Page 346 of Conveniently Wed
“Hello, Dent,” Nora said, giving him a friendly smile. “How does this day find you?”
“Well enough. I can’t complain about a thing.” Dent grinned at Nora. “How’s J.B.?”
“He improves every day. By the end of summer, Doc thinks he’ll be back in the saddle and up to his old tricks.” Nora’s face gave away her relief that her husband was finally getting better.
“That’s wonderful news.” Dent was happy to hear his friend would make a full recovery. For a while, no one knew if J.B. would ever walk again. “Tell him I said hello.”
“I’ll do that, but you should come visit him one of these days. He’d love to play a game of checkers with you.” Nora knew how much J.B. and Dent enjoyed their checker rivalry.
“If my slave-driving employer ever gives me a day off, I might just do that.” Dent winked at Aundy.
Not bothered in the least by his teasing, Aundy turned to Li. “Dent, this is Li Hong. He’s been staying with the Nash’s while he recuperated from an unfortunate accident. Since we are in need of a cook, he volunteered for the job, on a trial basis. He says he feels well enough to get started. I thought he could begin by making breakfast tomorrow.”
After the sheep incident, Aundy made sure she discussed hiring Li as a cook with Dent. He agreed to have the man fill the position temporarily, until the hands were assured Li could cook food they would all eat.
“Works for me.” Dent nodded his head in approval. After studying the Chinese man, with his long braid and odd manner of dress, Dent decided the man didn’t look dangerous, just wary. “I can take you out and show you the bunkhouse and where you’ll be doing the cooking.”
“Okay, Mr. Dent,” Li said, getting to his feet. He turned to Aundy, bowed and thanked her for the tea. He thanked Nora for her care while he was injured then followed Dent to the door.
“Just call me Dent, no mister,” the foreman said as he opened the front door and walked out with Li.
Aundy heard Li tell Dent to call him Li or Hong, no mister.
“I think they’ll get along fine,” Nora whispered as they watched the older cowboy and the younger Chinese man walk across the front yard and toward the bunkhouse.
“I hope Li works out.” Aundy sat back in her chair and sipped her tea. Cooking for the men while trying to keep up with everything else reminded her of the frantic days she put in before moving to Pendleton. They left her weary and exhausted, which wasn’t all bad. That way she didn’t stay awake at night worrying about who wanted to harm her sheep or dreaming about Garrett.
With his mother sitting across from her chatting about a new quilt pattern she saw in a magazine, Aundy’s cheeks blushed as she thought about Garrett and his kisses.
“Are you feeling well, honey? You look a little flushed.” Nora leaned over and put a hand on Aundy’s forehead.
“I’m fine, just a little warm.” Aundy sipped her tea, attempting to hide her embarrassment. A knock on the door saved her from having to explain her flushed cheeks.
She opened the door to Ashton Monroe. He stood on her front step smiling broadly and dressed impeccably.
“Ashton,” Aundy said, opening the door wider to allow him entry. “I didn’t expect a visit from you today. I thought you were out of town.”
“I just returned and thought I’d stop to say hello on my way home.” Ashton didn’t smile quite as broadly when he saw Nora in the room. “Mrs. Nash, you’re looking lovely as always.” Ashton took her hand in his, exhibiting manners befitting a fine gentleman.
“Thank you, Ashton. Been out of town again?” Nora kept her voice even although her eyes had lost the warmth they held earlier when she and Aundy chatted.
“Yes, ma’am. Business, you know.” Ashton sat down and accepted the cup of tea Aundy poured for him along with a cookie. Aundy’s stylish outfit caught his attention and he watched her for a moment before he felt Nora’s glare.
“My, but you are a busy man,” Nora said dryly although Ashton didn’t notice.
He soaked up the comment like praise and puffed out his chest. Aundy thought he looked a little like the peacocks she’d seen in Chicago.
“A busy man is a successful man.” Ashton set down his cup of tea and cleared his throat. “It is serendipitous to find you here, Mrs. Nash.” Ashton spoke to Nora while his gaze lingered on Aundy.
Although he would never consider her beautiful, she was attractive. He hated seeing the plain dresses she tended to wear around the farm. The smart ensemble she currently wore meant she’d either been calling or to town. “I would like to invite all of you, along with Mrs. Erickson, to be my dinner guests Friday evening. I haven’t entertained company at Dogwood Corners for far too long. Won’t you please join me?”
The last thing Nora wanted to do was force J.B. and Garrett to eat dinner with the pompous Ashton Monroe, but if he wastrying to be neighborly, she didn’t feel she could refuse. “That’s a lovely invitation, Ashton. We’d be happy to join you, if Mrs. Erickson is of a mind to go, of course.”
“Of course,” Aundy echoed, wondering what thoughts tumbled through Nora’s head. Busy with an abundance of work on the farm, Aundy didn’t really want to make time to go to Ashton’s, especially when he did behave somewhat arrogantly if he had an audience. However, she did like the thought of finally seeing his home. “May we bring something?”
“No. Just your lovely faces.” Ashton stood and picked up his hat. “I might turn it into a regular dinner party. Let’s plan on six that evening to dine.”
“We’ll be there.” Nora frowned as she watched him kiss Aundy’s hand on his way out the door.
