Free Mail Order Bride – Charlotte's Summer: Clean Sweet Western Cowboy Romance (Seasons Mail Order Brides Book 1) by Annie Lane Page B

through the air, he couldn’t stop his mouth from watering. “You makin’ flipflops too, Mr. Ackerman? You know how I got a hankering for flipflops. The buttery sort like you always does, with berries and sugar?”
    Thomas didn’t answer, didn’t splinter a smile and didn’t hold the door open for anyone else behind him as he trudged back into the kitchen.
    It was becoming clear to Charlotte as she followed behind the others, that although Thomas was attractive and everything she’d hoped for in a husband, he was a hard nut of a man and it would take some serious cracking to break through his shell.
    Earl hung his Stetson on the hook. “The old pantry’s running a little low or I wouldn’t be bothering you none. I need to get to the store to re-stock, not to mention get this child o’ mine to the barber’s. Looks like no one owns him with his hair bouncing all ’round like that.”
    “We got a busy day today, Earl. The grain tower needs attention before the seasons change or we’ll have no stock feed for the winter. There’s no time for running into town.”
    Thomas took two extra plates from the bench and divided the bacon and diced tomato he’d already prepared into four even piles. He began to beat up a fresh bowl of eggs and poured it into the hot skillet, swishing it from one side to the other until it looked like setting. “Where’d the boy run off to now, I thought he was hungry?”
    “Went to check on Rosy, he’ll be back in a minute.”
    Thomas nodded and then glanced over at Charlotte. “Eat up before it gets cold. Spending as much time as you did with Mabel this morning, I’m guessing you’ll need to re-build your strength.” The slightest hint of a smile brushed his lips but he let it fall away again before it turned into anything more substantial. “She’s nice enough I guess, a little nosey for my liking, but be warned to only share with her anything you’d be happy for the entire congregation to know.”
    “That’s one way to put it,” Earl mumbled, shoveling into his mouth the heap of eggs Thomas had just piled high on his plate.
    Junior bowled through the side door then, practically skipping over to the table once he spotted the food. His head twitched to the side, shifting his hair so he could make a start on the breakfast. “I reckon it’ll be three girls and three boys … just like Doc Lawson’s got.”
    Thomas frowned. “I’m pretty sure Mr. Lawson wouldn’t take too kindly to you equating his children to a litter of piglets, Junior. She may not have that many anyway, don’t go getting your hopes up.”
    “Doc Lawson works back in town,” Thomas explained. “Poor thing was left with six children to raise all on his own when his wife died, don’t know how he manages. Good thing he’s a man of reasonable means or they’d have all been sent off to live with relatives.”
    Something about Earl’s somber expression caught Charlotte’s eye just then and she saw the same sad look that she’d seen earlier at her mention of his wife. Something told her that raising one child all alone was just as hard for him, as raising six was for the good doctor.
    “I’m heading back in to town soon, Earl. I’d be more than happy to accompany Junior to the barber’s if you like. I’ll wait with him awhile and then he can show me to the store. I was planning on making a list of things Thomas might need to re-stock the pantry. I’ve already got some meals planned out for the next few days, so maybe I could pick up some supplies for you while I’m there?”
    Earl smiled so wide that it just about filled his entire face. “Well, if you’re going that way all on your own, then I’d really appreciate it. Thanks Charlotte.”
    Thomas threw the pan into the sink. “I never said I wouldn’t take you.”
    Earl leant back in his seat, watching Thomas suspiciously. “I thought you said we had a stack of work to get through this morning?”

Chapter 15
    J unior sure seemed pleased