Callie's Heart Read Online Free

Clint?”
    “No.”
    “I think you are nice and I
hope I can make you happy.   I can cook,
clean, wash clothes, muck out stalls, and just about anything else.   I can even hunt too.”
    “You aren’t my slave,
Callie.   Just go to bed and sleep and
we’ll take care of everything in the morning.”
    “I’ll make you a good
breakfast.”
    “I’m looking forward to it,
but you leave the coffee pot alone.”
    She laughed, getting up from
the chair.   “I promise.   Good night.”
    “Night, Callie.”
    Callie went to her room,
turned the lamp low, and crawled into bed.   The mattress was soft and comfortable and as she turned over and hugged
her pillow, she couldn’t help but wonder how the rest of her life was going to
turn out.   “Night Uncle Ned.   I love and miss you,” she whispered, and
fell fast asleep.
    ***
    Clint sat before the
fire.   Damn it, Ned, you sent me a girl
still wet behind the ears without an inkling of what life with a man is
like.   You old coot, you’re probably up
there in heaven just laughing your ass off, but you knew I’d do right by her
and I will even though marriage is the furthest thing from my mind.
    He got up, stoked the fire for
the night, and walked to Callie’s door, which wasn’t latched.   He opened it a little ways and looked in on
her.   She was sleeping soundly.   Her hair was spread over the pillow and she
had one hand tucked under her chin.   She
was beautiful and he knew she was already wrapping herself around his heart in
one day even if she didn’t know it.
    He shut the door and went to
his room, undressed, and fell into bed.   Tomorrow was his wedding day.   He
shook his head at the thought, and fell asleep.

Chapter
Three
     
    Callie was as nervous as a
whore in church, as her uncle used to say.   She stood in the church at the altar in front of the preacher, holding a
small bouquet of daisies, and repeated her vows.   When the preacher said Clint could kiss the bride, her heart about
dropped to the floor.   She looked at him
in his suit and thought of how handsome he was and she couldn’t believe the
pretty white muslin dress he had bought her.   She felt like a fairy princess.  
    When he reached out and took
her by the arms, she swore her heart quit beating as he gave her a quick kiss
on the lips.   She barely felt it, but
that slight touch made her heart start beating triple time.   She lowered her head and knew her cheeks
were fiery red.
    “Well, Mrs. West, are you
ready to go back home?”
    “Yes,” Callie said, and
after they signed the necessary papers and Clint taking their copy of their
marriage license, they walked outside hand in hand.   As Clint helped her into the buckboard, she couldn’t help but think
it was a fine day for a wedding, even though they had no one there but the
preacher and his wife.
    “You okay?”   Clint asked, jumping up on the buckboard and
taking the reins in his hands.
    “Yes.”
    “You’re being awful quiet.”
    She watched as he turned the
wagon around and they headed out of town.   She didn’t miss the curious stares of the people on the sidewalks.   “I’m just overwhelmed.   Everything went so fast this morning and now
I’m a married woman and a little nervous.”
    “I don’t expect you do be
any different.   I just want you to be
yourself.   You sleep in your room and
I’ll sleep in mine.”
    “Then you don’t want me?”
    “I didn’t say that, but we
hardly know each other.   Let’s just take
it one day at a time and I want you to be happy, Callie.   Looks like all we got is each other.”
    “That’s true.   I can make a real fine wedding dinner when we
get back home.   I can’t wait to cook
that steak you got.”
    “Me either.   I’m getting mighty hungry.   Been a long time since we had breakfast.”
    She glanced at Clint.   “You like my cooking.”
    “Oh yeah.   Never tasted any as fine as yours.”
    “That makes me happy and
thanks for all the things