A
Bride for
Tom
Ruth Ann Nordin
Wedded Bliss Romances, LLC
A Bride for Tom
Bride for
Tom
Ruth Ann Nordin
Wedded Bliss Romances, LLC
A Bride for Tom
You can choose to believe that or not.”
Now he was really confused, but then he thought it wasn’t his business. He turned back to the horse and led it into the barn. “I have to help rein in some stray cattle. Look, whatever’s bothering you, don’t worry about it. Everything’s fine, alright?”
“You mean, you’re going to go out in the fields...on that horse?”
He tied the horse to the post in the center of the barn and walked over to the large closet. “That’s the idea. I sure can’t catch them by running on foot.”
She giggled, and he cracked a smile. “Can I come along?” she asked.
“What?”
She motioned to the horse. “I’ve only ridden a horse a couple of times, but it would be fun to go out again.”
“This isn’t a leisurely trot. I’ll be riding that horse hard.” He reached for the saddle, but she placed a hand on his arm. The action startled him, though in a good way. He recalled how nice it had been to kiss her. Nice? It was incredible.
“That sounds exciting,” she said, her eyes lit up with obvious enthusiasm. “Can I ride with you?”
“But this isn’t fun. It’s work.”
“I don’t mind. I’d like to see what it is you do out here. Please?”
He did want her to stick around. He really wanted to spend time with her. But... “What about Peter?”
“We’d be doing this as friends. I mean, unless you thought...I mean... You knew I was engaged, so you didn’t think that I—”
“No,” he lied. “But it’s still not right. The least you can do is have Peter join us.”
She sighed and then smiled. “What if one of your brothers come along? Or even one of your sisters? You do have a sister or two? What about Jenny?”
How was it possible that she knew more about him than he ever knew about her? “Well, alright. But you’ll have to ride with her. There’s no way you’re riding on the horse with me.” It was hard enough to concentrate on anything when she was near him, and he needed a clear head for roping cattle. “Deal?”
She nodded. “It’s a deal.”
He was ready to tell her that she’d need to borrow one of his sister’s riding skirts, but she already had a pair on. “Why didn’t you just ride a horse out here instead of taking that buggy?”
“My mother hates it when I ride a horse. She thinks it’s unladylike.”
So maybe she just came out to ride a horse. Maybe it had nothing to do with him. The thought stung, but he ignored it. He had work to do. He could worry about everything else later. “Alright. Hang on and I’ll get Jenny.” He didn’t bother waiting for her reply as he jogged to the house.
Chapter Nine
Jessica wondered if she was being smart in asking to join Tom, but she wanted to speak with him. She just wasn’t sure what she wanted to speak with him about. She smiled at Jenny as Tom saddled up two more horses and set Jessica’s horses out to the small gated area so they could rest and eat.
“I hope I’m not intruding,” Jessica softly told Jenny, not wishing for Tom to overhear.
“Nah. Neil Craftsman’s cattle get loose a lot. They pretty much all go down the same path too. Afterwards, Jimmy will probably recommend they find the troubled spot in the fence and fix it. I figure I better go anyway. The men will be hungry and want to eat something.”
“Oh. I hadn’t thought of that. Let me help you. It is the least I can do since everyone will show me how this...” Jessica paused, not knowing what to call chasing cattle around and bringing them home. “Well, I’ve never seen anything like this, so I asked Tom if I could watch. There’s really so little of farm living I know about.”
Jenny smiled. “It’s not that exciting, but I certainly don’t mind coming along. It’s a nice break from being stuck in the kitchen all day.”
Jessica nodded, not really sure of what else to say.
“Tom, I swear you have got to be the slowest person alive,” a lanky youth said, sauntering into the barn. He didn’t even look in Jenny and Jessica’s direction. “What are you doing? Have you lost your senses? Why are you saddling three horses? Dave and I aren’t going with you.”
“I’m taking Jenny and Jessica with me. Jessica wants to see how we round up cattle.”
The boy laughed. “Oh Tom. Doesn’t this just beat all? You don’t need to make up these silly lies to save your pride. We all know that there’s no way Jessica would venture out here to see you when she’s got Peter.”
Jenny cleared her throat.
As soon as the boy turned around, his face turned bright red.
“We have a guest, Joel,” Jenny said, sweetly smiling. “Her name is Jessica Reynolds. Jessica, this is our youngest brother, Joel. Sometimes we call him ‘foot in the mouth’ Larson. Don’t worry though. His jaw doesn’t usually hang that low.”
Sensing that Tom had been getting some grief over her...for whatever reason, Jessica walked up to Joel and said, “Hello, Joel. Will you be joining us?”
“Uh...uh...” he stammered.
Another young man entered the barn, and Jessica assumed that this was another brother since they shared the same blond hair and good looks.
“Pa thinks maybe I should go lasso the cattle up since you’re taking so long, Tom.” He stopped as soon as he saw her. “Jessica? What are you doing here?”
“Never mind all that,” Tom called out. “We have work to do. Don’t send Pa.” He brought the horses over to them. “Here’s the horses. Jessica, do you need help getting on the horse?”
