Chase (Prairie Grooms, Book Four) (21 page)

“Ahhh
Lena,” he said as he ran his fingers through her hair, loosening its pins. You have no idea how you’re mending me.”

“
Mending you? I'm afraid I don't understand.”

He looked into her eyes, and much to her surprise, pulled her even closer. Their faces were now within a hair's breath of each other. “Don't you know that it's not about how well you can cook, clean, or sew for me?”

She shook her head, still not understanding. Tears stung the back of her eyes as the walls around her heart, the ones she used to protect it, cracked. The freeing of her heart began earlier that day when Edith told her about the Christmas play. “What on earth are you talking about” she whispered against his lips.

“
I'm talking about this, right here,” he said as he tightened his hold and kissed her again. Her knees gave way, she couldn't help it, and if he hadn’t been holding onto her so tight, she’d slip right to the floor. He broke the kiss, and before she could so much as breathe, whispered, “Loving me is what I want you to get good at. The rest you can work on along the way.”

She gasped as her tears broke free. “But I'm such a failure at everything!” she choked out.

He smiled as he gazed
into her eyes. “Lena, the only one who thinks you're a failure, is you. If I wanted someone just to cook and clean for me, I might as well hire Mrs. Upton to come in and do it a few times a week. But that's not what having a wife is all about. It's about being able to give your heart to someone, and having someone to love. I can't tell you how hard this week has been for me. In fact, I can't tell you how hard it's been ever since I found out you were my mail-order bride. My heart’s just been dyin’ to meet yours. Do ya understand what I'm trying to say?”

Lena
's lower lip trembled. Was he serious? Was that what marriage was really about? Yes, she'd always wanted to marry for love, but apparently her idea of love and his were two different things. She had based hers on performance, hoping that her works would please him enough to make him fall in love with her. Yet here he was, willing to accept her as
she
was, whether she burned his pies are not. “What… What are you saying?”

“I'm
sayin’ I'm fallin’ in love with you, Lena Sayer. I think I had it for ya the first time I saw you at the Triple C.” He got down on one knee, took her hands in his, and held them against his forehead. “I'm sayin’ that you'd make me the happiest man in the world if you marry me right now. Today.” He looked up at her. “I'm sorry, Lena, but I can't wait until the barn raising. What do ya say? Will ya marry me?”

She stood in shock. He was falling in love with her?! She looked around the cabin that would be her home. There was a purity, simplicity and beauty in it that was so different from her house in England. Where she came from it was all about what you had, where you lived, what you wore, and the circles you frequented. But out here in this wild country, amongst the rolling prairies, it all came down to one thing. Love.

“I
say, Mr. Adams. But I do believe I'm falling in love with you as well.”

Chase stood and took her into his arms again. He stroked her cheek with the back of his finger, and then brought his lips to hers. “Then let's go see Preacher Jo, and not waste another minute,” he said against them. “When you burn my supper tonight, you'll do it is my wife.”

She pulled her face away and looked him in the eye. “You mean… you won't mind if I burn your dinner?”

“
No ma'am, not so long as you do it is my wife.”

Lena let out a small giggle, which turned to a laugh, then into an outright cackle.

“I hope all that
laughin’ means yes,” Chase spoke over her reverie.

She looked at him, tried to calm down, and
gulped for air. “I'm sorry… so sorry. I can't help myself. You've quite taken me by surprise. I don’t know what to say.”

“S
ay yes,” he said, his voice husky. He again crushed her against him, and lowered his mouth to hers.

Say yes, Lena, say yes!
She thought to herself.
What kind of fool would you be if you deny him?
A great one, she realized. She'd been so worried about what he thought of the work of her hands, that she hadn’t realized he was more interested in the workings of her heart. “Yes,” she whispered against his lips. “I'll marry you today.” He kissed her then, deep and slow, and swept his new bride completely away.

* * *

Fina ran her fingers over a bolt of delicate cream-colored lace, and let out a heavy sigh. “When do you suppose Sadie will allow Mr. Stone to court me?” she asked Apple as they meandered between display tables. Logan had driven them to town along with Imogene to get supplies for the barn-raising. Fina had given Wilfred Sadie's list, and the girls now waited as he filled it.

“
I haven’t the foggiest,” said Apple. “Besides, what's your hurry? After all, if you get married right away, then I shall be all alone.”

“
No you won't, silly. Cousin Imogene will still be here, and you
are
surrounded by our relatives at the Triple C.”

Apple picked up a book from a shelf and began to thumb through it. “Just because you're surrounded by people, doesn't mean you don't feel lonely.”

“
Don't worry,” consoled Fina. “You won't be alone for long. Sadie will find someone to marry you.”

Easy for you to say, you have a beau.”

The door to the m
ercantile opened and Logan entered, followed by Levi Stone. Fina's eyes lit up, and she gave Apple a healthy nudge in the ribs. “There he is!” she whispered, breathless.

Apple banged
the book closed, and set it back on the table. “I might as well say my goodbyes to you now then.”

“Oh stop being
such a bore!” scolded Fina. “Can’t you be happy for Lena and me?”

Apple watched a
s Levi's eyes gravitated to her sister’s, and locked. Fina, much to Apple's dismay, positively beamed. “Oh, very well,” she conceded. “Go on, fall in love, get married, and have twenty babies. See if I care.” She picked up the book again and, ignoring her sister, began to leaf through it.

