Sisters by the Sea, page 19
“How long do you plan on staying?” Lucas asked.
“For the rest of the month. My boss was gracious and gave me a long vacation.”
“Sounds like the golden opportunity to venture out and go to places you haven’t been in Florida.”
“I mostly want to stay close to Sarasota, but maybe it would be fun to go to Tampa. I’m trying to take it day by day, so I don’t really have any definite plans.”
Francine felt a tender squeeze on her shoulder from behind. “Fran, we should get on home.” Leora yawned. “We don’t need John worrying about where we are.”
“You must be Leora, Francine’s sister.” Lucas held out his hand to her. “Good to meet you.”
Leora shook his hand. “Nice to meet you too.”
“Well, we both had a long day, and the sun is getting lower.” Francine smiled, offering him a small wave. “It was nice chatting with you, Lucas. Maybe we’ll cross paths again sometime.”
Francine began to follow her sister to the table to collect what they’d hauled to the beach. But when Lucas called out to her, she whipped around like a pinwheel in the breeze.
“Wait, do you have a way for me to contact you? I can show you around Sarasota if you want.”
Francine hitched a breath, pressing a hand against her collar bone. “Are you asking me on a date?”
“Sort of.” His chin dipped down, no longer meeting Francine’s gaze. “I mean, if you’re okay with that.”
Francine hesitated, her thoughts flowing like a surging stream. She had to admit that Lucas was undeniably attractive. His short, curly locks coiled like ribbons. The dimples forming from his grin caused a tremor in her chest. Francine had never dated anyone outside of her community before. The guys she’d gone out with were familiar because they lived in her community back home. Although they’d strayed from their Amish upbringing, they still had a hint of their heritage rooted in their mannerisms and values.
Despite that, something about Lucas kept her from declining his offer. Francine found her instantaneous attraction to him to be peculiar. Beyond a physical attraction, she felt the urge to give Lucas her number. As long as it stays casual, I guess going on a date with him wouldn’t be a bad thing.
Exhaling, she returned to the concession and drummed her fingers along the counter’s edge. “All right, Lucas. If it’s a date you want, then it’s a date you’ll get.” Francine winked. She sauntered to the table and got out her phone, then went back over to Lucas to exchange numbers.
“A flip phone?” His eyes expanded at the sight of it. “I haven’t seen one of those since the early 2000s. Kind of nostalgic.”
She merely shrugged in response.
When they had finished entering each other’s phone numbers, Francine cast a glance at Leora. Francine bid Lucas goodbye one final time, her heart throbbing, and gathered her things. She followed behind Leora as they headed toward the parking lot.
As they waited for their driver to pick them up, Leora pulled Francine to the side. The foliage behind the concrete wall almost grazed their heads.
“Fran, are you sure giving a stranger your number is a good idea?” Leora’s lips pressed together. “And he’s English. The reason you and Matthew broke up was because he’s choosing to become English.”
“Lucas knows I’m only here for a month, so it wouldn’t turn into anything serious. You did say to try something new, and I’ve never dated anyone outside of our community.” Francine clutched the strap of her tote. “Better to have a brief relationship with a person from that life than marry into it.”
It’s especially preferable to not knowing what to expect when living an English lifestyle and then regretting it later. Francine cupped the side of her cheek, and her skin heated. Everything happens for a reason, and for whatever reason, God had me meet Lucas. He seems nice enough. How bad can dating a concession worker from Lido be?
Chapter 4
Tampa, Florida
After issuing his voucher, Lucas moved through the casino’s throng of patrons. The trills and alarms blaring from the slots enticed Lucas in certain regards. It took him back to his childhood visits to the arcade, minus the cigarette smog and the adults throwing temper tantrums instead of children.
Lucas reached the bar where his group of friends were gathered. Massive monitors broadcast baseball’s spring training above the glistening countertops. An empty stool awaited him, and Lucas slid onto the showy upholstered seat.
“Hey, Louie.” Marvin, who sat to the right of Lucas, passed him an opened beer bottle. “What was tonight’s payout?”
“Thank you kindly.” Lucas took his first swig of the chilled, pungent liquid. “It was 20 percent above my budget. Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.”
Barry, who sat adjacent to Lucas on the left, shook his head. “You should have wagered my recommended limit. You’re not going to see results the way you’re holding back.”
“Rather not risk emptying my pockets, Barry. Last time I listened to you, I was in a bind with my landlord. I can’t afford not to pay her on time again.”
“Just means you’ll reach your dream later than sooner, so if that’s dandy for you, then fine.” Barry pointed to himself, a cunning expression unfurling from his face. “I earned close to 35 percent above my set budget, and it was from not holding back.”
Marvin groaned. “It took you forever to make up what you lost.” His gaze darted to Lucas, with his thick eyebrows pinched together. “Barry wanted to keep hitting. I had to pry him away from the tables with brute force.”
Leaning over the counter, Barry’s eyes narrowed in Marvin’s direction. “If I wasn’t making peanuts for a paycheck at work, I wouldn’t be desperate to make a profit in this place.”
Lucas toasted with his beer bottle toward Barry. “Hear, hear.”
