Free Spring Creek Bride by Janice Thompson Page A

neighbors with messy hair. She needed to put her best foot forward.
    With nerves kicking in, she made her way to the door. One foot in front of the other. Then out onto the boardwalk. Then onto the street, nearing the spot where Mick stood in his high-falutin’ shoes and dress coat, talking to Carl Walken, no less.
    “Mr. Bradley!” Ida shouted to be heard above the noise of the workers clearing the lot.
    He turned to her with a smile. “Lost that puppy again?”
    “No.” She shook her head, determined to keep her focus. “I am here with a complaint, one I hope you will take seriously.”
    “Oh?” His eyes twinkled with mischief. “And what sort of complaint would that be?”
    “First of all, I feel compelled to tell you that the Bible strictly forbids gambling. For this one reason alone, I cannot bear to watch this building go up. And next door to a respectable business like the mercantile. Ridiculous!”
    He opened his mouth to speak, but she forged ahead. “And one more thing.” She pointed to his workers. “It’s one thing to hire a man to do a job—it’s another altogether to steal your workers from another man. These fellas work for my papa. They’ve got no business here in town working for you.”
    “Now hold on there, Miss Mueller. I haven’t stolen anyone. These men are working on the weekend for extra cash—”
    “Cash that will be spent in a saloon.” She pointed to Chuck Brewster’s place. “This is ill-gained profit, and you are behind it all.”
    “But I—”
    “And have you not thought about the children of Spring Creek? No, you have not! I dare say, if you’d given one minute’s thought to our children, youwould realize that their innocence has already been assaulted. How will they ever remain pure and untouched by the vices of this world if a man such as yourself continues to build—” she sputtered the words “—a g-gambling hall!”
    “Well, I—”
    “And another thing!” She felt her courage rising. “I am accustomed to peace and quiet on Saturday mornings and so are my customers. With all the noise coming from your lot, the customers are staying away. We’re losing business because of you.”
    “I would hardly think—”
    “Now, my papa might not have been able to stand up to you, but I can. And will. And I can assure you, the saloon owners will stand up to you, too. There’s not a one of them who’s happy to see you here. Not a one. So I’d watch out if I were you, Mr. Bradley. I fear you may be taking your life in your hands if you continue building of this gambling hall of yours.”
    “Are you quite done?” he asked at last.
    “I am.” Ida was completely exhausted and shaking to the core. Still, she kept her hands firmly planted on her hips, and never let her gaze slip from his.
    Mick let out a whistle. “Well, if that doesn’t beat all!” After a chuckle, he added, “I do believe you’ve missed your calling, Miss Mueller.”
    “Oh?” She brushed a loose hair behind her ear, puzzled. She suddenly realized the men had stopped working so they could listen to her talking to Mick.
    “If it’s true that preaching is left only to the menfolk,then the church has done you a great disservice,” Mick announced. “Why, I can see you up there now, pounding your fist on the pulpit, shouting at the parishioners, pointing out the error of their ways.”
    A roar of laughter went up from the crowd of workers. A couple even slapped their knees. As a smile lit Bradley’s face, she weighed her options. Fighting the temptation to do or say the wrong thing, Ida bit her lip until it nearly bled.
    Clearly, the man refused to see the light. But he knew how to get his digs in, didn’t he.
    His expression softened a bit as he added, “Look. Don’t you think I’ve got enough trouble from the men around here? Why would a pretty girl like you want to add to my grief? What have I ever done to hurt you?”
    She began to tremble in anger. Why, if he didn’t understand