Mail-Order Misfire by Davalynn Spencer

Author:Davalynn Spencer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: widow, christian romance, mailorder bride, second chance, western romance, lawman, cowboy romance, christian historical fiction, strong female lead, romance ebooks
Publisher: Davalynn Spencer

CHAPTER 12

As usual, Lockton’s Fourth of July celebration drew people from miles around, every rancher with his fastest three-year-old for the horse races, and every farmer’s wife with her cheeses, sweet corn, or quilts. But Main Street had never looked better.

Bern marveled at the change in the Everson boys, the pride they’d taken in working to get things spruced up for the big event. Etta had hit upon a gold nugget. Not that he’d be deputizing Earl and Lester any time soon, but he doubted he’d be jailing them either.

The Petersons drove down from the mountain with their ice wagon, drawing all the children to run along beside it as it entered town. The contraption looked like a box coffin until Old Man Peterson pried off the lid, revealing layers of straw-packed ice that sold for pennies to lemonade and ice-cream makers alike.

Gracie had talked Etta into trying her hand at ice cream, and Bern had hauled in their White Mountain freezer from the barn where he’d stored it. At the end of the day, he got the dregs of her efforts, and it put him in mind of what Ruth used to make. Not unusual, he supposed, as women often shared their kitchen secrets with one another. Maybe Mrs. Dalton had told her.

But the biggest surprise that day was what Gracie wore—a soft peach-colored dress that made her bloom like a rose. Even Mrs. Prigg and her daughter crowded around with others, touching the frills that drew a woman’s attention and chattering like a bunch of blue jays. Etta stood off by herself, one arm resting on the other, fingers pressed against her smiling lips.

Guilty as charged.

Bern thought back to his tabs at Stewart’s General. No tickets had dress goods listed. He hadn’t paid for Gracie’s new frock, he was certain of it.

Etta Collier was cranking his heart as sure as she’d turned the paddles in the ice-cream freezer.

Late in the day, the Everson boys took to cleaning up and saw that everyone was safely on their way home or had a place to stay. Bern gave them each a half-dollar and watched them ride out sober and proud. The saloon owner watched too, standing at his door, shaking his head. Business hadn’t been all that good for him lately, and Bern suspected he wasn’t the man’s favorite person at the moment.

It did his heart good. As did his walk home, thinking about Etta Collier and how different his life was with her in it.

She hadn’t pulled away from him the night he’d come home late and thought she was missing or hurt. He wanted to repeat the gesture and intended to do so as soon as he got home. But this time, he’d seal his affection with more than just his arms.

Etta had taken Gracie home earlier, worn out from all the doings and attention. The parlor light flickered dimly in the window, and Bern entered through the front door, expecting to find Etta in the big chair waiting for him.

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