Page 47 of A Cowboy's Convenient Marriage

“No problem. I understood when you couldn’t leave at the time. The farm’s like that. In fact, it’s probably worse. Because anything could go wrong at any time, and there aren’t people you can pick up anywhere that can help you.”

“Yeah. Animals have to be fed every day and taken care of and whoever does it has to know how.”

“Yeah. It really ties you down, although I wouldn’t trade that life for anything. It’s a beautiful life.”

Her voice got a little wistful, like she wished she was still in that life.

“Do you miss it?” he asked. A little sense of panic had started in his soul. The more he thought about it, the more he thought about moving back to Virginia. Aunt Karen was taken care of as well as they could. The car dealership was in good shape, and if she decided to sell it, she would get good money. And now that the billion dollars had come, he would know that she would be taken care of in whatever style she chose.

He missed Virginia and the church that he had started and he had been thinking that perhaps God had closed the door for a bit so that he could marry Ada, and then, opened it back up so that he could head back to Virginia.

He didn’t understand that necessarily, since Ada really wasn’t the kind of wife that the pastor of a mega church might want. She was spiritual and sweet, but not...classy or uppercrust the way Abby was. Still, sometimes God worked in mysterious ways, and this might have been one of those ways.

“I suppose I might as well say that I’ve been thinking seriously about accepting John’s offer. That’s part of the reason I’ve been putting off going to Virginia.”

Originally he had figured that he would get a few things together at the car dealership and they would leave in a couple of days after their wedding. But, one thing turned into another and he ended up putting it off and putting it off until four weeks had gone by and he hadn’t really realized.

“Oh. I didn’t realize you were considering that,” Ada said. There was definitely surprise in her voice, but acceptance as well.

“What do you think?”

“I guess I might have a better idea after we visit. But, I think whatever you do, I’m with you.”

“I knew you would be. But I want to know what you think, apart from what I want. What do you personally think?” He paused for a moment and then said, “What would you like?” That was a dangerous question, because he couldn’t guarantee that he could give her what she wanted.

He knew that she was as close to the Lord as anyone else he knew, and that she would not lead him wrong. Although he wasn’t asking for advice, or even what she felt God wanted them to do, he was just asking about her preference. For some reason, he thought that might help them decide what he was supposed to do.

“I’d like to stay here,” she said simply. “But I’ve never been to Virginia. So maybe once I get there, it will feel right. But, I love helping your aunt and being close to my family, although I haven’t been on the ranch this entire month. I’ve seen them at church. I would miss that. I would be sad about that. But, if God leads you to Virginia, I wouldn’t want you to not go because you think I’m going to be sad or upset. Because I’m not. I’m going to choose to be happy.”

She said that with such emphaticness that he absolutely did not doubt it. His wife would choose to be happy wherever he was.

Lord, I didn’t deserve a woman like this. But I thank you so much for giving her to me.

And that was what it had to have been. God giving him Ada, because he really hadn’t even wooed her or earned her love at all. He’d just proposed marriage, she prayed about it, and said yes. If that wasn’t God working, he didn’t know what was. He certainly wouldn’t have taken one look at himself and said yes to a marriage proposal from someone like him. Especially someone who had been kicked out of their church, and accused of heinous crimes.

“All right. I’ll keep that in mind. But, I know that you agree, we’ll do whatever we're sure God wants us to do.”

“Yes. It’s agreed.”

He figured they had walked far enough, so they turned around, and when they got to Miss Evie’s house, they stopped.

“If you don’t mind, I’ll come in with you?” He thought that was understood at the table, but he didn’t want to push in where he wasn’t wanted.

“Of course. Ms. Evie has such sweet things to say about you. I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to see you. She always says it’s been too long.”

He didn’t know that, and he didn’t realize that Ada had been talking to her, but he nodded as they went up the front porch steps and knocked on the door.

“My goodness. I didn’t think you were ever going to come. Your aunt said you were going to be late, but I’ve been excited about this for three days!” Miss Evie opened the door wider. “Please come in. Oh! And you brought your husband with you.” Miss Evie gave him a crinkly smile. Her dark eyes glittered, her posture indicated that she truly was excited to see him.

“It’s been a long time.” Miss Evie looked him up and down. “You’ve gone and gotten big, you surely have. I remember you coming to see your aunt and uncle when you were just a young thing. Now, look at you, turning that car dealership around, like no one’s business. Your aunt Karen brags on you all the time. And, I must say, you have yourself a really nice wife.” She said the last almost like she was talking under her breath, although Ada was standing right there and could hear her.

“I have to agree with you. It was the Lord’s doing, and it’s marvelous in my eyes.” It was a little paraphrase on a verse in Psalms, but it was true. It was the Lord’s doing, and marvelous probably wasn’t a strong enough word to describe how he felt about it.

Ada smiled and shook her head.

“We’re here to check out your house, and to see what all you’re thinking you’d like to have done,” she said to Ms. Evie.

“Well, I can show you around, but I wanted to thank you for the cookies you hand out on your porch every day. I’ve gotten to know some of the neighborhood kids because of that, and... It’s really given me a new purpose in life. So thank you.”

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