Read Online Male Order Bride by Carolyn Thornton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carolyn Thornton
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into marriage, although there
were some nice benefits of marriage—like the presents at the
reception. Remembering Margaret and all they had endured with each
other, he couldn't think of much else that had been pleasant beyond the
wedding day, except for Angela. If nothing else, the marriage had been
worthwhile because of Angela.
Rafe set the newspaper aside. He wasn't paying attention
to any of the words in front of him. Instead his mind had been
distracted by the honey-blonde who had just walked up to the ticket
counter.
Something in her carriage caught his attention, the way
she walked with assurance and style, and the way her smile radiated.
She looked familiar. He sat straighter, trying to get a better view.
I'll be damned
, he thought, assessing
her openly now. It had to be her. Gulfport/Biloxi flights out of
Atlanta were narrowly focused enough that it couldn't be anyone else.
And George was certainly right—Lacey Adams was a good-looking
woman.
Excited within, he maintained a blank-faced facade. What
should he do now? Walk over to her and introduce himself, or just let
her slip away from him and wait until their date on Saturday? Now that
he'd seen her, he didn't think he could contain his curiosity that
long. Yet he'd built up such a systematic approach to her, he didn't
want to blow it all on a chance meeting. It was much better the way he
had originally planned it. The drama of the situation was more in
keeping with his style.
But he wanted to talk to her. He wanted to do more than
nod and say, "Howdy, ma'am," in passing her on the airplane. He watched
her tugging her suitcase on wheels past the desk to take a seat in the
waiting area.
Her eyes glanced in his direction, seemed to linger for a
millisecond, and passed. His blood warmed from the excitement of her
proximity. She seemed to be glancing around the room at everyone with
equal attention, as he himself had done. Gulfport and Biloxi were small
enough that the chances were always good that he would run into someone
on this flight he knew. She was probably looking around the room for
the same reason.
She took a seat somewhere behind him, where he would have
to turn around and stare to look at her.
This will never do
,
he thought, wondering what Plan B should be and how he could put it
into action.
The ticket agent was finalizing seating arrangements; the
line in front of the ticket counter had disappeared. She was checking
in the late arrivals as they walked up.
Rafe left his saddlebags on the seat with the newspaper
and stepped back up to the ticket counter. "Excuse me, ma'am," he said
when she looked up and smiled at him again. "Could you tell me, is that
Miss Lacey Adams who just checked in, the blonde with the blue
suitcase?"
The girl glanced over her shoulder in the direction he had
indicated with a nod of his head. Lacey sat with her back to them two
rows of chairs away. "Yes, I believe I did check in someone by that
name."
Rafe smiled, his best "you're-going-to-love-me" smile and
asked, "Is there any way you could change my seat so that I sit next to
her on the flight?"
The check-in agent frowned and examined the stickers left
on the diagram of the airplane. "I don't know. She's in nonsmoking,
you're in smoking."
"I don't mind changing, ma'am."
She glanced up at him again and frowned.
"You see, we haven't ever met, but we have a date together
this Saturday night," he explained, without really explaining, "and I
think she'd appreciate a chance to get to know me a little before our
first date. Wouldn't you feel better about a blind date that way
yourself?"
She smiled, and Rafe thought:
Everybody loves a
romance
. "We-e-ll," she said, looking down again at her
chart. "She's sitting at a window in a full row. But I do have two
seats together a couple of rows forward. I'd have to change both of
you."
"That'd be just perfect," Rafe said, smiling with his
"I'm-going-to-love-you" smile. "Is there any way you can change her
seat without her
were some nice benefits of marriage—like the presents at the
reception. Remembering Margaret and all they had endured with each
other, he couldn't think of much else that had been pleasant beyond the
wedding day, except for Angela. If nothing else, the marriage had been
worthwhile because of Angela.
Rafe set the newspaper aside. He wasn't paying attention
to any of the words in front of him. Instead his mind had been
distracted by the honey-blonde who had just walked up to the ticket
counter.
Something in her carriage caught his attention, the way
she walked with assurance and style, and the way her smile radiated.
She looked familiar. He sat straighter, trying to get a better view.
I'll be damned
, he thought, assessing
her openly now. It had to be her. Gulfport/Biloxi flights out of
Atlanta were narrowly focused enough that it couldn't be anyone else.
And George was certainly right—Lacey Adams was a good-looking
woman.
Excited within, he maintained a blank-faced facade. What
should he do now? Walk over to her and introduce himself, or just let
her slip away from him and wait until their date on Saturday? Now that
he'd seen her, he didn't think he could contain his curiosity that
long. Yet he'd built up such a systematic approach to her, he didn't
want to blow it all on a chance meeting. It was much better the way he
had originally planned it. The drama of the situation was more in
keeping with his style.
But he wanted to talk to her. He wanted to do more than
nod and say, "Howdy, ma'am," in passing her on the airplane. He watched
her tugging her suitcase on wheels past the desk to take a seat in the
waiting area.
Her eyes glanced in his direction, seemed to linger for a
millisecond, and passed. His blood warmed from the excitement of her
proximity. She seemed to be glancing around the room at everyone with
equal attention, as he himself had done. Gulfport and Biloxi were small
enough that the chances were always good that he would run into someone
on this flight he knew. She was probably looking around the room for
the same reason.
She took a seat somewhere behind him, where he would have
to turn around and stare to look at her.
This will never do
,
he thought, wondering what Plan B should be and how he could put it
into action.
The ticket agent was finalizing seating arrangements; the
line in front of the ticket counter had disappeared. She was checking
in the late arrivals as they walked up.
Rafe left his saddlebags on the seat with the newspaper
and stepped back up to the ticket counter. "Excuse me, ma'am," he said
when she looked up and smiled at him again. "Could you tell me, is that
Miss Lacey Adams who just checked in, the blonde with the blue
suitcase?"
The girl glanced over her shoulder in the direction he had
indicated with a nod of his head. Lacey sat with her back to them two
rows of chairs away. "Yes, I believe I did check in someone by that
name."
Rafe smiled, his best "you're-going-to-love-me" smile and
asked, "Is there any way you could change my seat so that I sit next to
her on the flight?"
The check-in agent frowned and examined the stickers left
on the diagram of the airplane. "I don't know. She's in nonsmoking,
you're in smoking."
"I don't mind changing, ma'am."
She glanced up at him again and frowned.
"You see, we haven't ever met, but we have a date together
this Saturday night," he explained, without really explaining, "and I
think she'd appreciate a chance to get to know me a little before our
first date. Wouldn't you feel better about a blind date that way
yourself?"
She smiled, and Rafe thought:
Everybody loves a
romance
. "We-e-ll," she said, looking down again at her
chart. "She's sitting at a window in a full row. But I do have two
seats together a couple of rows forward. I'd have to change both of
you."
"That'd be just perfect," Rafe said, smiling with his
"I'm-going-to-love-you" smile. "Is there any way you can change her
seat without her
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