search of other Troyers.”
“Timothy has a point.” Kathryn tapped her finger on the counter. “Why would he suddenly show up after his cousin is dead? Is he going to take advantage of Sarah in her fragile state?”
Timothy swallowed a sigh of relief. Danki, Kathryn! Finally someone is listening to me.
“No, he won’t take advantage of her or upset her.” Timothy crossed his arms. “I won’t allow it. I’ll watch him like a hawk. He needs to tend to his business and then leave.”
“You’re overreacting,” Daniel said, raising his hands to calm Timothy. “We don’t know if he’s a liar, and we don’t know what he’s after. We need to give him a chance.”
“We need to protect Sarah,” Kathryn said. “She’s still grieving for her husband.”
Daniel lowered himself onto a stool. “He didn’t even know Peter was married. I saw surprise in his eyes when I told him Peter had a widow.”
“Ya, he seems genuine,” Beth Anne said. “I’m a good judge of character.”
Timothy shook his head. His siblings were always too quick to trust people. He knew all about how liars operated. Miriam Lapp, his ex-fiancée, had proved that when she shattered his trust along with his heart. He needed to make sure that Luke left and left soon, before he hurt Sarah Rose or, worse yet, convinced her to come to Ohio with him to be with the rest of the Troyer family. Sarah needed to be with the Kauffmans, not the Troyers.
“He could be a good actor,” Timothy said. “People like that take you by surprise.”
Meeting his gaze, Kathryn nodded with understanding. “Ya. It’s the truth.”
Beth Anne waved them off with a frown. “You two were always the skeptics of the family.”
“And rightfully so,” Timothy said, turning his stare toward the door. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t hurt Sarah. She’s been through enough, and it’s our job to protect her.”
Luke fell in step with Sarah as they moved across the parking lot toward a pasture beyond the bakery. He closed his eyes for a split second, checking to see if he’d been dreaming. However, when his eyes reopened, the blonde was still walking beside him, the sweet aromas of the bakery emanating from her like an invisible cloud. Luke shook his head with astonishment at the revelation.
Sarah was beautiful. No, she was stunning, almost angelic. Her skin was porcelain, and the hair peeking from beneath her prayer kapp was honey blonde, even lighter than her siblings’. Her eyes were powder blue and her lips a deep pink. When she spoke, her voice was soft and sweet, reminding him of the treats lining the counters and shelves inside the bakery.
He couldn’t help but wonder how Peter had managed to court and marry such a delicate beauty.
Jealousy bubbled up inside of him. While Luke had put his own life on hold, Peter had managed to sweet-talk his way into this close family and win himself a lovely bride.
Somehow life didn’t seem fair.
Sarah stood straight as an arrow, as if she were marching to her death. He could feel anxiety radiating from her.
“Peter never spoke of relatives in Ohio,” she said, breaking the silence between them. “If I had known about you, I would’ve contacted you in time for the funeral. I’m sorry you missed it.”
“It’s not your fault. Daniel told me Peter claimed he didn’t
have any family.” His eyes moved to her hands, folded across her abdomen, and he stopped short. He’d noticed her shape earlier, but the meaning of her size hadn’t registered with him until that moment.
Peter was expecting a child.
No, life wasn’t fair. Now Peter was gone, leaving a widow who would soon be a single mother.
“Zwillingbopplin,” she whispered, her blue eyes full of sadness. “Our first kinner.”
While it made his pulse kick with joy at the notion that he would still have family, a quick look at her face reminded him of her grief. “Zwillingbopplin,” he repeated. “Sarah Rose, I’m so sorry for your