Mail Order Bride: Westward Christmas Novel (Montana Mail Order Brides, Book 11) by Linda Bridey

know how to change your mind.  Remember, you have to wear that all day.  Sasha, I’ll see you later.  Good to have you here again.”
    “Thank you, Jack,” Sasha said.
    Jack went over to Sparrow and kissed her.  Then he came to give Danny one last kiss before he ran out back to the barn for his horse.  In a moment, he trotted around the house, waved at them and rode off.
    Sasha smiled as she watched Sparrow look after her husband with such love in her eyes.  Knowing how long Sparrow had waited to be with Jack, Sasha was very happy for the Lakota woman.
    Danny let out a squeal and Sparrow turned to Sasha and said, “Would you like to have some coffee?  Are you hungry?  I will make you breakfast.”
    Sasha said, “That would be lovely.”
    Still holding the baby, Sasha followed Sparrow into the house.  Some of the décor had changed, she noted.  There was more Lakota art on the walls and on a few tables.  It was neat and dust free, which didn’t surprise her.  Sparrow had always been a stickler for keeping things orderly. 
    Sparrow took Danny from Sasha and, speaking Lakota to him, put him in his cradleboard.  Then she propped it up against a wall so he could watch everything going on in the kitchen.  This was customary for the Lakota people.  They wanted their children to be a part of what was going on, but not to be made to feel as though they were the center of attention.
    “So how is Ben?” Sparrow asked as she set about making pancakes.  Jack had been teaching her how to make all kinds of food and she knew that pancakes were one of Sasha’s favorites.
    Just the mention of his name made her smile.  Memories of being in his arms the previous night rose in her mind and she blushed.  “He’s fine.”
    Sparrow sent her a knowing smile and said, “I think he is more than fine.”
    Sasha laughed and said, “Yes.  He’s wonderful, in fact.”
    She told Sparrow about their dinner the previous night and the bet that the two men had made.
    Sparrow said, “Joe is going to lose.  I always hear from the men how he can’t help betting on things.  He once bet that an ant that was carrying a piece of bread would drop it.  He won a pair of moccasins from White Horse.”
    Sasha laughed.  “He’s what I would call a lovable scamp, I think.”
    Sparrow sat a cup of coffee in front of Sasha and gave her a cup with cream in it.  Jack had brought one of the dairy cows down from the ranch so they could have a ready supply of milk.  Sasha fixed her coffee and took a sip. 
    “Mmm.  Delicious,” Sasha said.
    “Thank you.  Jack has been teaching me to cook.  It’s fun,” Sparrow said as she gave Sasha a plate of steaming pancakes and sausage.  She also put a small jug of maple syrup close to Sasha.
    Sasha watched Sparrow and saw how happy and contented she was to serve Sasha.  Sasha knew that Lakota women prided themselves on being gracious hostesses and seeing to their guests’ every need.  Sparrow excelled at this and Sasha marveled, not for the first time, how talented her friend was at such things.
    Sparrow made a plate for herself and sat down with Sasha.  “Ben is a good man.  He’s also a very good doctor,” Sparrow said.  She sent a coy glance Sasha’s way.  “It also doesn’t hurt that he is a very handsome man.”
    Sasha sighed and said, “Yes, he is.  Those green eyes of his just turn my insides to jelly.”
    Sparrow chuckled at the dreamy expression on Sasha’s face.  “Are you in love with him?”
    “I don’t know what I am with him.  I admire his intelligence and his skill as a doctor.  He’s strong and cultured.  He has excellent manners and yet isn’t afraid to kiss me senseless,” Sasha said.
    Sparrow laughed.  “So you have been kissing him?”
    “Oh yes.  There is no denying that we are very attracted to each other,” Sasha said.  “After Ken, it’s very nice to have a man want to touch me like that.”
    Sparrow blushed a little as she said, “I