A Groom for Ruby by Emma Miller

Author:Emma Miller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Love Inspired
Published: 2017-09-05T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Joseph took a seat at the picnic table under the poplar tree and tried not to show how nervous he was. Ruby’s parents seemed welcoming and pleasant, but he was still sweating beneath his hat’s brim. He wanted to make a good impression, and as his mother had reminded him in front of everyone, he wasn’t at his best with strangers. But he was determined that this would be different. His and Ruby’s future was at stake. She was depending on him, and he couldn’t let her down. One way or another, he would fight through his shyness and be the man she deserved. He’d ask her father for her hand in marriage. God willing, he thought and offered a silent prayer.

Joseph suddenly realized that Ruby’s father was speaking to him, and gave the older man his full attention.

“...heard so much about you,” Solomon went on heartily. “Hallich we finally get to meet you.”

Joseph nodded and opened his mouth to make some kind of proper response, but when nothing came out, Solomon went right on talking without missing a beat. The older man didn’t seem to notice that he was the only one speaking, which was fine with Joseph.

Ruby’s father was a solid man in his late sixties with a full beard and bushy gray eyebrows that arched up at the outer corners. He had full red cheeks, a wide mouth and a nose much like Ruby’s. Solomon was clearly a man who liked his food and liked to laugh, and he obviously was as fond of his daughter as his wife seemed to be because both of them kept smiling at Ruby with genuine pleasure.

“It’s good of you...to have us visit,” Joseph managed when Solomon stopped talking long enough to catch a breath.

Solomon grinned, slapped Joseph on the back and shoved a huge mug of cider into his hand. “Taste that. Cider. Sweet. Not hard. I don’t hold with spirits. What do you think? Secret recipe. You have to marry into the familye to get it.” He chuckled, a deep, rumbling belly laugh that threatened to pop the buttons of his old-fashioned, long-sleeved blue shirt. “And even then, maybe not until we have a few grandbabies.”

“Solomon, no need to talk of kinner yet,” Ruby’s mother said. “You’ll frighten the young man away.”

“I don’t think so,” Solomon replied. “He’s smitten. Look at him, Mommi. He can’t take his eyes off our Ruby.”

Ina laughed, a loud, jolly sound. Joseph hadn’t expected the wheelchair. Ruby hadn’t mentioned that her mother had health problems. But Ina didn’t look sick or feeble. Her cheeks were full of color, her skin clear and her hair, although streaked with gray, was thick and shining, framing a square, pleasant face. He wondered why Ina couldn’t walk but didn’t want to ask such a personal question.

“Buwe or maed, we don’t care,” Solomon continued merrily. “Boy or girl. We’re not getting any younger and we’d like to bounce some kinner on our gnie while we’ve still got the energy.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.