She ignored his question. “I won’t be abandoning you entirely. I’ll send some additional books and articles to help you all sharpen your sign-language skills. And there are people who can help her learn to read lips—I can help you locate and hire someone when she’s ready.”
Janell took a deep breath and pulled out her brightest smile. “I’m certain that with Cassie Lynn’s help, you all will make a cozy family in no time at all.”
She moved forward. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to town. I’d like to change before I meet Lizzie for dinner.” She had to get away from here before she broke down. It wouldn’t do for him to see her cry.
But he reached out and grabbed her upper arm in a gentle but firm grasp. “Cassie Lynn and I aren’t getting married. And I asked you a question.”
Not getting married? “But I don’t understand. Cassie Lynn is perfect. She met all of your requirements, the children like her and she seemed more than willing. Don’t tell me she backed out.”
“It was a mutual agreement. She starts work at Daisy’s restaurant right after Christmas.” His gaze was curiously intense. “Now tell me, why are you really leaving?”
Mutual agreement. Did that mean he had given up on the idea of a marriage of convenience? That thought gave her some small measure of courage. It was now or never. And she really had nothing to lose.
She straightened and looked directly into his eyes. “I was planning to leave because I couldn’t bear to see you married to someone else. Because I realized I’d turned away my chance to marry the man I love, not once but three times, and I didn’t think I could bear to see the proof of that on the streets of town and in my classroom every day for the rest of my life.”
The look in his eyes fed that small spark of hope inside her. And she knew what she had to do.
“But perhaps I’m doing it again, making assumptions that I shouldn’t. So, just to be sure you know where I stand, it’s my turn to step out on the limb and allow myself to be vulnerable.” She placed the back of her hand on his cheek, stroking it, enjoying the rough texture of the afternoon stubble growing there.
The sight of the vein that throbbed at the corner of his mouth emboldened her.
“Hank Chandler, you are dearer to me than my own breath. Seeing you smile brightens my day and being in your company does funny things to my pulse. You can be single-minded, pushy and downright stubborn, but you are the most honorable man I know and when I’m with you I always feel safe and cherished. In other words, I love you. Would you do me the very great honor of agreeing to marry me?”
There, she’d done it. She’d never felt more vulnerable in her life. For the first time she truly understood what her refusals had done to him. She wouldn’t blame him if he repaid her in kind by turning her down, but oh, how she prayed he said yes.
But as the silence drew out, her spirits flagged.
* * *
Hank stood there, stunned. No one had ever said such beautiful things to him and about him—could she really mean it all?
She’d actually proposed to him. She’d taken the unorthodox step of doing the proposing—something that had required courage.
But her willingness to take action when called for, her spirit and courage, and her occasional shy vulnerability endeared her to him the most.
Seeing the wavering confidence in her eyes, he realized he hadn’t answered her yet. He immediately snatched the hand that had caressed his cheek with such aching tenderness and brought it to his lips.
“Nothing would make me happier than marrying you.”
With a near sob of relief, Janell launched herself into his arms and gave him a kiss that he returned with equal fervor.
Sometime later, when they reluctantly parted, Hank gently drew her to sit beside him on the edge of the mill floor. She leaned her head against his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
A sense of rightness filled him, warmed him as nothing ever had before. How had he ever believed he would be happy with a businesslike arrangement? A marriage was meant to be a special kind of partnership, a true merging of lives, where each partner made the other feel whole and fulfilled.
That was the kind of life he and Janell would share; he could feel it with a certainty that settled deep within his heart.
And as he kissed the top of her head, he realized with a smile that he’d actually managed to achieve his goal—he’d found a wife by Christmas.
Epilogue
“Come on, Alex. We’re going to be late.”
Chloe’s complaint brought a smile to Janell’s lips. The girl was more verbal now than she’d been before, and she’d even begun to boss her brother around a bit.
The children’s Christmas pageant had just ended and Chloe looked beautiful in her angel costume. The program had gone off without a hitch, other than the Davis boy tripping when he walked on stage. Chloe had even managed, with Lily’s help, to get on and off stage on cue.
Alex had seemed quite happy to be part of the choir, and now he and Jack Barr were having sword fights with the shepherd’s staffs. Thus Chloe’s complaint.
But Hank, her handsome soon-to-be husband, stepped in, signing as he spoke. “Chloe, there’s plenty of time.” Then he stepped between Alex and Jack. “Boys, we do not have sword fights in church.”
“Can we go now?” Chloe asked.
By this time, Lizzie had made her way up from the audience, Olivia perched on her hip. “You were all wonderful,” she exclaimed, waving her free hand. “I do declare this is the best Christmas pageant ever seen.”
Janell appreciated her sister’s enthusiasm, especially given she’d sat through a performance she couldn’t hear.
Wilfred appeared from the crowd, carrying Elliott. “Wonderful performance, everyone.”
