shocking, but as far as I can figure out, the attraction we hold for each other is purely physical.”
Beth looked at Gwen and back to Lacy. “That’s a very good place to start, don’t you think?”
“I don’t know what to think,” Lacy said, turning to pace in her routine fashion. “Just because I like the way he looks and how he makes me feel when he kisses me doesn’t mean we ought to marry.” She stopped and looked hard at her sisters. “Does it?”
“Well, if you had no physical attraction, then I would be worried about that. So many women find it necessary to settle for a man or marriage that they do not want,” Gwen replied.
“Sure, imagine if you were forced to marry, say, Rafe.” Beth giggled. “You wouldn’t even have a physical attraction.”
“I’d shoot myself first,” Lacy told them. “Or maybe I’d just shoot him .”
Gwen laughed. “You don’t mean that.”
“Maybe not, but I’d never agree to marry him.”
“Did you agree to marry Dave?” Beth asked.
Lacy drew a deep breath and nodded. “I did. I don’t know why I did, and frankly the entire matter is causing me a great deal of distress.”
“But why?” Gwen questioned. “It’s so evident that you two belong together.”
Lacy considered this for a moment and came back to the bed to sit. “Why do you say that? Tell me, please—because I’m desperate to know and understand.”
Gwen looked at Beth as if for help. “Well, I suppose there’s the way you listen to each other and talk things out.”
“You mean argue and bicker?” Lacy crossed her arms. “That hardly seems like a beneficial thing.”
“But you don’t just fight over things. You respect each other enough to consider what’s being said. I’ve seen it happen over and over. You might not like what Dave has to say, but you consider it.”
“Yes, and then usually do exactly as I please,” Lacy admitted.
“You are very headstrong,” Beth agreed. “But I think you two find comfort even in your disputes. You see eye-to-eye on more than you might think.”
Lacy considered Beth’s words. “It just seems there ought to be something that is . . . well, more in common.”
“You both love Montana and adventure,” Gwen offered.
“You’re both very practical, and when a job has to be done, no matter how messy or troublesome, you just dig in and do it,” Beth said.
“And you both have great inner strength and faith in God,” Gwen said as if going down a mental list. “Oh, and you are both incredible with horses.”
Beth nodded. “Yes, and you have deep compassion on those who are treated unjustly.”
Gwen thought for a moment. “You neither one care for strong drink or gambling.”
“But you both like elk steak and berry cobbler.” Beth looked at Gwen. “I swear Dave Shepard could eat his weight in berry cobbler.”
Lacy couldn’t help but laugh at this. “I could have those things in common with just about anyone out here.”
“But can you add that to the physical attraction?” Gwen asked in a most serious tone. “Is there anyone else who makes your legs feel like they’re no stronger than egg noodles?”
“Or leaves you breathless when they do nothing more than throw you a certain look from across the room?” Beth added.
Lacy couldn’t deny the truth of either comment. No one but Dave made her feel that way. She drew a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. Maybe there was enough to merit marriage between them.
“But I don’t know if I love him.”
Her sisters once again exchanged a glance and Gwen asked, “Can you imagine living life without him?”
“And still be happy?” Beth supplied.
Gwen nodded and continued. “If he decided to break off the engagement and moved away tomorrow, could you easily let him go?”
“Or would you feel as though you’d lost a part of yourself—of your heart?” Beth questioned softly.
Lacy was terrified to even know the answers to those questions. She wasn’t yet
Beth looked at Gwen and back to Lacy. “That’s a very good place to start, don’t you think?”
“I don’t know what to think,” Lacy said, turning to pace in her routine fashion. “Just because I like the way he looks and how he makes me feel when he kisses me doesn’t mean we ought to marry.” She stopped and looked hard at her sisters. “Does it?”
“Well, if you had no physical attraction, then I would be worried about that. So many women find it necessary to settle for a man or marriage that they do not want,” Gwen replied.
“Sure, imagine if you were forced to marry, say, Rafe.” Beth giggled. “You wouldn’t even have a physical attraction.”
“I’d shoot myself first,” Lacy told them. “Or maybe I’d just shoot him .”
Gwen laughed. “You don’t mean that.”
“Maybe not, but I’d never agree to marry him.”
“Did you agree to marry Dave?” Beth asked.
Lacy drew a deep breath and nodded. “I did. I don’t know why I did, and frankly the entire matter is causing me a great deal of distress.”
“But why?” Gwen questioned. “It’s so evident that you two belong together.”
Lacy considered this for a moment and came back to the bed to sit. “Why do you say that? Tell me, please—because I’m desperate to know and understand.”
Gwen looked at Beth as if for help. “Well, I suppose there’s the way you listen to each other and talk things out.”
“You mean argue and bicker?” Lacy crossed her arms. “That hardly seems like a beneficial thing.”
“But you don’t just fight over things. You respect each other enough to consider what’s being said. I’ve seen it happen over and over. You might not like what Dave has to say, but you consider it.”
“Yes, and then usually do exactly as I please,” Lacy admitted.
“You are very headstrong,” Beth agreed. “But I think you two find comfort even in your disputes. You see eye-to-eye on more than you might think.”
Lacy considered Beth’s words. “It just seems there ought to be something that is . . . well, more in common.”
“You both love Montana and adventure,” Gwen offered.
“You’re both very practical, and when a job has to be done, no matter how messy or troublesome, you just dig in and do it,” Beth said.
“And you both have great inner strength and faith in God,” Gwen said as if going down a mental list. “Oh, and you are both incredible with horses.”
Beth nodded. “Yes, and you have deep compassion on those who are treated unjustly.”
Gwen thought for a moment. “You neither one care for strong drink or gambling.”
“But you both like elk steak and berry cobbler.” Beth looked at Gwen. “I swear Dave Shepard could eat his weight in berry cobbler.”
Lacy couldn’t help but laugh at this. “I could have those things in common with just about anyone out here.”
“But can you add that to the physical attraction?” Gwen asked in a most serious tone. “Is there anyone else who makes your legs feel like they’re no stronger than egg noodles?”
“Or leaves you breathless when they do nothing more than throw you a certain look from across the room?” Beth added.
Lacy couldn’t deny the truth of either comment. No one but Dave made her feel that way. She drew a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. Maybe there was enough to merit marriage between them.
“But I don’t know if I love him.”
Her sisters once again exchanged a glance and Gwen asked, “Can you imagine living life without him?”
“And still be happy?” Beth supplied.
Gwen nodded and continued. “If he decided to break off the engagement and moved away tomorrow, could you easily let him go?”
“Or would you feel as though you’d lost a part of yourself—of your heart?” Beth questioned softly.
Lacy was terrified to even know the answers to those questions. She wasn’t yet
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