Groom For Hire (Pioneer Series #3)

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  “When was the last time I told you that I love you?” he asked as he released her waist.

  “Last night, but I wouldn’t mind hearing it again.”

  “I love you more and more every day.”

  With a smile, she gave him another kiss. “I love you, too. And that is why you have nothing to worry about. My father will see how happy we are and be glad for us.”

  Right. Her father. He’d gotten so wrapped up in their good-natured banter that he’d forgotten why they were here. Clearing his throat, he straightened his vest and followed her up the steps to the porch.

  Once they were in front of the door, she knocked on it and told him, “It will be nice to see my father again.”

  Yes, he supposed for her that would be true. Her father would, no doubt, be happy to see her. It was whether or not her father would be thrilled to see him that was the question.

  The footman opened the door. “Mr. and Mrs. Otto. Come in.”

  Joe waited for her to go in first, taking off his hat as he did so. They stopped in the parlor, and he took a good look around the room. It was just as fancy as he remembered. Sometimes he marveled that she had willingly given up this kind of life so she could be with him.

  “Michelle!”

  Joe turned his gaze off of the piano she had played when he first met her and turned it to Michelle who was hugging her father.

  “Your skin is darker than it used to be,” her father commented.

  “I spent a lot of time in the sun this past winter,” she replied. “The south is a wonderful place to be when it starts to get cold up north. While you were wearing coats and sitting by the fireplace, we were leading cattle from one place to another, helping on ranches, and doing all sorts of fun things.”

  Her father laughed. “Yes, I remember reading about all of your adventures in the letters you wrote.”

  Her father was laughing. That was a good sign. At least, Joe hoped it was. Her father could very well be putting on a pleasant façade for her sake.

  Her father patted her cheek and said, “I’d like to have a moment to talk to your husband alone. Do you mind?”

  She glanced over at Joe, as if to ask him if he wanted her to stay.

  “It’ll be fine,” Joe told her.

  If her father wished to express his disappointment with him, then it was best if he did it while she wasn’t in the room to hear it.

  “You can get something to eat if you’re hungry,” her father added.

  With one more look at Joe, she nodded and left the room. Her father went to the doors of the parlor and shut them. Joe’s grip tightened on the hat he was holding. Closing doors didn’t seem like a good omen. It seemed like something a man would do if he was upset.

  Joe considered saying something first in an attempt to diffuse her father’s anger, but then he decided against it. If her father was mad, he had every right to get his feelings off his chest.

  Her father came up to him, his hands behind his back, his eyes meeting his. Joe kept his gaze on his even though it took a tremendous amount of willpower to do so.

  Finally, after a long moment, a smile crossed the man’s face, and he gave Joe a hug. “Welcome to the family, son.”

  Welcome to the family? Son? What was going on here?

  Her father released him and chuckled. “You needn’t look like I’m about to shoot you.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t blame you if you did. The contract specifically stated that I was supposed to take her to California.”

  “And you did that, didn’t you?”

  “Yes, but I didn’t leave her there.”

  “I don’t recall stipulating that she had to stay there.”

  “It was implied.”

  Her father shrugged. “Maybe, but I was secretly hoping you might take a liking to her and want to stay married.”

  Not sure Joe heard him right, he asked, “You were?”

  “I liked you from the moment I met you. You were a hard worker, you were intelligent, and you had good manners. I thought if anyone would make a good husband for my little girl, you would. However, if things didn’t work out, then the contract would free you both to annul the marriage without any hard feelings.”

  Joe relaxed. “You have no idea how glad I am to hear that.”

  “You make Michelle happy, and that’s what I want most for her. I didn’t grow up with money. It took years of dedication and hard work to get to where I am. I remember when I married Michelle’s mother. We barely had anything, but we had each other. I’ve seen enough rich couples who don’t enjoy each other’s company. It’s depressing. You can have all the possessions in the world, but if you don’t have love, what’s the point?”

  “When you put it that way, I suppose it’s silly that I spent all this time worrying about seeing you.”

  Her father laughed and gave him a friendly pat on the back. “Let’s bring your and Michelle’s things in. I’ve been looking forward to your visit.” As he led him to the closed doors, he asked, “How long will you be staying in Omaha?”

  “Two and a half weeks. I have a couple of people I like to see while in town.”

  “That’s good. I was hoping you’d stay for a while so that I could spend some time with my daughter. I missed her.”

  “She missed you, too.”

  “I’m sure she did, but I have a feeling she’s enjoying herself too much to miss me too much.” He winked as he opened the doors. “I don’t mind. I’d rather she be happy doing what she loves. I’ve never seen her more excited in her life than I did when I saw her a few minutes ago.”

  “I always enjoyed being outdoors, but it’s much better now that she’s with me. You raised a fine daughter,” Joe replied. “And I’m not exaggerating when I say that she does the job better than other men.”

  “That’s my girl. She’s got the drive and determination of her old man.” Her father walked over to the butler and instructed him to bring Joe’s and Michelle’s things in. Then he turned back to Joe. “Let’s join Michelle in the kitchen. I bet you’re hungry.”

