Read Online Mail Order Meddler by Kirsten Osbourne - Free Book Online Page B

rarely complained about it to him.  They’d all known he was doing the best he could with what he had available.
    “At least you were smart enough to marry Tracy.  She’s pretty, smart, and she can cook !” Arthur said.  “It’s about time you did something right.”
    Tracy stifled a giggle at the banter.  The younger brothers had always been so respectful of Andy that she was genuinely surprised to hear them talk that way.
    Andy’s eyes met Tracy’s.  “Smartest thing I ever did.”
    Tracy blushed, not believing he was talking that way.  Maybe he was genuinely starting to have feelings for her.  More likely he was trying to find a way to get her to stay and keep cooking.
    After dinner, she and Mattie did the dishes, while the boys relaxed around the table.  Sunday was a day of rest, so only necessary chores would be done.  Tracy was glad.  Her body was starting to ache with the constant work she was doing.  Having a day off would be good for her.
    After the dishes were finished, she put a pot of beans on to soak.  She’d cook them on low the whole time they were at church, so they’d have a meal ready when they got home.  Mattie ran to get their sewing, and the two of them sat in rocking chairs working, while the three boys sat around the table and played a game with a deck of cards.
    Once everyone was in bed, and she’d put her sewing away for the night, Andy asked her to sit and talk with him at the table again.  She took the seat next to him, but made sure she was out of arms reach.  She needed to talk to him as well.
    She waited for a minute for him to say something.  When he didn’t, she broached the subject she wanted to talk about.  “I think you should keep your hands to yourself until I go.  I don’t want to risk doing something that would keep us from being able to easily dissolve our marriage.”  Not really, but…she couldn’t stay with things between them as they were.
    Andy sighed heavily.  “Do you really think we’re going to be able to easily dissolve our marriage regardless?  We’re not, you know.”
    “Why not?”
    “I’ve seen how you are with Mattie.  You can’t tell me you’re not growing to love her.  We’re all going to be on the floor hugging your legs begging you not to leave us like a group of toddlers whose mother is about to run away forever.”   He shook his head. 
    Tracy smiled at the picture his words painted in her mind.  “You will?  That could be…interesting.”
    He scooted his chair closer to hers, taking her hand in his and bringing it to his lips.  “I know I wasn’t kind to you your first day here.  I was still in shock that Francis had sent for a wife without even telling me.”  He looked into her eyes, trying to make her understand.  “Now that I’ve gotten to know you a little, I realize that I want you to stay.  Please say you’ll stay with me.”  He needed her to agree to stay for him, not for his siblings, but he didn’t add that.  With the way he’d behaved, he had no right to ask for that.
    “What will I do when you change your mind again and decide that life was better before you married me?”  She shook her head.  “No one has ever wanted me around.  My mother dumped me on the steps of an orphanage when I was a few weeks old.  The people in the orphanage took care of me, because that’s what people in orphanages do.  Every friend I ever had got adopted as soon as we became close.”  She pushed the strands of hair that had fallen out of her bun away from her face.  “I can’t stay here with someone else who doesn’t want me.”
    Andy closed his eyes for a moment, regretting the pain he’d caused her.  “I’m sorry I added to the pain you already felt.  I never meant to do that.  Please stay with us.  We all want you to stay and be part of our family.”  He scooped her out of her chair and pulled her into his lap.  “Me most of all.”
    His lips met hers before she could answer him,