Free RICKY: A Sweet Western Historical Romance (Mail-Order Brides Club Book 5) by Ashley Merrick Page A

my mother and exciting seeing how much support I seem to have for the campaign. It was a long day and I think there will be longer ones ahead. I just wanted you to know I appreciated having you here."
    "Thank you. We are both happy to be here too and I'm looking forward to helping as much as possible."
    "We can stop into the mercantile tomorrow morning, before I head out to see my mother. We’ll get you a sewing machine and anything else you need to go with it, needles, thread, fabric."
    "I'd love that. I can make you some new shirts, too," she offered.
    "Could you? That would be great. I usually buy mine ready made at the mercantile."
    "We can do better than that," Sarah said with a smile.
    "They will have to vote for me. I will be the best dressed mayor!" Ricky grinned.
    "You will be!” Sarah smiled, and then said, “I’m going up to bed now. See you tomorrow."

Chapter 11
    T he next morning , around ten, Ricky and Sarah drove to the mercantile to pick up a sewing machine and everything else she needed to go along with it. She also insisted that Ricky pick out a fabric that he liked and she'd make him a new shirt. When they got everything home, he brought the sewing machine into the library and set it on a small desk in the corner. The room was a large one and there was plenty of room for her sewing supplies as well as his large desk and sofa and collection of books. The air was a bit cool outside, so Ricky lit a fire and then left to visit his mother.
    Once he was gone, Sarah got herself organized and settled in to try out her new machine. The time flew by and before she knew it, her stomach reminded her that it was almost past time for lunch. She took a quick break to eat, and then returned to her sewing.
    By the time she had to leave to meet Andrew after school, she had made a nice start on a shirt for Ricky. After that, she would make a new pair of pants for Andrew. She also realized that she needed to stop at the mercantile again on the way home, to pick up a spool of white thread. It was the one thing she'd forgotten earlier.
    She and Andrew strolled leisurely home. He'd had a good day at school and was animatedly telling her all about it. She was so caught up in his enthusiasm that she almost forgot to stop into the mercantile, but when she saw Colleen walking through the front door, she remembered and steered Andrew over there.
    They walked over to the fabric section of the store and Colleen was already there, running a finger over a length of fabric in a lovely lavender shade. She looked up when she heard them approach.
    "Oh, I'm so glad it's you. I was hoping to run into you this week. Did you get your sewing machine yet?" Colleen asked.
    "Yes, just this morning. I've been sewing ever since."
    Colleen's eyes lit up. "What are you making? Have you started on your dress yet?"
    "No, not yet, I wanted to get the feel of the machine first and discuss some ideas with you that I'm thinking of. I started with a shirt for Ricky."
    "Oh, good, I'm glad you waited. Let's get together soon. Tomorrow ideally, or day after."
    "Tomorrow is fine for me. Do you want to stop over around this time? I am usually home from picking up Andrew by now.”
    "Perfect. And I think Julia, Emma and Brianna might want to come, too. Naomi offered to watch the children for few hours and we decided we need to let her before she changes her mind."
    Sarah chuckled at that. "Are you picking out your fabric? This is the one I chose." She found the shimmery, apricot-colored material that she'd fallen in love with earlier to show Colleen, who was suitably impressed.
    "That's gorgeous! This is the one I am thinking of. I don't have anything this color." She indicated a very pretty, pale green shade that would be very flattering against her almost-black hair.
    "That's beautiful, too. It will look lovely on you."
    "Thank you. We'll see you tomorrow, then, around this time?"
    "Perfect." Sarah bought the white thread she was looking for, and then continued