A Wife by Christmas Read Free Page B

and around shoppers as she headed in the direction of the barbershop. A tall man, loaded down with packages, followed a stout woman who shouted orders over her shoulder. Ellie moved to go around him at the same moment he shifted his packages, smacking her in the eye with his elbow.
    “Ouch!” Ellie’s hand flew to her face.
    “Sorry.” He puffed, and kept going.
    Tears filled her eye, and dripped down her cheek. She moved to the side, and set her bag against the meat market building. She unbuttoned her coat and pulled a handkerchief from the front pocket of her pants. With gentle fingertips, she pushed on her cheekbone. It hurt. As soon as she picked up the brush and cup from the barber, she’d go home. If she could put some ice on it right away, she might avoid a black eye. Wouldn’t that go over well with Mr. Colbert!

    A black flash caught her attention. A scraggly dog flew by, a chunk of meat clenched tightly in his jaw. His coat matted and filthy with red dirt, he dodged shoppers in his way. “Come back here, you mutt.” Mr. Eichelberger charged past from his store’s entrance, a white apron smeared with blood wrapped around his middle, his fist raised. Ellie watched as the animal ran in confused circles, the butcher on his heels.
    Ellie raced forward, got down on one knee and called to the animal. He turned back to her, his eyes darting from side to side. After hesitating for a second, he headed for the street. A horse stepped back as he ran under him, barely missing the dog’s head. Buggy drivers and automobiles wove in and out as the dog continued to run in circles, clearly terrified. Ellie ran faster. The poor little thing would be killed under a horse’s hoof or a motorcar wheel. A man came out of the barbershop. She shouted at him. “Catch the dog.”
    Startled, he turned, his jaw hanging down, but didn’t move, so Ellie sprinted past him. She reached for the dog, who skittered away and sped around a building, then off into the fields. Unable to stop her momentum, she slipped in a mud puddle, and landed face first into the water trough in front of the saloon.
    Ice cold smelly water surrounded her. Her mouth opened in surprise, and she swallowed a large gulp of water. She came up sputtering when two strong hands pulled her up by her shoulders. Her feet still in the water, she closed her eyes, bent over, and coughed, trying to drag air into her lungs. A strong hand slapped her on the back as she wheezed. Finally her lungs were able to fill with air.
    Ellie glanced down at herself. “Damn, I’m soaked.” She laughed and shook her hands. Her hat had fallen off, and sopping curls tumbled into her eyes and around her shoulders. She turned to thank her rescuer, and peeked between strands of wet hair directly into the surprised, dark blue eyes of Max Colbert. Oh dear.
    “Miss Henderson!” Max choked out. The woman stood before him, dripping wet, in trousers— trousers ! Her unbuttoned coat displayed the man’s shirt she wore, plastered to her chest, the peaks of her cold, wet nipples prominent against the wet fabric. Soaked pants outlined her legs, as if she were naked.
    She continued to laugh, and pushed the hair out of her eyes. The movement of her arms caused her breasts to shift, the rosy nipples pointing directly at him. Max yanked her jacket closed and buttoned it up.
    His jaw tightened as he took her hand and helped her out of the trough. She covered her mouth with her other hand, trying to stifle her laughter.
    “Miss Henderson, I don’t see any humor in this whatsoever. You are an upstanding citizen of this town, a member of a prominent family, and a teacher. A teacher!” He took her by the elbow and moved her forward. “I can’t believe you would appear in public dressed in trousers.”
    Ellie pulled away from him. “I have to go back to the meat store and get my bag.”
    Max took her elbow again and walked her in the direction of the bag, resting against the large glass store window