Groom For Hire (Pioneer Series #3)

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  Joe chuckled. “I know you don’t find it funny, but it sounds funny when I hear it.”

  “I’d probably laugh if I wasn’t the one who had to fix it after spending the day getting a cow out of the mud.”

  “I’ve dealt with animals and mud from time to time in my line of work. And yes, that isn’t fun at all.” He grabbed his bedroll and leather sack. “You mind if I take these into the house and say hello to your wife and son?”

  “Sure. Go on ahead. I’ll see to it your horse is taken care of, and then I’ll be in there.”

  Thanking him, Joe left the barn. Jesse was definitely happier than Joe remembered, and Joe was glad for him. It was nice to see how things had worked out. There were times when Joe questioned the fairness of things. In his line of work, he’d seen miserable people get blessings that others seemed to miss.

  But in Jesse’s situation, things were different. Jesse hadn’t yielded the blessings immediately. It’d taken two years for him to get to this point after much heartache. So maybe, just maybe, things did have a way of working out over time. And that gave him hope that he wasn’t doomed to spend the rest of his life in regret over the things he’d lost when Amanda had married Richard instead of him.

  Pushing aside his feelings, he bounded up the porch steps and knocked on the door.

  Laura opened it and let out an excited cheer before she hugged him. “Joe, it’s so nice to see you!”

  “It’s good to see you, too,” he replied with a chuckle. When she pulled away from him, he glanced at her stomach. “It looks like everything’s going well.”

  She rubbed her stomach and grinned. “It is. Jesse and I keep guessing whether we’ll have a boy or a girl. Then we try to come up with names for him or her.”

  “Have you come up with anything you can agree on?” he asked as she led him into the house.

  “Not yet. It’s a tie between Benjamin and Daniel for a boy, and Jody and Marcy for a girl.”

  Joe set his things in the corner of the parlor and pretended to pout. “Did the name Joe even make the list?”

  She laughed and shook her head. “I’m sorry, but Joe is too similar to Jesse. I’d mix up the names.”

  “Alright. I suppose I can accept that reasoning.”

  “It’s true. You’d be surprised at how often I almost call Jesse by your name when you’re here.”

  His eyebrows rose in good humor. “There’s no sense in being in love with me. You need to save your affection for your husband.”

  With an amused grin, she said, “Now, Joe, you know my heart only belongs to him.”

  “I know that’s what you have to say because you’re already married to him,” he teased.

  Giving him a playful roll of her eyes, she waved him to the kitchen. “Come on. Have a cup of coffee.”

  He followed her into the kitchen, and her mother glanced up from where she was cleaning up Elliot, who’d just finished eating. “Joe, what a pleasure it is to see you again,” her mother greeted.

  “Joe!” Elliot called out, waving and smiling at him.

  “It’s nice to have such a warm welcome,” Joe replied. He patted the top of Elliot’s head. “Are you ready to be a big brother?”

  “Big boy,” Elliot replied, pointing to himself.

  “Yes, you are,” Joe said. “I was there when you were born, and you were this little.” He held his hands to demonstrate how small Elliot used to be. “And in two months, your little brother or sister will be just as small.”

  Laura handed him a cup of coffee. “You’ll make a good father, Joe.”

  “I can’t run off with you, Laura,” Joe teased. “I have too much respect for Jesse to break his heart.”

  “You’re impossible,” she told him then went over to Elliot. “I’ll put him down for a nap. You can take a break, Ma.”

  As Laura left the room with the boy, her mother gestured to one of the chairs. “Sit and tell me what’s new with you.”

  Cup in hand, Joe did as she wished.

  * * *

  “Miss Heller,” the maid said as she opened the bedroom door, “Mr. Otto’s here.”

  “I’ll be there in a minute,” Michelle called out from where she sat at her vanity.

  The maid nodded and shut the door.

