Page 24 of The Preacher's Bride

“Don’t you ever run away from me like that again!” Caleb’s voice bellowed throughout the restaurant as he marched down the stairs with a crying Shane tucked under his arm. “And you owe Mia an apology!”

“Never!” Shane wailed. “She ain’t my mama!”

“And don’t you use the word ‘ain’t’! Your mother taught you better than that!” Caleb looked around the restaurant, and then marched toward Mia with all eyes on him. He appeared not to notice.

Thank goodness the restaurant wasn’t crowded. But Mia was sure that they would be the talk of the town by morning. Thank goodness they didn’t live here.

“I’m so sorry about this.” Caleb planted Shane hard onto a chair and then pointed his finger at him. “Sit there and don’t you move!”

“Umm….” It was obvious that Dolly didn’t quite know what to say. “What would you like, sir?”

Besides a corral?Mia thought as she continued to rock Hailey, who was falling asleep on her shoulder.

“What’s she having?” Caleb asked, nodding toward Mia.

“Sheis having the fried chicken,” Mia replied, quickly losing her patience. The least he could do was not to talk about her as if she wasn’t there.

Caleb appeared not to notice as Dolly waited, stunned. “I’ll have the same, and so will he.”

“No, I won’t!” Shane folded his arms across his chest. “I’m never going to eat again!”

“That could be arranged,” Caleb agreed.

Shane’s eyes flew open wide.

“I think that’ll be all,” Mia stage-whispered to Dolly.

Caleb slid the lemonade sitting in front of him aside. “On second thought, could you bring me some coffee?”

At that moment, Mia realized that she didn’t know the first thing about Caleb. In the few days while she was preparing to move, she had created an image of him within her mind. The perfect man with the perfect children in the perfect town. But she had no idea who the real-live man was sitting across from her now.

“Yes, I’d be glad to.” Dolly’s eyes shifted between them. “I’ll be right back.” Then she left the table as quickly as she could, obviously questioning their sanity.

Mia couldn’t blame her for wanting to get away as quickly as possible. If Mia could have left, she would have, too.

“Your hair is too light!” Shane yelled at Mia out of the blue. “My ma didn’t looked like you!”

Tears welled up within Mia’s eyes, as her stomach began to tighten. “I’m not your mother, Shane, and I don’t intend to take her place.”

“That’s it, young man!” Caleb yelled. “You’re going straight to bed when we get upstairs!” He turned to Mia. “I am so sorry. He never behaves this way.”

Mia gave him a small smile, trying to will the tears in her eyes to keep from spilling over as a lump formed in her throat. The last thing Caleb needed right now was a blubbering wife. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not okay.” Caleb narrowed his eyes at his son. “We’re going to have a serious talk when we get upstairs, young man.”

“Here you go!” Dolly interrupted, setting the plates on the table filled with fried chicken, corn on the cob, green beans, and mashed potatoes topped with brown gravy.

It smelled delicious to Mia, but her stomach was so tight that she didn’t think she could eat. “Thank you. It looks delicious.”

Dolly smiled. “I’ll let Ralph know. Is there anything else I can get you?”

“No, we’re fine,” Caleb replied without looking at Mia.

Mia shook her head. The least he could have done was to ask her if she wanted anything instead of answering for her. Caleb didn’t have to treat her as he would a wife, but she demanded respect and common courtesy as an adult.

“Well, if you change your mind, let me know,” Dolly announced a bit too cheerfully, as she hurried from the table.

Shane started to push his plate away, but Caleb pushed it back and then said in a low voice, “Youaregoing to eat. I’m paying good money for this meal, and you are not going to let it go to waste.”

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