The Replacement Wife Page 9

Well, that’s true after a fashion, she thought. Joss certainly had been surprised.

  “I’d imagine so. Not many people get married at...nine in the evening,” he said, consulting his pocket watch and fixing Joe with a bemused look. “But I reckon you two just can’t wait, huh?”

  Amy blushed, but Joe seemed to take it in stride. “Again, I’m sorry I had to call on you at home,” he said. “And I appreciate you making an exception for us.”

  “My pleasure,” Tibbs said. “Just pass on my regards to your father.”

  “I will, next time I see him.”

  Tibbs cleared his throat and called to the outer office. “How’s that license coming, Martha?”

  “Just finished.” Martha entered and placed a document on Tibbs’s desk. “The ink’s still wet,” she said. “Don’t smear it.”

  He nodded as he reviewed what Martha had written, then got to his feet. “Well, I suppose all that’s left is to get you two hitched.” He opened his desk drawer, took out a leather-bound book, and got to his feet. He flipped open the book and paged through, stopping here and there and scanning the pages as if to refresh his memory, then came around the desk and stood in front of Joe and Amy.

  “Marriage,” he began, “is a relationship unlike any other. It’s the only time in our lives when we have some say about what kind of families we have, what kind of people we belong with—and belong to.”

  Amy glanced over at Joe, who met her gaze with a subtle nod and a grin. He seems so sure, she thought. At least I hope he is.

  “Up until now you’ve each lived for yourselves,” Tibbs said. “From this moment forward, you’ll live for each other. Joseph Peterson, do you take this woman—”

  “Wait a second,” Amy said. She slipped her hand behind Joe’s neck and stood on her tiptoes to whisper to him. “I’m sorry. Before we do this, I need to ask you something. In private.”

  Joe stared deeply into her eyes, trying to find some clue to what had stopped her so suddenly in the middle of their wedding. He found nothing.

  “Mr. Tibbs, could you give us a minute alone?”

  “Take all the time you need,” Tibbs said, his eyebrows rising up only slightly as he and Martha went to the outer office.

  When she heard the click of the closing door, Amy turned to Joe. “I should have asked earlier,” she said. “But before we get married, I just have to know this.” She paused to gather the nerve to ask plainly, hoping for one answer but fearing another. “You’re not marrying me just because you feel sorry for me, are you? I don’t want you to marry me because you feel like you have to. I want you to...well, I want you to want me.”

  His eyes filled with a tenderness that she hadn’t yet seen in him, and he put his hands on her hips, pulling her close. Amy felt a flash of heat race through her. She’d never had a man handle her like she belonged to him already, and she could feel the warmth of his hands through her clothes.

  “Amy, believe me, this is nothing I feel like I have to do,” he said. “This is a blessing for me.”

  She placed her hands on his forearms and could feel nothing but wiry muscle. “Are you sure?”

  “I’ve never wanted anything more than to marry you, right here, right now.”

  Though she felt nearly overwhelmed with emotion, Amy managed to speak. “Call them back.”

  Joe quickly went to the door and ushered Tibbs and his secretary back into the room. Once everybody was back in place, Tibbs cleared his throat. “Joseph Peterson, do you take this woman as your—”

  “Hold on,” Joe said.

  Tibbs let out a long sigh. “Say, are you two sure you really want to do this?”

  “Sorry,” Joe said. “I just have to ask her one thing.” He leaned close and put his mouth to her ear. “Amy, I’m just going to ask this straight out.”

  “All right,” she said, though she could practically feel her heart pounding in her chest. “What is it?”

  “That meal you made my father—you did ruin that on purpose, right?”

  “Of course.”

  Joe turned to Tibbs. “I do,” he said. “This is the girl for me.”

  “And do you, Amy Chase, take this man for your lawfully wedded husband?”

  She paused before answering, taking a moment to simply look at Joe. For the first time in—well, for the first time in her life, she felt like she was free to do what she really, truly wanted to do. It felt like she was floating. More than floating. It’s time to fly, she thought.

  “I do.”

  ~ ~ ~

  “You two need anything else?”

  Amy looked around the room. If they did need anything, she sure couldn’t have said what it might have been. Al Gates, the hotel manager, had taken some pride in showing them around the Governor’s Suite, and there didn’t seem to be a single detail missing. It was the most luxurious, well-appointed room she’d ever seen, in fact.

  “We’ll be fine,” Joe said. “Oh, and if my father happens to come by this evening, mum’s the word. We want to surprise him ourselves.”

  Al nodded and let loose with a hint of a smile as he stepped out of the room. “Well then, congratulations and good night.”

  Joe closed the door and slid the deadbolt home with a heavy clunk. Without another word, he turned and strode toward Amy, took her into his arms, and brought his mouth to hers.

  She had never been kissed like this. In front of Tibbs, they had just shared a quick peck after exchanging their vows. It had hardly been enough to notice. Now, however, with nobody watching, Joe had unleashed a passion that nearly stripped the breath from her lungs.

