His Bewildering Bride (The Brides of Paradise Ranch - Spicy Version Book 3) Read Free Page A

lip curled in a teasing sneer.
    “If you don’t believe that, then you’re about to walk into the worst mistake of your life,” Travis said, raising his voice.
    Without warning, Cody pulled his horse to a stop. Travis braced himself to be told off, but instead, Cody’s gaze floated past him. Travis twisted to see what his brother was looking at. They’d ridden as far as The Village, the collection of new houses that Howard Haskell was building as incentive for his ranch hands to marry and start families. Only three of the houses were finished and only one was currently occupied, but foundations had been dug and construction started on two more.
    “Look at that,” Cody sighed, as happy as he was oblivious. “A whole, big house, just for me.”
    “And your wife,” Travis grumbled.
    “You could have one too,” Cody went on. “If you respected things like loyalty. I don’t see Rex Bonneville building houses for his employees.”
    Travis’s frustration swelled. “I don’t need a house right now,” he said quietly. “The cabin Bonneville’s offering will do just fine.”
    “Yeah? Well it’s your loss. Don’t go crying to me when you find a gal to settle down with but can’t afford so much as a room in a boarding house.” He pressed his lips shut, lowering and shaking his head.
    A lump formed in Travis’s throat. He swallowed it as best he could and leaned over to thump Cody’s shoulder. “My choices are nothing personal. We’ll still be neighbors, and we’ll still be brothers.”
    Cody sent him a look that said he didn’t believe that for a second, but said, “I know.”
    He nudged Archer into a walk, and Cody followed. “Nothing will change, you’ll see. It’ll be…it’ll be fine.” Dagnabbit, he’d never been very good at emotional stuff.
    “Sure,” Cody said after they’d ridden a quarter of a mile. “Besides, you’ve taken care of us for these last few years, even though some of us are too old for being taken care of. Can’t go doing that forever.”
    Travis sent him a wry grin. Mason was plenty old enough and acted his age. Cody’s “us” consisted of one person—him. And Travis had taken care of him.
    “Well, it’ll be your wife’s job to take care of you now.” Travis nodded.
    “Yep.” Cody’s grin returned full-force. “Let’s hope she’s a smart one, because taking care of me is the biggest job out there.”
    He laughed at himself, but the joke was anything but funny. Forget whether Cody was ready for marriage, Travis suddenly hoped this Wendy woman was ready for Cody.
    Well, there was nothing he could do about it now. The marriage was all but done. He rubbed his jaw, then sighed. “Come on, let’s go meet that wife of yours.”

 
     
    Chapter Two
     
     
    As the train whistle sounded the approach to Haskell, Wyoming, Wendy pressed a hand to her stomach and held her breath. This was it. She couldn’t keep the smile off her lips. Nashville, Memphis, and the struggles of her old life were behind her. Today was the day things started anew. Starting today, she wouldn’t be a struggling worker anymore, she would be a wife, and maybe soon a mother.
    “Haskell. Haskell, Wyoming,” the porter attending their car called as the train lurched to a stop. Wendy had been surprised at the number of passengers traveling this far into the wilderness, and she was even more surprised that so many of them stood at the porter’s call. It gave her hope. If Haskell had more of a population than Mrs. Breashears had led her to believe, even though Wendy was dedicated to conquering domestic duties, she might have a chance to ply her trade and do a bit of seamstress work to contribute to her household.
    That happy thought lifted her from her seat into the aisle. Maybe she wouldn’t have to give up sewing completely. She turned to reach for her sewing kit—housed in a miniature trunk that she’d covered with rich brocade several years ago. The swish of her skirts as she moved to