Page 23 of The Preacher's Wife
Hubert smacked a hand to his forehead in embarrassment. “I really am failing today. Yes, Prudence is my wife. You’ll notice her. She’s the only fresh face in town. Thank you, Mama H.”
Feeling restless, he left the room before he could stumble over any more words. He made his way to where Silas and the sheriff were working. A project always helped to clear his head, and focusing on the steady rhythm of pounding nails into the wood might help keep thoughts of Prudence from creeping into his mind. She wasn’t a damsel in distress like Chloe or an unexpected passenger like Amanda, but she was clearly healing from something.
Maybe involving her in a project would help her heal even more. Finally feeling somewhat calmer, Hubert took three steps at a time up the porch of the sheriff’s office and paused to catch his breath. The sound of hammering followed him inside, grounding him in the present moment as he sought Silas for guidance and distraction from his own internal turmoil.
“Hello!” Hubert called out, entering the building.
“Hi, Reverend! You’re back!” Chloe Masters looked up from where she was working on something at the nearby desk. “The boys are in there.” She pointed down the hall.
“Good morning.” He offered her a quick wave, and he was on his way down the hall to the jail, friendly banter guiding each step.
“You can’t just put a nail wherever you want, Jackson! They might be prisoners, but that doesn’t mean you want them getting hurt or hurting you.” Silas’s voice echoed off the walls.
The marshal snapped back, irritation lacing his normally calm voice. “You’re the one who’s using wood.”
“To set the frames. We are setting the frames so that once the weather clears, we can pour the crete.”
Hubert could tell that this explanation had been given multiple times, and he grinned. Rapping his knuckles on the wall, he cleared his throat. “Since we don’t plan on having a lot of crime in town, perhaps wood would work?”
Three pairs of eyes turned to him, and belly chuckles erupted through the room.
“He has a point,” Irving said, walking over. Shifting the paintbrush he was holding, he shook Hubert’s hand. “Welcome back, brother.”
“Give the man a bride, and now he has all the answers,” Silas clambered to his feet.
The marshal extended his hand. “Are we sure he got a bride? Seems too eager to get back into the thick of things instead of curled up with his new wife.”
“Or she’s mad at him already. Charlie didn’t get to cuddle up with Amanda for a couple of days.” Silas pulled Hubert in for a hug, slapping him loudly on the back.
With a deep sigh, Hubert pushed his friend aside and put his hands up in mock surrender. “She is a little irritated with me, since we’re at the boardinghouse and not a home.”
“What’s wrong with my boarding house?” Silas’s brow furrowed.
“I may not have mentioned that I didn’t have a house.”
Silas reached out and gave him a gentle slap on the back of the head. “Well, you’re not getting to your house until after the last snow in April. So hopefully you can make that easier for her.”
“I gave her the room across from me. It should be fine. I don’t think she’s going to leave over it.”
A feminine snort came from somewhere behind him, and Hubert could only pray it wasn’t Prudence. Craning his neck, he saw Chloe instead and gave a quick prayer of thanks.
“Don’t get me wrong, Reverend. You’re a wonderful preacher and you have a heart of gold, but you may need some help with women. May I suggest spending more time with my husband? Or even Joel Easton, instead of taking advice from Silas? He will get you in trouble.”
“Hey!”
No one acknowledged the offended yelp. All eyes were on the woman in the room.
“How do you mean?” Hubert scratched at the back of his neck.
“I’d have to meet her before I have an opinion, but we of the fairer sex like information. Knowing there is a plan and not just a heavenly one at that. You’ll find your way.” Her gaze shifted to her husband. “Anyway, I just wanted to let you know I’m going over to the mercantile. I promised Mrs. Holstead that I would help her with desserts today, so I need to get back to the boarding house.”
Hubert watched the other man slide over to his wife and give her a gentle kiss before tucking a stray hair behind her ear. “We’ll be here. I’ll come find you for lunch.”
“I love you.” She reached up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
“And I love you.”
The hallway was still and quiet, each person lost in their own thoughts. Hubert couldn’t help but think about the possibility of having a conversation like that with Prudence someday. He liked her enough and found her attractive, but love seemed like a distant concept for the moment.