The mayor took the stage just then, thanking the children for their performance and reminding everyone that there were only a few minutes left to cast votes for the best decorated shop window.
What had the children excited, however, was the fact that cookies and cocoa were being passed around outside while the votes were being counted.
At last Hank gave Chloe and Alex the go-ahead to run outside with the other children. Lizzie and her family, prompted by Elliott, were right behind them.
Hank put an arm around Janell’s shoulders as they followed more slowly. She never tired of his protective touch.
She still couldn’t believe they would soon be man and wife. And that she would be mother to those two special children. What better present could a woman hope for?
When they stepped out into the churchyard, there were people everywhere. The children were all still in costume and Janell could see two wise men and a shepherd playing tag. There was a large crowd by the refreshment table, so Janell and Hank hung back a moment longer.
For the first time this felt truly like her town. She was no longer living a lie, no longer holding herself apart. On this Christmas Eve, Janell was ready to experience what life had to offer her—both the good and the bad. Because with Hank by her side, she could face anything.
Hank shifted, standing behind her, his arms around her waist. “A penny for your thoughts,” he whispered into her hair.
“I was just thinking that I can’t regret anything that’s happened in my life, because all of it led to this moment, to you. And there’s no place I’d rather be than in your arms.”
She heard his quick intake of breath, felt his arms tighten around her. “I love you. And it’s a good thing we’re getting married in three days’ time because any longer would be the end of me.”
She took his hand, tugging him around to her side. “Then it’s a good thing indeed.” And standing on tiptoe, she planted a kiss on his cheek, right there in front of the ladies’ auxiliary refreshment table.
* *
* * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from A CONVENIENT CHRISTMAS BRIDE by Rhonda Gibson.
Dear Reader,
I hope you’ve enjoyed Janell and Hank’s story. Janell first showed up as part of the Turnabout community in the very first Texas Grooms book, Handpicked Husband, and she’s appeared in most of the books since. So I was very excited to finally be able to give her a book of her own. Hank, however, was much less visible in previous books, though he’s lived in Turnabout all his life.
Although the story opens with Hank’s life being turned upside down, this was really Janell’s story—she’s a woman who appeared to be content on the surface but who secretly had a lot of baggage from her past weighing her down. Before Janell could grasp the happily-ever-after she so desperately wanted, she had to find the strength to recognize and separate the lies from the truth in her past.
If you enjoyed this book, I hope you’ll look for the next in the series, which will feature the town’s flamboyant dressmaker, Hazel Andrews, and the town’s sheriff, Ward Gleason.
For more information on this and other books set in Turnabout, please visit my website at winniegriggs.com or follow me on facebook at facebook.com/WinnieGriggs.Author.
And as always, I love to hear from readers. Feel free to contact me at [email protected] with your thoughts on this or any other of my books.
Wishing you a life abounding with love and grace.
Winnie Griggs
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A Convenient Christmas Bride
by Rhonda Gibson
Chapter One
Granite, Texas
October 1887
Sheriff Josiah Miller peered out his cabin window into the darkness, searching for a plausible explanation for the uneasiness shivering down his spine. What had set off the warning bells in his body?
His twin daughters snuggled deeply under their covers, sleeping soundly on this cold winter’s night, and for that he was thankful. No worries on that front because he’d just checked on them. So what accounted for the dull disquiet that had him pacing the floor, looking out the window every few seconds?
They were in the midst of a fierce snowstorm and it was only October. Maybe that’s what had him skittish as an unbroken mare. Signs pointed to a harsh winter. He dreaded it. Lonely nights out in the cold could work on a man’s mind. He shrugged his shoulders in mock resignation.
Dratted snow! He blamed the white stuff for his dismal thoughts.
Josiah stopped pacing midstride and slowly turned back to the window. Snow swirled about, creating almost zero visibility. In spite of the fire that burned in the fireplace, he shivered, not only from the cold pressing against the glass but from the banshee-like wails of the wind.
On nights like this he missed Mary the most. If she were alive, Mary would be humming and the aroma of fresh baked bread would draw him to the kitchen. How often he’d slipped up behind her, slid his arms around her waist, kissing her, tickling her, till she cut him a slice. She’d scold him for his impatience, but always with a twinkle in her eyes that belied her words. She knew how to make a home cozy and warm; a place where he longed to be. Now, when it was too late, Josiah realized how much he missed her and the home they’d shared.
Perhaps he should begin looking for a wife so that his twin daughters wouldn’t have to grow up motherless. Raising them alone was hard. Finding a babysitter even harder. They needed a mother’s love and he needed help.
Shadowy movement beside the barn caught his attention. Josiah focused intently on the area. There. Right at the front edge by the door something moved again. His eyes weren’t deceiving him. What in the world could that be?
