Snowfall Read Online Free

posts in front of the house. Hoping all the while that this Ruth was going to be nicer than expected.
    â€œPlease, Lord,” he quietly prayed. “Please, since it’s almost Christmas and all, won’t You consider giving me just a little bit of a break? ’Cause I could surely use some help here. Make this woman not be too terrible. My kinner have already lost their mother. They don’t need a sourpuss babysitter, too.”
    As the cold wind brushed against his cheeks, he lifted his eyes to the heavens and gave a fierce look. Then, as Ruth’s horse pawed restlessly at the dry, hard ground, he hurried over to help. “Hello,” he called out, just as Ruth Stutzman deftly hopped out of the buggy. Their eyes met. After the briefest of pauses, she smiled.
    Martin blinked. And then, to his embarrassment, he blinked again, just as if he’d never seen a woman before.
    Ruth Stutzman was young. And pretty, too. She had dark, wavy hair and bright blue eyes. A smattering of freckles danced across her nose, and the palest of pink brightened her cheeks. She was of medium height and blessed with the kind of curves he’d always thought women should have but always tried hard to not think about.
    Maybe it was because she’d taken him so off-guard, or maybe because he was sadly out of practice when it came to conversing with pretty women, but he blurted the first thing that came to mind. “You are nothing like I expected.”
    Raising a pair of finely arched eyebrows, her smile turned into a full-fledged grin. “Isn’t that something? I was just thinking the same thing about you.”
    Martin wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or not. And because he was so confused about his reaction, he turned away and grabbed hold of the horse. “It’s too cold for your horse to be out here for long. I’ll take him into the barn.”
    â€œI’ve got a blanket for him in the back of the buggy. Would you like me to cover him for you?”
    â€œNee.”
    She stared at him, obviously waiting for him to explain himself, or say that he would take care of the blanket.
    But he did neither. He simply stood still, holding the gelding’s reins. He had never been a man of many words.
    But suddenly, well, absolutely not a single one came to mind. Not a single, solitary one.
    As Ruth gazed at Martin Rhodes, she reflected that there had to be a first time for everything.
    And at the moment, she was standing in front of a man who seemed to be tongue-tied. Furthermore, all she seemed to be able to do was smile.
    Fact was, Martin Rhodes was brawny and tall, with lightly tanned skin, green eyes, and thick, dark brown hair. He was much more handsome than any father of six children had the right to be.
    In short, he was nothing like she’d imagined, and she’d spent quite a bit of time last night wondering what he would be like.
    Ruth wasn’t so sure how she felt about that.
    Though he was now holding her gelding’s reins, he was facing her again. As she felt his eyes skim over her from head to toe, she stood still and gazed unabashedly at him. She knew she wasn’t the prettiest girl in the world. Far from that. Her measurements were a little too big, her features a little too bold.
    After another few seconds stretched between them, he blurted, “What did you think I was going to be like?”
    She had a lot of answers to that one. None of which seemed appropriate. So she cut to the chase and said the first thing that popped into her head, “Older.”
    He laughed. “I thought the same thing about you.” As her horse nudged him with his nose, Martin rubbed his muzzle. “Looks like you’ve got a fairly forthright horse here.”
    â€œHis name is Rocky. He’s my landlady’s horse, but I have found him to be a bit forthright as well.”
    â€œPerhaps it’s a good match.”
    â€œMaybe so. I’ve grown to be very fond