“I know her sneeze.”
“You two are strange. You know that?”
“Yep. Makes life interesting.” Michael stepped out of the tack room with Jake on his heels.
“What you got there?” she asked Michael.
“Prizes.”
“Jumpin’ crickets! You’re giving them away?” Her attention stuck on the brand-new halters in Michael’s hand.
“Yep.”
“Those sure are mighty nice prizes. Ain’t ever gave anythin’ that nice before back home.”
“What did you give for prizes?”
“Oh, jars of preserves and pies and sometimes a pocket knife iffen it was a good crop year.”
“Those sound like nice prizes,” Michael said.
“I agree.” Jake licked his lips and rubbed his belly.
When they finished gathering and setting everything up, the three of them climbed onto Katherine’s porch and Michael rang the bell.
Everyone stopped talking and the kids stopped playing. All attention was on her husband.
“This year, I want to do something different,” Michael announced. “Something fun.” He pulled Selina to him and tucked her under his arm. “Back in Kentucky, where my wife is from, when the harvesting is over, they have a get-together something like this. Only they hold contests. They even give away prizes.”
Selina saw the surprised look on everyone’s faces, especially her brothers- and sisters-in-law.
“So that’s what we’re going to do. First, we’re going to start with an ax-throwing contest. Anyone who wants to participate can follow me when I’m finished talking. The other contests will be…” She listened as Michael explained the rest. When he finished talking, there was silence.
Selina’s heart sank.
Michael’s smile vanished.
Jake looked shocked and angry.
Suddenly, whoops and hollers filled the air.
Selina found herself being picked up and swung around. “Put me down, you ole polecat. We got contests to run.” She giggled.
Three hours later, the last contest was the sack race.
“Come on.” Michael grabbed Selina’s hand and took her over to the table where the empty gunnysacks were lying. He picked one up and tugged on her hand, pulling her to the starting line.
“I can’t do that with you, Michael. I’m too short and you’re too tall.”
“If it gets complicated, I’ll carry you.”
She hesitated. “I don’t know.”
“Chicken.”
“Polecat. You got yourself a partner.”
“Sure do.” He winked at her and her heart winked in return. Only he couldn’t see her heart, so she flashed him a wink of her own, and he chuckled.
Excitement and anticipation bubbled over her like water over river rocks.
At the starting line, they each put a leg into the gunnysack. A feeling of being protected washed over her. She’d always had to be the protector, and now she had a sense she could give that job to Michael. After all, wasn’t that what God intended all along?
“Ready?”
“Sure am.”
“Then put your arm around my waist.” He smiled down at her. That one dimple peeked at her.
“Oh” was all she could manage. Her arm slipped around him. Being this close to him always turned her mind to mush.
She glanced to the left. Six other teams had joined them. Two couples, whose names she couldn’t remember. And Tom and Sadie, which surprised Selina since it hadn’t been all that long ago that Sadie had had her baby. But one thing she knew about Sadie, she came from tough stock. Sadie leaned past her husband and smiled at Selina.
Selina smiled back and gave a quick wave.
Abby and her friend Betsy stood next to Sadie. Next to them were Jesse and Hannah. Jake and Leah were teamed up, too. Those two made a mighty fine-looking couple, too. She wondered why the two of them didn’t get hitched.
“Ready?” Haydon hollered from the end of the finish line. “On the count of three.” Pistol raised, he counted. “One. Two. Three.”
Bang!
Selina struggled to keep up with Michael, but she did. As they got closer to the finish line, only three couples were left. Tom and Sadie, Jake and Leah and Selina and Michael.
Yards away from the finish line, they were lagging behind, so Michael picked her up. Her legs dangled as he rushed toward the rope stretched between Haydon and Smokey.
Tom and Sadie were ahead of Jake and Leah and she and Michael by inches.
From the corner of her eye she watched Leah and Jake tumble to the ground.
Only feet left to go.
Strain and determination wrinkled Tom and Sadie’s red faces as they struggled forward, stretching their necks out as far as they could just as she and Michael tumbled to the ground.
“The winners. Tom and Sadie!”
Cheers filled the yard.
Michael stood and reached his hand toward Selina, helping her up. “That was so much fun. Thank you, love.” He kissed her cheek, then led her over to where the crowd stood.
“Time to give out the prizes,” Michael shouted.
“Be right back.” Selina rushed inside Katherine’s house, snatched the quilt from the trunk and ran back to Michael’s side, puffing.
Michael called out each winner’s name. Men who didn’t win moaned, saying they wished they’d a won a nice halter, too. “Now for the winners of the gunnysack race… Tom and Sadie.” Selina handed Michael the quilt she’d made. Her very first one.
“Oh, Tom. Look. A quilt.” Sadie beamed. “We sure needed one,” Sadie gushed.
Selina’s heart grew to bursting.
It was getting late, so everyone pitched in and cleaned up the yard, putting tables away, loading their wagons and thanking Selina and Michael for providing such a wonderful fun-filled day with the games. Finally, the last wagon pulled out of the yard.
“I don’t know about you, love, but I’m ready to head home.”
