Page 23 of Mail-Order Brides Wishes (Montana Mail-Order Brides #7)

A smile to rival the sun in brightness flashed across Addie’s face. “I certainly did. It reminds me of a verse in the Bible. ‘The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places.’”

“One of the Psalms, I’m guessing.”

“Chapter sixteen.” Addie stirred her coffee though she’d not added sugar or milk. “Enough about me. How are you finding life here?” Her gaze circled the room. “So many new things.”

“I’m loving it.” Realizing that Addie might interpret that to mean Bryn loved Flint, her cheeks burned.

“I’m glad to hear it. I’ve found it to my liking as well.” She lowered her gaze to the table and her voice fell to a whisper. “Especially Jayce.”

Awkward silence followed her words.

Bryn traced her finger round and round on her empty plate. She could easily love Flint. But did she dare? Would she only be inviting greater hurt in the future when…? When he grew disappointed with her? When she didn’t measure up to a mark he’d set? When—

Could she hope to hide the truth forever in order to protect their place here?

She was waiting for Flint when he strode toward the house.

Her smile beckoned like a warm fire on a cold winter day.

Flint’s pace increased until he stopped in front of her.

Half a dozen scents filled his nostrils.

A savory aroma drifted to him from the kitchen.

The familiar smell of freshly turned soil came from close by.

The green leaves on the nearby trees had their own smell.

Others scents that he couldn’t put a name to.

But one needed no identifying. It was Bryn.

As unmistakable as any of the others. Sweet and clean.

“Glad you’re back. Supper is ready.” Her gentle words welcomed him home.

An unfamiliar feeling pushed up his throat.

Although he’d been happy cowboying, he’d always longed for a home.

Or maybe it had been more’n that. Maybe what he’d wanted was the welcome.

Not that being able to give it a name mattered.

He stepped across the threshold and into the house he now shared with a wife and child.

He knew little about love. Hadn’t bothered to think about it a whole lot but if this was how it felt, well, he understood why it changed men.

He deliberately brushed his shoulder to hers as he made his way past her. Knew a sense of connection not only from the touch but from the sound of her drawing in a quick breath that told him she might have felt something she liked.

Susie followed him across the floor. “My kitty and Daisy are friends. They plays fight.”

He patted her on the head. “Sounds good.” The corners of his mouth turned up to hear her enjoyment. It pleased him that he’d given the child a home too.

Bryn waited until he washed up and sat at the table before she spoke again. “How was your day? Were the boys all right? And the cows?” Did her words rush from her like maybe she had other things she wanted to ask? Or was that only his own thoughts?

He pushed aside the question because it made no sense. Except maybe that he was hoping she’d missed him and wanted more’n a report on the day. Nevertheless, he’d answered her.

“They ain’t seen any rustlers but young Joe had cut his leg bad.

They had a garbled story about how it happened.

Seems he was swimmin’ and not payin’ attention.

Somethin’ about racin’ Jeff. Anyways, he slashed his leg on a sharp rock.

Pretty nasty lookin’ though it took some persuadin’ to get him to show us.

” He paused to eat a mouthful of the stew.

“Good.” He nodded at his plate to indicate what he meant.

“Thanks. So about Joe? What does his leg look like?”

“The cut’s jagged. He’ll have a scar to brag about.”

“Huh?” Bryn jerked toward him. “Brag?”

Pleased to have surprised her, he chuckled. “Young cowboys like ta compare their scars tryin’ ta prove theirs is better or worse or bigger than any of t’others.”

Her laugh sifted through his insides. Sweetness and music.

With a decisive nod, he continued. “We didn’t see any pus. Told him if’n it didn’t continue to heal to come to the ranch. He might need to lay up a few days havin’ it tended.”

“Other than that, did you find everything to your liking?”

“Cows chowin’ nearby. Jeff had been ridin’ herd on them by hisself.

Joe looked scared when we heard that. Said he’d be up to ridin’ right soon.

We told him to let his leg heal.” He scraped his plate clean and sat back.

“Jayce and me is gonna ride out every couple of days until Joe’s leg is healed up. ”

Was it his imagination that told him Bryn ducked her head, but not before he saw how her eyes narrowed? Was she wanting him to stay close to home? Well, if so, no more’n he wanted it.

After the meal was done, he slipped out to tend to chores and check the horses while she cleaned up. Normally, he’d lean on the top rail and watch the young stock, assessing them for their strong points, and planning how he’d work with them, but this evening the horses didn’t hold his attention.

“I’ll go see if Bryn needs anythin’.”

Jayce’s soft laugh meant his partner understood his need to spend more time with his new wife.

Bryn stood before a cupboard, the door open as she studied the contents.

She turned at his entrance and smiled a smile that landed inside him with a soft plop.

He barely resisted rolling his eyes. He was nothing but a cowboy.

Had spent most of his life on the back of a horse, staring at the back end of cows or sitting around a campfire listening to other cowboys string impossible stories.

Wouldn’t they all laugh if they read his thoughts of smiles plopping into him?

But there weren’t any cowboys here ‘xcepting for him. But there was a woman with a warm smile.

“Would you have any objection to me making something for Jeff and Joe? Like a cake or cookies or biscuits? You could take it to them the next time you go out.”

“They’d surely ‘ppreciate it.” He leaned against the door frame and watched her. Every movement was slow and smooth as she closed the cupboard and turned to meet his gaze.

She rubbed her palms on her sides. Shuffled her feet. Lowered her gaze and brought it back to him.

Realizing he was making her nervous, he cleared his throat. “How’d you and Susie like ta go fer a walk?”

Hearing her name, Susie trotted from her room, carrying the kitten. “Can kitty go?”

“Kitty?”

Susie’s hair flapped as she nodded. “Auntie said her needed a name. So, it’s Kitty.”

“Good name. Easy to remember.”

“Yup. Can she come?”

“If it’s all right with your aunt.” He shifted his attention to Bryn.

Bryn shrugged. “She follows Susie like a dog, so I don’t think there’s any chance she’ll get lost.”

Flint stepped aside, letting them go ahead into the evening sun.

“Where are we going?” Bryn waited for him to direct them.

“Do you want to watch the sunset?”

“I’d love to.” Side by side, with Susie running ahead, they wandered down the trail. The mountains could be seen from ‘most any place on the ranch and all they had to do to see the sunset was look in that direction.

Pink flared across the sky. The sun dipped toward the jagged mountain tops, filling the horizon with purple and orange.

Color still lingered in the sky when Susie yawned and rubbed her eyes, and they turned back to the house. Time to put her to bed. Though he was in no hurry to end their time together.

“Did you get the garden planted?”

“We did. Do you want to see it? Though there’s nothing to see yet. Addie says a good rain is needed.” She scanned the sky. “No sign of rain tonight.”

Rain would be good, but he hoped it would hold off for at least tomorrow.

On the way back to the ranch he had come up with a plan. One he hoped she’d welcome.