Free The Sheriff Catches a Bride by Cora Seton

with a herd of cattle in the distance.
    “You’re the only one who wonders that,” Rose told her. “My parents think it’s a waste of money and Jason thinks it’s downright ridiculous.”
    Autumn pressed her lips together. “Your family should support your dream, but if they don’t you have to support it on your own.”
    “I guess that’s what I’m trying to do. I don’t have the money for art school, but I do have enough to build a cabin art studio. At least I’ll get to paint in peace.”
    “That’s a good first step. You’d better build fast, though. It’s going to snow any day now.”
    “I’ll get started right now,” Rose said. She hugged Autumn. “Thanks—you have no idea how much this means to me.”
    “Just invite me over someday when you get sick of being alone,” Autumn said. “Sometimes I need to get away, too.”
    “I will,” Rose said. “First, I need to cut a bunch of boards. Do you have an outside power outlet? I have a battery operated drill, but my saw needs power.”
    “No problem,” Autumn said. “Why don’t you come inside for a minute first, though, and I’ll make you a cup of cocoa. That will keep you warm while you work.” She led the way inside the house. When they entered the great room, however, Rose wished she’d stayed outside. She’d mistakenly thought no one would be around at this time in the day, but Ethan, Jamie, Rob and Cab had just entered through the back door, and were taking seats around the dining room table. Her heart zinged when she saw Cab, but then it sank. Four men to get interested in her project. Four men to try to supervise her and tell her what to do.
    Was there any such thing as a battery operated power saw? If only she could hide in the woods while she built her tiny cabin.
    Rose hesitated in the entryway, but didn’t see how she could escape notice. Sure enough, Autumn said to Ethan, “Rose is going to saw up some boards outside after we have a cup of cocoa. You don’t mind, do you?”
    “Fire away,” Ethan said affably. “I’ll come and help you set up.”
    “That’s all right, I don’t need any help,” Rose said, following Autumn into the kitchen.
    “It’s no trouble at all.”
    Rose clamped her mouth shut to block the words fighting to pour out. She didn’t want help. She wanted the space to do something on her own, for once. Her way. Was that so hard to understand?
    “What are you building?” Cab asked.
    She noticed the glances the others shot her way. She didn’t want to answer the question. In fact, she was beginning to think coming here at all was a huge mistake. “A kind of shed,” she said finally, shooting a frown toward Autumn.
    Autumn’s brows went up at the lie, but she didn’t say anything. Instead, she went behind the kitchen counter and got to work on the cocoa.
    “What kind of shed?” Cab asked.
    “A shed shed.”
    “Ah.” Cab didn’t press her further, but she could tell he was thinking hard. In fact, a second later, he drew a pencil and small pad of paper out of his shirt pocket and started sketching. “What size were you thinking?” he asked. “Eight by ten?”
    Her fingers spasmed but she stopped herself before they formed fists. Was he going to draw her a blueprint?
    “Not quite so big,” she said. “But I’ve already got plans.”
    He didn’t even glance up. “I’d put a window here,” he said, sketching rapidly. “South facing, to get a lot of light. You’ll lose some storage space, but it’ll make the building far more usable.”
    “I already have plans,” she repeated.
    Rob bent over Cab’s drawing. “You’ll want some shelves there for your smaller tools. Maybe a pegboard, too,” he said, pointing. “Are you going to run water to the place, Rosie? Like for a potting shed?”
    A familiar paralysis stole over Rose. This was just the way she felt when Emory barged in and started cleaning the carriage house. This was her cabin they were talking about—her getaway