Gabe's Pledge (Grooms With Honor Book 3) Read online

  “Thank you, sir.” Gabe rose from the table and held out his hand to shake the pastor’s hand. “I have a lot to think about.”

  “Life is a mixture of happiness and sorrow, so don’t expect marriage to be easy, but trust me, you’ll get through life better with the right woman.”

  ***

  Iva Mae leaned back a bit to glance at Gabe. He was sitting in their family pew across the aisle and she was with her family. Everyone sat in the same pew each Sunday by habit, unless there was an early visitor who came in and upset the pew seating.

  The service hadn’t started yet. Kaitlyn Reagan was in the back of the church still visiting with latecomers, even though Pastor was standing in front of the pulpit staring at her and waiting for her to walk to the front pew to take her seat.

  The lineup in the front pew was slowly changing. It was the pastor’s goal to move his tall sons from the front pew to the back pews, so he and the congregation could see each other better. Of course, to get to the back pews reserved for young families, the sons had to marry first. Angus and Fergus had married this past year and moved to the back. Tully was too young to marry and the other sons didn’t seem interested in women.

  Iva Mae had dreamed of moving to the couples’ pews for the past six years, but she still sat with her family. Was she ready to marry a stranger and sit in a congregation she didn’t know? Yes. She’d make friends, just as their family did when they moved to Clear Creek years ago. Change was the only sure thing in life.

  But before giving up on Gabe, she was going to make a few advances herself. Humiliation and embarrassment were always the possibility when chasing after a man, but she’d always had her mind set on being Gabe’s wife. If she didn’t tell him her feelings, she’d always wonder what life would be like with him and their family.

  “Iva Mae, pay attention to Pastor instead of gawking at Gabe,” Maridell poked her in the ribs. Goodness, could everybody see her obvious stare at the man—including him?

  She straightened forward to pay attention to Pastor starting the service. But after service, her attention would be on Gabe instead.

  *

  “Hello everyone,” Iva Mae greeted the Shepard family as they strolled down the aisle past her. Gabe was the last to leave the pew so she waited and then stepped in the aisle so she could walk with him.

  “Did you enjoy today’s sermon?” she asked Gabe although she hadn’t paid attention to Pastor’s words today.

  “Sure. Did you?”

  “Of course.” Why was she tongued-tied now that she had Gabe’s undivided attention?

  “I was wondering if you could walk over to the school house with me.” Iva Mae blurted out, positive her cheeks were blushing.

  “Why?”

  Gabe’s answer threw her for a loop because it wasn’t what she expected him to say.

  “Um, the stove damper is giving me problems, so I thought you could check it for me.”

  “Sure. When do you want to do it?”

  “Actually, how about right now?”

  “Makes sense. We do walk by the school on our way home from church.”

  Gabe helped Iva Mae put on her cloak which was hanging on a row of hooks in the back wall of the church. He knew which one was hers since she always hung it in about the same place…next to his coat when she could.

  She pulled her gloves from her pockets, put them on, then reached for Gabe’s elbow, hoping he wouldn’t mind her using him for support.

  “I was surprised by this skiff of snow last night. Made the boardwalks a little slick, don’t you think?” Iva Mae asked as she tightened her grip around Gabe’s arm.

  “About what we should expect for mid-January,” Gabe answered as they walked down the church steps as a couple.

  Why couldn’t they be doing this every Sunday? Even better with a baby in her arms and a toddler in Gabe’s? Well she was going to ask him as soon as they arrived at the schoolhouse on the pretense of checking the stove.

  Warmth drifted over Iva Mae as she used the key and opened the door. She had started the fire before church this morning and it had warmed up the building.

  “Feels good in here,” Gabe announced as he walked forward to check the stove in the middle of the room. “What’s wrong with the damper? Not staying open or won’t close when you need it to?”

  Iva Mae slowly moved through the room, bypassing Gabe and the stove to lean against her desk.

  “Actually, the stove is fine. I wanted to have a private word with you. We couldn’t have a moment alone at the church, hotel, or your home.”

