“Oh. My. Word. This is so much better than what our dining room serves. Tobin needs to be a chef,” Avalee exclaimed before she took another bite.
“Tobin’s parents died before we joined the army.”
“Did he have any aunts, uncles, or cousins through his adopted family?” Avalee asked before she dipped her fork into the pile of potatoes with the deep well of rich brown gravy.
Gordon watched Avalee as she dipped her fork into the potatoes and tasted the forkful of food. Avalee’s tongue licked the corners of her mouth to get the last bit of gravy. Why was he suddenly fascinated with her lips? He wanted to feel them against his own, and not to taste the gravy.
“Gordon, did Tobin have any other relatives through his adopted parents?”
“What? Uh, no,” Gordon mumbled as he turned back to his plate and stuffed a forkful of potatoes into his own mouth.
He looked up to see Avalee staring at his mouth now.
“Did I smear gravy across my face?”
Avalee lifted the tip of her cloth napkin and gently wiped his chin.
“You have a drop of gravy on your chin, and I didn’t think you’d want it dripping down onto your clean shirt,” Avalee said while turning back to her plate.
Was her face a little pink now? Gordon wanted to tug his collar because it suddenly was tight.
“So, what do you think of my meatloaf, Miss Avalee?” Tobin asked as he set a plate down on the table across from them for himself.
“I think it’s the best meatloaf I’ve ever tasted. You should be working in a big city restaurant,” Avalee exclaimed, maybe glad for the change of subject.
“Nope. I want to stay with my friends. I enjoy cooking and baking, but I’ll stick with the livery and my animals.”
“This is delicious!” Molly announced after she’d chewed and swallowed her first taste of meatloaf. “I don’t have a knack for fixing meat dishes like this.”
“I’d love to give you a cooking lesson or two, Miss Molly,” Tobin blushed and swayed toward Molly, not quite touching her shoulder. Was his friend sweet on Molly Brenner? If that friendship blossomed, Avalee would be free to…
Do what, since she was pretending she had a fiancé?
“How're things going with the Taylors?” Tobin asked Gordon, pulling him from his thoughts about Avalee.
“I’m running the mercantile by myself while they bicker at the other store about what they should do,” Gordon admitted.
“You know, I don’t remember them hardly ever taking time off from the store,” Avalee added to the conversation. “They have a son in Denver, but I don’t think they’ve visited him more than once or twice.”
“That’s what they need to do then. Take a trip to see their son, then decide what they want to do with their stores.”
It might take some persuasion, but a week or two away from their store could help take the pressure off their decision and give Gordon a chance to prove he could handle the mercantile himself.
Chapter 10
“You can go ahead and leave, Avalee. We’re done for the day,” Doctor Pansy told Avalee as she looked out the front office window for the third time.
“I’m waiting for someone to walk me home,” Avalee admitted.
“Oh? Maybe the fiancé I’ve heard gossip about?” Doctor Pansy teased her. The woman was an excellent employer. Not only was the doctor compassionate about her patients, but she also didn’t pass gossip on to others.
Avalee was dying to talk this over with someone, and Doctor Pansy was the perfect person. And this was the time since Gordon must have late customers.
"Can this conversation stay between us, Doctor Pansy?"
"Of course. What's this fiancé business about? I haven't heard you say a word about a young man, nor has anyone seen anyone courting you.”
"I blurted out at our 'meet the available bachelors' dinner that I was engaged."
"Why?"
"First off, because I was upset that the Peashooters decided I needed a husband. And second, there's a man who's been too forward for my liking," Avalee confessed.
"Who, and what has he done to make you uncomfortable?" Doctor Pansy's eyes narrowed at her hard question.
"A salesman who comes to the hotel about every two weeks. Last time he was here, he tried to kiss me. And he's back in town for a few days." Avalee mumbled, embarrassed at the situation.
"I assume you didn't confide in your parents?"
"No. He's a friend of theirs."
Doctor Pansy sighed and shook her head. "Well, I admire you taking care of the situation by yourself, but you know the man could get aggressive and hurt you. Can you defend yourself if the man tries it again?"