She glanced at the two brothers who were staring at her as if they couldn’t believe their eyes. She then looked at Jenny who looked as if she was ready to burst into a fit of giggles. Jessica didn’t know exactly what was going on, but it did occur to her that the two brothers had somehow given Tom a hard time about finding a woman. So she went over to Tom and said she needed help, even though she really didn’t.
Before he took her hand, she kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you, Tom.” Then she let him help her into the saddle. She smiled at the three bewildered siblings. “Tom’s such a nice person. All the ladies think so.”
She glanced at Joel who hadn’t budged an inch. The other brother just shrugged and helped Jenny up onto her horse.
Tom grabbed his lasso and hopped on his horse. The graceful way he moved startled her, though she hoped she didn’t show it. For some reason, she assumed that Tom would have to give it a few tries before he succeeded.
“Are we ready?” Tom asked her and Jenny.
“I sure am.” Jenny looked at Jessica. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been riding in the fields.”
“I’ve only ridden in town,” Jessica admitted.
“Well, you’re in for a treat. The view is much better out here.”
They followed Tom who had to stop his horse when they got close to the exit. “Joel, you’re blocking my way.”
“I got it,” the older brother said.
“Thanks, Dave.”
Jessica made a mental note on the names. Jenny, Joel and Dave. She just hoped she remembered which one was Joel and which one was Dave the next time she saw them. They looked so much alike.
After Dave pulled Joel to the side, the three headed out on their horses. Jessica kept pace with the two siblings, but she had to concentrate. The landscape wasn’t as smooth as what she was used to so she continually shifted her balance to compensate for the horse’s movements. Once she noticed Tom rush forward, she glanced at Jenny who slowed her horse. Jessica followed Jenny’s lead and watched as Tom chased down a stray cow.
Jenny moved her horse to close the gap between them. “Neil and Jimmy are over there.”
Jessica’s attention turned to the left, and she saw two men surrounding a group of about ten cattle. The dog in the rear barked. The group moved at a slow pace. Glancing in Tom’s direction, she saw the cow run from him. He swung the rope over his head and caught it. Again, she wondered why she assumed that he’d miss on his first attempt. Was her perception of him directly related to how he’d acted at the barn gathering?
She looked at Jenny. “Does he handle cattle well?”
“Oh, Tom’s one of the best. Whenever there’s stray cattle, he’s the first one people ask for help.”
“Really?”
Jenny giggled, as if she understood Jessica’s shock. “He’s only clumsy when he’s nervous. Out here, he’s comfortable.”
“Is he comfortable farming, too?”
“Yes. He’s only uncomfortable around a woman he’s not related to. But you can see how he is when he’s focused.”
Jessica returned her gaze to Tom and saw him take the rebellious cow back to the group. It did impress her to watch how the men worked as a team. While a couple kept the herd moving, the third would hunt down and retrieve another one they found. More often than not, Tom would be the one to chase it down and bring it to the group. She supposed she should have gotten bored with the process, but she was too fascinated as she watched Tom. His movements were fluid, and it intrigued her that a man could be so in tune with his steed. If only Margaret and the other women could see him now. They might not react so poorly to his offer to dance.
She frowned. No. It was better they didn’t find out. They didn’t need to take an interest in him. She definitely had to talk to him because if that kiss he gave her was an indicator of something he might feel for her, then she needed to find out before she proceeded further with her engagement.
“It looks like they got everything under control,” Jenny said. “Let’s head over to Neil’s home and make them something to eat.”
Jessica nodded and joined her, leaving the men to lead the herd back to Neil’s property. When they arrived at Neil’s house, she hesitated. She heard of sod houses but hadn’t seen one. It seemed to her that a house made of straw and dirt couldn’t be too comfortable.
She glanced at Jenny as they got down from their horses. “Do farmers live in this kind of house?”
“Most of them do, but we have one made of lumber.”
“Tom still lives with you...at your parents’ home, right?”
“Yes, but he’s talking about getting his own home before December.” She laughed. “He’d better get a move on it though. It’s already the second of October.” Jenny took Jessica’s horse’s reins. “I’ll take care of him. Why don’t you go into the house and get things ready.”
“Is Tom going to have a sod house?”
“Yes. He can’t afford to make one out of wood,” Jenny said. “He’s been holding off on getting his own home because he isn’t married yet, but with the way Joel bothers him, I think he’s itching to get out on his own.”
Jessica watched as Jenny took the horses to the pasture behind the barn. She tried to visualize herself living in a sod house. Peter had already set out a cute little home in town. How much different would her life be if she were to marry Tom instead? She rolled her eyes. Tom gave her one kiss and she was thinking of marriage? It was ridiculous. Who knew what his motives were or even if it would work out between them?
She slowly made her way to the sod house and opened the door. It was small. She only saw enough room for a bed and a small cookstove with two shelves along the wall. Would this be something she could get used to? But as she thought about it, the sod house didn’t look so bad. It didn’t come with a man who did his mother’s bidding all the time. Or would it? Just what was Tom’s relationship to his parents like? There were so many things to consider in this whole thing.
Well, there was nothing to consider until she talked to Tom, and she decided she would talk to him before the day was over because this cycle of wondering was going to drive her insane.
Chapter Ten
“Hey, Tom,” Neil began as he, Tom, and Jimmy walked back to their horses after having a light lunch, “are you courting Jessica?”
