The Sweetest Mail Order Bride (Sweet Creek Brides Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

the paper, charmed. Utterly charmed. It was like seeing double, staring at the cute little girls—little girls she’d come here to love. Her heart stirred. It was impossible to hold back that affection. “I’m pretty sure your pa doesn’t feel that way.”
    “Grandpa says he doesn’t know what’s good for him.”
    “But we do.”
    The twins smiled, flashing their adorable dimples. With their fringe bangs and twins braids, they looked like sweet, innocent dolls.
    Clementine was not fooled. “Was it your idea or your grandpa’s to lie to me?”
    The dimples faded. The smiles disappeared.
    “Uh—” Gracie’s shoulders slumped.
    “Uh—” Hope stared at her shoes. “We’re real sorry.”
    “Yeah, real sorry.” Gracie agreed. “We just wanted you for a ma so much.”
    “Cuz you always wanted a daughter to bake cookies with.”
    “And sew and knit with.”
    The twins each gave a genuine sigh of loss and regret. Clementine thought of the small stack of letters she had upstairs in her valise, tied with a leftover piece of yellow ribbon.
    How many times had she read and re-read the girls’ hopes and dreams?
We want a ma who will sing lots,
the first of the letters had started.
So that Pa will stop being sad. And we want a ma who bakes real good cookies.
    “That’s why we came to the train, Mrs. Clementine.” Hope drew in a slow, shaky breath. “So we could tell you—”
    “—you were the ma we wanted.” Gracie finished. “Grandpa said there was no other way. Pa wouldn’t find us a ma by himself.”
    “Yeah, we had to take charge.” Hope clasped her hands together. “That’s what Grandpa said.”
    “You don’t hate us now. Do you?” Pain shone in Gracie’s eyes.
    “Please don’t,” Hope’s voice went high and thin. Vulnerable. “Cuz we love you.”
    “I love you, too.” Clementine shook her head. How on earth was she ever going to resist these two? Good thing she wasn’t really going to be their mother, because they already had her wrapped around their fingers. Her heart warmed, sweetly wishing. “Being your ma would have been terribly nice, but we’ll always be friends.”
    “Okay.” Gracie swiped her eyes.
    “We promise.” Hope managed a wobbly smile.
    There was really no other option. She pushed her own sadness and loss aside. “Your father does know you two are here, right?”
    “Yep. He’s right out there.” Gracie pointed to the front window.
    Clementine turned around, spotting the handsome, stoic doctor who’d retreated to safety across the street. He was talking with a cowboy but keeping an eye on the boardinghouse. When he saw her looking at him, he whipped his head around. He hadn’t been watching her, had he?
    Probably terrified she was siding with the girls in concocting another plan to trap him into marriage. Poor Caleb.
    “Here. This is for you.” Gracie reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out an envelope.
    “I got one, too.” Hope yanked an envelope out of her pocket. They both thrust it proudly at her.
    She had a bad feeling. “Is that full of money?”
    “Yep. Pa said it’s for you.”
    “Is that right?” She bit her bottom lip, debating. If she took it, then her life would be easier. But it wasn’t right. “Your father made no commitment to me. He doesn’t owe me anything.”
    “Oh.” Gracie hung her head.
    Hope frowned. “You gotta take it so you can stay and love us.”
    “I’m always going to love you. Who couldn’t adore you two?”
    “Well—” Gracie rolled her eyes. “We can cause trouble.”
    “Yep. A lot of trouble.”
    Clementine laughed. “I don’t mind trouble. But I’m not going to take your father’s money.”
    Someone cleared their throat. Dr. Caleb Blake shouldered through the open doorway. “It’s too bad for you, because you are going to take it.”
    “See, it’s a good thing this didn’t work out. You’re bossy.”
    That made him smile. Oh, what a sight. Dimples framed the curve of his mouth, softening