"I was an infant and don't remember it," Amelia replied with another wave of her hand. "Now, we need to talk about their current plan. It's fine that Kiowa offered you jobs. What else did they say you’ll get?"
"Housing, now in this apartment, and individual places once they are fixed up. That includes the blacksmith, above the barbershop and the mercantile, Boyle’s house, the extra hotel apartment, and uh, the dress shop apartment after two of you Brenner women move out,” Barton stumbled over the final words.
“We just moved in last month, and we like it!” Maisie, the youngest Brenner exclaimed.
"The idea is that two of us will move out to new homes when we marry," Maggie explained to her sister.
"Oh. But I really want to stay in the apartment if I can," Maisie added.
"We've talked this over and agree this 'plan' might be a good thing for us too," Amelia told the men.
"One of you will marry me? Oh, I'm so excited!" Tobin exclaimed.
"Toad..." Peter and Wesley said in exasperation at the same time.
"Did you call Tobin...Toad?" Avalee asked in shock.
"It's all right, Miss Avalee. We all have nicknames going back to our childhood. And they all start with the same letter. Barton is Badger, Squires is Squirrel, Gordon is Gopher, Peter is Possum, and Wesley is Weasel."
Now it was the men's turn to groan, and the women laugh.
"Which name do you all request we call you by?" Avalee asked.
"Doesn't matter. We'll answer," Tobin grinned at Avalee. The woman actually rolled her eyes. Avalee seemed to be the most serious one of the women.
"You know if nothing else, I think we might become good friends," Maggie noted with a smile.
"How do you suggest we proceed to get to know each other? Besides the ways I'm sure the Peashooter's have already planned," Barton asked.
"We've talked, and we're not quite sure—no offense—if their matching of couples is correct. We'd like to play some parlor games to get to know you better. Take picnics out of town to the river or to Horsethief Canyon, without our chaperones," Maggie suggested.
Gordon looked around the room, and everyone seemed in agreement with their assessment, both of the matching and getting to know each other better. Well, except for Avalee. Gordon guessed she was along only at the request of her sister, Nadine.
"How do we meet without the Peashooter's, or their families, seeing us do it?" Barton asked.
"Carefully, but we have our allies, our own siblings, that will help us. Both my older siblings, Gabe and Mary, are married, and they will host us at their homes," Amelia said.
"But then we're still chaperoned," Maggie noted, "and I think we need to visit without anyone interfering."
"Then let's plan evening meals together, rotating at the places you will eventually live in," Amelia suggested, looking at Barton. Was Amelia interested in his brother, Barton? Gordon hoped so.
"We should also take turns providing the meals. How about we start first at our apartment," Maggie suggested. "Would it work with everyone to meet at the dress shop apartment tomorrow evening, say six-thirty?"
"I think we can be done with work and cleaned up by then," Barton agreed.
"Can I cook one night, ladies? I make a good shepherd’s pie," Tobin puffed up his chest a bit and winked at Molly. By golly, she winked back too. Was there hope that Tobin would find a mate?
"Thank you, Tobin. We'll look forward to that someday this week," Maggie said. "Now how about one parlor game before we leave? Our choice?"
“All right. What do you want to play?” Barton asked, anxious to see what the women had planned. Charades, Forfeits, Blindman’s Bluff?
"If you gentlemen would line up the chairs, and each takes a seat. Oh, and pull out your handkerchiefs," Maggie instructed.
"Uh, I've used mine when I had a coughing spell in church," Tobin sheepishly confessed.
"Don't worry about it," Maggie said as she took Peter's handkerchief from his hand, shook it out and twisted it. "We're going to tie these around your eyes so you can't see us."
Just what were these women up to?
"Can anyone see? We want no peeking!" Maggie asked. "All right. Keep your hands on your laps."
"What are you going to do to us?" Tobin said worriedly.
"We're going to kiss you, gentleman, in the way the Peashooter's matched us. Then, we're going to switch places and kiss whoever we might be attracted to."
