“Nothing,” Cletus said sharply. He didn’t want Timothy getting any ideas.
“Why don’t you go see Minnie, and we’ll stay here and get lunch all prepared for you. When you get back, we can all eat together. How about that?” Katie suggested. She crossed her fingers behind her back, hoping Cletus would go along with her plan.
Cletus nodded slowly. He didn’t know what the girls were up to, but whatever it was, he was sure he’d be able to handle it. He exited through the front doors so he could visit the mayor’s office.
Timothy felt embarrassed to be left alone with the two young girls. They were sweet, but he had always been shy and awkward among the fairer sex. He also was appreciative that Cletus trusted him so much that he was comfortable allowing the girls to stay in the office while Timothy was there. He knew plenty of fathers who wouldn’t have trusted their male employees to act professionally.
“We wanted to talk to you,” Katie began.
Timothy was shocked. “To me? About what?”
Hattie and Katie shared a smile. “About our sister, Minnie!” they said in chorus.
Timothy’s heart beat a little faster. “What about her?”
“She hasn’t been very lucky in the romance department lately,” Katie explained.
“That doesn’t make sense. I saw three different men come in to this very office and ask Cletus if they had his permission to court her!” Timothy said. He was confused by what the girls were trying to say.
“Yes, that’s true. But none of them were her true love!” Katie smiled.
“Minnie only went out with two of the three men who asked her on a date. Abner doesn’t count.” Hattie tried to make sure Timothy understood what they were saying. “And her dates with Troy and John David were awful.”
“Why are you telling me all this?” Timothy did not consider himself to be very knowledgeable when it came to women. If they were expecting him to give them some advice, they were out of luck.
Katie looked at Hattie nervously. She was a little unsure if she was doing the right thing, but she remembered how sad Minnie had looked at dinner the night before. “Because she’s in love with another man.”
Timothy had about had it. “There’s another man involved?”
“Yes. It’s you,” Katie replied. For a man who Cletus claimed was quite intelligent, he seemed a little behind when it came to matters of the heart.
“Oh.” Timothy stood up and began pacing. “Me?”
“Yes,” Hattie agreed. “The question is—what are you going to do about it?”
Chapter 9
Timothy, you made three errors in this document. I’ve never seen you make a mistake once before.” Cletus held up a stack of papers and held them out to Timothy.
Timothy stood up from his desk and collected the papers from Cletus. He felt embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Cletus. Won’t let it happen again.”
Cletus examined the younger man’s expression. “Where’s your head at, boy? You’ve seemed a little off all week.”
Timothy looked at the floor. He knew he had been acting strangely ever since Minnie’s sisters, Katie and Hattie, had paid him a visit. He wanted desperately to ask Cletus for permission to court Minnie. However, the man had lectured him time and time again on the virtue of not mixing business and family.
Timothy knew if he pursued Minnie Sanders, he could say goodbye to his job with Cletus. He wasn’t ready to leave his position. He was learning so much and really felt he was doing good work for the people of Nowhere. He also didn’t know how he would break it to his family that he’d lost this opportunity. His parents had been so proud when they learned that he’d be working for a town judge.
Still, he couldn’t get Minnie off his mind. She was all he could think about, at all hours of the day. He constantly imagined what it would be like to see her again. He couldn’t get her hair, her nose, or her delicate floral scent out of his mind. Working with Cletus was practically unbearable.
He had deliberated long and hard the previous evening. He knew that he couldn’t live without Minnie. If it came right down to it, a job with Cletus or a life and family with Minnie, his choice was clear.
There was, however, the problem of how to break this news to Cletus. He was an intimidating figure, not just for his intellect, but also his fierce protection of his family. Timothy was worried that Cletus wouldn’t think he was good enough for his daughter, although he hoped that Cletus would allow Minnie to decide for herself, as Cletus had with the other young men who’d asked his permission to court her.
