RICKY: A Sweet Western Historical Romance (Mail-Order Brides Club Book 5) Read Free Page A

one finger along the edge of the dress. Sarah could see the admiration in her eyes and knew that the two of them were going to get on very well.
    “It’s gorgeous,” Brianna breathed.
    “It’s more than that. It’s stunning. Really beautiful work. I am impressed,” Colleen said. “We will have to get together and talk about sewing soon. My husband gave me a lovely sewing machine as a wedding present. You are welcome to use it until you get your own.”
    “That’s too generous of you,” Sarah protested.
    “Not at all. Besides, I know Ricky would be happy to get you one if he thought you’d like it. He is very generous.”
    “Oh, and there’s going to be a little gathering after the ceremony,” Brianna said. “I don’t know if Ricky told you yet?”
    “No, not yet.” Sarah hadn’t actually seen Ricky since he’d proposed Sunday evening. He had said he’d be out of town for a few days on business, but would be back by the end of the week and would stop in to see her then.
    “Oh, that’s right. He mentioned on Monday when he came in for lunch at Donovan’s pub that he was taking the three o’clock train and was going to be away for a few days,” Colleen said, and then added, “So, I don’t think he even knows the plans yet. But since his mother isn’t well, Naomi volunteered to turn the Sunday dinner into a wedding celebration. You’ll meet everyone then.”
    “That sounds lovely, though a little intimidating,” Sarah admitted. “Ricky mentioned once that he has a large extended family.”
    Colleen nodded. “He’s one of four, but my husband, David, has eight brothers and one sister.”
    “That poor girl!” Sarah laughed.
    “Oh, Elizabeth has all the men wrapped around her finger. She’s only eighteen, but she is juggling three suitors.”
    Sarah couldn’t begin to imagine that.
    “I look forward to meeting her and the rest of the family.”
    “We’ll come by early Sunday to help you get ready,” Brianna told her.
    “Really? Are you sure? That’s so nice of you.”
    “This is fun for us!” Colleen said. “We will see you then.”
    Sarah showed them out and then closed the door behind her.
    “What are they talking about Mama?” Andrew asked. He looked confused and Sarah couldn’t blame him. She’d been dreading trying to explain the wedding to him. She couldn’t put it off any longer. The sooner he got used to the idea the better.
    She pulled him close to her and gave him a quick hug. Then she sat down on the edge of the bed and patted the space next to her. He sat down and leaned against her, and she put her arm around him.
    “It’s true what the girls said. Your mother is getting married, this Sunday at church. To a very nice man.”
    Andrew frowned. “Why?”
    “Because it will be good for all of us. We can move out of the saloon and into a proper house again and I’ll be able to walk you home from school every day.”
    “Will you be able to bake cookies again?” His face looked hopeful. Like most children, Andrew loved cookies and Sarah used to bake them all the time for him.
    “Yes, honey. I’ll be able to bake cookies again. I’ll make your favorite kind as soon as we settle in. I promise.”
    “Okay.” And just like that, he was fine with it, as long as there were cookies in his near future. Sarah smiled. After the visit from the girls and Andrew’s easy acceptance of the situation, she was starting to feel a little less anxious. Hopefully, this would be a good thing for the both of them.

Chapter 4
    T he more that Ricky thought about marrying Sarah, the more he liked the idea. And he’d been thinking about it a lot. He’d had plenty of time to ponder the situation as he rode for hours on the train. By the time he returned to Bozeman, he was eager to see Sarah and wanted to make sure that she hadn’t changed her mind.
    He went home first and took a hot bath, scrubbing off the accumulated dirt from three days of traveling. Once he was clean and dressed,