“What’s happening here?” Ida asked as she reached for her apron. “Papa’s been whistling all afternoon, and you’ve got a smile that would light up the town.”
“Do I?”
“You do. So fess up. What’s going on?”
Dinah shrugged. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Ida fussed with her apron strings. “I figured you’d be overwhelmed, what with Nellie and Johnsey both being gone.”
Ida glanced out the window at the throng of people passing by. Sure, the train from up North had brought in newcomers. Likely they’d venture into the store before heading on to their final destinations. “What time do you expect Nellie and her mama?”
“Any time now. I’ve got their room ready upstairs. And Johnsey will be in on the afternoon train with his father. I’m looking forward to meeting him in person—I’ve heard so much about him.”
Ida nodded, her gaze shifting toward the stairs. She longed to ask about Mick, but didn’t want to appear anxious. What in the world had Mick said to her father to put such a spring in his step and song in his heart?
“Yes, he’s still here.”
“What?” Ida turned to face her aunt.
“I’m guessing you were thinking of Mick,” Dinah whispered, “and he’s still here for another few days.”
“And then?”
“I’m not sure of his plans, only that he said he will stay through the end of the week. And in the meantime, he’s holding court with someone up there.”
Ida felt her stomach knot up. “Papa?”
“Your father is expected to return any moment,” Dinah explained, “but right now Mick is busy talking to—”
“Excuse me, miss, I wonder if you could point me toward the soda crackers.” An unfamiliar railroad worker interrupted their conversation. Ida led him to the aisle with the soda crackers, wondering about Mick’s visitor.
Papa soon arrived and headed up the stairs. If Ida hadn’t been so busy, she would have been tempted to march up there and find out what was going on.
Nellie and her mother arrived at two-thirty, and were welcomed at once. Dinah ushered them up the stairs, taking the frail woman’s bags and offering encouraging smiles. Nellie looked hopeful and nervous. Ida imagined she was longing for her mother to be well and whole, for this new venture to work.
After getting them settled in, Dinah returned with a shimmer in her eyes. Very rarely did Ida see her aunt cry.
“Is everything all right?” she whispered.
Her aunt turned back with a shrug. “I don’t know how long Nellie will have her mother with her on this earth, is all. And it put me in mind of my mama. And yours.” She brushed away a tear and went back to work. Ida did her best to pay attention to the customers, but Dinah’s words had touched a deep place in her heart, one she hadn’t visited for some time.
She did long for her mother, more than she’d admitted. Somehow it helped to know that Dinah—a spiritual giant in Ida’s eyes—struggled with the same feelings. Together, they would help Nellie through this. Whatever time the dear girl had with her mother would be spent happily.
At quarter till three, a voice at the front door rang out in exaggerated volume, causing everyone in the place to look up in surprise.
“Dinah Mueller.”
Ida looked across the room and noticed Johnsey standing there alongside an older man. Carter, who sat on the floor playing with his marbles, scrambled to his feet and ran to Johnsey, leaping into his arms with joy written all over his face.
“Well, hello there, son.” Johnsey gave him a warm hug then placed the youngster back on the ground. “I’d spend more time saying hello, but I’ve got some business to take care of with your mother.” Johnsey eased his way through the heavy crowd and drew near the register.
“You cut in line, sir,” Dinah said with an embarrassed smile.
“Mmm-hmm.”
“Can I help you?”
“You can. Come on around here to this side of the register.”
She looked at the crowd of people and shook her head. “I have customers to wait on.”
The folks in line all eased their way back, likely curious to see what Johnsey would do next. He strode behind the register and met her face-to-face.
She looked up at him with whimsy in her eyes. “You’re up to something.”
“I am.” He put his hands around her slender waist and lifted her to sit on the heavy glass showcase.
Dinah gasped and her cheeks pinked. “Put me down from here,” she said in a whisper. “What are you doing?”
“Exactly what the Lord placed on my heart to do.” Reaching into his pocket, he took out a ring.
