Read Online Mail Order Mishap: Christian Romance (Kansas Brides Book 1) by Barbara Goss - Free Book Online

I imagine they have a lot of business to discuss.” Edna refilled Amber’s teacup. “You’re very fortunate to not have to do domestic work.”
    “What do you know about Garrett?” Amber asked.
    “He’s quiet, took his mother’s death badly—more so than Charles did. I think he’s a more sensitive person. Charles is the outgoing one, and Garrett the quiet one,” she said. “I do like them both, though.”
    “As do I,” Amber said and she meant it. She didn’t understand Charles, but she’d come to like Garrett, despite her first opinion of him. He was polite and respectful in his own way, she supposed. There was something in his eyes, something sad, and she wondered what it was. She didn’t recall seeing it when they’d first met, but she'd certainly noticed it after her marriage. Could the sadness be connected to his thinking he had to find another place to live?
     
    As Amber scurried back across the street to the hotel, she was aware that walking alone was not smart, but sometimes she had no choice, so she hurried. She made it back to the house, but before going inside, decided to sit on the bench and plan her garden.
    She mentally grew the plants and situated the trellises. She decided to paint the bench white to match the trellises.
    Then she thought about her marriage. What was she supposed to do? Charles wasn’t one bit interested in her, of that she was sure. Why had he married her then? She frowned when the realization struck.
    For the dowry! She wondered if he had plans to consummate the marriage any time soon. She’d done her best to encourage him in her own meek way, but if she behaved too boldly and he'd dismissed her, she’d feel worse than she did now. What was she to do?
    Margaret had warned her, and now she was stuck in a loveless marriage, would never be loved, and would never have children. She felt tears forming in her eyes and reached into her pocket for her handkerchief. As more tears fell, she gave up trying to hold them back, and wept into her handkerchief.
    Amber felt someone watching her so she quickly stopped sobbing and dried her eyes. She looked up to see Garrett watching her from the hotel bridge, just standing and staring at her. She felt mortified that he'd caught her at a weak moment.
    “Are you all right?” he asked in a bit more than a whisper.
    She nodded. “I’m fine. Just homesick, I guess.”
    He hesitantly sat down beside her as if he wasn’t sure it was the right thing to do.
    “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’ve forgotten your name.”
    “Amber Wakefield—I mean, Turner.”
    “I’m sorry you’re homesick.”
    “Richmond, Virginia,” she said, “is a different world from Hunter’s Grove, Kansas.”
    “I’m sure it is,” he said.
    “I apologize for having such a weak moment,” she said.
    “No need to apologize. I just wish there were something I could do—you know—to help you feel better, I guess.”
    “You have, just by just being here with me,” she said. “Being married to Charles has turned out to be a bit lonely,” she blurted out, before she'd thought better of about it. After she’d said it, she wanted to pull the words back. It wasn’t a good idea to say such a thing to the brother of her husband. Much to her surprise, instead of being offended, he laughed a bit.
    “Tell me about it. I’ve been living with him my whole life.”
    Amber gave him a shy smile.
    “I’m not as outgoing as Charles, and I’m not as good with words as he is, but if you need someone to talk to…I mean, I know I’m not Charles, but I’d be happy to keep you company—when you need to talk to someone, I mean.”
    Amber knew he was having a hard time saying what he wanted to, but she knew exactly what he was offering.
    “I may do just that. I think you’re a very pleasant person to talk to and I feel better already. Thank you, Garrett.”
    He stood, nodded, and went into the house. Amber stayed outside until she saw Charles walking over the bridge