Page 36 of A Dangerous Heart (Wind River Mail-Order Brides #4)
Ed and Rebekah had made a surprise appearance from town, so the whole family was present.
Pans shuffled and plates rattled in the kitchen as extra chairs were brought in and pushed around the table.
While Rebekah arranged the chicken on a platter, Clare placed the breadbasket on the table, then turned from the table and skirted around Tillie.
Serving meals at the McGraws was like falling into the steps of a familiar dance. One that Clare got to be a part of now.
Tillie slid into the seat, and the boys rushed in, taking their places on the bench on one side of the table.
Ed, Isaac, and Drew pulled out chairs for their wives to sit on before settling themselves into their own chairs.
Nick was the last man to mosey into the kitchen.
A lone chair sat empty next to Jo at the table.
“Looks like you’re the last man standing,” Ed commented, the double entendre causing smiles, smirks, and a few giggles from around the table as Nick took his seat.
“None of our mail-order bride ads went as expected,” Rebekah said, her mouth pulled up in a one-sided smile for Ed in the chair next to her.
Ed leaned over and kissed her cheek. “No, but they did end up bringing us love.”
Clare’s breath hitched. It still surprised her the way these McGraw men said the loveliest things.
Rebekah cast a cheeky glance at Nick. “When are you going to place an ad? I can help you write it. Maybe even get you a discount,” she teased.
Isaac grinned at Clare. She returned his smile as warmth filled her chest. He flashed his green eyes at Jo. “Maybe you should have Jo and David write it.”
David’s head jerked up. “No way. I’m not getting talked into writing those stupid letters again. Just look at what happened last time.” He ducked his head, as red-faced as he’d been when he’d run to their cabin.
But the look in Isaac’s eyes caused Clare’s own face to burn. His satisfied expression said he was more than pleased with the outcome of their mail-order marriage.
It’s God’s providence.
She heard Anne’s whisper in her mind and smiled, knowing that somehow, Anne could see her now.
Nick cleared his throat and unfurled a napkin with a flourish, like a fancy waiter, before setting it on his lap. All eyes turned to him. Except for Ben’s. His attention remained on the platter of chicken in front of him.
“Thank you for your offer, but I’ve already got it handled.”
“You do?” Jo and Kaitlyn asked at the same time. They looked at each other with surprised grins.
“No, he doesn’t. He’s just trying to put us off,” Rebekah protested.
“He’s a cunning one all right.” Isaac studied him through narrowed eyes. “However, he never says anything he doesn’t mean. What’s your plan, Nick?”
Nick lifted his chin and steepled his long fingers. But he kept his lips sealed tight.
“He’s not going to tell us,” Clare said. He liked to tease and provoke a bit. But she was thankful he hadn’t given up on Isaac. Or her. She caught the twinkle in Nick’s eyes when he looked at her. She smiled at him, warmed by their special bond.
“Of course he’s going to tell us, or I’ll pull out one of the letters we still have,” Rebekah threatened with an impish grin.
Ed and Isaac groaned, while Jo shouted, “Good idea!”
Nick set his fork down and pressed his shoulders back.
He let out an exaggerated sigh. “No need to dig into the archives, Rebekah. I’ve already asked Merritt to help me meet someone.
She’s got solid connections and will use her considerable social prowess to introduce me to the perfect future bride. ”
Clare caught the brothers looking at each other with wide eyes and raised brows. Both Ed and Isaac lowered their chins to hide their grins.
After supper, Tillie slipped out of her chair and danced over to Drew. “It’s almost Thanksgiving, and then it will be Christmas. How many more weeks till Christmas, Pa?”
“Five more weeks, sweetheart,” Drew said, tugging lightly on one of her braids. The discussion moved to Christmas preparations and winter chores. Clare watched Nick stare out the window. A solemn expression crossed his face.
He’s lonely. Her gaze traveled around the table. Lonely amid this boisterous, doting family. Good for him for taking matters into his own hands.
“Uncle Isaac, Ben said you’ve been giving him and Eli shooting lessons,” Jo whined, breaking into Clare’s musing. “That’s not fair. Can I have lessons too?”
Clare met Kaitlyn’s exasperated expression across the table before Kaitlyn quickly hid it from Jo’s eyes.
“That’s a question for your pa first…” Kaitlyn cut in.
