Page 23 of A Cowboy's Convenient Marriage

“I told Cash that perhaps God wanted to bless him even more than what he already had, and if you agreed to marry him, that was the best thing that could ever happen to him.”

“Well, I don’t know if I agree with that, but thanks for saying something so sweet about me.”

“Sweet, maybe, but true. That’s the important thing.” Ezra paused. “Do you have any questions for me?”

She shifted in her chair and tried to think. “So he gets one billion dollars if we get married by Thursday. And you think he’s an upright man, one who loves God, and would be a good man for me to marry, and who would be a good father to any children we might have?”

As she said “any children we might have,” she realized how serious this was. She wasn’t just agreeing to go live with someone. She was agreeing to be his wife, with all that entailed. Did she really want to do that with a total stranger?

“That’s right.”

“All right. I’ll talk to him. But I’m probably going to tell him that I’m going to need to pray about it. I don’t think this is a decision that I should make hastily. Although, the situation kind of requires it.”

“I agree. And I don’t think he expects that of you.”

She nodded, and they stood, and somehow her heart hammered in her chest as her stomach flipped and flopped. Was she crazy for even considering this?

Chapter 9

“No, ma’am, it’s myfirst time in North Dakota,” Cash said to Alaska, Ezra’s wife, who sat across the table from him.

He probably should have gone outside, but at heart, he was a people person. He wanted to get to know these folks. Especially if Ada was going to consider his proposal. They would be his family.

Before Alaska could say anything else, or before one of the children could interject, the study door opened.

He had chosen his seat at the kitchen table strategically so he could look through the living room and see the door.

He wiped his hands on his jeans, more to get the sweat off than the playdough.

He tried to keep his heart from hammering in his chest as he watched as Ezra walked to the kitchen doorway, Ada following behind.

“She’s willing to talk with you. It might be better, more private, for you to go outside.”

Cash couldn’t believe the relief that seemed to make his chest want to float up in the air like a hot-air balloon.

But this was just the first hurdle.

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