Rock Hard Daddy: A Single Dad & A Virgin Romance

by Rye Hart

  “Eden! Eden!”

  I turned and saw Rose running toward me.

  “Rose!”

  It had been a little over a year since she’d left but it felt like an eternity. Hugging my sister again was the most wonderful feeling in the world. Rose stepped back and smiled.

  “Let me look at you. Oh Eden you look so grown up.”

  I had to say Rose looked beautiful, and there was a glow about her. I was so excited about seeing my sister, that I forgot my manners. I turned around and saw Mrs. Palmer standing back where we got off of the coach.

  “Rose, I want you to meet someone.” There was a smile on the older woman’s face as the two of us approached her.

  “Mrs. Palmer this is my sister Rose. Rose, Mrs. Palmer was with me for the last part of my journey. I told her about you coming to Colorado and getting married.”

  “Well I hope Eden didn’t bore you Mrs. Palmer,” Rose said laughing. “I’m hardly a pioneer.”

  The older woman smiled. “Not at all, I found the idea of a mail order bride very exciting. In fact I may try it myself,” she said with a wink.

  Rose absently patted her stomach and the old woman smiled again.

  “You sister told me you are expecting. You must be very excited.”

  “Yes, we are. Oh but listen to me going on and on. You must be tired after your journey. Please allow me to you take you to the hotel?”

  “That would be very kind of you,” Mrs. Palmer said.

  “Alright we’ll take you there but only if you promise to come to dinner at our house this evening. Shall we say eight?”

  The older woman smiled,

  “Eight would be wonderful.”

  Chapter Four

  The guest room Rose had set up for me was as beautiful as the rest of her house. Rose had brought a woman’s touch to the rustic design and softened it. It had been a welcome change. Rose herself seemed to have changed also. She elegant and charming, not one bit the restless young woman she had been only a year ago.

  Jason was not at all what I expected. In my mind I had pictured a rough and ready cowboy type complete with hat, boots, and spurs. Instead I found a tall, handsome blonde man in a three-piece-suit. He was warm and welcoming and I liked him instantly. The adoration in his eyes when he looked at my sister made my heart sing for her.

  “Eden?” came Rose’s voice at my door.

  I opened the door and found her holding a beautiful dress in her arms.

  “I wanted you to have something fancy to wear your first night here,” she said, offering me the dress.

  She placed the beautiful russet colored dress on my bed. I had to admit it was beautiful.

  “Oh Rose you didn’t have to. This is all just too much,” I said, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Though our parents were not poor, we had grown up modestly. I had never worn such a dress.

  “I’ll hear nothing like that. You are my sister and have come here to be with me, so I intended to spoil you. Now hurry and get ready, Jason has gone to get Mrs. Palmer.”

  I walked over to the bed as Rose continued talking. “This Mrs. Palmer, is she from back East?” Rose asked.

  I looked over to her as I began to change.

  “I never really asked her. I do know she has traveled quite a bit.”

  Rose helped me into my gown, fastening the buttons at the back.

  A short while later as Rose and I were sitting in the living room, the carriage with Jason and Clara drove up. Martha, the housekeeper, opened the door to greet them as Jason helped Clara out of the carriage. Martha smiled at him.

  “Miss Rose is in the great room waiting for you.”

  “Thank you Martha. And may I introduce to you Mrs. Clara Palmer.”

  “Hello Martha!” Clara said with gusto.

  “Ma’am welcome to the Saunders home,” Martha said graciously.

  Jason escorted Clara into the great room where Rose and I were sitting.

  “Eden my dear you look lovely,” she boasted heartily.

  Jason smiled and looked at me. “I agree with Mrs. Palmer, Eden you look beautiful.”

  I thanked them for their compliments, feeling my cheeks burn slightly at the attention.

  “Shall we go in for supper?” Rose said.

  The conversation at the table was a mixture of a variety of subjects from the railroad coming to Colorado Springs, to politics back east. It was Jason who finally asked Clara why she was here in Colorado.