Timothy frowned. There were so many things that could go wrong. First, Cletus might deny him permission to even ask Minnie out. Second, Cletus could fire him simply for asking. Third, assuming he did get permission from Cletus to ask Minnie on a date, Minnie had to actually agree to a date.
And finally, even if they went on a date, Minnie had to feel the same way about him that he felt about her. When he started to think about it, his plan seemed nearly impossible. What had he been thinking, listening to Katie and Hattie? They were two young girls. What did they know about love?
Cletus cleared his throat, and Timothy realized he was still standing in front of the man, papers in hand, frozen. “I’m sorry, sir.” Timothy walked back to his desk and sat down.
All afternoon, Timothy tried to find the courage to ask Cletus for his permission to ask Minnie on a date. But each time he prepared himself and started to ask, Cletus asked him to work on a document, and he would lose his nerve while he finished the task.
Finally, at the end of the day, as Cletus was preparing to leave the office, Timothy blurted out what he’d been trying to say all day. “I want to ask your permission to date your daughter, sir.” He was so anxious that the words came out in a rushed jumble.
Cletus put his hand to his ear. “You’ll have to speak up, son. And slow down. What did you just say?”
Timothy took a deep breath and thought about what he wanted to say. “Sir, you know I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. You’ve taken me in, taught me more than I’ve learned from anyone, even schoolteachers.”
“I don’t like the sound of this.” Cletus put his hands on his hips. “It sounds to me like you’re going to quit on me.”
“Please, hear me out.” Timothy stood up and walked over to Cletus. “I know you don’t believe in mixing business and family. I respect that, and I’ve tried to live by that. But I have fallen in love with your daughter, Minnie. I’d really like your permission to ask her on a date.”
Cletus shook his head. “I was afraid this would happen.”
Timothy was confused. “Excuse me?”
Cletus’s eyes shone with silent laughter. “Every time an eligible young man comes to town, he ends up falling for one of my daughters. It’s as regular as clockwork.”
“Are you . . . you’re not angry, sir?” Timothy asked cautiously.
Cletus shook his head. “I still believe a man shouldn’t mix business and family, Timothy. If I’ve taught you anything, I hope I’ve taught you that.”
Timothy sighed. “You’re going to fire me, aren’t you?”
Cletus chuckled. “No, Timothy, I’m not. You’re a good man, hardworking, intelligent, and kind. I’d like to keep you on. But yes, I’ll give you permission to ask Minnie for a date. On one condition.”
“What’s that, sir?” Timothy was nervous. Cletus could be awfully unpredictable at times.
“If you ever hurt her, not only will you not have a job, son, but I’ll hunt you down and make sure you regret the day you first set foot in this town,” Cletus said solemnly.
Timothy gulped. “Yes, sir.” He knew Cletus’s speech likely didn’t matter. Minnie was probably going to reject his advances, and he’d be back to being the new man in town, single and lonely.
“Well, son, what are you waiting for?” Cletus grinned. It wasn’t the way he would have planned it, but he had a good feeling about Timothy and Minnie. Timothy was just the type of upstandin
g young gentleman Cletus thought each and every one of his daughters deserved to marry.
Timothy blinked. “Excuse me, sir?”
“You’ve got a young woman to ask on a date. Go on, now!” Cletus shooed Timothy out of the office.
Timothy blushed and smiled. “Thank you, sir. I can’t thank you enough.”
“Thanks aren’t needed. But you’d better go on ahead, now, because if you wait too long, another young man might come in here, wanting to propose!” Cletus roared with laughter, and Timothy decided to heed his advice.
Timothy rode his horse to the small house he rented in Nowhere and started to come up with a plan. Though every single part of him wanted to go immediately to the Sanders’s house to ask Minnie out that very evening, he stopped himself from doing so. He wanted to make sure his first impression on Minnie as a potential suitor was perfect.
The following morning, Timothy was at work earlier than usual so he would be able to leave early. When Cletus came in, he looked a bit cross.
“Good morning!” Timothy called.
