Willow Creek

Willow Creek

Karen Ann Hopkins

One More Chapter

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First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2020

Copyright © Karen Ann Hopkins 2020

Cover design by Lucy Bennett © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2020

Cover images © Shutterstock.com

Karen Ann Hopkins asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Source ISBN: 9780008431853

Ebook Edition © October 2020 ISBN: 9780008431846

Version: 2020-09-23

Contents

Prologue

1. Katie

2. Rowan

3. Katie

4. Rowan

5. Katie

6. Rowan

7. Katie

8. Rowan

9. Katie

10. Rowan

11. Katie

12. Rowan

13. Katie

14. Rowan

15. Katie

16. Rowan

17. Katie

18. Rowan

19. Katie

20. Rowan

21. Katie

22. Rowan

23. Katie

24. Katie

25. Rowan

26. Katie

Acknowledgments

Thank You for Reading…

You Will Also Love…

About the Author

One More Chapter...

About the Publisher

Dedicated in memory of my mother.

You were my number one advocate, loved me unconditionally, and were my best friend. You were a beautiful woman, inside and out, a wonderful mother, and the best grandma ever. You’re reunited with Dad, and that makes me happy. I will think of you every day until we meet again.

Marilyn Norma Lanzalaco

11/13/1937 ~ 12/17/19

Prologue

October 2014

Willow Creek Amish Settlement, Indiana

Katie dodged the sheets of pouring rain, her boots splashing with each stride she took. A dazzling claw of lightning streaked across the sky as she grabbed for Dusty’s reins. The strawberry roan mare jumped sideways just as the crack of thunder rolled across the wet field. Katie’s fingers closed tightly around the reins. Though snapped upright and dragged a dozen feet, she didn’t dare let go.

“Shh, girl. It’s all right. Just a silly storm. No need to pitch a fit,” Katie murmured through trembling lips. Her hip and thigh throbbed with pain, and a glance downward confirmed her entire right side was plastered with mud.

Dusty threw her head up higher and when the sky lit up again, her eyes widened in fear, exposing their whites. Katie held on, moving with the horse the best she could and trying hard not to lose her own footing. The countryside was a glistening, fuzzy picture of tall grass, trees, and dark, angry clouds. She could barely see through the splattering raindrops pelting her face and stinging her eyes. Even though her sight was compromised and the storm raged in her ears, she still managed to catch a glimpse of an approaching horse.

Katie grunted in surprise. Of all the people in the world, it had to be him, she thought in surprised disgust. She dropped her head to avoid looking directly at the boy as he jumped down from his bay horse.

“Are you hurt?” Rowan shouted above the wind, his voice concerned as his gaze skimmed over her.

Before Katie had a chance to reply, the boy tossed his horse’s reins to her and grabbed onto Dusty’s.

“Whoa, girl, whoa,” Rowan cooed to the frightened horse. He was a few inches taller than Katie, and even though he had a slim, wiry build, he was still stronger than she was. Between his coaxing voice and steady hands, the horse settled into a quivering standstill. “Go on and ride Scout back to the barn. I’ll take the mare.”

The downpour subsided, leaving only spattering raindrops in its wake. Katie’s cheeks flamed hot and she narrowed her gaze at Rowan. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Dusty started bucking when the storm hit. It’s not safe to ride her.”

The corner of Rowan’s mouth twitched, then lifted a little. His usually stoic dark eyes twinkled, as if he’d just heard something funny, but was trying hard not to laugh out loud. He didn’t seem to notice the flashes of light or the battering wind. He stared back at Katie with the challenging look of an arrogant boy.

Katie’s mouth dropped open and bubbles rose in her chest. At that moment, she both hated Rowan Coblentz and admired him greatly.

A jagged finger of lightning hit the ground not far away, splitting the air with a deafening crack. Hot tingles ran up through the girl’s boots, along her body, and straight into her hair. Scout took a step back, but remained calm. Before Dusty could bolt, Rowan swung into the saddle. He was one with the horse when she crow-hopped, kicking out. The confident grin didn’t leave his face as he expertly moved with Dusty, guiding her into a sideways trot.

