Mail Order Surprise

Chapter 6 - Steve

Steve made his way back to the house from the barn where he had gotten some ribbing about suddenly getting married. Dick and Shawn had been shocked but then had busted out laughing when they heard of the minister's conspiracy; Dick had even been snickering as he walked into the house to start dinner. Steve still didn't think it was too funny.

He opened the front door and walked in to find Dick and Janice in the kitchen, talking. Steve paused. She had changed into a brown dress. It needed a bit of ironing, as it was wrinkled from being packed up, but it still looked good on her.

His body warmed at the thought of how good it looked. Steve gritted his teeth and walked through the room and out the back door to the water pump. Though they watched in surprise as he hoofed it through the room, he barely looked at them. He stayed focused on the task, pumping the handle in frustration.

The cold water helped him collect his thoughts. Steve splashed it over his face and wiped it down onto his neck. The cooling effect was just what he needed.

He already had enough to struggle with, considering the size of his ranch and all the work that needed finishing. When he had taken her into the bedroom, it had dawned on him that there was only one bed in the entire house. Add that to the list of problems. Unless he slept in the bunkhouse, he either had to sleep on the floor or with his new wife.

Wife. In less than a few hours, his whole life had changed. Yes, the minister was right- he needed, and wanted, a wife. He had little in the way of choices, but he had figured he had time to look. Now the older man had solved his problem for him. At least, that was what he kept telling himself. She seemed pleasant. She was soft on the eyes. He could have been settled with someone much worse on all accounts. She also appeared to be hardworking. Time would tell. He just had to get used to it all.

When he walked back into the house, dinner was about ready. Janice followed all of Dick's instructions as they worked. The space was not large, but they moved about as though they had worked for years together. Steve couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the scene. Dick was a pleasant enough man, but he didn't like anyone in his kitchen. He was the one who had cooked for them many nights on the trail and outside while the house was being built. Now he was allowing this strange woman in his domain. Well, it had been his domain. It would be hers, now.

"Be a few more minutes," Dick said to his boss without looking over his shoulder as he worked at the food on the stove.

"No problem. I've work to keep me occupied." Steve watched Janice move about the room, setting the table. He noticed how she moved with confidence. With a shake of his head, he moved into the parlor section and began putting logs into the fireplace. He had a fire going in no time. While they could function during the day without a fire, night was a different matter. The temperatures dropped dramatically most nights. He was glad they had gotten the fireplace finished just a week earlier. It would become very important for survival.

Once the fire was steadily growing, he moved to the front window and examined the edge of the panes. After a few minutes, he pulled back with satisfaction. There was no draft coming in. They had done a very good job in finishing the windows and preparing them for the winter. While no window was draft proof, so far they were doing a good job. He hoped it would continue to hold good through the winter, which he feared would be extremely harsh.

His thoughts ran toward the woodpile that was quite large, but he feared it would not be large enough. The tell-tale signs nature had been giving him were not good. He believed in being prepared at all times. Tomorrow he'd take the wagon up to the base of the mountain agan and gather more wood. It would take him many trips, but he needed to get it done within the next week. He could feel the bitterness in the wind. Snow was not far away.

He heard the clanging on the triangle located on the back porch. Dinner was ready. He ran a hand through his dark hair and turned to the table where Shawn was sliding into his seat. Steve noticed how the young man's eyes lingered on the new addition to the farm.

Shawn was a young man of only seventeen. He was tall and lanky, as though he had yet to grow into his own body. A mop of sandy blonde hair flopped across his forehead. Shawn had joined the crew just three months earlier when his father had passed away after experiencing a heart attack. All alone, Shawn had been recommended to help Steve out with his growing herd. It had been a good idea. The boy was eager to find his own feet while dealing with the grief of losing his only family.

Dick, on the other hand, was a short man, shorter than most women, with a head completely bald. He looked older than this forty years; many years in the harsh sun and other natural elements had caused that. Leathery skin covered his body along with scars from years of hard work.

The last of the meal was set on the table. Strips of steak were draped on top of fried potatoes and biscuits were tucked to the side. Janice poured them all water from the pitcher next to the stove. Then she settled down and gave him a warm smile.

His body tightened. Steve gritted his teeth and looked down at his plate to give a short blessing over the food. He didn't look up immediately as he fought with his body and emotions.

Shawn and Dick began talking about the horses and a few things they'd need before the snow set in. They felt that there was enough hay stored, which was a big concern every year. Steve let them talk as he filled his own plate. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Janice sat with her hands in her lap. That gave him pause. Steve looked up and caught her looking at him shyly. He half shrugged, pointing toward the food. She quickly lowered her gaze and reached for a biscuit and filled her own plate.

Steve watched as she began to eat. She wasn't eating like other women he had seen, who picked at their food as though it was distasteful. This woman ate her food as though she enjoyed it. He noticed how she inclined her head and listened to the two other men who had not stopped talking.

Dinner ended and Dick and Janice began cleaning up. Normally, the others would venture out onto the porch and rest before heading to bed. They would whittle, talk, or plan out the next day. Tonight, he was uncertain what to do. Finally, he gave up and joined the other man on the porch.