I wish. “No,” Tom replied. “She’s engaged to Peter what’s-his-name.”
“You mean, Connie James’ son?” Jimmy asked.
“That’s the one. Peter James is his name,” Tom said. He followed the other two to the barn and got his horse out of one of the stalls. “Neil, you seem to take better care of this barn than you do your own house.”
Neil shrugged as he gathered his bridle to put on his steed. “I just sleep there.”
Jimmy looked at Neil. “You do take good care of this barn. Why don’t you take care of your fence the same way?”
Neil groaned. “I’m getting to that. Right now I’ve been putting all my time into the harvest. That takes a full day, you know.”
“I do know, but we just lost half the day in chasing down your cattle.”
“I’ll check the rest of the fence for any more tears, but that means I won’t be coming out to your place tomorrow until the afternoon.”
“It’s worth it.”
While the two rambled on, Tom glanced over his shoulder and saw Jessica and Jenny laughing as they sat on their horses. For a moment—just a moment—he imagined what it would be like if Jessica was always with them, helping the other women make food for the men during the harvest, always giving him kisses on the cheek, always being by his side... He sighed. Okay. So he got it. She hadn’t been making him the butt of a joke when he went to see her a couple days ago. He understood that now. But why was she here? Didn’t Peter even care that she was gone?
“You have to get on the horse before you can ride out of here,” Jimmy told Tom.
Tom turned his attention to his stallion and got into the saddle. “I’m coming.” He urged the horse forward and followed them out of the barn.
To his surprise, Jessica waited for him while Jenny rode ahead with Jimmy and Neil. Jessica rode beside him. “I enjoyed watching you out there.”
He glanced at her. “Really?” What was so special about watching him round up cattle?
She smiled. “I guess it was nice to get a look at what you do.”
“Oh, I don’t do that all the time. Most of the time, I’m in the fields, except in winter when there’s nothing going on.”
“Well, then what do you do during the winter months?”
“Mostly stay inside and keep warm, though if there’s something that needs fixing around the house, that’s the time to do it. Of course, the animals always need to be cared for.”
“That sounds good.”
He nodded, not sure what he could add to the conversation. For some reason, the actual day-to-day activities seemed more interesting when he was doing them instead of talking about them. Finally, he asked, “Is your mother really alright with you being out here?”
“I told her that I needed to apologize to you. I don’t know what I did or said that gave you the impression that I had Peter or Margaret hiding somewhere when you came over, but I am sorry.”
His face grew warm from embarrassment. “You don’t need to apologize.”
“Is that why you kissed me? Because you thought I had them over?”
“Well, I thought that if Peter was there, he wouldn’t keep hiding if another man kissed you. I mean, I know I wouldn’t if I were him.”
“So, if you didn’t think he was there, then you wouldn’t have kissed me?”
He laughed, more from the touchy topic than from amusement. One bad thing about being out of earshot of everyone else was that he couldn’t ask someone else a question and cut off this particular topic. No. He was stuck with this conversation whether he liked it or not. And he didn’t like it. He didn’t think she had any dubious motives, but he didn’t need to take another blow to his pride either. He took a deep breath as he contemplated which answer to give that would do the least amount of damage. “I knew you were engaged, so no, I wouldn’t have kissed you.”
“And if I wasn’t engaged?”
Of course, I would have kissed you. A man would have to be dead to not want to kiss you. But he didn’t dare say that. Instead, he said, “What difference does it make? You are engaged.”
She didn’t seem happy with his answer but she nodded. “You’re right. I guess it really doesn’t matter.”
“Right.” And really, it didn’t. Years from now when she was living in Peter’s house and caring for his children and welcoming him home from work with those sweet lips, this conversation would be long forgotten.
Jenny pulled back her horse until they caught up to her. “The snack we made isn’t very filling. Jessica, why don’t you stay for supper?”
Tom shot his sister a ‘what are you doing?’ look, but she kept her eyes on Jessica.
Jessica looked between them. “I don’t know. I just came out to talk for a little bit. I didn’t intend to stay this long.”
“Is your mother expecting you back home then?” Jenny asked.
“Well, no. Not really.”
What did that mean? Tom turned his attention to her.
“Would you like me to stay for supper?” Jessica asked him.
Why was she asking him? Tom didn’t know what to say. He did like being around her, but she was engaged. Shouldn’t she be wanting to spend the evening with Peter? Unless... He glanced at Jenny. Maybe the two of them were becoming friends. They did spend four hours together, talking and laughing. He got a queasy feeling in his stomach. Was she going to be coming out and visiting Jenny after she married Peter?
“Tom?” Jessica asked.
He looked at her. This was getting to be unbearable. He knew he didn’t have a chance with her, and yet she seemed to be looking at him as if he did. He shook his head to clear it. This was ridiculous. He knew he wasn’t good with women, but it never occurred to him how much he misunderstood them.
Jenny leaned forward and nearly slapped him on the arm. “Tom?”
“Not so rough,” he snapped.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I slipped.”
He studied her expression and determined that she was telling him the truth. Besides, it wasn’t Jenny who gave him problems. Joel was the usual culprit. “I don’t think it’s up to me whether Jessica stays or not,” he finally said. “I’m not the one who’s making the meal.”