  How should she start the conversation? She didn’t want him to become defensive, or back out of the door and run.

  Gabe stepped away from the stove toward her, but stayed a good five feet from her. He crossed his arms, waiting for her to speak.

  “I love teaching school, seeing the children’s wonder of grasping the meaning of words they just read themselves, or figuring out a math problem on the chalkboard.”

  “You’re good with children. They respect you, as do their parents.” Gabe’s words touched her heart with pride.

  “Yes, I’ve enjoyed—almost every student—but I hadn’t planned on teaching my entire life. I’m ready for the next step in my life, which for me means marriage and children.”

  Iva Mae watched Gabe study the floor as he traced the edge of a floorboard with the toe of his boot. Why wouldn’t he say anything?

  “Do you plan to marry someday, Gabe?”

  His head jerked up and he met her stare.

  “Yes.”

  “And when?” Iva Mae purposely didn’t mention herself in his equation to see what he’d say.

  “I haven’t been in any rush. I like living with my family and working with Pa. After our rocky start when I moved here from New York, I’ve enjoyed the family which we’ve patched together with us, Darcie, and her kids.”

  “Tate’s fifteen and Amelia is almost fourteen. They’ll soon be moving out on their own. Are you staying with your parents to help them out when they’re old?”

  “Darcie’s barely forty and a lot younger than Pa. She can take care of him when he’s an old man.”

  “So where does that leave you?”

  “I’ve been thinking about moving out.”

  “So, we’re thinking along the same line. I’ve been saving my teacher’s salary, so it could go toward my new family’s home.”

  “And where’s that going to be, since you’re corresponding with strangers?”

  “Don’t know for sure yet. Of course I’d stay in Clear Creek if a certain man asked me to stay and marry him.”

  “And which man is that?” Gabe was now standing in front of her, intently staring into her eyes.

  Giggles followed by a blast of cold air as the door opened and then shut, causing them to look toward the door. Tate, Gabe’s brother, had his arms around Luella, Iva Mae’s sister, and they were enjoying a steamy kiss between them against the closed door.

  Good gravy. Luella enjoyed more kisses from suitors by age fifteen than Iva Mae had at twenty-three.

  And whose fault was that? Well, it was Gabe’s since he’d never attempted to kiss her. Maybe it was best Iva Mae married a stranger if no one in town thought she was worth courting.

  “Luella!” Iva Mae marched around Gabe to grab her sister’s elbow. “Aren’t you a little young to be courting without a chaperone?”

  “I wasn’t courting her, I was just kissing her,” Tate gave the two sisters a wink before his boyish grin widened.

  “Time to go home, Luella,” Iva Mae sighed. Just their luck. Tate Shepard loved to kiss but was too young to marry. And Gabe Shepard hadn’t gotten around to either kissing or courting anyone yet, and he was still living with his parents.

  After she escorted Luella home, she should spend Sunday afternoon writing long letters to her prospective grooms.

  Chapter 5

  “That was bad timing, Tate.” Gabe rounded on his little brother after Iva Mae p
ulled Luella out of the schoolhouse, being sure to slam the door behind her hard enough to rattle the windows. She didn’t even mention needing to bank the stove’s fire or lock the front door.

  “Yeah. I was excited to find the front door unlocked, but didn’t think someone else would already be in here kissing.”

  “We weren’t kissing.”

  “And why not? Don’t you like girls? I’ve never seen you kiss anyone, come to think of it.”

  Gabe’s first thought was to strangle Tate, and his second, was that Tate was right. He’d never kissed Iva Mae—simply or passionately—as Tate had done to Luella. And Luella looked as if she really enjoyed the affection.

  “Aren’t you a little young to be kissing girls? You’re not even shaving yet,” Gabe accused Tate, who didn’t seem the least bit worried about being reprimanded.

  “Nope. It makes me feel all excited and tingly inside.”

  Uh oh. “Has Pa talked to you about ‘the birds and the bees’?” If their father hadn’t, Gabe was going to...suggest Pa do it.

  Tate’s eyes about bugged out of his reddened face. “Of course he has, but I’m not after that!”

