Page 17 of Mail Order Malarkey

As soon as the thought popped into her head, she stifled a giggle. She could just imagine how Cameron would react if she decided to marry neither of the men and start her own farm instead.

When they got to the church, he helped his mother down first, and then Cassandra. Together, the two women carried the food to the table that had been set out for that purpose.

Several men approached, hats in hand, to meet Cassandra, but Cameron was quick to take her arm, glaring at the men until they backed away. “You can’t do that every time a man walks toward me,” she said.

“Only until you’re nine months pregnant with our first child and no men care to approach,” he agreed.

She blushed, shaking her head. “For a man who didn’t even want to look at me yesterday, you certainly do seem smitten today.”

“All the men are smitten with you. You’re new and you’re beautiful. In a land where there are more men than women, that’s just how it’s going to be.” He offered her his arm and they walked away from the table.

When Wade came toward her, he stopped a few yards away with a frown. “I thought…”

It was everything Cameron could do to be honest with his friend and let him know what the arrangement was. “We’re both going to court her,” he said softly. “On August first, she’ll choose one of us to marry.”

Wade looked back and forth between the two of them before nodding. “I hope you’ll save me at least one dance.”

“She’s with me today.”

Cassandra turned toward him. “I’m with your mother today. You may each have one dance if you don’t mind having your feet trampled.”

Cameron couldn’t help but grin. She truly was sassy. “All right,” he agreed, but he knew he’d be warning Wade off in a bit. She was his that day, whether she’d admit it or not.

After lunch, the men and children signed up for different games while the women agreed to cheer different men on. Instead of cheering for one of them, she gave each a ribbon from her hair. “In medieval times, a woman would give her favorite man a favor before he jousted. You’re both equal, so you both get a ribbon.”

Wade smiled, taking the ribbon and tucking it into his pocket, letting one end of it trail out of his pocket.

Cameron looked at the ribbon she’d given him and wanted to hide it somewhere, but when Wade acted like it was a huge honor to receive a ribbon, he had to do the same. “Would you tie it around my wrist so everyone can see it?” he asked.

The smile on Cassandra’s face was reward enough. She looked positively thrilled that he wanted to display it so prominently. So, she carefully tied it to his wrist and smiled. “There you are.”

“How about a kiss for luck?” he asked.

Cassandra blushed. “I don’t think so…”

“But we have kissed,” he said softly, so only Wade would hear him. He knew he was playing dirty, but he couldn’t stop himself. Wade was his friend, but he planned to spend his life with this woman.

“Hush!” she said, blushing even harder.

The words hit home, and he saw Wade frown. Obviously, they hadn’t kissed yet. Score one for Royal!

“What is the first contest?” Cassandra asked, changing the subject.

“Sack race,” Cameron said. “Should be fun.”

“I’ll be cheering for you both,” she said, refusing to let the man feel like he’d won. He was exasperating, but oh, did she want to be kissed by him again.

As the men took their spots at the starting line, Cassandra took a spot at the finish line. She wanted to be there to cheer on whoever won. There were six other men in the race, and any of them could win of course, but her money was on Cameron. He was…well, he was just someone she would expect to win everything.

As she watched she knew she was right. Wade was a close second, but at the end, he was edged out by Cameron. She cheered for both men right up until the end, but when Cameron won, she ran to him and hugged him in congratulations. As soon as she’d done so, she realized she’d made a mistake. All the other men would assume she was a loose woman if she was running around hugging.

She returned to Mrs. Royal’s side, and they watched the rest of the competitions together. “I may have gotten a little too excited.”

“You did,” Mrs. Royal said, a twinkle in her eye. “But you could marry Cameron before we leave, and no one would think a thing.”

“That wouldn’t be fair to Wade.”

“No, it wouldn’t. But Wade wasn’t the one responsible for bringing you here.”

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