Why Jessica looked disappointed, he didn’t know. But what he did know was that he didn’t feel like trying to figure women out. Getting his own house was no longer an option. It was a mandate. Then he wouldn’t have to watch Jessica come out to see Jenny.
As if on cue, Jenny happily said, “Then it’s official, Jessica. You are going to stay for supper!”
Well, at least the men and women separated out this time of year, so he wouldn’t actually have to be with Jessica. The thought was both relieving and depressing, and he didn’t know what to do about it.
By the time they got back to his property, he nearly raced his horse to the barn. As predicted, Joel was hanging around and taking a break. Joel looked for just about any excuse to avoid farm work. Tom couldn’t tell if that was because Joel was opposed to farming or work in general. But right now he didn’t care.
He got off the horse and handed the reins to Joel who was mindlessly using a stick to scribble in the dirt of the barn floor.
“What are you doing?” Joel asked, jumping up.
“I got to use the outhouse. Take care of this horse.”
Okay. So that was a lie, but he didn’t feel like being around Jessica and she was due in the barn in less than a minute. Before Joel could protest, he ran off.
Chapter Eleven
“You did what?” Margaret asked the next day.
Jessica stopped walking along the edge of the park and gently nudged her shocked friend forward. “It was nothing. Really. Absolutely nothing happened.”
Nothing interesting enough to talk about anyway, which was why she didn’t want to tell Margaret anything about going out to see Tom at all. Except Margaret had come by to see her and found out from her mother. Not that her mother had approved, but nothing had happened so how could anyone get upset about it?
Margaret groaned but walked in step with her friend. “Why did you do it?”
“I had to find out.”
“Find out what?”
Jessica tucked loose strands of hair behind her ear. “Find out if there could be something between us.”
Margaret raised an eyebrow. “And?”
She sighed. “I already told you. Nothing.”
“Hmm... You want there to be something.”
“What I want doesn’t matter.”
“No?”
“No.”
“So...are you still going to marry Peter?”
Jessica knew this question was coming. Her mother had asked the same thing. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
Startled, Jessica quickly glanced around. Good. No one seemed to notice. She ushered her friend to the nearest park bench so they could sit. “Not so loud,” she whispered. “I don’t know. I can’t even remember why I agreed to marry him to begin with.”
“Because you loved him.”
“Is that what I said?”
“Well...” Margaret frowned and thought it over. “You must have at some point. Otherwise, why would you accept his proposal?”
“Maybe for the same reason he asked. We were expected to.”
“Your mother isn’t pushing you to marry him.”
“No, she’s not. But it just seemed logical. I mean, how long have we all known each other?”
“Our entire lives.” Margaret sat back and looked at the trees in front of them. “Peter asked you. He didn’t ask me.”
“Does that upset you?”
“I guess it did at first. I mean, you were always prettier than me, so men notice you more than they notice me. But then I saw the way he acts with his mother and decided I was actually lucky to be off the hook.”
“I’ve thought the same thing.”
She scoffed. “That I was prettier than you?”
Jessica shook her head and smiled. “There’s nothing wrong with the way you look. You’re cute.”
“But not gorgeous.”
“Well, you have a better figure than me. Sometimes I think it would be nice to have a full bust size.”
“I guess we both have things about ourselves we don’t like so much, huh?”
“It’s called being human. No one is perfect.”
Margaret nodded. “True. But still, you can find a husband and I can’t.”
“What about Ethan? Hasn’t he talked to you since the square dance?”
“Oh, he did. He wanted to know if you were available.”
Jessica winced. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. You can’t help it if men fall over themselves to speak to you.” She giggled. “Literally. Do you remember Brian?”
“I asked you to never bring him up again.”
“I know but... Wow. Whatever was he about?”
Jessica chuckled. “Didn’t he ask to court you after that?”
“Yes, but he was too strange.”
“So you could get a husband if you wanted. You just don’t want to settle.”
“Because I might get the wrong one.”
Jessica pulled an imaginary piece of lint off her blouse. “And I don’t want to marry the wrong one either.” She took a deep breath, realizing that as soon as she said it, it would be official. “I’m afraid Peter’s the wrong one.”
“And to think just a minute ago you didn’t know if you should still marry him or not,” Margaret mused.
“My thoughts are jumbled up.”
“Well, let me help unjumble them for you. Go tell Peter the engagement is off. I suspect you’ll be happier once you don’t have to deal with him and his mother.”
That was true, and even if Jessica liked his mother, she didn’t know if she could go through the rest of her life feeling as if she had to fight her for Peter’s attention. She hadn’t even realized how much it bothered her until the last time she went to his mother’s to have dinner. “You’re right.” She took a deep breath. “I’ll go talk to him after he gets off work.”
And that meant her decision was made. She just hoped she wouldn’t regret it.
***
When Jessica returned home, she was surprised to see Tom sitting on the porch swing. She climbed the steps slowly, unsure of what to say.
As soon as he saw her, he jumped up and knocked something off the swing. “Sorry.” He picked it up and held it out to her.
She took the small box. “Did you come bearing gifts again?” she asked, grinning.
“Oh. It’s not from me, not this time.” He cleared his throat and motioned to it. “Jenny thought you might like it.”
“Jenny?” She glanced around. “Is she here?”
