Julia: Bride of New York (Amercan Mail-Order Bride 11) Read Free

money for meals.”
    A heated flush rose to her face. “I am not in need, and I don’t take charity.”
    “All right. You can earn it.”
    “How?”
    “You can work at the jail.”
    “Oh, so now instead of being arrested and tossed into a jail cell, I get to clean the place?”
    “Yes. You can also organize my desk. I’m not too orderly.”
    “I accept.” She wasn’t so stupid as to pass up the sheriff’s offer. She could work for him for a short time while she decided what she was going to do next. At least she wouldn’t be taking a handout.
    He grinned, making her heart do funny little jumps in her chest. “Fine. I’ll walk you over to the hotel and get you settled. You can report to work first thing tomorrow morning.”
    The walk to the hotel was only a couple of blocks, but they spent the time in silence. She studied the sheriff under lowered eyelashes. He was just as she imagined a small town sheriff would look. Deep blond hair, tall, broad shouldered, slim waist, and with a gun belt low on his hips. His strong features taken separately wouldn’t be considered handsome, but the overall combination put him into that category.
    He tugged on the brim of his hat as they passed shoppers and business people. Wickerton was a nice place from what she could see. The stores were doing a fine business, and the sheriff kept a peaceful town.
    Once they reached the front of the hotel, he stopped her by touching her arm. “Before we go in, I thought I would mention there is one solution to your problem that we hadn’t considered.”
    She looked into two mesmerizing hazel eyes and tilted her head in question.
    “Why don’t you marry me?”

Chapter Two
     
    The young bride stared at Fletcher open-mouthed. Had he done it again, and proposed to her? Well, as close to a proposal as a man could get without actually making one. But the more he thought about it, the better the idea fit.
    He’d been thinking a lot lately about Patty Ann. At seven years old, she’d never been separated from him before. When Laura had died this past year trying to give birth to their son who died with her, he’d been lost. Still grieving, Laura’s sister, Catherine, had swooped down and taken Patty Ann from him, “until you get settled.”
    Since she’d taken Patty Ann in, Catherine had come up with one excuse after another as to why she should stay with her aunt. Her main reason had always been that, as a man in a small town with a dangerous job and no wife, he wasn’t fit to take care of a little girl. As much as he wanted to argue the point, he knew she was right. Patty Ann was better off with Catherine, but he couldn’t let that situation continue much longer.
    He wanted Patty Ann back with him, but how could he raise a little girl on his own? He loved his daughter and missed her every day since she’d been gone. He made the trip to see her in Doylestown as often as he could get away, but every time he left her, it was with a growing sense that he was losing his little girl. He wanted his Patty Ann back, the little girl who he used to toss into the air, tickle like crazy, and settle in front of him on his saddle when he rode around town.
    “No.”
    He was yanked back from his thoughts by the firm response from Miss Benson. The fire in her eyes confused him. He thought it solved her problem perfectly. “Why not?”
    “Because you don’t want me any more than Mr. Johnson had. You feel sorry for me, that’s all.”
    “No. That’s not true.”
    She rested her hands on her hips and tapped her foot. “Sheriff, if you were truly interested in marriage, I’m sure you would have come up with the idea before I was dumped in your lap.”
    He grinned when she blushed slightly, no doubt imagining sitting on his lap. The thought also wreaked havoc with his blood supply which began to travel south.
    “I need a wife.”
    “Really? And you just now discovered this?”
    He flushed “No. I’ve been thinking about it for some