Ties That Bind Read Online Free PDF Page B

least $4,000 to $5,000 more to get the café operational.
    He decided to change the subject. “So what are you doing home on a Saturday night?”
    “Seriously? Did you miss the announcement that we have a new niece?”
    “Oh, I heard it loud and clear. Daed bellowed it to the household around four forty-five this morning—Katie Ann Glick. My response was to cover my head with a pillow while mumbling that babies should arrive only during the day.”
    “You’re about as much fun to talk to about the new baby as Susie is.”
    “I’m not that bad.” No one had mastered the art of being smart mouthed and difficult quite as well as their eighteen-year-old sister.
    Ariana smacked him while laughing. “Abram, be nice.”
    He rubbed his arm, laughing. “You’re the one who’s hitting, and I’m not being nice?”
    A rig pulled onto the semicircle driveway. He narrowed his eyes, trying to see who it was, and when he did, his thoughts scattered.
    Barbie.
    His heart raced at the sight of her. Unfortunately, he looked like a man who’d spent twelve hours doing manual labor. He and his clothes were filthy and disheveled, but it was really cool that she’d stopped by. Since his home had a fairly long driveway, he had a minute to gather himself before she would reach him and Ariana.
    “Ah. A visitor.” Ariana smiled as Barbie drove the rig toward them. “I’ll let you two be alone, but don’t hesitate to invite her in.”
    “What?” he whispered. “You’re going to leave me here?”
    “I don’t have to, but…”
    “Good. Stay.”
    “Why do I feel as if you should pat me on the head now?”
    “Because you know that good sisters and dogs both deserve a pat every now and then?” he mumbled and nodded a hello at Barbie.
    Barbie pulled on the reins and set the brake.
    Ariana nudged Abram with her elbow, but he couldn’t make himself speak. At least he’d smiled and nodded a hello.
    “Hi, Barbie. This is a pleasant surprise.” Ariana motioned for her to get down. “Would you like to sit under a shade tree for a spell?”
    Barbie’s face seemed taut and stressed. “Denki, Ariana. Maybe another time.”
    A wave of nervousness ran through Abram as he sensed this wasn’t a friendly visit. For months he’d gone against his reclusive nature and attended every youth event—volleyball, softball, hayrides, potlucks, and singings—in order to get time around Barbie. Had all that effort been for nothing? “Ari…” He nodded toward the house, and his sister waved and hurried away. He turned to Barbie. “What’s up?” He saw no reason to beat around the bush.
    She clenched her lips, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, but I…I’ve changed my mind about Sunday night.”
    Disappointment seemed to flood him, quickly carrying him downstream, moving him rapidly from the shores of hope to the unknown. “Just Sunday night?”
    She shook her head. “I shouldn’t have agreed to go out, but I…I…”
    The rest of that sentence was
felt sorry for you.
He wouldn’t make her spell it out. “Okay, I get it.” One thing about living in a small, rural community is that everyone knew he’d never gone out before…just as everyone would know Barbie broke off the date the day before he was to take her home from the singing.
    He looked to the ground before shifting and taking in the house. He stifled a sigh while studying a scratch on her rig. He kept his eyes anywhere but directly focused on her. Maybe the saddest part was that he’d liked her for years. He’d made himself learn how to speak up so he could ask her out.
    While standing there, he wasn’t sure what he had feared so badly about asking her out, because this current situation was much worse. And since she’d said what she came to say, why was she studying him? His face had to have humiliation written all over it.
    He looked at her, feeling the rush of hurt pulling him under. Just how old would he be before he went on a first date? Thirty? “It was good of