“Hmph. Good morning! What happened to you last evening? I thought you were going to come to the house and ask Minnie to go on a date with you,” Cletus said.
“Oh, I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t realize you thought that. I went home so I could plan out the perfect way to ask her. If you don’t mind, I came in early to get all my work done so I can leave a bit early today,” Timothy rushed to explain.
“That’s all well and good, but I had to go through another night of my daughter acting miserable because she doesn’t think she’ll ever get married,” Cletus grumbled.
“Hopefully, she’ll be happier by tonight,” Timothy said with a worried frown.
“There’s the spirit,” Cletus said cheerily, not even noticing Timothy’s expression. For the rest of the morning, Timothy and Cletus worked together. The older man was in good spirits, all things considered. A little after lunchtime, Timothy asked Cletus to be excused.
“Of course, son. As long as you don’t take another night planning. You don’t get to court a young woman by planning. You get to court a young woman by action,” Cletus explained.
Timothy nodded. “Yes, sir.” Timothy collected his things and prepared to leave the town judge’s quarters. “Oh, and Cletus, I have one more thing to ask you.”
Cletus sighed. “What on Earth could you possibly need?”
“Can you make sure Minnie doesn’t ride home with you this afternoon? I’d like to surprise her on her walk home,” Timothy explained.
“That’s fine with me, son.” Cletus shook his head as he watched Timothy walk out of the office. Timothy was an incredibly bright young man. Cletus even hoped one day he might take over as town judge. But Timothy could certainly stand to work on building his confidence.
Timothy untied his horse from a post on Main Street and climbed into the saddle. He flicked the reins to set off toward the mercantile. It was a quick ride, and Timothy hopped off and tied his horse up outside the store.
“Good morning!” said Minnie’s sister Ruby, whose husband, Lewis, ran the mercantile. Ruby recognized Timothy from church but couldn’t quite remember his name.
“Excuse me, are you one of Minnie Sanders’s sisters?” Timothy asked.
Ruby looked surprised. “Yes, I am. Why do you ask?”
“I’m working on a little surprise . . .” Timothy began.
After Timothy explained his plan, Ruby smiled. “I’m happy to help you. Oh, I’m just so excited!” Once Ruby had helped Timothy get everything he needed from the mercantile, she pointed him in the right direction for his next stop.
At Penny and Tom’s ranch just outside of Bagley, Timothy walked up to the large main house and knocked timidly.
Penny opened the door and stared at him, holding a baby in her arms, with another small boy at her feet. “Hi, Mr. Parker. What a surprise to see you here. Would you like to come in?”
Timothy felt awful for showing up unannounced and uninvited. Then he realized he should take Cletus’s advice and get on with it so Penny would understand why he had come here to see her.
Timothy explained what he was trying to do, and Penny’s eyes filled with tears. “That’s one of the sweetest things I’ve ever heard, Mr. Parker.”
“Call me Timothy.”
“I have just the thing for you, Timothy. I’ll be right back.” Without missing a beat, Penny bounced the baby onto her hip and headed into another part of the large, beautiful home. The other little boy trailed behind her, sucking his thumb. Timothy had seen several older boys, nearly men, working on various projects when he’d ridden up to the ranch. But Penny looked young, not much older than Minnie. Surely, these children couldn’t all be hers, could they?
Timothy found himself wondering about what his and Minnie’s children might look like. He hoped they’d get her beautiful, sunny smile and kind personality. He had always pictured having four or five children, but who knew what Minnie wanted? Maybe coming from a big family made her want to have several children, too.
Timothy frowned. He was getting ahead of himself. There was no guarantee Minnie would even go on a date with him, much less marry him! He looked around Penny and Tom’s home. It was huge, and each room was furnished handsomely. Timothy also realized that if Minnie did want to be with him, he’d have to find alternative living arrangements. His rental house was perfect for one person, but it would be too small for a couple. And even though he knew Minnie wasn’t overly particular, he knew she was accustomed to a certain kind of lifestyle. He would make sure he provided that lifestyle for her no matter what.
