Page 277 of Conveniently Wed
Another exaggerated sigh. “It was fun. I feel like I’m a part of the family. The Kinsleys are like that. They open their hearts and homes to others.”
“I felt that too.”
She turned, still under his arm, bringing her face to his shoulder. “For you? You felt accepted by them?”
He nodded, smiling into her warm gaze. She was close enough he would only have to lower his head a couple of inches to kiss her. He tightened his arm around her.
Bruce’s arm about her shoulders was strong and sure, like a promise given and fulfilled. Stella could stay there forever if life would let her. She searched his eyes, bright as the Montana sky at high noon. Her gaze went to his mouth. A firm mouth. She thought of kissing him. In one sense, as his wife, she had every right. Yet, would he welcome a change in their agreement? Would he think she was responding to Aunt Mary’s urgings rather than her own heart?
With another sigh, one that had nothing to do with the plans he had for a surprise, she eased from under his arm. “I need to check on the children.” They had gone to the barn once the company left and were safe there, but she needed an excuse. She hurried away. In the barn, she sank to the floor beside Donny and Blossom.
Both chattered about the other children and their pets, but Stella didn’t hear. She listened for footsteps to indicate Bruce had followed her. They didn’t come, and she told herself she wasn’t disappointed.
After a bit, she left the barn. Aunt Mary had gone inside the house. She didn’t see Bruce anywhere. Evening arrived, but still there was no sign of him. She called the children in from the barn.
She watched them approach, but her gaze went past them. Where was Bruce? She waited, was about to turn away, whenhe vaulted over the fence and jogged toward her. Her breath released in a whoosh that sucked her lungs empty.
He didn’t speak until he was close enough for her to hear him. “The milk cow freshened. We have a healthy heifer.”
He’d only been watching to see that the calf delivered safely. How foolish of her to worry that he had disappeared. She had to stop reverting to childhood disappointments.
Monday she did laundry. The day brought a brisk wind. Perfect for drying clothes.
Bruce returned to plowing.
Where was this surprise he’d promised?
She asked him that question as they sat outside at the end of the day drinking tea.
He only chuckled. Then said, “Happy Anniversary.”
“What?”
“A week ago today, we were married.” The gladness in his smile blessed her. Filled her with such sweetness she felt it leaking from her eyes.
“A week?” she stammered. She managed to keep under control the emotion that almost stifled her. A week hardly seemed long enough for such depth of feeling to have evolved.
“Yup. A week.” His grin seemed to say he was more than satisfied with how things were going.
She looked away. How did she know what to trust? What was real? What was fleeting?
“Is that the surprise?”
“Nope.” He looked away, a grin plainly visible even at that angle.
“Are you going to tell me?”
“Nope.”
She teased, she prodded, she pretended to pout and be annoyed, but he wouldn’t reveal what his planned surprised was, and she finally conceded defeat. She would simply have to wait.
She should be good at that, but as she lay on her bed, she tried to think of every possible idea he might consider a surprise and finally fell asleep with no idea what he meant to do but with a smile upon her lips.
The next morning she rose, determined not to let not knowing bother her. Told herself it might turn out be a trick.
She had just finished the breakfast dishes when she heard the sound of an approaching rider. She went to the door to look out.
“Flora? What she’s doing here?”
