“Would you like me to stay for supper?” Jessica asked him.
Why was she asking him? Tom didn’t know what to say. He did like being around her, but she was engaged. Shouldn’t she be wanting to spend the evening with Peter? Unless...He glanced at Jenny. Maybe the two of them were becoming friends. They did spend four hours together, talking and laughing. He got a queasy feeling in his stomach. Was she going to be coming out and visiting Jenny after she married Peter?
“Tom?” Jessica asked.
He looked at her. This was getting to be unbearable. He knew he didn’t have a chance with her, and yet she seemed to be looking at him as if he did. He shook his head to clear it. This was ridiculous. He knew he wasn’t good with women, but it never occurred to him how much he misunderstood them.
Jenny leaned forward and nearly slapped him on the arm. “Tom?”
“Not so rough,” he snapped.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I slipped.”
He studied her expression and determined that she was telling him the truth. Besides, it wasn’t Jenny who gave him problems. Joel was the usual culprit. “I don’t think it’s up to me whether Jessica stays or not,” he finally said. “I’m not the one who’s making the meal.”
Why Jessica looked disappointed, he didn’t know. But what he did know was that he didn’t feel like trying to figure women out. Getting his own house was no longer an option. It was a mandate. Then he wouldn’t have to watch Jessica come out to see Jenny.
As if on cue, Jenny happily said, “Then it’s official, Jessica. You are going to stay for supper!”
Well, at least the men and women separated out this time of year, so he wouldn’t actually have to be with Jessica. The thought was both relieving and depressing, and he didn’t know what to do about it.
By the time they got back to his property, he nearly raced his horse to the barn. As predicted, Joel was hanging around and taking a break. Joel looked for just about any excuse to avoid farm work. Tom couldn’t tell if that was because Joel was opposed to farming or work in general. But right now he didn’t care.
He got off the horse and handed the reins to Joel who was mindlessly using a stick to scribble in the dirt of the barn floor.
“What are you doing?” Joel asked, jumping up.
“Take care of this horse. I got to use the outhouse.”
Okay. So that was a lie, but he didn’t feel like being around Jessica and she was due in the barn in less than a minute. Before Joel could protest, he ran off.
Chapter Eleven
“You did what?” Margaret asked the next day.
Jessica stopped walking along the edge of the park and gently nudged her shocked friend forward. “It was nothing. Really. Absolutely nothing happened.”
Nothing interesting enough to talk about anyway, which was why she didn’t want to tell Margaret anything about going out to see Tom at all. Except Margaret had come by to see her and found out from her mother. Not that her mother approved, but nothing happened so how could anyone get upset about it?
Margaret groaned but walked in step with her friend. “Why did you do it?”
“I had to find out.”
“Find out what?”
Jessica tucked loose strands of hair behind her ear. “Find out if there could be something...between us.”
Margaret raised an eyebrow. “And?”
She sighed. “I already told you. Nothing.”
“Hmm...But you want there to be something.”
“What I want doesn’t matter.”
“No?”
“No.”
“So...are you still going to marry Peter?”
Jessica knew this question was coming. Her mother had asked the same thing. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
Startled, Jessica quickly glanced around. Good. No one seemed to notice. She ushered her friend to the nearest park bench so they could sit. “Not so loud,” she whispered. She shrugged. “I don’t know. I can’t even remember why I agreed to marry him to begin with.”
“Because you loved him.”
“Is that what I said?”
“Well...” Margaret frowned and thought it over. “You must have at some point. Otherwise, why would you accept his proposal?”
“Maybe for the same reason he asked. We were expected to.”
“Your mother isn’t pushing you to marry him.”
“No, she’s not. But it just seemed logical. I mean, how long have we all known each other?”
“Our entire lives.” Margaret sat back and looked at the trees in front of them. “Peter asked you. He didn’t ask me.”
“Does that upset you?”
“I guess it did at first. I mean, you were always prettier than me, so men notice you more than they notice me. But then I saw the way he acts with his mother and decided I was actually lucky to be off the hook.”
“I’ve thought the same thing.”
She scoffed. “That I was prettier than you?”
Jessica shook her head and smiled. “There’s nothing wrong with the way you look. You’re cute.”
“But not gorgeous.”
“Well, you have a better figure than me. Sometimes I think it would be nice to have a full bust size.”
“I guess we both have things about ourselves we don’t like so much, huh?”
“It’s called being human. No one is perfect.”
Margaret nodded. “True. But still, you can find a husband and I can’t.”
“What about Ethan? Hasn’t he talked to you since the square dance?”
“Oh, he did. He wanted to know if you were available.”
Jessica winced. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. You can’t help it if men fall over themselves to speak to you.” She giggled. “Literally. Do you remember Brian?”
“I asked you to never bring him up again.”
“I know but...Wow. Whatever was he about?”
Jessica chuckled. “Didn’t he ask to court you after that?”
“Yes, but he was too strange.”
