She quickly walked to the sitting room and paused before she pushed open the door. She avoided this room as much as possible as it contained bitter memories of her past. This was the room that she spent most of her days in a laudanum induced stupor. It was also where that thief stole her money and property right under her nose. She shook off the feelings and entered the room.
“Are you ready?” she asked Will, who was looking out the window across the lawn. He turned and looked at her, a smile breaking across his face. His soft words poured over her, reaching right into her soul.
“You look beautiful, Charlotte, just like a vision. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone as beautiful as you are right now.” He walked over and fingered one of her curls, before letting it rest back on her shoulder.
“I am,” he said, picking up the basket and taking her arm. “I wonder what Milam made?”
“Probably fried chicken, since you can eat it cold.”
Will chuckled. “Well it is certainly cool enough today, but the sun is shining.” He released her arm to open the front door and they went down the steps to the garden that Charlotte kept in the front of her house. She loved flowers, all colors and fragrances. The lilies were her favorite, but the flowers and their heady aroma wouldn’t be out until late summer.
They quickly walked to the park in the warm sunshine. The breeze was cool, but Charlotte didn’t feel the cold. She was perfectly content holding onto Will’s arm.
He chose a spot near the pavilion where the band was setting up to play. There were a few tables out and several families were sitting on blankets in the grass.
She saw Tess and Dawson walking across the lawn, and she lifted her hand to wave. “Tess looks like she is about to pop. I can’t believe she hasn’t delivered that baby yet.” Will looked over her shoulder and raised his hand in greeting as well, before guiding her to sit down on one of the benches.
“When is she due?” Will asked, placing the basket on the table and taking a seat next to Charlotte.
“This month. I think.” Charlotte looked puzzled for a moment, her brow furrowing. “I honestly don’t remember what she told me.” She bit her bottom lip and started to wring her hands together. Her voice started to squeak as she looked at him. “I don’t remember, Will.”
Will rubbed her back. “Shhhhh, Charlotte. That is just part of recovery.”
“Will it get better?”
“Maybe. There are still things I don’t remember. That is what the drug does. It steals everything good from you.”
Charlotte nodded. She looked around at the people gathering in the park. Several of them looked her way and turned to go sit at another table.
“I don’t know if I can do this, Will.”
“You can,” he said. “And you will.”
“I mean I don’t think I can do this alone.”
Will lifted her hand and pressed a kiss against the warm skin. Charlotte felt a flutter, as he had never touched her so intimately before.
“You aren’t alone, sweetheart. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
“Oh look, there is Odessa Gale. She is one of my dear friends.” She waved to Odessa, who started walking over to the table.
“Charlotte.” Will cleared his throat, before taking Charlotte’s chin in his hand and turning her to face him. “I need to ask you something. I’d like to do it before your friend gets to the table.”
“Of course, anything. You’ve been such a good friend to me these past few months.”
Will took her hand in his once more and covered it with his other hand. He looked at her with deep brown eyes that reminded her of melted chocolate. She admired his square jaw and sculpted face. She noticed the tic in his cheek. He must be really worried about something, she thought.
He cleared his throat once again and looked over her shoulder to see how far away Odessa was. “Charlotte, I am hoping I can become more than that?”
Charlotte took a deep breath. “More than what?”
“More than just your friend. Your companion. I want to be with you for the rest of your life.” Charlotte let out a little gasp. Will continued, “I know we’ve not known each other very long. Just a few months, but I find myself wanting to be with you all the time. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Charlotte lifted her fingers to her throat and fiddled with a piece of lace. “I – I –”
“Charlotte Daniels,” Odessa interrupted as she slid her robust frame on the bench. “I am so happy to see you out and about. Your dress looks lovely.”
Charlotte looked from Will to Odessa and back to Will again, her eyes blinking in rapid succession. Her brain couldn’t put the words together that he was saying.
What was he asking?
What did Odessa just say?
Charlotte felt her cheeks flush and she pulled her hand away from Will.
“Oh my,” Odessa said, “am I interrupting something?”
“Not at all,” Charlotte said, reaching into the basket in front of her. “Please join us.”
Odessa looked around. “I wonder where that boy ran off to?”
“Marty?”
“Yes. He is always off doing something or another.” She reached into her basket and pulled out a piece of fabric, tucking it into the neck of her blouse. “God bless that boy. He has really helped out since Douglas died.”
“Douglas?” Will asked.
“Yes, he was my husband.”
“I’m sorry, did he die in the earthquake?”
“No. He died several years ago. Marty has been taking care of me ever since. I have asthma. Had it for years, but Doc Hattie gave me some of her magic herbs and I’m doing so much better.”
“Odessa, have you met Will Tuckering?”
Odessa shook her head. “I’ve seen you around town, but then again, there have been so many new faces, I can’t keep them all straight.”
“Will has been helping Dawson at the undertaker’s office.”
Odessa took a bite of her sandwich as people started speaking on the podium. “Such a good man, that Dawson is. And he dotes on Tess.”
“That he certainly does.”
