Late one afternoon, there was a knock on the front door while Amelia was changing Brigette’s diaper, so Amelia hollered, “Come in! I’m upstairs!”
This was how Amish people in these parts greeted visitors, and Amelia quite liked it! And who should appear in the doorway but Brenda Hershberger, the new Amish school teacher.
“Brenda!” Amelia said. “It’s so nice to see you!”
Brenda knelt down on the floor next to Amelia and waggled a toy duck for Brigette. They finished changing the diaper, and then Amelia sat on the bed while the baby played with her toys on the floor.
“I came by to ask you something…” Brenda said, and a blush reddened her cheeks. “There was a big, burly man who came by the school one day. At first he looked very scary. He had tattoos on his arms, and he wore black leather. He has a beard that is long and grizzled…” She shivered.
“Oh, Bryce,” Amelia said. “Of course. Don’t worry, he’s a visitor here, and he actually works with children in the court system, so he has a very big heart.”
“Does he?” Brenda asked. “I wanted to ask what you knew of him. Because… because he chatted with me a little bit, and he did something no other man has ever done.”
“What is that?” Amelia asked.
“He didn’t once tell me I was pretty. Not once!”
“Oh… Oh, dear,” Amelia said. “I’m very sorry about that–“
She was all ready to reassure her friend that she was very pretty indeed. In fact, she had all the single men hat over boots for her.
“No, you don’t understand,” Brenda said. “He told me that he loved how I worked with the children. He said he can tell a great deal about a person by how children respond to them. And… it was the kindest compliment I’ve ever received.”
“He’s actually a very nice man,” Amelia said.
And Brenda blushed a little deeper.
“But he isn’t Amish, Brenda,” Amelia said. “Not Amish at all!”
George and their B&B guest, Bryce Horner, were working on some chores. Since George broke his leg while Bryce was visiting, he had offered–well, he’d more like announced–that he’d stay and help George until his leg was recovered.
Bryce was a great help… but there was one problem.
“You see, Bryce, an Amish woman cannot date an English man.”
“I’m not English. I’m American.”
“That’s what they call people who aren’t Amish. We’re English. We speak English, and they speak Pennsylvania Dutch. And Amish women don’t date English men.”
“What if she likes me?” Bryce asked.
“Does she like you?”
“I think she does.”
“But she can’t date you!”
“But she likes me, George! I can tell she does! I went by the school again after it was let out, and she was cleaning up the classroom. We had such a nice talk. She said that she likes my beard. And I offered to give her a ride on my motorcycle.”
“You didn’t!”
“I did. And she said yes.”
George moaned and rubbed his hands over his face. “Bryce, the bishop is going to be furious!”
“Oh, he’ll be okay,” Bryce said jovially. “I can give him a ride, too, if he wants!”
Bryce just did not understand!
That evening, Bryce when roaring off on his motorcycle toward the old couple’s home where Brenda Hershberger was renting a room. Amelia and George were rather worried. Bryce was a wonderful man. Brenda really liked him! But the bishop was going to be furious, and they had only tentatively won him over.
“Will the bishop blame us?” Amelia asked.
“I hope not!” George said. “It’s not our fault! I tried to tell Bryce there was no hope.”
“And I told Brenda that he wasn’t Amish!”
“I suppose the leather jacket and the motorcycle was a tip off there,” George said with a chuckle. “But remember when we met, Amelia?”
“Why, we made perfect sense!” Amelia replied. “We were both in the same college.”
“But my family wanted me to marry some rich snob,” George said. “And you had decided that you wanted finish school before you got serious about anyone.”
“Well, those plans sure changed,” Amelia laughed. “Love will do that to you.”
“Exactly.” George looked at her meaningfully. “Sometimes it’s worth it. Sometimes two frogs can make such a good couple that they throw caution to the wind.”
“And a school teacher and a biker just might do the same,” Amelia said. “What about the bishop?”
George shrugged. “Let’s feed him a good meal and let him hold Brigette. That softens up most people.”
Amelia laughed. “Oh, George!”
“It’s not our romance that’s the problem, Amelia,” George said. “We’ll just have watch and see what happens, just like the bishop will.”
If you enjoy these stories about Amish country, check out my books! I’ve had readers discover Amish romance through my books, and they found out that they really enjoyed them! I have a brand new Amish romance on the shelves right now called Green Pastures. You might want to give it a try.
Happy reading!
Patricia Johns 
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