"Mama taught all of us to stomp on a man's foot and yell for help."
"But what if the man, or any man, puts his hand against your mouth? You know the man's most private area from working here. If this situation happens again, use your knee or foot to kick the man as hard as you can. You might have to fight and turn around to reach his groin but aim to maim. Don't hesitate for a second, your life might depend on it."
"Thank you for the advice. My idea was for Gordon Miller to escort me home this evening, so Mr. Mooney sees I'm with someone."
"The trunk salesman? He seems so nice," Doctor Pansy gaped at Avalee.
"I know. My parents wouldn't believe me if I told them what he'd done."
"Well, I believe you and they would too. I still think you should tell them about the incident."
"No. I want to do this my way," Avalee said with determination.
"All right. But if you need any help in the matter, please tell me. My six-foot height and heavyweight can intimidate any man who doesn't know me. Plus, the fact that I use very sharp knives in my line of work," Doctor Pansy finished with a smirk.
Avalee was giggling when she heard the door open, and Gordon walked in.
"Hello, Doctor Reagan. Miss Paulson," Gordon said cautiously, probably not sure what to do since Doctor Pansy was standing with her.
"Gordon, Avalee told me in confidence why you're helping her with Mr. Mooney. Please take care, and let Marshal Wilerson know if the situation escalates," Doctor Pansy told Gordon.
"Yes, Ma'am, I promise to do so," Gordon said to the doctor. "Ready, Avalee?"
"I am, now that I have you to escort me," Avalee said sweetly. She was ready to face any problem with Gordon by her side.
*
"Oh, dear. We have an audience," Avalee muttered under her breath. Why did her little sisters, Cecilia and Phoebe, have to be in the events room of the hotel?
"Are they safe in here with him?" Gordon asked as he tightened his grip on Avalee's elbow.
"I think so. They're good tattletales about anything and everything."
"Still, just say the word I'll have a talk with your father about Mr. Mooney."
"Miss Paulson, so good to see you again," Mr. Mooney strolled over to her and Gordon as soon as he saw them. Avalee liked that there was a hesitation in Mr. Mooney’s smile when he saw Gordon's arm slip around her waist.
Why did Gordon's touch send a flutter to her heart? He was only showing the other man she was with him.
"Mr. Giles Mooney, I'd like you to meet Mr. Gordon Miller," Avalee introduced Gordon in a simple manner. No use saying more than they had to.
Gordon stuck his right hand out to Mooney while keeping his left firmly on Avalee's waist.
"Mooney. Avalee has told me about you," Gordon half growled while squeezing the other man's hand a little harder and longer than necessary.
It made Avalee feel good to be standing by Gordon's six-foot muscular body.
Mooney flexed his hand a little before lowering it to his side.
"And who are you?" Mooney asked, his eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"Avalee's fiancé," Phoebe, Avalee’s nosy ten-year-old sister announced in such a clear, loud voice, that Avalee was sure the cooks heard her words in the dining room kitchen. The girl had moved to stare up at Gordon
.
"Phoebe Ann! Where did you get—" Avalee sputtered to a stop, not wanting to blurt out she was wrong in front of Mooney.
"Uh, congratulations, then. Your parents didn't tell me about your approaching nuptials," Mooney told them with a tight smile.
"It's been a secret. Papa doesn't know," Cecilia added, with a smirk on her face as she joined her little sister’s side.
“Oh, really? You don’t have Mr. Paulson’s permission to marry Avalee?”
Mooney folded his arms across his chest, grinning at Gordon, knowing he had a secret to hold over Gordon now. What a mess two eavesdropping sisters could make with a few words.
Avalee didn’t hear what Gordon’s answer to Mooney was because she grabbed each sister by the arm and dragged them into the restroom down the hall to find out where they'd heard the gossip.
"Okay, tell me where you heard Mr. Miller is pretending to be my fiancé," Avalee said as she bent over to get eye level with her younger sisters.
"Pretending? I thought he was your real one!" Cecilia gasped dramatically.