  “So Mrs. Palmer, we know you’ve traveled all over, what brings you to Colorado may I ask?”

  “You may ask, Jason. I plan on starting a business out here,” she said simply.

  “A business?”

  I perked up at this. “Clara, you never mentioned this while we were on the coach,” I said. “What time of business?”

  “Well funny enough, I plan to open mail order bride business here,” she said.

  I was shocked at her revelation. “A mail order bride business?” I echoed.

  Clara smiled at me. “Well you have to admit it worked out well for your sister.” “Oh I understand that, but why here in Colorado? I mean the men are here and the women are mostly back east.”

  “Yes the men are here out west, but there are women out here also; daughters of the first settlers in the area. So why confine it to western men looking for eastern women? There are plenty of men back east who want to try their hand with the land out here but don’t have the means to do so. Let the women here call to them!” she finished with a flourish.

  “That’s absolutely brilliant Clara!” I exclaimed.

  “I admit I was a bit skeptical about it until I met you and heard your sister’s success story. You gave me the conviction to go ahead with the idea.”

  I smiled and shook my head, reluctant to take credit for Clara’s decision.

  “Clayton said you would be too humble for your own good,” she said with a wink.

  My head snapped in her direction. I couldn’t have heard her correctly. “Clayton?” I asked, sure I had misheard. A smile spread across Clara’s face. “Yes, Clayton Reeves. He seemed quite taken by you, I must say.”

  I felt a blush color my cheeks as I remembered the handsome publisher I had met on the train.

  “How is he?” I found myself asking.

  “Well I supposed he’s almost to California by now. He said I would find you interesting. Oh yes, he also wanted to know if you changed your mind about the book you are writing.”

  I had completely forgotten about the journal until she mentioned it. I was a bit embarrassed to admit that a few chapters did mention Clayton in them.

  “How do you know Mr. Reeves?” I wondered.

  “He’s my nephew,” Clara said simply. “He did gush quite a bit about you in the short layover before we boarded the coach. I decided to see who this young woman who captivated my dear Clayton so was all about. I must say, his assessment of you was right on the nose,” she concluded.

  I was stunned into silence, not sure of what to say to that. I had been certain that Clayton had only been after a story and found myself disappointed to learn that he was in California now.

  Rose, sensing my discomfort, changed the subject. “Tell me Clara, have you decided on where to open your business?” she asked.

  “Well I was thinking just a small place as I will need only to have a desk and possibly a few chairs.”

  Jason smiled. “There’s a store front right across from the newspaper office if you are interested.”

  “That’s sounds perfect. Do you think I can talk to the owner tomorrow?” Clara asked.

  “You’re talking to him right now. I own the building and I’d be happy to rent the space to you.”

  Without thinking, I blurted out, “I can help you! I work as a secretary in a law firm back home. I can help draw up contracts for you.”

  I looked over to Rose who was eyeing me with curiosity.

  “Why that sounds like a wonderful idea,” Clara said joyfully. Jason stood up with t
he glass in his hand. “I’d like to make a toast to the-” he stopped and looked at Clara for help.

  “Clara’s place. It will do for a start,” she said, beaming “To Clara’s Place.”

  Early the following morning, Jason took Clara to the small office. It needed a bit of cleaning but it wasn’t totally impossible. Rose looked around the room, already with ideas on how to make it homey.

  “Clara, what you want is to make this the reception area with a desk and a few chairs here, and have your office in the back in that smaller room. Some curtains and fresh coat of paint and this would be perfect.”

  Clara had to admit the idea was tempting. “Well ladies it looks like we’ve got our work cut out for us,” Clara said.

