A Mail-Order Escape Read online

  Shock filled him. “No husband?” Granted, he didn’t know her, but instinct told him she couldn’t be that kind of woman.

  “No. Oh!” She must have realized how her words would sound to him. “What I meant is that my husband passed. I’m a widow.”

  New feelings coursed through him; regret and compassion for a new mother without her child’s father, but it was mixed with something more, something he wasn’t proud of...relief. “I’m sorry. Do you have any family nearby?”

  “Unfortunately, no. Both of my parents passed a couple of years ago.”

  “Is there no one?” He couldn’t let her leave with nowhere to go and without any help.

  “I do have some people I now consider family. I’m one of Ivan’s mail order brides,” she said matter-of-factly.

  He knew exactly who she was now. Or at least, how she’d come to be in Promise Creek. Relieved now that he knew she had others to help her, he said, “I’ll have one of my men take a message to Ivan’s house and escort the women back here to help you until you feel up to riding home.

  She slowly looked over her shoulder at him, and their eyes connected. “Thank you for what you did for us. I’ll never forget it.”

  Time stood still in that moment, and Owen knew something was happening. Something he couldn’t name. Bringing Sadie’s baby into the world together had bound them somehow. “Neither will I. If there’s anything I can ever do for either of you, come to me. I’ll always help you.” He’d never made that kind of promise to another person before, but he meant every word of it.

  “Thank you.” She lowered her eyes shyly and shifted away from him. “Um. I think I might need a little privacy now.”

  He understood completely and shifted out from behind her, then gently helped her onto the bed. “I’ll get hot water and sterilized scissors for you. Do you need a needle and thread?”

  Her cheeks flushed a dark color, and she couldn’t quite meet his eyes. “I don’t think it’ll be necessary.”

  His shoulders relaxed in relief, grateful she wasn’t too injured. “All right. I’ll get the rest for you and will knock before I come back in.”

  He turned to leave, but she reached out with her empty hand and circled his wrist to keep him there. The zinging that shot up his arm at her touch surprised him.

  “Thank you again. For everything.”

  He placed a hand over hers. “I’m glad I was here.”

  She gave him a soft smile, one that reached her eyes, but he could also see the exhaustion she was feeling. She’d need a few days to rest and recover before returning home, and he’d make sure she had everything she needed, starting with the people who were close to her.

  Her eyes drooped as he was closing the door, and a part of him recognized how right it looked to have her in his home, and how good it felt to care for her and the baby. He hadn’t realized he’d been missing anything in his life, but now he knew.

  He wanted a wife and family of his own.

  Chapter 2

  Four Months Later

  Sadie ran a brush steadily through her auburn curls until they shined. She had about fifteen minutes until Owen was due to arrive, and she wanted to make sure both she and Jack were ready. It seemed like every time Owen came by, Jack had either just spit up on her, requiring her to change, or he needed a fresh diaper, making them late. She was grateful Owen was so understanding.

  He had to be, since he was still coming around to see them.

  The brush paused in her hand as she thought about his visits. She knew Owen wasn’t coming to see her exactly, he was coming to see Jack. The man had delivered her child, and probably because of that, had an interest in Jack’s life. She didn’t know how long it would last, but she would allow Owen to see her son as often as he wanted.

  In a way, she felt Jack was a little bit his, after all he’d done to help them. Plus, she felt it was good for Jack to have a man in his life. He was only a baby, but Sadie was sure the male influence would still be beneficial to him.

  Sadie loved the rest of Ivan’s mail order brides as if they were her own sisters, and though she appreciated each one of them, she felt children needed the balance of a man as well. It just made sense to her.

  So as long as Owen wanted to be involved, Sadie would let him. She welcomed it, even if having him around did set her on edge. She was all too aware of him as a man.

  She set the brush down on her small side table harder than necessary. What was the matter with her? Her body must not be fully recovered if she was thinking of Owen like that. She’d learned her lesson about men, and the fact she was wavering, told her something wasn’t completely right with her.

  She stepped in front of the mirror and ran her hands over her cinched in waist. She looked as though she was back to normal from the outside, which was a shock, because she never thought her shape would come back. But what was happening inside?

  She cried less now than she had when the baby was first born. She’d heard it was common for a woman’s emotions to change on a whim after giving birth. She felt stronger physically though, and could freely do all her chores and move without any pain now. So why didn’t she feel completely recovered mentally?

  The women in town had warned it would take several months to recover from the birth alone, but Sadie had assumed they were exaggerating. Perhaps they hadn’t been. That had to be the reason why she was so confused about Owen. She certainly had no intentions of getting involved with him, or anyone else for that matter.

  A knock sounded at her bedroom door, and Sadie stepped around the cradle, away from the mirror. “Yes?”

  The door opened and Violet walked in, with Jack sleeping soundly in her arms. She shrugged sheepishly at Sadie, and said, “I tried to keep him awake as best as I could, but he insisted on sleeping.”

  Sadie sighed and reached for her baby. Violet handed him over reluctantly, and the look of disappointment on her face had Sadie fighting to hold back laughter. She would have never guessed the Violet she’d first met would get so attached to her child. “You can hold him again later,” she promised.

