The Way to a Man's Heart (The Miller Family 3) by Mary Ellis Read Free Book Online Page A

Leah’s nasal passages that she’d been fighting back had grown unbearable. Suddenly she released an explosive “Ah choo!”
    “Gesundheit ! My mammi never sets foot inside a barn unless it’s something mighty urgent.”
    Leah felt her nose start to run in an unladylike fashion while her eyes began to itch. The animal dander in the air had found its mark. She sneezed again while her eyes watered as though she were crying over a sad story.
    “Let’s step out into fresh air.” He practically dragged her outside as she held a handkerchief over her nose.
    They walked away from the barn toward the pasture fence. Leah tried to focus through blurry vision. “Danki,” she murmured, sucking air into her lungs. “Much better out here.”
    “Well…there they are,” he said in lazy fashion.
    “Who?” Leah asked, glancing left and right.
    “My cows, of course. Two hundred head of them, doing exactly what I had predicted.”
    Leah focused on where he pointed, even though occupants of pastures seldom held much interest. There—grazing, frisking, wandering aimlessly, or lying in the shade—were more Holstein cows than she’d ever seen before on an Amish farm. She counted at least three dozen calves. “My goodness. Aren’t you Old Older, same as me? Do you milk all those cows by hand?”
    He appeared to be biting the inside of his cheek. “No, I have equipment powered by a diesel generator. We run generators for the milking apparatus but don’t use them for anything else.”
    “What about keeping the milk cold?”
    He leaned both forearms on the fence rail. With his sleeves rolled up from cleaning chores, Leah could see his arms were tanned and muscular.
    “We have one gas-powered cooling tank for the milk we turn into yogurt cheese. But it would cost too much in diesel fuel to provide refrigeration for grade-A milk certification. We sell our milk to cheese producers same as most Amish except for what my mamm uses to make specialty cheeses.” He studied her from the corner of his eye.
    “Jah, that’s why we stopped here today.” Leah tucked her handkerchief back up her sleeve; the sneezing fit had subsided.
    Just then April and another woman appeared around the corner of the barn. “There you are!” April called, sounding relieved. “I feared you’d fallen into a milk tank or worse.”
    Leah felt guilty for no reason and thought she should explain. “I couldn’t find the lady you wanted, but I found her grandson.” She pointed him out so there would be no confusion.
    The grandson tipped his hat and walked by Leah’s side as they approached the two women. “She found me fair and square, but I really wasn’t trying to hide,” he said.
    Everyone but Leah laughed. Is it possible to say anything today that doesn’t make me sound like a ninny?
    “This is my mamm, Joanna Byler. She is the one who makes the oddball cheeses now that mammi has retired.”
    “Oddball?” Mrs. Byler demanded. “There’s nothing oddball about my cheese.” She smiled but placed both hands on her hips.
    Leah’s mouth went dry. “I meant artistic, ma’am. Didn’t mean no offense.”
    Joanna’s brows knitted together over the bridge of her nose. “Artistic? Like one of those painters who wear funny hats and dab paint on an easel?”
    April furrowed her forehead. “You’ll have to excuse her. Leah’s newly hired and just learning the terminology of the business.”
    “No harm done.” Mrs. Byler turned and headed toward the house. “Let’s load your truck from the walk-in refrigerator in the cellar. I’ve got a Van Gogh of a cheddar I think you might like. Or maybe it’s a Salvador Dali.”
    “Please come help, Leah,” April called over her shoulder.
    “I’ll help too. And, by the way, my name’s Jonah. I’m glad your boss let your name slip since you didn’t seem willing to tell me.” He stuck out his hand as they walked.
    For a moment Leah stared and then gave it a quick shake. She had shaken more hands