  That evening Clara returned the favor by inviting Eden and her family to join her for supper in the hotel dining room. Clara had requested her party be escorted to her table on the patio with a breathtaking view when they arrived. A smile came to Clara’s face when she saw Eden and her party enter the dining room. Oh Clayton had been spot on described her; she was a lovely girl and it was going to be a pleasure to get these two together. After how much he raved about Eden, she knew he had finally found a girl he was serious about. That’s where the idea of the mail order bride company came about. It made her happy to see Clayton had found a woman to hold his attention for more than a second in time. With all the lovely young ladies in Boston none seemed to hold his attention as this Miss Eden had. Before he left for California, he had told his aunt there was something about this girl that held his attention. It was that comment that made Clara determined to meet this young woman.

  Clara had successfully paired many of her friends over the years, but this match would be her best effort.

  Eden was the first to greet her.

  “Oh Clara, I’ve had so many ideas for your advertisement, I’ve been working on it all afternoon.”

  “Thank you dear but I don’t want you to take too much time away from helping Rose.”

  “I don’t mind one bit Eden helping you,” Rose said. “Besides I was measuring the windows for new curtains for you today.”

  Clara clapped her hands in excitement over the sisters’ enthusiasm.

  Jason held Rose’s chair as she sat down and then did the same for Eden who looked completely overwhelmed as she glanced at the menu. “What’s the matter Eden?” Rose asked her sister.

  At once, Clara picked up on the problem and came to Eden’s rescue. Poor girl had no idea what to do in a place so fancy.

  “May I suggest we start with a salad, followed by steak and baked potato, and for desert well have some cheese cake,” Clara suggested, and everyone nodded their approval.

  The evening had turned out to be lovely and we had thoroughly enjoyed being together. Rose and I had so many ideas for Clara’s office we totally forgot about Jason alone in the front of the carriage. He looked back at his wife and smiled.

  “Don’t forget Clara said you should take it easy,” he reminded.

  “Oh we’re alright Jason, besides women have babies every day,” she said with a wave of her hand.

  “Well maybe so but it would make me feel better if you took it easy.. Eden it’s your job to keep her from get over tired,” he said.

  “Yes sir!” I saluted him and Rose and I collapsed in a fit of giggles.

  “So have you picked out names yet?” I asked when we regained our composure.

  Rose looked at me shyly. “We were thinking of Bannon Saunders for a boy. That way he would be both family names.”

  “Papa would like that,” I said without thinking.’’

  Rose nodded and held back the tears.

  “Oh Rose, there’s no need to cry!” I tried to comfort her “Papa will come around. Even though he’s too stubborn to admit it out loud, I know he’s excited.”

  Rose wiped at her eyes and nodded, not sure if she believed me or not.

  “What about a girl’s name?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

  She looked at me and put her head down. “Oh no, don’t tell me you’re going to name that poor baby something like Beatrice or Agnes or-”

  I saw a smile come to her face and she looked up. “Eden Ciara is the name we decided on.”

  Her words came as a total shock..

  “Jason said I missed you so much that the only thing to thing to do was to name our daughter after you. That way my Eden would always be with me.”

  Then it was my turn to cry.

  Clara, Rose, and I were so busy, I hardly noticed two months had passed by. It was a slow afternoon when I decided to fill out one of the questionnaires in Clara’s office. I had never intended to place it on Clara’s desk but somehow it ended up there. It was early afternoon when Clara called me in her office.

  “Eden dear, I see you filled out a questionnaire. Are you interested in a young man from back home or-”

  “Oh no!” I interrupted her. “It’s just that I see so many woman fill these out and they struggle with some of the questions. I thought maybe if I filled one out, I might be able to better help them. I don’t know how that ended up on your desk.” “What a wonderful idea,” Clara said, beaming. “You’re always thinking of the clients. I like that.”

  Later that day Clara placed my questions in the active file without my knowledge She proceeded to write to Clayton telling him she’d like him to read the profile of a young lady she felt would be a great new writer for his company.

  Three weeks later Clayton Reeves, on his way back to Boston, stopped in Colorado Springs to see Clara and this mysterious woman who was perfect for his company.