“No. She had to stay at the farm and help with the cooking and... Well...you got to see how it is out there.”
She nodded and lifted the lid of the box. She smiled.
Now he was really confused, but then he thought it wasn’t his business. He turned back to the horse and led it into the barn. “I have to help rein in some stray cattle. Look, whatever’s bothering you, don’t worry about it. Everything’s fine, alright?”
“You mean, you’re going to go out in the fields...on that horse?”
He tied the horse to the post in the center of the barn and walked over to the large closet. “That’s the idea. I sure can’t catch them by running on foot.”
She giggled, and he cracked a smile. “Can I come along?” she asked.
“What?”
She motioned to the horse. “I’ve only ridden a horse a couple of times, but it would be fun to go out again.”
“This isn’t a leisurely trot. I’ll be riding that horse hard.” He reached for the saddle, but she placed a hand on his arm. The action startled him, though in a good way. He recalled how nice it had been to kiss her. Nice? It was incredible.
“That sounds exciting,” she said, her eyes lit up with obvious enthusiasm. “Can I ride with you?”
“But this isn’t fun. It’s work.”
“I don’t mind. I’d like to see what it is you do out here. Please?”
He did want her to stick around. He really wanted to spend time with her. But... “What about Peter?”
“We’d be doing this as friends. I mean, unless you thought...I mean... You knew I was engaged, so you didn’t think that I—”
“No,” he lied. “But it’s still not right. The least you can do is have Peter join us.”
She sighed and then smiled. “What if one of your brothers come along? Or even one of your sisters? You do have a sister or two? What about Jenny?”
How was it possible that she knew more about him than he ever knew about her? “Well, alright. But you’ll have to ride with her. There’s no way you’re riding on the horse with me.” It was hard enough to concentrate on anything when she was near him, and he needed a clear head for roping cattle. “Deal?”
She nodded. “It’s a deal.”
He was ready to tell her that she’d need to borrow one of his sister’s riding skirts, but she already had a pair on. “Why didn’t you just ride a horse out here instead of taking that buggy?”
“My mother hates it when I ride a horse. She thinks it’s unladylike.”
So maybe she just came out to ride a horse. Maybe it had nothing to do with him. The thought stung, but he ignored it. He had work to do. He could worry about everything else later. “Alright. Hang on and I’ll get Jenny.” He didn’t bother waiting for her reply as he jogged to the house.
Chapter Nine
Jessica wondered if she was being smart in asking to join Tom, but she wanted to speak with him. She just wasn’t sure what she wanted to speak with him about. She smiled at Jenny as Tom saddled up two more horses and set Jessica’s horses out to the small gated area so they could rest and eat.
“I hope I’m not intruding,” Jessica softly told Jenny, not wishing for Tom to overhear.
“Nah. Neil Craftsman’s cattle get loose a lot. They pretty much all go down the same path too. Afterwards, Jimmy will probably recommend they find the troubled spot in the fence and fix it. I figure I better go anyway. The men will be hungry and want to eat something.”
“Oh. I hadn’t thought of that. Let me help you. It is the least I can do since everyone will show me how this...” Jessica paused, not knowing what to call chasing cattle around and bringing them home. “Well, I’ve never seen anything like this, so I asked Tom if I could watch. There’s really so little of farm living I know about.”
Jenny smiled. “It’s not that exciting, but I certainly don’t mind coming along. It’s a nice break from being stuck in the kitchen all day.”
Jessica nodded, not really sure of what else to say.
“Tom, I swear you have got to be the slowest person alive,” a lanky youth said, sauntering into the barn. He didn’t even look in Jenny and Jessica’s direction. “What are you doing? Have you lost your senses? Why are you saddling three horses? Dave and I aren’t going with you.”
“I’m taking Jenny and Jessica with me. Jessica wants to see how we round up cattle.”
The boy laughed. “Oh Tom. Doesn’t this just beat all? You don’t need to make up these silly lies to save your pride. We all know that there’s no way Jessica would venture out here to see you when she’s got Peter.”
Jenny cleared her throat.
As soon as the boy turned around, his face turned bright red.
“We have a guest, Joel,” Jenny said, sweetly smiling. “Her name is Jessica Reynolds. Jessica, this is our youngest brother, Joel. Sometimes we call him ‘foot in the mouth’ Larson. Don’t worry though. His jaw doesn’t usually hang that low.”
Sensing that Tom had been getting some grief over her...for whatever reason, Jessica walked up to Joel and said, “Hello, Joel. Will you be joining us?”
“Uh...uh...” he stammered.
Another young man entered the barn, and Jessica assumed that this was another brother since they shared the same blond hair and good looks.
“Pa thinks maybe I should go lasso the cattle up since you’re taking so long, Tom.” He stopped as soon as he saw her. “Jessica? What are you doing here?”
“Never mind all that,” Tom called out. “We have work to do. Don’t send Pa.” He brought the horses over to them. “Here’s the horses. Jessica, do you need help getting on the horse?”
She glanced at the two brothers who were staring at her as if they couldn’t believe their eyes. She then looked at Jenny who looked as if she was ready to burst into a fit of giggles. Jessica didn’t know exactly what was going on, but it did occur to her that the two brothers had somehow given Tom a hard time about finding a woman. So she went over to Tom and said she needed help, even though she really didn’t.
