Mail Order Surprise

by Malone, Misty

  She giggled as she reached back to rub her bottom. "Oh, yeah. I definitely knew you were here with me."

  "Good," he said with a chuckle of his own as he pulled her hands back around in front so she couldn't rub. Remember that." They stayed right there, with her on his lap, in silence, wanting nothing more than to feel the other next to them, for quite a while.

  Not ready to leave yet, he had something he wanted to discuss with her. "Honey, as you may have noticed, this is a large house, and there is plenty of room for your family to stay."

  "Thank you."

  "Of course. But what I wanted to talk to you about, there is also room to bring Pete back here to finish recovering, if you feel up to it."

  "Of course I do. Maria will come back, too, won't she?"

  "Absolutely. Her rooms are downstairs by the kitchen."

  "I think we should go over tomorrow and bring both of them back home. I hope Pete's doing better now."

  "Grant said he is. He said when he went to talk to him he was up. Ben said he keeps wanting to help around the farm, but they don't feel he's strong enough yet."

  "Oh, I don't imagine he is yet," she said.

  "I don't, either. But I have an idea, if it's okay with you."

  "What is it?"

  "I think we should bring him back here to recover, and as he gains his strength back, we can give him some easy chores around here to do, so he feels like he's helping. I think that's important for a man."

  "That sounds like a good idea, but what kinds of things could he do?"

  "Well, first we can have him take care of the chickens. It's almost time for school to start again, so you'll be busy with that. I was going to have one of the hands take over the chickens, but I think that's something Pete could do. We can add more things as he's up to it."

  "That sounds like a good idea."

  "One other thing I need to be sure you're okay with, is I thought maybe when he's up to it we could offer him a job here on the ranch."

  "As a ranch hand?"

  "Yes. I don't know that he has any experience, but if he's willing to learn, we can teach him. He seems like a good man."

  "I agree. If he wants to work here, I think that would be fine. It would certainly be safer here than out roaming around, agreeing to work with a crooked miner."

  "It certainly would be," he agreed with a bit of a chuckle.

  Eventually, he asked, "Would you like some help getting extra rooms ready for your family?"

  "Actually, they're pretty much ready. Since we've been home I've been worried. The best way for me to stop worrying is to stay busy, so I stripped all the beds and washed the linens and put them back on. I think I've dusted the whole house enough that dust should be afraid to land on anything in this house for the next couple weeks."

  "I knew you were worried," he said with a kiss to her forehead, "but I guess I didn't realize how upset you've been. That was my fault, and I'll watch you better."

  "No, it's not your fault," she said. "I've purposely tried to keep that from you. I figured you had enough on your plate. You certainly didn't need me adding to your worries."

  His stern voice was suddenly back. "Wife, I don't ever want you to do that again. If you're worried about something, you tell me. We'll talk about it. I'll do what I need to do to make you feel better. But I don't ever want you to try to hide something like that from me again, or your backside will be so sore you'll be standing to eat. Do you understand me?"

  To his surprise, she smiled. "Yes, sir, I do. Thank you." She snuggled back into his chest, and he automatically wrapped his arms around her again.

  They were quiet for several moments, before he asked, "Okay, what just happened?"

  "I just realized how much I like knowing you're watching over me, so I decided I would be nice and for once I wouldn't argue with you about something."

  Austin laughed out loud. "Only because it's something you realized you want."

  She had a sheepish look on her face as she admitted, "Maybe. But I still didn't argue."

  "No, you didn't," he agreed, "and that's a good start. Thank you for not arguing." He kissed her and added, "And I'm glad you realized having me watch out for you is not so bad. Now, we better go back downstairs so we're there to welcome your family back home. Maybe we can have a normal visit with them, so they don't think this is a normal evening at our home."

  ***

  The next morning after breakfast, Austin, Georgia, and her father and brothers went to the Wagner home. Austin introduced his wife's family, and together they explained what all had happened the evening before. The men talked in the living room, while Vera, Georgia and Maria went to the kitchen to get coffee.

