The Selfless Act Read online

“No, but we can make the best of the here and now and plan well for our future.” Aunt Verna stepped aside and gave Joel a gentle push toward Kristi. “You two are obviously in love with each other. Don’t you think you ought to talk things through and begin again?”

  Before either Joel or Kristi could respond, his aunt turned and headed for the house.

  Trembling for fear of her rejection, Joel looked directly at Kristi. “Aunt Verna’s right. I do still love you, but I won’t try to get in the way of your new relationship.”

  Her forehead wrinkled. “What new relationship?”

  Joel explained about the day he’d shown up at church and seen her sitting beside a blond-haired man.

  “That was Darin, our new youth pastor.” Kristi shook her head. “We’re not in a relationship. We’re just friends.”

  Joel heaved a sigh of relief.

  “But aren’t you in a relationship, Joel?”

  “What makes you think that?”

  “I saw you at the Farmstead Restaurant in Berlin a few weeks ago with the young woman you used to date. You were holding her hand.”

  So it was Kristi I saw leaving the restaurant that day. Laughter bubbled in Joel’s chest and spilled over.

  She tipped her head. “What’s so funny?”

  “Anna and I aren’t back together. We ran into each other by accident that day and decided to share a table. I wasn’t holding her hand, either. I only touched it when I was telling her I was glad to hear she’s being courted by a new man in her church district.”

  Kristi’s cheeks flamed a bright pink. “So we both assumed the other was seeing someone else, when neither of us has ever gotten over the other.”

  He reached for her hand and was glad when she didn’t pull it away. “Does that mean you still love me?”

  She nodded slowly. “I’ve tried to fight it and denied my feelings so many times I began to believe it was true. But the day I saw you with Anna, I knew the love I felt for you had never really died.”

  Joel smiled with relief. “Can you ever forgive me for all the hurt I caused? Would you be willing to give me another chance?”

  “Yes,” she murmured, tears shimmering in her eyes.

  Barely able to speak around the lump lodged in his throat, Joel dropped to his knees. “Kristi Palmer, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  “I will.”

  Joel stood and pulled Kristi into his arms. Hoping no one was watching their display of affection, he kissed her gently on the lips. When the kiss ended, he smoothed Kristi’s hair back from her face and whispered, “When I finally realized that true compassion is feeling someone else’s pain and doing something about it, I wanted to do a heartfelt, selfless act and didn’t care about getting anything in return. When we raise our own children someday, I hope we can teach them that.”

  Kristi pressed her head against his chest. “We will, Joel. That’s a promise.”

  EPILOGUE

  One Year Later

  Kristi stood at the kitchen window, looking out at the flowers and trees in full bloom. After being married to Joel these past six months, and living here in his father’s old house, she still felt as though she were living a dream. Residing in Amish country and becoming part of her husband’s wonderful family had filled a place in Kristi’s heart she’d always felt was missing. To add to her joy, she’d been taking classes to become a midwife to the Amish and other women in the area. A week ago, she’d had the privilege of assisting the midwife when her sister-in-law’s baby boy was born. What a miracle it was that the Lord had given Doris a healthy pregnancy and a strong infant. She and Brian named their son Andrew Joel. He was a sweet little guy, and seeing him sleeping in Doris’s arms made Kristi eager to start her own family with Joel.

  She glanced around the spacious kitchen Joel had remodeled to suit their needs. It wasn’t fancy by English standards, but he’d installed electricity and given Kristi two oversized ovens. She looked forward to entertaining here for years to come. This evening, Arlene, Elsie, Doris, and their families would be coming over for a potluck dinner. Since Akron wasn’t far away, her folks had been invited, too.

  Turning her gaze back to the window, Kristi spotted Joel filling one of their bird feeders. These days, when he wasn’t working on some job site for his business, his energies were spent on getting things done around here. Tonight, as most evenings, they would leave their television set off and enjoy a delightful time with their families.

  Joel might not be a member of the Amish church, but the love he’d shown for his family and, most of all, for God proved that he was Amish in his heart.

  She smiled, thinking about her husband’s identity here in this community. Joel had become known as the Amish millionaire’s son, who cared about people more than himself, and whose generosity had helped many.

  Kristi closed her eyes and whispered a prayer. “Thank You, Lord, for teaching us by Your example to look for ways to perform selfless acts.”

  MILLIONAIRE PIE

  Ingredients:

  2 (9 inch) baked pie shells

  2 cups powdered sugar, not sifted

  1 stick butter, softened

  1 egg

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  ¼ teaspoon vanilla

  1 cup whipping cream

  1 cup crushed pineapple, well-drained

  ½ cup pecans

  Cream powdered sugar and butter in mixing bowl. Add egg, salt, and vanilla. Mix until fluffy. Spread mixture in baked pie shells. In another bowl, whip cream until it forms stiff peaks. Blend in well-drained pineapple and nuts. Spoon whipped-cream mixture on top of pies and chill until ready to serve.

  New York Times bestselling, award-winning author Wanda E. Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs. When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

  To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at www.wandabrunstetter.com.

  Jean Brunstetter became fascinated with the Amish when she first went to Pennsylvania to visit her father-in-law’s family. Since that time, Jean has become friends with several Amish families and enjoys writing about their way of life. She also likes to put some of the simple practices followed by the Amish into her daily routine. Jean lives in Washington State with her husband, Richard Jr., and their three children, but takes every opportunity to visit Amish communities in several states. In addition to writing, Jean enjoys boating, gardening, and spending time on the beach.

  DON’T MISS A SINGLE BOOK IN THIS EXCLUSIVE 6-BOOK SERIAL NOVEL

  The Amish Millionaire: Part 1–The English Son

  The Amish Millionaire: Part 2–The Stubborn Father

  The Amish Millionaire: Part 3–The Betrayed Fiancée

  The Amish Millionaire: Part 4–The Missing Will

  The Amish Millionaire: Part 5–The Divided Family

  The Amish Millionaire: Part 6–The Selfless Act

  AVAILABLE AT YOUR FAVORITE BOOKSTORE