Read brides for brothers 02 - cowboy daddy for Free Online Page B

bothered with that city tradition.
    To her astonishment, she had two deliveries, both huge floral arrangements. The deliveryman was waiting in the kitchen, the flowers on the table, a huge grin on his face.
    “Hi, Buddy.” She’d gone to high school with him.
    “Hi, Janie. Looks like you got yourself two beaux.”
    She gave him the cash she’d pulled out of a desk drawer for a tip before she came to the kitchen and thanked him, not anxious to add to the rumors that would be flying around the countryside.
    “Aren’t you gonna open the notes before I go?” Buddy asked, lingering.
    “Nope.”
    “Want to know who they’re from?” he asked hopefully.
    “Nope. But thanks for bringing them, Buddy,” she added pointedly, walking him to the door.
    “No problem. Thanks for the tip.”
    She waited at the door until she saw his truck drive away before turning to face her equally curious mother. “I guess I have no excuse to avoid reading those notes now. If those two put anything in them that will cause more rumors, I’ll kill them both!”
    “Maybe they’re not from those two boys chasing after you. Could be from—from a business acquaintance,” Lavinia offered, a smile on her face.
    “Yeah, sure.” Janie unpinned the first envelope and read it.
    Dear Janie,
    I wanted roses, but the florist said she didn’t have any. But these flowers are to assure you of my love. Think about my offer.
    Love, Bryan
    With a groan, she put the note down and unpinned the second.
    Janie,
    Don’t forget what I said.
    Pete
    Hysterical laughter bubbled up inside her. How typical of the two men. Both had been discreet. But what a difference.
    “Well? Are they from Pete and Bryan?” Lavinia asked.
    “Of course,” she acknowledged with a sigh.
    “Thoughtful.”
    “Mmm. Yes, but sure to cause a lot of talk. When I start showing in a few weeks, everyone is going to remember these flowers, and gossip will spread all over the county.”
    “Honey,” Lavinia said, a rueful smile on her face, “when you start showing with no wedding ring on your finger, gossip is going to run rampant, flowers or no flowers.”
    “I know. Are you sure you don’t want me to go away, Mom?”
    Lavinia crossed the kitchen and wrapped her arms around her daughter. “No, I don’t want you to go away. A little gossip is not going to splinter our family.”
    “Thanks, Mom,” Janie whispered, hugging her tightly in return. “I think I’ll go finish my work.”
    Two hours later, her mother again summoned her to the kitchen, where she found a grinning Mr. Jones. Ever since she could remember, as a child she’d visited his store, a modern-day general store, in Rawhide, clutching her allowance in her hands, eager to spend it on his motley collection of merchandise.
    “Mr. Jones! How nice to see you,” she greeted him with a smile, but behind that smile was a search for the reason for his visit.
    “Howdy, Janie. Nice to see you, too. But I’m here on business.”
    “Business?”
    Instead of answering, he nodded toward the kitchen table. For the first time, Janie noticed the two packages on the table, each with its own huge bow.
    “What are those?” she asked, dread building in her.
    “Gifts, with special delivery instructions. The biggest boxes of chocolate I had.”
    She assumed his broad smile meant the fees for special delivery had been handsome, in addition to his finally unloading merchandise that had lingered on the shelf too long. “I see. Well, thanks for making the delivery.”
    Her mother handed her some bills for a tip, but when she offered them to Mr. Jones, he refused. “No, no, that’s not necessary. They paid me well. Enjoy the chocolates,” he added before leaving.
    Janie looked at her mother and sighed. “This is ridiculous.”
    “Yes, it is, but I suspect it’s also amusing the entire community. It will take you a while to live this courting down.”
    “It will take a while to eat all those chocolates, too. And if I do, I’ll