“Could we do somethin’ first?”
“What’s that?”
“Can we take the buggy up the hill and watch the sun set?”
“Sounds nice.” He gazed down at her, smiling.
They said their good-nights to the family, and Michael offered her his hand to help her into the buggy.
Up the trail they headed until they reached the top. Michael reined Bobcat to a stop.
For a few moments, neither said a word.
Michael slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. Selina rested her head on his shoulder.
They sat back to watch God’s masterpiece at work.
Above the shadowed rolling hills an orange sky with yellow clouds outlined the fading sun.
A perfect setting to a perfect day.
“I know why you tripped me.”
“What do you mean?” Selina whispered.
“You know what I mean.” His soft voice melted her into him further. “You knew Sadie and Tom needed blankets for the winter so you tripped me so they would win.”
“Are ya mad?” she whispered again.
“Mad?” He tilted her head. Their eyes connected and held. “How could I be mad at one of the sweetest gestures I’ve ever seen? Where’d the quilt come from, anyway?”
“From me. It was the first one I ever made.”
“You’re kidding?”
“I’m not.”
“You really are something. You know that?”
“You keep tellin’ me that. Still not sure if being somethin’ is a good thing or a bad thing.”
“Trust me. It’s good.” With those words, his lips found hers and held them for a long time.
Now, that was an even more perfect ending. The only thing that would make it better was if Michael would whisper those three little words against her lips.
Chapter Seventeen
“Yesterday was great,” Michael told Selina over breakfast. “I don’t know when I’ve had a better time.”
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br /> “Me, too.” She refilled his coffee cup.
“What are your plans for today?”
“Well, I need to go to town and pick up some supplies.”
“Me, too. You want to go together?”
“Sure. I’d love to.”
“Can you be ready in about,” he glanced at the clock, “ten minutes?”
“I’m ready now.”
Michael looked over her new black trousers. Before he’d gotten to know Selina, it would have bothered him to be seen with her wearing men’s trousers, but not anymore. Now that was just Selina.
She followed his gaze. “Oh. I plumb forgot I was wearin’ pants. I got up early and fed the chickens and horses.”
“What time did you get up?” Michael sipped his coffee. His eyes never strayed from her.
She looked down at her lap. “I never went to bed.”
Michael frowned. What did she mean she’d never gone to bed? He’d seen her climb the stairs.
“I tried to sleep but couldn’t. So, I got up and read—” Her wide eyes darted to his.
“You can read?” He already knew the answer to that question, but he promised Rainee he wouldn’t say anything and he intended to keep his promise.
“Some. I’m still learnin’. Gettin’ easier everyday, though. I can write some, too. Now iffen I could just talk better. But—” she sighed heavily “—I talked this way my whole life and the words fall out before I have a chance to correct them.”
Michael set his coffee down and pulled Selina’s hands into his. “Selina, I think it’s great that you’re learning to read and write…for your sake. But…I don’t want you to change the way you talk. I like it.”
“You—you do?”
“Yes.”
“But I heard you tell Jess I talked funny.”
She heard that? What else had she overheard? “I must admit, it did bother me at first, but now I like it.” He kissed her hand. “It’s you.”
Her face lit up like a candle in a dark room. She smiled. “I’ll be right back.” She whirled and ran upstairs.
Minutes later, the rustle of skirts drifted over to him. He glanced toward the stairs. His breath hitched and his heart bucked like a wild horse in response to seeing her in a soft pink cotton dress that showed off her feminine curves. He couldn’t wait to show her off in town.
Twenty minutes later, Michael stopped in front of Marcel Mercantile. The first person he saw was Ethel. He groaned, knowing how cruel the woman could be and knowing that she had spread rumors about how he had feelings for her daughter.
He helped Selina down from the wagon and draped his arm around her shoulder. “Morning, Ethel.”
“Morning, Michael.” Ethel turned to Selina. “You sure look nice, Selina. I heard how you helped save Rainee and her son’s life. And Sadie, well, she can’t say enough good things about you.” The woman babbled on and on about all of Selina’s attributes. “Next time you’re in town, drop in. I live in the green house at the end of this street.”
If Michael hadn’t heard it for himself, he would have never believed it. Ethel being kind? Inviting Selina to her home? Ethel never invited anyone to her home.
They finished gathering their supplies and headed back to the ranch.
At the house, Michael had just finished unloading the wagon, when Doc Berg came to the door.
“Is Selina home?”
“Yes, she’s inside. Why?”
“The Barrison twins’ wagon rolled over and I’m headed to their house now. Your place was on the way, and after I saw the great job she did sewing Jake’s head, I thought I would see if Selina would be willing to come and help me. That is, if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind. But it’s up to her. How are Bo and Sam?” Michael asked as they headed into the house.
“Won’t know until I get there.”
They stepped into the kitchen. Selina was standing at the sink. “Selina, Doc’s here. He needs your help.”
Selina wiped her hands off on her apron. “What can I do for you, Doc?” She removed her apron and hung it on a peg near the sink.
He explained the situation.
“You don’t mind iffen I go, do you, Michael?”
