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Her Amish Christmas Gift
Rebecca Kertz
She wants a husband, not a keeper!A Women of Lancaster County StoryAfter his brother's injured while their family's away, Nathaniel Peachy needs help on the farm—even if the only option is young, carefree Charlotte Stoltzfus.No longer the irresponsible girl Nate remembers, Charlie wishes he could see her as a woman worthy of love. Because with the holidays approaching, she's starting to believe Nate might just be her perfect holiday gift.
She wants a husband, not a keeper
A Women of Lancaster County Story
After his brother is injured while their family’s away, Nathaniel Peachy needs help on the farm—even if the only option is young, carefree Charlotte Stoltzfus. No longer the irresponsible girl Nate remembers, Charlie wishes he could see her as a woman worthy of love. Because with the holidays approaching, she’s starting to believe Nate might just be her perfect holiday gift.
REBECCA KERTZ was first introduced to the Amish when her husband took a job with an Amish construction crew. She enjoyed watching the Amish foreman’s children at play and swapping recipes with his wife. Rebecca resides in Delaware with her husband and dog. She has a strong faith in God and feels blessed to have family nearby. Besides writing, she enjoys reading, doing crafts and visiting Lancaster County.
Also By Rebecca Kertz (#u3d475f2b-a2e5-5383-ab72-1e17b06859f9)
Women of Lancaster County
A Secret Amish Love
Her Amish Christmas Sweetheart
Her Forgiving Amish Heart
Her Amish Christmas Gift
Lancaster County Weddings
Noah’s Sweetheart
Jedidiah’s Bride
A Wife for Jacob
Elijah and the Widow
Loving Isaac
Lancaster Courtships
The Amish Mother
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Her Amish Christmas Gift
Rebecca Kertz
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-08643-1
HER AMISH CHRISTMAS GIFT
© 2018 Rebecca Kertz
Published in Great Britain 2018
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.
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www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
“You’re bleeding. Come with me.”
She glanced down, saw a trail of blood down her right leg. “I’ll be fine.”
“Ja, you will,” he said, “after I put a bandage on it.”
“I don’t need your help.”
His eyes narrowed and he looked annoyed. He heaved a sigh. “Would you like me to pick you up and throw you over my shoulder?” he murmured for her ears alone.
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Wouldn’t I?”
Face flushing, Charlie glanced around and saw that no one found it odd that she and Nate were having a conversation. The last thing she wanted to do was to cause a scene. She’d done enough impulsive things in her life that had given her parents undue worry. “Fine. Let’s not make a big thing of it,” she muttered, meeting his gaze.
To her relief, he simply nodded. He didn’t look smug that he’d won their argument. In fact, she felt an odd little flutter in her chest when she saw the way he continued to eye her with concern.
Dear Reader (#u3d475f2b-a2e5-5383-ab72-1e17b06859f9),
Welcome back to Happiness, Pennsylvania. In my Women of Lancaster County series, we’ve met three Stoltzfus sisters so far: Nell, Meg and Leah. Her Amish Christmas Gift tells the story of Charlie Stoltzfus, the youngest of the five sisters, and the man she longs for, Nathaniel Peachy. Charlie was considered a wild child during her youth but she’s older and wiser now. Unfortunately, Nate considers her nothing more than an impulsive young girl whose actions often get her into trouble. While he thinks about the possibility of finding her a suitable husband, he never follows through, because the thought of Charlie with another man greatly disturbs him. And when his brother’s accident suddenly brings them into close contact while his brother heals, Nate finds himself looking forward to seeing Charlie each day. But as his feelings for her grow, so does the realization that he isn’t the right man for her. Or is he?
I hope you enjoy Charlie and Nate’s story as much as I did writing it. If you haven’t read the books about Charlie’s sisters, you may want to pick up copies of Her Secret Amish Love (Nell), Her Amish Christmas Sweetheart (Meg) and Her Forgiving Amish Heart (Leah). Each sister struggles to find her own special love. Sometimes the road to happiness is a bumpy one, but the journey of love’s discovery is well worth it in the end.
Blessings and love,
Rebecca Kertz
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
—John 15:7
For my family…those I’ve known forever and those I’ve been happy to meet recently.