F
ina glared at her before giving her attention back to her intended, who strolled across the mercantile like he owned it. She hadn’t been this close to him since the day of the funeral. She smiled, looked to the floor, and bobbed a small curtsy. When she looked up again, he stared right at her. “Good afternoon,” she greeted.

“
Afternoon ladies,” he said and tipped his hat, never taking his eyes from Fina.

“What brings you to the m
ercantile?” Fina asked.

“
I thought I'd visit with Logan for a spell. Can I help it if he came into the mercantile?”

“
Why, Mr. Stone,” said Fina. “Are you making a joke?”

“
I suppose not, as no one is laughing,” he said dryly.

Fina
giggled, then noticed how Apple ignored the both of them. She kicked her sister in the shin to get her attention.

“
OW!” cried Apple “Whatever did you do that for?”

“
Don't mind Apple,” Fina told him. “She hasn’t been herself lately.”

“
Speaking of being one's self,” Apple said with a revengeful sneer. “Do you think women who snore are attractive?”

Fina's lips pressed into a firm line. “Apple…” she warned.

“
And while were on the subject,” added Apple as she snapped the book shut, “a man desperately in want of a wife is said to sometimes have poor judgment. Do you agree?”

“Apple!” hissed Fina. “Mind your tongue
!”

Apple's lower lip trembled as she set the book on the table. “I apologize. Fina’s right, I'm not myself. I truly hope you both will be very happy.” She gathered her skirts and ran for the door.

Logan's arms snaked out and grabbed her. “Whoa there,” he said. “Let's not be running off by ourselves now, ya here?”

Fina closed her eyes a moment before she looked helplessly at Levi Stone. “I'm so sorry, but I'm sure you know that Sam Jamison was her intended.”

“
Yes, I know.” He gave her a warm smile. “Go take care of your sister, I have to be getting back to work anyway.”

She returned his smile, went to Apple, and took her in her arms. “There, there now, why don't we go visit Grandma Waller? Cousin Imogene is.”

Apple sniffed back her tears. “Cousin Imogene is reading to that man.”

“
What man?” asked Fina.

“Ryder’s friend, the one Doc Waller is
taking care of. She liked reading to him the other night, and so she’s doing it again. Sadie said that's why she wanted to come to town with us today.”

“
I'd say that's mighty nice of your cousin to be reading to old Cutty,” said Logan.    “My Fred was thinking of doing that, but she's been too busy.”

“
Who is Fred?” asked Apple.

“
His wife,” offered Levi.

“
Your wife's name is
Fred
?” Apple asked in disbelief. “I thought her name was Susara.”

“It is,” s
aid Logan. “But I like calling her Fred.”

“
That's horrible!” said Fina with a grimace.

“
What's so horrible about it?” asked Levi.

“
For one, it's most improper,” Fina shot back. “What lady in her right mind would allow her husband to call her Fred?”

“
Mine would,” said Logan with a smile.

“Susara
is such a pretty name. Why don't you call her that?” asked Apple.

“I think Fred fits her
,” added Levi.

“Susara
is
mighty pretty,” agreed Logan. “But Fred was the best horse I ever had, so I figured it was fittin’ to give his name to the best thing that ever happened to me. My wife.”

F
ina stared at him in shock, and then laughed. “That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!”

“
Can't a man call his wife what he wants? As long as it don't hurt her feelings of course,” said Levi.

F
ina glared at him. “And what would you call me, sir? You do know we’re to be married.”

Levi looked taken aback, but only for a moment. He looked Fina up-and-down, studying her, and tilted his head this way and that, until he came to some conclusion. “Well let's see now, what do I call you other than Miss Sayer?”

“
Felicina!” bleated Apple.

Fina groaned. “Apple, did you have to?”

“
Fella…
what
?” asked Levi with a half-smile.

“
Fella …cina,”
Apple told him as if he were daft.

Levi's half-
smile turned positively devilish. “While I like the first part, I'm not so sure about the second.

“
What?!” cried Fina.

“
Fellaaaaa,” Levi said, his voice low, drawing the word out.

“
My name is not
Fella
,” protested Fina.

Levi looked at Logan. “What do you think? I think Fella suits her, don't you?”

“
That ain't the name of a horse, is it?” asked Logan.

Fina's eyes widened. “Well, I never!”

Levi grinned. “We mean no offense Fella, we’re just teasing you, that's all. A pretty girl like you ought to be teased and have fun with it.”

“
And if I called you an
overgrown ox
, would that be considered teasing?” asked Fina in a huff.

“A
re you
trying
to insult me, Fella?” he asked as his eyes brightened.

“
You might as well give up now, Miss Sayer,” suggested Logan. “Levi here, he loves to tease.”

“
Well, I'd say he's met his match on that score,” announced Fina.

“Let the games begin!”
Apple added with a smile.

Fina turned to her. “
I'm glad to see you're happy about
something
.”

“
Of course,” she said. “This is going to be fun to watch. Besides, it will entertain me until Sadie finds me a proper beau.”

“Then I
pray she finds one as soon as possible,” Fina said in a flat tone.

Levi laughed. “What's the matter, Fella, you don't want us to entertain your sister? I'd say it's a might fine thing to brighten a person's day.”

Fina stared at him. His eyes had changed and were no longer mischievous, but instead held a glint of sympathy in them for Apple. Fina lowered her own eyes to the floor as she realized his concern for her sister. She looked at him and offered a smile. “I suppose if it's for Apple, then I can make myself fit for the task.” She arched an eyebrow at him in challenge.