Free Love Everlasting by Tracie Peterson Page B

about having to present yourself to potential suitors.”
    Flora nodded in a most serious manner. “You shall be my most trusted advisor, and I your most ardent pupil.”

6

    Y ou look to have a great deal on your mind, Abrianna.” Wade watched her with growing apprehension. “When that happens, I usually find I’m required to rescue you from a burning building or help you down from a tall tree. What are you up to?”
    â€œI’m not up to anything. Why must you always believe the worst of me?”
    They had received permission to take a walk to the neighborhood park where a band concert was to be given that evening. Wade had taken special care with his grooming and clothes, as he intended to formally ask Abrianna for her hand in marriage. He even had his grandmother’s wedding ring to offer her as a seal to their engagement, but he found he couldn’t concentrate on that plan. She was plotting something or at the very least contemplating a plot. He could feel it.
    He entwined his arm with hers. “I don’t believe the worst of you. I just know you, and when you are quiet, it means you’re up to something. That always turns out to be either very dangerous for you or more work for me.”
    She stopped, and because he held tightly to her arm, it pulledhim back. He raised a brow as he met her determined expression.
    â€œWade Ackerman, if you are going to insist on berating me for something I haven’t even done, then I am going back to the house.”
    He grinned. “Abrianna, I’m hardly berating you. I just know you well enough to know that you’re contemplating something. You might as well just tell me what’s on your mind.”
    A heavy sigh escaped her. “I want to find a place to set up another food house. I know that you are also trying to figure out where you should rebuild your business. Perhaps we could incorporate them together. I have plenty of money we could use, and surely you would worry less about my exploits if we were working in the same place.”
    â€œFirst of all, you need to understand something right now. Your money is yours. I don’t intend to use it for our life together. I will make a good income and support the both of us and anyone else who comes along.”
    â€œBut the money will be ours if we marry.”
    â€œIf?” He looked at her a moment. “If we marry?”
    â€œWell, it’s not exactly like you’ve asked for my hand. Besides that, now that I know you plan to be so very pigheaded about money . . . well, it gives me some concern. Many a relationship has been dissolved over financial issues.”
    He laughed. “I’m pigheaded? Abrianna, you have but to look in the mirror to see someone who epitomizes that title.”
    She tried to pull away, but he was prepared for this and held her fast to his side. “As for proposing, well, I plan to do that tonight. I have the ring in my pocket and all the words memorized. I’ve thought of little else since asking your father for your hand. However, if you’re going to call me names . . .” He let the rest go unspoken just to see her reaction.
    Abrianna met his gaze. “Sometimes I wonder if we’re suited at all. Even Mr. Welby pointed out that we may well be experiencing nothing more than a moment spurred on by the urgency of life, due to the fire.”
    â€œMr. Welby?” Wade dropped his hold. “When did you see him?”
    â€œHe stopped by the house earlier today. Apparently I’m tormenting his thoughts.”
    â€œI’m going to torment him right in the nose if he doesn’t mind his manners.” Wade shook his head. “How dare he try to come between you and me?”
    â€œI don’t think his actions were due to a desire to come between us. Not in the sense that he wanted to hurt you, but rather he was trying to assuage his own misery. I told him I had no interest