  She felt her blood quickening as his tongue flickered into her mouth. A hunger was awakening within her, and she slipped one hand behind his head, tangling her fingers in his hair as if to keep him close. Joe drank from her mouth like a hummingbird taking nectar, and her breath grew shallow. The feel of her husband’s lips against her was thrilling—intoxicating, almost—and over too soon.

  When Joe gently broke their kiss, he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. “I can’t tell you how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

  She rested her head against his chest and hugged him tightly. “Seems like it was worth the wait,” she said, then raised her mouth toward his again.

  Joe smiled, but backed away slightly, dodging her kiss. “Honey, before we get carried away, we should talk,” he said, though she could see the fire in his eyes, as if he were fighting his physical urges. “Come and sit down.” He led her to the sofa, which was behind a low table bearing a vase with freshly cut fall crocuses. As they sat, Joe brushed the table with his leg, setting the flowers quivering as if in a breeze.

  “This room is so beautiful.”

  Joe nodded. “Best one in the hotel. You should enjoy it while it lasts.”

  “How long are we going to stay?”

  “Well, by this time tomorrow I imagine my father will have been around town and made it pretty difficult for me to ride on his name anymore,” Joe said. “Getting Tibbs to marry us so fast and staying here tonight might be the last time I’m able to pull any strings.”

  “So what are we going to do then?”

  “Whatever we want to do,” Joe said. “I’ve got some money saved. And tomorrow I’m going to go see if I can get back the deposit for the horse I was going to buy. All together, we’ll have over a thousand dollars.”

  “What? Just what kind of horse was this, anyway?”

  Joe chuckled. “It’s a heck of an animal,” he said. “But there’ll always be other horses.”

  “Well, that much money could take us...almost anywhere, I would think.”

  “It should,” Joe said. “You say the word, and that’s where we’ll go. We’re making a clean break and starting fresh, wherever you like.”

  Amy let out a laugh. It wasn’t funny, just overwhelming in a very good way. The very idea of being able to go where she wanted to go, instead of being pushed here and there by fate and ill fortune, was almost alien
to her. They could go back East, which she had called home for so long; they could make their way to California, where people said every day was like springtime; they could settle in any of a thousand towns in between.

  “Of course, we can talk about all that later,” Joe said. “It’s, uh...getting late.”

  She saw the fire in his eyes again, and Amy blushed as she took his hands in hers. “You know, I told you once that you were the only person who had come through for me,” she said. “But there was something else I wanted to tell you.”

  “What was that?”

  She stood up, leading him to sit on the edge of the bed. “I love you,” she said. “I’ve known it for a while now, and I just didn’t have the chance to tell you.”

  He pulled her closer, slipping his arms around her and holding her tight. She could feel his lips brush against her ear as he spoke. “I love you too,” he murmured. “And I’m not saying that just because you did. I’ve loved you pretty much since the first day I saw you.” He turned his head slightly and found her mouth with his.

  Amy let herself fall back onto the bed as her husband began to cover her with kisses. Years later, when she would find herself consumed by the happy duties of caring for a houseful of children, Amy would still remember this night, this exact moment, and it would spark a smile and faraway look in her eyes. It wasn’t simply a feeling of relief, nor of joy, though she felt both of those in Joe’s arms. More than that, however, she knew that at long last she was exactly where she was supposed to be.

  Author's Note

  Thanks for reading The Replacement Wife. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! This is the first book in the Westward Hearts series, which is a collection of lighthearted short novels centered around the mail order bride agency's clients.

  As you know, this first novel brought Amy Chase to Mineral Point, Wisconsin, which is the setting for the books in the Love's Territory series. Information about the Love's Territory series is in the next section and I encourage you to read those as well.

  If you enjoyed this book, please take a moment to leave a review. Reader reviews are critical to the success of small publishers and, just as importantly, help your fellow romance fans to identify their next books.

  Finally, don't miss out on any new releases! Sign up for the Belleport Bookline, our very occasional e-mail, to learn about upcoming promotions, new releases and more. Your e-mail will never be sold or used for any other purpose: http://eepurl.com/_tfc5

  Thank you, take care, and be well!

  Lucy

  Also Available by Lucy Evanson

  Love's Territory Series

  In Love’s Territory

  Torn from the big city. Thrust onto the frontier. Forced to choose between two men.

  As the only daughter in a wealthy Boston family, Katie Taylor has a comfortable home, good friends and servants to attend to her every whim. But when her father uproots her family and moves them to a farm in the Territories, her former life disappears forever. Soon she finds herself caught between the desires of two men: Edward, the wealthy businessman who has taken an interest in her, and Sam, the half-Sioux farmhand who has also kindled a passion within her. Now, when she least expected it, she finds herself without a guide in a brand-new land: the territory of love.

  Contains mild language and suggestive situations.

