Days slipped by in a blur and, soon enough, it was Valentine’s Day. In an effort to keep her sister from spiraling further into depression, Kate treated Joanna to lunch at the diner. Joanna was glad for the distraction, but quickly changed the conversation every time Kate tried to bring up Benjamin. Eventually, though, her sister won out.
“You’ve made it clear that you don’t want to talk about him,” Kate said between bites of her hamburger, “so I’ll only say this. If you’re going to try and patch things up, it needs to be soon. It’s only going to be harder if you wait.”
“I’ve tried to call him a couple of times,” Joanna said, “but I just clam up each time. I think about those awful things those people were saying about me.”
“Jo, I really do love you, but you need to stop trying to please everyone,” Kate said. “What mom did was her own business, and just because you are seeing someone who happens to have money doesn’t mean you’ll make the same decisions. Do you love him?”
“Yes,” she said. The quickness of her reply surprised both herself and her sister, but Joanna knew that it felt right.
“Then that settles it. You’re not mom,” Kate said with a smile. “Call him, right now, and apologize.”
“Okay,” Joanna said. “I will, but only if you promise to drop the topic.”
Her phone started to ring just as she pulled it out of her purse. Her heart began racing; what if it was Benjamin? The caller I.D. instead showed the name J. Klein and Joanna felt her pulse slow a bit.
“Who is it?” Kate said.
“It’s real estate agent,” Joanna replied.
“Well, answer it. Maybe someone made an offer on the house!”
“Hello?” Joanna said nervously.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Morse!” Joseph Klein said. “I hope you’re having a wonderful Valentine’s day.”
“Good so far.”
“Excellent! I’m actually calling with some very good new, Joanna. An offer was made on your home. A very good offer. All of us here in the office are quite shocked.”
“How good?” Joanna said.
“Well, you won’t believe me, I certainly didn’t when my secretary told me, but a gentleman came in here this morning offering significantly more than what we’re asking. I told him that wasn’t at all necessary, but he wouldn’t hear a word of it.”
Joanna was stunned. She pulled covered the microphone with her hand and told Kate what the agent had said. She nearly spat her water out and moved over to Joanna’s seat so they could both listen to the call.
“If it’s not too much to ask, I’d like you to come down to the office as soon as possible,” Mr. Klein continued. “I want to finalize this before anyone comes to their senses.”
“Who made the offer?” Joanna asked, but she knew what the name would be before Mr. Klein started speaking.
“A Mr. Benjamin Olken,” he said. “He also asked me to pass a rather strange message on to you. He said he’d like to talk to you and will be at the coffee shop for the next couple of hours. I asked him if he could be more specific, but he said you’d know where.”
“Thank you, Mr. Klein.” Joanna’s voice was smooth, but her trembling hands betrayed her nerves. “I’ll stop by this afternoon. Your office closes at five, correct?”
“Yes, but for a deal like this we’ll stay open as long as you like,” He said. “I’ll see you soon.”
Joanna hung up the phone and looked at her sister in disbelief. A wide smile began to form on her face and she threw her arms around her sister with a squeal. This was the best Valentine’s day present she could ask for.
“Go,” Kate said as she shoved her sister out the diner door. “Let me know what happens.”
Chapter 5
Joanna ran the entire three blocks over to the coffee shop. Her heart was already racing, but it started to beat even faster when she spotted him sitting at the same table where they had first met. His head was buried in a newspaper, so he didn’t notice her right away. As she walked over to him, she remembered the thrill she had felt when his eyes first met hers. He looked up just as she was approaching his table, and it was like no time passed at all. He smiled as he stood and moved as if to kiss her. He stopped short, however, and grasped her hands instead. She looked up into his face and knew for certain that she was ready to love this man. He shifted on his feet, nervous lines marring his beautiful face.
“I’m so sorry,” he said. The sadness in his eyes was heartbreaking. “I didn’t mean to scare you away. I only wanted to show how much I care about you.”
“So the way you apologize to me is by spending even more?” Joanna said playfully. In that moment she knew, although it was easier said than done, that it was time to let go of both the past and the opinions of those around her.
“Honestly, Joanna,” he said with a small laugh, “this is all new to me. Every woman I’ve ever dated before would have seen those gifts and asked why the diamonds weren’t larger or why it was only two dozen roses.”
“That’s awful,”
“Yes, now that I look back on it, but then it just seemed normal. Dating women like that can really wear a man down, though, and that’s the real reason I left the City. I figured if I moved somewhere new and got a fresh start, I could finally find someone who cares about me and not my money. I was seriously starting to give up hope until I saw you that Saturday. You looked so beautiful and there was something about you that just made it impossible for me to look away. I wanted to ask you for your number so badly that day.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“I was afraid you’d turn out like everyone else, and I didn’t want to ruin the perfect image I had of you. When I saw you again at the hotel, I knew I had to risk it. You just looked too perfect in that black dress, and that night was just…amazing. I’ve never felt so connected with someone before. When your sister told me what you said, I wanted to run up those stairs beg you to change your mind. I felt so stupid knowing that I’d finally met someone who wasn’t interested in my money, but ended up scaring you away with it.”
