Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Suddenly, Sadie walks by me, and I grab her elbow. “Yes, Pastor Reed?” she asks, looking up at me.
“Alton, please. Jasper has been my friend for years.”
“Of course, Alton. Did you need something? I’m afraid I don’t know where anything is yet, but I can get Jasper,” she says, starting to walk away. I briefly tighten my hold on her.
“No. No. Um… would you care to introduce your sisters to us?” I say, gesturing to Paul, dragging him into this charade.
“Oh, sure. Girls!” she shouts, and all at once, five others of varying degrees of beauty descend on us. “Okay. Left to right: Rachel, Ada, Miriam,” she says, pausing when Paul makes a kind of grunting noise. I shake those three hands, and then she continues. “Hannah and Lavinia.” I shake Hannah’s hand, and then I take hers… Lavinia. A spark of something I’ve never felt before snakes up my arm and makes my heart skip a beat. I’m blaming that on the static electricity from the wool sweater the girl is wearing… in June. It’s still eighty friggin’ degrees out.
“Hello, ladies. I’m Alton Reed, and this is Paul Reynolds.”
There is a chorus of hi’s and hellos, but she doesn’t say anything. She drops my hand quickly but doesn’t look away from me.
I’ve got to stop thinking of her as just her. Her name is Lavinia. From this close, I can see her eyes are a shade of pale blue that I’ve never seen before. Her hair is a pale blonde I’d think came from a bottle if she wasn’t Amish or formerly Amish, and she’s young, barely legal, I’m sure of it. She also happens to be the biggest of the six girls. I’ve never been attracted to big girls, and she’s no exception, or so I tell myself, but she definitely intrigues me.
Prologue
Lavinia
Present Day
I was in a unique situation back home. No man offered for me; of course, they didn’t. No man wanted Lumbering Lavinia. Even by Amish standards, I am not marriage material. I’m too big —fat is more like it but it’s more than that. I’m too clumsy, and I’m too unladylike. I was staring down the rest of my life as my parent’s caretakers and companions, and the thought that I’d never fall in love or be loved scared me. Though I’m known for not being scared of anything, this scares me. When Sadie decided to do this, I waited to see what Ada would do. My twin is the exact opposite of me. She’s thin, beautiful, and so ladylike it’s insane that we’re twins, but despite our differences, she is the person I’m closest to. We have a weird connection that I can’t explain. She was in danger two years ago, and I somehow just knew it. I ran, and I don’t run, across two fields to get to that barn. I stopped something heinous from happening to my sweet sister. After that, I stuck to her like glue. I would go to the ends of the Earth for any of my sisters, but I’d set it on fire for Ada. I can’t explain it. She’s married now to the sweetest guy. I’m so happy for her but I’m also jealous. I know it’s wrong, but I can’t help it.
I was so glad when she decided to come. There was no way I was staying there without her. It sucks that our parents disowned us, but I was a huge disappointment to them anyway. Thankfully, my mother taught me everything I’d ever need to know in order to keep a home, and she was the one who taught me how to bake. Baking is my passion. Unfortunately, I am my number one taste tester, and it’s all good if I do say so myself.
Being in Hollow’s Hollow is freeing. It’s the freest I’ve ever been. Jasper has allowed me the use of his kitchen, which is a dream to work in. The air conditioning alone makes my tasks more pleasant. I’ve been baking up a storm since we got here. Jasper and all of the ranch hands have been most appreciative of my wares. There’s a knock on the back door. It’s probably Bob wanting another piece of apple pie. The man has had two slices already today. I wipe my hands on my apron and open the door.
“Hello, Lavinia,” Mayor Hollow says.
“Hello, Mayor. Please come in. I just made some cinnamon buns and fresh coffee. Can I tempt you?”
“You can,” he says as he comes into the kitchen.
“Jasper isn’t here, I’m afraid. It’s just me.”
“You’re just the girl I wanted to see.” He sits down on a barstool at the island in the center of the kitchen.
“Oh, okay. How can I help?” I ask, plating up the pastry and pouring coffee into a mug.