Liam Read Online Free PDF Page B

Ellie.”
    “Very well, but I think I’ll call you Eleanor. It’s much more dignified. I’ll see you on Monday. Eleanor.”
    She smiled. His day got immediately better.
    “Until Monday.”
    Liam turned on his heel and walked out of the tent before he gave into the temptation to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. He doubted the outspoken Miss Smith had ever been kissed. At least not how he intended to do it. It would be fun to teach her how to kiss and so much more.
    But that wasn’t going to happen. Miss Smith needed wooing and marriage, neither of which he was interested in. Or was he? Was he prepared to put the past behind him? He knew Mary would want him to continue living. Want him to provide a mother for their children. Someone they could come to when he wasn’t around. Someone to help Hannah with all the girly things he couldn’t. But could he let go of Mary? Let go of the pain? He definitely had some serious thinking to do.

CHAPTER 3

    Liam rode up the creek to his campsite, arriving there at dusk. The boys, as he referred to his brothers, should be done for the day and getting ready to start dinner. He’d be there just in time.
    As much as he didn’t look forward to sleeping in the tent again, he’d do anything for his children, and giving them a new life was the best he could do right now. As he rounded the corner to the site he was amazed to see a large cabin where his tent had been.
    He dismounted and walked the last fifty feet in awe, trying to take in the changes.
    “Daddy!” Hannah was the first to see him. She ran to him and launched herself at him. He dropped the package of steak, caught her and wrapped his daughter in arms that ached from not having her to hold. Lord, he’d missed her, missed these hugs. He held her tight while she placed sweet baby kisses all over his face. Lord, she’s grown. So much in so little time.
    “Pumpkin, did you miss me? I missed you so much.”
    “I did Daddy, but Uncle Zach, Uncle Jake and Aunt Becky all took turns reading to me and Davie at night. And Aunt Becky held me when I cried ’cause I missed you. I’m so glad you back.”
    Her little arms wrapped tight about his neck nearly strangling him but he didn’t mind at all.
    “Hannah, stop choking Daddy,” said David, who was now at his side, hugging him.
    “Hi, son,” said Liam. It was all he could get out without tearing up himself. He held David with one arm and Hannah in the other. Together they made their way toward the house.
    “Well, brother, you’re back early. Glad to have you home,” said Zach walking up to him. “Jake and Becky should be by shortly. How do you like the cabin?”
    “It’s wonderful,” said Liam. “It’s not a cabin but a house. It’s so big.”
    “Well, it has to be, we’re all living in it until my cabin gets built. Winter was just too harsh and we knew if we didn’t build it soon, it would only get harder and colder, so it only took us about two months. Come on in and warm up. There’s a fire going.”
    Liam unwrapped Hannah’s arms from around his neck, set her on the ground, then picked up the package of steaks. “Here, these are for dinner.” He handed the meat to David. “I thought we could all use a good meal,” he said to Zach.
    “Great. We’ve been eating a lot of fish and Jake has killed a deer or three. So we’ve had meat, but not beef. Not in a very long time,” said Zach.
    Liam walked into the cabin. It wasn’t fancy, but to him, it was beautiful. In the main room, directly in front of him across from the door, was a big fireplace. A kitchen was off to the left. A large table with chairs on either side and at each end, stood in front of the fire. There was no stove in the kitchen, so it appeared they still cooked over the fire. That was all right, the next thing Liam would get for them would be a cook stove.
    To the right of the fireplace was a sitting room with two comfortable-looking stuffed chairs and a rocking chair. Also,