Penny came back downstairs, now carrying the baby, the small boy, and a long, thin box. Timothy stood up and took the box from her. “Let me help you with that.”
Penny grinned. “She’ll love this, I’m sure of it. I had been saving that for one of the younger girls, but this is perfect!” Penny was almost as excited as Timothy seemed.
“Thank you so much, Penny!” Timothy took the long box from her and waved goodbye to Penny and her sons. As he left the ranch, he also called out a farewell to the young men working outside.
Next, Timothy hurried back to his rental house. After he had tied up his horse, he raced up the stairs and changed into his finest suit. He adjusted his tie in the mirror, wanting to look his best. In a way, he felt like this was one of the most important days of his life.
After Timothy was satisfied with his appearance, he went back outside, climbed back onto his horse, and set off for a spot just outside of town where he knew he’d run into Minnie. He had seen her take this route several times on her way to and from work.
Timothy dismounted his horse and prepared for Minnie’s approach. He couldn’t wait to see her.
Meanwhile, Minnie was packing up her things, about to leave the mayor’s office for the evening. She had been better able to focus on her responsibilities that afternoon, and she was pleased she was making progress. If she couldn’t have the happily ever after she had dreamed about, maybe she could have a career that she would be proud of. Mayor Winstead and Agatha seemed to appreciate her work.
Minnie locked the door and set off toward Cletus’s office. He had been giving her rides to and from work, which she appreciated. It wasn’t as thrilling as riding in John David’s automobile, but John David had had his chance. She preferred the stability of Cletus’s covered wagon to any ride with someone like John David.
There had been a few times Minnie had daydreamed about climbing onto horseback with Timothy Parker, as she had almost done on her first day of work when she had been late. But she knew Cletus still disapproved. Plus, there was no way Timothy would be interested in a girl like her. She had dropped as many hints as she could, and the man wasn’t budging.
Minnie hoped she would at least see him when she stopped by Cletus’s office, but to her surprise, the judge’s quarters were locked. No one was in sight, and there was a piece of paper trapped under the door. Minnie picked it up and read it.
In Cletus’s handwriting, it said, “Left early. You’ll have to walk home.”
Minnie sighed. It was a long walk back to the Sanders’s house, and she wasn’t looking forward to it in the heat spell that had lingered in Nowhere for the past several weeks. It was normally hot, but this was something else entirely.
Minnie set out toward her family’s home, walking slowly to keep from overheating. She fanned herself with the piece of paper from Cletus she had taken from underneath the door. She wondered why Cletus had gone home early. She hoped he wasn’t ill.
Minnie thought her eyes were playing tricks on her when she first saw a man in a suit standing next to a horse in the middle of her path to the Sanders’s house. As she got closer, she realized it was Timothy!
Timothy swallowed nervously as Minnie approached. He hoped against hope that she would consider going on a date with him. He had so much more that he wanted to ask her, but he felt that was an important place to start.
Minnie had never seen Timothy looking so handsome. He wore a crisp black suit with a beautiful blue silk tie. His eyes were gleaming, and he held a gorgeous bouquet of flowers in his hand. He also carried a long, thin box. Minnie looked at it curiously as she got closer. A dashing Timothy made her heart beat faster than ever.
“Hello, Minnie,” Timothy began. “These are for you.” He handed her the floral arrangement.
Minnie inhaled a deep breath as she accepted the flowers. “They’re absolutely perfect. Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. I have a very important question to ask you,” Timothy told Minnie. “But first, these are for you, too.”
Timothy handed Minnie the long, thin box. Minnie opened the box and pulled out a pair of white silk gloves. Minnie ran a hand along the soft material. “Oh, my. They’re exquisite! Thank you!”
“You’re welcome. Your sister Penny helped me with that. She made them. I wanted to give you a present that would be something nice you could wear on a date,” Timothy said boldly.
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