The Bartender's Mail Order Bride by Cindy Caldwell Page B

discussion about you having suitors. I have to admit, it was a big surprise.”
    “A surprise? Papa, I’ve been of age for years.”
    “Nutmeg, I think that I’ve lost the years since your mama died.”
    A flash of her mother’s beautiful smile swept by her eyes as her father twisted his wedding ring on his finger, a habit she knew was provoked by her mother’s memory. As tears prickled behind her eyelids, she said, “I feel the same way, Papa, but it’s time.”
    “I swear, last weekend you were outside playing in the mud with Hank and your sisters. At least I still think of you that way.
    Meg’s heart tugged at the sadness in her father’s eyes. “I understand, Papa, but life has gone on. I’ve grown up. And I love Sam. He’s a good man, and I’m happy.”
    Beau sighed. “I have to admit, as he’s been Hank’s friend for so long, I can vouch for that part. He definitely is a good man. And if this is what you want…”
    “Oh, Papa. Thank you,” Meg exclaimed, just as Sadie delivered their pie and tea. She looked up and Sadie winked at her, likely having heard the last part of their conversation.
    Beau smiled as Sadie returned to the kitchen. “Can you explain to me why he’s done this? I don’t understand why he needed a bride. I suppose I hadn’t been paying attention to that, either.”
    “No, it appears you weren’t, as usual. If it didn’t involve the ranch—”
    He held his hands up again in surrender. “I understand. But I am sorry, so can you fill me in now?”
    Meg told him what she knew—that Sam’s mother believed he had a wife and a business, and he, for some reason, didn’t want to disappoint her and tell her the truth. And that the only way he could keep her happy was to get married. She also explained the plan they’d made about pretending to own the mercantile.
    “Woo-wee, you two are going to have a big challenge there,” he said and whistled.
    “It does seem like it could be tough to do, but we’ve been studying about each other, to make sure it seems like we’ve been married for a long time.”
    “So, Hank tells me this isn’t a ‘real’ marriage…I mean…”
    Meg felt heat rise in her cheeks. “My private life is—”
    “I guess I just meant…well…might you come home afterward? After she leaves?”
    Meg’s brows scrunched together. That thought hadn’t even occurred to her. She intended to be Sam’s wife, with him eventually realizing that they were perfect for each other and have a family.
    “No, that is not a possibility,” she said, sitting up straighter in her chair as she finished the last bite of the berry pie.
    Her father smiled, set his fork down and signaled to Sadie for the check. “All right, young lady. I won’t get in your way.” Beau paid the bill and held out his arm once again for Meg and they walked back over to the mercantile.
    The tension in the room eased as Meg closed the door behind her, her father needing to head to an appointment.
    Sam walked to her side, his curiosity plain to see. “Well?” he asked. “How did it go?”
    “It appears that we don’t have an enemy, but not exactly a supporter, either. Not yet, anyway, but he isn’t going to argue.”
    Sam wiped the sweat off his forehead with his handkerchief. Meg’s stomach clenched at his concern, and she was again convinced that this was the best idea she’d ever had. If, she thought, they could actually fool his mother.

Chapter 16
    A s Meg pulled herself up into the buggy, she thought her nerves might just jangle her to bits and as Sam untied the reins from the post, she knew he couldn’t have gotten much more sleep than she had.
    How had this day come so fast? Mrs. Allen’s stagecoach was due in less than an hour, and although she and Sam had practiced many times—he’d called her a taskmaster at one point, although he was laughing at the time—they still didn’t know all that much about each other.
    It had taken time for her to familiarize herself with