CHAPTER THIRTY
It would be hard to miss several hundred head of cattle heading toward the ranch. Esther could hear them coming from several miles out. Ipp's excited barks and the rising cloud of dust kicked up by hooves on the horizon were her first clue that something was coming, followed a while later by the beeves lowing to one another, all their many voices melding into a single rolling sound like the roar of a bovine ocean.
Froggy had arrived with the chuck wagon that morning, exhausted and happy to no longer be on the move. Esther took that as her cue to get a satisfying supper going for the others. Timing it so that everything would be piping hot and fresh was the tricky part. She waited until she heard the cattle, then stepped inside to put her baking in the oven. Buttermilk biscuits were surely a luxury they'd been missing, so she had prepared some and got out a good portion of butter to slather on them. The kitchen already smelled warm and inviting from roast chicken and the savory sliced root vegetables she was frying to go with it.
It was while she was preparing the gravy that they reached the ranch. Through the kitchen window she could watch the men come in, herding the cattle into the pasture. They all sang as they worked, except for Jachym, who whistled the tune while Ipp danced adoringly at his heels. They were too far away for her to hear what the were saying to one another when the song ended, but based on the laughter and the way they jostled each other, it looked quite positive.
After he got off of his horse and handed the reins over to one of the men, Jachym looked toward the kitchen and gave her one of those warmth-filled, slow grins that stopped her heart. He walked to the door in big strides, nearly running, then threw open the kitchen door to step in with her. “Esther,” he said, his accent thick. She felt his large hands encircle her waist, drawing her away from the stove. “I worried you might not be here when I got back.”
She looked away, ashamed. The dog pushed past Jachym into the kitchen and bumped his body against her leg. With his head raised toward hers, mouth open and tongue lolling with a great canine grin of satisfaction, she had to smile in spite of herself. “I’m here, but I did think about it.”
“Please don't ever think of it again.” One hand moved up to cup her cheek and he guided her face up to meet his eyes. “There's a lot of time for a man to think, riding over two hundred miles. I thought of you constantly and how much I wanted to come back to you.”
Her heart fluttered and she found herself leaning into him, eyes slipping shut. “I hope it's not just for the sake of honor, like you said before.”
“When I first said we should marry? No, it's not for honor. It's for love.” Before she could respond, his lips were on hers in the softest, sweetest kiss she'd ever felt. Somehow gentleness from a man so strong was more powerful than any display from a lesser man. Esther sighed and reached up to lay a hand on his shoulder. When his lips left hers, they moved back, trailing kisses over her cheek until his breath tickled her ear. “I'll beg you to marry me if I have to. I'll sleep in the bunkhouse, or out in the pasture, or at the church if that's what it takes. I'll make this town accept you one way or another, if only you'll marry me.”
She clung to him, feeling tears prickling at her eyes even as she laughed, so overwhelmed by it all. “You don't have to do all that. I chose to be baptized into the church while you were gone. No one's given me any trouble since.”
He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulled her tight against him, and spun her off her feet, making her squeal in surprise. “Then without the excuse of their opinions holding you back, do you want to marry me?”
“I think I've wanted to marry you since the first time I saw you,” she confessed with a blush.
“Hey boss,” a voice called through the window. “We can smell that food and we're really hoping some of it's for us. I don't think I can survive another night of Froggy's beans.”
Jachym huffed with a roll of his eyes. “Esther, did you cook food for the hands or do you want Rhys to die?”
She couldn't help a quiet giggle before she covered her mouth, cleared her throat, and did her best to sound serious. “Yes, there's food for everyone.”
“Good. Rhys, tell the men there will be food in—” Jachym paused to consider for a moment. “—half an hour.”
“Yessir.”
Esther waited until the man had walked away before speaking again. “Everything is done, you know. They could eat now.”
“They can wait,” Jachym countered. “This can't.” He drew her in for another kiss and as she melted against him, she had to agree.
THE END
About the Author
Dear Reader,
First of all, thank you for reading this book. I've enjoyed inviting you into Sweet Town and I hope you love the folks there as much as I do. Writing can be a lonely endeavor, and it always gives me inspiration and hope to hear from you. Please visit my Facebook page, or connect with me on my author page on Amazon.
Thanks again,
Sarah About Sarah Christian
Born and raised in a small town in Minnesota, Sarah loved the sense of community and extended family she grew up with. After going to college in the Twin Cities, Sarah decided she couldn't live without the warmth of a small town again. She returned home where she married her childhood sweetheart and is now raising two daughters. In the Sweet Town series, Sarah hopes to share a bit of the happiness, community, and country quirkiness from her own life.
Other books by Sarah Christian:
Sweet Town Series
A Bride's Price (1)
What Child Is This (2)
Calling His Bluff (3)
Not Always Nice (4)
Preacher's Wife (5)
Doctor's Midwife (6)
Carpenter's Rose (7)
Silver Bells (8)
Blacksmith's Christmas Bride (9)
Teacher's Pet (10)
Rancher's Woman (11)
Nature's Autumn Decorations: And How To Use Them (Ladies of Sweet Town Gazette Book 1)
Nut Gathering Party (Ladies of Sweet Town Gazette Book 2)
All Hallow Eve (Ladies of Sweet Town Gazette Book 3)
With C.M. Stone
Hope for Nolan O'Donoghue (1)
Temperance for Doran O'Donoghue (2)
Verity for Brendan McGall (3)
Follow Sarah Christian:
Web Page: http://saltpress.com/sarah_christian/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahChristianSweetAuthor/
Newsletter
Author page on Amazon.
Copyright Notice
Rancher's Woman
A Sweet Town Romance
by Sarah Christian
Published by Salt of the Earth Press
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Copyright © 2017 by Sarah Christian
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual organizations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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