“You ever considered the lottery, Barry?” Their friend Jim, who was seated the farthest from Lucas, called out.
Dismissing Jim’s remark, Barry waved his hand as if a gnat buzzed near his ear. “Anyways, Lucas texted me something interesting earlier. Isn’t that right, Lucas?”
All eyes from their group directed to Lucas, like they expected him to divulge the details.
Of course, Barry would draw attention away from himself. He placed the bottle down, clenching his hands together. “I may have given my phone number to a cutie near the end of my shift.”
“That’s not the best part, Lucas. The kicker is she’s a Mennonite.”
“Amish,” Lucas corrected as he reached for his drink again, rubbing his thumb on the condensation remaining on the neck of the bottle before taking another sip.
“Like there’s a difference. They all have a sheltered upbringing. Completely naive to the world around them.” Barry fiddled with the collar of his polo shirt. “I know you’re not usually forward when it comes to flirting. Is that why you went for it with the Amish?”
“Her name is Francine, and she seems to carry herself fine from what I could tell.” Lucas leaned against the back of the stool as he dug out his phone from his pocket. After finding the desired image, he placed the phone on the bar for his buddies to see. “Plus, look at her. I took this when she was leaving the beach.”
As Marvin scooted to take a gander at the screen, the scent of dense cologne flooded Lucas’ nose. “I have to admit, for a Plain girl, she’s a beauty.”
“Too bad for that traffic cone on her head.” Barry snickered, finishing off his fourth beer.
The conversation pivoted away from Francine, which brought Lucas some ease. He didn’t need his friends forming their brazen opinions of her, especially since he didn’t know Francine well enough yet. All Lucas knew was he found her to be attractive, and if that was from his first impression of Francine, Lucas wanted to uncover more of who she was.
Lucas kept talking with his friends, sipping from the mouth of the bottle. As the liquor dwindled, Lucas felt slightly lightheaded and loosened up. His friends had poked fun at him before for being a lightweight, especially after the night of his twenty-second birthday. Thanks to his friends buying him drinks one after another, Lucas had gotten blackout drunk that evening, accompanied by a grueling hangover the morning after. It was not an enjoyable experience, which is why Lucas had stuck to a single beer or two ever since.
Barry patted Lucas on the back, leaning closer, his voice barely audible. “You know, I have a hunch you haven’t thought things through about going out with an Amish girl. What if she tries to make you one of them?”
Lucas cocked his head. “I haven’t even gotten in touch with Francine to ask her out, and you’re saying that? She’s only visiting Florida for the rest of the month.”
“You never know. What if you end up liking her and it gets serious? Don’t you want to be prepared for when or if that happens?”
“Might be overthinking it, my friend.” Tilting the bottle toward his mouth, Lucas swallowed the rest of his drink.
“It wouldn’t be a concern if you got her to leave. In fact, you could be doing her a favor by getting her out of that life. I’ve seen those reality shows about the Amish. My ex was invested in those shows, and from what I saw, it sounded like their home lives weren’t so great. Consider how liberating it would be for her to gain some perspective on how we live.”
“I don’t know, Barry. That’s really none of my business.”
“I’m sure I can make it worth your while. How about a bet? If you can persuade her to leave before she returns home, I’ll give you my casino winnings for the rest of the month. Of course, you have to wager vice versa, giving me your earnings if you’re unsuccessful. Do you accept?”
Lucas was reluctant to respond. His eyes trailed to the dangling light fixtures above them, contemplating his friend’s offer. Suppose I could be doing Francine some good by getting her to leave that life behind. Francine does have a cell phone, albeit a flip phone. And her fingernails were painted, so she could be wanting to leave anyways. Barry may be giving me a quick buck while I help out Francine.
With a heavy sigh, Lucas turned to Barry, who had a broad grin resembling a string of pearls. “All right, Barry. I’ll think about it.”
Sarasota
The early morning sun burned Francine’s brow as she reached for another soaked garment from the woven basket. She wrung out the dress until it no longer dripped and slid a clothespin along the line. Francine clipped the shoulder seam to hold the damp fabric in place.
Since Leora and John were at their respective jobs, Francine had her sister’s house all to herself. The seclusion was troublesome. There wasn’t enough for Francine to be entertained with on her own. Solitaire was the only card game she could play, and playing with friends and family was more fun. She kept herself busy most of the morning by doing household chores.
I can’t call Grace or Allison right now. They’re both busy. Francine tugged out a buttoned shirt and waved it like a fluttering flag. I wanted to tell them about the guy I met at Lido, but I haven’t even heard back from him.
She had left Lucas a message the day before, hoping he would call her so they could arrange their date. Although disappointed he hadn’t responded, part of Francine felt relieved. She willingly carried out what had happened at the concession, but on reflection, Francine recognized that exchanging numbers with Lucas had been a hasty decision.
Lucas could have thought it over afterward too. That may be the reason he hasn’t called me back.
After hanging up the last piece of clothing, Francine scooped the basket up and headed into the house. She set the basket down in the utility room, her bare feet sticking to the wooden floors with each step.
