Page 27 of Their Wanted Bride (Bridgewater Brides 1)

“I…” I blinked up at his stern face. “I’m sorry.”

Without warning, I burst into tears and flung myself into Caleb’s arms. Justin dropped the fish and hugged me from behind, trying to calm my crying with soft whispers in my ear.

“It’s all right, sweetheart. We aren’t mad,” he crooned, petting my hair. “Why are you crying?”

“Did you get hurt?” Caleb asked.

Sniffing, I lifted my face from Caleb’s chest and wiped my tears with the back of my hand. “No, it’s just…nobody’s worried about me like that in a long time. I’m sorry I took off. I didn’t think anyone would care.”

JUSTIN

* * *

I felt like a heel. Here I was, looking down at a mess of fine fish and yelling at our wife for doing what must come naturally to her. She was an independent, capable young woman, certainly not the pampered princess we’d expected. Looking at Caleb, I knew he was thinking the same thing.

“We do care,” I said firmly, moving so she faced both of us, then leaning to kiss her forehead. “Your safety is impor

tant to us. Montana can be a dangerous place. No one goes off without telling someone.”

“But we’re sorry we yelled at you,” Caleb added, also giving her a kiss. “We won’t do it again if you promise to let one of us know where you’re going.”

Maddy gave us a shaky smile and nodded. “I promise.”

She threw herself into our arms, and my heart swelled in my chest as I stroked her fiery hair. I wanted to take her right back to bed and show her how happy she made us, but she’d gone to so much trouble and effort to please us, I couldn’t let her work go to waste. Stepping back, I picked up the fish.

“What do you plan to do with these fine trout, Miss Maddy?” I asked.

Dimples lit up her cheeks when she grinned. “After you and Caleb finish cleaning them, I’ll roast them with some salt and herbs I found, plus the mushrooms.”

“Mushrooms?” Caleb asked, glancing at her sharply. “You have to be careful with mushrooms.”

“I know.” She nodded, then frowned as she swatted at a mosquito as big as a hummingbird. “You have a fine patch of morels in the woods. They’re easy to recognize. Can’t believe you didn’t know they were there.”

We shrugged, then Caleb said, “I didn’t know they were edible. Aside from that, neither of us can cook.”

“Ah. Well, it would be a help if you’d clean those trout. I’ll get the greens started and cook up some fried mush to go with it.”

She sailed inside, leaving us to our task. My mouth watering for the promised supper, I sat on the stoop and grabbed a fish. “Get to work, or I’ll eat your share,” I muttered to Caleb.

“Fat chance.” He sat next to me, retrieving his belt knife. Laughing softly, he shook his head. “How is it we’re outside cleaning fish when we were supposed to be yelling at her?”

“She didn’t do anything wrong,” I corrected. “Besides, she caught ‘em. It’s only fair that we clean ‘em.”

When we finished, we took her catch inside, then sat at the table while she worked. She obviously knew what she was about in a kitchen and delicious odors soon filled the room as she chatted happily with us. My stomach growled out a demand when she set plates loaded with food in front of us. Small rounds of fried cornmeal mush redolent of salt pork filled a basket set in the center of the table.

“Justin, will you say the blessing?” she asked, seating herself.

I did, thanking the Lord privately for Maddy. Caleb was probably doing the same thing. Tonight, we would show her how much her thoughtfulness meant to us.

10

CALEB

* * *

Mercy, I’d never had a meal so fine. Even Justin’s mama, widely known as the best cook in three counties, didn’t hold a candle to our sweet wife. I wondered what she’d do with a stocked pantry, and the thought nearly made me swoon. There would be cakes and preserves, and maybe even some huckleberry pies. The minute we got our cattle sold, we’d buy everything she’d need.

When we finished eating, I carried our plates to the sink, mixing hot water from the stove with soap.

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