Small-Town Brides Read Online Free PDF Page B

said Clay had to wait inside for everyone to finish, though. He had a perfectly good heater in his truck.
    Clay felt like he should say something to Rene before he left the church, but he hesitated. The sight of her sorting through all of those little mittens made him want to stay. Which was completely foolish since, in her mind, he was only the tow truck guy. The fact that he was bothered by that is why he knew he needed to leave and wait outside. By the time he got back with the family, Rene should be in bed at her aunt’s house.
    â€œLook at these.” Rene held up two tiny mittens with delight on her face. She put the pink mittens on her thumbs like puppets and wiggled them.
    â€œI didn’t know babies wore mittens,” Clay said and then he swallowed. Rene hadn’t smiled like this since she left Mule Hollow. She glowed. His butterfly woman was back. He had to admit it made him feel good to see it until he realized it was mittens that had made her smile and not him.
    â€œI’ll set them aside for the baby,” Rene said as she slipped the tiny mittens off her thumbs and put them in the pocket of the heavy coat she had borrowed from her aunt. “The poor thing. What a night to be out there stuck.”
    Rene’s blond hair swirled around her when she moved. Clay could almost imagine sliding his hands down the smooth locks of her hair and then dipping her head back a little so he could—
    â€œYou might want to get some blankets ready, too,” Clay interrupted himself. Those kinds of thoughts did no one any good, least of all him. “It wouldn’t hurt to warm the blankets in the oven after I leave, either, so they’ll be ready.”
    Clay ran his hand over his chin and felt the stubble on his face. He wished he’d pulled off the road yesterday and shaved. Just because he was here doing a job, it didn’t mean he couldn’t look better.
    â€œI’ll let my aunt know,” Rene said and looked back down into the box. “I need a scarf, too. Your truck is warm enough inside, but we’ll probably need to go out when we get to the car that’s stuck.”
    â€œWhat?” Clay frowned. Had he heard right? This wasn’t part of the plan. “I thought you were staying here with your aunt. Where it’s warm.”
    Clay didn’t mind doing a rescue mission in a snowstorm, but he sure didn’t want to take Rene with him. He knew women were strong and capable, but they might need to dig the car out of a snowbank, and he didn’t want Rene outside shivering in a blizzard. Not when he could spare her that.
    Just then Rene’s aunt and uncle came back from the kitchen.
    â€œWe’ve got blankets and some warm milk,” Rene’s aunt said as she pointed to the thermos her husband was setting on the pew next to the mitten box. “Hopefully, the mother has an empty bottle for the baby.”
    Rene was still staring at Clay. “You can’t go after them alone.”
    â€œAlone?” The minister straightened up and looked at Clay, too. “Of course, you can’t go alone. I don’t know what we were thinking. I’ll just take a double dose of my medicine and—”
    â€œYou’ll do no such thing,” his wife interrupted him. “The doctor said you needed to take care of yourself. You shouldn’t even be over here tonight. I’ll just wrap my ankle a little better and—”
    â€œNeither one of you are going,” Rene said firmly. “I’m all dressed for the cold. I’m the logical one to go. I’m happy to go.”
    â€œBut I don’t need anyone to come,” Clay protested as he slid a step closer to the door.
    â€œThat’s not—” The minister turned at a sound from the hallway. “Here come Charlie and Elmer now. We’ll all pray over the two of you before you go.”
    â€œI don’t think we need—” Clay began.
    Rene shot