Shoot. Avalee just made the situation worse.
"Listen, girls. You are not to say anything about Mr. Miller and me to anyone. It's our business if Gordon and I spend time together."
"Should I start calling him, Brother Gordon?" Phoebe asked, apparently not understanding the situation like Cecilia was.
"No! He's not your brother-in-law like Gabe and Frank are. Please call him Mr. Miller."
"So, why is he pretending to be your groom?" Cecilia asked, not letting the subject drop.
The bathroom door opened, and Nadine and Daphne stepped in the small room.
"What's going on, Avalee? Gordon and Mr. Mooney are in a heated argument about you!" Nadine announced.
Avalee placed her palm against her forehead, wishing she could knock some sense into herself for ever thinking this plan would work.
A loud rap on the door made everyone whip around to face the door.
"Avalee? You need to come out so we can talk," Gordon's voice echoed through the room.
Daphne, who was standing closest to the door, opened it and cheerfully said, "Or you can come in here. We all want to know about your engagement to our sister."
"Daphne! Stop it! Does anyone know if our folks are in the office, or upstairs?" Avalee scanned her sisters' faces.
"Upstairs, last, I knew. I was manning the front desk until I heard Phoebe's announcement about your engagement to Gordon," Nadine fumed. “He was supposed to be my suitor!” she added in a huff.
Avalee looked at the ceiling and counted to ten to calm herself. Poor Gordon looked shocked by the theatrics of her sisters, but this was normal for them at their ages. Any situation could turn into a drama for her four younger sisters.
"Listen up! Mr. Miller and I are not engaged or getting married. You know the Peashooter Society came up with the idea to marry some of us to the new men in town. But right now, I want to keep working with Doctor Pansy instead of marrying and starting a family."
"Are you still going to court me, Gordon?" Nadine asked.
"Sorry, but no, Nadine. One of the reasons I agreed to Avalee's plan was that I want to stay a bachelor. If the two of us stick together at group events, neither of us has to pair off and marry someone," Gordon tried to reason with Nadine.
"Don't you want to have a family?" Cecilia asked.
"Uh, I have my brothers and friends," Gordon replied after a short pause.
Avalee looked at Gordon a second before turning to address her sisters. She hoped they bought their story, so they didn't have to bring up the problems she'd had with Mooney.
"Why were you arguing with Mr. Mooney?" Cecilia brought up. She was a clever one to listen and ask questions.
Gordon looked at Avalee for help, but then answered Cecilia before Avalee could think what to say.
"He said something disrespectful about Avalee, so I told him to stop it. And as your secret temporary brother-in-law, I want you to promise me that if a man ever says something bad or touches you when he shouldn't, you tell your parents or me right away."
"Mama says if a bad man grabs us, we're to stomp on his foot and scream at the top of our lungs," Cecilia recited the mantra they'd all heard since they were little girls.
Gordon straightened his back and rolled his shoulders. "All right. That will work."
“Back to our temporary arrangement, I want you girls to promise that you won’t blab it to anyone—which includes anyone at school, church, or any other business in town.”
“It’s going to cost you to keep our silence,” Daphne smirked.
“You will, or I’ll tell Mama about the trashy novels you’ve been reading,” Avalee retorted back.
“What’s a trashy novel?” Phoebe instantly asked.
Avalee rolled her eyes. Conversations between her two younger sisters and the two littlest sisters needed to be kept separate.
“Listen up, ladies. You sisters must stick together, no matter what. You should have each other’s backs,” Gordon jumped into the conversation.
Nadine huffed and folded her arms to show her opinion. “You obviously only have brothers, not sisters, Gordon.”
“Are you suggesting threats and bribery work better than loyalty?” Gordon asked incredulously.
Another question that proved Gordon hadn’t been around her family of sisters.
“I’ll keep your secret if you give me a bag of lemon drops,” Phoebe innocently stated.
Avalee sighed. Phoebe used this threat often. Hence Avalee was always buying lemon drops to keep the peace between the sisters.
“Make that a bag of candy sneaked in here every Sunday for the next month,” Cecilia upped the price of keeping their secret.
