Evie opened her mouth, but before she could say a word, he asked, “You are Everleigh Miller, correct?”
“I am.”
“And you were not expecting me?”
“No, I’m afraid not.”
Bewilderment clouded his handsome face and those eyes that seemed to see into her soul. He let out a sigh and then he smiled, a bit impishly. “Well, this is awkward.”
“Yes, it is.” She put the plates on the table to stop the cramping in her fingers from holding them so tightly. “Perhaps, you can tell me why you think I would be expecting you. And why you think we are to be married.”
“The advertisement in the newspaper?”
She shook her head, still thoroughly baffled. “I didn’t place any advertisements in the newspaper. And the only reason I would place one is to hire ranch hands, but I’m not looking for any at the moment.” He didn’t seem like a man who liked getting dirty, not in the fancy duds he was wearing—blackest black trousers and suit jacket, gold brocade vest, and pristine white shirt. Evie knew excellent quality clothing when she saw it, and what he wore did not belong to avaquero.
He flashed a self-confident grin and her insides turned to mush. “Not a ranch hand. A husband.”
“A husband?” she repeated, taken aback by the statement. “There must be some mistake. I would never do something like that.”
“But you did.” He reached out and gently rubbed his thumb against her cheek, causing an immediate reaction she hadn’t expected, nor experienced before. Her stomach quivered and her knees grew weak even as blood rushed to her face.
Humor twinkled in his eyes. “You had frosting on your face.”
Startled by the gentleness of his touch and the rush of pleasure as well as embarrassment coursing through her, it took Evie a moment or two to gain her composure. “You must be looking for a different Everliegh Miller. I have never, or would I ever, advertise for a husband.”
“And why is that?”
She shrugged. “I don’t need one.”
He laughed. “From what I understand from the wives of my limited acquaintance, no woman really needs a husband, but they can be quite handy to have around.”
Evie just stared at him. “How can you find this amusing? It isn’t.”
He sobered but a sparkle remained in his eyes. “Think about it, Miss Miller. It is sort of funny.”
“I don’t think so.” Her gaze roamed over his face. It was a handsome face, with laugh lines extending from the corners of his eyes and a charming smile. “Would you mind waiting here for a moment? Please, help yourself to a cup of coffee and a piece of cake. I need to find out what’s going on, who brought you here, and why.”
“Of course.”
With as much decorum as she could muster, she walked away and let herself into the kitchen, her mind a whirlwind of questions. Her gaze went to her friend Marisol standing beside the sink, dish towel in her hand as she dried the dishes Hilde washed, then to Felicity, Charley’s wife, sitting at the table, sorting clean silverware into their respective boxes. “There is a strange man in my garden,” she said.
“A strange man? Here? In your garden?” Hilde repeated the statement, rather stupidly, in Evie’s opinion, then turned back to the sink, but not before Evie saw a hint of a smile. Suspicion made her stiffen as she stared at Hilde’s back then eyed each of her friends in turn—Marisol, the one who never forgot a detail, and Felicity, Miss Manners herself. They, one at a time, met her stare for a moment before dropping their gazes.
“Would someone explain why there is a man standing in my garden, claiming to be my future husband?” She waited, arms folded across her chest and waited a little longer. No one, it seemed, was willing to answer. She tapped her foot on the Saltillo tile, the sound loud in the suddenly silent room. “Well? Is anyone going to answer me?”
“It was Lucy’s idea,” Felicity blurted out, her face turning pink. “She wrote an advertisement for a husband and put it in the newspaper.”
“Lucy did what?”
“At the time, we all agreed it was a good idea,” Marisol added. “You’ve been taking care of everyone for so long, Evie, you’ve forgotten how to live for yourself. And Lucy didn’t want you to be lonely now that she’s married and going to live in town.”
Evie paused to calm her thoughts before she asked, “You all thought it would be a good idea to arrange for a…a mail order husband for me?”
“What does he look like? ” Felicity rose from the table and peeked out the window of the kitchen door. “Ooh, look! He’s handsome!”
Marisol and Hilde joined her.
“So, what am I supposed to do with him?” Evie asked.