“Before you decide,” Doc interjected, “you need to know she won’t be home until way after dark. It takes almost an hour alone to get there.”
“No, I don’t mind. I have a lot of work to get caught up on this afternoon anyway.”
“Thank you, Michael.” She kissed his cheek and headed out the door with Doctor Berg.
Hours later, after branding and fixing fences, Michael made his way home. A light was on inside his house. He knew it wasn’t Selina—she hadn’t gotten back yet and wouldn’t be home until later that evening.
Lately, a few shady prospectors looking for gold had started making themselves at home in other people’s houses when they were not at home.
Michael pulled his derringer out of his boot and crept up the steps, careful to not make a sound. At the window, he stayed back far enough to not be seen and peeked inside.
What in the…?
Who was that?
He took a minute to study the woman sitting on his sofa.
Starting at her feet, his eyes made their way up.
Pink silk slippers peeked out from under a pink ruffled dress. Her head rested on the back wing of the sofa. Her face was covered by a row of long ringlet curls.
Was the woman hurt or asleep? Only one way to find out.
Because the front door squeaked when it opened, Michael went around back and slipped inside through the back door, then made his way into the living room.
“Uh-hmm.” He cleared his throat.
The woman’s head wobbled upward and turned his direction.
Michael’s breath hitched in his throat.
Misty gray eyes stared up at him through a haze of sleep. She sat up and pushed the curls off her face. “You. You must be Michael,” she said.
Before him was a very beautiful woman.
Who was she?
And what was she doing here?
“Michael?” She rose from the sofa. When she tilted her head a curl fell across her porcelain cheek.
“Yes. I’m Michael. And you are…?”
“Aimee. Aimee Lynn Covington.” Her words came out slow and precise and she curtsied just like Rainee had when she first came here.
His eyes widened. “You’re Aimee?”
“Yes, sir. I am.” She looked behind him. “I hope you don’t mind but when your sister, Leah, and I got here no one was home. I asked her if it would be all right if I waited here. I wanted to surprise Selina.”
She’ll be surprised all right. He knew he was.
“Where is she?”
“Who?”
She frowned. “Selina? Your wife. My best friend.” Her delicate brows rose.
The woman had done her friend a huge disservice. Aimee was no friend. “What are you doing here?” His teeth ached from biting them so hard. This woman had nerve showing up here like this.
Aimee frowned, and the gray in her eyes darkened like thunder clouds. “I told Selina I was coming for a visit. Didn’t she get my post?”
“Your letter said you would be coming sometime to visit us, but it didn’t say when.” He knew he should have written back to tell her she wasn’t welcome here and never would be.
“Well, I just missed Selina so much, I had to come and see her. Where is she?” She looked around again.
So many emotions were running around in Michael’s head that he had a hard time catching up to any of them. He stared at the beautiful, genteel Southern lady in front of him. All those years when he had pictured a wife for himself, he had envisioned someone just like Aimee. But now the only vision to fill his mind and his heart was Selina.
In that instant it dawned on him. He loved Selina. Not only loved her, but he was in love with her. Happiness flowed through his veins like warm, liquid sunshine.
“Michael, are y
ou okay?”
“What?” He placed his attention onto Aimee. “I’m fine.” He couldn’t keep the joy out of his voice or from his face. “I’m better than I’ve been in a long time.”
“You haven’t answered my question. Where is Selina? Is she okay?”
“Oh, yes. She’s more than okay. She’s great.” He knew he sounded stupid but he couldn’t help that, either. “She’s helping Doc Berg.”
The woman’s rigid shoulders relaxed. “I’m so glad she’s okay. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to her. She’s the most amazing person I know.”
“She sure is.”
“I’m so glad you feel that way.” She looked down at the floor. “Michael, by now you know that I didn’t write everything Selina told me to.”
That snagged his attention. “Why didn’t you?”
“Because if I did, you wouldn’t have sent for her.”
Anger coiled inside of him. How dare she talk about his wife like that. “Why not?”
“Because most people listen to her talk or they look at her outward appearance and judge her unworthy. They don’t get to know the real her. I just knew if someone did, they would love her, like I do. They would see that underneath her rugged exterior is a heart of pure gold. A lovely person who deserves the best. Who deserves the love of a good man.” Her gaze came up to his. “I could tell from your letters that you were an honest, decent man. I’m sorry I deceived you, Michael. Are you sorry I did?”
He could see how important his answer was to her. She really did love her friend. He heard it in her words and saw it in her eyes.
“No. At first I was. I’m ashamed to say I did just what you said everyone else does. I judged her by her outward appearance and her speech. But then I got to know her. To know her heart, and you’re right. She is a wonderful person.” He paused, and all the anger he held toward Aimee and himself relinquished its hold on him. Selina had told him he deserved someone better. She was wrong. “I don’t deserve her. But I love her so much I’ll do whatever it takes to deserve her.”
“Oh, Michael, I’m so happy for you and Selina.” Aimee threw her arms around him and hugged him. He hugged her back, happier than he had ever been.
Selina slid from the buggy, bone tired. All she wanted to do was to head straight to bed.
The Unlikely Wife Page 22