Turning around the end of an aisle, Lucy heard a startled exclamation and realized she'd run into a man who'd been coming the other direction.
She watched helplessly as he stumbled against the cart, shoving it into a display of stacked paint cans.
"Millie!"
The stranger twisted his body between the cart and the toppling cans of paint, wincing as heavy one-gallon cans bounced off his shoulders and back.
Between their efforts the cart was righted.
They stared at each other, momentarily speechless, the man's feet planted squarely in a spreading pool of white primer.
They spoke simultaneously.
"I'm so sorry! I'll pay for the spilled paint! And maybe new boots." Lucy flushed as she stared at the handsome Amish man whose boots were probably going to be ruined.
"Ach, I'm sorry! I should have been watching where I was going! Is your little girl oll recht?"
They stared at each other for another beat before once again speaking at the same time.
"No, no, it was my fault!" he insisted. "No need to pay for anything. I'm just glad your daughter wasn't hurt."
"She's fine, but what about you?"
After a few seconds the corner of the man's mouth tilted up, and an amused snort escaped him.
Lucy's mouth dropped open, but then the ridiculousness of the situation hit her, and she covered her mouth as giggles escaped her.
Then they were both laughing right out loud.
"Oh my, I haven't laughed like that in ages!" Lucy wiped tears of mirth from her eyes.
The stranger grinned. "Me neither. I'm just glad you're both okay."
Millie looked from one to the other and grinned. "Ice cream!" she signed, causing Lucy to chuckle again. "My schwester wants ice cream."
"Schwester? She's not your daughter?"
"Well, she's like a daughter to me. I've raised her since our maem died when she was born. I'm Lucy Beiler. You're sure you won't be in trouble for this mess? I really do think I should pay for the open cans."
He shook his head firmly. "Nee. It's obvious now that the display wasn't safe."
A store employee hurried up to them, his eyes widening as he took in the scene. "Ach! What happened?"
"Just a little mishap, and some paint cans fell," the man, whose name Lucy still didn't know, told his coworker. "Would you please clean it up for me while I take these ladies back to the soda fountain for ice cream?"
"Ja, of course. I'm just glad nobody got hurt. Someone told me paint cans were hitting you in the head!"
The first man shrugged. "I may have a few bruises, but it's nothing more than I deserve. Denki, Jacob."
Jacob left, presumably to gather cleaning materials. The first man looked down at his boots with a regretful air and then bent down and untied them before stepping out of them and taking big steps away from the spilled paint.
"Let's get ice cream!"
Lucy unstrapped Millie from the cart, which was also standing in the spreading pool of paint, and soon they were sitting at the soda fountain at the back of the store.
A young Amish woman hurried over to them, glancing at Amos' feet as she slipped behind the counter. "Amos! Where are your shoes? And who are your friends?"
"Hi, Rebekkah. This is Lucy Beiler and her little sister, Millie. We met in the paint section when I clumsily upset the endcap display of primer. My boots didn't make it. We need ice cream to recover from our trauma."
She grinned at him and smiled at Millie. "What kind of ice cream do you want, lieb?"
Millie looked at Lucy with big eyes and signed, "Chocolate."
Lucy kissed her sister's head. "Sure, Millie." She smiled at Rebekkah. "Chocolate soft serve for Millie. And I'd like a strawberry shake."
"Coming right up. And your usual, boss." She got busy scooping ice cream as Lucy turned to regard the stranger on the stool beside her.
"Boss?"
He quirked an eyebrow and grinned back at her. "Ja, didn't I tell you? I'm Amos Fisher. My family owns Fisher's Hardware. That's how I know I won't get into trouble for spilling the paint. Well, as long as my dat doesn't find out."
* * *
