Read Love Means No Shame - Andrew Grey for Free Online Page B

understanding too much about Amish life other than what he’d heard secondhand. But if the boy was supposed to live away from the community and he was sleeping in his barn, he obviously didn’t have a place to stay. “Are you hungry?”
    The young man stood stock still as if deciding whether to answer or bolt, to listen to his fear or his stomach. “Yes.” Geoff smiled and extended his hand. “I’m Geoff, and this is my farm.”

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    Andrew Grey

    The Amish youth looked around, his eyes traveling over the house and barns, his expression filling with awe. “I’m Elijah, Elijah Henninger.” He took Geoff’s hand and shook it tentatively.
    “All right, Elijah, follow me, and we’ll get you some breakfast.” Geoff turned and walked toward the house, checking to see if Elijah was following. “It’s okay. We’re just going inside.” He led them to the back door and into the kitchen. Elijah followed and immediately took off his hat when he came inside, unsure of where to go or what to do.
    The look of surprise on Len’s face when he saw the young Amish man standing in the kitchen was hard to miss, but luckily Elijah was looking around and didn’t see it. Geoff pretended he hadn’t seen it either and started talking as though there was nothing out of the ordinary. “Is breakfast almost ready?” For a second, Len looked at him like he had three heads, but then he remembered his manners. “About ten minutes.”
    “Good.” Geoff motioned Elijah over. “Len, this is Elijah; he’ll be joining us for breakfast. Elijah, this is Leonard—Len. He’s the foreman here on the farm.” There was no way that Geoff was going to try to explain their relationship, and Len seemed to understand and followed his lead. Geoff indicated a chair, and Elijah sat down, placing his hat beneath the chair. “Thank you, sir.” Len finished dishing up the food, putting three plates at their places on the table while Geoff poured glasses of juice and set them at each place.

    “What’s that?” Geoff saw Elijah pointing at the glass.

    Oh my God… what a realization. “It’s orange juice; try it.” Elijah looked dubious but took a sip and smiled, tasting some more before putting the glass back down. He then started eating with gusto, the eggs, pancakes, and toasted bread disappearing quickly, 38

    Love Means … NO SHAME

    washed down by the juice. He was definitely hungry. Geoff watched out of the corner of his eye as he ate his own breakfast and sipped his coffee. He’d poured Elijah a cup, and the young man had sipped it, shuddered, and put the cup back down, not touching it again.
    Len had been watching Elijah with a strange look on his face.
“I know you.” Then he remembered. “I see you at the bakery when I buy bread.”
    A banging outside startled all of them, with Elijah jumping a little in his chair, and then Fred hurried into in the kitchen, his eyes widening when he saw Elijah. “Len, it’s Princess; she’s struggling with the foal. I called the vet, but she’s on another call. Her office said she’d be here as soon as she can.”
    “Fuck and damn.” Len leapt from his chair, grabbed his coat, and was out the door with Fred right behind him.
    Geoff gulped the last of his coffee like he was downing a shot of whiskey and grabbed his coat as well. He wasn’t sure what he could do, but he was sure as hell not going to sit here while one of his horses was in trouble. “Come on!” He handed Elijah his coat and rushed out the door, Elijah following on his heels.
    “Do you know about birthing horses?” Elijah called from behind him.
    He’d seen it plenty of times, and he knew what was supposed to happen, but Geoff had never helped with a birth, and he’d never seen a troubled one. He called over his shoulder, “Not really.” They arrived in the barn to some very agitated horses. Geoff turned to the men standing around Princess’s stall. “Get the rest of these horses turned out.”
    The men snapped to