Page 40 of Taming Lady Temperance

That girl. Noreen shook her head as her heart swelled with affection. Such a gift.

After securing her hat with a pair of pins, Noreen took up her bag, left the hotel kitchen, and headed to the church three blocks away. As she passed the wagonyard, she spotted a young boy handing out flyers to the men gathered there. Men who started grinning and slapping each other on the back after reading whatever had been printed on the page. Curiosity piqued, Noreen veered toward the boy as he reentered the street. His eyes met hers, but he didn’t move in her direction. In fact, he turned his back and headed in the opposite direction.

“Excuse me,” she called. “May I have one of those pamphlets, please?”

Thankfully, someone had drilled enough manners into the lad that he halted and turned to face her, even though his expression made it clear it was the last thing he wished to do.

“Sorry, lady. These are for menfolk only.” He pulled the pile of papers against his chest, blocking her view.

Menfolk only? Noreen stiffened. Of all the chauvinistic, exclusionary . . . She forced herself to breathe. It wasn’t the child’s fault. He was just repeating what he’d been told.

“Well,” she said, careful to keep her voice pleasant, “I happen to be heading to an event where several men will be in attendance. I’d be glad to distribute a few of those flyers for you. Save you the trouble.”

His face scrunched as if he were considering the offer. After a moment, though, he shook his head. “Nah. I best hand ’em out myself. Sorry.”

The boy turned and headed across the railroad tracks toward the lumber shed.

“Wait!” She took a few steps after him, then stopped.

For pity’s sake. She had more important things to worry about than some male-eyes-only advertisement. She was about to turn and be on her way when a familiar figure stepped out of the carpentry shop on the corner.

James’s face lit as he saw her. “Hey, Noreen. The big day’s finally here. Are you excited?”

She rushed up to him and grabbed his arm with one hand as she pointed at the retreating boy with the other. “James! Thank heaven. I need you to go after that boy and ask him for a pamphlet.”

“A . . . pamphlet?”

“Yes. He wouldn’t give one to me. Said they were for menfolk only.”

He raised a brow. “And you want to see a pamphlet intended for men because . . . ?”

“Because censorship is unconstitutional. Now go after him.”

“I’m not sure this qualifies as censorship.”

Why wasn’t he moving? She gave him a nudge to try to get him started. “Just take your manfolk self after him and get a pamphlet.”

He chuckled. “My manfolk self?”

Realizing that she was making no headway trying to force him to do her bidding, she gave up and did what she should have done in the beginning—ask. “Please, James?”

His demeanor softened before her eyes, as if those two simple words had completely disarmed him. His reluctance to fetch a pamphlet for her had been obvious, yet his shoulders dipped as if he’d made up his mind to acquiesce simply to please her. Her. Noreen “Troublemaker” O’Sullivan. Her insides melted in an instant.

“All right.” He raised a brow and pointed a finger at her in warning. “But if there’s anything offensive on that page, I’m not showing it to you.”

“I agree to letting you summarize the contents for me should that be the case.”

He blinked. Then laughed and shook his head. “Of course.”

She worried he might be losing patience with her, but the look in his eyes exuded more fond amusement than exasperated annoyance. A fact that made her heart expand almost painfully in her chest. How easy it would be to fall in love with this man.

She touched his arm. “Thank you.”

His gaze settled atop her hand for a moment before returning to her face, and when his eyes reconnected with hers, the level of heat emanating from them had doubled.

“Stay here.”

Not a problem. That look had weakened her knees to the point that she’d not trust them to carry her anywhere.