Not the Marrying Kind (40 page)

Kat snorted. “What’s that? You want to hire
me as your cook? Yeah, right.”

“I’m not thinking about cooking just now.
We’ll get that all sorted out in time.” He got down on one knee and
held her hand. “Marry me, Kat. Marry me, come live with me on the
Rocking P. Be my wife and have my babies.”

She stared at him. “Are you serious about
this?”

He got to his feet, drew her into an
embrace, and kissed her tenderly. “Yes, Kat. I love you, and I want
to marry you.”

“I can’t cook.”

“You’ll learn.”

“I’ve never kept house before.”

“There are ladies’ magazines, aren’t there?
Don’t they have articles on household management? Tips for
cleaning, that sort of thing?”

“What about sewing?”

His mouth twisted. “Yeah, well, maybe you
could pay somebody to darn socks and sew buttons. Hell, maybe I
could even learn to do it myself.”

“You’d do that?”

“If you were my wife, yeah, I would.”

No matter what she asked, Joshua would have
an answer. Kat loved it.

“Will it still be the Rocking P?”

“It will be whatever you want.”

“How about the J Bar K?” In her head, she
could see their initials linked together in their own brand.

“How about we get busy planning our wedding,
Kat? Maybe we should go talk to the preacher…”

He stopped, and both he and Kat burst into
laughter.

“I doubt Reverend Kendrick would be too keen
on marrying us,” she said. Her face brightened. “But I think Judge
Morse might be willing.”

“Looks like you might need a new wedding
dress after all.”

The door opened and closed again. Kat and
Joshua turned to see Cody grinning at them.

“Go on home,” Joshua called out, shooing him
away. “We don’t need you hanging around to gawk and stare.”

“Oh, I’m going, all right. But not home.”
His grin truly spread from ear to ear. “I’m staying in town for a
while. Got a little courting to do.” He spat on his palm, reached
up, and slicked back his hair. “Miss Marlowe and I are thinking it
might be good to get to know each other a little better.”

Joshua stepped away from Kat. He stuck out a
hand, and Cody clasped it. “Thanks, cousin. I owe you my life.”

“And I won’t ever let you forget it.” Cody
pulled a cloth cap from his pocket, plopped it on his head, and
sauntered down the road.

“The J Bar K,” Joshua mused. “I like the
sound of it, honey.”

Colorado Territory, 1875

“Benjamin? Get back in here, young man. I
won’t have you riding off to town until after supper.” Kat stood at
the kitchen door and called out toward the corral where the
youngest hand on the J Bar K sat astride his pinto pony. She leaned
against the door jamb. “You heard me. Get down from that horse and
come inside. I know you’re in a hurry to see Emily, but frankly, I
think you ought to make her wait once in a while. She’ll appreciate
you more if you do.”

“Yes, ma’am.” No longer a boy, Benjamin now
stood close to six foot tall; he’d grown to be a fine-looking young
man. A strong one, too. Joshua relied on him to handle a lot of
responsibilities on the ranch.

Kat held the door open and waited while
Benjamin dismounted and came back to the house. Meanwhile, Kitty—a
rambunctious two-year-old with her mother’s red hair and her
father’s gray eyes—toddled across the kitchen.

“Benny, Benny!” She gurgled and held out her
arms when he walked in. He obliged her and swept her up, tossing
her into the air while she giggled.

“No rough-housing,” Kat scolded. “It’s
supper time.”

Sometimes when they gathered around the
table in the evenings, Kat marveled at how quickly life passed by.
It seemed like only yesterday Joshua had held her in his arms and
carried her over the threshold. Now they’d already celebrated three
years of wedded bliss and their second child was on the way. Mama
said the new baby could come any day.

She placed a hand on her bulging belly and
smiled. The wonder of being with child still filled her with awe.
Joshua and his love had most definitely made a woman of her.

Sometimes Kat imagined she might have a son.
His father would teach him to rope, to ride, to wrangle, to be a
man. At other times, she suspected she’d most likely bring another
little girl into the world. Already she wondered how she would
teach Kitty all she needed to know as she grew to womanhood.

She’d figure it out. That’s what Joshua
always told her.

He came into the kitchen, kissed his wife’s
flushed cheek, then took his daughter from Benjamin and settled her
into her wooden high chair. After seating Kat, he led their family
in a word of prayer.

“Dear Lord, we’re grateful for all You’ve
given us. Keep us ever mindful of others, and if it’s not too much
to ask, please bless this food we’re about to eat.”

“Amen.” A chorus of voices joined together
to pronounce the word.

Kat glanced down at her plate. Over the last
three years, she’d learned a lot about cooking and could always be
counted on to get a meal on the table for her growing family. Some
turned out better than others, but most were edible. She still
burned the biscuits as often as not, but she could churn up a tub
of butter so sweet and creamy nobody cared. Plus she could mash the
devil out of a pan of boiled potatoes. She made damned good gravy
too.

She and Joshua had been blessed, indeed.
Life was good. They had their home, their friends, their family,
and somehow she’d found forgiveness enough to go around—with a
little left over for the future.

Pa was getting stronger and feeling better
every day. Mama and Emily both enjoyed living in town. Of course,
what little Emily Sue loved best was the strapping young man now
chafing at the bit, barely able to sit still as the Barron family
finished their supper.

Little Emily?

Kat smiled at the thought. Little Emily was
practically grown up now, and what a clever young lady she’d
become. With her long, golden curls and those mischievous blue
eyes, she’d already learned how to wrap Benjamin around her little
finger.

“Can I go now, Miss Kat? I don’t want to
keep Emily Sue waiting too long.” Excitement gleamed in the young
man’s eyes.

She almost took pity on him. But not
quite.

“Once we’ve finished dessert, Benjamin. Be
patient.” She got up from the table and waddled across the kitchen.
“I baked a special treat this morning,” she said, as she opened the
pie safe. “I followed Mama’s recipe.” She sliced the apple pie and
scooped out generous portions, added a dollop of freshly-whipped
cream, then set the plates in front of Joshua and Benjamin.
“Enjoy,” she whispered, feeling very pleased with herself.

“Looks mighty tasty, sweetheart.” Joshua
stuck a forkful in his mouth. His face puckered up and his eyes
watered. Somehow, bravely, he swallowed it down, quickly reaching
for a glass of water. “Kat, honey…”

She bit her lower lip and glanced toward the
sugar canister.

About the Author

Christina Cole fell in love with words at a
very young age. She’ll always be grateful to her grandfather and
his patience as he taught her the joys of reading. Throughout her
childhood she loved telling tales. She begged and pleaded for her
mother to type them, but soon -- with her grandfather’s guidance --
learned to type for herself on his old Underwood.

Things have changed now. Her grandfather is
gone, and so is the old typewriter, but Christina’s love for
story-telling has remained strong. She now does her typing on a
computer in a cozy little writing room filled with books,
treasures, and a much-cherished photograph of her grandfather.

She is married, lives in the midwest, loves
history, hates winter, and is happily at work on her next
historical romance, “Keeping Faith” -- Book 2 of “The Sunset
Series”.

Twitter: @Kcchristinacole

Facebook:
Christina Cole’s Love Notes

Blog: Christina Cole Romance
(christinacoleromance.com)

EMail: [email protected]

www.secretcravingspublishing.com