Page 10 of The Preacher's Bride

“Pa!” She reached for her father as huge crocodile tears rolled down her cheeks.

“It’s okay, baby,” he gently cooed. “This is Mia. She’s coming to join our family.”

“I don’t want a new ma!” Shane wailed, stamping his foot.

Caleb scooped him up into his arms. “Now, that’s enough of that.”

“I’m not trying to replace your mother, baby,” Mia reassured.

“Don’t talk about my ma!” the boy yelled. “You didn’t know her!”

Caleb looked at her apologetically. “I’m sorry, but he’s never acted this way before.” Then, he turned to the boy. “Now, I want you to be respectful of Mia. You apologize to her right now.”

“No!” he yelled.

“Do you want a spanking?”

“All right,” Mia intervened, not wanting the boy to get spanked on her account when they first met. “Didn’t you say that the preacher was waiting?”

Caleb let out a deep breath. “Yes. My buckboard is right over here.”

Mia nodded, and then turned to Ella one last time.

“We’ll meet you at the church,” Ella reassured her, and then wrapped her arm around Colton, who looked at his wife with adoring eyes.

Mia just hoped that Caleb would look at her like that one day. But she guessed that he was just as overwhelmed as she was at the moment.

But Mia had made this decision, and she was going to make the best of it. Caleb walked away, traipsing through the snow, expecting her to follow. Soon, they came to a flat, uncovered buckboard with blankets in the back and on the front seat. Mia was glad that she had worn her heavy coat over her dress. Sheglanced over at the children, and they were wearing heavy coats, as well. Caleb swung the boy up in one arm and extended his other hand to Mia to help her into the front.

“Shh,” Mia cooed softly into Hailey’s dark blonde hair, hugging her to her chest. “It’s okay, baby girl.”

Hailey snuggled against her chest and soon quieted down.

Caleb slid the bright blond boy up into the seat between them.

“Hmph!” he huffed, scrunching up his nose as he folded his arms deliberately across his chest. He snuck a peek at Mia out of the corner of his eye, and then looked straight ahead.

“Straighten up,” Caleb said to him curtly. Then, he looked over at Mia. “I’m so sorry about this. He normally doesn’t act this way.”

Mia gave him a small smile. “I’m sure we’ll be friends in no time.”

“Nope,” Shane said under his breath.

Mia was surprised at how smart he was. Although he was only four years old, he seemed to understand what was happening, and his vocabulary was extraordinary. Mia knew it was probably a credit to his mother, who had obviously educated him at home. Her heart went out to him. Not only had he lost his mother not long ago, now he was going to be forced to accept another woman in her place. At that moment, Mia vowed to try to make it as comfortable for the children as possible.

Hailey wasn’t asleep by the time they reached the church, but she had quieted down and was content in Mia’s arms, laying her head down on her shoulder.

Soon, Caleb pulled the buckboard to a stop in front of the church in Laramie and wrapped the reins around the front bar. “Here we are!” he announced happily, obviously trying to make the best of the situation.

Mia knew that it was probably just as hard on him as it was on her. After all, he had just lost his wife a few months before and was now forced to take another wife. She couldn’t imagine what he must be going through.

She just hoped that they were doing the right thing.

Mia waited in the buckboard as Caleb walked around and took Hailey out of her arms and helped her down. Then, he shoved the little girl back into her arms as Shane hopped down on his own. But Caleb quickly took him by the hand.

Mia’s heart fluttered as he wrapped his free arm gently around her waist to guide her into the church. Ella and Colton were already waiting for them in the front of the church when they arrived. Ella nodded at her encouragingly as she and Colton followed them in.

A preacher was waiting with Bible in hand just inside the doors. “Welcome!” the preacher chirped as he shook Caleb’s hand. “So, you’re getting married today?”

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