"I'm gonna get kissed twice? I've never been kissed before!" Tobin exclaimed excitedly.
Gordon watched as Avalee Paulson looked heavenward before shutting her eyes a moment to compose herself. Oh, she was sitting with Tobin. Surely, she’d go along with the group and kiss Tobin instead of embarrassing him.
"Okay, we're not going to say a word. Just kiss you and step back. Then in a few seconds, we may, or may not, switch places and kiss you again. Think who's kiss you like best, number one or number two."
Gordon inhaled deeply when he sensed someone was close. He raised his head, getting ready for the kiss. The woman smelled like lavender, so he knew it was Nadine because they’d sat together at dinner and he noticed her scent then.
The kiss was soft, lasting only a moment, but it didn't give him any spark of excitement.
"Now we're getting ready for the second kiss," Maggie said as Barton heard soft steps as the women moved around in front of them.
Another woman leaned forward, smelling like lavender, too. Was it Nadine again? The kiss may have started out as a quick peck on his upturned lips, but then the woman leaned into it, giving Gordon a very enjoyable kiss. He missed the spark of enjoyment when she abruptly pulled away.
He heard muffled footsteps as the women retreated to stand together across from their group.
"Now take off your handkerchiefs. Which kiss did you like better?" Maggie asked.
"Two," half of the men mumbled in shock.
"I liked them both!" Tobin clapped his hands, "but yeah, there was something extra special about the second kiss."
Gordon looked at Nadine, but she was looking at Wesley. Had she kissed him twice? Or maybe her sister, Avalee, had kissed him the second time?
Chapter 6
“Oh, that was fun!” Maisie giggled, as they ran down the steps into the street below.
Avalee didn’t like being coerced in kissing Tobin, but at least she’d given the man his very first kiss. How sad that a man in his mid-twenties had never been kissed.
Everyone had lined up in front of the man they wanted to give their kiss to, and Gordon was the only person who didn’t have someone. Reluctantly, Avalee had started to give him a half-hearted quick kiss but lengthened it when she felt a tingle of enjoyment from it.
“What’s the plan for tomorrow night?” Amelia asked, and Avalee leaned forward to listen since Nadine might want to go.
“We’ll make supper for the group, then we need to play some games—or cards,” Maisie said before her older sisters could reply. “After supper upstairs, we could go downstairs to the dress shop and could set up three tables of four to play cards.”
“And we could rotate the couples at the tables to get to know the men better,” Amelia suggested.
“What do we tell our mothers?” Nadine asked. Was her sister worried about what their mother would say about meeting the men unchaperoned?
"Tell her you have plans with friends and your sister, Nadine. It's not that you're alone with a man when there are twelve of us," Maggie stated.
"But we kissed two men tonight," Nadine whispered, but loud enough they all heard her.
"And we have the Peashooter's to thank for that," Amelia sighed, looking a little dreamy-eyed about kissing two men.
Yes, they had their dear mothers and friends to thank for this fiasco. And if Avalee had anything to say about it, she wouldn’t be meeting with the group of men again.
"We need to find a way for each couple to court alone too."
"But we don't want to get the men in trouble, and ca
use them to lose their jobs," Maggie warned Amelia.
True. The men were in Clear Creek for jobs and housing. It wasn’t fair to deny them their chance to settle down here.
"How long before we can marry them?" Maisie asked. "Usually, when a mail-order bride gets off the train, they go right to the church to get married before going to their new home."
"But the houses aren't available yet. But once they are..." Amelia trailed off.
"We need to get home to the hotel," Avalee said as they stopped in front of the dress shop.
"Do you need us to bring anything for tomorrow night’s supper?" Avalee’s sister, Nadine offered.
"No, we'll be fine," Maggie answered for her and her sisters. "See you all tomorrow by six-thirty."
“Nadine, I am not going to meet with the group again. I won’t be a part of the Peashooter’s scheme to set us up with men.”
“But what if I’d like to have a husband? I’m shy, but I’d like to get to know the men better. Couldn’t you go in support of me?” Nadine pleaded to Avalee as they walked back to the hotel.