“If anyone was being stupid, it was me,” Joanna said. “I don’t know why I couldn’t tell you this before, but my mom was a lot like the women you used to date. She tricked my dad into marriage, and he was completely devastated when he found out she didn’t really love him. When my coworkers saw the things you gave me, they started comparing me to her. I know I shouldn’t have let their words affect me so much, but I did. I’m so sorry if I hurt you.”
“It’s alright,” he said. “I’m just glad you came back to me.”
“But why did you buy the house?” she asked. “You could have just shown up on my door and apologized. I was about to call you to do the same when the real estate office called me.”
“I’ll remember that for next time,” he said with a wink, “But what’s Valentine’s Day without a big, romantic gesture? I knew you really liked the house, and that it meant so much to you, but I also knew that you’re not the type of woman who’d take kindly to me simply paying for your expenses.”
“Correct,” Joanna said.
“So, I decided I had to come up with a way to help you afford to continue living there without infringing on your independence,” Benjamin let go of her hands and pulled her into a closer embrace. “It came to me a couple of days ago that I could solve all those problems by buying the house from you. You wouldn’t have to pay taxes or fix it up, and…”
“…It wouldn’t be charity since you bought it fair and square,” Joanna interrupted.
“Precisely. Here’s my offer to you.” He said with a smile. “The house will be mine on paper, but I want you to live there as long as you please. I’ll take care of all the expenses, so you won’t have to worry about anything. No more juggling multiple jobs. No more worrying about bills. What do you say?”
“I’ll accept your offer, but with one small adjustment,” she said after a brief moment of consideration. Her heart was about to burst with love for t
his man, but she couldn’t take advantage of him like that.
“Shoot,” he said as he twisted his face into a mock scowl.
“You can pay for all the taxes and repair expenses, but you have to let me pay for my own utilities. I love you, Benjamin, but my pride can only accommodate so much.”
“Deal,” he said. Benjamin lifted her at the waist until they were eye to eye. He put his lips to hers and kissed her deeply and fully. She felt like the only woman in the world in that moment, and time seemed to stretch on forever.
“Oh,” she said, pulling her mouth away from his. “One more thing.”
“Yes, my dear?”
“You’re not allowed to buy me any more presents that I couldn’t afford to buy for myself.”
“I’ll try,” he said with a smile, “but I can’t make any promises.”
Benjamin set her down on the pavement. She wanted nothing more than to run back home and let him ravish her, but there was some business they needed to attend to. Excusing herself, she dug her phone from her pocket and made two quick calls. The first was to the real estate office, the second to Kate.
“I told Mr. Klein we would be at his office in a few minutes,” She said as she pocketed her phone. “But I want to make a quick pit stop first.”
“Alright,” He said, offering her his arm. “Where to?”
“My sister’s apartment is a couple of blocks away, and I want to see the look on her face when I tell her I’m quitting!”
They began strolling down the sidewalk arm in arm, and nothing had ever felt so natural to Joanna. Kate pretended to be shocked and saddened when Joanna told her the news, but lost no time in drawing the two of them into a giant bear hug. They left her with promises to stop by for dinner later that week and then headed to the real estate office. Joseph Klein was over the moon at the prospect of closing on Joanna’s home, and promised he would keep the process moving as quickly as he could. It was nearly dinner time by the time they had finished all the necessary paperwork, and Joanna’s stomach was beginning to betray her hunger. Benjamin suggested dinner at a nice restaurant across the street, but she had a better idea.
“Why don’t we grab some takeout, then head back to my place,” she said as they exited the building. “I know you’ve already seen the bedroom, but you should probably see the rest of the house you just bought.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Benjamin said. “You might have to show me the bedroom again, though. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t looking at anything other than you that night.”
They spent the rest of the evening eating Chinese food, drinking champagne, and watching silly romantic movies. After they had finished their third movie, Benjamin grabbed Joanna’s hands and pulled her from the couch. He led her to the middle of the living room and kissed her deeply.
“Let’s go to the kitchen next,” he said once they had finished. “I want to know what it’s like to kiss you in every room in this house.”
As they continued their tour of the house, their kissing becoming more and more passionate. When they reached the bedroom, Joanna was relieved when Benjamin decided the rest of the second floor could wait. All of their clothing was gone in the blink of an eye, and Joanna gasped as Benjamin hoisted her up and pinned her against the wall. He entered her roughly, and in no time at all, he had her screaming with pleasure. They continued making love throughout the night, exploring all the possible surfaces of her bedroom and only pausing when they absolutely had to. It wasn’t until dawn threatened to creep through her blinds that they collapsed onto the bed. Joanna quickly succumbed to exhaustion, but not before telling her boss she would be taking the day off. They fell asleep tangled up in each other’s arms as sunlight started to spill into the room.
