The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas - Jodi Thomas Page 0,107
girls.”
Lowering her eyes to the paper, Amelia was thankful beyond measure, but she had hoped he might say he cared about her. She knew he cared about the girls, but she had dreams that he might develop deeper feelings for her. Casey had told her he would take care of her and the girls, but she wasn’t in love with Casey. She didn’t know exactly when it had happened, but she’d fallen in love with this tall, handsome cowboy. “This is very generous of you, but I want to pay you back when I get on my feet.”
All day Clint had planned on professing his feelings for her. He’d even practiced what he wanted to say, but now that he was alone with her, he couldn’t remember a word. “We won’t worry about that right now. Now that you no longer need to concern yourself about the mortgage, and you’re not dependent on the Nelsons; do you want to stay here?”
Amelia didn’t have to think about her response. “Yes, the girls and I love it here. Your mother said Casey is still at the ranch, so I’ll have some help.”
Clint bristled, hearing her mention Casey again. “Then it’s settled. I’ll leave in the morning to bring the girls home, and any of the other families who want to return.”
“I think I should go with you. The girls may not believe that I survived.”
Clint shook his head. “I don’t think you’re up to making the trip. They’ll believe me.”
“I should probably go home, then. I told your mother if I need the doctor, Casey can fetch him.”
Casey again. Clint wanted to ask what Casey meant to her. He figured Casey was waiting for her to return before he asked her to marry him. Nothing else made sense. If a man wasn’t in love, he would have moved on and found employment elsewhere when Amelia left La Grange. “How long have you known Casey?”
“He’s worked for my family for several years.”
“If you want to see Casey, I can go get him, but I think you should stay here. At least, until I return from Honey Creek.”
“It’s not that I want to see Casey, although I probably need to see if he will want to continue working on the ranch. And I’ve imposed on your hospitality long enough.”
“Why did Casey stay when everyone left?”
“He told me people would come back once the worst was over. I told him he should leave, but he wouldn’t listen. He stayed to care for what few cattle we had left.”
“Do you have an understanding with Casey?”
Amelia furrowed her brow. “An understanding?”
Clint leveled his eyes on hers. “Does he want to marry you?”
Plucking at a thread on the blanket covering her, she responded honestly. “He told Mrs. Nelson he wanted to marry me.”
“He’s never asked you?” Clint wondered why Casey would tell other people he wanted to marry her if he hadn’t asked her first.
“He told me he would care for me and the girls when Richard died.”
“Are you interested in that proposal?”
“Mrs. Nelson told me I couldn’t afford to turn down any proposal, considering I may never have another.”
Clint noticed she hadn’t given him a yes-or-no response. He thought he should give her time to open up to him about what she really wanted. He wouldn’t push her. Leaving his chair, he held up one finger. “I’ll be back in a minute.” He walked to the front room and scooped up the two puppies and told their mother to come with him. Returning to Amelia’s bedroom, he held out the pups for her to see. “The girls asked for a puppy for Christmas. Now they get two. I can keep their mother.”
Amelia’s eyes lit up and she held out her hands to hold one. “Where did you get them?”
“Doc said their ma showed up on his doorstep and she surprised him with two pups. He’s been looking after them.”
Clint sat on the side of the bed holding one puppy and petting their mother’s head with his free hand. “She’s a good mother. We need to give her a name.”
“She’s beautiful, the color of honey. What about Honey?”
Clint nodded. “I like that.” He stoked Honey’s blond fur. “Do you like that, Honey?”
Honey licked his hand in response. “She approves.”
Amelia laughed. “They’re adorable. The girls will love them, and we can keep Honey if you don’t have time to care for her.”
Clint wanted to say she and the girls could move to his ranch and keep all the dogs