by Zoe Matthews
“I know she is fine,” Shaun smiled slightly at her. “I’ve been watching for a while.” He turned his attention to his daughter. Kimberly decided to go to the kitchen for some coffee, so she started to turn away, but felt a hand on her arm.
“We should talk,” Shaun told her in a half-whisper.
Kimberly hesitated, but then nodded. She hoped she would be able to say something to reassure Shaun to her presence in Patrick’s life. She followed Shaun down the hall and into the library.
When they were both settled on the couch, Shaun started to talk. “I just want to let you know that I am supporting Patrick’s decision to marry you.”
“I’m glad,” Kimberly smiled. “I want you to know that I love him very much.”
“I have to admit I’m afraid you might change your mind in the future. After all I am sure our time is very different from your time. You might come to miss it.”
“I’ll admit, there are things that I will miss,” Kimberly told him, thinking about the nice stoves, the ease of communication between people, and the art supplies she had to leave behind. “But Patrick means more to me than things.”
“And other people? Are there friends you will regret never seeing again?”
“Nicky and her brother are the only ones I will miss,” Kimberly admitted. “I am hoping I can stay in touch with them, in some way.”
“But if you can’t?” Shaun asked.
“I am marrying Patrick. He comes first in my life, Shaun.”
Shaun looked at her intently, and Kimberly let him scrutinize her, wanting him to feel comfortable with her marriage to Patrick.
“I have one more question,” Shaun told her. “Do you really wear clothes like Nicky has on in the future?”
Kimberly smiled. She knew that she had passed some type of test with Shaun. “Yes, we dress like that. I guess I had better find her a dress from this time.”
Chapter 34
About an hour before the wedding, Bridget, Nicky and Colleen were in Victoria’s bedroom helping her prepare for her wedding. The wedding dress Victoria lent her fit her almost perfectly.
Victoria gave a dress to Nicky when she found out that her friend had brought a dress from the future to wear, a dress that wouldn’t have been appropriate to wear in 1892.
“How did you get used to wearing long dresses?” Nicky asked as she tried to keep the skirt smooth as she walked.
“I really haven’t,” Kimberly admitted. “I trip over them quite a bit.”
“I've noticed that, “Bridget said. “I wondered why you had such a hard time with dresses. I guess it all makes sense now.”
Kimberly looked at Colleen who was standing in front of a large mirror, brushing her long black hair with Victoria’s hairbrush. She didn’t want Colleen to know about the time travel until she was older. She felt it was too hard for a child to keep something like that a secret. But it didn’t seem that Colleen thought anything was weird about their conversation.
Bridget caught her glance at the child. “I’m sure you will soon be great at wearing dresses.”
“I really like those riding pants I wear when I ride Honey. I bought a few more when we first arrived in Denver, remember? I think I might be wearing those more than skirts from now on.”
Bridget nodded her understanding. “I guess that would be okay. Just make sure you wear dresses when we go to Denver. There are quite a few people who won’t understand about a woman wearing pants all the time.”
****
Collins walked Kimberly into the parlor. She had asked him to give her away and she could tell he was honored. She could see the reverend standing against one wall of the room. Patrick was standing next to the reverend and he smiled when he first saw her. All of the furniture had been moved out of the room except for a few chairs where the women were sitting. Kimberly noticed that Colleen sat on Nicky’s lap. Shaun and Keegan stood off to the side.
Kimberly stood in front of Patrick and he took her hand in his. He looked down at her and Kimberly’s heart skipped a beat, just like it always seemed to do when he looked in her eyes.
Very quickly, the ceremony was over, the reverend telling Patrick he could kiss the bride. He cradled her face with one hand, and reached the other back to touch her neck. He bent and carefully placed his lips to hers, and held them there for just a moment. When he pulled back, Kimberly had to blink away tears in order to see him. She was surprised to see he had small pools of tears in his own eyes. Not enough for anyone else to notice; these tears were meant for only her. They radiated joy to each other for a moment until everyone started moving toward them with smiles on their own faces.
Kimberly kept her hand in his as everyone surrounded and congratulated them. Patrick had made arrangements for them to spend the night at a nearby hotel. They were soon on their way to spend their first night together as man and wife.
