A Convenient Christmas Bride. Rhonda Gibson

your dream to become a sheriff?”

      Josiah set the rocker into motion again with his foot. “I’m not sure I’d call it a dream. When I was a boy, I was accused of stealing my neighbor’s puppy.” He chuckled. “I didn’t take the pup, but since it was the doctor’s dog and his son was pitching a fit, the sheriff came to ‘talk’ to me about it. Well, I tried to convince him I hadn’t taken the puppy, but he didn’t believe me. So after he left our house, I set out to find out where the little dog had gone.” He closed his eyes and rocked.

      When it became apparent he wasn’t going to continue, Anna Mae leaned forward and asked, “Did you find the puppy?”

      His eyes flittered open. “Sure did. It was at the meat market, trapped under the boardwalk with a bone too big to get out.” Josiah chuckled. “I enjoyed looking for that pup and proving to the sheriff that I hadn’t stolen it. It was then that I decided I wanted to be a lawman when I grew up.” He glanced at the girls, who continued to crawl about the corral like playful puppies.

      “I imagine it’s an exciting job.” Anna Mae sat back against the cushions.

      “It can be, but it’s also dangerous and stressful when you have a family to consider.”

      Her gaze moved to the girls once more and narrowed speculatively. “Have you ever considered a different line of work?”

      “Yes and no.” He sighed. “Right after Mary died, while I searched for the bank robbers who shot her, I thought a lot about quitting. But what can a seasoned lawman do besides upkeep the law?”

      Anna Mae grinned at him. “Farm?”

      He chuckled. “I know little to nothing about farming.”

      She tucked the thin quilt closer around her legs. Even covered as she was, she felt the chill in the air. “So I take it you grew up in town?”

      Again he nodded. “Yep, I was known as a street rat. My mother had died when I was a baby and my father...he hadn’t taken her death well. So to my way of thinking, when the doctor’s kid accused me of stealing his puppy, he did me a great favor.”

      “Gave you a direction to follow?”

      “You could say that. I went to Sheriff Grady and told him I wanted to work for him. He took a twelve-year-old boy under his wing and helped me grow to manhood.” For a moment Josiah seemed to travel back in time.

      Anna Mae could barely stifle a yawn. “I’m glad. We were both fortunate to have someone mentor us.” She covered her mouth to conceal another yawn.

      “You look like a woman who needs more rest. Why don’t you go on back to bed for a little while? I will call you for dinner.”

      She shook her head. “No, it’s time I started sleeping out here and let you have your room back.”

      “Now, Annie. You aren’t fully well yet and I can’t allow you to do that.” He stood and pulled the rifle down from over the fireplace.

      “I appreciate all the help you’ve given me, Sheriff Miller, but I am well enough now to take care of myself.” It was a weak protest that came from a still scratchy throat.

      He grinned at her and said. “Sheriff Grady used to say, ‘Young man, as long as you live under my roof, you’ll abide by my rules.’ I think I’ll use those words on you. So no more protesting, go get some rest.” Josiah set the gun down and reached for her hand.

      Anna Mae wanted to argue but didn’t have the strength. She took his hand and allowed him to pull her up. “All right, but as soon as I’m feeling better, I will be moving to the couch.”

      He laughed at her weak words. “We’ll see.”

      Anna Mae went into the bedroom and shut the door. If truth were told, she liked him being in charge. But Anna Mae refused to allow herself the luxury of depending on a man. The last man she’d depended on to keep his word had failed miserably. No, she wasn’t going to get close enough to Josiah or his girls to depend on them for happiness or anything else.

      * * *

      A few days later, Josiah inhaled the hearty fragrance of fresh, hot bread mingled with a pork stew cooking on the stove. His gaze moved to the woman who sat reading with his girls.

      She was amazing.

      Over the past few days, she’d managed to clean the house and at the same time keep the girls happy. He’d helped her with a lot of the cleaning, but still she seemed to be able to spot just what needed to be done. She’d also allowed the girls more freedom from the corral. They’d wobbled about the house and seemed happy just to explore and play.

      Unfortunately, the storm had picked up once more, and as the snow fell, Anna Mae became quieter and quieter. Josiah assumed she worried over what the school board would say once she did make it back to town. He noticed little Rose releasing a mighty big yawn.

      “Looks like these two are ready for a nap,” Josiah said, taking Rose from Anna Mae’s lap.

      “Yes, it is that time,” she answered, swinging her legs off the couch.

      “You stay put. I’ll come back for Ruby,” he instructed as he carried the little girl into the bedroom he shared with the two children. He glanced over his shoulder.

      “No nap,” Ruby muttered, tucking her head under Anna Mae’s chin. Her chubby little thumb found her mouth and her eyes began to close.

      Josiah slipped Rose into her crib and then returned for Ruby.

      Anna Mae yawned, too, as she met him halfway to the bedroom. She offered him a gentle smile as he took Ruby from her arms.

      “Go lie down. You could use some rest, too, after all you’ve done this morning.” He turned to the bedroom before she could protest.

      Ruby was already asleep as he tucked her little blanket about her small shoulders. His gaze moved to her twin, who also breathed in a steady, slow manner. His girls were freshly bathed, wore clean dresses and smelled of talc powder. If only they had a mother to keep them smelling and looking like sweet little girls.

      Josiah walked back to the sitting room. Anna Mae rested on the couch with the quilt over her. Her steady breathing told him that she, too, had settled in for a nap. Had she overdone it? He’d noticed she grew tired after each task, but would take a short break and then start back to cleaning or doing something with the girls. Maybe he should have made her relax more.

      She’d been at the cabin now well over a week. It was time she had her own bedroom. When he and the girls had first moved into the house, he’d started using the extra two rooms as storage rooms. Now his guest needed one of them.

      As he cleaned and straightened it up, his thoughts turned to Anna Mae’s future. Would the school board fire her for being at his place for so long? Josiah sighed. Even he knew that they weren’t going to approve of her extended stay.

      Maybe Levi Westland would be able to help her. Levi was the reason Anna Mae was in Granite in the first place. He’d invited her to their small town as a mail-order bride. Then when he’d chosen to marry Millie Hamilton, Levi had made sure that Anna Mae got the teacher’s position when it became available.

      But if Levi couldn’t persuade the school board, what in the world was Josiah going to do about her? He had no idea what would become of Anna Mae should she lose her job. Would he be able to help her? And if so, how?

       Chapter Three

      Three days later, the sun came out and melted most of the snow and ice, making it possible for Anna Mae to return to town. Mud squished under Josiah’s boots as he hitched his horse to the wagon. He’d decided to leave the mule in the barn. It would be hard enough driving the wagon through the mud without trying to pull a cankerous mule behind it. Josiah had assured Anna Mae he’d bring it back to town as soon as the ground