  “I could hold him now while he sleeps, and you and Owen could go for a drive alone.”

  Sadie snorted. “The only reason Owen comes over is to see Jack, so if he stayed with you, that would defeat the purpose.” She glanced down at Jack’s sweet cherub face and frowned. “Actually, now that Jack’s sleeping, Owen might want to reschedule for another time. Maybe I should wake him?” She chewed her bottom lip. She didn’t want Owen to waste his time coming over for nothing.”

  “Absolutely not. Owen comes here to see both of you, and he won’t care if Jack is sleeping or not, just like he didn’t care when Jack was a newborn and did nothing but sleep. He’ll still get to hold him and see him, so it won’t be a wasted trip.”

  Sadie felt the need to correct Violet about Owen coming to see her, but she decided not to bother. Even if she wanted a man—which she didn’t—no man would ever be interested in a widow with a child, although Violet and the other women seemed oblivious to that fact. “Still, I think Owen would like to see Jack awake—”

  A knock on the front door echoed through the house, and Violet smiled wickedly, as if she’d won a battle. “Here he is now. Too late for second guessing.”

  They walked out of her room, and as they came down the stairs, she could hear Owen’s deep, soothing voice. She was always amazed at how it both calmed her and made her feel tense, all at the same time.

  His eyes met hers as she walked down the stairs with Jack in her arms. He took a few steps toward her and took her free hand to guide her down the last few steps.

  “Thank you,” she said, smiling up into his deep blue eyes.

  “Of course. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to either of you.”

  She appreciated his thoughtfulness, though she knew he was more concerned for her baby, which was as it should be.

  He glanced down at a swaddled Jack. “He fell asleep already?”

  �
��Yes. Violet said he couldn’t stay awake any longer.”

  She was about to apologize and ask if he wanted to reschedule, when he said, “I hope the drive doesn’t wake him.”

  “What?” Her brows furrowed, confused at his response. “Oh. No, it will probably keep him asleep actually. It’ll feel like he’s being rocked.”

  He flashed her a smile. “Excellent. We’ll wrap another blanket around the two of you, and we should be just fine then.”

  Sadie glanced over at Violet, who gave her a smug look. She turned her attention back to Owen and said, “All right. Let me grab a few things.”

  It only took a few minutes to gather a blanket and some snacks before they were heading outside. Owen loaded the wagon, then came up behind her as she contemplated the best way to get up in the seat without jostling Jack.

  “Allow me,” he offered.

  She gasped as his hands encircled her waist and lifted her and Jack into the seat, as easily as if she weighed nothing more than a single straw of hay. “Th-thank you.”

  He smiled and handed her the blanket. “We don’t want him to wake up from his nap by being startled.”

  Sadie set the blanket on the seat beside her. “No, we don’t. He probably wouldn’t be too happy about that.”

  She shifted in her seat, trying to ignore the tingles still shooting through her body from Owen’s touch. She was always so careful to keep her distance from him. After he’d delivered her baby, and she’d recovered in his guest room for a few days, her body seemed to react in some very odd ways whenever she was around him. She’d never experienced these feelings with any other man she’d ever known, including her former husband. Especially her husband.

  Thoughts of Gerald quickly extinguished the effects from Owen’s touch.

  “You all right?” he asked, after climbing in the wagon next to her, and she wondered how he could tell her mood had changed. She didn’t think she’d been obvious about it.

  “Yes, just excited,” she said, brushing off the gloom. “We’ve been cooped up for a few days. It’ll be nice to get some fresh air.” She took in a deep breath as she scanned the meadows full of flowers. “It’s beautiful this time of year.”

  “It is.” He glanced at the blanket. “Here, let me get that for you.” He opened the blanket and carefully wrapped it around her and Jack. “That should keep you both warm.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Ready?”

  “Absolutely.”

  He flicked the reins, and the two horses took off smoothly in a slow trot.

  Sadie glanced back at the house and saw Violet step away from the window. Had Violet been watching the whole time? Sadie realized she needed to be firmer with the other women; they were reading way too much into Owen’s visits. “So where are we going?”

  “I thought I’d take you on a different route this time. There’s a lot more flowers, and we might even see a few baby animals.”

  “Ah. Spring in the country.”

  “More like wilderness, but yes,” he teased.

  Sadie had grown up in a larger city, but it had been easier to adjust to life in Montana than she’d expected. It was slower here, and people were kinder. She appreciated knowing almost everyone in town, and even a little about some of their pasts. She knew whenever someone was sick, when someone’s milk cow died, or when someone could use a little extra food on the table. It was a sense of community she’d never known before. Here, people looked out for each other. No one would turn a blind eye if someone were being mistreated or was in need.

  Even if the person mistreating her was her own husband.

  She bit her lip and looked away from Owen, not wanting him to guess at her thoughts. It was almost uncanny, his ability to sense when she was upset.

  “So has Jack done anything new since I last saw him?”

  His words pulled her out of her melancholy, and her lips quirked as she glanced at him. “You mean since three days ago?” she teased.

  “Three days? Are you sure? Seems longer than that.”