Clare took it all in. The men who loved their families and this land.
The women and children who made the family complete.
She glanced at the man by her side, her husband. Isaac leaned over to speak to Ed. Love swelled in her heart.
Isaac folded her hand in his under the table and gave it a squeeze.
She closed her eyes in a silent prayer.
Thank You, Lord. I was desperate for protection for the boys, just looking for a safe place. But You gave me more than I could hope for. You brought us into a family. You gave me a husband, a fierce protector, and lasting love.
She lifted her head and turned to see Isaac looking down at her. His face softened, and he squeezed her hand again. He’d given her a new name: Mrs. Isaac McGraw. She’d given him her heart. He’d keep it safe.
* * *
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* * *
Journey once more with our mail-order brides with our final Wind River Mail-Order Brides story, A Forgotten Heart by Lacy Williams and Traci Summeril.
Rancher Nick McGraw had his dreams of teaching shattered and lost his chance for true love in one fell swoop. Years later, he’s finally moved on. The best Christmas gift he can give himself is a chance for a new start—with a mail-order bride of his own choosing.
After he broke her heart, schoolmarm Elsie Atchinson hoped she would never see Nick again. But moments after they come face to face, Nick is attacked and left for dead in the midst of a white-out blizzard. Elsie can’t abandon him in his time of need.
There’s just one problem. The Nick who wakes up with his head wrapped in bandages doesn’t remember leaving Elsie. This Nick only remembers falling in love with her. But Elsie knows that once Nick regains his memory, their fragile reunion will be shattered, leaving her heart broken once more.
And when Nick’s attackers threaten the family ranch, things only get more complicated between them. It may just take a Christmas miracle for them to find their way back to the love they once shared and work together to save everything they hold dear.
This sweet historical romance is perfect for fans of the following tropes:
*snowed in/stranded together
*amnesia
*second chance
*wounded hero
*caretaker heroine
Pre-order from the Sunrise Shop to get your hands on it early, or later from your favorite retailer .
Keep reading for a sneak peek…
A FORGOTTEN HEART | WIND RIVER MAIL-ORDER brIDES
CHAPTER 1
“Hey, McGraw!”
Nick McGraw glanced up at the shout as he guided his horse down the muddy, icy track that was Main Street in the tiny town of Calvin, Wyoming. His dog, Patch, circled the horse, careful to stay clear of its hooves.
Nick’s old school chum Ames Lancaster was on the boardwalk outside the leather-goods store, bundled in a coat and red scarf, his black wool derby tucked low over his head.
“What’re you doing in town? Don’t you know there’s a storm brewing?” Ames’s eyes drifted to the heavy clouds sinking closer to the tops of the buildings.
Not so different from the heaviness weighing on Nick’s chest.
“Business.” Nick patted his satchel, the strap looped across his chest, with a gloved hand.
An icy gust sliced through Nick’s coat, minuscule snowflakes stinging his cheeks beneath his hat.
Ames scoffed. “It couldn’t wait until this storm clears?”
Not when his family depended on him. “It didn’t look so bad when I left.”
Nick’s oldest brother, Drew, had insisted that the sale contract be finalized at the land office as soon as possible.
With Christmas only a little more than a couple weeks away, Nick imagined Drew didn’t want to worry about anything—or anyone—causing trouble with the simple transaction.
Drew was big on legacy, on protecting and expanding the land their pa had left them.
Nick blinked away the snowflakes gathering on his lashes.
Another arctic blast blew over them, making him shiver. He urged Surrey on.
“Don’t get caught out in it!” Ames called out after him.
Ames wasn’t joking. Dense moisture thickened the air, promising a dump of snow. Nick would need to finish his errands and seek shelter. Soon.
Normally he looked forward to his trips to town. Seeing friends. Catching up on their lives. But today was different.
How long would it be before he saw town again?
After his business at the land office, he’d be stuck in a winter cabin on the side of a mountain for months. Isolated. With only cows for company.
Children’s laughter wafted from the schoolhouse as a few stragglers scurried home. Probably released early on account of the coming storm.
He tried not to look. He really did. But when he passed the white clapboard schoolhouse, his eyes devoured the snug little building.
He hadn’t been inside the new schoolhouse, built after the first had been destroyed by fire almost a year ago. That had been just before his cousin Merritt, the longtime schoolmarm, had gotten married and stepped down.