An Unlikely Match

the house came for the meal. Jayce ate, too, even though he was taking Evelyn out shortly. Esther offered a fewsuggestions about places to eat, but Jayce said he’d let Evelyn choose. He was a nice young man.
The sound of a door closing caused Esther to look up. Oh dear. Gus was moving across the yard with giant strides, and seconds later Brandon Clarkson came out of one of the motor homes.Esther stood, her heart thumping. Gus was rushing directly toward Mr. Clarkson, and the encounter could not be good.
Lizzie didn’t seem to notice as she continued to instruct Jayce. Esther stepped down the porch steps one foot at a time, preparedto intervene.
Gus lifted a hand in the air before he reached Mr. Clarkson. “Hello, Brandon!” he bellowed.
“Good to see you, Gus.” When the producer reached Gus, he extended his hand.
Esther tipped her head to the side, bemused.
“How’d the shoot go today?” Gus was holding a container Esther had taken him leftovers in a few days ago. She usually hadto go collect the items herself. Unable to recall a single time he’d returned a dish, she took a few more steps into the yard.She wasn’t going to miss any part of the scene unfolding before her.
“It went very well.” Mr. Clarkson stood in front of Gus, both men smiling. “We’ve done a lot of traveling, and today we wore everyone out. We’re going to take the weekend off, but I’ll see you Monday?”
“Yes, sir. Looking forward to it.” Gus tucked the container under his arm, then looped his thumbs beneath his suspenders.He could almost pass as an Amish man with his black slacks, blue shirt, and suspenders. But the long gray ponytail clearedup any confusion.
Mr. Clarkson went back inside the motor home, and Gus stomped across the yard toward Esther, pausing to frown at Lizzie, whopromptly told him to shut up before he even said anything.
“Do you see how that sister of yours treats me?” Gus handed Esther the empty container. “I didn’t say a word to her, and shetreats me with such disrespect.”
Esther glowered. “Gus, it goes both ways with you and Lizzie. Danki for returning mei container.”
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” He propped his arms across his belly, which appeared to be growing. Esther couldn’t say anything aboutthat. At least her dress covered her own rounded middle.
“What is that crazy woman doing, anyway?” Gus asked with his signature scowl etched across his face.
“She’s trying to teach that young man—Jayce—how to drive the buggy.”
“Why?” He turned to Esther, his jowls hanging low as his frown deepened. “I don’t like that kid.”
Esther grinned. “I think the feeling is probably mutual. Lizzie is teaching him about the buggy because he is taking EvelynSchrock to supper.”
Gus shook his head. “I don’t see that going well. But I reckon I’ll have to do my best to get along with the twerp since he’s Brandon’s son.”
“Um . . .” Esther scratched her cheek. Gus didn’t get along with anyone. “What does Jayce being Brandon’s sohn have to do with anything?”
Gus chuckled, and Esther wondered if she was dreaming. Gus was not the kind of man who found humor in many things. “Well,I guess you haven’t heard.” He coughed, then rubbed his hands together before resting them back on his belly. “As I explainedto you yesterday, I found those generators to be bothersome.”
Esther waited, not used to this formal tone Gus was using.
“As for Brandon . . .” He paused to clear his throat, then smiled. “Yeah, we’re on a first-name basis. Anyway, when I wastelling him my concerns about the generators, he gasped. I was midsentence when he told me I had a certain look he neededfor a background person in his movie.” Gus stood proud, chest puffed out, causing the buttons on his shirt to look like theymight pop any minute. “Anyway, I gotta go. As an actor, I need my beauty sleep.”
Esther covered her mouth with her hand as Gus turned and strutted toward the cottage. What a smart man, that Brandon Clarkson. He stepped right onto Gus’s playing field—and it appeared to be a win for both men. Esther only hoped they could tolerateGus now that he saw himself as a movie star. Then again, any change in his behavior had to be an improvement. I hope.

Five
Jayce pushed his sunglasses up on his head. Poppy seemed to trust him with the reins, and she hadn’t given him any troubleso far. It wasn’t as hot inside the buggy as he’d thought it might be. There was good cross-ventilation, and the sun had beenhidden behind the clouds most of the afternoon. He had noticed a strong scent inside the buggy, even with the fresh air blowingin the windows. Vanilla. It was a little overwhelming. He hoped it didn’t bother Evelyn too much. Maybe Lizzie had spilled a milkshake or somethingrecently.
He found the address Evelyn had given him without any problems.
At Lizzie’s insistence he’d worn a long-sleeved shirt so as not to reveal his tattoo. He was proud of the great job the artist had done, and he was proud of the message the tattoo represented, but Lizzie said it would be best. She’d even come at him with a pair of scissors, but that was where Jayce drew the line. He wasn’t going to let an Amish woman cut his hair. Apparently, there was only one style for men here, and Jayce wasn’t returning to L.A. looking like he’d had a bowl put on his head for a haircut.
Lizzie was a funny old lady. She’d sat him down and lectured him as if this were his first date. He was twenty-two. He’d beendating since he was fifteen. Although, that first year after his parents split up, he wouldn’t call what he did dating. He’dpartied. But it eventually got old. Things changed for him all around when he entered into a relationship with God. Now hewas picking up an Amish woman for dinner. He’d certainly traveled the distance from one end of the spectrum to the other.
At the end of