It only felt like minutes since she dozed off, but it was well past noon by the time Joanna woke up. Not wanting to wake Benjamin, she relaxed for a moment in the security of his arms. She sighed contentedly, and her thoughts turned to the future. She pondered the possibilities, and some of her thoughts began to fill her with dread. While the idea of spending the coming weeks and months with him thrilled her, she knew they couldn’t stay in this bed forever. Love could solve many problems, but neither of them could deny that the differences between them were vast. They would eventually have to find a way to meld their lives together, and it was highly possible that his family and friends may not be too welcoming of her. She would also have to deal with people far more vicious than Sharon or her other coworkers. All of the fears she and doubts thought she had conquered the night before began to rise up in her anew.
Benjamin stirred slightly, almost as if he sensed Joanna’s panic. He drew her closer into him and placed a kiss on the back of her neck before returning to sleep. Her fear immediately began to ebb away as she understood she wouldn’t be alone in this journey. Whatever road they had to walk down, they would be doing so together.
Joanna untangled herself from his arms and walked over to her window. It was a beautifully sunny day, and the amount of people picnicking in Alamo Square told her that it was also an unusually warm day. Somehow, seeing all those happy couples sitting in the grass gave Joanna some hope. It wouldn’t be easy to let go of her pride, but she knew that this was the best chance she had at her own happily ever after.
Bonus Book - Mail Order Family
Mail Order Family
A First Love Western Cowboy
Mail Order Romance
By: Bess Hart
Chapter One
Katherine winced as the heavy steel train finally came to a screeching halt at the old wooden station in Idaho. She looked out the window, observing the town and the way the mud splashed up every time a horse or carriage passed through the deep ruts worn into the road.
The people looked tired and dated. The ladies dresses looked drab and painfully simple – a far leap from the sumptuous and delicately crafted gowns Katherine was used to. Fashion had been a love of hers since she was a girl, but had blossomed into a passion when she took a job in her uncle’s dress shop. She cringed remembering the day her mother dropped her off outside the front doors.
“Don’t come crawling back to me when your uncle realizes how worthless you are!” her mother had yelled as she slammed the carriage door. Katherine had been eight years old, covered in filth, hair matted and bare footed. Her aunt had whisked her inside and given her a hot bath as she gently worked the knots out of her hair. That’s when she saw the bruises covering Katherine’s frail body. She remembered straining to hear the hushed voices downstairs when her aunt hurriedly left the room.
“Alfred, we cannot allow her to go back to that woman. I know she’s your sister, but she’s abusive and neglectful,” said her aunt.
“How bad is it?” asked her uncle.
“With time and love, she’ll heal, but it’s bad. I can wash the dirt from her body and the lice from her hair, but it will take a while to get her healthy again. She looks malnourished and beaten,” she’d continued.
Days passed, and then, eventually, years. Katherine never heard from her mother again. The bruises healed, but she still carried the emotional wounds from the painful childhood she had endured. Her aunt and uncle had been wonderful to her; doing everything they could to make her feel safe and loved. Katherine knew they were the only reason she had become a well-adjusted and talented young woman. They never had children of their own so they gave her every opportunity they could.
Her uncle was a renowned London dressmaker, so she rubbed elbows with elite society women. She developed a friendship with the daughter of one of her uncle’s clients, named Laura, and they grew up to be as close as sisters. It was Laura who had partly inspired her to become a mail-order bride. Months prior, she had left to marry her own new husband in Idaho. Katherine knew that being the daughter of a woman with such a foul reputation and a nameless father greatly reduced her chances for a good match. And being the impulsive and adventurous soul that she was, she decided to seize the moment and marry a man out West
instead of waiting for a man back East.
Chapter Two
So now here she was, 14 years later, standing alone on a train platform, unsure of her future. She stood on her tiptoes in an attempt to see over the crowd, while she struggled to maintain her balance as she was jostled around. No one apologized for their rude and callous behavior.
She shoved her way through the bustling crowd and clung to the platform railing, her eyes searching the diminishing crowd for a man with blonde hair, a red bandana and a black cowboy hat named Luke. She had never seen him before, but he had described himself and what he would be wearing in one of their many letters.
Katherine sighed in irritation as she realized there was no one matching that description. If there was one thing she hated, it was tardiness. She tightened her hat’s ribbon as the wind kicked up across the plains. The sky was darkening and the people were starting to scatter under cover.
“This cannot be happening,” Katherine muttered under her breath as she crossed her arms in a huff.
She tapped her heeled, leather boot on the wooden platform and once again looked around. Everything is dirty, the people have no fashion sense and everyone’s manners are coarse at best, she thought to herself. Not to mention her soon-to-be husband was already unreliable. Thunder rumbled over the mountains, and Katherine felt a single raindrop hit her on her upturned nose.
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