Read Online Courted by Trouble: A Courting Romance (In Hyacinth Book 3) by Bree Cariad - Free Book Online Page B

the motor. “Are you ready for that?”
    “Yes. I’m spending more time here anyway.”
    “Good to hear. Though Camille will probably be disappointed you will no longer be nearby.”
    “She’s too busy being a newlywed. She won’t even notice for months.”
    The snow was falling pretty hard and the tires crunched on the road as they went along. “Stephanie, you probably realize I wanted to speak to you tonight.”
    “I figured there was something,” she admitted. He could have had Jerod and Cami pick her up and take her home.
    “Christopher Triton has made a request to court you.”
    She heard the words but almost wanted him to repeat them. “Did you just say Chris wants to court me?”
    “Yes. He made the appeal at the last town council meeting. How do you feel about it?”
    “Confused,” she admitted. “I wasn’t sure how he felt about me at all. Wait… appeal?”
    “This was his third request,” he admitted. “The first two were categorically denied.”
    “Why?” Her breath caught even as she knew it. The council didn’t think she was worth courting. Stephanie was right; they didn’t think of her as a good girl. Her chest tightened as he began to speak.
    “He wasn’t ready. We all know you and have watched you grow up into an amazing young lady. We may be a little over-protective of you for what happened to you almost two years ago. His first request was after that first dinner. It was obvious he didn’t take the courting seriously, that he saw it as just dating. So we said no. The second time was after the last dinner. We could tell he understood more and took it seriously, but he had some things he needed to take care of before we would accept his request. Well, he has proven to the council he’s serious. He not only took care of those items, but he has worked hard since he returned to show us how earnestly he takes it and his future role as head of the house. As such, the council is waiting for my word on whether or not to accept the request.”
    Stunned, she watched the snow falling around the truck. They turned him down, not because of her, but because of him. And from the sounds of it, he really must like her because he hadn’t taken no for an answer. “What did he need to do?”
    “That’s for him to tell you, not us. I just need to know if you’re interested in being courted by him for the next year.”
    Smiling softly, she looked over at the man that was probably more her father than the one she used to have. “I like Chris and yes, I would love to be courted by him.”
    Looking pleased, Alex Covington nodded. “Good. And I’m glad to hear you will be at Dora’s. I’ve been trying to find a way to get you out of that cabin for months.”
    Laughing loudly, she leaned back in her seat. Her whole world was about to change and she was excited.
    Drake and his father packed her belongings in the truck over the weekend and three days after being asked, Stephanie was settled in her new bedroom which was as large as the whole cabin had been.
    “We can paint it any color you want,” Dora offered as they unpacked her last small box. “I’m so glad you agreed,” she said in relief, sitting down on Stephanie’s daybed which Mr. Covington had insisted she take. His exact phrase went to the tune of “what am I going to do with a daybed?”
    “It was perfect timing for me,” Stephanie admitted, hanging her clock on the wall. “Getting around in winter out there isn’t easy and I’ve come to enjoy my time in town. Plus, it’ll be fun living here together.”
    “I agree. Though we’ve got to paint the kitchen.”
    Snickering, Stephanie collapsed onto the bed next to her. “Yes, that particular green and purple don’t say food to me.”
    “Not me either. Once Mom’s gone, we can paint it a nice, sunny yellow or something.”
    Stephanie had become so used to living in the middle of nowhere that it was a novelty to wake up the next morning and to know that anywhere she wanted to