Free Handpicked Husband (Love Inspired Historical) by Winnie Griggs Page A

it.”
    “Here.” Chance reached for her burden. “Let me give you a hand.”
    “No!”
    At her sharp tone, Chance’s hands froze inches from the crate, then slowly withdrew.
    Adam frowned. What was wrong with the woman? Couldn’t she see the kid had only been trying to help? She seemed to be going overboard trying to prove she didn’t need a man in her life.
    “I’m sorry.” Chance stumbled over the apology, his confusion obvious. “I was just—”
    Her eyes rolled and she gave a deep sigh. “Look, Mr. Dawson, I appreciate your gesture, but this box contains fragile photography plates representing many, many hours of work. No one but myself or Mr. Peavy handles them.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    “If you want to help someone.” She paused to blow a strand of hair off her forehead. “Mrs. Peavy is getting breakfast ready. I’m sure she could use a hand setting the table.”
    Looking none too happy with the mundane chore he’d been assigned, Chance nodded and headed inside.
    Adam fell into step beside Regina as she resumed her trek to the wagon. He didn’t make the mistake of offering to take the box from her. “A bit hard on the boy, weren’t you?”
    She cut him a sideways glance. “I have too much invested in these to take risks.” She blew at that obstinate lock of hair again. “Besides, Chance doesn’t strike me as the careful type.”
    Adam couldn’t fault her there. Changing the subject, he pointed to the wagon. “So, is the understated look your idea?”
    She tried hard to appear affronted, but Adam saw the slight twitch to her lips. “I prefer a touch of flair over the mundane.” She moved to the back of the wagon, where a stubby ladder led up to an open door. “As for the colors, I figured such a fancy design cried out for a truly resplendent treatment.”
    “Resplendent? Don’t you mean gaudy?”
    Before she could offer a retort, Ira appeared in the wagon’s doorway. “Here, just slide those in.” Ira’s sleeves were rolled up and his gold tooth glinted in the sunlight. “I have the camera and equipment already stowed away.”
    The judge’s granddaughter, huffing out a feminine grunt, hefted her load onto the ledge at the top of the ladder. “Thanks, Ira. I have one more set of plates. We can load the rest of our baggage and supplies later.”
    A strangled oath, uttered in British overtones, signaled Everett’s return from the lake. Adam stepped to one side to see the dandy, hair still damp and a towel flung over one shoulder, staring at the wagon in absolute horror.
    “You don’t think she expects us to ride in that atrocity, do you?” Everett’s mouth was set in a belligerent line. “This is just too much. First we spend the night on the kitchen floor, then we have to hike down to a lake this morning just to wash and shave. I will not—”
    His words ground to a halt as Regina stepped out from behind the wagon. Placing a fist on her hip, she tilted her chin up. “Rest assured, Mr. Fulton, she doesn’t expect any such thing. I only extend that privilege to my friends.”
    Everett had the grace to flush.
    “Now if you’re finished praising my hospitality, you may avail yourself of more of the same by joining us for breakfast.” With a decided flounce, she headed back to the house.
    Mitchell, who’d been a step or two behind Everett, met Adam’s gaze with a barely perceptible twitch of his lips. He slapped his towel on Everett’s shoulder. “You might want to follow Miss Nash inside and see if you can make amends.”
    Everett shot him a dark look, then spun on his heel and headed for the front door. Mitchell followed at a more sedate pace, as unruffled as ever.
    Adam glanced toward Ira to find the man grinning broadly.
    “Consider all this amusing, do you?”
    Ira chuckled. “Things are sure gonna be interesting around here the next few weeks.” He gave Adam a conspiratorial wink. “I always did think highly of Reggie’s granddaddy.”
    Adam wasn’t quite