  With a smile, Joe joined her father down the hall. That went a lot better than he had expected. Maybe in the future when Michelle told him he had nothing to worry about, he’d believe her. Or, at the very least, he would but pretend he didn’t. She was fun to argue with, what with the fire in her and all. He wouldn’t miss watching that spark of passion in her for anything in the world.

  * * *

  During his stay in Omaha, Joe caught up with a couple of old friends, and on his way to seeing one of them, he caught sight of Amanda and Richard who were at their house. Amanda was holding a baby boy on her lap while she sat on the porch, and not too far from her, Richard was helping the other baby boy walk by her. A year ago, this scene would have bothered him. But today, as he took in how happy they were with their twin sons, he felt a smile tug at his lips.

  The thought did enter his mind that he could call out a greeting. Then, he decided against it. It was enough to know they were doing well. The last thing he wanted to do was bring up the past. They had moved on with their lives, and now that he had Michelle, he had moved on with his, too.

  So he hurried on by before they noticed him and went to see one of his friends who handled lumber supplies.

  The following day, he decided to introduce Michelle to Jesse and Laura.

  “Last time I saw them, Laura was two months away from having a baby,” he informed Michelle as they rode their horses onto Jesse’s land. “He lost his first wife to childbirth. I’m sure Laura was fine when she gave birth, but it’ll be nice to know for sure. One of the hard things about going from place to place all the time is that I don’t get a chance to see some people more often. Jesse and Laura are good friends.” He smiled. “I think you’ll like them.”

  “If they’re your friends, I know I will,” Michelle replied, returning his smile.

  He brought his horse closer to hers and reached for her hand. “It’s nice to know that when I leave Omaha, y
ou’ll be coming with me.”

  “I wouldn’t be anywhere else but with you.” She squeezed his hand. “And I’m not just saying that because I love being outside most of the year.”

  With a chuckle, he released her hand when they came to the barn. He pulled back the reins of his horse and called out, “Jesse? Are you in there?”

  To his surprise, a middle-aged man came out of the building, wiping his hands with his bandana. “Are you looking for Jesse Palmer?” the man asked in a German accent.

  “Yes. Does he still live here?”

  The man nodded. “He’s in that house.”

  Joe wasn’t sure if he should introduce himself or not, but after a moment, he tipped his hat at the man, thanked him, and led Michelle to the larger of the two houses on the property.

  “The smaller one is where Laura’s mother lives,” he told Michelle.

  They got off of their horses in front of the larger house, and from the open window, Joe could hear a child laughing over two women who were discussing what to make for supper. Another child let out a cry. Seconds later, he heard Laura’s familiar voice as she began to sing, probably in an attempt to soothe her child. Joe smiled with relief. Good. Laura had given birth to her child, and everything was well.

  When he and Michelle finished tying the reins to the post, he slipped his arm around her waist. “From the sound of it, there’s a lot going on in there.” He nodded toward the house.

  She chuckled. “Does it make you wish you were back on the trail late at night when things were quiet?”

  “No. I don’t mind it. Noise and being busy never bother me.”

  Taking her hand, he led her up the porch and to the front door. He had to knock over all the commotion going on inside, but things went quiet pretty much at once and a series of footsteps came up to the door.

  Elliot was the first one to open it, with Jesse coming up behind him.

  Joe blinked in surprise. “I hardly recognize your son, Jesse.” He lowered his gaze to the boy. “How old are you?”

  Elliot held up two fingers.

  “Two already?” Joe shook his head and turned his gaze back to Jesse. “I can’t believe it was that long ago.”

  “I know,” Jesse said as he picked the boy up. “Time goes much too fast.”

  “It does,” Joe agreed then gestured to Michelle. “This is my wife, Michelle. Michelle, this is my good friend, Jesse.”

  Jesse nodded at her. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, too,” Michelle replied.

  “Oh, I forgot.” Jesse opened the door. “Come in.”

  Joe waited for Michelle to enter before he followed her. At once, the scent of baking bread reached him, and he was brought back to the last time he’d come by for a visit. He was always struck by how cozy and warm Jesse and Laura’s home was. There was no doubt they were happy together.

  Back then, he had experienced a twinge of jealousy over what they had. But now that he had Michelle, he had no reason to think he was missing something. Because he wasn’t. With Michelle, he had everything he’d ever wanted.

  Joe was ready to ask if Laura had a boy or a girl, but Laura came into the parlor, holding a boy whose cheeks were puffy and red from having just cried.

  “Joe!” Laura hurried over to him and hugged him. “How are you doing?”

  “Good,” Joe said. “I’m doing good.” He glanced at Michelle. “This is Michelle.”

  “He decided to keep his wife instead of getting rid of her,” Jesse told Laura, his tone laced with humor.

  Laura grinned in amusement and turned her attention to Michelle. “I’m happy to meet you.” She hugged Michelle then let go of her.

  “Who’s this little boy?” Michelle asked.

  “Benjamin,” Laura replied. “He’ll be one next month.”

  “He and Elliot are close,” Jesse said. “They get along well, too.”

  “When they aren’t fighting over the same blanket or toy,” Laura added.

