A Pony Express Christmas. Rhonda Gibson
Читать онлайн книгу.
before he could actually see her, the sound of her skirts swishing against the hardwood floors alerted him to Leah’s arrival.
Molly entered the room seconds before Leah. His niece looked sweet this morning with her hair up in two braids like pigtails. Her cheeks were pink, as if she’d just endured a good scrubbing. She swung the rag doll by one arm. He reminded himself he would have to rearrange his entire life to accommodate Molly and prayed Leah would go along with him for the same reason.
* * *
Leah came to an abrupt stop when she saw Jake sitting at the table. A quick glance about the room revealed that he was the only one there. Molly waved as she skipped past him and headed for the kitchen.
“Good morning.”
The richness of his voice flowed over her like melted butter over hot potatoes. She offered him a smile and replied, “Good morning.”
Leah pressed on to the kitchen to talk to Mrs. Frontz about working to pay for her room and board. She’d lain awake most of the night and had come to the conclusion that this was the only way to pay back what she owed. She wasn’t good at cooking, but Leah did know how to clean. Maybe Mrs. Frontz would teach her how to cook and then she could help out in both the kitchen and with the housework.
“Do you have a few minutes to spare this morning? I’d like to talk about last night and I have something I need to ask you.” Jake’s deep voice interrupted her line of thought.
Leah turned to face him. He cradled his coffee cup between his two large hands. Rich brown eyes surveyed her face. Wasn’t it bad enough that he’d witnessed her reception of last night’s bad news? Did he really want to talk about it now?
“I should probably go help Mrs. Frontz with breakfast.” Her hand flapped toward the kitchen of its own accord. She hoped he’d not noticed her lack of helping in the past.
“Please. I promise I won’t take long and I’d like to talk without Molly’s little ears hearing.” He gestured for her to sit across from him.
He seemed determined, so Leah thought she might as well get it over with and sat down.
“Thank you.” He rubbed the checkered tablecloth absently as if having difficulty forming his next words. “I’m sorry to hear about Thomas Harris. I understand he was a good man.” Jake paused and took a sip from his cup.
Honestly, Leah didn’t know if Thomas was a good man or not. They’d only known each other through the sparse letters they’d shared. She nodded, hoping Jake would continue.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’d never met, is that right?”
Leah sighed. “That’s right.” What was his point? Was he going to suggest that since she had no marriage prospects she wasn’t fit to watch Molly any longer? Did having one’s fiancé die make her unfit? The irrational thoughts raced through her mind.
“So there is no chance you were in love or anything like that?” Jake leaned his arms on the table and stared into her eyes.
Feeling uncomfortable, Leah answered. “No, we weren’t in love. Mr. Harris needed a wife to help out on the ranch. His mother is getting up in years and she hinted that if he should marry, his wife could take over the cooking, cleaning and such.” Leah didn’t mention the grandchildren Mrs. Harris had wanted and now would never have since Thomas was an only child. She wondered what would happen to Thomas’s mother now that he was gone.
“So would you say it was a marriage of convenience for both of you?” Jake pressed, never taking his gaze from her face.
Leah felt heat crawl up her neck into her cheeks. This wasn’t a conversation any woman wanted to have with a man she’d met only a few days ago. “Mr. Bridges, would you please just tell me where we are going with this conversation?”
He nodded. “After you answer my question.”
“Fine. Yes, it was more of a marriage of convenience, but I would have made him a fine wife.”
Jake leaned back in his chair. “Good.” He continued to study her long and hard.
She pushed up out of her chair. “Well, if that is all you wanted.”
“Wait.”
Why she did as he said, Leah didn’t know but she found herself back on the hard wood seat. “Why?”
Jake leaned forward once more. “I want to offer you the same deal as Harris.”
“What?” The one word squeaked from Leah’s throat. Was he offering to marry her? Was this God’s answer to her prayer? It was so sudden.
He reached across the table and snagged one of her hands. Leah wasn’t sure if he was trying to be endearing or simply holding her hand to keep her from leaving the room.
“I don’t understand. What exactly are you proposing?”
“Well, I can’t promise you love but I can promise you a home.” He raked his fingers through his hair with his free hand. “Molly needs a mother and I have to work. So if you and I were to marry, she’d have someone to take care of her and you’d both have a home.”
Home.
The word sank into Leah’s heart. Hadn’t she always wanted a home? Just last night she’d pleaded with God and asked for a home. She didn’t ask for love. No one could or would love her, and if they claimed to, she’d always wonder what their motives were. After all, her own parents had given her away and they were the people she’d expected to love her forever. Love wasn’t something she could rely on, her whole life she’d relied on herself, not her parents and not a man. No, as long as love wasn’t involved, Leah felt sure she’d be all right. She raised her eyes and studied Jake. He wasn’t offering love, or even pretending to offer love, but he was offering her what she’d always wanted. A home.
“Look, I know it’s not much, but it’s all I can give you. I’m not a man who is going to fall in love with you. But I can offer you a house, food and a life with a little girl who needs you more than you’ll ever know.” His eyes pleaded with her to understand what he was proposing. “You will never want for anything as long as you are my wife.”
Leah couldn’t find words to express how she felt. It was a lot to take in. She’d gone from having no plans or future, to having a man offer her marriage and a daughter. She loved Molly, and yet she still couldn’t get out the word yes.
Molly burst out of the kitchen door and ran to Leah. The little girl grabbed her free hand and tugged for Leah to follow her to the kitchen.
Leah gently pulled her back and said, “Go tell Mrs. Frontz that I’ll be there in a few minutes.” It was only after the little girl hurried away that she remembered Molly couldn’t or wouldn’t speak. How was she going to tell Mrs. Frontz what she’d said?
Leah turned her attention back to Jake. He still held her hand firmly in his. “What about friendship, Jake? Can you allow yourself to be my friend? My best friend?” Leah didn’t need love but she did need friendship.
He squeezed her hand gently and warmth filled his voice. “I will give you friendship and respect, and I believe we will get along fine, Leah. Just don’t ask for my heart, my love or more than hand-holding.” He rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand before releasing it.
His words both shocked and comforted her. Leah inhaled deeply. As she exhaled Leah whispered, “Then I’ll marry you, Jake.”
“Thank you.” He got up and came around the table.
Leah stood also, unsure what he planned to do. Just moments before he’d said she should expect no more than hand-holding from this union. She turned to face him. Did he plan to seal their engagement with a kiss? Her heart quickened. Her first kiss from a man—her soon-to-be husband.
Jake took both of her hands in his, leaned down until their foreheads were touching