RNWMP: Bride for Theodore (Mail Order Mounties)(12)

Her eyes met his, and she felt like they were having another moment. A special one like they’d had while she washed dishes that morning. She looked away shyly. “I’d like that.”

“I would too.” He looked down at her hand, which was still holding his, and he squeezed hers. “May I call you Jessica? I know you prefer Jess, but…”

“That would be nice. Jess seems so boyish to me, but it has always been my name.”

He reached out and tilted her chin up, so she was looking into his eyes. “Maybe while you’re here, we could…get to know each other better. I think you’re very special, Jessica.”

“Because I can cook?” she asked. She knew it was rude of her to come right out and ask that way, but she’d learned at a young age that if she wanted to know the truth about something, the only way to get it was to ask.

He smiled at that. “Well, that is a bonus, but no. I like you. You didn’t yell at me when I was so rude to you at the station. You still made me a delicious supper. You cooked for my friends this morning and acted like you didn’t mind. You’re a worker, and I value that in a woman. You have to be willing to do your share and then some to survive in the West. And…well, you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever met. I don’t want to throw away the chance I have to get to know you better just to thwart my mother’s plans.”

“Would you do that?”

“Try to thwart my mother’s plans? Yes, I definitely would. She always acts like she knows what’s best for me…and even if she does, I don’t want her to think she’s right. Does that make any sense at all?”

Jess nodded, a smile on her face. “It’s like my older brother, who thinks he knows everything about everything. I hate it when he’s right, and I’ll often do something to make it so he can’t possibly be right, just so he’ll be wrong for a change.”

“You’re as stubborn as I am, aren’t you?”

“Definitely. I was determined not to even speak to you for the whole week after the incident at the train station, but I realized your mother was to blame for that, not you.” She shrugged. “Why punish myself by staying angry, when I can easily forgive and have a good week visiting a region I never dreamed I’d be able to travel to?”

“So we’re agreed?” he asked.

“Agreed?”

“May I court you until you get on the train to go back to Ottawa, Jessica? I want to get to know you better and see if we might suit. Despite the fact that it would make my mother very happy if we were to marry.”

Jessica laughed. “Yes, I’d like that very much. You see, I like your mother, and I wouldn’t mind if she was happy.”

He grunted. “Well, I like her too, and I want her to be happy…but…I don’t want her to be right.”

“I completely understand, which is a bit frightening for me to admit.”

“I like you even more for agreeing with me, Jessica.”

Jess smiled at him, surprised they were in complete agreement. She reached into the basket and pulled out something else she’d made. “You had blackberry bushes in back of the house. So I made muffins.”

He took the muffin from her hand, surprised that it was still a bit warm. When he bit into it, it seemed to melt in his mouth. “You can use every berry out there if you’ll keep making muffins like this!”

“I thought I’d make some jam before I leave as well.”

“I will be eternally grateful for anything you can make that will stay good for when you’re gone. Even the mercantile’s bread would be good with jam on it.”

“Then I’ll make sure I do that. I’ll make more muffins too though. I can make you a lunch for work tomorrow.”

“Or I can come to the cabin to eat lunch tomorrow. Would that be all right?”

She nodded. “Yes, that would be fine. We should have a little spat while you’re there for lunch to make your mother think her plan will never come to fruition.”

“Would you?” Theodore asked, his eyes wide. “I would love that!”

“I was joking. What would we fight about?”

“I don’t know. I could tell you that I don’t like you wasting my berries in jam when I like muffins better.”

She laughed, shaking her head. “Would she believe it?”

“Who knows? Might be fun to find out.”

“You truly do have a bit of an evil streak. Your mother told me you did, but I never believed her.” Jess wasn’t sure why, but she admired him all the more. What was it about this man that she’d been in love with him for more than half her life?

“I do. I’m not even ashamed of it. I’m usually on the side of good.” He flashed her a smile that had his dimples shown to their best advantage. She’d always loved his dimples.

“As long as you’re on my side, I think we’ll do just fine.”

He took her hand in his, his thumb stroking her palm. “I have a feeling that from today forward, I won’t even contemplate the opposite side.”

“What if we’re playing baseball and I’m on the other team?”

He frowned. “Do you play baseball?”

Jess nodded. “I grew up with two brothers. I was always the catcher.”