The Chef's Mail Order Bride: A Sweet Western Historical Romance (Wild West Frontier Brides Book 1) Read Online Free Page B

crystal stemware. She hadn’t seen anything like it since the last Christmas dinner she’d spent with her parents.
    She couldn’t take her gaze from the table as her eyes traveled from the beautiful place settings to the center, where she saw a perfectly browned roast with sprigs of rosemary, pepper and garlic, glazed carrots with what smelled like cinnamon, tarragon and brown sugar and a bowl of soup next to the plate.
    She walked closer to the table, resting her hands on the back of the chair, and bent forward, inhaling deeply of the soup. She straightened, her eyes closed as she appreciated the aromas, and said to Suzanne, “Split pea? My favorite!”
    “Yes, I heard,” a male voice said, and Sadie’s eyes flew open as she turned in the direction of the sound.
    She hadn’t noticed Tripp standing in the corner when they’d come in, and she felt the heat rise in her cheeks as he walked toward her. “Suzanne told me your favorites, and I made as many as I could tonight.”
    She met his eyes and her head tilted slightly. “That’s a very kind thing to do for someone you’ve never met.”
    His dark hair was a bit disheveled, with curls falling a bit past his ears, and she figured it had been no small feat to get this meal together by himself. Impressed, she turned back to the table.
    “You’ve come a long way to help me, and I thought it was the least I could do. By the way, I’m Tripp Morgan,” he said, and extended his hand to her as James and Suzanne entered the room.
    She smiled at him as she took his hand and shook it. It felt warm in hers, and somehow comfortable.
    “Please, sit,” he said as he pulled out a chair for her.
    James pulled out a chair for Suzanne, and they both smiled, looking back and forth from her to Tripp.
    “So,” James said.
    An uncomfortable silence followed as Suzanne appeared to be waiting for one of the men to say something. Unfortunately, they were both looking at their soup.
    Suzanne laughed, raised her eyebrows at Sadie and said, “Well, I’ll start, then.” She shook her head and looked from Tripp to James. “Although it’s not my story.”
    “Fine,” Tripp said, as he raised his hands to the food, encouraging everyone to eat. James lifted the first platter and held it out to Suzanne.
    “James tells me that he shared the original bit of the story with you on the ride from the train station.”
    “Yes,” she said as the platter of delicious-looking roast was passed in her direction. She smiled as she spied the horseradish sauce on the table to go with it. “I’ve heard that you can’t get your bank loan until you have a wife.”
    She closed her eyes at the heavenly first bite of the perfect roast that almost melted in her mouth. It was, without question, the best she’d ever tasted.
    “That is true, which is why this is such an urgent situation,” Tripp said, looking pointedly at James.
    James sighed and set down his fork. “I’ve told Tripp that it is, in fact, not an urgent situation.”
    “I don’t understand,” Sadie said, confused.
    Suzanne shook her head and said, “These two are best friends, but don’t seem to be able to communicate very well. While Tripp was finishing up his chef training in New York, he and James had made lists of things to order—both supplies and equipment. We offered to loan Tripp the money to buy these things, and when he returned, his previous boss would reimburse us for the loan.”
    “And that’s where it went off the rails,” Tripp said, shaking his head and frowning. “I had intended to pay them back as soon as I returned, and there’s been the delay with my old boss. I decided to get the loan, and only recently was informed that I would need to be married for it to be approved.”
    Suzanne set her soup bowl aside. “That was delicious, Tripp. The best, as always.” She smiled, and his eyes lit up at the compliment.
    James said, “We have told Tripp that we are able to make the loan. The mercantile is doing