****
Nicky enjoyed her time in 1892. It was the morning after the wedding and she felt a little sad that she was going to need to return to her time. She would miss Kimberly, but she was so grateful that she had been able to spend time with her. She knew that Kimberly was going to be happy with Patrick and his family. She felt comfortable knowing that she was leaving her friend in good hands.
She didn’t want to leave until she said goodbye to Kimberly though. She put her jeans and tee-shirt back on and packed up her things in the small suitcase so she would be ready to go when it was time.
Nicky wandered around Victoria’s large home. She wanted to go outside, but knew she couldn’t because of her clothes. She ended up in the library and spent some time looking at the books on the shelves. She soon had company; Colleen came in.
“I found you,”’ the child said with glee. “I have been looking all over for you.”
“You have?” Nicky asked her with a smile. “Well, here I am.”
“I wanted to see your clothes again.”
Nicky knew that Colleen was fascinated with her clothes being so different than her own.
Colleen walked over to her side and reached out a hand to touch her jeans.
“Colleen,” Shaun came into the library. “Why don’t you go outside for a while? I would like to talk to your new friend.”
“Ah, Pa, do I have to? Nicky is going to leave soon.”
“Yes, please do as I say. You’ll get to say goodbye, I promise.”
Colleen left the room very slowly showing her reluctance at Shaun’s request. Soon Nicky was alone with Shaun. What did he want to talk to her about?
“You are good with children. Colleen really likes you.”
“I’m a school teacher to children a little older than her in my time,” Nicky explained.
“Yes, Kimberly told me,” Shaun explained. “Can we sit for a moment?” he gestured towards a nearby sofa.
“Sure,” Nicky agreed and sat down. Shaun sat down next to her.
“Are you okay with Kimberly marrying my brother?” Shaun asked her.
“Sure. I’ll admit I was concerned when I didn’t hear from her after she disappeared so quickly. But now that I know the circumstances, I’m fine with it. I can see Patrick loves her.”
“He does. He has wanted to marry and start a family for quite some time.”
“Is that what you wanted to talk to me about, Kimberly and Patrick’s marriage?”
Shaun was starting to see that women from the future were much more straightforward than the women he knew. He found it refreshing. She was blunt enough that you never had to wonder if she was hiding anything.
“I…I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind if we wrote each other, when you went back to your time.”
“Really?” Nicky sounded surprised at his question. “Why would you want to write me?”
“I just would like to get to know you better. I figured you will be writing Kimberly. Maybe we could write, too.”
Nicky was silent for a few minutes and Shaun started to sweat. Maybe she wasn’t interested in someone from the pas
t. Maybe she already had a boyfriend in her time.
“I guess I could write you. It would be fun to get to know you,” Nicky agreed with a smile.
Shaun breathed a sigh of relief. When he watched Nicky with Colleen that morning before breakfast, he had realized he wanted to get to know her better. He could tell she was great with children and she didn’t seem to have a problem with Colleen’s dark hair and skin.
“I have to admit though, I am surprised you would want anything to do with me. You didn’t seem to approve of Kimberly at first, especially when you found out about the time travel,” Nicky confessed.
“No, I didn’t,” he admitted. “But as I got to know her, I started to realize she is a good person. Patrick loves her and that is what matters. And you have to admit, this time travel thing is strange.”
Nicky smiled at him. “It is weird. But I think it’s cool. It makes me wonder how many other people have traveled through time and we have no idea. So how will this work? Us writing?”
“I’m not sure what Victoria and Collins will say, but I’m guessing when Collins picks up letters for Kimberly, he’ll take yours.”
“That sounds good,” Shaun said. “Just know that you might not get letters from me too often, especially during the winter time. It takes four hours to get to Denver and we don’t make the trip that often.”
“Oh, I think Collins can help us with that,” Nicky said with a grin.
****
Kimberly and Patrick arrived at the house at lunch time looking happy and well rested. Soon after they arrived, Collins announced that it was time for him to take Nicky back to her time.
