Peter frowned. “Doesn’t she realize she’d be better off waiting for school to start mid-October, after the fall harvest?”
Harold shrugged. “Well, she’s a bit older than the previous schoolteacher”—he paused as a chorus of mumbled good riddances echoed around him—“and, from the correspondence I read, she’s intent that children should have as much schooling as possible each year.”
Tobias frowned. “The town won’t pay her more if she works past the requisite weeks.”
Harold chuckled. “Well, unlike the poor unfortunate Mr. Danforth, this woman appears not as concerned about her salary as she is about educating the children.”
Ben had entered from the kitchen and ambled over to them and chuckled. “Do you remember the time the man thought he was drinking coffee or something dark like that and instead drank ink? He had black teeth for weeks!”
They all laughed at the pranks the children had carried out on the unsuspecting Danforth.
“Although I’ll never forgive him for how he treated Mildred,” Harold said.
Tobias nodded. “Well, whoever this woman is, she’ll have little to do with me, although I hope she purchases her goods from my store.”
Peter watched his grandfather closely, uncertain about the gleam of intrigue in Harold’s eyes. However, he soon forgot about that as he focused on the contented glow in his wife’s gaze. Although the time at the ranch had been fraught with emotional moments and arguments, he had never felt more love for Philomena than he did at this moment. Watching her interact with their family, seeing her at peace with his grandfather, filled him with an unfettered joy.
He rose, holding his hand out to her. When she rose to walk beside him, he led her outside, leaving the conversation about the new schoolmistress behind. He suspected there would have been three more by the time their child needed to attend school. Peter and Philomena walked until they were a short distance from the main house and the barns.
“What is it, Peter?” she asked, as she instinctively stepped forward into his arms, resting her head on his chest. She sighed with pleasure as his arms wrapped around her.
“Nothing,” he murmured into her ear. “I wanted to hold my wife and child. I wanted to ensure you knew how much I love and cherish you.”
Her arms around him tightened, and she kissed his chest. “As long as you know how much I love and cherish you too, Peter.” She eased away, her hands now cupping his face. “Nothing will come between us.”
His eyes shone with pride and adoration at her avowal. “Nothing and no one.” Leaning forward, he kissed her tenderly. “Thank you for believing in me. In our love.”
She kissed him again, before resting against his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around him. “Thank you for sharing your family with me.” She leaned back with an impish smile. “And for not insisting on remaining the infamous Runaway Groom.” She shrieked with laughter as he tickled her.
He chuckled, as he pulled her close again. “Only a fool would run away from you more than once. Jessamine should write an article about you called the Groom Tracker. About you and how intrepid you were to follow me all the way here from Texas.” At her snort of laughter, he breathed in her scent and closed his eyes in contentment.
“Dance with me, love,” Peter murmured, swaying with her in his arms.
“To the unique music all around us,” she breathed, resting her head against his chest, “that only we can hear.”
“As long as we are together, anything is possible.”
“Anything.”
Preorder Substitute Montana Bride- Tobias’s story! Available July 2021!
Preview of Substitute Montana Bride
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Thank you for reading Runaway Montana Groom! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
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Also by Ramona Flightner
The O’Rourke Family Montana Saga
Follow the O’Rourke Family as they settle in Fort Benton, Montana Territory in 1860’s.
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Pioneer Adventure (Prequel)
Pioneer Dream (OFMS, Book 1)- Kevin and Aileen
Pioneer Desire- (OFMS, Book 2)- Ardan and Deirdre
Pioneer Yearning- (OFMS, Book 3) Niamh and Cormac
Pioneer Longing (OFMS, Book 4)- Eamon and Phoebe
Pioneer Bliss (OFMS, Book 5) Declan and Lorena
Pioneer Devotion (OFMS, Book 6) Maggie and Dunmore- Coming Soon!
Bear Grass Springs Series
Never fear, I am busy at work on the next book in the series! If you want to make sure you never miss a release, a special, a cover reveal, or a short story just for my fans, sign up for my newsletter!
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Immerse yourself in 1880’s Montana as the MacKinnon siblings and their extended family find love!
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Montana Untamed (BGS, Book 1) Cailean and Annabelle
Montana Grit (BGS, Book 2) Alistair and Leticia
Montana Maverick (BGS, Book 3) Ewan and Jessamine
Montana Renegade(BGS, Book 4) Warren and Helen
Jubilant Montana Christmas (BGS, Book 5) Leena and Karl
Montana Wrangler (BGS, Book 6) Sorcha and Frederick
Unbridled Montana Passion (BGS, Book 7) Fidelia and Bears
Montana Vagabond (BGS, Book 8) Jane and Ben
Exultant Montana Christmas (BGS, Book 9) Ewan and Jessamine
Lassoing a Montana Heart, (BGS, Book 10)- Slims and Davina
Healing Montana Love (BGS Book 11)- Dalton and Charlotte
Runaway Montana Groom (BGS, Book 12) Peter and Philomena- Coming Soon!
Substitute Montana Bride (BGS Book 13) Coming in 2021!
The Banished Saga
Follow the McLeod, Sullivan and Russell families as they find love, their loyalties are tested, and they overcome the challenges of their time. A sweeping saga set between Boston and Montana in early 1900’s America.
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The Banished Saga: (In Order)
Love’s First Flames (Prequel)
Banished Love (Banished Saga, Book One)
Reclaimed Love (Banished Saga, Book Two)
Undaunted Love(Banished Saga, Book Three) (Part One)
Undaunted Love (Banished Saga, Book Three) (Part Two)
Tenacious Love (Banished Saga, Book Four)
Unrelenting Love (Banished Saga, Book Five)
Escape To Love (Banished Saga, Book Six)
Resilient Love (Banished Saga, Book Seven)
Abiding Love (Banished Saga, Book Eight)
Triumphant Love (Banished Saga, Book Nine)
About the Author
Ramona is a historical romance author who loves to immerse herself in research as much as she loves writing. A native of Montana, every day she marvels that she gets to live in such a beautiful place. When she’s not writing, her favorite pastimes are fly fishing the cool clear streams of a Montana river, hiking in the mountains, and spending time with family and friends.
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Ramona’s heroines are strong, resilient women, the type of women you’d love to have as your best friend. Her heroes are loyal and honorable, men you’d love to meet or bring home to introduce to your family for Sunday dinner. She hopes her stories bring the past alive and allow you to forget the outside world for a while.
Runaway Montana Groom: Bear Grass Springs Book 12 Page 21