Page 62 of Montana Groom of Convenience
You should never be embarrassed to tell someone how you feel.
Her mother had said those words when Carly spoke of her admiration for a teacher but confessed she didn’t feel she could tell the woman.
Sometimes, she silently argued, it was more than embarrassment that kept her from saying what she felt. Sometimes, it was that she’d given her word and meant to fulfill her promise.
She spent some time praying for strength and wisdom before she returned to the house to make supper.
“Carly,” Jill said at bedtime. “Can you read to me?”
It was the first time Jill had taken advantage of Carly’s offer, and Carly couldn’t decide if she wantedto laugh or cry. She would have liked to share the moment with Sawyer, but he had gone to take care of Big Harry. “I’d love to read to you.”
Jill climbed into bed, Skippy in the crook of her arm. She moved to the far edge of the bed. “There’s room for you beside me.”
Her heart was so full it felt like it might burst., Carly lay down beside the child and drew her close, pleased when Jill snuggled against her. “I’m going to read from the Bible storybook my mama read to me when I was your age.”
Jill nodded. “Okay.”
Opening the book to the first story, Carly read about creation. Finished, she closed the book. “God made a beautiful world,” she said. “And it’s still beautiful.”
“I know. Like the flowers and Skippy.”
“Like you.” Carly planted a kiss on Jill’s forehead.
Jill looked up at her. “And Sawyer?”
Carly’s cheeks grew hot, but she hoped Jill wouldn’t notice. “I don’t think he’d like to be called beautiful.”
“Well, he’s handsome.”
“I suppose he is. Now, do you want me to hear your prayers?”
Jill nodded and scampered from under the covers to kneel at her bedside.
Carly knelt beside her. This was so much like it had been with her mother that her throat tightened.
Jill said a child’s prayer and then added her own thoughts. “Help us be able to stay here forever. Help Sawyer and Carly to be in love. Amen.”
The words slammed into Carly, and she remained on her knees as Jill climbed back into bed. How was sheto tell the child that her prayer must be refused? “Jill, honey, people can live together and be happy without being in love.”
Jill studied her with wide-eyed innocence. “Then you aren’t really married.”
She had a point. “That’s between Sawyer and me.”
“And God.” Jill burrowed deeper under the covers, closed her eyes, and gave a satisfied sigh as if she’d spoken the final word on the matter.
If only life could be that simple. “Good night.” Carly placed another kiss on Jill’s forehead and left the room.
Father lay back in his armchair, snoring softly.
Carly tiptoed out to find Sawyer, determined not to let the reasoning of a little girl affect her. She was halfway to the barn when she saw him standing at the fence that enclosed the seeded wheat field and went to join him.
“I finished the oats today,” he said.
“You’ll be glad to be done with farming, I expect.” Most cowboys resisted any sort of farming, even though hay must be cut, and feed had to be grown.
“I kind of enjoyed it. There’s something satisfying about turning up the soil and then planting the seed and knowing it will supply the winter’s need.”
Carly chuckled. “That sounds like something Father would say.”