Avalee sighed, looking up at the night sky. She’d do anything for her sisters. But attend events with six men looking for wives?
“Fine, I’ll go with you as a chaperone. But I’m not looking for a husband for myself.”
“Because you’re already engaged?” Nadine teased Avalee, apparently feeling better that her older sister would go with her to meet the men again.
Engaged? Oh, she forgot about blurting that out at the luncheon. Well, it would work to keep anyone from singling her out to court her.
“Yes. But it’s a private secret, for now, so don’t ask any questions, understand?” Avalee said in her best older-sister voice.
“Whatever you say, as long as I get to meet with the group,” Nadine agreed, giving Avalee a sidelong glance.
Keeping Nadine from making a fool out of herself in front of six men would keep Avalee busy, even without worrying about a man giving her attention.
Why did the Peashooter’s involve her in this plan? She was happy to stay single and working for Dr. Pansy, thank you very much.
*
"Did you have a nice time this evening, girls?” Helen asked Avalee and Nadine as they walked into the hotel lobby.
So much for sneaking upstairs unnoticed with their mother standing behind the registration desk.
“Oh, yes, Mama! I had a nice visit with Gordon Miller during lunch, and then this evening I—” Nadine blurted out before Avalee jabbed Nadine’s side to silence her.
“What were you thinking of setting us up with these outsiders, Mama? They could be bank robbers for all we know,” Avalee rounded on her mother.
“Kaitlyn assured us they are fine gentlemen,” Helen replied, unfazed by Avalee’s outburst.
“And Kaitlyn always knows what’s best for us,” Avalee muttered.
“Avalee…If you don’t want to participate, that’s fine. I realize we can’t force you to pick a husband from the group.”
“Especially since Avalee already has a fiancé,” Nadine smirked.
Avalee narrowed her eyes at her sister. She’d get her back for blabbing that to their mother.
“A fiancé? Since when, Avalee?” her mother looked surprised, but then no one knew about it until she blurted it out at dinner. Should she confess, or let it hang in the air so to speak?
“I’m a grown woman, Mama. That’s my own business,” Avalee replied as she started walking up the main stairs beside the reception desk.
“The man still needs to meet your father and I before we’ll give you our blessing,” her mother called up as Avalee continued up the steps.
Avalee continued without saying anything else. Since the fiancé didn’t exist, it would be a long time before Avalee needed her parents’ approval. But if it kept the new men from bothering her, she could keep up the farce, even if she needed to attend the get-togethers for her sister’s sake.
She did feel bad about what her not participating could mean for Tobin, though. He was a sweet man, but their personalities didn’t match for a lifetime of marriage. There were other single women in town. Surely one of them could take Avalee’s place instead of her committing to marriage.
As Avalee slid on her nightgown, she did think about kissing Gordon though, wishing she’d taken more time to feel his lips. For looking like a man in charge of himself, he was very hesitant to be kissed.
Why was he going along with the group’s plan if he didn’t want to participate? Probably for the employment and place to live. Avalee couldn’t imagine not having her family and job with Doctor Pansy.
Maybe if he didn’t want a wife, as she didn’t want a husband, they could stay out of the courting and let the other ten people match up.
Avalee relaxed as she crawled under the sheets of her bed, confident her plan would work.
Chapter 7
"A dish is a dish, and it belongs in the housewares' store. But tools need to stay in the general store!" Tobin waved his hands as he talked, apparently upset with his morning with the Taylors. "Mr. Taylor kept sneaking the screwdrivers in the boxes to move to the new store. I love to talk, but I don't like to argue with the man about every item on every shelf."
The six of them met at noon to eat lunch together, but instead of eating at the apartment, Gordon had made sandwiches, and they met at the blacksmith shop. Now they sat on the ground, leaning against the building to rest and eat.
Gordon concentrated on chewing the thick slab of ham in his sandwich while listening to Tobin gripe about his morning.
"Can you let Mrs. Taylor handle her husband, and you just move boxes?" Barton asked.