“And Gordon, you eat dinner with our family this upcoming Sunday,” Nadine added.
“And you won’t happen to comment on it on our arrangement during dinner? I hardly doubt you can get through the meal without tattle tailing,” Avalee snorted, much to the embarrassment of doing it in front of Gordon.
“I’ll agree to the terms in order for you to pledge you’ll keep our secret,” Gordon looked at each one.
“I haven’t asked for anything yet to keep your secret,” Daphne smirked.
“Keeping your current reading material, a secret should do it. And where did you get those books anyway?” Avalee asked to change the subject.
“Rose Reagan, our librarian, has a drawer full of them in her desk,” Daphne waved her hand in the air as if it was not scandalous.
“And she knows you have them?” Avalee narrowed her eyes at her sister. Rose was raised in a circus family, so she was more worldly about women’s novels than Daphne.
Now Daphne’s face turned red as she clamped her lips tight.
Ah, now there’s a secret she could hold over her sister’s head.
“You don’t say a word about Gordon, and you be sure Cecilia and Phoebe keep quiet too, or I’ll tell Rose.”
“That’s blackmail!” Gordon exclaimed, surprised at how low Avalee would go to keep their secret?
“Welcome to the world of sisters, Gordon,” Avalee replied, looking around at her smiling family. They’d all done this to each other more times than she could count, but they were always there for each other too.
Yes, Gordon’s comment about brothers watching each other’s back was valid for Avalee and her sisters too, but they had to give him a hard time about it anyway.
Bags of lemon drops were at stake.
Chapter 11
“Guess who’s here tonight?” Wesley spoke to Gordon over the drone of the crowd meeting at the hotel’s dining room for the Box Supper. The event was a fundraiser for ongoing repairs to the school building.
Gordon was sitting with his friends, waiting for Avalee’s box to be held up. He planned to buy it and spend the evening enjoying her food and her company.
Six box suppers had been sold, and the auctioneer and helper were lining up the next set of boxes on
the table in front of the group to sell next.
Gordon followed Wesley’s nod to Giles Mooney, the salesman, who was leaning against the wall talking to Ethan Paulson.
Gordon’s blood boiled at the thought of him in the same room as Avalee and talking to her father, no less.
“You think your little chat with the trunk salesman did any good?” Wesley asked. “I guess he needs to stop here every other week for his business. It’s whether he leaves the girls alone while he’s here that will be the question.”
“If he doesn’t, I’m going to have a word with Ethan,” Gordon stewed with his anger and worry.
“All right! We’re ready to auction off the next set of boxes,” Mack Reagan, acting as the auctioneer called out as his brother, Angus, lifted a fancy white cardboard box.
“Ooh! This might be from the Paulson Hotel. I wonder which one of the pretty Paulson girls fixed this box for a lucky gent tonight? Helen? Luella? Avalee? Nadine? Well, I guess you’ll have several guesses of which girl made up this box. Let’s start the bid at twenty-five cents!” Mack barked.
“Do you know if that’s Avalee’s box?” Gordon asked Wesley since he worked at the hotel today.
“I need to see the left side of the box before I can tell for sure. The kitchen staff made up five boxes,” Wesley said as he strained his head one way then another to look over people to see the boxes.
“Hey, look there! Avalee is trying to get your attention,” Gordon pointed to Avalee, where she sat with her mother and sisters.
Gordon looked Avalee’s way, and she made a signal with her hand.
“I’m guessing that’s her box!” Gordon said as he rose and stuck his hand up in the air to bid on the box.
“We have started the bid with two bits! Do I get another bid to top it?” Mack called out.
“Fifty cents!”
Gordon quickly turned to see who bid against him. Giles Mooney?
“Keep calm, Gordon. It may or may not be Avalee’s box,” Wesley warned him.
“Seventy-five cents!” Gordon shouted to raise the bid.
“One dollar!” Mooney snapped back instantly.
“Two dollars!” Gordon raised the bid again.
Avalee Exchanges Her Fiancé Page 6
