Read Online A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears - Free Book Online Page A

he be involved with the transactions? A shiver wound
     up her spine.
    “Sell them.”
    Her mouth went dry. “What company do you sell them to?”
    He looked down at her. “No company, just Carl Hampden at the mercantile. He might
     sell them to a particular company. You could ask him if you’re interested.”
    “Oh, I’m not interested.” Her heart slowed its pace, and she could breathe again.
     Julia pointed to a pasture, its ground ripped with black seams. “What’s over there?”
    “That’s where I’ll plant corn.” Everett turned to face her.“I’m sorry, but I have to get water for the men. If you’ll excuse me.”
    “Why didn’t you ask me to get it?” Was he trying to ignore her?
    “I didn’t want to bother you.”
    She laid her hand on his arm. “But I’m out here to help you.”
    His wide eyes swung to her fingers. Julia dropped her hand.
    He grabbed at his forearm where she had touched him. Was he trying to get the feeling
     of her touch off him? Everett looked at her askance. “So you’d get us some water?”
    “Yes—”
    “Thank you.” Everett tipped his hat and strode off.
    She stamped the ground. Fine. Forget about talking. She tromped to the shack and flung
     open the front door. The top hinge let loose and the wooden door thudded against the
     jamb. She gasped. “I broke Everett’s door!”
    Rachel laughed. “Don’t worry about it. He’s had to fix that door a hundred times.
     You ought to suggest better hinges for the new house.”
    She stepped into the leaning, filthy structure. “He’s building a new house?”
    Rachel nodded.
    The desire to sigh with relief overwhelmed her. She grabbed a few onions and worked
     at tearing off their skins next to Helga, who peeled potatoes.
    “Done playing outside?” Rachel’s amused voice made her cringe.
    She shrugged. “It was time to help with lunch.”
    Rachel dropped her needle and the pair of pants she was mending into a basket and
     stretched. “Guess I can’t let you two do all the work readying the food and drink.”
    “Drink!” She dropped her onion. “I’m supposed to be getting water.”
    Julia rushed out with a bucket, filled it, and hurried over to the men, sloshing water
     on her boots.
    Everett stopped laughing when she reached the outskirts of the construction area.
     Was she that disappointing she killed his mood the second she walked into view? What
     could she do to prove she could work hard enough to be of worth?
    He took the bucket, refilled the men’s jugs, and returned the empty bucket to her.
     “Thank you.”
    “You’re welcome.” She placed her hand on his arm again. It tensed under her fingers.
     They both stared at her hand.
    Everett’s glance moved to her face for a few seconds. His eyes reminded her of the
     frightened jackrabbit she’d scared from its hiding place by the privy this morning.
    His arm disappeared from under her hand, and he left her alone. At the barn’s frame,
     he turned sideways to walk through the wall studs. Within seconds, he had climbed
     to the top of the roof.
    Julia pursed her lips. Scared and not talkative.
    Well, perhaps her future husband was simply shy. That had to be good—a man who was
     skittish was not a man who’d force her against her will. She heaved a sigh. He had
     to be her answer.

    With one hammer blow, Everett drove another nail through both boards.
    “What have those nails done to you?” Dex scooted along the roof’s beam. Behind him,
     the fading light of day shrouded his friend in shadow.
    “Just trying to get as much done as possible before the sun sets.”
    “Or you’re pretending each nail’s head is shaped rather like Axel’s.”
    Everett glanced over to his shack, where Ned was yelling at Helga to get moving and
     Axel had found a need to chitchat with the women, leaving his father and brother lounging
     in their wagon. Normally, Axel would have been dogging William’s heels, but his childhood
     friend obviously paled in