Mail Order Brides: A Bride for the Banker (Bozeman Brides Book 1) by Emily Woods Page B
Authors: Emily Woods
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things, Jackson Davis, and don’t let anyone tell you anything different, not even yourself.”
Now it looked like he might cry, but he just swallowed hard and nodded once. “Possibly.”
“For certain.” She looked at him a moment longer and saw the beginnings of the man she’d always hoped he’d be. “Now, will you help me move this big galoot into your bed?”
“Why my bed?” he asked with a trace of annoyance. “He should sleep in your bed. He’s your fiancé.”
“Yes,” she replied with a small smile. “He certainly is, but he’s still sleeping in your bed and you can take the sofa. I’m too much of a lady to be sprawled out across the living room furniture. Now, grab his arms, will you?”
Muttering the whole time, Jackson complied nonetheless. It was yet another sign that he was changing, and she silently praised God for this night – even with all the worry and trauma it caused because she had her brother back again. For that, she couldn’t be more grateful.
***
The next day dawned bright and warm. Summer days were definitely upon them, Margie thought with a smile. Summer is the best season for a wedding, and she was hoping that Theo would agree to marry within the next month or so.
The man in question was up, eating toast in Jackson’s bed and telling the younger man all about his idea. She could overhear their discussion from where she was sitting.
“It sounds dangerous,” Jackson declared, but Margie wasn’t fooled. His voice was filled with excitement, not fear.
“For sure,” Theo responded gravely. “But for a man with courage, it would be the job of a lifetime. You would be responsible for many lives and your own would be in peril constantly.”
Margie smiled secretly. Theo sure knew how to pique Jackson’s interest.
“Well, I guess I should talk to Margie about it, but I’m interested.”
“You would require some training of course,” Theo added. “That would take about a year or so, but you’ll be paid and given a place to stay in the meantime. It won’t be luxurious, but I think you can handle living a bit rough.”
In her mind’s eye, Margie imagined Jackson’s chest puffing up a bit. He was probably even standing a little taller too.
“Yeah,” he said, his voice carefully casual. “I believe I could. Um, would I be able to come visit you guys once in a while? I know I wasn’t very respectful of you or the Sandersons, but I can do better. I was mostly just angry about being tricked into coming west.”
“And now?”
There was a short silence before he answered. Margie held her breath while waiting for the answer. “I’m glad,” he said simply. “I like it out here. I feel like I can breathe.”
She released the breath she’d been holding and decided that now was the right time to go see if either of them wanted more coffee.
Jackson declined, saying that he wanted to go visit the Sheriff. The man wanted an official statement from him regarding the events of yesterday. He nodded at Theo and leaned over to kiss Margie’s cheek.
“See ya in a bit, Sis.”
She touched her cheek in awe as she watched him leave. “It’s been years since he’s shown me any affection,” she remarked quietly.
“Well, then, I’d say it’s about time. Speaking of affection, could you come a little closer?”
Snapping out of her trance, she whipped her head around and stared at him. “You can’t be serious. You’re injured, not to mention sitting in bed and you want me to…Well…”
He laughed out loud. “I’m not trying to seduce you, woman. I just wanted a small reward for my bravery last night.”
“Oh,” she replied, blinking and blushing slightly. “I suppose you deserve that. And an apology as well.”
“Never mind that. I’ll take two kisses instead and call it even.”
Smiling coyly, she approached the bed but only gave him one small kiss on the cheek. “I think that’s enough or you might get spoiled.”
He growled and grabbed
Now it looked like he might cry, but he just swallowed hard and nodded once. “Possibly.”
“For certain.” She looked at him a moment longer and saw the beginnings of the man she’d always hoped he’d be. “Now, will you help me move this big galoot into your bed?”
“Why my bed?” he asked with a trace of annoyance. “He should sleep in your bed. He’s your fiancé.”
“Yes,” she replied with a small smile. “He certainly is, but he’s still sleeping in your bed and you can take the sofa. I’m too much of a lady to be sprawled out across the living room furniture. Now, grab his arms, will you?”
Muttering the whole time, Jackson complied nonetheless. It was yet another sign that he was changing, and she silently praised God for this night – even with all the worry and trauma it caused because she had her brother back again. For that, she couldn’t be more grateful.
***
The next day dawned bright and warm. Summer days were definitely upon them, Margie thought with a smile. Summer is the best season for a wedding, and she was hoping that Theo would agree to marry within the next month or so.
The man in question was up, eating toast in Jackson’s bed and telling the younger man all about his idea. She could overhear their discussion from where she was sitting.
“It sounds dangerous,” Jackson declared, but Margie wasn’t fooled. His voice was filled with excitement, not fear.
“For sure,” Theo responded gravely. “But for a man with courage, it would be the job of a lifetime. You would be responsible for many lives and your own would be in peril constantly.”
Margie smiled secretly. Theo sure knew how to pique Jackson’s interest.
“Well, I guess I should talk to Margie about it, but I’m interested.”
“You would require some training of course,” Theo added. “That would take about a year or so, but you’ll be paid and given a place to stay in the meantime. It won’t be luxurious, but I think you can handle living a bit rough.”
In her mind’s eye, Margie imagined Jackson’s chest puffing up a bit. He was probably even standing a little taller too.
“Yeah,” he said, his voice carefully casual. “I believe I could. Um, would I be able to come visit you guys once in a while? I know I wasn’t very respectful of you or the Sandersons, but I can do better. I was mostly just angry about being tricked into coming west.”
“And now?”
There was a short silence before he answered. Margie held her breath while waiting for the answer. “I’m glad,” he said simply. “I like it out here. I feel like I can breathe.”
She released the breath she’d been holding and decided that now was the right time to go see if either of them wanted more coffee.
Jackson declined, saying that he wanted to go visit the Sheriff. The man wanted an official statement from him regarding the events of yesterday. He nodded at Theo and leaned over to kiss Margie’s cheek.
“See ya in a bit, Sis.”
She touched her cheek in awe as she watched him leave. “It’s been years since he’s shown me any affection,” she remarked quietly.
“Well, then, I’d say it’s about time. Speaking of affection, could you come a little closer?”
Snapping out of her trance, she whipped her head around and stared at him. “You can’t be serious. You’re injured, not to mention sitting in bed and you want me to…Well…”
He laughed out loud. “I’m not trying to seduce you, woman. I just wanted a small reward for my bravery last night.”
“Oh,” she replied, blinking and blushing slightly. “I suppose you deserve that. And an apology as well.”
“Never mind that. I’ll take two kisses instead and call it even.”
Smiling coyly, she approached the bed but only gave him one small kiss on the cheek. “I think that’s enough or you might get spoiled.”
He growled and grabbed
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