“So you could get a husband if you wanted. You just don’t want to settle.”
“Because I might get the wrong one.”
Jessica pulled an imaginary piece of lint off her blouse. “And I don’t want to marry the wrong one either.” She took a deep breath, realizing that as soon as she said it, it would be official. “I’m afraid Peter’s the wrong one.”
“And to think just a minute ago you didn’t know if you should still marry him or not,” Margaret mused.
“My thoughts are jumbled up.”
“Well, let me help unjumble them for you. Go tell Peter the engagement is off. I suspect you’ll be happier once you don’t have to deal with him and his mother.”
That was true, and even if Jessica liked his mother, she didn’t know if she could go through the rest of her life feeling as if she had to fight her for Peter’s attention. She hadn’t even realized how much it bothered her until the last time she went to his mother’s to have dinner. “You’re right.” She took a deep breath. “I’ll go talk to him after he gets off work.”
And that meant her decision was made. She just hoped she wouldn’t regret it.
***
When Jessica returned home, she was surprised to see Tom sitting on the porch swing. She climbed the steps slowly, unsure of what to say.
As soon as he saw her, he jumped up and knocked something off the swing. “Sorry.” He picked it up and held it out to her.
She took the small box. “Did you come bearing gifts again?” she asked, grinning.
“Oh. It’s not from me, not this time.” He cleared his throat and motioned to it. “Jenny thought you might like it.”
“Jenny?” She glanced around. “Is she here?”
“No. She had to stay at the farm and help with the cooking and... Well...you got to see how it is out there.”
She nodded and lifted the lid of the box. She smiled. “
Did she make this herself?” She took out the brooch in the shape of a butterfly.
“She stayed up late.” He took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. “It looks like you two got along great yesterday.”
“Yes. I like her. Tell her thanks for me, will you?” She put the brooch back into the box and set the lid back on it.
“I’ll be sure to do that.”
“Would you like to come in?”
He fiddled with his hat. “I-I don’t know.”
“I promise that Peter and Margaret aren’t hiding in there,” she teased.
He blushed. “Yes, well, about that...Um...”
She couldn’t believe this was the same Tom Larson who had kissed her or lassoed cattle. “Are you sure you won’t have something to eat before you go back home? My mother and I can even tie you to the chair and feed you in case you get the shakes.”
Laughing, he put his hat back on and put his hands into his pockets. “Right. I forgot about that.”
“Well, I guess I can’t blame you for suspecting that something was up. But I’m going to see Peter tonight.”
“Oh?”
“Yes.” She decided she might as well tell him the truth and see if anything would come of it. “I’ve decided I’m not marrying him.”
“Oh?”
She thought she caught a spark of interest, so she pressed further. “I thought about it and I don’t think that we suit each other.” She shrugged. “So I’m just going to let him know.”
He took a step forward and tripped.
She managed to catch him before he fell face first on the porch. She stumbled back until he stood up.
“Oh gosh. I’m sorry.” He reached out and took the dented box from her. “Here. Let me fix that.”
As soon as she remembered that the broach had a pin stuck to the back of it, she said, “No. It’s just a box.” She took it back and opened it. Sure enough the pin was sticking out. All she needed was for him to jab himself with it. She adjusted the broach so that the pin was safely out of the way. As she did, she saw a note. She glanced up at Tom who was straightening his hat. “Will you have a seat in the parlor? I’ll put this away in my bedroom and then be right out to see you.”
He nodded and followed her into the house.
She expected him to trip over the threshold but he didn’t. Instead he turned to shut the door and ended up walking into the hat rack. She hid her laughter by covering it up with a cough. It was a good thing he didn’t bump into things when he was doing his job. “I’ll be right back.”
He steadied the hat rack and set his hat on it.
“Jessica? Is that you?” her mother called from the kitchen.
“Yes,” she replied. “We have company.”
“Really? Who?”
“Tom Larson,” she quickly answered before she hurried to her room.
She knew what was coming even before she heard the footsteps coming her way. She set the box on her dresser and took out the note. It was from Jenny, just as she suspected.
Tom would kill me if he knew I wrote this, but he’s sweet on you. Won’t you consider him instead of Peter? It’d be nice to have you for a sister-in-law.
Jenny
She hid the note before her mother appeared in her doorway.
“Jessica, what is that boy doing back here?”
“I invited him for dinner.” Jessica took off her bonnet and brushed her hair. She couldn’t believe she was actually trembling with excitement. She’d never felt this flustered over being around Peter.
Her mother shook her head. “With things all up in the air about Peter, do you think this is wise?”
“Oh, I spoke with Margaret today and we agreed that Peter would be much better off if he married his mother.”
“You didn’t say those words!” she hissed and glanced over her shoulder as if afraid Tom could hear them. She quickly entered the room and shut the door.
“No, we didn’t use those exact words, but you have to admit that he doesn’t love me, not the way he should.”