He cupped his hands around his face and pressed his nose against the cold windowpane. His breath fogged up the glass. Josiah wiped away the condensation. Could it be an animal? Had his horse gotten out of the barn into the snow and cold? Josiah grunted, tempted to leave the beast to his own devices, but he wasn’t a coldhearted man and knew it was a disgruntled thought he’d never act upon. A lawman’s horse was as important to him as his right arm.
At the door, he eased his warm feet out of his slippers and into heavy boots. He pulled his fur jacket off the coatrack, thrust his arms inside and then put on gloves. Pulling his hat down tight on his head and wrapping a long woolen scarf around his face, Josiah stepped out into the freezing, swirling snowstorm.
Gripping the rope he’d tied from the rail of the porch to the barn door, Josiah gave a little tug. It held fast. That was reassuring. Some men got lost in a storm like this and died feet away from their barn or house. Josiah had no intentions of dying like that.
After he’d inched away from the house, he glanced over his shoulder. He could barely see the light from his front window. His chest bumped into something and he turned back around. “Well, I’ll be.”
A small mule waited patiently, head down, nose almost touching the snow. “So it was you instead of my faithful horse that I saw out here.” Josiah reached out and touched her nose. Warm air filled his glove. “Poor thing, must be half frozen,” he muttered.
A soft thud sounded beside the animal as its rider fell into the snow. Josiah eased around the mule to see who it had been carrying. Yards of dark fabric covered the woman’s legs. A scarf much like his own covered her face. He reached down and lifted her out of the snow.
The woman sagged against his chest. In a weak voice that sounded low and scratchy she moaned, “Please, take care of my mule.”
He couldn’t make out her face, but her voice sounded familiar. Her wet dress, slightly frozen in places, pressed against his coat and he felt no warmth from her whatsoever. Big brown eyes beseeched him, glazed with what he could only assume was a fever. “Now don’t you go fretting, ma’am. I’m not one to leave an animal out in this storm.”
Josiah looked to the mule. He could take care of only one of them at a time. “Sorry, lil’ feller. I’ll be back as soon as I get your mistress settled.” He weighed his options for a few moments, then decided there was nothing for it but to place the woman over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He had to have a hand free to hold on to the line and be guided back to the house. Expecting a fight, he immediately knew her condition to be serious when she only groaned slightly. He grabbed the rope in his gloved hand and headed back to the house.
His thoughts bumped together as he worked to get there. What a night for being out in this weather. Where had she been going? And why couldn’t it have waited until after the storm. The woman slumped limply against him as she lost consciousness.
Out of breath from his battle through the snowdrifts, bearing the slight weight of the woman, Josiah gave a sigh of relief to find the bottom step of the porch. He pulled her closer to his chest and carried her the rest of the way to the front door.
Wet clothes added weight to her body. In the light from his window he could see that her hood had fallen back and brown hair spilled out over the fabric. Deep brown eyes fluttered open for a brief moment, causing Josiah to gasp as recognition gripped him.
“Anna Mae?”
“Josiah.” His name whispered across her lips as she slipped back into unconsciousness.
His name, spoken in
a weak and tremulous whisper, was the sweetest sound he’d heard in a long time. As long as she could speak, he had a chance to save her. His heart leaped in his chest with fear as her breathing became raspy. Josiah pushed the door open and carried her to the couch. He laid her down gently. Now what was he going to do?
“I suppose I should get that wet cloak off of you. I’m sure you’ll feel much better once that is removed.” Whiskers scratched his palm as he rubbed his jaw.
Carefully, he shifted Anna Mae up and about until he was able to remove the heavy, wet cloak. He lowered her. Brown hair that he’d only seen up in a bun now cascaded about her shoulders in a soft curtain of silk.
Anna Mae Leland was the town’s schoolteacher and a good friend of his sister-in-law, Emily Jane Barns. What had she been doing out in this weather? He’d known her only a few months but Josiah believed her to be a sensible woman. So why was she traveling in a blizzard? And where had she been going?
He walked to the door and looked out at the shadow of the mule. His gaze moved back to Anna Mae. Both of them needed immediate care, both needed warmth.
Josiah tossed more wood on the fire and then went into the bedroom where his girls slept. He pulled blankets from the chest at the foot of the bed and carried them back to her. Should he try to make her more comfortable by getting her into dry clothes? Or leave her in the wet dress? The thought came that she needed another woman, not him. He tucked her tightly within the blankets.
Unsure what to do for her next, Josiah decided to take care of the mule. He opened the door and stepped out into the raging blizzard. He’d been in enough storms in his lifetime to know that this one was going to be long and hard.
His gaze moved back to the window, which offered light and comfort. What on earth was he going to do about the woman resting on his couch?
* * *
For the first time since her arrival at the farm, Anna Mae sat at the kitchen table with the Miller family. It had been all she could do to walk the short distance from the bedroom where she’d been for over a week.
The Holiday Courtship Page 24