  Michelle turned back to the mirror. After spending considerable time brushing her hair, she’d opted to pull it up into a stylish twist. Then she added the sapphire earrings and necklace to match her blue gown.

  She didn’t know why she was going through so much fuss to look her best. It wasn’t like her marriage to Joe was going to be real. There was no reason to impress him. But she’d been raised to always look pretty, no matter what she was doing. Old habits were hard to break.

  At least, that’s what she kept telling herself. Even if this was a marriage in name only, the butterflies were still tumbling around in her stomach. Just what kind of man led a wagon train? Was he gruff with the frame of a bear? Was he rough because he had to fend off all sorts of dangers? Would he tower over her?

  Well, she was about to find out. She took a deep breath and rose from the chair. She smoothed out her gown then crossed the room. When she reached the door, she put her hand on the doorknob and closed her eyes.

  I can do this. All I’m doing is meeting him. I’m not marrying him today. Think of it as any other social engagement.

  Opening her eyes, she swallowed the lump in her throat and turned the knob. She stepped into the hallway, softly closed the door behind her, and proceeded down the stairs.

  “I feel at peace with the situation,” her father said from the parlor. “I knew as soon as you agreed to take her to California, everything would be alright.”

  “I will do my best,” the other man replied.

  Her skin warmed at the sound of Joe’s voice. It didn’t sound gruff like she’d expected.

  “This is my first time going to California,” Joe continued. “I’m looking forward to the adventure of going there.”

  “My daughter is, too,” her father replied.

  She tiptoed down the rest of the stairs and quietly made her way toward the drawing room. She peeked around the doorway, wishing to get a good look at Joe before they were introduced. He wore a dark suit, and his dark brown hair was neatly combed back. He was clean-shaven, and he was slender. He wasn’t anything like she’d expected. He wasn’t a bear of a man at all. He looked every bit the gentleman, and she’d be lying if she didn’t say her heart skipped with excitement. She hadn’t thought her temporary husband would be so good looking.

  After taking a moment to gather her resolve, she went into the parlor.

  “Oh, there’s my Michelle,” her father said, extending his hand to her. She took it, and he led her over to Joe. “Michelle, my dear, this is Joe Otto. Joe, this is my daughter.”

  She smiled, sure Joe could tell she was nervous. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  A moment passed before he blinked and then returned her smile. “The pleasure’s all mine.”

  Why had he hesitated? Had she somehow missed something while she was getting ready? Was her hair out of place, or did she miss a button on her dress? Maybe she should have chosen a different dress. Maybe he didn’t like the color she’d picked out.

  “My daughter,” her father began, “enjoys playing the piano. Since there won’t be one on your long journey, maybe she’d be willing to entertain us before dinner.”

  “I’d be happy to,” she replied, glad her father had stepped in to ease the awkwardness that had fallen between them. With a hesitant smile at Joe, she passed the two men and went to the piano. “What would you like to hear?” she asked.

  Her father looked expectantly at Joe, so she turned her gaze to him.

  After a moment, Joe shrugged. “Anything is fine.”

  “How about something upbeat,” her father said. “To mark the happy occasion. Even if this marriage won’t be permanent, it’d be nice if we could still take time to celebrate it.”

&n
bsp; With a nod, Michelle lifted the bench and pulled out one of the books. She flipped through it until she found a tune that she had mastered. There was no sense in stumbling through a song while Joe was here. She’d like to make a good impression. Maybe it would help make up for whatever she’d done to disturb him.

  She sat down and placed the book in front of her. She took a moment to glance at her buttons before she touched her hair. Nothing seemed amiss, but then she didn’t have the benefit of a mirror.

  She took a deep breath and set her hands on the familiar keys. After a count to three, she played the tune. It was one of her mother’s favorites, and from time to time, she’d play it for her father who would sit back and smile, probably recalling the happy times they’d all shared together in this house.

