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Chapter One

Josie Lantz smiled as she turned her face towards the Georgia sunshine. The twenty-two-year-old quickly meandered through the local Farmers Market with her eight-month-old daughter, Cora, in tow. With large blue eyes and soft squishy cheeks, the infant attracted smiles from everyone who walked through the open air market. 

“I’m so happy to be your mama, little one,” Josie whispered to her daughter as they looked over the produce at the market. “Hmm, what else should we bring home to Aunt Meredith?” 

The selection of fruits available at the small Tybee Island Farmers Market was unmatched in local grocery stores. Josie had already purchased a few bags brimming full of fresh food.

Suddenly, a patch of colorful fabrics caught her eye. While this market usually only hosted vendors selling produce, today a quilt seller was in attendance! Josie’s chest tightened as she remembered her past life. Josie knew that quilts always had a story to tell, and she didn’t know if she was brave enough to approach the vendor. But Cora did need a new bedspread, and a quilt seemed fitting since Josie’s own mamm had made so many of them through the years. Throwing caution to the wind, she dodged a few shoppers and protectively put her arm around Cora’s baby sling as she made a beeline towards the beautiful quilts.

Josie caught her breath while looking at the vibrant patterns and colors. In her mind, she was immediately transported back in time to her childhood bedroom. 

“Is there anything I can help you with?” The disheveled women who stood behind the table looked at her with a wide smile accenting her tanned face.

Josie hesitated slightly, while trying to snap back to reality. “Yes…I’d love to find a quilt that matches my daughter’s room. It’s light pink, seafoam blue, and gray.”

  “I think I have one you might be interested in,” The woman’s eyes sparkled. “Hudson, could you please unload the last box from our car?” 

Josie quickly shifted her eyes to the ground as a man who looked to be in his middle twenties appeared from behind a quilt swaying in the wind. 

“Sure thing, Mom.” He quickly turned towards the parking lot. 

Josie felt her throat grow dry as Cora’s eyes began to droop. The infant had missed her morning nap, and sleep was calling her name. She wished she could close her eyes as well, since she felt terribly uncomfortable in the presence of this young man. Josie told the butterfly fluttering in her stomach to return where it came from.

  “Are you vacationing on Tybee?” the older woman asked.

“No, I’m not.”

“Well then, are you a local?”

Josie glanced at her sleeping daughter before speaking, unsure of how to answer. She’d only lived in this peaceful town for one year, and the circumstances surrounding her arrival were troubling. An intense pain shot through her chest. Josie felt completely exposed, and wished she could disappear into the growing crowd. “My aunt owns a small group of cottages on the island. For the time being, my daughter and I are staying with her.” Her voice was small and soft.

The quilt seller smiled broadly. “That’s wonderful. It is so nice to meet you. Please, let me formally introduce myself.  I’m Lauren Reed, and my son Hudson has been kind enough to help me today. My husband usually assists me while I set up at these events, but he was called to help a family in need this morning. He’s the director of the Seaside Community Center, which is on the south side of Tybee Island.”

Josie’s eyes scanned the quilts as she processed this bit of information. She returned Lauren’s smile before replying. “It’s…um, nice to meet you, too. My aunt picked some baby supplies up for me there once.”  Josie felt uncomfortable as she shifted from side to side. She motioned towards her daughter. “This is Cora.”

Lauren took in the slumbering child. She was snuggled against her mother in the baby sling, with her short blonde hair beginning to form tiny ringlets around her neck. Her cheeks were slightly red from the warmth of the late summer day.

“Your daughter is darling,” she said. “I love being around babies. She’s a sweetie, for sure.”

Josie nodded in agreement, reassured by Lauren’s words. One short year ago, she wasn’t so sure if she could be a good mother. So much had changed since then.

Before the women could continue their conversation, Lauren’s son reappeared holding a large box. She quickly cleared a spot on the table, and he set the container down.

Josie looked curiously at Hudson. She felt her stomach burn. Josie blew out an annoyed breath, knowing she shouldn’t feel this way. She was a mother now, and Cora must be her main focus. She’d made the mistake of becoming intimate with her old Amish beau, and now another man would never be interested in her. At least, that’s what her daed had told her.

He grinned widely at his mother before turning to Josie. “I believe she’s hiding rocks in this box instead of quilts.” Hudson winked. “You know, I almost threw my back out.”

Lauren elbowed her son. “You can handle that box and more. Be thankful you have a break from mowing grass in the hot sun today.”

Josie readjusted the bags of produce in her hand as the two continued to tease each other. The blush of her cheeks matched the sun’s bright glow. Not exactly knowing why, Josie decided to ease into the conversation. “It’s an especially warm day. I’ll be thankful when the heat of summer breaks.”

