BRIANNA: A Sweet Western Historical Romance (Mail-Order Brides Club Book 4) Read Online Free Page A
Author: Ashley Merrick
sit over here in the corner where we'll be out of the way and can catch up." She led them to a round table in a quiet corner and then introduced Brianna to the tall, handsome man who had walked over to meet them as well.
"This is Liam."
"Honored to meet you," he said as he held out his hand. She shook it and smiled. Liam looked exactly as Julia had described him in her letters. He was blond and sunny. You could tell that he smiled often and that he liked to laugh. "I have to get back to the bar, but I'm so glad you are here and Julia is now done for the day, so she can join you."
"I'm not done!" she protested in surprise.
"Sure you are. Look around. There's nothing going on now that Billy and I can't handle. Enjoy your lunch with your friends and then head home. You need your rest." He eyed his wife's stomach and she pushed him away.
"Oh, go on with you. I do appreciate that, though."
She handed them menus and told them about the daily specials, which were a cheese-topped onion soup and chicken pot pie. The sandwich of the day was a grilled cheese and bacon.
"Everything is amazing, but the chicken pot pie is my favorite. I wish it was on the menu every day, but Mrs. Johnson said it's too much work. So if I were you, I'd get that, as it may not be available again anytime soon."
Both Brianna and Colleen went with Julia's suggestion and ordered the chicken pot pie. Julia disappeared into the kitchen with their order and returned a mere five minutes later with a tray holding three steaming pot pies. She set one down in front of each of them and then sat and joined them.
"That was so fast." Brianna was surprised and glad that their food came out so quickly as her stomach was rumbling again.
"Mrs. Johnson had just taken another batch of them out of the oven, so we didn't have to wait."
They ate and chatted and when they were almost done with their meal, the front door opened and a familiar face walked in. It was Colleen's husband David and another man, about the same height, around six feet or so, but with blond hair. As they came toward their table, Colleen jumped up to greet them. "This is a surprise. I didn't know you'd be coming in today."
"We weren't planning on it," David said. "But the wagon broke and we needed to come into town to get a replacement part. Figured we'd have something to eat while we were here and say hello."
"Brianna, I'd like you to meet Paul, David's brother. They work together on their farms." Colleen had explained that of all the brothers, David was closest to Paul. They were only a year apart and their farms were adjacent to each other, so they combined forces and worked together. Paul smiled and held out his hand. "I've heard so much about you. It's very nice to meet you. I am also very sorry for your loss." He looked serious as he said it and Brianna appreciated the kindness, considering that they had only just met.
"Thank you. It's very nice to meet you as well."
"Would you like to join us?" Julia asked.
"No, we'll go on to the bar. Thank you, though. You ladies weren't expecting us and I'm sure you have plenty to catch up on."
"We'll see you at home later, then," Colleen said, and then added, "and Paul, we'll see you on Sunday at church."
"I look forward to it." He smiled as they turned to walk toward the bar.
"So, that's Paul. What do you think?" Colleen asked.
"He seems very nice."
"I think he resembles Liam, so that means he's quite handsome, wouldn't you agree?" Julia said with a sly smile.
Brianna chuckled. "Yes, he does look somewhat like Liam, similar coloring with the blond hair. And they are all quite handsome. I will agree with that."
----
P aul stopped breathing for a moment when he laid eyes on Brianna. It was unexplainable, the strong feeling that swept over him. She was a very pretty girl, to be sure, with her fine, blonde hair, lighter even than his own, and her clear blue eyes. There was something else, though. She was tiny. He couldn't really tell her height
"This is Liam."
"Honored to meet you," he said as he held out his hand. She shook it and smiled. Liam looked exactly as Julia had described him in her letters. He was blond and sunny. You could tell that he smiled often and that he liked to laugh. "I have to get back to the bar, but I'm so glad you are here and Julia is now done for the day, so she can join you."
"I'm not done!" she protested in surprise.
"Sure you are. Look around. There's nothing going on now that Billy and I can't handle. Enjoy your lunch with your friends and then head home. You need your rest." He eyed his wife's stomach and she pushed him away.
"Oh, go on with you. I do appreciate that, though."
She handed them menus and told them about the daily specials, which were a cheese-topped onion soup and chicken pot pie. The sandwich of the day was a grilled cheese and bacon.
"Everything is amazing, but the chicken pot pie is my favorite. I wish it was on the menu every day, but Mrs. Johnson said it's too much work. So if I were you, I'd get that, as it may not be available again anytime soon."
Both Brianna and Colleen went with Julia's suggestion and ordered the chicken pot pie. Julia disappeared into the kitchen with their order and returned a mere five minutes later with a tray holding three steaming pot pies. She set one down in front of each of them and then sat and joined them.
"That was so fast." Brianna was surprised and glad that their food came out so quickly as her stomach was rumbling again.
"Mrs. Johnson had just taken another batch of them out of the oven, so we didn't have to wait."
They ate and chatted and when they were almost done with their meal, the front door opened and a familiar face walked in. It was Colleen's husband David and another man, about the same height, around six feet or so, but with blond hair. As they came toward their table, Colleen jumped up to greet them. "This is a surprise. I didn't know you'd be coming in today."
"We weren't planning on it," David said. "But the wagon broke and we needed to come into town to get a replacement part. Figured we'd have something to eat while we were here and say hello."
"Brianna, I'd like you to meet Paul, David's brother. They work together on their farms." Colleen had explained that of all the brothers, David was closest to Paul. They were only a year apart and their farms were adjacent to each other, so they combined forces and worked together. Paul smiled and held out his hand. "I've heard so much about you. It's very nice to meet you. I am also very sorry for your loss." He looked serious as he said it and Brianna appreciated the kindness, considering that they had only just met.
"Thank you. It's very nice to meet you as well."
"Would you like to join us?" Julia asked.
"No, we'll go on to the bar. Thank you, though. You ladies weren't expecting us and I'm sure you have plenty to catch up on."
"We'll see you at home later, then," Colleen said, and then added, "and Paul, we'll see you on Sunday at church."
"I look forward to it." He smiled as they turned to walk toward the bar.
"So, that's Paul. What do you think?" Colleen asked.
"He seems very nice."
"I think he resembles Liam, so that means he's quite handsome, wouldn't you agree?" Julia said with a sly smile.
Brianna chuckled. "Yes, he does look somewhat like Liam, similar coloring with the blond hair. And they are all quite handsome. I will agree with that."
----
P aul stopped breathing for a moment when he laid eyes on Brianna. It was unexplainable, the strong feeling that swept over him. She was a very pretty girl, to be sure, with her fine, blonde hair, lighter even than his own, and her clear blue eyes. There was something else, though. She was tiny. He couldn't really tell her height
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