Free The Christmas Mail Order Bride (Holiday Mail Order Brides, Book One) by Kit Morgan Page B

as well know that about me.”
    She wiped at what tears remained with the back of her hand. “I’m sure there’s a lot for us to learn about each other, especially since we never got the chance to write one another before hand.”
    He stiffened slightly.  “Ah, yes.  Very true.” He took a deep breath. “I’d best get you back inside before you freeze to death.” He glanced to the sky beyond the porch and noticed the clouds rolling in.  “I bet it snows later tonight.”
    “Do you get much snow here?”
    “Depends, every year is a little different.”
    “Do … do you get snow at Christmas time?”
    Her voice was hopeful, childlike.  It made the protectiveness within him double. He had to take another deep breath to steady himself.  “Sometimes.  I bet it does this year.”
    “I’ve always wanted to see a white Christmas.  To decorate a beautiful tree … to have presents to wrap and give.”
    Good God!  How much had she gone without by growing up an orphan?  Clayton Riley made a vow right then and there.  He was going to make sure he gave Summer James the best Christmas she ever had!  How many other things had she been made to go without because of growing up the way she did? “You concentrate on healing up and I’ll see about the rest, alright?”
    She looked up into his eyes, her face locked in shock.  He knew then she’d never had the things he did growing up.  Oh sure, the orphanage would have had some kind of Christmas holiday. But a poor orphanage might only have a little extra food at Christmas and nothing more.  Had that been the type of place she’d been raised in?
    He cupped her face with one large hand.  “I’ll see to everything ya hear? Don’t you worry your pretty little head about any thing.  This is going to be the best Christmas you’ve ever had.”
    She burst into tears again, tears that for once made Clayton Riley smile. For these tears, were tears of relief and pure joy.
    And it felt good, Clayton realized.  Real good.
     
    * * *
     
    Summer relaxed against him as he picked her from the swing and carried her into the warm embrace of the house.  The smell of apple pie and coffee hung in the air and she’d never thought she’d ever smelled anything so wonderful!  In fact Summer felt so relieved she had trouble keeping her tears of joy at bay.  Every time she thought about the words Clayton spoke, that they would be married soon enough and she needn’t worry about a thing, well … it was almost too good to be true!  At last she would belong somewhere!  Have a family to call her own, even a mother!  And though she had yet to really get to know the Riley’s, Summer was sure she would come to love them all very quickly.  Especially Clayton.  She could fall in love with him quite easily, especially now that there was no doubt in her mind they were to be married!  How wonderful!  How blissful her life had suddenly become!  She never dreamed anything like it could possibly ever happen to her!
    But what of the others?
    Summer sobered at the thought as Clayton carried her into her small room and set her down upon the bed.  “Ma will be in to help you get ready for bed and see to anything you might need.  I’ll most likely be long gone by the time you get up but I’ll see you tomorrow night come supper time.”
    She looked up at him, “Thank you.  Thank you again for everything.”
    He cupped her face with his hand.  “You don’t have to thank me, you should be thanking…” He suddenly stopped what he was going to say and stared at her with an odd look on his face. 
    “Who?  I don’t understand?” She said.
    He smiled and coughed into one hand. “Shucks, never mind me, I don’t know what I’m talking about.  It’s been too long of a day and tomorrow’s gonna be even longer.  You get some sleep now honey and I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
    He winked at her as he left the room.  The word ‘honey’ standing out as if it hung in the air