  “What’s that?” Gabe pushed back to see what Tate would say.

  “Babies!”

  “Well, that can happen after feeling ‘all excited and tingly inside’.” Gabe had his hands on his hips staring down at his brother, who was not quite as tall as he was...yet.

  “I’m after the hotel baker’s cookies and pies.”

  Gabe shook his head when he couldn’t comprehend why babies and cookies were mentioned together.

  “What?”

  “Luella loves my kisses, so she slips me baked goods from the hotel restaurant.” Tate had his arms across his puffed-up chest, rocking back and forth on his boot heels, grinning as if he’d explained the secret of love to his big brother. And maybe he had.

  Give something to get something. The philosophy was as old as Adam and Eve.

  “And what happens when one of you wants something more?” Gabe tried to penetrate the adolescent’s thick skull of what could happen past the “kiss for a cookie” stage.

  “By then I’ll have my own house, saved up from working in our shop, and we can get married.”

  Simple solution. Huh. Maybe he should think about that, but first he had to get up the nerve to visit the banker about the house Mack was repairing.

  “And speaking of food, I’m hungry. Let’s go home and see what Ma fixed for Sunday dinner.” Tate suggested as he tugged the door open.

  Well at least the boy still had his priorities straight. Food before girls.

  “Go on home. I’ll bank the fire and be home in a bit.” Gabe barely said the words before Tate was hustling out the door.

  Gabe looked around the schoolroom, looking at Iva Mae’s domain, so to speak. It was neat and clean, just like the hotel, and her future home would be. Iva Mae would make a good wife.

  So why wasn’t he pursuing her to be his wife? Because he was shy, quiet, and didn’t have any experience in kissing. Gosh, his fifteen year old brother was ahead of him on all counts.

  Give something to get something.

  Well, maybe he and Iva Mae could learn this kissing stuff together. She’d been waiting on him for years and hadn’t accepted anyone else’s courting proposals. That gave him a sense of pride and disappointment. Maybe they’d been missing something these past years.

  Gabe scanned the room again and stopped at the apple on her desk. A simple symbol of a gift to a teacher, or a snack she didn’t get around to eating last Friday.

  Give to get...

  Gabe felt better leaving the schoolhouse as an idea formed in his mind. This time he’d ask for Darcie’s help instead of Mack’s.

  *

  “Thanks for dinner, Darcie.” Gabe stayed seated at the dining room table after everyone else had left to carry dishes to the kitchen. “I don’t say it well in words, but I do appreciate all you’ve done for me and Mary through the years.”

  “You’re more than welcome, Gabe. I love taking care of my family.” Darcie started to leave, carrying with her the gravy boat and the empty bowl of what had been a mound of mashed potatoes, but then turned back when he didn’t rise.

  “Something on your mind, Gabe? Need to talk?”

  “Yeah. I’ve been thinking about Iva Mae and her signing up to be a mail-order bride.”

  Darcie sat down across the table from Gabe. “And what are you thinking about?”

  “I don’t want her to leave Clear Creek, or marry someone.”

  “Feeling a little jealous?” Darcie had a slight smile and upturned eyebrows with her words.

  “Guess so. And I don’t know what to do about it.”

  Gabe leaned his elbows on the table and ran a hand across his face. He was embarrassed to talk about this to someone, but Darcie would give him good advice. His pa would just bark at him to figure it out himself. Gabe and his father got along as partners in business, but there were some personal things in the past with his mother they’d both rather not bring up.

  “Let’s start with the facts. Iva Mae loves you and...”

  “I love her. But Tate has more experience with kissing than I do.” Gabe snorted.

  “I noticed he was sneaking a cloth-covered pie tin upstairs.” She laughed when seeing the surprised look in his eyes.

  “Helen and I are well aware of what Tate and Luella are up to. We’ll start to worry when there isn’t any food exchanged for kisses anymore.”

  “Can’t get anything by a mother, right?”

  “That’s right. So that’s why I know you’ve been pining for Iva Mae but not doing anything about it.”

