leaned forward. “We heard you were setting up a match for Noah Graber.”
“Nein. Noah’s not interested.” Olivia Mae pushed a plate of sandwiches forward, trying to buy herself some time. “I would like to talk to you, though, if you have a minute.”
“We’ll save you a place.” Their heads together and giggling, both Jane and Francine moved toward the dessert table.
She’d thought nearly everyone was through the line the first time, and was looking to make sure that Mammi had made herself a plate, when Noah stepped in front of her table.
“I heard the fried chicken is gut today.”
“Did you, now?”
His hat was pushed back on his head, once again revealing the curly hair, and he was actually making eye contact with her. No doubt he felt safer with the table between them—she wasn’t going to jump over it and drag him toward a woman he might feel pressured to court. She couldn’t help noticing he was in a better mood, as well. Perhaps because he wasn’t on her front porch. Men like Noah relaxed on what they thought of as neutral ground. She’d have to suggest he take Jane to a restaurant in town. A family dinner would be too much pressure.
“Too bad there’s not any chicken left.”
“I gather you’d like some.”
“It’s why I’m standing here with no meat on my plate—my bruders insisted that I had to try it.”
“Smart guys, your bruders.” Olivia Mae opened the cooler under the table, pulled out her large Tupperware container and scooted it toward him. “I always make extra.”
The grin he gave her caused butterflies to twirl in her stomach. Yes, this one could be a charmer. She only needed someone who was willing to push past his disinterested facade, smooth the rough edges and convince him that he wasn’t happily single.
He thanked her for the chicken and moved toward the dessert table. Tall and handsome. There was no way she was letting Noah Graber get away from their community. His family was here. He belonged here! He probably faced a contented future with a house full of children.
No woman can be happy with fewer than seven to cook for.
The old proverb danced through her mind. She didn’t completely agree with it. After all, she was happy right now. But then, that was a different story. She didn’t abide gender stereotypes, but she did believe that men were happier with families. Hadn’t she read an article in the grocery checkout line about that very thing? Something about men living five years longer if they were married, and up to seven if they had children.
When she thought of it in those terms, she wasn’t prying her way into Noah’s life, she was looking out for his health. Isn’t that what the people of Gotte were supposed to do?
She plopped a crispy chicken leg onto her plate, added a scoop of macaroni salad and a slice of cheese and chose a chocolate brownie for dessert. She was going to need the calories if she was going to be successful today. They might rest from their daily work on Sundays, but matchmaking was a seven-day-a-week affair.
She made her way to where Jane and Francine were sitting and enjoying their meal.
“Uh-oh. She has that glint in her eye.” Francine bumped Jane’s shoulder. “And I think it’s your turn.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because I had a date two weeks ago, and you haven’t had one in... I don’t know—a month.”
“Ya. I’m journaling about my good qualities, like Olivia Mae told me to.”
Olivia Mae only raised an eyebrow and bit into her chicken. It really was good. She’d learned the recipe from Mammi. The trick was to use a good sprinkling of garlic salt but not too much, and to keep the fire high enough to render the coating crispy but not burnt.
“Just tell us who it is.” Francine clasped her hands in her lap and leaned forward. “It is Noah? I bet it is. He’s the only new person I see here, and you have a definite new-person glint in your eye.”
“I didn’t know my eyes were so readable.” Olivia Mae wiped at her mouth with her napkin. “Yes, it is Noah, and I think we should give Jane the first try.”
“Because I’m taller. That’s it. Right?” Jane slumped down in her seat. “Why do I have to be so—”
“Three things.”
Jane rolled her eyes.
“I’m serious about this—you both know I am. Our first step toward progress is to defeat those negative thoughts in your mind. Now tell me three positive things about your height.”
Francine giggled, but Jane screwed up her face as if she hadn’t been presented with this question a dozen times. She had. Olivia Mae thought it was her biggest obstacle to finding a suitable man. Jane wasn’t that tall, but in her mind she was an ostrich. It didn’t help that her first few dates had been with very short men, which only served to reinforce the gangly image she had of herself.
“I can reach the top shelf in the pantry.”
“Gut.”
“I’ve stopped growing.”
“Not sure that’s a positive thing, but go on.”
“It’s something I inherited from my dat, who I adore. So it’s... I don’t know—nice to be like him in some way.”
Olivia Mae put down her fork, which was filled with macaroni salad. “I think we’ve had a breakthrough. You genuinely meant that.”
“Ya. Maybe the journaling is helping, because it occurred to me that even though I don’t enjoy being taller than most men, I love the fact that I have something in common with my dat.”
“I suspect you have a lot in common with him.”
“Back to the dating thing...” Francine was much more invested in the matchmaking process, maybe too much. Her enthusiasm tended to frighten men. It was one of the reasons that Olivia Mae thought that Jane might be a better match for someone as shy as Noah.
“I only met Noah earlier this week.”
“Tell us about him.” Francine stole a glance over her shoulder at Noah.
He was sitting three tables away with his bruders and their wives. Was he the only Graber son who wasn’t married? Olivia Mae thought he was, but she’d have to ask around to be sure. That could work in their favor, too.
“He’s nice enough. Obviously he’s easy on the eyes.”
“I’ll say.” Francine grinned.
Jane blushed, but she was listening intently.
“He’s working as an auctioneer in Shipshe.”
“Is
