Jodi Thomas Read Online Free PDF Page A

down, she was sure easy on the eyes. He might just enjoy having Miss Joanna Whiddon under his roof. She wasn’t as cold as he’d thought and it was pleasant talking with her. For the first time in years Colt smiled for no reason at all.

Chapter Four
    Colt’s mood was as dark as the stormy northern sky when he loaded the girls into the wagon. He’d done what he could to cancel this Valentine’s Day party, but Buckles had been right, Miss Whiddon was one determined lady. She’d organized all the wives for ten miles around and decorated the mess hall in red and white.
    “Valentine’s Day isn’t for another week,” he mumbled as he climbed in beside her on the wagon bench. “Plus it always struck me as a worthless holiday.”
    “This is close enough to the date,” Joanna mumbled back, mocking him. They’d been playing a game, avoiding speaking directly about the dance. He hadn’t been able to resist getting up before dawn in hopes of sharing coffee with her. She was usually up, but between the girls and Aunt Etta they’d never been alone again.
    Colt raised an eyebrow and looked at her as he debated saying anything else. “I don’t see much point in this when there are a hundred other things to be done around the fort.”
    Joanna decided to change the subject. “Well, one good thing, you got your clothes pressed. You look very polished in your dress uniform, Captain Barnett.”
    The captain threaded the reins through his fingers as he smiled to himself. “I’m not easily taken in by flattery, Miss Whiddon.”
    Joanna spoke her mind before she thought. “Or women, I’d guess.” She realized how hard her words sounded, so she softened them with a question. “You don’t think much of the fairer sex, do you, Captain?”
    Colt urged the horses into a walk. “To tell you the truth I’ve never been around them much. My mother died before I could walk and my wife left after two years of marriage. Maybe it’s the other way around. Maybe women don’t like me much.”
    Joanna looked back at the three girls talking to Aunt Etta. “You have three girls who love you a great deal. Maybe you should spend a little time trying to understand them. Women don’t always respond to orders like your men do.”
    “You’re telling me!” Colt couldn’t keep from smiling as he glanced over his shoulder. “They’re a lot of trouble, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything.” He looked forward. “And you’re probably right. The girls do look more civilized in dresses than in overalls.”
    “They’re the reason you let me plan this party.” Joanna simply stated a fact. She’d known it from the beginning. When he’d started objecting, all one of the twins had done was take his huge hand in hers and ask him to teach her to dance. From then on he complained only to force her into a lively argument about the party, but Joanna guessed he’d do little to stop it from happening.
    Colt didn’t answer but acted as if he was only interested in the clouds. Finally he said, “I wanted to drive the wagon over tonight because it looks like it might rain.”
    “It might,” Joanna added, knowing that he was thinking of more than the weather.
    They reached the mess hall and Colt climbed down to help first Joanna and Etta down, then he lifted each of his little ladies out of the wagon. “You girls look like angels tonight, so try to act like it.”
    The twins looked at one another and giggled. At five, their every experience was filled with emotion, be it joy or fear. Joanna took their hands and led them into the converted hall.
    The children squealed with excitement when they saw all the decorations. Paper hearts and flowers were everywhere. All the tables except one had been stacked along the walls. The one remaining held a large bucket of punch and Aunt Etta’s now famous valentine cookies. She’d sworn to make them every day until all the men at the fort got tired of the sight of her passing them out from the