  “Nope. I haven’t been sneaking any food up to my room.” Oh why did he think Darcie, and his Pa didn’t know what was going on? They did.

  “But now Iva Mae’s New Year’s resolution is pushing you into doing something, or losing her to another man.” Darcie leaned forward across the table to look him straight in the eye. “It’s time to come up with a plan to get you and Iva Mae to the altar, Gabe.”

  He swallowed hard, but nodded his agreement.

  “I talked to Pastor.”

  “And can I ask his advice, if you want to share?”

  “First he said to court her, like it was the simplest thing in the world to do. But then he also said to remember the wedding vows because they meant I’d be united with Iva Mae for the rest of our lives. And, if I had any doubts, figure them out now, or let her make a life with another.”

  “Which part of Pastor’s advice bothers you the most?”

  “Actually the courting. I’d be faithful and take care of Iva Mae forever.”

  “Then let’s break the idea of courting into easier parts for you to do.”

  Gabe’s palms were sweating but Darcie made it sound doable.

  “A man asks a woman if he can court her so they can get to know each other.”

  “But I’ve known Iva Mae for years.”

  “Yes, so that part of courting is done. Another way to show you like a person is to give them things, like handwritten notes, small gifts like...”

  “Like an apple on the teacher’s desk.”

  “Exactly, to show the person you’re interested in them. But give it some thought to make it personal. Iva Mae likes to read, so make her a special leather book marker.”

  “I can do that, and a new coin purse.”

  “And when and how are you going to give them to her?”

  “Can I just leave them on her desk at school?”

  He noticed Darcie closed her eyes so he wouldn’t notice she rolled them upwards. She also stifled a sigh.

  “No. You give them to her in person so in exchange, she gives you something back. A thank you and...”

  “A hug and kiss?” Okay, he could play this game if it made him feel all excited and tingly as Tate described it.

  “Starting to sound fun to court Iva Mae?”

  Gabe blushed thinking abo
ut it.

  ***

  “I don’t know,” Iva Mae whined to her sisters. “He lives close by, but he doesn’t sound interesting.”

  “I think he does, so you need to write back,” Maridell shot back while snagging the letter and cabinet card from Iva Mae’s hand.

  The four older sisters sat in the parlor of their side of the third floor apartment of the hotel, lounging after their Sunday noon meal. Originally there were two apartments built, one for Ethan—now their stepfather—and the other for Elvin and Esther Paulson, his parents and their grandparents. A door cut between the two apartments gave the family more room when their mother married Ethan, and the elder Paulsons moved to a house in town.

  As their younger sisters were born, the four claimed this side as their own space, although everyone in the family went back and forth between the two sides.

  “Frank Dolecek owns a boarding house in Wilson. You’d have a home and business right away,” Maridell pointed to a segment in the letter.

  “And it would be no different than living and working in our hotel now. He’s just looking for a housekeeper and cook.” Iva Mae shook her head because she didn’t want to live and work in that environment again.

  “But it’s only a few train stops away from Clear Creek. Think how easy it would be to visit back and forth,” Maridell countered.

  Iva Mae watched her sister stare at the portrait Mr. Dolecek had sent of himself. The man looked nice enough, but he…wasn’t Gabe. Maridell took one more look at the photo and passed it back to her, but kept the letter.

  “Invite him to visit since he lives so close. We can all size him up and vote if he’s a contender,” Avalee added.

  “Take him over to the schoolhouse and see if he’s a good kisser,” Luella smirked, bringing three pairs of eyes boring down on her.

  “What?” Luella’s gray eyes widened and she turned her palms up in an innocent gesture. “Isn’t affection important in a marriage?”

  Iva Mae looked at her other sisters. Maridell’s blue eyes twinkled with amusement and Avalee’s brown eyes sternly stared at the youngest in the group. All four sisters looked similar but had different eye color due to their fathers’ genes. Only Iva Mae had her mother’s green eyes and dark red hair. The other girls’ hair color varied from bright red to orange. Their four younger sisters all favored their father’s blonde hair and blue eyes.