“Come on! We don’t want to get struck by lightning,” Rowan urged, losing some of his annoying smile. His brows lifted questioningly when Katie didn’t immediately move.

Katie was certain he’d wait there all day in the raging storm, just to prove the point that he wasn’t afraid. She wiped the water from her eyes with her arm and lifted her foot to the stirrup. She flung her leg over and grasped the horse’s sides with her legs. She dug in her heels and hung on, leaving Rowan behind without even bothering to look back.

Dusty’s heavy breathing reached Katie’s ears and she glanced over her shoulder to see the roan horse galloping a few lengths behind her.

They raced through the grass and didn’t slow when they turned onto the narrow path that went through the woods. Katie leaned forward as the fallen log came into view. Scout jumped the obstacle without losing stride. Katie pulled back on the reins just enough to watch Dusty also glide over the log. She had to admit that Rowan was an excellent rider, but only grudgingly so. Her evil side still wished Rowan would get tossed into the mud the same way she had.

By the time they slid to a stop in front of the training barn, the wind had died down to a stiff breeze and the rain had all but stopped. A shard of sunlight broke through the clouds as the storm moved away to the west.

Katie lowered herself slowly from Scout’s back, bracing her muscles as she gingerly stepped down onto her sore leg. She glanced sideways, watching Rowan dismount effortlessly. His dark brown hair was a little too long in front and he shook the wet locks to clear his vision. The suspenders over his shoulders drew her eyes, reminding her that he was her Amish neighbor ‒ a boy who had been working at the ranch for almost a year, but who had only spoken to her a handful of times. Her father had hired him to exercise the horses and clean out the stalls. The kid took his job very seriously and didn’t make time for small talk with Katie. Today was probably the most he’d ever said to her at one time.

Rowan’s sudden loosening up intrigued Katie. They were both sixteen years old. Why shouldn’t we be friends? Fixing her gaze on him, she noticed his high cheekbones and full lips. His nose curved ever so slightly and his brown eyes were wide and curious. He pinned her with a steady gaze and one cocked brow. She answered her own question. Because he’s gorgeous and my knees go weak when he looks at me.

“How did you know I fell off?” she asked pointedly, looking past him and hoping he didn’t notice the slight tremor that shook her. She handed Rowan Scout’s reins and took Dusty’s from him.

His cheeks darkened a shade and he sniffed, shifting his weight between his feet. It struck Katie as odd that he wasn’t as bold on the ground as he was when sitting on the back of a horse.

He drew in a sharp breath. “I didn’t, but I noticed how high stepping Dusty was when you left the barn with her. She sensed the coming storm, and so did I.”

Katie squinted at Rowan’s face. “So you came to my rescue?”

Rowan’s blush deepened and he dug the toe of his boot into a clump of mud. “You’re a good rider and all”—he shrugged—“but no match for that mare on a day like this.”

Katie’s mouth gaped open. She wanted to knock the smug look off his cute face. She raised her hand, pointing at Rowan’s chest, but before she could set him straight, he reached for her elbow and said, “You’re bleeding.”

Distracted by his touch and the worried look on his face, Katie followed his gaze. Rowan was right. Blood dribbled from an inch-long gash on her arm.

“Does it hurt?” Rowan asked.

Until he pointed it out, she hadn’t felt any pain. Now, as she watched the dark liquid pool in the wound, it began to throb. A rush of dizziness hit Katie like a wall, and she wobbled on suddenly jelly-like legs.

Rowan’s arm snaked out and firmly grasped her side. With his free hand, he quickly looped Scout’s reins around the hitching rail, and then tied Dusty the same efficient way. Katie let Rowan slip his arm around her waist without argument and guide her out of the brisk air and into the dim, quiet stable.

