The Russian Billionaire’s Secret(145)

Julie walked into the little town store and saw the prettiest little pink dress she'd ever seen in her life. The ruffles around the skirt and lace and buttons on the chest were beautiful and it was the prettiest thing she'd ever seen.

“How much?” she asked the shopkeeper.

“Five dollars,” he told her and didn't look up from the book he was reading.

“I can afford three dollars,” she told him and then stared at it, feeling upset, she couldn't spend all the money she had on one dress. But she really wanted it. For once in her life, she wanted to buy something for her, something that made her feel beautiful in. She deserved it. She also wanted to look nice for the man she was about to meet.

The man looked up at her and looked her head to toe and then at the dress she was holding.

“Fine, give me the three dollars and just don't tell my wife. She made it,” he told her and then took her money, wrapping the dress up in brown paper.

“Thank you so much!” she told him, clutching the package, thanking the good lord for the kindness of others.

She wandered around the town and found a couple more cheap dresses, but the pink one was the one she planned on changing into for when she got off the train to meet him.

Marshal Masters. She was excited to meet him, she was looking forward to the rest of her trip. She got back to the train that night, and boarded, her ticket had been in her pocket, unwilling to risk losing it.

She slept most of the night, waiting until morning to slip into the pink dress. She finally changed into the dress when they announced they were a couple hours from the train station, and about to reach their final destination.

When the train came to a lurching stop, she anxiously collected her things and got off and stood in the pickup area, waiting for her luggage and to find Marshal. Slowly, everyone who got off the train with her had disappeared and it was just her standing there, confused.

She sat on the bench, alone, waiting for hours. Finally one of the people from the train station came outside and asked her if she needed help.

“I was waiting for someone,” she told him, wondering why the doctor had stood her up. She was angry. She traveled all this way, just to have him be a no-show. She didn't have enough money to get back home, what would she do now?

“I can take you into town to the local hotel, it's better than sitting here all night, come on, I have my buggy out back,” the man told her and grabbed her luggage for her.

“Thank you, I suppose I should have expected that it was a possibility I'd get here and he'd stand me up, but I didn't think he would,” Julie admitted as she climbed into the seat next to him.

The man took her into town and stopped in front of the local hotel, which wasn't much of a hotel. It was a four bedroom house with a plump older lady who offered food and extended stays for twelve dollars a month.

Chapter 3

The Doctor Finally Shows

Julie was haggling with Bettina, who owned the local hotel. She didn't have the money to pay for the monthly fee, but she had a strong back and could work. Bettina agreed to let her stay for a week in return for housekeeping services and only because she didn't have anyone trying to rent the room right now.

The first time she was full, she'd kick her out to make room for a paying customer. Julie was thankful for the time she was given to sort the situation out.

She was sweeping the main entryway when a man walked in he had a full, bushy beard and was the size of a bear. He stopped when he saw her and just stared at her, she arched a brow at him and then continued to sweep, ignoring him.

“Julie?” He walked over to her and asked her, hesitating as he stood a couple feet from her.

“Yes, can I help you?” She stopped sweeping the floor and looked up again at him.

“I'm Marshal, I'm so sorry I didn't show up yesterday at the train station, I was delivering a baby and I couldn't leave her, it was a rough delivery,” he told her and pulled the hat off his head and held it in his hands. “I promise that I wouldn't have left you there otherwise, and I didn't have a way to send someone to tell you.”

“You're forgiven,” she told him, then resumed her sweeping.

“Why are you still cleaning?” he asked her, looking confused, he reached out and stopped the broom by grabbing the end of the handle.

“I have to pay my keep somehow,” she replied to him, speaking slowly as if he was dense and tried to jerk the broom from his hands.

“I already paid for your room and board for the next week. You don't have to do this unless you want to do it for some odd reason. Our marriage license is already approved, but there was a grace waiting period that will be over next week. We can be wed after that, if that's agreeable with you,” he told her, finding her attractive and more than he expected.

“That's fine,” Julie said, swallowing hard, realizing that this was really going to happen and trying not to show her fear.

She was afraid. This could go wrong in so many different ways. She didn't even know this man. Yet. While he was late, he showed up and apologized and that went a long ways for showing him as an honorable man. She appreciated a man who could apologize.

“I would like to have dinner with you tonight. Bettina agreed to cook for us. Will you eat with me?” he asked her.

“Okay, we can do that,” Julie told him as she looked up, really getting a good look at him.