  “I’m sure.” She had to agree with him though, it did seem longer than three days. She’d gotten so used to seeing him, to having him stop by to see Jack, that it would be strange when he inevitably lost interest in them. It might even be a little hard to deal with...for Jack’s sake of course.

  They both quieted down and enjoyed the scenery around them. It was heaven-like and soothed any uneasiness she’d been feeling. Owen always seemed to know what to do to relax her.

  She pulled in deep, cleansing breaths and stifled a startled laugh as two birds jetted from the grass nearby as they passed. She cast an amused glance toward Owen, and he gave her a small smile in return.

  “Sadie, there’s something I wanted to ask you.”

  The uncertainty in his voice caught her attention. “What is it? Is something wrong?”

  “No, no,” he hurried to assure her, but his added chuckle sounded strained. “I don’t know why this is so difficult”—he rubbed the back of his neck—“but I was wondering if you wanted to go on a picnic.”

  She looked forward, confused. “Oh.” She wasn’t sure why that had been such a difficult request either. “That should be fine, as long as it’s warm enough for Jack. When did you want to go?”

  She glanced back at him when he didn’t respond right away.

  “That’s the thing...I was wondering if just the two of us could go.”

  “The two of us?” Her brows furrowed. “You mean, without Jack?”

  “Yes.”

  Realization flooded through her, along with a sweat-inducing sense of dread. He wanted to court her. “Owen—”

  “Look, before you say anything, I know you have a past. I know you were married before and you never want to talk about it. If you’re not ready for anything romantic, that’s okay. I just want to continue being friends, and would like to spend some time with just you on occasion, even though I adore Jack.”

  Her panic cooled a degree. “You want to be friends?”

  “Well, yes. Don’t you? Because if not, I hate to break it to you, but we already are.”

  She appreciated his attempt to lighten the mood, but she wasn’t sure what to think. Would he really be satisfied just being friends? Or would he eventually try to push her into something more?

  It made sense for them to be friends if he intended to remain a part of Jack’s life. She’d assumed he’d lose interest before long, but perhaps she’d been wrong. It had already been over four months, and he didn’t seem as if he planned to run away any time soon.

  Plus, it would be good for Jack to have Owen stay in his life, a man he could turn to for things she couldn’t provide. If Owen was willing to fill that gap, she should be grateful and do everything she could to remain friends with him.

  With that sorted in her head, she nodded slowly. “All right. I think a picnic would be great.” She paused for a moment, knowing she had to be honest with him about her intentions. “I want you to know, Owen, how grateful we are for your friendship, both of us. But I feel like I should tell you…I have no intention of remarrying.”

  He made a choking sound. “You don’t?”

  “No.”

  He swallowed hard and glanced at her. “Why?”

  “I don’t need to.”

  “Then why did you answer Ivan?” he asked, his tone was soft and held no censure or anger.

  She could tell he genuinely wanted to understand, and so she decided to answer him as honestly as she could. “Because I was desperate then. I needed to get out of a situation, and I was willing to get remarried to do it. But now that Jack and I are secure, I don’t intend to put myself, or my son, in that position ever again.”

  He seemed to mull over her words, carefully choosing how to respond. “I understand. I would never want you to do something you didn’t want to, or be in a situation that didn’t make you happy. I swear I’m only here as your friend, if that’s all you need and want.”

  She relaxed at his wo
rds. “Thank you. That means so much to me.” She cuddled Jack closer. “To us.”

  He looked down at the baby for a moment, before returning his gaze to her eyes. “I’ll always be here for you two. You know that, right?”

  She hadn’t realized until that moment just how bonded Owen was to Jack. Maybe that’s what happened when you helped bring a life into the world. Whatever the reason, she was grateful for it. “I do now.”

  Chapter 3

  One week later, Owen stopped the wagon near the empty green lawn next to the church, just outside town. The sky was crystal clear, without any clouds, and the sun shone bright enough to warm their skin.

  The town bustled on Main Street a short distance away, but the noise was muted by the distance, and Owen was grateful for the privacy. To be honest, he would have preferred taking her to a place where they could be completely alone, and far from town, but he wanted her to be comfortable with him.

  He grabbed a blanket out of the back of the wagon and made quick work of spreading it out on the grass.

  “Thank you again for agreeing to join me for a picnic today,” he told her as he headed back over to the wagon where she sat waiting for him.

  He reached up, closed his hands around her waist, and eased her down to the ground. He wanted to let his hands linger, to bring her in closer and hold her an extra second, but he knew she wouldn’t accept that. Instead, after ensuring she was steady on her feet, he turned away and reached back into the wagon for the basket.

  “It’s the perfect day for one,” she said.

  “I was just thinking the same.”

  He offered her his free arm, and she took it after a moment’s hesitation. He didn’t say anything though. He wanted her to feel comfortable and only do something if it was what she wanted. He was willing to wait for more, and if she never changed her mind, he would respect that. She had been honest with him, after all, but it didn’t mean he had to give up hope. At least, not yet.

  He led her to the blanket and helped her to the ground, before sitting across from her. “I hope you like fried chicken.”