Page 46 of The Preacher's Bride

Caleb dressed in a button-down flannel shirt and jeans and put a log on the fire in the living room. Then, he walked out to the kitchen, lit the stove, fixed the coffeepot, and set it on the stove. For a moment, he had thought of making breakfast and surprising Mia, but his stomach was too tight to eat. Another wave of guilt threatened to crush him. Never before had he ever spoken to anyone that way, let alone his wife.

When the coffee was ready, he filled two cups and set them on the table. Then, he sat in the dark and sipped his coffee, waiting for Mia to wake. He had thought of going out to the barn and getting an early start on the day, but he just couldn’t. Mending fences with Mia was more important.

But then he remembered Mia’s reaction to him telling her that there were chickens out back if she wanted to cook one for dinner and her aversion to killing one. So, he quietly slipped onhis boots and his coat and headed out to the henhouse. He found a plump chicken and took it to a stump where an ax set.

After he drained the blood, he brought it in and put it in the sink as a surprise for Mia. Then, he washed his hands, hung up his coat, and sat down to enjoy his coffee.

Even though he knew it wasn’t true, he felt as if he was being unfaithful to Jessica. The whole time they had been married, he had been faithful to her and had never even thought of looking at another woman, let alone marrying a total stranger. Deep down in his heart, he still wanted to be faithful to Jessica. But just the thought of bringing another woman into his home—married or not—made him feel as if he were being unfaithful.

“Yah!” a woman’s scream brought him from his reverie. “Oh! You scared me to death!”

“I’m so sorry,” he said, warming his hands on his coffee mug. “I had no intention of scaring you.”

“The road to hell is paved—”

“I know,” he said, letting out a sigh. “Please, sit down. I’d like to talk.” He motioned toward the coffee cup sitting at an empty place setting.

Mia sat down and added some sugar. Then, she stirred her coffee and waited.

Seeing her like that in the dark with her blonde hair down around her shoulders stirred emotions within him that he hadn’t felt in a long time, sending another fresh wave of guilt through him. “I’m sorry that I spoke to you that way. I’ve never spoken to anyone like that before in my life.”

“And I’m sorry, too. I couldn’t sleep last night. Flashes of Hailey sitting in the glass…” Mia shook her head, unable to finish. “I promise that I’ll never go into the root cellar again unless someone is there to watch the children for me.”

Caleb shook his head. “No, if you don’t mind, just tell me what you’d like in the morning and I’ll get it for you beforeI leave, or when I get home.” He reached over and squeezed her hand. “Please. It would make me feel better.” Her warmth coursed through his body. When he pulled his hand away, he immediately felt her absence.

Mia nodded, her lips forming a straight line.

“I have to tell you something.” He took a moment to collect his thoughts, and then continued. “I was upset not only because Hailey was in danger, but because of the whole… situation.” Caleb let out a deep breath. “And that isn’t your fault. I’m sorry if I took it out on you, and I promise to try to do better.”

She nodded in understanding, reaching for his hand. “If you need to talk, I’m here.”

This time, he didn’t pull away. “Thank you.”

Mia pulled back, and then wrapped her hands around her coffee cup. “So, are you making more rounds today?”

He shook his head. “No, I have to tend the farm.” He sighed. “The cow needs milking, the cattle fed, and so on.” He took another sip of his coffee, trying to concentrate on the chores ahead of him and not the perfect curve of her jaw in the early morning sunlight.

Mia smiled as she looked into her coffee cup. “Being the preacher, I’m surprised that you have a farm, too.”

“Here in Whiskey River, everyone who wants to eat has a farm.” He took another sip of his coffee. “As the town preacher, I don’t make much. I make the majority of my money from selling cattle and horses. Then in the summer, I plant vegetables and we sell the excess that we don’t need.” He felt another twinge of guilt as he realized that he said—‘we’ and not ‘I’.

Mia bit her lower lip. “Caleb, you’re going to have to stop thinking of me as an outsider,” she said as she placed her hand over his. “You can talk to me.”

He pulled away, knowing that she meant that he could talk to her about Jessica, but he just wasn’t ready. “I know. But youdon’t understand how hard this is for me.” He didn’t tell her that, in his mind, he was still married to Jessica.

Mia nodded. “I know. It’s been hard for me, too. But if we start working together, we can accomplish more.”

Caleb sighed. He could do that. Even if he couldn’t think of Mia as his wife yet, he could think of working together with her. Somehow, it made it easier and took some of the pressure off. “Yes, you’re right. I’d like that. I’ll do my best to try.”

Mia smiled, and then took another sip of her coffee. “Me, too.” Her coffee was getting cold, so she got up to get the coffee pot. “Want more?”

He nodded, and she filled his cup for him and then hers. Then, she set the pot on the stove and turned toward the sink. “Eek!” Mia squealed, loud enough to wake the dead.

“Lands sake!” Caleb said, suppressing a smile. “Haven’t you ever seen a dead chicken before?”

“Yes, of course I have!” she squealed. “But not without warning!”

Caleb laughed in spite of himself. “After the way you reacted yesterday when I mentioned the chickens, I thought you might have an aversion to killing one for dinner. So, I thought I’d surprise you.”

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