Emma shook her perfectly coiffed blonde head and laughed. “I don’t know if country folk would be able to handle me.”
“Well, if you ever want to come and stay here, you’re always welcome. I think you’d be surprised how peaceful life can be away from the bustle of the city.”
She stood back and watched as her family went over to talk to Mrs. Hammond. Since they’d arrived in town, Kathryn had been excited to see how welcoming everyone had been to them. She knew it had helped her father to understand why she loved it here.
“So, Mrs. Hammond. I know the wedding wasn’t quite as fancy as the ones you would have attended back home, but I hope today was everything you could have dreamed.”
Kathryn smiled warmly at her new husband as he came over and put his arm around her shoulders. She leaned her head into him and sighed deeply. “It was more than I could have dreamed of. Although I would have been happy with anything, as long as it was you I was marrying.”
“Well, I knew it was probably safest to keep everything far away from open water, or require you to step out of a wagon while wearing a fancy dress, so having it here in the yard was a good idea.”
She gasped and lifted her head to pretend to glare at him while she slapped his arm gently. “Colt! Why do you always have to bring up my more embarrassing moments?”
He laughed and pulled her close. “I’m sorry. But I guess it’s because those moments are what made me fall in love with you. The day you fell out of my wagon, I’m pretty sure you already had my heart. And the fact that no matter how much you might have struggled, you never stopped trying to learn how to adapt to life out here.”
She rolled her eyes as she remembered that day. “Maybe if you’d been more of a gentleman, I might have fallen for you then too. You’re lucky I’m such a forgiving woman.”
He turned her in his arms to face him. “Oh, I have no doubt about how lucky I am. I believed I had nothing to offer a woman, and that I’d never find anyone who could love me the way you do. But you fell into my life and turned everything upside down. I know I will never be able to give you the fancier things in life, but I hope you know I will always be by your side and will love you with everything I have.”
She brought her hand up to his cheek. “I don’t need any of the fancy things. All I need is you.”
His head lowered, and their lips met. He pulled her close in his embrace as he kissed her slowly, leaving her breathless. The world around her stopped moving and for a moment, it was only them.
“Pa, hurry up! Mr. Bailey is setting up a three-legged race, and we have to win this time!”
Owen’s voice interrupted them, and it took a moment for Kathryn to remember where she was. Colt still held her close, smiling down at her while he waited for her to regain her balance.
“Only a small, country wedding would have a three-legged race.”
Kathryn laughed, then pulled out of his arms to take a look around her at the people who were all gathered to celebrate their wedding.
She was sure the entire community of Promise, and surrounding farms, had showed up today. Well, except for Martha and Clarence Pembrooke, who were still fuming over the fact they hadn’t managed to make Kathryn lose her teaching job.
Even now, after marrying, she’d been told by the school board she could continue teaching as long as she wanted. Normally, rules for teachers were quite strict and married women could no longer teach. Kathryn had told them that she would stay on as long as she could, until she began having babies of her own.
Her new mother-in-law was happy to move down to the cabin, and Colt was already working on fixing it up to be better suited for the older woman to have her own place with better amenities.
“Well, that’s not fair, Owen. I don’t have a partner.” Delia had followed her brother and she was standing there pouting because she wouldn’t be able to join the race.
Kathryn laughed and shook her head. “Why not? Can’t I be your partner again?”
Delia’s mouth dropped open and she shook her head. “No, your dress might get ruined.”
Kathryn looked down at the simple white dress Mrs. Hammond had sewn for her out of material from her own wedding dress. It wasn’t made out of silk, but it was beautiful.
She also knew it was made out of a sturdy fabric that could withstand a little three-legged race.
“I think we’ll be fine. Besides, I’ve been practicing.”
Colt’s eyebrow lifted as he stared at her. “You know, I’m not going to let you win just because you’re my wife.”
She shrugged and took Delia’s hand to lead her over to the starting line where Caleb was gathering the racers together.
“That’s good, because I don’t intend to let you win just because you’re my husband.”
As she walked away, the sound of Colt’s laughter filled her heart. And when she heard the excited chatter of these children who were now her own, she knew this little place in the middle of the prairies had given her everything she’d ever wanted.
A home, a family, and the promise of love.
I hope you enjoyed reading, LOVE IS PATIENT. If you could take a couple minutes and head back to Amazon to leave a review, it would be greatly appreciated :)
Keep reading for some interesting notes from the book in the Afterword!
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Afterword
In the 1800’s, divorce was not as common as it is today, and it wasn’t easy to obtain. During the research for this book, I came across some interesting information about what were known as “divorce colonies”.
After Mexico became a destination where wealthy couples could travel to easily get a divorce, some US states realized the potential for making money, while saving people the expense of needing to travel to Mexico.
The Dakota Territory was considered a divorce colony, where couples could get a divorce, however they had to move and become citizens of the state for a minimum period of three months.
Many couples would move for the required time, get their divorce and then leave.
In the case of Colt and his wife, it made it much easier for him to obtain his divorce from Arlene, and give him his chance for a happy ever after.
*There is a lot more information at a website I found, if you’d like to read more about the divorce colonies…
https://historycollection.com/the-american-divorce-colonies-of-the-1800s/
CHARLES INGALLS
I’ve always been a Little House on the Prairie fan, and the entire premise for this book came to me during a lifelong dream I’d had to visit some Laura Ingalls sites. I was staying at the homestead in De Smet, sleeping in a covered wagon on the property, when the concept for this series was born.
As I sat at a table looking across the fields at the little schoolhouse on the property and imagined life as it had been, I knew where my series needed to take place.
And, I knew I had to have a mention of the man Laura had wrote so lovingly about in her own stories.
So, while Promise is a fictional town, set nearby where real-life De Smet is, I would like to imagine Charles Ingalls might have visited the community from time to time.
Also by Kay P. Dawson
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About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author, Kay P. Dawson writes sweet western romance - the kind that leaves out all of the juicy details and immerses you in a true, heartfelt love story. Growing up pretending she was Laura Ingalls, she's always had a love for the old west and pioneer times. She believes in true love, and finding your happy ever after.
Happily married mom of two girls, Kay has always taug
ht her children to follow their dreams. And, after a breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 39, she realized it was time to take her own advice. She had always wanted to write a book, and she decided that the someday she was waiting for was now.
She writes western historical, contemporary and time travel romance that all transport the reader to a time or place where true love always finds a way.
You can connect with Kay through her website at KayPDawson.com
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Copyright © 2020 by Kay P. Dawson
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. Any similarities to people, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Cover Design - EDH Graphics
Edited - Meg Amor
Love is Patient Page 13
