Read Online Finally a Bride by Vickie Mcdonough - Free Book Online Page B

“Why?”
    The parson turned his head away, looking pale again. Jack glanced down at her slice of pork. Was something wrong with it? She hadn’t noticed that it tasted odd. She cut a bite and lifted it to her nose and took a quick sniff. Fine. No, not fine, it smelled downright tasty. She put the bite in her mouth, relishing its delicious flavor.
    “I have a package that needs to be picked up at the train depot in Denison, and I wondered if you could get it for me.”
    Garrett nodded and forked some green beans into his mouth. “Sure thing. Do you know when it’s supposed to arrive?”
    Jack thought of Garrett Corbett as more of an uncle than her stepfather’s cousin. Even though he was close to forty, he was still a handsome man with blond hair and eyes that often gleamed with mischief. She loved his blue eyes. If only hers were that vivid hue that put her in mind of a robin’s egg instead of being so dark a blue.
    “Yes, it should be there in two days.”
    Luke stared at Ma then lifted his brows. Jack glanced at her mother in time to catch her smothering a grin. What was that about?
    She couldn’t think of anything her ma had ordered. They had just celebrated Luke’s birthday, and nobody else had one for a few months, so it couldn’t be a present. She spent the rest of the meal contemplating that mystery. The reporter in her just couldn’t let it go.
    Alan stood up first. “Can I be excused?”
    “May I,” Abby stated like a little teacher.
    “I asked first,” Alan whined and curled up his lip at Abby.
    “You may both take your dishes to the kitchen,” her papa said. “Alan, fetch a bucket of water and set it on the front porch. Abby, you can help your ma clear the table and clean up.”
    Abby scowled and glanced at Jack. “What about Sissy?”
    Her mother wiped Emmie’s face with the towel tied around the girl’s neck. “You know Jacqueline can’t be on her feet yet. She needs to rest her knee. In fact, she shouldn’t even be downstairs so soon after her accident.” She cast her husband a mock glare.
    Luke shrugged. “She’s all right, Rachel. I’ll make sure she takes things easy.”
    Jack’s mother sighed. “Fine. I suppose it won’t hurt her to rest on the sofa or even sit in a rocker on the porch for a bit.”
    Luke grinned and winked at Jack. She couldn’t help smiling back at him. They were shameful to gang up on her ma, especially when she was going to birth a baby in the next few weeks, but Jack had to get out of that bedroom. How else was she going to get a story about the parson?
    She peeked over at him. He was listening to Garrett tell a story about a duck that hitched a ride on his freight wagon. She smiled at Garrett’s animated expression and his arms, which flapped like wings. Emmie giggled at him and lifted her arms up and down.
    “Well, I need to get the wagon unloaded.”
    All three men stood at once. Luke picked up his plate, as well as Garrett’s and Mr. Jeffers. “Have you heard anything from Mark lately?”
    Garrett swigged back the last of his water and set the glass down. “Yep. He and Shannon are talking about maybe moving back here.”
    “Truly!” Jack’s ma hurried back into the dining room. “It would be so nice to see them more often.”
    “I don’t know if they will, but they’re considering it since Lookout is growing so much. Dallas is gettin’ really big now, and Shannon wants to raise the children in a smaller town.” Garrett lifted his hat off the corner of his chair and set it on his head. “I just don’t know if we have enough call for a lawyer here, though.”
    “The closest one I know about is in Denison, and you know that’s several hours’ ride away. Some of the folks who live in the small towns around Lookout may need one on an occasion.” Luke wrapped his arm around Rachel’s shoulders.
    Garrett stretched and scratched his belly. “The food was great, as usual, Rachel. Thanks for letting me invite myself to