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“Why do I have an image of you in fancy dresses?” Earl asked. “I could swear everywhere you went in Beckham you were dressed formally.”
“I was.” Ada shook her head. “My mother was certain I needed to marry a rich man and take my place in society. I just wanted to be a farm wife, but I settled for being a ranch wife. I will eternally be thankful to your sister for getting me out of that miserable situation.”
“Elizabeth is an amazing sister.”
“Is she the one who taught you to cook?” Charlotte asked.
“Yup,” Earl said easily.
“I will be eternally grateful to her as well then.”
Earl laughed. “I’ve only cooked a couple of meals for you.”
“It was three. And it was three meals I didn’t have to cook. I don’t think I’ve eaten anything I didn’t have to cook for fifteen years!”
“Well, I’m happy to oblige,” he said, grinning at her.
“Maybe you should come to my house then,” Ada said. “I’ll cook for you! I wish I’d known. I’d have had you over months ago!”
“I was too busy to visit anyone. You have a new baby, so you should come to my place. I love the idea of doing something nice for you for a change.”
Cassandra Royal came over then. “Did you really find a man to marry?” she asked. Looking at Earl, she smiled. “Earl? I know you’re one of the Miller boys.”
“You got it. I’m Earl.” Earl knew Cassandra from their school. Cassandra had been much better behaved than he and his siblings.
“I don’t know if you remember me. I was Cassandra Arnold, but I’ve married, and I’m Cassandra Royal now.”
Earl nodded, smiling. “I remember you well. My brother, Joe, had a huge crush on you.”
“Joe dipped my pigtails in an inkwell, followed me home throwing apples at me, and tripped me in the schoolyard.”
“I know. He was flirting.”
Cassandra looked at someone over Earl’s shoulder. “I’m glad my husband wasn’t that bad at flirting. Though, if I remember correctly, he wasn’t exactly good at courting me. Earl, meet my husband Cameron Royal.”
Earl turned, smiling. “Nice to meet you.”
“And you.” Cameron looked at Cassandra. “Now tell me how you know this man.”
Cassandra laughed. “We went to school together, and his brother picked on me mercilessly, and now I hear it was because he’d had a crush on me!”
Cameron handed the little boy in his arms to his wife, shaking Earl’s hand. “As long as you weren’t the one with a crush on her.”
Earl shook his head. “Not at all. And I’m married anyway. I married Charlotte on Friday.”
Cameron smiled, looking back and forth between the two. “You have a good woman.”
“I know I do. I wouldn’t trade her for the world. You and Cassandra should join us at our place for supper on Saturday night. I want to get to know Charlotte’s friends and their husbands.”
“We’d love to,” Cameron said, speaking for both of them. “Is the baby invited or should we leave him with my mother?”
“Whichever you prefer. As far as I’m concerned you can bring your mother as well!”
Charlotte’s eyes grew wider and wider as Earl invited more and more people for supper. She wasn’t going to be able to put off her shopping trip, even if she wanted to. “I will have to start thinking about what to cook. I don’t think I’ve ever cooked for such a large group.”
Earl grinned. “I’ll smoke some meat. You can just take care of the sides.”
“I’ll bring a couple of desserts,” Cassandra said. “You shouldn’t be roped into cooking for so many when it wasn’t even your idea.”