And for my ancestors—without you, I wouldn’t be here.
Contents
Cover (#u0d4b6af4-e505-5278-9e51-e553f2c6e761)
Back Cover Text (#u45ba3fbd-fa66-5985-9305-cd56b0b225c8)
About the Author (#uf55e8c3a-8aef-5e01-8e39-a27e7ccf5170)
Booklist (#u84ad8b0e-adaf-5c0b-b19a-acf7f2608cc4)
Title Page (#u940051e0-4c9f-56bc-82bf-431469d7d04d)
Copyright (#u8b7bad47-fce6-5c13-9f65-02441d737e41)
Introduction (#ua990561b-c291-5168-ae95-8dac18777145)
Dear Reader (#u14a9faa8-89c1-5117-b7a0-f766fd29f771)
Bible Verse (#u733d9504-47b4-5e75-a100-abc6de9df1c5)
Dedication (#u64f1b799-976a-581c-9905-ac9a0e08ed35)
Chapter One (#u9d2c696d-48d5-54b5-a02a-230cd5d89c6b)
Chapter Two (#ue246e8e4-d5c8-5bcd-b17c-f1c3a5724fe8)
Chapter Three (#uef062b7c-9d5b-593a-8e89-6df7a21dd769)
Chapter Four (#u7c88dc36-3f86-5ee0-8c32-da0835f8ab59)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#u3d475f2b-a2e5-5383-ab72-1e17b06859f9)
Charlotte Stoltzfus stood near home plate in the makeshift baseball diamond on Abram Peachy’s back lawn with the bat inches away from her right shoulder.
“Come on, Charlie!” Joseph shouted. “You can do this, cousin. Keep your eye on the ball and bring Jed and me home.”
Meeting his eyes across the distance, she gave a jerk of her head. She wiggled into her stance. And focused. She breathed deeply as she stared at the pitcher, her cousin Noah, and watched him swing back his arm to let the ball fly.
“Aren’t you tired of playing with boys?” a male voice said behind her just as she swung her bat.
She growled as she missed. Heart beating wildly, she turned to glare at the man who’d spoken. “Nathaniel Peachy, mind your own business and stop trying to distract me.” She was furious. Determined to ignore the one man who got her back up more than anyone on this earth, Charlie breathed to calm herself and got ready for the next pitch.
“Why would I distract you?” Nate said as she swung the bat. She swung and missed again, then she gasped and glared at him.
“Go away,” she snapped.
The way he arched an eyebrow made her bristle. She stiffened and became more determined not to let him rattle her. She’d hit the ball despite his presence.
“It’s oll recht,” Jedidiah called out to her. Her eldest cousin, he stood on third base and gazed at her with a smile of reassurance. “Keep your eye on the ball. You can do this.”
I can do this. She was a decent player. Isn’t that why they first asked her to join the game? Ignore Nate Peachy. Ignore him. Ignore him.
Noah watched for her cue. Charlie gave a little nod, and her cousin pitched the ball. She kept it in her sights and swung. The impact made a loud crack as wood met leather and sent it sailing over the head of her cousin Daniel near third base, past the stand of trees beyond the property. With a whoop of joy, Joseph ran from second to third as Jedidiah sprinted home. Charlie ran to first base and made it to second then to third, as Nate’s younger brother Jacob came out of the bushes with ball in hand. She took a chance, followed Joseph and raced toward home. As the ball headed in her direction, she slid into home plate and grimaced as she felt the sting of a scraped knee.
“Are you oll recht?” a deep voice said. She glanced up and saw concern flicker in Nate Peachy’s blue eyes. She started to get up and the man was there helping her. “Charlie,” he murmured into her ear. “Are you hurt?”
She shook her head, not wanting him to know how much her knee stung and her hip ached from the jolt against the ground.
“Great job, Charlie!” Jed hollered. She grinned at her teammates, who carried on as if she’d won the lottery. Then she looked over at Nate smugly.
“Yahoo!” Joseph yelled. “We won! You never let us down, cousin!”
She forced herself to grin at them with triumph.
Jacob Peachy grumbled good-naturedly as he threw the ball to Noah, who then grabbed the bat and markers they’d used for bases. Jacob met her gaze. “How did you learn to hit a ball like that?”