  Chapter Five

  It was a sunny morning when Clayton walked into the office and I looked up, startled to see him standing in front of my desk. “Well hello there,” he said with a smile.

  All I could do was smile back. It took me a few minutes to compose myself. He was as I remembered, tall and handsome with eyes that twinkled when he smiled.

  “Fancy running into you here,” he offered.

  I finally regained my composure and answered him. “Yes, quite the irony isn’t it?” I wasn’t sure if I should tip my hand and let him know that I knew about his conversation with Clara but I decided to play coy and let him make a move.

  “Clara told me you’d be stopping by, she’s expecting you,” I said and waved my hand toward her office..”

  “Thank you,” he said as he walked to the door, gently knocked, and went in.

  It was all I could do to keep from putting my ear to the door to listen to what was being said. Luckily, a prospective client walked in and I busied myself with helping her navigate the questionnaire.

  It was nearing lunchtime and Clara and Clayton were still holed up in Clara’s office discussing who knows what. I had promised to meet Rose in town to pick out fabric for curtains for the nursery so I left a note for Clara that I would be back later and turned the sign to ‘closed.’

  It was late afternoon when I got back to Clara’s Place and I found

  Clara at my desk. I noticed, with some disappointment, that Clayton was nowhere to be found.

  “Where is Clayton?” I asked, trying to feign nonchalance.

  Clara smiled up at me, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “He’s back in my room at the hotel resting from his trip,” she said. “Why don’t you join us for dinner tonight?” she asked.

  I wasn’t quite sure I could sit through a dinner with Clayton without turning bright red at his every look but I hated to be rude to Clara.

  “Yes, that would be very nice,” I said.

  “Well, I don’t think we will be seeing much more action here today,” Clara said. “Why don’t we close up and get on home?”

  I set about closing the place up for the night, making sure curtains were closed and the door locked. I walked with Clara to the hotel and hailed myself a coach back to Rose’s.

  “I’ll see you tonight dear, seven o’clock sharp,” Clara said, patting my arm.

  I c
limbed into the coach and groaned out loud. What had I gotten myself into?

  When I arrived at Rose’s house, I nearly tripped up the front steps in my effort to get inside.

  “Good Lord, Eden. What on Earth is wrong with you?” she asked, taking one look at my red face.

  I sat down heavily at the table and Rose gestured for Martha to bring me a glass of water. I gulped the cold liquid and set the glass down a little harder than I had intended, startling even myself.

  “He’s here,” I finally managed to say. “He’s here and I have to have dinner with him tonight.”

  “Wait, who’s here?” Rose asked

  “Clayton Reeves, Clara’s nephew,” I sputtered.

  Rose sat back and smiled. “Ah, the handsome gentleman you spoke of in your journal. The one with the ‘dreamy eyes,'” she said.

  I nearly died of embarrassment right then. “I can’t believe you read my journal!” I said loudly.

  “Well you left it out in the open,” Rose said defensively.

  “Oh Rose, what am I going to do? I think Clara is trying to get us together,” I said, starting to panic.

  “And what is so wrong with that?” Rose wanted to know.

  “Oh Rose, he’d never want a girl like me. He comes from a wealthy family and surely wants a girl who is refined. I froze when looking at the menu at Clara’s hotel!” I said, mortified. “I can’t go, I just can’t. I’ll make a fool of myself,” I whined.

  “Now you stop right there Eden O’Bannon. Any man would be lucky to have you on his arm,” Rose scolded. “So what if you don’t know exactly which fork to use for which course? A man worthy of you will love you for who you are, not for your table manners.”

  With that, Rose ushered me upstairs where she helped me wash and set my hair and rouge my cheeks. She lent me a gown in a beautiful deep purple and helped me to fasten the buttons.

  Once I was dressed and my hair was fastened away from my face with a pair of pearl barrettes, Rose stood back and looked me over.