Before he took her hand, she kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you, Tom.” Then she let him help her into the saddle. She smiled at the three bewildered siblings. “Tom’s such a nice person. All the ladies think so.”
She glanced at Joel who hadn’t budged an inch. The other brother just shrugged and helped Jenny up onto her horse.
Tom grabbed his lasso and hopped on his horse. The graceful way he moved startled her, though she hoped she didn’t show it. For some reason, she assumed that Tom would have to give it a few tries before he succeeded.
“Are we ready?” Tom asked her and Jenny.
“I sure am.” Jenny looked at Jessica. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been riding in the fields.”
“I’ve only ridden in town,” Jessica admitted.
“Well, you’re in for a treat. The view is much better out here.”
They followed Tom who had to stop his horse when they got close to the exit. “Joel, you’re blocking my way.”
“I got it,” the older brother said.
“Thanks, Dave.”
Jessica made a mental note on the names. Jenny, Joel and Dave. She just hoped she remembered which one was Joel and which one was Dave the next time she saw them. They looked so much alike.
After Dave pulled Joel to the side, the three headed out on their horses. Jessica kept pace with the two siblings, but she had to concentrate. The landscape wasn’t as smooth as what she was used to so she continually shifted her balance to compensate for the horse’s movements. Once she noticed Tom rush forward, she glanced at Jenny who slowed her horse. Jessica followed Jenny’s lead and watched as Tom chased down a stray cow.
Jenny moved her horse to close the gap between them. “Neil and Jimmy are over there.”
Jessica’s attention turned to the left, and she saw two men surrounding a group of about ten cattle. The dog in the rear barked. The group moved at a slow pace. Glancing in Tom’s direction, she saw the cow run from him. He swung the rope over his head and caught it. Again, she wondered why she assumed that he’d miss on his first attempt. Was her perception of him directly related to how he’d acted at the barn gathering?
She looked at Jenny. “Does he handle cattle well?”
“Oh, Tom’s one of the best. Whenever there’s stray cattle, he’s the first one people ask for help.”
“Really?”
Jenny giggled, as if she understood Jessica’s shock. “He’s only clumsy when he’s nervous. Out here, he’s comfortable.”
“Is he comfortable farming, too?”
“Yes. He’s only uncomfortable around a woman he’s not related to. But you can see how he is when he’s focused.”
Jessica returned her gaze to Tom and saw him take the rebellious cow back to the group. It did impress her to watch how the men worked as a team. While a couple kept the herd moving, the third would hunt down and retrieve another one they found. More often than not, Tom would be the one to chase it down and bring it to the group. She supposed she should have gotten bored with the process, but she was too fascinated as she watched Tom. His movements were fluid, and it intrigued her that a man could be so in tune with his steed. If only Margaret and the other women could see him now. They might not react so poorly to his offer to dance.
She frowned. No. It was better they didn’t find out. They didn’t need to take an interest in him. She definitely had to talk to him because if that kiss he gave her was an indicator of something he might feel for her, then she needed to find out before she proceeded further with her engagement.
“It looks like they got everything under control,” Jenny said. “Let’s head over to Neil’s home and make them something to eat.”
Jessica nodded and joined her, leaving the men to lead the herd back to Neil’s property. When they arrived at Neil’s house, she hesitated. She heard of sod houses but hadn’t seen one. It seemed to her that a house made of straw and dirt couldn’t be too comfortable.
She glanced at Jenny as they got down from their horses. “Do farmers live in this kind of house?”
“Most of them do, but we have one made of lumber.”
“Tom still lives with you...at your parents’ home, right?”
“Yes, but he’s talking about getting his own home before December.” She laughed. “He’d better get a move on it though. It’s already the second of October.” Jenny took Jessica’s horse’s reins. “I’ll take care of him. Why don’t you go into the house and get things ready.”
“Is Tom going to have a sod house?”
“Yes. He can’t afford to make one out of wood,” Jenny said. “He’s been holding off on getting his own home because he isn’t married yet, but with the way Joel bothers him, I think he’s itching to get out on his own.”
Jessica watched as Jenny took the horses to the pasture behind the barn. She tried to visualize herself living in a sod house. Peter had already set out a cute little home in town. How much different would her life be if she were to marry Tom instead? She rolled her eyes. Tom gave her one kiss and she was thinking of marriage? It was ridiculous. Who knew what his motives were or even if it would work out between them?
She slowly made her way to the sod house and opened the door. It was small. She only saw enough room for a bed and a small cookstove with two shelves along the wall. Would this be something she could get used to? But as she thought about it, the sod house didn’t look so bad. It didn’t come with a man who did his mother’s bidding all the time. Or would it? Just what was Tom’s relationship to his parents like? There were so many things to consider in this whole thing.
Well, there was nothing to consider until she talked to Tom, and she decided she would talk to him before the day was over because this cycle of wondering was going to drive her insane.
Chapter Ten
“Hey, Tom,” Neil began as he, Tom, and Jimmy walked back to their horses after having a light lunch, “are you courting Jessica?”
I wish. “No,” Tom replied. “She’s engaged to Peter what’s-his-name.”
“You mean, Connie James’ son?” Jimmy asked.
