RR05 - Tender Mercies (40 page)
Read RR05 - Tender Mercies Online
Authors: Lauraine Snelling
Tags: #Red River of the North, #Romance, #Man-Woman Relationships, #Christian, #Historical, #Norwegian Americans, #General, #Christian Fiction, #Historical Fiction, #Dakota Territory, #Fiction, #Religious
“Dear girl, what is it?”
She looked him in the eye in spite of her mother’s voice, which she could hear accusing her of unwomanly behavior. A scandalized voice that knew of her intentions.
“Did you love Katy Bjorklund?”
John stood straight and inhaled deeply, as if she’d gut-punched
him
. His eyes bored into hers. “Ja, I thought so.” She’d never know what the admission cost him.
“Oh.” She started to withdraw, but he kept her hands in a beartrap grip.
“You asked
did
? I did, but she never looked on me as more than a friend. She married Zeb, and I prayed that I could be her friend, their friend. And God honored that prayer. And then He gave me the desire of my heart. A woman to love in ways I’d only dreamed of. One who has a soul of such beauty that I am awestruck to think she might love me in return. One who makes me laugh, and when I watch her with the children, makes me yearn to have her caring for mine, for ours. Yes, Mary Martha MacCallister, I did love Katy, but that is in the past. Now I love you, and I want to learn to love you more every day for the rest of my life.”
Tears trickled down her cheeks, turning her eyes to emeralds sparkling in the sun.
He wiped them away with a gentle fingertip. “So, now the questions are—”
“Qu . . . questions?” She sniffed and tried to smile, but her lips quivered in the action.
“Yes, questions. Number one: do you love me?”
She nodded.
“Say it.”
She swallowed. “I love you, John Solberg.” She squeezed his hands in return. “The next question?” Her heart fluttered like a bird learning to fly.
“Will you marry me?”
“Not today.” Her smile went straight to his heart and nestled there. “Or tomorrow, but would next week be soon enough?”
He gathered her into his arms, raining kisses on her eyes, her cheeks, and finally he found her mouth.
“If I’d known you tasted so sweet, I would have done this plenty sooner,” he whispered against her lips.
She sighed and leaned her forehead against his chin. “I still don’t know what will happen with Zeb and the girls.”
“If they need to come live with us, that’s all right with me.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
“In a one-room soddy?”
“Well, we might have to build a house. But there will always be room for one more at our table.” He settled back against the tree bark, drawing her head down on his shoulder. “I don’t ever want to say good-bye to you again, my love.”
“But, as I said before, good-bye is not forever.”
“Thank God for that.” He kissed her again and leaned back to watch her sparkling eyes.
And thank you, Father, for your tender mercies in our lives—now and forever.
This time she kissed him.
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