Katie's Journey to Love Read Online Free PDF Page A

said as Katie finished checking her groceries. “I’m sure you can’t wait to get back home to the farm after working here all day.”
    â€œIt will be nice to get off my feet,” Katie said.
    â€œYou have a good evening then,” the woman said as she left.
    Katie turned to the next customer. At the same time, she caught a glimpse of a young man across the aisle checking out at Arlene’s register. Her hand stopped in midair and the rest of her body froze. Ben Stoll! Katie’s heart raced. Ben did stop in sometimes, so it really wasn’t anything unusual. Would he notice her this time?
    â€œHi!” Katie greeted her customer after realizing she’d been staring at Ben. Her voice croaked a bit. Thankfully the man standing in her line didn’t seem to notice. Katie scanned his two items. He paid with a credit card and left.
    Katie sneaked another look in Ben’s direction. He was still there, chatting away with Arlene like they were gut friends, which they probably were. Even though Arlene already had a boyfriend, it was obvious she was enjoying her chance to chat with Ben. Any girl would. He was the best-looking young man in the county, Katie thought. For years now he’d had a grip on her heart that wouldn’t let go. Ben was an impossible dream, Katie knew, but one she had never been able to shake.
    Was there reason to hope Ben would notice her? More wild thoughts like that raced through her mind as Katie greeted her next customer. Ben never had. To him she was merely EmmaRaber’s weird daughter, but now she and Mamm were part of a normal family. Arlene herself had said months ago that she’d noticed Katie was changing. And the Mennonite youth didn’t seem to view her as odd like the Amish youth did. Was there a chance Ben might see her in a different light too? Or, more realistically, actually notice her for the first time? Hadn’t Mamm ’s miracle with Jesse happened? Perhaps there was a miracle ahead for her too? Or was she only keeping an impossible dream in her heart like the one Mamm had held onto regarding Daniel Kauffman?
    Ben shared one last laugh with Arlene before disappearing out the door without a glance toward Katie. Thankfully the store was still busy, and Arlene didn’t notice Katie’s red face. Arlene didn’t know about her crush on Ben, but she certainly noticed things like red faces—especially if they happened right when a handsome young man walked past.
    â€œHi!” Katie greeted as another customer walked up. She pushed away thoughts of good-looking young men—especially Ben.
    The customer didn’t have much to say beyond returning her smile, and Katie quickly checked her items. Arlene glanced her way, but Katie kept her face turned toward the register, trying to steady her breathing. Hopefully her red face had faded by this time—or at least enough so Arlene wouldn’t notice.
    Katie kept herself busy checking out two more customers in her aisle. Her face felt perfectly normal now, but her smile might still be a little nervous when she turned toward Arlene.
    Katie jumped as the manager, Mrs. Cole, came bustling around the corner. “Time for you to close, girls! Off with the two of you.”
    Katie checked out of her register, grabbed the cash drawer, and followed Arlene to the office in the back. Would Ben still be outside when they were finished counting the cash and balancing their registers? Perhaps he’d be chatting with someone or even just hanging around. She wanted to see him, but she would also die ofembarrassment if she turned all red in front of him and Arlene. And later, the questions Arlene would ask wouldn’t be easy to answer. And Arlene didn’t take half answers either.
    Katie took a quick glance around as they walked out of Byler’s employee door. No sign of Ben’s buggy. A pickup truck was parked near their buggies, and a man was sitting in the driver’s