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studied the board they had just finished nailing into place.
    “We were saying it’s your fault the cabins are doing so well.” Aaron’s grin widened as he lifted another board. The room they were adding to the shop would more than double the size.
    “‘Fault’ would be an unusual choice of words in that case.” Lydia walked back out on the porch and crossed her arms as she surveyed their work. “You’re all doing a nice job, so I’ll forgive any intended insult. And as I have no customers yet, I believe I’ll go help my schweschder serve breakfast to our guests.”
    When she was out of earshot, David said, “Before she returns, catch me up. It’s obvious you’re too shy to talk around her.”
    “It’s not that,” Caleb said. “There’s nothing to tell, is all.”
    “Nothing to tell? When have you ever been late returning home? Usually you’re here early so you can put a line in the creek before dark.” Aaron’s laughter was as clear as the ring of David’s hammer against the nail.
    “You were late because of…”
    “Julia.” Aaron nudged Caleb with another board. “Julia Beechy.”
    David let out a low whistle. “She’s a nice-looking woman and available for sure, but I wasn’t aware she was dating. In fact, it’s been a very long time since Julia has shared a buggy ride for the purpose of courting.”
    “It wasn’t Julia who caused me to be late. Not exactly. It was the conversation we had, which made me stay longer than normal. Plus I was distracted, so I drove past the cabins a few miles before I realized I needed to turn around.”
    “Must have been some conversation.”
    “Wait until you hear the details.” Aaron’s grin grew even broader.
    Caleb couldn’t fault him. He’d known Aaron since he was a young boy, tagging along behind as Caleb and Aaron’s older cousin had gone fishing and hunting. Aaron was too good-natured to hold a grudge against, though he did seem to be enjoying Caleb’s misery this morning.
    He proceeded to fill in David as they worked, though Caleb corrected him once or twice on minor details.
    “So Ada is going to sell the place?” David shook his head. “I guess I should say the rest of the place. Most of it already went to the Elliotts. Real shame. Julia grew up here. We went to school together. Moving will be hard, I suspect.”
    “ Ya , and all because she isn’t married.” Caleb had picked up a hammer and drove the nail a little harder than necessary.
    “I told Caleb he should pop the question.”
    “That’s not funny, Aaron.”
    “I wasn’t being funny, my freind . I was serious.”
    “Which isn’t funny.”
    David held up his hands to stop the two. “If I didn’t know you were friends from your youth, I would think you were bruders the way you argue sometimes.”
    “Actually, I was closer to Aaron’s older cousin. Matthew was two years younger than me. Our parents’ farms shared a property line, so we spent a lot of time together. Aaron was a little guy who visited often and insisted on following us around all the time.” Caleb climbed the ladder and began working on the roof of the addition.
    “I thought you were the oldest cousin.” David passed materials up to Caleb as he spoke to Aaron. “You told me that’s why you had to come to Indiana to help with the cabins, because you were the oldest.”
    “I might have said that, but I meant the oldest unmarried cousin.”
    “And look who’s married now,” Caleb said, laughing.
    “Yes, I am, and I’m telling you that married life is pretty nice. You should consider it.”
    “I don’t even know her.”
    They all paused at that. Aaron picking up a board, David with his hammer back and nail in place, and Caleb perched on the roof.
    David was the one who broke the silence.
    “That’s probably true of most married people. You don’t truly know someone until you share your mornings and your nights with them.” He shook his head and began hammering again. “I thought I knew