A Clean Break (Gay Amish Romance Book 2) by Keira Andrews Page B

drew together.
    “My head hurts. It’s nothing.”
    But Isaac still frowned. “Tell me.”
    David didn’t want to lie, and if anyone would understand, it was Isaac. He glanced around, even though with the music booming no one would hear him even if they wanted to. “I’m thinking about the letter I have to write. I should have done it yesterday.”
    Isaac fiddled with the arm of a sweatshirt. “Me too. I feel like, one minute everything’s great and exciting, and the next I’m thinking about home, and my belly hurts.” He glanced at a man nearby who was pawing through jackets, and then snagged David’s hand. “We’ll figure it all out.”
    Nodding, David squeezed Isaac’s fingers. The more he thought about it, the more jittery he became, so he cleared his mind. Later. It could all wait until later.
    “Underwear mission accomplished,” Aaron announced as he suddenly appeared.
    Isaac and David ripped their hands apart, and David shoved his into his jean pockets.
    “Geez, if you guys are going to go around looking that guilty, people are going to think you’re shoplifting. Stealing, I mean.” Aaron gave them both an affectionate shake. “It’s okay to hold hands. You can kiss each other too. This is San Francisco. I promise no one’s going to care.”
    The thought of kissing Isaac in public seemed absolutely insane. “I…we…”
    Aaron smiled. “I’m not saying you have to. Just that you don’t need to be afraid Bishop Yoder will appear out of thin air to yell Bible passages at you.” He clapped his hands. “So what did you pick out?”
    “Um…” Isaac picked up a gray T-shirt. “This?”
    Aaron chuckled. “Okay, that’s a good start. You know you can wear colors now, though. Not if you don’t want to, but don’t be afraid to try.”
    “There’s just so much ,” Isaac said.
    “It’s a little overwhelming, huh? I remember standing in a store like this for an hour like a lost duckling before I even touched anything. I might as well have been shopping on the moon. But a saleswoman took pity and helped me figure out my size. Isaac, you’re probably a medium, and David a large, although it’ll depend on the store and the brand.”
    “The sizes aren’t the same everywhere?” Isaac asked, frowning.
    “You’d think they would be, but not even close sometimes. Hey, Isaac—go grab a few of those jackets. If there’s one thing you’ll need in San Francisco, it’s a jacket.”
    As Isaac scurried away, David looked through the T-shirts on the table, this time choosing a large in dark purple.
    “This can be fun, you know.” Aaron nudged his shoulder. “It’s allowed.”
    “I know.” David tried to smile. “It’s just…”
    “What?” Aaron tilted his head.
    “Here I am having fun , and my mother and sisters are alone. It was my duty to provide for them. It is my duty. Your father’s still alive, and Ephraim and Nathan can take care of the men’s work if they had to. There are only so many quilts my mother can sell to English people who happen along.”
    Aaron shook his head. “I really wish Zebulon would do more business with the English. If they were allowed to go to the markets… Bishop Yoder is making it so much more difficult. Abigail says she hears some families in Zebulon are barely getting by.”
    David folded and refolded one of the T-shirts. “It’s hard just having enough to eat sometimes. It’s winter, and even though the girls canned in the fall, they won’t have anything growing in the gardens for months. Never mind the hospital bills, even though the community is helping.” Bile rose in his throat, and he swallowed hard.
    “I understand how you must feel. I know you already left all the money you’d saved to give to your family. David, you’ve done all you can. The community won’t let them suffer.”
    “But…” It was true, wasn’t it? They’d be all right without him. They had to be.
    “You’re young, David. You’re what, twenty-two? I know by