  Husband on Credit

  Their marriage was all business. Until love got in the way.

  Cora Rice had never met a man who did right by her. They were unreliable. Irresponsible. Undependable. You could trust them about as far as you could throw 'em. So when she found out that an uncle had named her in his will, nobody was more surprised than she was. A house and a fat bank account, all hers for the taking...if only she were married.

  Nathan Larrimore liked Cora from the moment he saw her. But then, there was a lot to like: she was beautiful, strong and self-assured. She was just the kind of woman who didn't need a man--except that she did.

  They agreed to be partners: five thousand dollars for Nathan to act as her husband, and when all was said and done they'd live happily ever after. Separately.

  Turns out that some partnerships are easier to end than others.

  Contains mild language and sensual content within marriage.

  Her Happy Ever After

  It was only supposed to be a short visit. It turned into a love affair.

  Melanie White is in trouble. Young, unmarried, and with no resources to speak of, she's forced to flee home and hide out with her aunt on a ranch in a western mining town. She's just passing through on her way farther West, and it's a good thing, too: she can't stand the ranch owner. He's rowdy, immature...and undeniably attractive.

  David Tanner has his life just the way he likes it: he does what he wants, when he wants, and nobody can tell him any different--least of all, his former nanny's niece Melanie, who likes books more than people.

  But when a family emergency forces Melanie and David to work together, she discovers that there's more to him than meets the eye. And he finds out that life as a bachelor may not be what he likes after all.

  Contains mild language and sensual content within marriage.

  Westward Hearts Series

  The Replacement Wife

  They wanted her to marry the most unpleasant man she'd ever met, but Amy had other plans.

  When her guardian announces that she's going to be married to a man she can't stand, Amy Chase decides to escape that fate by becoming a mail-order bride.

  Paired with a rich widower, Amy arrives in a western mining town only to find that she escaped the frying pan, but landed squarely in the fire. Now, far from everything and everyone she knew, Amy must find a way out of her engagement before she ends up penniless in the street. With the help of an unlikely ally, she soon discovers that love can be found in the most unexpected places.

  Second Chance Suitor

  Sometimes even true love needs a second chance.

  Madeline Harrison is in a heck of a bind. Her farm has failed and she's about to lose everything, including her three year old daughter. When she looks into becoming a mail order bride, however, she finds a lifeline in a wealthy cattleman who asks for her hand. After years of hard work and scant reward, she's ready to begin a whole new life.

  For Bill Parker, life in the Nebraska Territory is hard enough, and being single only makes things worse. The good news is that he's found just the right woman to take as his bride. The bad news is that she's engaged to another man. But then, nobody ever said that finding love would be easy.

  None the Richer

  Coming soon!

  LoveBlessed

  You may also enjoy some of our titles released under the LoveBlessed imprint. LoveBlessed features stories about love, not lust; we like to think of them as titles that you wouldn’t be embarrassed to share with your mother—or your daughter!

  Each of the five stories listed below are available for sale individually, or you can save yourself a little money and buy the collection Faithful Hearts: Five Stories of Love and Faith, which bundles them all into one convenient volume. These historical romance stories will leave you yearning for the simpler, sweeter times of yesteryear. Enjoy, and help spread the word!

  Hearts Upon a Midnight Clear by Lucy Evanson

  It's the most wonderful time of the year. Except at Harper Farm.

  Emily Harper had it all: a caring, devoted husband, a comfortable home, and a baby on the way. Her family's future in the Territories looked bright indeed, until an unspeakable tragedy robbed her of her husband. Now, on Christmas Eve, she can find little reason to rejoice. As the winter tightens its grip, she's all alone with a baby, and to top things off, her son is sick.

  Alex Sullivan only had one more visit to make before heading home for Christmas. When the young doctor finds himself snowed in at Harper Farm, however, he discovers that Emily's son isn't the only one who needs help. He knows how to heal the body. But will he be able to heal
Emily's spirit as well?

  Healing the Widower's Heart by Darlene Carson

  He would do anything for Johanna. Except forget his first wife.

  Nelson Deere is a widower still haunted by his first love. After years of living alone, however, he meets Johanna and his world is turned upside-down. She's lovely, smart, and kind—in other words, just the type of woman he needs. But is he ready for a new love, when he can still feel the old one?

  When Johanna looks at Nelson, she doesn't just see a good man. She sees a man who needs her help. She knows that her love could make him whole again, but almost as soon as they're married, his guilt starts driving a wedge between them. How can she mend her husband's heart when he won't let her love him?

  A Fallen Woman Finds Grace by Darlene Carson

  Against all odds, a fallen woman finds true love—until her past comes calling.

  Rita is on the run. After escaping from an Omaha bordello, where she'd been held captive for months, Rita takes refuge in a hotel with her captors hot on her trail. The only thing that saves her from being returned to her former life is rancher Joe Marks, who steps out of his room and into her life.