She worked up a weak smile. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Blood never bothered me before.”

Rowan helped her onto the nearest bale of hay and stepped back, appraising her with a cocked head and a frown. “You came off your horse in the middle of a downpour, jumped back on Scout, and galloped home.” He lifted his brow and Katie saw admiration shine in his eyes. “It took a toll on you.” His mouth lifted into a grin. “Or maybe it’s the sight of blood that got you. I remember when my sister, Rebecca, fainted the first time she helped me and Da butcher a steer.”

Katie swallowed down the acid that burned her throat as the image of the poor cow appeared in her mind.

“Don’t talk.”

She shook her head.

Rowan spun on his heels and sprinted down the aisle, and Katie’s head snapped back up to watch him go. Several stalled horses shied back when he rushed by. He turned into the tack room, disappearing for less than a minute. When he emerged, he held the first-aid kit in his hands. He jogged back at a slower pace than he’d left and Katie reclined against the wall, considering him.

When Katie had first laid eyes on Rowan the previous year, she’d immediately developed a secret crush. She appreciated his serious demeanor, and he brought that same quiet reserve into the saddle when he rode the horses. Over time, his aloofness had annoyed her. He’d move about the barn silently, and she was never successful at luring him into conversation or any kind of playful banter. He’d all but ignored her for months, and she’d finally given up hope of any kind of relationship with Rowan Coblentz.

Katie’s stomach clenched with discomfort that she’d been stupid enough to be smitten with someone who usually didn’t even acknowledge her existence. She snorted. “Now you’re a doctor?”

Rowan ignored her, opening the kit and pulling out a wad of gauze and the medical tape. “Not much different than bandaging a horse, I reckon.” He glanced up and there was a brightness in the brown depths Katie had never seen before. “Not that I’m comparing you to a horse or anything.”

She smiled reluctantly and held out her arm like a dutiful patient. It was an awkward place for Katie to bandage herself, she reasoned in her mind ‒ and if she pulled her brand-new hoodie on to keep from shivering, she’d get it all bloody. She didn’t want that to happen, either.

Rowan’s questioning gaze met hers. When Katie nodded once with her lips tightly pressed together, a soft flicker of surprise lit his face. He quickly recovered and went straight to work on her elbow. He applied the antiseptic wipe, dabbing the cut carefully. Then he squeezed some antibiotic ointment onto the bandage and covered the wound.

He sat back, balancing on the balls of his feet. “How’s that feel?”

Katie gingerly pressed the bandage with her fingertips and then flexed her elbow. She found the confidence to look up and saw him waiting. His lips turned down slightly and his anxious expression caused a million needle pricks in Katie’s belly.

“You did a good job.” She swallowed, forcing her eyes to meet his. “I guess all your practice on the horses has given you some people-doctoring skills, too.”

He broke out in a grin. “You’re my first patient.”

His smile was contagious and Katie finally relaxed. She liked his warm brown eyes, and his lips were curved and playful. Rowan was awfully close ‒ maybe too close. She caught the scent of horse hair, leather, and sweet hay and breathed in deeply, swaying slightly closer. Her cheeks warmed and she exhaled.

Something changed in him at that moment. His brow crinkled and his eyes widened for a second, and then the moment of confusion was gone. It was replaced by the hungry look of anticipation.

It happened so quickly, Katie didn’t have a chance to pull back when Rowan’s lips carefully touched hers. Her mind froze in shock, but also pleasure. The last thing she expected was to be kissed, but even though she should have been offended by his presumption that she wanted to be kissed, she wasn’t. He was the first boy who had even tried. Most of her friends had gotten their first kisses out of the way by the time they were fourteen, and here Katie was, a sixteen-year-old who’d not only never had a boyfriend, but who had never been kissed. Up until now, she hadn’t really fretted about it. But the thrill of having it over with, coupled with the fact that the boy kissing her was a real cutie, made her sag against Rowan and open her mouth wider to allow his tongue access.

