The Chef's Mail Order Bride: A Sweet Western Historical Romance (Wild West Frontier Brides Book 1) Read Free

the envelope, the picture that had been included fell onto the seat beside her.
    She picked it up slowly, gazing at the sepia-toned images of two little girls, who looked almost exactly like each other—and like her sister. Her smile was bittersweet as she thought of her parents, who should be accompanying her and for the bakery she’d invested so much of herself in.
    Her blue eyes were unable to hold back the tears this time, and for the first time since she’d heard the news, she allowed herself to cry. For her parents, for her nieces who would never meet them—and for herself.
    The conductor’s cry of, “Next stop—Benson, Arizona,” brought her back to the present and she quickly blotted her tears with her now-soggy handkerchief, taking a deep breath at the sight of her red eyes in the small mirror she now replaced in her bag. She returned her gaze to the landscape, which was now changing once again as they crossed a river, lush with green on its banks.
    The porter transferred her bags into the waiting stagecoach and Sadie had but a moment to relocate. As the stage headed further south, for most of the journey it followed along a river, trees towering above it. It wasn’t until the very end of the journey that she spotted her first cactus since leaving the train.
    As the coach slowed into her new town, Sadie’s heart leapt into her throat at the sight of her sister. She looked exactly like she remembered, and chuckled to herself, as they were identical twins. They had very different personalities, but looked exactly the same. As she furiously waved to get Suzanne’s attention, her breath hitched and she fought back tears.
    With the death of her parents and all that had happened with the bakery, she hadn’t allowed herself to indulge in her emotions. She hadn’t had time for it. But now, seeing her sister’s broad smile and wide, blue eyes, she clasped her hands in front of her mouth to try to stop herself from crying.
    The coach finally stopped and Sadie had not been able to take her eyes off of her beloved sister and the two little girls—one in her arms and one in James’s. They all four waved as she tore her gaze away, and grabbed her traveling bag and scooted toward the door.
    She walked as fast as she could without breaking into a run as she took the final step from the stagecoach and turned toward her sister’s family. As she approached, she couldn’t stand it any longer and dropped her bag, hurrying the last few steps into her sister’s arms.
    Suzanne had not been able to come to the funeral as her children were too young, so they hadn’t seen each other since their parents had died.
    As they sobbed into each other’s shoulders, Sadie felt as though her heart would burst. As she started to regain her composure, from behind her she heard James.
    “Ahem,” he said politely as both Sadie and Suzanne broke their embrace but grabbed each other’s hands, smiles on their faces as they turned to James.
    “So sorry, my dear,” Suzanne said as she picked up one of the beautiful blonde girls at James’s knee. “I couldn’t help myself,” she said, smiling at Sadie who was looking intently at the little girls in their parents’ arms.
    “Suzanne, you did this? Twins—how exciting,” Sadie said, her hand on her cheek.
    “I had a little help,” Suzanne said, smiling at James who, in turn, blushed.
    Sadie laughed and said to James, “Neither one of us has ever been exactly shy, James.”
    “I know,” he said, sighing. “I don’t understand why it still surprises me.”
    “No room for shy dealing with customers all day,” Suzanne said. “Lily and Lucy, I’d like you to meet your Aunt Sadie.” Both girls immediately burrowed their faces in their parents’ shoulders.
    “Well, the twins are not like their mother in that respect,” James said. “They are a bit shy,” he added quickly as Sadie’s face fell. “Please don’t take it personally.”
    She hadn’t been around many little