Her mother sighed. “I admit that he seems a little too devoted to his mother.”
“A little? He won’t sneeze without her permission.” Jessica examined the ribbons Tom had given her. She finally picked one and put it into her hair.
“Marriage can seem long with a man attached to his mother’s apron strings. Perhaps Peter isn’t ready to get married yet.”
“I think his mother is, but I agree he isn’t.”
“And are you sure that Tom is ready?”
“Well, he is itching to get his own place, and that place happens to be a good distance from his parents. Jenny told me all about it. She said that he’s even started plans on making a house out there.”
“You’re not marrying anyone right away. I have to get to know this boy. You can’t be rushing for the altar yet, young lady.”
Jessica pinched her cheeks to make them a rosy color.
“I insist that you court for a year.”
She stopped and looked at her mother. “A year? But he’ll be doing next year’s harvest by then.”
“Well, you’re not marrying him this winter. You have to get to know him first. You have to make sure he’s the right one.”
That was true. “Let’s see. What about June? The planting will be done by then.”
“What about next winter?”
She groaned. “That’s a long time.”
“Only to a young woman. Time goes faster as you get older. The year will pass before I have time to blink.”
“What about early September? Right before the harvest?”
The woman crossed her arms. “I suppose that’s close enough to a full year. Alright.”
She smiled and got ready to leave the bedroom.
Her mother stepped in front of the door. “This conversation is hypothetical. You haven’t even called off your engagement to Peter.”
“I’ll do that after dinner.”
“And you don’t know that things will work out with Tom. Sure, he’s a good boy, but you have to get to know him.”
“That’s what this next year is for.”
“And,” she continued as Jessica reached for the doorknob, “you have to wait and see if he wants to marry you. Don’t go putting the cart before the horse.”
Jessica paused. Her mother was right. She couldn’t be sure what he wanted until he told her. “Then I’ll have to find out.”
“Make sure you do.” She stepped aside. “Now, you go pay attention to him while I finish up with dinner. But in the future if he comes over, you will have to be sure that he arrives when you’re done helping me in the kitchen.”
“I didn’t ask him to come by. He just showed up.”
“I know, but you need to do some cooking to show him that you’ll be a good wife. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. That’s how I got your father to marry me.”
“Your point is noted.”
“Good. There will be plenty of time to visit with him after the meal.”
“Is that all?”
Her mother seemed to think it over before she nodded. “Yes.”
Jessica opened the door and left the room, only having a vague notion of how to proceed. She found Tom looking out the window. She stepped forward and cleared her throat.
He turned his head in her direction and almost bumped into the rocking chair behind him.
“You know, we’re going to have to do something about your anxiety,” she said as she walked up to him. “I promise I’m not scary.”
He laughed. “I’m not scared of you.”
She shot a questioning look at the way he gripped the chair. His knuckles were turning white.
“Alright. Maybe I am...a little bit.”
“You weren’t scared the last time you kissed me. Of course, that was when you thought I had Margaret and Peter hiding in this house.”
He chuckled. “That is silly, isn’t it? I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“W-What do you mean?”
“Well, you never did answer my question.”
“Y-Yes, I did.”
“Not really. I asked you if I wasn’t engaged, would you kiss me? All you said was that I was engaged so it was pointless to answer the question. Now I’m not engaged. So...” She took a step closer to him so that they were almost touching. “Would you have kissed me that day if I hadn’t been engaged?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know.” Clearing his throat, he took a step back. “I guess it would have depended on how things went.”
She forced aside her irritation and took another step forward. “Let’s say things went well. Let’s say you had a lovely meal and we had a wonderful conversation. What then?”
He backed up again and this time his back hit the wall.
At least she had him cornered. She approached him. “You’re hard to nail down, Tom. All I asked was a simple question.”
“No. No, it isn’t an easy question.”
“Sure it is. It’s a yes or no question.”
“But...I mean...there are too many ways you can take that answer, and depending on how you take that answer, things could be bad.”
“Bad? Bad for who?”
“For me.” He blinked. “Or you. Or Peter. Or-”
“You know what I think?” she interrupted, feeling like this had gone on long enough. Really, he’d let this continue all night if he could, and she wanted her answer right now.
“No.” He cleared his throat. “What do you think?”
“I think you talk too much.” Then, in a bold move that even surprised her for she would never do such a thing with Peter, she closed the gap between them and kissed him.
She felt his shock before he relaxed and finally returned her kiss.
She pulled back and asked, “Now, if I hadn’t been engaged, would you have kissed me that day?”
A smile widened on his face. “You bet.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “And this is just how I would’ve done it!”
She closed her eyes and enjoyed his kiss.
Chapter Twelve
Jessica took a deep breath and knocked on Connie James’ door. She already tried the apartment where Peter was living, but since he wasn’t there, she thought he might be here. And as soon as he opened the front door, she realized she was right.
A Bride for Tom Page 6