  While her mother’s death had left a hole in the place, she and her father took comfort in remembering her. In fact, it was often a bittersweet experience. Nothing would bring her back, and sometimes that did bring tears to Michelle’s eyes, but it was also a testament to how good her childhood had been because of her mother.

  If Michelle had learned nothing else from her mother’s death when she was ten, it was how important it was to make the most out of every day. That was what had compelled her to go to California. The sense of adventure beckoned to her. And that was what the tune made her think of as she played it. Her mother hadn’t been one to shy away from the opportunity to do something new, and she wouldn’t, either.

  When she finished the song, she brushed aside her tears before she turned to her audience. Her father and Joe were reclining in the chairs, and her father blinked back his own tears. Joe, of course, having no emotional connection to the song had no reason to shed any tears over it.

  “You play beautifully,” Joe said.

  Pleased by the compliment, she smiled. “Thank you. Would you like to look at the songs in this book? Maybe you’ll come across one you’d like to hear.”

  “Oh well…” Joe glanced at her father who nodded his head in encouragement. “I don’t often spend time listening to music. I’m often too busy working, and the few times I am indoors, there’s not a piano in the place.”

  “Have you ever been in a church?” her father asked.

  “Sure, from time to time,” he replied.

  “Then maybe there’s a hymn in that book you’ll recognize.”

  After a moment, Joe went over to her.

  Her heart raced as she handed him the book. She wasn’t sure why she should react to him in such a way. Nerves. It had to be nerves. Any woman in her position would be nervous knowing she was close to her temporary husband, especially one as attractive as Joe.

  He flipped to the front of the book and scanned the titles. She took the opportunity to get a better look at him. His dark hair matched his dark eyes. Both were the same chocolate color, and it was then she decided she rather liked the color brown.

  In fact, it might even become one of her favorites now that she associated it with him. When his eyes met hers, she quickly blushed and glanced away, lest he figure out what she’d been thinking.

  “I might recognize this one,” he said.

  She dared a look up at him and saw the hint of a dimple on his cheeks as he smiled at her. It was a polite smile. The kind of smile a man would give to anyone he barely knew. But it made her heartbeat pick up all the same.

  She checked out the song he’d picked and nodded. “I’m familiar with this one.”

  She put it up in front of her and played the tune. Since it wasn’t one she knew as well as the previous piece, she made one slip during the piece. As she’d been taught, she kept playing, hoping Joe hadn’t detected her mistake.

  She didn’t know why it was important she do everything perfectly around him, but it seemed as if it would be a fate worse than death to err while he was nearby. When she finished the piece, she breathed a sigh of relief, glad she’d managed through the rest of the music without any problems.

  The two men clapped, and she turned to ask if there was another request when the butler came into the room to say dinner was ready. She rose to her feet and paused. Usually, her father would escort her to the dining room, but since Joe was here, he might do it instead.

  “We’ll discuss the details about the wedding while we eat,” her father said then glanced at Joe. “And, of course, we’d be grateful if you’d give us an idea of what Michelle can expect while on the trail.”

  “Yes, it’s best to be prepared,” Joe replied. “Those who aren’t prepared have a harder time with the trip.” Her father remained still, and Joe, seeming to pick up on the hint, turned to her. “Forgive me. I’m not accustomed to these formalities.”

  “I suppose men don’t escort women to dinner on the trail,” she replied, her hand tingling as she accepted his arm.

  “No, they don’t,” he told her. “Life on the trail is a lot different than it is in this house.”

  Noting the way he scanned the room, she followed suit, wondering how things looked from his perspective. To her, it was normal. It was all she’d ever known. But such wasn’t the case with him. And who knew how that made the luxury she’d been born into look to him?

  “Well, let’s eat,” her father spoke up before he led the way out of the room.

  With a hesitant glance at the man she was about to marry, Michelle saw that Joe was still studying their surroundings. Just as she was about to ask him what, specifically, fascinated him, he directed his attention to her father and escorted her out of the room.