“I totally agree.” Hudson hesitated slightly. Taking a step back, he continued to speak with a cautious look in his eyes. “I own a landscaping business, and the cool fall air will be a welcome change. That being said, I’m very grateful for what I do.” He chuckled under his breath. “I’m not afraid of hard work, no matter what my mom might say.”

“I was only teasing, Hudson. You know that.” Lauren elbowed her son before hugging his side.

Josie honestly didn’t know what to think about this man. With dark hair and a tall build, Hudson was very handsome. While he was kind, he also looked uncomfortable. She figured he had much better things to do than speak to her. Leaving as quickly as possible would probably be a good idea.

Lauren smiled at the pair. “Son, let me properly introduce you to our young customers. This is Josie, and her daughter Cora. They live with their aunt on Tybee.” Lauren looked inquisitively at her. “What vacation property does your aunt own, dear?”

“Island Natural Cottages. She owns a group of ten cottages, and a small campground. They are located near a marsh on the north side of the pier.”

“I know exactly where that is. Actually, I have a contract on file with your aunt for when she has a landscaping need. It’s very nice to meet you, Josie.” Hudson shuffled his feet and hesitated slightly before flashing a warm smile that put her at ease. 

“It’s very nice to meet you too. Honestly, I haven’t met many people on the island yet. I’ve lived here for almost one year now, but between keeping up with Cora and helping my Aunt Meredith with her rental business, I’m usually pretty busy.”

“So, you only live with your aunt and daughter?”

“Yes, I do.”

Josie cast her eyes downwards, waiting to feel judgment from Lauren and Hudson. What they must think of her…a young woman with a baby, without a husband in sight. Her nerves felt jangly. But when she glanced up and looked at them, she only saw acceptance and warm, welcoming smiles.

“Well, I for one am very thankful we ran into you this morning! You and your daughter are a delight.” Lauren’s words burst with enthusiasm.

Josie slowly let go of the breath she’d been holding.

“Thank you so much…it’s been really nice to meet you, too.”

Hudson began to unload quilts from the bulging brown box while placing them onto his mother’s table.  Lauren motioned for him to hand her a toddler-sized light pink quilt as it was brought into the sunlight. Pinks, soft blue-green, and gray hues danced across the fabric in patches of paisley, plaid, toile, and small flowers. 

“It’s beautiful.” Josie’s love for the blanket was instantaneous. The sewing was impeccable, and the piece was just as high quality as the quilts her mamm used to sew by hand by candlelight. Plans of her escape flew from her mind as she reached for her wallet. “How much is this quilt?”

Mrs. Reed looked gently at her before speaking. “I’d love for this blanket to be a gift for your sweet Cora. I don’t know your story, but giving this to your baby would be a blessing to me.  Please accept the quilt free of charge.”

Josie honestly didn’t know what to say. “No, I must pay for this. I can only imagine how much time it took to create this gorgeous blanket.”

Lauren and Hudson both shook their heads. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said. “It isn’t every day that I have the pleasure to meet someone who lives locally. Usually, when I introduce myself to a new face they are vacationing.”

Josie knew this to be true. Since she worked at a vacation rental facility, she normally only came across people from out of town.

“Alright, I accept.” She hesitated slightly, her nerves almost getting the best of her. “I really can’t thank you enough. This quilt will look so gut…I mean, good, in Cora’s room.” Josie winced as the Pennsylvania Dutch word slipped off of her tongue. The Reeds didn’t seem to notice.

“I’ll tell you what…if it makes you feel any better, please pay me a visit anytime. Our family owns a small shop in the center of Tybee called Sea Tides. I’d love to speak to you again sometime. Do you know where our shop is located?”

Josie knew exactly the place…but did she really want to see Lauren and Hudson again? “Honestly, I haven’t had much of a chance to shop on the island other than stopping by the grocery store since my daughter was born. But I know just the shop you’re talking about. From the street it looks so charming. Do you sell your quilts there?”

Lauren nodded. “I sell my quilts and a variety of other things. It’s mainly a store where folks can consign their crafts, but I do carry a small section of touristy items.”

Cautiously, Josie agreed to stop by. “Since it’s late August, our cottages are not rented to capacity at the moment. I’d love to visit sometime.”

Lauren beamed. “Good! I can’t wait to see you and your daughter again.”