Several in the room began to chuckle and the color in Dinah’s cheeks deepened.
Johnsey cleared his throat to quiet the crowd. “I’m glad you could all join us today,” he announced. “Want to make this news public. All good news should be.” He turned to face Dinah, his voice softening. “You have the best heart of any woman I’ve ever known, and I’m asking you—no, I’m begging you—to share it with me. I promise to take care of it, to the best of my ability. I will love you till the day I die, Dinah.”
Ida swallowed hard at those words, remembering Larson. Just as quickly, she reminded herself that this was a new day, a new opportunity for happiness for Dinah.
“I will care for you and for Carter,” Johnsey added, “if you’ll have me. Will you, Dinah? Will you marry me?”
Dinah threw her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on each of his cheeks, then uttered a resounding, “Yes!”
Johnsey slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her squarely on the lips. The crowd let forth a roar, along with a round of applause.
Carter raced to his mother’s side, jumping up and down. The elderly man who’d entered with Johnsey stood with a smile on his face, watching the scene. Johnsey quickly made the introductions, and everyone was pleased to meet his father at last. Ida found him to be an amiable man, the twinkle in his eye resembling his son’s and his smile nearly as broad as his thick mustache.
Just as the crowd thinned, Ida noticed a group coming down the stairs. Her heart seemed to lodge in her throat. Papa led the way, assisting Mick. Intrigue set in as Reverend Langford’s smiling face appeared after Mick’s. As they moved her way, she heard one thing that stopped her in her tracks.
“Thank you so much for your help, Mr. Mueller.” Mick released his hold on one of the crutches and slipped his hand into Papa’s for a firm shake.
“Well, son.” Mr. Mueller gave him a nod. “How could I turn you down, especially now that the reverend’s on board? If he says this is a good idea, it’s a good idea. Plain and simple.”
Ida’s thoughts whirled ’round in her head. Off to her right, her aunt Dinah stood arm in arm with her new fiancé. To her left, the good reverend offered a hand of congratulations to Mick Bradley for building…a gambling hall?
Could the day possibly get any more peculiar?
Chapter Thirty-Three
Mick did his best to hide a smile as Mr. Mueller crossed the room ahead of him. He sensed Ida’s gaze, but didn’t look her in the eye, afraid he would give away too much. Instead, he turned his attention to Dinah and Johnsey, asking for a private conversation outside. With Reverend Langford, of course.
After curious glances from Ida, the four headed out to the boardwalk, where Mick gave Johnsey a slap on the back, nearly losing a crutch in the process. He congratulated the happy couple on their engagement.
Then he got down to business. If he could talk the soon-to-be newlyweds into working with him, the final piece to the puzzle would be firmly locked into place.
With anticipation building, Mick turned to Dinah and the questions began.
“Whatever are they doing out there?” Ida paced the floor in front of the register.
Nellie, who had come bounding down the stairs at the earlier uproar, shrugged. “I haven’t got a clue, but if Reverend Langford is involved, it can’t be b
ad.”
“I don’t know.” Ida allowed herself a brief glimpse outside. Mick and Johnsey exchanged a firm handshake, and the reverend looked on with a smile. What shenanigans did they have up their sleeves?
Her question was answered in short order, at least in part. They all entered the store and Dinah cleared her throat, garnering the attention of everyone present.
“We’re going to close up shop for a few minutes.”
“Excuse me?” Ida gave her a curious look. “In the middle of the day?”
Johnsey nodded. “It’s all right. We will return soon. Ida, will you come with us?”
Ida looked back and forth between Mick—whose eyes twinkled merrily—and Dinah, who maintained a straight face. None of this made any sense at all.
Tagging along behind them, Ida made her way out to the boardwalk, half the town of Spring Creek now following. Her heart thumped in anticipation as Mick made his way toward the empty lot.
