Love Means No Shame - Andrew Grey

coat and hat.

    “Elijah did.”

    She smiled. “How’d you know what to do?” He looked at Geoff and seemed unsure of what to do. Finally, he answered, speaking to Geoff, “One of Papa’s horses had the same 41
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problem about a year ago, and I helped Papa turn the foal. He told me what to do and what to look for.”
“I’m going to check them both over just in case.” She went into the stall, and Len stayed with her while Geoff and Elijah left the barn. “Thank you. By the time Jane got here, it would probably have been too late, and we would have lost either Princess or her foal. I owe you a debt.”
    Elijah’s face registered surprise that changed into a bright smile. “You owe me nothing.” He put on his coat and hat and started walking toward the road.
    “Where are you going?”
Elijah shrugged. “It’s my year away from the community, so I have to make my way in the outside world.”
    “Would you like a job?” Geoff told himself that Elijah had skills the farm could use; he knew his way around animals and wasn’t afraid of farm work. Geoff had no doubt Elijah could make a contribution. “I need another man who can help around here, and you need to make your way in the world. Could you do that here?” Elijah looked extremely conflicted. “Are you serious? Live among the English?”
    Geoff didn’t understand the last part. “Yes, I’m serious, and I’m not English.”
Elijah laughed. “English is what we call outsiders, people who aren’t Amish.”
    “Oh.” Geoff smiled. He couldn’t help it; Elijah’s smile was bright and catching. The man was beautiful when he smiled. Geoff wanted to smack himself for having those thoughts and forced his 42
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mind back to business. “Well, do you want to work here… among the English?” The term tickled him for some reason. Elijah looked around the farm; it obviously intrigued him.
“Okay.”
    Geoff was pleased. “Then let’s find you a place to stay.” Geoff led the way into the house and up the stairs. The old farmhouse had four bedrooms, and Geoff opened the door to the one farthest away from him and Len, figuring it would give Elijah some privacy. It was also the room his father had used as a guest room, so it had its own small bathroom, which might be easier on Elijah. The room was small and plain, containing little but the bed and dresser Geoff had used when he lived in Chicago.
    “You want me to stay here in your house?” Geoff didn’t know how to respond to that. They didn’t have a bunkhouse; the guys either had their own places or lived with their families, so they’d never needed one. “You can’t live in the barn, and if you’re going to work here, you need a place to stay.”
“I guess… I just don’t want to be a bother.” Geoff shook his head. “It’s just Len and me in this big house.
    There’s plenty of room.” He showed Elijah where the bathroom was and then led the way back downstairs and into the kitchen, where he started making coffee. Len came in as he was finishing up. “That was really something to watch.”
    “It was. Elijah knew exactly what to do.”
“Where is he?”
Geoff looked around and spotted a slight movement. “In the living room. I hired him on this morning.” Len’s eyes went wide.
    “He’s on his year away from the community, and he needs to make his own way. Lord knows we could use the help around here, and he knows his way around a farm.” Len looked at Geoff strangely but 43
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said nothing. “I gave him the room at the far end of the hall,” Geoff said.
“He’ll need some clothes; he’s probably only got what he’s wearing,” Len said.
“I was gonna take Joey into town to get his birthday present.
    I’ll see if Elijah wants to go along as well.” Geoff went in search of Elijah, finding him on the front porch, dogs all around him getting scratches and loving, crawling over one another to get closer.
    Elijah was laughing something fierce, his face getting licked and kissed from all sides.
Geoff called the dogs away. “Come on, guys. He’ll be around for a while.”
Elijah got up and walked inside, still smiling and happy. He sat in the same chair he had for breakfast while the others helped themselves to coffee. “You work at the bakery, don’t you?” Les asked.
“Yes, sir. I work with my uncle when he needs help, mostly on Saturday when he’s real busy.”
    Len nodded. “I thought you looked familiar.” Elijah