from being a new empty-nester,

as the Englisch called it. He’d married off the youngest of his

kinner two weeks ago, and with Maureen out of the house, he

was on his own. After Sarah died, he’d managed to raise six

young children by himself, and he couldn’t recall a moment’s

peace.

Five of the six were girls, and he never could have predicted

the challenges of raising daughters. Thankfully, he had

one ally in Jake, his only son and the oldest of the bunch. He

grinned as he knocked on the door, knowing he wouldn’t have

changed anything about his children or his life—except for

that one dreary day in November seventeen years ago, the day

he lost his beloved Sarah. She’d been his one and only true

love, and not a day went by that he didn’t think about her. No

woman had even sparked his interest since then, despite the

many attempts by family and friends to fix him up. It was the

Amish way to remarry quickly following the death of a spouse,

and he had to admit he could have used the help. He’d had a

few random dates, but there hadn’t been anyone who could

hold a candle to his Sarah.

“Eli! It’s so gut to see you.” His cousin’s wife wrapped her

arms around his neck.

“Gut to be here, Vera,” he said as he returned her embrace.

“Hard to believe it’s been over a year.”

Vera stepped aside so he could enter, and the warmth of a

glowing fire met him as he stepped into their living room. His eyes scanned the room. He saw his cousin Elam and two of

their four children, Betsy and Levi. He knew Elam and Vera’s

third child, Jacob, had married last fall and was living in his

own home with his wife, Beth Ann. Eli regretted not being

able to attend the boy’s wedding, but the weather had kept his

family away last year. After he said his hellos to all of them,

they all turned their attention to the stairs and watched Emily

come down. A year had made quite a difference. Elam and

Vera’s daughter looked . . . happy. And as her face lit up, Eli

recalled everything that the girl had been through. It was a

true blessing to be here for her wedding.

“You look so schee, Emily,” he said as he hugged her.

“Danki so much for coming, Onkel Eli.”

Elam’s kinner had always called him uncle, even though he

was really their cousin.

“I wouldn’t have missed it, mei maedel.” He eased away and

found Vera. “Now, Vera, don’t let me be in the way. I remember

with mei dochders’ weddings, it’s a busy time. So you just put

me to work wherever I’m needed.”

Vera dismissed his comment with a wave of her hand.

“You must be tired from your travels, and really, I think everything

is about ready. We’ve had people helping us all day. We’ll

be up early in the morning to start warming food and to finish

setting up the chairs. You can help then.”

She sat down in one of the rocking chairs facing a tan

couch on the opposite wall, motioning for him to sit as well.

“Everyone else from Middlefield is staying at the local bedand-

breakfasts since this house isn’t nearly as big as we were

used to back home. They were all here earlier helping, but you

probably won’t see them all until mariyefrieh.” view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

From the publisher:

1. In the beginning of the story, Katie Ann doesn’t think Eli is her type. Why? What are some of Eli’s characteristics that Katie Ann ultimately finds charming and is attracted to?
2. Katie Ann struggles to forgive Ivan for his infidelities. How does her inability to forgive set roadblocks along her own life path? Who are we really hurting when we can’t forgive?
3. Eli has his life planned out, and he feels as though he’s earned some time off. When do his big plans to travel start to fall apart and lose the allure? Why do you think that happened?
4. Katie Ann admits to herself that her relationship with God is not what it used to be. What happens when Katie Ann finally accepts that God is in charge and submits to His will without second guessing His plan for her?
5. As in real life, there are several ‘gray’ areas mentioned in the book, things or a way of life that aren’t traditionally part of Amish living. One of those is the use of cell phones. What are two more instances where rules are bent?
6. Eli notices early on that Katie Ann and Martha’s friendship is special, if not unlikely. But despite their many differences, Katie Ann and Martha are more alike than they may seem. How so?
7. What do you think will happen to Lucy? Do you think that she and Katie Ann will cross paths again someday? Will Jonas and Benjamin ever meet each other? If so, how do you think that will go?
8. Martha is a large presence in the book, and her heart is as big as her outspoken personality, which explains why she took Danielle in. As Martha begins to take on a parental role, how do you see her changing with regard to Danielle?
9. Early on, Katie Ann and Eli agree to just be friends. Have you or anyone you’ve known fallen in love with their best friend? How did it turn out?
10. Katie Ann and Eli share one similar quality. They are both unselfish. What are several instances when this shines through for each of them, and when does this endearing quality sometimes block God’s efforts for their future together?
11. Danielle tells several lies—to her mother on the phone in the hospital, to the nurse and others about not knowing who hit her, and to Martha when she tells Martha that her parents are dead. Is it ever justifiable to tell a lie? How might things have turned out differently if Danielle had always told the truth? Would things have turned out better or worse for her?
12. So many times, God has a plan for us that we can’t see or understand, putting us on the right course for the life He wants us to live. What are some examples of this in your own life? Have you ever unknowingly blocked His efforts? Or do you believe that it was always God’s will for things to have happened exactly the way that they did?

Weblinks

»	Publisher's Book Info
»	Amish Living web site

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