“That’s the one. Peter James is his name,” Tom said. He followed the other two to the barn and got his horse out of one of the stalls. “Neil, you seem to take better care of this barn than you do your own house.”
Neil shrugged as he gathered his bridle to put on his steed. “I just sleep there.”
Jimmy looked at Neil. “You do take good care of this barn. Why don’t you take care of your fence the same way?”
Neil groaned. “I’m getting to that. Right now I’ve been putting all my time into the harvest. That takes a full day, you know.”
“I do know, but we just lost half the day in chasing down your cattle.”
“I’ll check the rest of the fence for any more tears, but that means I won’t be coming out to your place tomorrow until the afternoon.”
“It’s worth it.”
While the two rambled on, Tom glanced over his shoulder and saw Jessica and Jenny laughing as they sat on their horses. For a moment—just a moment—he imagined what it would be like if Jessica was always with them, helping the other women make food for the men during the harvest, always giving him kisses on the cheek, always being by his side... He sighed. Okay. So he got it. She hadn’t been making him the butt of a joke when he went to see her a couple days ago. He understood that now. But why was she here? Didn’t Peter even care that she was gone?
“You have to get on the horse before you can ride out of here,” Jimmy told Tom.
Tom turned his attention to his stallion and got into the saddle. “I’m coming.” He urged the horse forward and followed them out of the barn.
To his surprise, Jessica waited for him while Jenny rode ahead with Jimmy and Neil. Jessica rode beside him. “I enjoyed watching you out there.”
He glanced at her. “Really?” What was so special about watching him round up cattle?
She smiled. “I guess it was nice to get a look at what you do.”
“Oh, I don’t do that all the time. Most of the time, I’m in the fields, except in winter when there’s nothing going on.”
“Well, then what do you do during the winter months?”
“Mostly stay inside and keep warm, though if there’s something that needs fixing around the house, that’s the time to do it. Of course, the animals always need to be cared for.”
“That sounds good.”
He nodded, not sure what he could add to the conversation. For some reason, the actual day-to-day activities seemed more interesting when he was doing them instead of talking about them. Finally, he asked, “Is your mother really alright with you being out here?”
“I told her that I needed to apologize to you. I don’t know what I did or said that gave you the impression that I had Peter or Margaret hiding somewhere when you came over, but I am sorry.”
His face grew warm from embarrassment. “You don’t need to apologize.”
“Is that why you kissed me? Because you thought I had them over?”
“Well, I thought that if Peter was there, he wouldn’t keep hiding if another man kissed you. I mean, I know I wouldn’t if I were him.”
“So, if you didn’t think he was there, then you wouldn’t have kissed me?”
He laughed, more from the touchy topic than from amusement. One bad thing about being out of earshot of everyone else was that he couldn’t ask someone else a question and cut off this particular topic. No. He was stuck with this conversation whether he liked it or not. And he didn’t like it. He didn’t think she had any dubious motives, but he didn’t need to take another blow to his pride either. He took a deep breath as he contemplated which answer to give that would do the least amount of damage. “I knew you were engaged, so no, I wouldn’t have kissed you.”
“And if I wasn’t engaged?”
Of course, I would have kissed you. A man would have to be dead to not want to kiss you. But he didn’t dare say that. Instead, he said, “What difference does it make? You are engaged.”
She didn’t seem happy with his answer but she nodded. “You’re right. I guess it really doesn’t matter.”
“Right.” And really, it didn’t. Years from now when she was living in Peter’s house and caring for his children and welcoming him home from work with those sweet lips, this conversation would be long forgotten.
Jenny pulled back her horse until they caught up to her. “The snack we made isn’t very filling. Jessica, why don’t you stay for supper?”
Tom shot his sister a ‘what are you doing?’ look, but she kept her eyes on Jessica.
Jessica looked between them. “I don’t know. I just came out to talk for a little bit. I didn’t intend to stay this long.”
“Is your mother expecting you back home then?” Jenny asked.
“Well, no. Not really.”
What did that mean? Tom turned his attention to her.
“Would you like me to stay for supper?” Jessica asked him.
Why was she asking him? Tom didn’t know what to say. He did like being around her, but she was engaged. Shouldn’t she be wanting to spend the evening with Peter? Unless... He glanced at Jenny. Maybe the two of them were becoming friends. They did spend four hours together, talking and laughing. He got a queasy feeling in his stomach. Was she going to be coming out and visiting Jenny after she married Peter?
“Tom?” Jessica asked.
He looked at her. This was getting to be unbearable. He knew he didn’t have a chance with her, and yet she seemed to be looking at him as if he did. He shook his head to clear it. This was ridiculous. He knew he wasn’t good with women, but it never occurred to him how much he misunderstood them.
Jenny leaned forward and nearly slapped him on the arm. “Tom?”
“Not so rough,” he snapped.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I slipped.”
He studied her expression and determined that she was telling him the truth. Besides, it wasn’t Jenny who gave him problems. Joel was the usual culprit. “I don’t think it’s up to me whether Jessica stays or not,” he finally said. “I’m not the one who’s making the meal.”
Why Jessica looked disappointed, he didn’t know. But what he did know was that he didn’t feel like trying to figure women out. Getting his own house was no longer an option. It was a mandate. Then he wouldn’t have to watch Jessica come out to see Jenny.