  While they were talking, the ladies decided to have a dinner with all of them, and Sheriff Montgomery and Deputy Silas. They would also invite the ranch hands, including the ones that had stayed at the Wagner home, and the ones at the ranch that helped capture the prisoners, and the rest, who had all been on high alert and watching the house for any visitors or trouble. Hopefully, by then the sheriff would have some news on Ted, and Sam Wyler and Clark. It would be their way of thanking everyone for their help.

  The men loved the idea of a large dinner to thank everyone. They got word to Grant and Joe, and made sure all the ranch hands knew about it, and that Amos knew he wouldn't have to cook the night of the dinner.

  Austin got to know Dallas, Denver and Jackson much better over the next few days. They soon had a mutual respect for each other, and Dallas was relieved. He felt good now about his daughter leaving home. He felt he had to bring one matter up, though, to clear the air, so they all felt better.

  One evening when they were talking in the living room after supper, he did just that. Austin mentioned that his wife was full of surprises.

  "That she is. She surprised us when she left," Dallas said, looking at her with an accusing look.

  Austin saw the look her father was giving his wife, and wanted to assure him he didn't approve of it, either. "It surprised me when she admitted her family didn't know she came out here," he said, giving her an accusing look of his own.

  "Okay, wait a minute," she said, holding her hands up. "If you guys are all going to condemn me, this is probably a good time for me to apologize to everyone, but I need to explain why I did what I did, as well. I may be guilty, but you guys aren't all totally innocent, you know." She was looking at her two brothers and father.

  Austin was surprised at the tone of voice she was using, and he wasn't happy with her. "Georgia," he said quietly, in a voice Cord and all his men knew to beware of, "watch your attitude."

  Dallas sighed and shook his head. "No, Austin, this time she has every right to be upset with us. I appreciate you don't like her attitude, but I take credit for this, and I'll have to ask that you let her off the hook, because I owe her an apology." He turned to his daughter and took her hand in his. "I am sorry, daughter. I tried to match you up with a husband, and I allowed your brothers to do the same thing. We had no right to do that. We were all concerned about you and wanted you to be happy, but I should have known better than to try to pick someone for you. You are your own person, and for you to be happy, it has to be someone you pick. You've proven that to me now. You picked a fine man that loves you. I am truly sorry I didn't realize that until after you'd left."

  "Pa's right," Denver said with no hesitation. "We wanted you to be happy, not be alone, but we went about it all wrong."

  Austin could tell Georgia was taken aback by her father's apology and her brother's words. Tears formed in her eyes, and she went to her father and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you for understanding, Papa. I'm sorry I left without telling you." She reached for her two brothers, and they were soon all holding each other. Austin realized this was something they needed to do, to get things right between them. He was glad they were able to.

  Dallas pulled Austin into the hug, saying, "You're family now, Austin. Get over here." Austin felt a little awkward. He wasn'
t used to hugs, other than with his wife, but once he was pulled in, getting hugged by all of them it somehow felt right. He felt like part of a family; a big, good family, and it felt really nice.

  ***

  The ladies worked together for the next several days planning the meal and preparing food. It was great, their friendship growing stronger as they worked. Dallas watched his daughter, and was proud. Not only was she working well with the other ladies, making it plain she had good friends here, but there was no doubt in his mind that she was happy. That was all he'd ever wanted for his only daughter, and he was happy.

  The dinner went really well. It was like a celebration dinner, which was something that didn't happen nearly often enough, Austin decided. It felt good to relax and enjoy being with neighbors and friends. The children all ran and played, and the ladies made sure there was plenty of food and drinks to allow everyone to spend a leisurely afternoon visiting.

  Grant brought them up to date on everything he'd learned. The men Georgia's family helped capture said Ted shot Pete for raping his wife, and since he had previously told the sheriff he wasn't married, he was charged with attempted murder, and also for hiring men, both the ones here, and the ones he was with out there, to kill Pete.

  Sam Wyler was charged with trespassing, mining on other people's land, and kidnapping but he had no knowledge of Ted shooting Pete. The information that was most surprising to them all was with regard to Clark Byner. Grant reported that his former deputy had gotten word to Ted that Pete was still alive and was staying at the Rippling Waters Ranch. That's why Clark wouldn't say anything. He'd been hoping that that fact didn't come out, and all they could accuse him of is aiming his gun at the sheriff during the original shootout.

