Page 20 of The Preacher's Bride

Caleb pulled the wallet from his back pocket. The price was a bit steep but having the extra room was necessary. He didn’t know Mia, after all. And even though he knew that Mia was a good person, he didn’t want to take a chance… not with his children.

“Here you go.” Caleb slid the bills to him across the counter and he handed him his change.

“Name?” the front desk clerk asked, ready with pen in hand.

“Henley. Reverend Caleb Henley.”

The clerk wrote it down and then turned the ledger toward Caleb. “Here. Sign this.”

Caleb scribbled his name, as his insides fluttered. He felt as nervous as a bride himself, although he had no idea why. He wasn’t even going to be sharing a room with her. Guilt filled his chest once more as thoughts of Jessica and their wedding night years ago flooded his mind.

The clerk laid two sets of keys on the counter and slid them toward him. “Here you go, Reverend Henley. Upstairs to the left.”

“Thanks.” Caleb slid the keys into his pocket and took Shane’s hand. “Come on.” Together, they headed out into the cold air. Caleb felt guilty for leaving Mia and Hailey outside. It was cool when he and Shane went inside but it seemed to have gotten colder in that short amount of time. He guessed they weren’t through with the cold weather completely yet.

“Pa!” Hailey’s face lit up as she reached out for him.

“Come here, baby girl.” Caleb reached for her, and she went to him immediately. Then he extended his hand to Mia to help her down, unable to meet her eyes. “Let’s get you inside. I’ll come out for your bags in just a bit.”

Mia nodded. “I’ll come down with you to pick out some things from my trunk so you won’t have to carry it upstairs.”

“That won’t be necessary. I’ll need to bring it inside anyway so no one helps themselves to your things.” He walked with her up the stairs and then stopped before the two rooms and opened the first door.

“Yippee!” Shane ran in and jumped on the double bed.

Caleb laughed. He set Hailey on her feet, and she ran inside and jumped on the bed along with her brother. “Well, I guess this room is ours.”

Mia laughed but said nothing.

Caleb unlocked the door to the other room for her and handed her the key. “Here you go. I’ll be up with your trunk in a bit.”

Mia nodded, nervously wringing her hands. “Thank you.”

“Would you mind watching the kids for a minute while I bring up your trunk?” Caleb asked, his voice cracking a bit. “I’ll only be a minute.”

“I’d be glad to.” She stood in the doorway between the rooms.

“Kids, stay here with Mia and I’ll be right back up.”

“Oh, I want to go!” Shane wailed, plopping himself down onto the bed, landing on his bottom.

“No, I need you to stay here with your sister,” Caleb said sternly. “I’ll be right back up.”

Caleb hurried away but glanced over his shoulder at Mia one more time. She looked at him with the most beautiful green eyes he’d ever seen.

When he rounded the corner, he took off his cowboy hat and ran his fingers through his dark brown hair. “What are you doing, Caleb?” Never in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined he’d marry a woman other than Jessica, let alone a woman he didn’t know.

Outside, white puffs of snow flurried around and then fell to the ground. Caleb was suddenly thankful that they had decided to stay the night in Laramie. Although it was a bit rowdy, especially at night, he never would have forgiven himself if anything happened to the children or Mia on their way back home. And then they’d have to make the trip back to Laramie in the morning to help Colton and Ella anyway.

Caleb lifted the trunk out of the back of the buckboard and carried it inside the hotel and up the stairs. Mia was sitting at a small table just inside the door of his room, watching thechildren. She smiled as he walked past and set her trunk on the floor just inside her room.

“I’ll be right back.”

She nodded and he hurried back down the stairs. Outside, white cottony bits swirled around. He just hoped they didn’t get stranded here in Laramie. Although Caleb had some cash with him, he couldn’t afford hotel rooms for a week, either.

“Just get through tonight and tomorrow will take care of itself.” He climbed into the buckboard, released the brake, and headed toward the livery stable.

After leaving the horses and his rig at the livery stable, he pulled the collar of his coat up over his neck and headed back toward the hotel. He darted inside in a flurry of snow.

---