As if on cue, Jenny happily said, “Then it’s official, Jessica. You are going to stay for supper!”
Well, at least the men and women separated out this time of year, so he wouldn’t actually have to be with Jessica. The thought was both relieving and depressing, and he didn’t know what to do about it.
By the time they got back to his property, he nearly raced his horse to the barn. As predicted, Joel was hanging around and taking a break. Joel looked for just about any excuse to avoid farm work. Tom couldn’t tell if that was because Joel was opposed to farming or work in general. But right now he didn’t care.
He got off the horse and handed the reins to Joel who was mindlessly using a stick to scribble in the dirt of the barn floor.
“What are you doing?” Joel asked, jumping up.
“I got to use the outhouse. Take care of this horse.”
Okay. So that was a lie, but he didn’t feel like being around Jessica and she was due in the barn in less than a minute. Before Joel could protest, he ran off.
Chapter Eleven
“You did what?” Margaret asked the next day.
Jessica stopped walking along the edge of the park and gently nudged her shocked friend forward. “It was nothing. Really. Absolutely nothing happened.”
Nothing interesting enough to talk about anyway, which was why she didn’t want to tell Margaret anything about going out to see Tom at all. Except Margaret had come by to see her and found out from her mother. Not that her mother had approved, but nothing had happened so how could anyone get upset about it?
Margaret groaned but walked in step with her friend. “Why did you do it?”
“I had to find out.”
“Find out what?”
Jessica tucked loose strands of hair behind her ear. “Find out if there could be something between us.”
Margaret raised an eyebrow. “And?”
She sighed. “I already told you. Nothing.”
“Hmm... You want there to be something.”
“What I want doesn’t matter.”
“No?”
“No.”
“So...are you still going to marry Peter?”
Jessica knew this question was coming. Her mother had asked the same thing. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
Startled, Jessica quickly glanced around. Good. No one seemed to notice. She ushered her friend to the nearest park bench so they could sit. “Not so loud,” she whispered. “I don’t know. I can’t even remember why I agreed to marry him to begin with.”
“Because you loved him.”
“Is that what I said?”
“Well...” Margaret frowned and thought it over. “You must have at some point. Otherwise, why would you accept his proposal?”
“Maybe for the same reason he asked. We were expected to.”
“Your mother isn’t pushing you to marry him.”
“No, she’s not. But it just seemed logical. I mean, how long have we all known each other?”
“Our entire lives.” Margaret sat back and looked at the trees in front of them. “Peter asked you. He didn’t ask me.”
“Does that upset you?”
“I guess it did at first. I mean, you were always prettier than me, so men notice you more than they notice me. But then I saw the way he acts with his mother and decided I was actually lucky to be off the hook.”
“I’ve thought the same thing.”
She scoffed. “That I was prettier than you?”
Jessica shook her head and smiled. “There’s nothing wrong with the way you look. You’re cute.”
“But not gorgeous.”
“Well, you have a better figure than me. Sometimes I think it would be nice to have a full bust size.”
“I guess we both have things about ourselves we don’t like so much, huh?”
“It’s called being human. No one is perfect.”
Margaret nodded. “True. But still, you can find a husband and I can’t.”
“What about Ethan? Hasn’t he talked to you since the square dance?”
“Oh, he did. He wanted to know if you were available.”
Jessica winced. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. You can’t help it if men fall over themselves to speak to you.” She giggled. “Literally. Do you remember Brian?”
“I asked you to never bring him up again.”
“I know but... Wow. Whatever was he about?”
Jessica chuckled. “Didn’t he ask to court you after that?”
“Yes, but he was too strange.”
“So you could get a husband if you wanted. You just don’t want to settle.”
“Because I might get the wrong one.”
Jessica pulled an imaginary piece of lint off her blouse. “And I don’t want to marry the wrong one either.” She took a deep breath, realizing that as soon as she said it, it would be official. “I’m afraid Peter’s the wrong one.”
“And to think just a minute ago you didn’t know if you should still marry him or not,” Margaret mused.
“My thoughts are jumbled up.”
“Well, let me help unjumble them for you. Go tell Peter the engagement is off. I suspect you’ll be happier once you don’t have to deal with him and his mother.”
That was true, and even if Jessica liked his mother, she didn’t know if she could go through the rest of her life feeling as if she had to fight her for Peter’s attention. She hadn’t even realized how much it bothered her until the last time she went to his mother’s to have dinner. “You’re right.” She took a deep breath. “I’ll go talk to him after he gets off work.”
And that meant her decision was made. She just hoped she wouldn’t regret it.
***
When Jessica returned home, she was surprised to see Tom sitting on the porch swing. She climbed the steps slowly, unsure of what to say.
As soon as he saw her, he jumped up and knocked something off the swing. “Sorry.” He picked it up and held it out to her.
She took the small box. “Did you come bearing gifts again?” she asked, grinning.
“Oh. It’s not from me, not this time.” He cleared his throat and motioned to it. “Jenny thought you might like it.”
“Jenny?” She glanced around. “Is she here?”
“No. She had to stay at the farm and help with the cooking and... Well...you got to see how it is out there.”
She nodded and lifted the lid of the box. She smiled.
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