Text Order Bride(9)
Her eyes grew wide as she stared at him for a minute. “This summer? Like August?”
He smiled. “I’m thinking more like June. When is school out?”
She swallowed. “The last week in May.”
“How about the first Saturday in June then?”
Was this what she wanted? She wanted a family. She needed a change so desperately. But was that enough reason to marry? If she agreed, they wouldn’t see each other again until right before the wedding. She’d have no time to get to know him or to get used to his kisses.
“I wasn’t expecting you to ask me that. Not yet, anyway,” she said honestly.
He smiled, his thumb rubbing her lower lip. “I don’t want to wait. I want you in my life.”
She stared into his eyes. She wanted to say yes. She really did. She just wasn’t sure if she was ready to agree. Shouldn’t she know him better first?
He lowered his head and brushed his lips across hers again. “Please?”
She rested her head on his shoulder. Why was she even debating with herself? She wanted children, and so did he. She found him incredibly attractive. Why not? She lifted her head up and nodded. “Yeah. I’ll marry you.”
“Really?”
She smiled. “Really.”
He kissed her again quickly, and slipped his arm around her as they walked back toward the house talking as they went.
She told him that she’d already resigned her position with her school, knowing that she was going to do something outside of her small town. “I’m not sure if I even want to keep teaching. I have some money saved. Enough that I could take a year off and it wouldn’t hurt me too badly. I’ll probably apply at Stratford High, but I’m not even sure yet. Maybe I can just teach some quilting classes or something.”
“I make enough that you don’t have to work if you don’t want to. I’d probably rather you didn’t once we have kids, but we can talk about that later.”
She shrugged. “Maybe I’ll spend a year not working and see if I can handle it. I may go insane.”
He laughed. “Hopefully not. I’m sure you could sub if nothing else.”
She nodded. “That may be the best solution. If I sub, I can work when I want and not work when I don’t want to. I’ll call the school system here on my break on Monday and see if I can get an application. Or check out their website. I’m sure it’ll have the information I need.”
“I’d like to see you with something to do if you want to do it. You might get bored just being a farmer’s wife.”
She laughed. “I doubt it. I’d love to get involved in the church. Maybe work with the children’s ministry. That’s always been a passion of mine. There are so many books I want to catch up on. I love to quilt. I enjoy making quilts and selling them. I don’t get bored.”
He grinned. “Sounds good to me.”
They were nearing the house by this time, and he suggested they drive into town for lunch. “I’d invite you to eat with me, but honestly? There’s nothing fit to eat in my house. I pretty much live off of sandwiches and microwave dinners. Oh, and frozen burritos. I’ve never been much of a cook.”
“I love to cook. That’s part of the reason I became a homemaking teacher.”
They went inside so she could get her purse from the counter, and got into his truck. “The church isn’t big, but it’s big enough for a small wedding. Do you want Bob to marry us?” he asked.
“He’s the only minister we both know, so yeah, he’s it. I’ll talk to Stephanie about it. I’m sure she’d be thrilled to take care of most of the plans for me. She loves bossing people around. We can email about flower arrangements and that kind of thing.”
He sighed. “I’m going to have to wear a suit, aren’t I?”
“At least a suit. I’d prefer a tux.”
He nodded. He didn’t want to, but he’d do it. “You gonna wear one of those long white dresses?” he asked.
“Yeah. I should have time to make one between now and then. If I don’t have enough time, I’ll turn my classroom into a sweat shop.”
He laughed. She loved how his deep chuckle filled up the cab of the truck. “That works for me.”
By the time he’d dropped her off that evening, they had talked through the important things. She and Stephanie would worry about the details. He kissed her goodbye in the driveway. “I’ll see you tomorrow evening.”
Chapter 4
Time flew by once Amanda was back home in Texas. She put her house on the market, knowing that she could stay with her friend, Beth, if the house sold before she was ready to move. She got everything packed up and went to work on her dress. Every evening she talked to Jason. They laughed and joked. She felt closer to him every day. And more nervous about marrying him.