Sure enough, they stopped directly in front of his property, and he turned to her with a smile on his face. Her heart melted at once, even before he spoke a word.
Mick signaled for her to join him at the front of the crowd. He gently took her hand and gave her a wink. “You’re probably wondering what all of this is about.”
“I am.”
“Well, I don’t blame you. But let me put any fears to rest. I am not now—nor ever, for that matter—building a gambling hall.”
A wave of relief flooded Ida’s soul. She nodded, doing her best not to cry at the news.
“I wanted to tell you yesterday, but didn’t have the chance. I’ve had an idea brewing for a few days now, one I think—I hope—you will approve of.”
“What sort of idea?”
“Let me ask you a question first. What do you think of when you hear the words German sausage sauerkraut balls?”
“My kitchen? The workers I feed every day?” Ida said.
He nodded. “And when you hear the words Wiener schnitzel?”
Ida couldn’t help but smile as she responded. “Something I’m known for around these parts?”
“Yes, you are known for your cooking,” he said. “And I knew from the minute I tasted your food that you needed your own place to cook for others.”
She stared at the property, absorbing his meaning. “Are you saying…?”
“I’m saying that you’re looking at the property for Ida’s, the newest restaurant in town, one that’s going to rival The Harvey House and any other place that dares to call itself an eating establishment. One that—with all of us pitching in—will turn a nice profit.”
A boyish grin spread across his face. “This will be a place the locals and railroad men alike can call their own. What do you think about that, Miss Mueller?”
Ida felt her cheeks warm as she turned to face him with a smile. “Are you serious, Mick? Because if you’re teasing me…”
“I can assure you, he is quite serious,” Reverend Langford interrupted. “This is a man who refuses to put his boots in the oven.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“He’s trying to say that I was never meant to be a gambling-hall owner,” Mick said. “And that I’m not the man I used to be.” As if to prove the point, Mick pointed to his feet. Ida stared at the worn cowboy boots.
“Where in the world did you get those?” she whispered.
“Reverend Langford brought them over. Told me to try ’em on for size. To plant my feet in Texas soil and stay put. So I think I’ll do just that.”
“A new man needs a new pair of boots,” the reverend added, giving Mick a slap on the back.
Mick turned to face Ida and her heart quickened. “There’s not a thing about me that’s the same,” he explained. “I can tell you more about that later, but you’ve got to trust me when I say that I’ve crossed over into the Promised Land, and I want you right there with me, by my side.” After staring into her eyes for a few seconds, he added, “What do you say?”
“I’m overcome.” She shifted her gaze, afraid the tears would come. “The restaurant is a marvelous idea, and I’m so grateful, but…”
“But?”
“But what about the mercantile? Who’s going to help Dinah?”
“As quick as she’ll marry me, I’ll be there,” Johnsey said.
“I’ll do whatever you need,” Sophie called from the back of the crowd. The sight of her best friend overwhelmed Ida as she thought of their recent conversation.
“I’ll go on helping, too,” Nellie added. “At the mercantile or the restaurant.”
“Don’t fret, Ida,” Dinah encouraged with a smile. “Chase after your dream.”
“My dream?” Ida looked at the burned-out lot for a few seconds. She’d always been most comfortable in the kitchen, but how had Mick known? He’d rarely seen her in that role, after all. Did he know her heart even better than she did?
She turned back to him. “I can’t do something of this magnitude on my own,” she whispered.
He pulled her close. “Exactly. Which is why I’m going to manage the restaurant. I’m going to walk right next to you every step of the way.”
“You are?”
“Sure. I’ve had a few years of experience. In a different field, of course, but still.”
The gathered crowd laughed. She looked up into his eyes—warm, loving eyes. Eyes that convinced her this was a man to be trusted. A man who refused to put his boots—new or otherwise—in the oven. Whatever that meant.
Another familiar voice rang out from the back of the crowd. “What’s all this I hear about a new restaurant?”
Myrtle Mae.
