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with you?”
    I shook my head. “It’s not necessary. I’m sure you have things to do.”
    â€œAs a matter of fact, I did tell Ruth Fisher I’d come by and check her roof.”
    I grinned. “The trials of an elder.”
    He smiled. “It may not sound very spiritual, but God tells us that true religion is caring for the widows and the orphans.”
    â€œI’m sure Ruth is very appreciative of your help.”
    He patted his lean stomach. “She knows I love her peach cobbler, so there is always some waiting for me. Payment in full as far as I’m concerned.”
    â€œSo I should ask for her recipe and make peach cobbler for you after we’re married?”
    He laughed. “And here I didn’t think you could be any more perfect than you already are.” Ebbie glanced at the clock sitting on the counter. “I’d better get going. Do you have plans this evening?”
    â€œPapa mentioned going to the restaurant for dinner.”
    â€œGood. I’ll try to meet you. I’m not sure how long I’ll be at Ruth’s. If I’m not there by the time you’re ready to order, go ahead. Don’t wait for me.”
    â€œAll right. But I hope you make it.”
    â€œMe too.”
    He brought his other hand around from behind his back and held out a bouquet of forget-me-nots. “Do you remember the first time I gave you flowers?” he asked softly.
    I smiled at him and took the flowers. “We were only twelve, and you left them on my desk at school.”
    He nodded. “But I was too shy to tell you they were from me.”
    â€œAnd I had no idea who put them there. I didn’t think of you. We were just friends.”
    He gazed deeply into my eyes. “ You thought we were just friends. I’ve loved you ever since you were seven. Your mother died and you needed a shoulder to cry on. You sat next to me on the front porch and leaned your head against me. I put my arm around you while you sobbed. I knew then that we were meant to be together.”
    â€œEvery time you tell that story I find myself wishing I’d known how you felt. Maybe I would have wanted to get married a long time ago.”
    He laughed warmly and kissed me on the nose. “That’s all right. You’ve made up for any slight from our childhood.”
    â€œI’m glad.”
    Ebbie smiled at me once more and then walked out the door.
    After it closed behind him, I found myself comparing him to Jonathon. Ebbie was thin and lacked Jonathon’s muscular physique. The two men were opposites in most other ways as well. Jonathon was confident and personable, whereas Ebbie was quiet and reserved, a deep thinker. Yet sometimes, when he got excited about something, he reminded me of an overenthusiastic child. The simplest things fascinated him. His zest for life wasn’t something most people got to see, but I’d been blessed to know the real Ebbie. Although I couldn’t say I’d fallen in love when we were young, I’d always felt comfortable around him. Perhaps that was one of the reasons it was so easy to love him now.
    Even though Papa suggested I close early, I knew there were still chores to be done, so I got busy. Being alone in the quilt shop made me feel peaceful and happy. I carefully polished the wooden table and four chairs that Papa had crafted. I’dspent many happy hours sitting there, giving lessons in quilting to some of the young women in Kingdom. The pleasant scent of lemon oil filled the room. Then I got a feather duster and dusted the display window next to the door, carefully removing the quilts I’d made and shaking them out. Once they were back in place, I dusted all the shelves that held quilt patterns, colorful spools of thread, embroidery floss, quilting pins, and needles.
    I found the quilting and embroidery loops in disorder and wondered if Sophie Wittenbauer had left them in a mess. I usually had to