"She's already at the new store, happily displaying the few things that have been moved over. How they stayed married forever is beyond me," Tobin huffed.
"You have a better job than mucking stalls and watching for flying hooves," Squires grumbled, as he bit into his sandwich.
"I can handle both the manure and the mules. I don't have much of a sense of smell, and I can talk any critter into cooperating," Tobin replied.
"But you can't talk a store owner into cooperating though," Squires said to bug Tobin.
"True. And I got a splinter in my finger so I went over to the doctor's office, hoping Avalee would pull it out for me," Tobin continued.
"And how'd that go?" Barton asked.
"Oh, she ripped that splinter right out, while reminding me again that she has a fiancé and to leave her alone. I should have gone to the dress shop and had Molly do it with a sewing needle. She seems to tolerate me."
Gordon kept quiet as he listened to his friends. Ethan Paulson had been showing him and Wesley around his hotel this morning, explaining the ins and outs of running the business.
Gordon hated looking so clean with Peter leaning against the building, looking sweaty and exhausted.
“How are you doing, Peter? Got the hang of shaping iron with the hammer and anvil yet?” Barton asked.
“Nope. I told Kiowa to talk to you about being the blacksmith. I told him I want to be the barber. Either that or I’m leaving,” Peter said as he shook his head, then rested it back against the wall.
“No! You can’t leave us, Peter!” Tobin cried as he stood up, making him about the same height as Peter sitting down.
“Okay,” Barton said to take charge as he usually did. “Let me get this straight. Peter wants to be the barber. Tobin will handle the livery. I’ll take the blacksmith and Squires, hanging upside down on the roof with Mack is right up your line.”
“Yeah, I’d like to climb and build things,” Squires nodded enthusiastically.
“Gordon and Wesley, could you choose between the hotel and the grocery store?”
“Either job will work for me,” Gordon shrugged.
“Me too. I’d be fine by deciding with a toss of a coin,” Wesley answered.
“Okay, do that to decide your job. But, one of you will have to marry a Paulson girl to live in the Paulson ap
artment.”
Gordon looked at Wesley to gauge what his answer would be. The two men looked at each other, trying to figure the other out.
“I like Nadine Paulson,” Wesley announced first.
“Fine with me,” Gordon said, not wanted to commit to any woman at this time.
“But Avalee says she already has a fiancé,” Tobin reminded Gordon.
“Maybe I’ll convince her to exchange him for me,” Gordon commented to ease Tobin’s worry. And if Avalee didn’t want a husband, as he expected, she would be a good one to spend time with while the other couples matched up. Gordon was in no hurry to marry.
“Okay, I’ll go talk to Kiowa and see what he thinks but plan to switch to the job you want after lunch. And you better all be good at them,” Barton warned as he took a step toward Kiowa’s home.
Gordon watched his older brother leave the group, always ready to make things right. Whatever. Gordon would work with the Taylors and not have to worry about a wife if Avalee wanted to stick to her fiancé storyline.
Chapter 8
Avalee took a deep breath when she heard the men come up the stairs to the dress shop apartment. Hopefully, she could talk to Gordon in private, and he’d agree to her plan.
The table was set and ready for the evening meal. The Brenner girls were excellent cooks, used to making substantial quantities since they had ten in their immediate family.
Maisie opened the door, flushed with excitement to have the group in Maisie’s and her sisters’ apartment for the evening. This was Amelia’s sister Mary’s apartment when the widowed woman moved back to town with Amelia’s niece and nephew. It had three bedrooms, a nicely furnished living room, dining room, bathing room, and kitchen. Rather than haul the furniture back down the steep steps to Mary's new home when she and Kiowa Jones moved, the furniture stayed with the place. The richness of the furnishings showed Mary’s taste in luxury, which she’d lived in her first twelve years in New York state with her mother.
Gordon scanned the room when he arrived, looking wary of the situation. He’d been paired with her sister, Nadine, but didn’t pay any attention to her.
Avalee Exchanges Her Fiancé Page 4