Kimberly was happy to hear that Nicky and Shaun wanted to keep in touch, although she was also surprised, given that Shaun had been so against her at first and especially when he heard about her past.
“I think his daughter likes me,” Nicky whispered to her when Kimberly looked at her in surprise.
Goodbyes were said by everyone. Collins led Nicky out of the back door, and then she was gone.
Kimberly felt arms come around her and turned into Patrick’s embrace. “I’m going to miss her, but I am so glad she came,” she said into his chest, trying not to sob.
“I have a feeling that we will be seeing alot of Nicky in the future,” Patrick told her.
He kept his arms around her and Kimberly treasured the feeling. She was going to miss Nicky, but she didn’t regret her decision to marry Patrick. She had found a love that she had always wanted, a once-in-a lifetime love.
Nicky’s Story is Coming Soon!
This is the first book of the Mail-Order Brides/Time Travel Series. Please go to http://www.zoematthewsromances.com for more information about this series. You can also go to the next page to get information about 3 FREE books.
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1. A copy of my bestseller “An Unexpected Family,” the first book to the “orphan Train Romance Series.”
2. A copy of “Colorado Dreams,” the first book to “Majestic Mountain Ranch Series.”
3. A copy of “Southern Belle,” a prequel to my new series, “Mail-Order Brides of America Series.”
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Mail-Order Brides/Time Travel Romance Series
Written by Zoe Matthews and Jade Jensen, a mother/daughter team
This series is based in modern times, as well as in the late 1800s. Nicki and her friends find themselves swept up in the past when Nicki reads an ad in her local newspaper, advertising for a mail-order bride. Curious, she answers the ad and is soon sent back in time to meet Patrick, a man who owns a large ranch deep in the Rocky Mountains, and his siblings. Nicki’s friends soon become involved and what happens next changes their lives forever.
Touched By Time
Also by Zoe Matthews
Have you read these books?
The Orphan Train Romance Series
In the late 1800s, many orphans were send to different states in the western United States in order to provide stable and loving homes. This series features fictitious orphans who traveled to Texas, the families they found homes with, and finding love when they were adults.
An Unexpected Family
The Promise of a Family
Anna
Serena
Katrina
Orphan Train Romances Series: Five Books in One!
Majestic Mountain Ranch Romance Series
Six siblings come together at their family ranch after their father’s death. They work together to convert their ranch into a dude ranch. Along the way, each of them finds true love.
Colorado Dreams
Colorado Secrets
Colorado Destiny
Colorado Dawn
Colorado Skies
Colorado Promises
Colorado Christmas
Majestic Mountain Ranch Series, Books 1 through 7
Mail-Order Brides of America Series
After the death of their infant daughter, Mary, Elizabeth and Thomas decide to open their large plantation home to orphan girls who need a second chance. They name their new home “Mary’s Home for Girls.” Each book features one of these girls, how they came to Mary’s Home, and the decision they make as adults to become a mail-order bride. Each book is set in a different state.
Southern Belle, Prequel
Iowa Destiny
Texas Hearts
Montana Legacy
Nebraska Promise
ABOUT THE AUTHORS/CONTACT INFORMATION
Zoe started writing as a young teenager and has kept that passion alive throughout her life. At any one time she can be found relaxing and devouring a good western romance novel or gathering information for one of her own future books.
She loves living in the high mountain deserts of the western United States. Her hobbies include photographing desert landscapes and her adorable grandchildren as well as dabbling in Watercolors.
Her perfect summer days would be spent up at the family cabin writing, painting, hiking and associating with family.
Zoe Matthews is the author of the “Orphan Train”, Majestic Mountain Ranch,” Mail-Order Brides of America,” and Mail-Order Brides/Time Travel” series.
Zoe is excited to start writing this new series with her daughter, Jade.
Jade has loved books her entire life; some of her favorite memories are the 'read-a-thons' she would have with her family as a child. She recently started tunneling that passion into writing.
She also loves oil painting, yoga, and trying new recipes in the kitchen. She enjoys spending the majority of her day with her two young children and visiting family.
She makes her online home at www.zoematthewsromances.com and on facebook. You can also send her an email at [email protected] if you wish.