  Chapter 3

  During the meal, Joe kept glancing at Michelle, praying she’d look a lot less like Amanda when he turned his gaze back at her. The similarities were disturbing. They both shared the same long dark brown hair, the same slender build, and the same high cheekbones. From there, he detected minor differences. Michelle, for one, had bright blue eyes, fuller lips, and fuller breasts. She also held herself with more confidence. But everything else was too much alike.

  When he’d agreed to this marriage, he expected someone who would have a lot of differences. Someone like Laura, for example, would have been ideal. Laura was blonde and curvy. There was no mistaking her for Amanda. But the moment Joe saw Michelle, he could have sworn Amanda was standing right in front of him, and that had been an unsettling feeling. Extremely unsettling. And quite frankly, he didn’t want anything to do with it.

  But what could he do? He’d already signed the contract. He was stuck. Regardless of how he felt about things, he had to go through with this marriage and take her to California.

  “I’ve already discussed the matter with the judge,” Michelle’s father said.

  Joe forced his gaze off of Michelle so he could focus on what the man was saying.

  Bernard sipped his wine then added, “The judge agreed to perform the ceremony once I showed him the contract. You two won’t need to be married until you’re ready to head out of town, so we’ll have the wedding the day before you leave.”

  Since he seemed to be expecting Joe to respond, Joe forced out, “That’s fine with me, sir.”

  This was awful. Monday was only a few days away. He should have met Michelle before agreeing to this arrangement. If he had seen her first, he never would have signed that contract. But how was he to know she’d look so much like Amanda?

  “Good,” Bernard replied with a satisfied smile. “Then we’ll meet at the courthouse at four in the afternoon.”

  With a weak nod, Joe poked his fork into the steak and forced the food into his mouth. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d had steak. Few people could afford something this expensive. He really should be enjoying this. Between the steak, the baked potato, and the assortment of fresh vegetables, this was a feast. But it was hard to enjoy something when the past insisted on rearing its ugly head.

  He released his breath and cut into another piece of steak. He’d already told Jesse and Laura he’d be eating here for dinner tonight, so this was the only meal he’d be getting until morning. He put
another piece of steak into his mouth and chewed it, wishing he could be aware of it enough to savor its flavor.

  But over and over, all he kept seeing was Amanda in his mind’s eye. And, over and over, she kept telling him that it would never work out between them. He didn’t think it was possible his heart could ache any more than it had in the past year, but it did. This trip was going to be the hardest thing he’d ever done. All Michelle was going to do was remind him of everything he’d lost.

  “So,” Bernard spoke up after a long moment of silence hung in the air, “now that we have the wedding arrangements set aside, Joe, do you mind telling my daughter what she can expect on the wagon trail?”

  Right. This was one of the reasons he’d come here tonight. To let her know what she’d soon be facing so she’d be adequately prepared for the possible hardships up ahead.

  Joe waited until he swallowed the steak and sipped the wine before he placed the fork and knife on the plate. “Like I mentioned earlier, it’s a lot different from what you’re used to.” Though he said this directly to Michelle, he was having trouble making eye contact with her even though she was sitting across from him. “We eat a lot of jerky, and we don’t have fresh vegetables.”

  “What’s jerky?” Michelle asked, leaning forward as she cut into her potato.

  “Dried meat,” he replied. “It’s hard. It’s nothing at all like this.” He tapped what remained of the steak in front of him.

  “What else do you eat when you’re on the trail?”

  “Oatmeal and pancakes are simple and easy to make. Soups are quick and easy. Pemmican is also popular. It’s similar to jerky. There will be small towns along the way. We’ll make stops and pick up more things. You can get eggs, flour, and other food items from there.”

  “Oh?” Michelle glanced at her father then looked back to Joe. “I haven’t cooked anything before.”

  That was Joe’s mistake. He shouldn’t have assumed that just because she was a woman, it meant she knew how to cook.