Twice Promised (The Blue Willow Brides Book #2): A Novel Read Online Free Page B

said. “I was scared to death. I never had to face anything like this in Boston.”
    “You’re welcome. Now we’d better get some sleep. It’s been a very long day.” Greta yawned. “We’ll have plenty to discuss with Zach tomorrow.”

    “Where in the world did you get off to tonight, Zach? I could’ve used your help right about closing time. I was unusually busy,” Jess said. He glanced up at the clock on the fireplace mantel when his brother stomped upstairs to their living quarters. It was after nine o’clock, and they were usually in bed early so they could be up promptly to open the store.
    “Sorry. I had a little personal business to attend to,” Zach answered as he removed his boots. He sighed as he wiggled his toes through his socks. “I’m gonna have to order new boots from that Montgomery Ward catalog. Either my feet have grown or I’ve been wearing the wrong size—not to mention my waistline is expanding!” he said, eyeing Jess.
    Jess chuckled as he looked up from his easy chair, where he’d been reading the newspaper. “It’s all those great Sunday dinners after church with Agnes Cartwright. You’ve picked up a few pounds—but I think you could stand to add a few more.”
    Zach put his boots neatly beside his bed, then began picking up Jess’s shirt and pants strewn about the room. Jess watched as Zach followed the trail to their shared bedroom, where another shirt was flung across Zach’s bed. Jess’s bed was already a mess. Zach rolled the soiled pants and shirt into a tight ball and placed them by the door. “How many times do I have to pick up your things off my bed?” he called over his shoulder.
    Jess shrugged. “Anyone ever told you that you’re starting to sound like a nagging wife?” He teased Zach but knew it was aggravating for his brother that he wasn’t tidy. Jess always swore he’d get better at it.
    Zach grinned in spite of his exasperation and poked his head through the doorway just as Jess threw the cushion at him. “Speaking of which—I have something to talk to you about.”
    Jess rose and started toward the bedroom. “Can it wait till morning? I’m going to bed now. My back is aching, and I’m not in the mood to talk about my needing a wife, if that’s what’s on your mind.” Lately it seemed that was the focus of Zach’s discussions. He slipped off his pants and shirt, leaving his long handles on, and sank into the softness of his bed, barely listening to his brother’s ramblings.
    Zach followed him. “It is on my mind. Partly. You know that I’ve been working on that small piece of land in my spare time, and one day I’ll have me a small spread. I hate to leave you in the lurch when I’m ready to go. You need help, but more importantly, you need a wife.” He pulled his shirt off, folded it, and placed it on top of the bureau for another day’s wear. “I have someone I want you to meet tomorrow right after breakfast.”
    “What . . . ?” Jess answered sleepily, closing his eyes as soon as his head hit the pillow.

    Jess sipped the strong coffee that he’d made earlier and slipped his apron on. He enjoyed the quietness of the morning hour before the town came to life. He raised the window shade and flipped the sign over, then unlocked the door. Light was just beginning to spread over the city, struggling weakly through morning clouds. Could be they’d see a brief period of rain, which normally made the day pass a little slower for him. He eased out the door and sat down on an overturned water barrel, thinking about his life thus far.
    Many of the friends he’d known since childhood had married and had a passel of kids. He was still in his twenties and was in no hurry, as his brother seemed to think. He wasn’t sure he wanted kids—but sometimes he found himself lonely when he took time to actually think about it, which was more frequently as of late. After his other brother died, Jess felt a part of himself missing. The three of them