Thoughts slipped away. A small groan escaped his lips and she sighed into his mouth. Her knees dropped to his sides and Rowan took advantage of the opening to slide in closer. His arms encircled her and his fingers dug into the small of her back. Katie could feel the heat seeping through her bones and the weight of his arms around her shoulders was already familiar.

Suddenly, he broke from the kiss, pulling back a few inches. His eyes were wild.

“I like you, Katie. I’ve liked you for a long time,” he said with a rasp.

Rowan’s change of behavior was startling, but Katie wasn’t disappointed by his unexpected display of affection. As a matter of fact, she welcomed it. The reality that he was Amish and she wasn’t was only a tiny pestering jolt at the back of her mind.

Fearing that she might say something stupid, she ignored his words altogether. She slipped her hand behind his head, spread her fingers into his thick hair, and pulled his face back to hers.

Their mouths had barely touched when a voice boomed, “What’s going on here?”

Rowan jumped away from Katie as if he’d been stunned with a cattle prod. His back snapped straight and he faced her father.

“I’m sorry, sir, it’s not what it appears to be—”

Charlie Porter was a large man. He wore his usual button-down flannel shirt, blue jeans, and a ball cap. His blue eyes flashed as he strode forward and loomed over Rowan. “I wasn’t born yesterday, boy. It is what it is.”

His steady, calm voice didn’t deceive his daughter. Anger practically puffed off her dad, causing Katie to jump to her feet and take the two steps to Rowan’s side. “It’s nothing, Daddy. Rowan bandaged my arm.” She lifted her injured elbow and waved it back and forth. “See? I fell off Dusty and gouged it. Rowan was just helping me take care of the wound. That’s all.”

Her dad’s gaze rested on Katie for only a few seconds. She thought she saw a glimmer of sadness in his eyes before he returned them to Rowan. His voice was still under simmering control when he spoke.

“I hired you with reservations. I thought having a teenage boy around here would be trouble, but I owed your father a favor and took you on with strong misgivings. I see I was right to worry.” He jabbed his finger at Rowan and she honestly feared for the boy. “I warned you to stay away from my daughter. Simple thing to do, and you promised you would.”

“I’m sorry—” Rowan rushed the words out. He tried to say more, but her dad interrupted him again.

“How long has this been going on?” Charlie glanced between Katie and Rowan.

“Today was the first time, Daddy. It’s not a big a deal, really—”

“Go to the house, Katie.” His mouth was drawn into a tight line and his cheeks were flushed with anger.

She opened her mouth to protest and her dad bellowed, “Now!”

Charlie was a temperamental man. His shout sent shivers shooting down her spine, and she glanced sideways to find that Rowan wasn’t looking at her. His chin was raised defiantly at her dad and his eyes were stony.

Almost as if Katie had been physically pushed, she stepped away. Tears blurred her vision. She hardly knew Rowan, and the kisses they’d just shared were probably insignificant to most people. Whatever connection had sprung sweetly to life only moments before snapped, leaving Katie feeling sick.

She jogged through the doorway and stopped, hesitating. Cool wind dried her cheeks and she strained to listen.

“Don’t come back here ever again, Rowan. You can tell your father whatever you want, but I don’t want to hear from him either. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir. I won’t be back.”

The finality of Rowan’s words caused Katie’s insides to twist in knots. She whirled around and sprinted toward the house.

With a sinking feeling, Katie slowed and turned to look back at the barn. Daddy ordered Rowan not to talk to me a long time ago. It all finally makes sense…

Rowan untied Scout from the hitching rail and mounted swiftly. Without looking in Katie’s direction, he kicked his horse into a canter. There was only the sound of hoofbeats striking the driveway as he rode away.

Katie’s mind was fuzzy for a moment. When her vision cleared, she was crying.

She sucked in a quivering breath, and vowed that she didn’t care if her dad ever changed his mind about Rowan. Katie never wanted to see the Amish boy again.