The speeches were wrapped up in quick order and the musicians took their seats on the podium. Will leaned into Charlotte. “I’m going to go get us a glass of lemonade. I’ll be right back.”
Charlotte nodded and continued to talk to Odessa. Will returned with the drinks just as the band was starting to play. Charlotte tapped her foot to the music.
“Would you like to dance, mi’lady?” Will asked, taking a deep bow in front of her.
“I can’t dance, Will.”
“Why ever not? You have two good legs.”
“What would all these people think?” She motioned around to the people sitting and eating their lunch.
“They would think that I’m having a dance with one of the most eligible women in town.”
Charlotte blushed. “Sit down before someone hears you.” She waved him back towards the bench. “Imagine that. Dancing at a picnic.” She turned and finished her lunch. “I do say that Milam does make the best fried chicken.”
Odessa looked at her. “Milam should open up her own diner here in town.”
“Don’t be silly. There is already a diner in town.”
Odessa leaned over the table and lowered her voice. “Lily Jo is selling the diner.”
“What?” Charlotte squealed. “You can’t be serious. Whatever for?”
“I don’t know exactly, but I think…”
Will coughed loudly. “Charlotte, it sounds like gossip. You don’t want to partake in that, do you?”
“But…” she pointed at Odessa. Will raised an eyebrow, his eyes boring holes to someplace deep inside of her. “Oh, alright. Never mind.”
Suddenly she heard her name explode in the air. She turned to see Dawson picking Tess up and heading towards Hattie’s apothecary.
“Oh goodness, I think it is time.” She looked at her watch.
90 days, 23 hours, 37 minutes and 24 seconds.
Read Wanted: Redemption now.
Available in Kindle Unlimited.
Read more by Christine Sterling
Read the Black Hill Brides Romances:
1. Her Secret Past
2. Her Secret Baby
3. Her Secret Shame
4. Her Secret Love
5. Her Secret Husband
Read the Silverpines Romances:
1. Wanted: Medicine Man
2. The Coffin Maker
3. Wanted: Gravedigger
4. Snowbound
5. Wanted: Redemption
Read the Proxy Bride Romances:
1. A Bride for Jeremiah
2. A Bride for Elijah
Read the Pinkerton Matchmaker Romances:
1. The Pinkerton Matchmaker
2. An Agent for Claudette
3. An Agent for Penelope
Read the Holiday Romances
1. Wynter's Bride
2. A Cozy Mitten Christmas
About Christine
Christine Sterling is the creator of the wildly popular Pinkerton Matchmaker Series and the Proxy Bride Series. She is an author in multiple collaborations, including: Cowboys and Angels, The Widows of Wildcat Ridge and Silverpines, where her book Wanted: Medicine Man won best historical novel of 2018.
She writes sweet and wholesome historical western novels and published her first book in 2017. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, a spoiled Shih Tzu, a knucklehead German Shepherd, and too many rescued barn cats to count. She has been writing stories since she was 8 years old when her grandparents gave her a Sears & Roebuck typewriter with a hard-plastic cover for Christmas in 1977.
She spends her time writing, helping others to write and publish their first book and weeding her half-acre organic herb garden. Her favorite things are a good cup of tea, a movie that will make you cry and hearing from her readers.
Learn more about her books here. Find her on Facebook, in the CSR Community, Twitter and her website. She also recently launched The Courageous Author to teach others that are ready to publish their first book the skills to do so.
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For Rebecca
There is something special about a first-born daughter. You want the very best of everything for her.
I want the best of everything for you, my sweet Rebecca. You deserve all that and more.
Because of that I’ll be your biggest cheerleader and support. But I’ll also be overprotective, annoying, opinionated and sometimes even a bit judgmental. Just know I do everything because I love you so much.
Acknowledgments
All glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate storyteller, I just write down the words. Every single thing comes from Him and I am so blessed he chose me to write these stories.
To my husband, Daniel, you are my biggest cheerleader and I wouldn’t be as far as I am without your support. You are so much more than the dish fairy and house-husband. You are my partner through life. I love you!
To my beautiful daughters, Nora & Elizabeth. You inspire me in every single way. I’m so thankful you are my daughters. I love you to the moon and back.
To Britny, my amazing mindset coach. You have helped me bust through the fear that comes through publishing so many books in a short amount of time. You hold me accountable and make sure I’m focusing on the write tasks. Everyone needs a Britny in their corner. I’m so glad you are in mine.
To the readers in the Silverpines Reader Group and all the fans that send me notes telling me how much you love my stories, I am so glad I can write this one for you.
Wanted Gravedigger
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are all products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblances to persons, organizations, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
All rights are reserved with the exceptions of quotes used in reviews. This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or part by any means without written permission from the author.
Wanted: Gravedigger ©2018 Christine Sterling
Cover Design by Josephine Blake of Covers & Cupcakes https://coversandcupcakes.wordpress.com/
Editing by Carolyn Leggo and Amy Petrowich
Second Ed. , Feb 2019
Wanted: Gravedigger Page 10