The number of shoppers at the Farmers Market had slowly multiplied to a very large crowd, and several more prospective customers arrived at Lauren’s booth. Cora had grown heavy, and Josie decided that now was the right time to head to the car Meredith had let her borrow. Her hands felt shaky at the thought. She’d only received her license a month ago, since Meredith insisted it would be good for her to have it. As a young Amish girl, Josie never thought she would learn how to drive a vehicle. It still felt so foreign to her.

“I probably need to go. Thanks so much again, and I’ll see you soon.”

Lauren turned towards her son. “Could you please carry the quilt to Josie’s vehicle? As you can see, her hands are full.”

While it was true that her hands were occupied with three bags of produce along with a sleeping infant, Josie didn’t want Hudson escorting her to her car. In fact, she’d rather be anywhere other than with this mysterious stranger. “No, I can make two trips…it really isn’t a bother at all.”

Hudson shook his head. “It doesn’t make any sense to carry your child back and forth twice. I’d be more than happy to bring the quilt to your car.” Before she could protest, he gently took the bags of produce out of her hands. “I’ve got this, too.”

Their eyes locked, and warmth curled inside of her stomach.

Josie let a small sigh escape her lips. “Alright, if you insist.”

“I insist.”

***

The trio turned towards the parking lot, and within a moment the crunch of gravel was heard beneath their feet. The heat from the overhead sun felt almost unbearable after they walked past the shade of a cluster of Live Oak trees. Hudson glanced at Josie before looking down at his full arms. Something about her was very intriguing, but he couldn’t put his finger on what. The slender young woman had a bewildered look on her face, which made her almost appear lost. He cleared his throat, suddenly aware of the tension growing between them.

“Which vehicle is yours?”

She nodded towards her right. “I’m in the tan SUV.” Josie fished through her purse for her keys, quickly unlocking the doors with her key fob once she found them. “Just place everything in the back if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all.”

As she buckled Cora into her car seat, he took a quick glance at the young woman while standing next to her car. He shuffled his feet back and forth, wanting to move on but somehow frozen in place.

Hudson felt tongue-tied as he continued to linger next to Josie’s vehicle. Why did he keep standing here? He’d sworn off relationships when his fiancé passed away in a boating accident three years ago. He had been young and so in love. After Abigail died in the devastating incident, Hudson decided to stay focused on his fledgling landscaping business. His life no longer had any room for romance. However, this young woman looked so lost and alone. She could surely use a friend. Josie and her daughter reminded Hudson of his own mother and himself so very long ago. They had been on their own before his mother met and married Charles Reed, who had accepted Hudson as his own. He decided to throw caution to the wind, and see if he could make her feel more at ease.

He flashed Josie a bright smile. “So…did you grow up close to the island?”

“No, but I was raised in Georgia. My parents own a home in Clear Creek, which is a small community in the north Georgia mountains.”

“I’ve visited Clear Creek before. My mom likes to go there to get decorating ideas.” Hudson scratched his head, “Say, isn’t there a large Amish settlement there?”

A visible tremor ran down Josie’s back. Hudson’s lips turned down in concern.

“Yeah, a lot of Amish folks live there.”

“Have you made any friends on Tybee yet?”

She bit her lip. “No, not yet. I pretty much spend all of my time with Cora and my aunt.”

Hudson looked to the sky, while mustering a bit of courage. “Well, I’ll tell you what. I’d love to get to know you and Cora better. I also know quite a few folks who are around our age. Well, I think I do anyway. How old are you?”

“I’m twenty two.” Josie’s voice was soft.

He grinned. “That’s what I thought. I’m twenty five.”

“Actually, I’d really like to meet more people, as long as they accept Cora and like calm activities. She’s usually my sidekick. Where I go, she goes.” Josie let a small giggle escape from her lips before turning a shade of red.

“Of course. I’d only introduce you to people who aren’t into the party scene. Believe me, I definitely am not. Would you mind if I stop by your aunt’s rental business soon? Since I have a landscaping contract with her, I really need to see if she has any work that needs to be done before summer’s end, anyhow.”

“Well…I guess that would be alright.”

Hudson’s eyes brightened as his heart hammered in his chest.  He took a moment to pause in thought before continuing. What was he getting himself into? “Great! I look forward to seeing you two again soon.”

Hudson began walking back to his mother’s booth before she could reply. He watched Josie out of the corner of his eye as she turned on the ignition and opened the windows on this hot and muggy day. Hudson took a final sidelong glance at the tan vehicle before walking towards his mother, who was steadily helping customers. He sighed as Josie’s SUV pulled out of the gravel lot and onto a small side road. He must remember to view Josie just as a friend. He didn’t think he’d be capable of loving a woman like his Abby ever again.

Thank you so much for reading this sample, friends!

Click here to purchase Her Island Surprise (An Amish Novel).