The older woman pushed her way to the front of the group, and Ida smiled as she noticed her father also standing nearby.
“There you are, girl. Come here and give me a hug,” Myrtle Mae said.
After a slight chuckle, Mick released his hold on Ida and she eased her way in Myrtle Mae’s direction.
“Now, here’s what we’re going to do.” Myrtle Mae looked at the lot with a wrinkled brow. “Do you think you can handle the breakfast crowd by yourself?”
“With a little help from Nellie, maybe.”
“Good girl.” Myrtle Mae’s voice was all business. “Then I’ll take care of the lumber-mill workers until noon. After that I’ll come to town to help you. Together we’ll whip out some of the best meals folks around these-here parts have ever tasted.”
“Are you sure?” Ida could scarcely believe it. To have Myrtle Mae working for her would be an answer to prayer. “But what about your job at The Harvey House? And what about you, Papa? Won’t you need her at home?”
“I will come to town for my evening meals,” he said. “That way I’ll get the best of both worlds.”
“And don’t let me hear you mentioning The Harvey House again,” Myrtle Mae said with a scolding look on her face. “They’re our competition now.” Ida grinned at Myrtle Mae and thanked her with all her heart.
Ida made her way back to Mick and he wrapped his arms around her, pressing gentle kisses into her hair. She felt him take a deep breath.
“Will you be mine, Ida? Will you take me, broken as I am?”
Ida’s heart swelled with joy and she reached up, touching his cheek, whispering, “Broken no more.”
Epilogue
Mick paced the aisle of the church, ready to get the day’s events under way. He looked over the congregation, smiling at those who’d come out to offer their support—again. The past couple of months, the townspeople had rushed to help build the new restaurant, offering support of every kind.
He couldn’t help but smile as he thought about how happy his bride-to-be looked each morning as she prepared breakfast. How she smiled as folks complimented her favorite dishes. What a success the place had become, and how they’d celebrated together when Mick was able to send his investors their payment in full.
Yes, the good people of Spring Creek were certainly more than friends. They were his staunchest supporters, his
prayer partners and his family.
Most of them, anyway. To date, the sheriff hadn’t been able to get the necessary witnesses to come forward regarding Mick’s attack, but Mick had reconciled himself to that fact. As Ida so often said, “Justice is in the hands of the Lord.” He’d wanted to take it into his own hands a time or two, but the Almighty had somehow given him peace in the middle of that storm.
“What do you suppose is taking so long?” he asked the reverend.
His good friend let out a laugh, one that echoed across the crowded room. “Taking so long?” He slapped Mick on the back. “I’ve performed over thirty weddings and they always run late, even with only one bride involved. But three?” He pulled out his pocket watch and took a look. “I’d say we’re doing well if we get this shindig started by one o’clock.”
Mick let out a groan. This was supposed to be a noon affair, with a huge meal following. If they didn’t get things started—and soon—the flowers would be wilted and the food ruined.
He turned to the two other grooms. From what Mick could tell, Dirk appeared the most anxious. He occasionally pulled out his watch for a cursory glance, but most of his time was spent staring at the double doors in anticipation.
Johnsey remained calm, greeting guests and making small talk. As the minutes ticked by, he eventually made his way up the aisle to the front of the church, where he took a seat next to his father and Emma Gertsch. Interesting, how the two had been spending so much time together.
No, Mick wouldn’t think about anyone else’s love life today but his own.
And Johnsey’s.
And Dirk’s.
Now, if they could just locate their brides, they’d have a wedding—one the folks in Spring Creek, Texas, wouldn’t soon forget.
“Are you almost ready?”
Ida looked up as she heard Sophie’s voice. “Nearly. I’m just trying to get these wayward hairs tucked away.” She fidgeted with her up-do, adjusted her veil and pinched her cheeks to give them a rosy appearance. Turning back to her friend, she asked, “How do I look? And be perfectly honest.”
Spring Creek Bride Page 18