It’s probably for the best. Why would I go out with an Englisher when I’m planning to join the church when I return home? What was I thinking? Francine took in a deep breath, and the pit in her stomach felt like soil being tilled deep into the ground. I’m starting to believe Leora was right, and here I sounded so sure of my choice before.
Francine figured it would be good to rest a little after her hard work, so she made her way to the guest room. Her suitcase lay open in the middle of the floor. She’d been using it as a dresser for the past week, yet there was a vacant closet and dresser in the room. If it weren’t for her getting around to washing her own clothes, the dresses she wore last week would still be strewn about the guest room.
Stepping over the suitcase, Francine sprung onto the bed and grabbed her Bible and glasses from the nightstand. The nice part of having the home to herself was enjoying peace and quiet while reading from the Word. She had to make time to read back home, between working at the bookstore and hanging out with her friends. Francine turned to 1 John 5 and read verse 14 aloud, dragging her pinkie underneath the words: “‘Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.’” Francine brought her hands together with the pads of her fingers meeting to form the shape of a steeple.
Even after their break-up, Francine had speculated on how Matthew was doing. It was natural to continue caring for someone even if you weren’t close with them anymore. She wondered if he thought about her too. Matthew could be pressing on just fine, and she understood if that was the case. Francine prayed every chance she had to get back on track and be optimistic about whatever lay ahead.
Her phone hummed from across the room. Slapping the Bible shut, Francine bounded for her purse and began searching for the phone. When she found it, the phone continued to pulsate, and the tiny screen displayed the caller’s name.
“It’s him!” Francine nearly squealed. “It’s Lucas. Oh no. I need to answer, right?” She flipped the phone open and pressed it to her ear. “Lucas, hello.”
“Hey, Francine. I got your message, and I’m glad to hear you haven’t forgotten about meeting me the other day.”
“Seems like you haven’t forgotten about me either.” She chuckled.
“Yeah, I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner. I did come up with where we can go for our date.”
Francine knelt to the floor. “Really? Where did you have in mind?”
“Well, I was stuck behind a counter as you were wandering the shoreline of Lido. How about we walk along the beach later this evening? Then we can grab a bite to eat afterward.” As though he might be stalling, Lucas chuckled. “If you’re busy tonight, we can try a different time this week.”
“No, no. Tonight sounds great, Lucas. I’m free as can be.” She wiped her suddenly sweaty hand across her dress in an attempt to dry it off.
“Okay, then. Would you be comfortable with me picking you up, or do you want to meet at Lido and go from there?”
“It is our first date, so I think I’ll meet you over there.”
“Are you saying there will be a second date?”
Francine couldn’t help but smirk at his joke. “Let’s see how tonight goes before answering that question.”
“That’s fair.” Lucas cleared his throat. “Wish I could chat a little longer, but there are some hungry-looking faces approaching. I’ll call you when I’m about done working so you’ll know when to meet me.”
“I’ll let you go then. See you tonight.”
“You too. Bye, Francine.”
The line went silent, and Francine squirmed as her legs grew sore from resting on them. Her frame trembled as she rose from the floor.
“This is actually happening.” The onset of nervousness churned in her core.
Although anxious about going out with a stranger, Francine was also excited about the prospect of new experiences. She thought of herself as a homebody, yet it was undeniable she had always adored bustling environments. Francine was eager to get out and try something new.
For now I’m going to push aside my worries and follow through with this date. I need to make sure I’m prepared for tonight.
Chapter 5
Lido Beach
Lucas trailed behind Francine as she strolled upon the white sand close to the sea’s edge. The foam from the crashing waves trickled in the nooks of the shells washed up on the beach. Francine had brought along a couple of net bags, intending to collect shells with him. Since Lucas wouldn’t know what to do with them, he wasn’t interested in participating. He merely wanted to talk to Francine as they ambled over the salty landscape. Though, Lucas had to admit, it was endearing to see her beam whenever she discovered a shell that wasn’t fractured. His chest fluttered at the upward curl of her plum-colored lips.
Keeping in mind what Barry had said about the Amish last Saturday, Lucas made an effort to ask Francine questions as casually as he could. He didn’t want to be too intrusive, but if he wanted to win Barry’s bet, he needed to know how to go about getting her to leave her faith.
“Just out of curiosity—and don’t get me wrong, you do look nice—but didn’t you wear the same dress when we first met?” He scratched his chin.
Francine’s brow lowered as she wiped her hands on the fabric. “Our dresses look alike, but they have distinct shapes and cuts, and the sleeve lengths vary according to the season.”
“So you’re not stuck wearing the same one?”
“My friend wears a denim jacket most days, but it’s not always the same one.” Her bonnet’s ties flittered in the gentle wind.
Lucas tilted his head. “I’m guessing your friend isn’t Amish.”
“Grace is my friend from childhood, and her home is close to mine, but she isn’t Amish.” She slipped the net bag into the opening of the bigger bag strung on her shoulder.
“Your parents are fine with you being around someone who isn’t Amish?”
“Of course. She isn’t a stranger. Grace is trustworthy and has always been there for me.” As Francine gathered her ties, Lucas noticed her nails were still coated yellow.