  Jesse shrugged. “That’s just a natural part of being brothers.” He turned to Joe. “Right?”

  “I don’t have any brothers or sisters, so I wouldn’t know,” Joe said.

  “I remember fighting with my brothers while growing up,” Jesse replied. “We played a lot, too, though. Childhood was better with them in it.”

  “That man out in the barn can’t be a brother,” Joe told Jesse. “He’s too old for that.”

  “That’s Hans,” Laura spoke up. “He married my mother, and they live out here in that little cabin over there.” She motioned toward the second home on their land. In a lower voice, she added, “I can’t recall a time when my mother has ever been as happy as she is now.” In a louder voice, she added, “Are you two staying here?”

  “Only for a few hours to visit,” Joe said. “We’re staying with Michelle’s father while we’re in town.”

  “How long will you be in Omaha?” Jesse asked.

  “Two weeks,” Joe said.

  Jesse shifted Elliot to his other arm. “I hope you’ll come out again before you leave.”

  “We plan on it,” Joe answered. “In fact, do you have anything you need my help with, or will I only get in the way since Hans is here?”

  “We can always use an extra hand.”

  “Great. Let’s get started.” Joe glanced at Michelle. “You want to work outside or stay here with Laura and her mother?”

  “I think I’ll stay with Laura and her mother,” Michelle said.

  Laura’s smile widened. “I was hoping you’d say that. I want to learn all about you!”

  “She means it, too,” Joe warned Michelle with a grin. “Though I have a feeling she’ll do most of the talking.”

  “Come on.” Laura waved Michelle to the kitchen. “We’ll talk in there. My poor mother has her hands full with the stew she’s making.”

  “I’ll be happy to help,” Michelle said.

  “You know what would help the most?” Laura asked. “If you’d hold Benjamin so I can help Ma.”

  “I’d love to,” Michelle took Benjamin in her arms.

  “I’ll bring Elliot out with me,” Jesse said. “He’d only get into trouble if he stays in here.” Looking at Joe, he explained, “He loves being outside.”

  “I don’t blame him,” Joe said and ruffled Elliot’s hair. “I’m the exact same way.”

  “We’ll let you men know when supper’s ready,” Laura told them.

  Joe winked at Michelle. “I’ll see you then.”

  And when he did, he’d be sure to give her a long kiss to let her know how much he loved her.

  Coming Next In The Pioneer Series…

  Forced Into Marriage (Book 4)

  After a drunken stupor, Brandon Herman wakes up in a strange bed with snippets of what happened the night before running through his mind. After he realizes the forced wedding ceremony wasn't a dream, his first instinct is to sneak away and pretend the whole thing never happened. But before he can do it, he gets a good look at the young woman he just married.

  Not only is she scared and alone, but she is ready to give birth. Like it or not, his course is set. He cannot, in all good conscience, leave her in this condition. Having gone through the heartache of a divorce, he does not think he has the capacity within him to love again. He can, however, devote himself to caring for his new wife and her child, and he can do this best if they start their lives in a new territory where they can put the shadows of the past behind them.

  As they travel westward to their new home, he can't help but notice his new wife's gentle spirit as she cares for him and her child. Even so, he must not let himself become vulnerable again because the last thing he wants is to be hurt again.

  Reserve Your Copy Today!

  Other Books in the Series

  Don’t miss the first two books in this series…

  Wagon Trail Bride (Pioneer Series: Book 1)

  Richard Larson has secretly loved Amanda for years, but it wasn't until
she had nowhere else to turn that he had the courage to propose a marriage of convenience. Now as they make their way to Omaha, Nebraska for a new life, he wonders if she might ever come to return his feelings.

  When Amanda married Richard Larson, it wasn’t for love. It was because he was rescuing her from a painful situation. When they married, they agreed to a marriage of convenience. She didn’t realize he secretly loved her until after the vows were exchanged. Now she doesn’t know how to act around him. And worse, a young man from her past is the one leading the wagon train to Omaha, and he has plans for them to run off to start a new life elsewhere.

  * * *

  The Marriage Agreement (Book 2)

  Jesse Palmer headed to Omaha with his expectant wife and his mother-in-law. When his wife dies in childbirth, his mother-in-law blames him. And worse, she refuses to let him take care of his son. In order to get his son back, he needs to marry someone–and fast. And who better than the one who makes the offer?

  Laura Rufus volunteers to marry Jesse so he can have his son, knowing full well he’s still mourning the loss of his first wife. The last thing she plans on is falling in love with him, but day by day, his tenderness toward his son makes her wish she hadn’t been so quick to propose a marriage of convenience. Will there ever be something more between them, or will she be stuck with the marriage agreement they made?

  Other Books you might enjoy:

  Montana Collection by Ruth Ann Nordin

  Mitch's Win—When Mitch Grady goes to a saloon to take his wayward brother home, he finds that his brother’s horse isn’t the only thing being offered in a poker game. Heather Curtiss’ brother has bet her as well. Vowing an innocent woman won’t be forced to give up her virtue to a disreputable gambler, Mitch joins in the game of poker, and with luck, he wins and frees Heather.