Free Mail Order Mix Up by Kirsten Osbourne

away from you.”
    He laughed.  “Well, I guess that about sums it up.  I wish it was different, honestly. 
     I do think you’d make a better wife for me than you would for my brother, but if there’s
     no….attraction is I guess the best word, there’s no point.”
    “I’m so glad you agree with me.”   She grinned at the man who she hoped would soon be her brother in law.
    “Oh, I do.  I just wish we could get Malinda to agree.”
    The parlor door opened then and Malinda walked in with an irritated look.  She sat
     down between Ellen and Wesley on the sofa and leaned into Wesley.  “I don’t like your
     brother as much as I like you.”
    Wesley smiled, stroking her arm.  Ellen tried not to watch, but she was fascinated
     with how her sister reacted to him when she felt nothing at all.  “Does that mean
     you want to marry me now?”
    Malinda sighed.  “It means I’m a lot closer to making a decision than I was an hour
     ago.”   Malinda sounded disgusted.  What could Patrick have done to make her so angry?
    Ellen stood up and walked out to the porch and saw Patrick leaning up against a post. 
     “What did you do to my sister?”
    Patrick turned to her and she could see his grin by the light of the full moon.  “I
     just tried to hold her hand and told her that she has the most beautiful sister in
     the world.”
    Ellen laughed aloud.  “That was obnoxious!”
    “I tried.  I don’t want to be downright rude, though, because even if I don’t marry
     the woman, she’s still going to be my sister-in-law and a big part of my life.  I
     need to be able to get along with her.”
    She walked over and took his hand, pulling him along with her to the porch swing. 
     “What would you do if you didn’t care if you got along with her for the rest of your
     life?”
    He shrugged, his eyes dancing as they gazed into hers.  “I’d probably tell her that
     I like to have spitting contests with all the miners that come into the bank and give
     them better rates if they can spit further than me.”
    “That would certainly not endear my sister to you.”   She grinned thinking about Patrick saying that.  She knew him well enough to know
     he would never actually do it, but her sister certainly didn’t.
    “How about you?  Would you mind if I had spitting contests with the miners?”
    She laughed snuggling into his side.  “Why would I mind?  As long as you didn’t let
     them spit on you and expect me to clean your clothes, I wouldn’t care.  Do you have spitting contests with the miners?”
    “Never have.  The thought had never crossed my mind.  Maybe I should…”
    “If you decide to do it, let me know.  I’d like to hire a photographer to come and
     take some pictures of it.  We could use them to advertise your banking services. 
     ‘A banker who spits with his customers will always do what’s best for them’ could
     be your slogan.”
    He grinned down at her.  “Do you know what I like best about you?”
    She shook her head.  “No, what?”
    “I like that you put up with my crazy sense of humor.”
    She smiled.  “Malinda told me you’re boring.  I don’t see it, but whatever she thinks. 
     She can say you’re boring every day of the year as long as she marries your brother.”  
    “Just so you know, whatever she decides, I’m not marrying her.  I’m not at all interested
     in your sister.  I’m marrying you.”
    She kissed the shoulder her head was resting against.  “She’s not going to decide
     to marry you.  She’d make too many people unhappy by doing that and she knows it.”
    “When do you think she’ll make a decision?”
    She shrugged.  “I’m going to work on her all day tomorrow.  I think she already knows
     what her decision is going to be, but she’s just dragging her feet because she likes
     living here and having people do for her.”  She paused for a moment looking out to
     the garden.  “We stayed with the woman who owns