Page 329 of Conveniently Wed
“Yes,” Aundy whispered, staring down at the cloth covering the table.
“Smelly, nasty, bleating little sheep?”
“Well, I don’t know about the smelly, nasty, or bleating part, but yes, I did agree to purchase sheep.”
“Woman! What are you thinking? Did you sign papers, make payment? Is the deal final?”
“Not yet. Mr. O’Connell was under the impression I was helping a new widow. I asked him to call Mrs. Erickson Monday morning to make arrangements for the sale.”
“O’Connell? The whiskey drinking Irishman?” Garrett yelled as his eyes flashed fire. “Why he’ll…”
Aundy reached across the table and clapped a hand across his mouth. “Shh. You’ll have Dent and the boys in here if you don’t quiet down. Not only should you not be here, especially with me dressed like this, but I’m not quite ready to impart the knowledge to them that we’ll soon be raising sheep.”
“Fred will quit.” Garrett stated a fact Aundy already knew. He’d made it perfectly clear that he had no interest in tending sheep, so it was a gamble she had to make.
“I’ve taken that possibility into consideration.”
“Did you also take into consideration that a lot of the neighbors around here hate sheep? Not just dislike them, but hate them. I know many people in the area raise sheep, but our neighbors are all wheat growers and cattlemen. If you think about it, there isn’t one little lamb to be found from here all the way to Pendleton. You could be asking for a lot of trouble.” Aware of the stubborn set to Aundy’s chin, he knew she had no intention of listening to reason or changing her mind.
“I’ll handle any problems should they arise.”
“Did you at least talk to Dent about your plans?” Garrett asked. Aundy had lost her mind. Sheep. Of all the things she could have done, decided to raise or grow, she had to pick sheep.
This was going to be disastrous.
“Not exactly.” Aundy knew it would have been a good idea to involve Dent in her decision, but she was sure he, like Garrett, would do his best to dissuade her from buying the sheep and she’d already made up her mind.
“Look, Aundy, I think you…”
Aundy placed her hand over Garrett’s mouth again and fought the tremor that shot from her fingers up her arm then spiraled down to her toes. The feel of his lips beneath her fingers made her wish he’d take her in his arms and kiss her again. She didn’t want to think about why she wanted, needed, him to hold her. She just knew that she did.
“I’m buying the sheep, Garrett. It’s my decision to make and mine alone. If it’s a mistake, I’ll face the consequences.” Aundy yanked back her hand like she’d singed her fingers and jumped to her feet. “I do appreciate your concern and you riding over here to make sure I arrived home without incident. I’d be happy to take care of the Chinese man if you think he could be moved.”
“Leave him be. It gives Ma someone to fuss over.” Garrett wondered how Aundy’s fingers could spark a fire that burned from his lips all the way to the tips of his toes. He could hardly function with his thoughts so centered on her lips and his desire to kiss them until neither of them could think.
He needed to leave before he got any more out of line. He walked to the front room, slipped on his gloves, and grabbed his hat.
“Will you at least let me go with you to sign the paperwork with O’Connell?” Garrett asked as he stood with one hand on the doorknob.
“Perhaps,” Aundy said with a teasing smile. Despite her best intentions to stay away from Garrett, she couldn’t stop her fingers from brushing softly over the little cleft in his chin that had intrigued her from the first time she’d noticed it. “If you promise to let me make the deal and behave yourself.”
“I always behave.” Garrett surrendered to the temptation to wrap his arms around Aundy’s waist. He pulled her against him and breathed of her scent again, getting a tiny whiff of Bay Rum. That cooled his desire as he reminded himself of the heap of trouble she could have gotten herself into with her shenanigans. He kissed her cheek, placed his hat on his head, and opened the door. “You didn’t say if I had to behave well or like a wild ruffian. I’ll assume either will do.”
Aundy laughed as Garrett hurried down the steps and across the yard to where his horse waited. She watched him mount Jester in the gathering darkness, waving at him before closing the door. As she blew out the flame in the lamp, she hoped her decision would turn out to be sound.
If not, she’d soon know.
10
Tired of pacing the kitchen floor, waiting for the phone to ring Monday morning, Aundy finally sat down at the table with one of the books J.B. let her borrow and read the chapter on sheep again. She hoped Mr. O’Connell would call and prayed she hadn’t made a bad decision.
Absorbed in the information she read, she jumped when the telephone rang. After rushing to answer it, the lyrical Irish voice of Mr. O’Connell on the line brought out her smile.
“Mrs. Erickson?”
“Yes, this is Mrs. Erickson.” Aundy wanted to dance a jig. The man had called just like he said he would. “May I help you?”
“I’d like to think so,” Mr. O’Connell said. Aundy could hear the smile in his voice. “I met a boyo Friday night who indicated the fair and lovely Mrs. Erickson might take a shine to the critters I have for sale. If that’s correct, would ya have time to meet me in town today to discuss the details? If they are satisfactory to both parties, we could sign the paperwork and I could bring the animals to ya tomorrow. It’s with haste and hurry I am to be on me way to the sunny warmth of California.”