  It turned out that the man at the campsite the sheriff shot had been Clark's brother, which is why Clark aimed his gun at the sheriff. He planned on saying it was the first shoot out he'd been involved with, and with all the excitement and adrenalin flowing, he had accidentally pointed the gun at the sheriff, but hadn't meant to, and certainly had no plans of shooting. When the telegraph operator in Collinwood said that Clark, or J. Silas, had sent word to Braxton that Sanders was alive and at the Rippling Waters Ranch, that no longer made that story believable.

  After Grant explained that, everyone felt better knowing none of the three men would be around. Jackson looked at Grant, and started to ask something, but stopped. Grant laughed. "Whatever it is, Jackson, go ahead and ask. You and your family did so much to help me, I can't think of anything that would upset me."

  "Okay, if you're sure, there is one thing I've been wondering about. That night all this happened, when I came into the room with the prisoners, you were looking at my sister, and you were laughing. I could see the surprise on your face, but why were you laughing? What was so funny?"

  Grant thought back on that night, and smiled. "I remember now. I walked into the house, not having any idea what I'd see. What I saw was your sister, and only your sister, standing there guarding six prisoners that had been tied up. All I could think about was one of the first times I saw your sister, before I knew her well. I knew Joe was there and had his gun on the prisoners, as well, so I allowed myself to think back to that day."

  Austin realized what time he was talking about, and chuckled. He walked over to where his pretty little wife was sitting, and pulled her up. He sat down and pulled her down to sit on his lap. They listened as Grant finished telling his story.

  "My good friend, Austin, was beside himself, thinking his new mail order bride had run away. He had come into town frantically looking for her. When we realized she wasn't in town anywhere, I was coming out to the ranch with him, to help him look around here. We hadn't gone very far before we met her. She was on her way into town, leading a prisoner. She'd seen someone opening gates on the ranch, and running away. When she couldn't find her husband, she went to the house to get her gun, and out to the barn to get a horse, and went after him herself. She tracked him, sneaked up on him, and when he didn't believe she was any threat, she shot between his feet to make a believer out of him, and tied his hands. She was making him walk into town, with her right behind him on her horse."

  Dallas and both her brothers laughed out loud. "That's our sister," Denver said.

  "I listened to her story, which was verified by the man, who was scared to death of her, by the way, and I thought two things. I thought Austin was going to have his hands full with his new mail order bride, and I also thought he was a lucky man."

  Austin, who had been chuckling at the memory, spoke up. "You were partially right, Grant. I have had my hands full with my new wife, and I am a very lucky man. But I never have really thought of her as my mail order bride. I've always thought of her more as my mail order surprise, because I never know what she's going to surprise me with next."

  After more laughter, Dallas spoke up. "I have no doubt that he's had his hands full with my daughter, or that that's not likely to change anytime soon. I'm happy to say, though, that I believe Austin is up to the challenge."

  "Thank you, Dallas. That means a lot to me."

  "It means a lot to me to be able to say it. I'm glad to see my little girl's got a good man who loves her, and is happy. I still can't picture her being a mail order bride, but mail order surprise seems to fit her rather well."

  When she was ready to argue, Austin captured her lips in a kiss. He knew she would be embarrassed, being kissed in front of other people, and he expected her to fight the kiss. Instead of fighting him, though, she returned his kiss, proving to him once again that she was indeed his mail order surprise.

  The End

  Misty Malone

  Writing has been a dream of Misty's for several years. She's finally following that dream, and began writing in 2013. She enjoys writing romance stories with a handsome man who falls in love with a lovely lady in need of a strong man who can take her in hand. Having grown up on a farm, she especially enjoys writing about strong cowboys. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and son, not far from where she grew up. Misty hopes you enjoy reading her books as much as she enjoys writing them. Reviews to her books are very much appreciated, and she would like to thank you for each one of them. She invites you to leave a message for her at authormistymalone@gmail.com.

  Don’t miss these exciting titles by Misty Malone and Blushing Books!

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