Misty's True Love (Mail Order Brides of Pioneer Town, Book 2) Read Free

I know most of the folks round
about,” Cody said politely.
    “ Thank you, but I’m sure
he’ll be here presently,” she said as she glanced at the
wildflowers with a soft smile. “It looks like you are expecting
some company of your own. I wouldn’t want to intrude.”
    She also did not want to entertain a
pang of jealousy over the lucky mystery woman. While they had never
stopped to talk for any great length when he had been in San
Francisco, she had developed quite a crush on the rugged yet kind
rancher. She chided herself silently for such a childish reaction.
Here she was to meet a perfectly nice, if not exactly punctual,
man, yet she was becoming jealous of a mystery woman receiving
wildflowers from Cody. At times, she scarcely knew what to make of
her own behavior.
    “ It wouldn’t be an
intrusion in the least,” Cody said as he gazed at the train once
again with a worried frown. And an expression of confusion. “Miss
Misty, would you permit me to ask you a rather odd
question?”
    “ Of course.” She nodded
hesitantly. They had spoken so little in the past, it was difficult
to guess what would be considered an odd question.
    “ You have been living in
San Francisco up until recently?” he asked as he regarded her with
a curious expression, on brow raising slightly.
    “ Yes. After Indiana and I
parted ways, I went to take care of my aunt. She passed away
recently,” Misty responded. Was the person he was waiting on also
coming in from San Francisco? But what were the chances of
that?
    Cody’s mouth dropped open as if he had
seen a ghost, but then he seemed to recover himself, as he smiled
widely. “Well now, that does explain a great deal.”
    She was glad it explained something.
However, she was at a loss as to what it was! Misty blinked in
surprise as Cody boldly reached out and took her hand and leaned
down to press a light kiss to it. She opened her mouth as she felt
the blood rush to her face, trying to remember how to speak after
the sudden and unexpected act.
    * * *
    “ Miss Michelle Fields,
allow me to welcome you to Pioneer Town. I know it doesn’t look
like much compared to what you’re used to, but I hope that you will
come to think of it as home.” Cody said with all the formality of a
gentleman as he straightened back up.
    Despite his display of confidence, his
mind was reeling as he reassessed the whole situation. The woman he
was waiting on was the pretty little maid from San Francisco. While
he tried not to make mention of it, he had been sorely disappointed
that Misty had not followed Indiana and her kin to the town when
they joined Morgan’s family. He had not had many opportunities to
chat with the woman, but there was an open kindness to her that he
found very attractive. What were the chances of all the women in
the world to read the ad, she would have been the one he would meet
here?
    He grinned from ear to ear as the
woman flustered wordlessly, her surprise at the announcement of her
name further confirming his suspicions. The girl always seemed to
wear her heart on her sleeves. It was something he liked most about
her during their brief encounters in the city.
    “ Are you Claudius?” she
asked hesitantly, the disbelief apparent on her face. He could not
help but smile as he gave a brief nod. There was something about
the way she expressed her surprise. It almost made him want to
tease her a bit, just to see it for a little longer.
    “ My given name is Claudius
Mills. Folks called me Cody when I started to work the ranch, and
the name stuck. Everyone calls me by the name nowadays.”
    “ This is wonderful!” she
blurted out with such a delighted expression that he actually found
himself at a loss for words. She almost seemed more pleased than he
was at the circumstance.
    “ I have to agree,” he said,
glad that his voice sounded more steady than he felt. The last
thing he wanted to do was stammer like a madman in front of his
future fiancé. Suddenly remembering the