Zack's Montana Bride (Sweet, Clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

must all be so new to him. He'd lived as a single man all his life. And now he had acquired an instant family.
    Lydia peered at Zack and wondered how on earth he was maintaining such composure when faced with such a dramatic change in his life. But it had been a change he had agreed to, even if perhaps he might not have fully comprehended the scale of the change that welcoming Lydia and the children into his life would cause in his otherwise simple existence.
    "Good cake, Lydia?" Zack asked her suddenly with a smile.
    Lydia took a piece on her fork and tasted it. One thing was for sure, Mrs. Brodie was a fine cook. "It's lovely. I better not eat too much of this, though. I might need to shop for more dresses if I do?"
    "What's wrong with buying more dresses?" Zack asked with a grin. "There are some good stores in Great Falls. Maybe not as fine as the ones you've been used to in the city. But the folks that run them are mighty friendly. And they do their best to get what you want, if they don't have it immediately to hand," he said.
    "I'll remember that," Lydia said.
    "Mama. Can we go and see the horses?" Gretchen asked, her mouth still filled with cake.
    "I'll wait until you've finished eating before I answer that, Gretchen," Lydia said.
    Zack glanced at Lydia and slowly put the last piece of cake on his own fork into his mouth, his eyes moving back and forth between mother and daughter.
    Gretchen swallowed the last of her cake and asked her question again.
    Zack put his fork down on his plate. "I think Ned could be persuaded to show you girls around the stables," he said.
    Daisy squealed with delight and started clapping her hands. Kate dug an elbow softly into her sister's side and gave Daisy a look that seemed immediately familiar to the youngest sister.
    Lydia looked at the girls. "You're not too tired for that. Are you?"
    All three shook their heads in unison. Zack smiled and stood up. "I'll go get Ned and he can show you around. You're not going to far, mind you. Just around the ranch house. There's lots more for you to see. But that'll be for another day. That right, Lydia?"
    Lydia nodded. "I think seeing around the ranch sounds like a fine idea. Fresh Montana air never did me any harm when I was their age," she said.
    "I remember," Zack said quirking a brow toward Lydia.
    "Now that you've finished up girls, take your plates to the kitchen," Lydia suggested.
    Zack coughed and cleared his throat. "I think if they do that there might be a war in the house. Mrs. Brodie likes to take care of things like that," he explained. "But, if you insist, you can always try and see how she reacts."
    Lydia nodded and sighed resignedly. "Well, maybe since this is the first meal we've all had together. But I suppose Mrs. Brodie knows that the girls already know their duties regarding chores and such like. We had our little routines back in the city, didn't we?"
    The girls nodded and Lydia had to restrain a smile at their obvious disappointment that a new life on the ranch didn't mean less chores. But they'd soon get used to a new way of doing things. Lydia was sure of that.
    Zack left the room and presently returned with the tall figure of Ned. The children followed the foreman out enthusiastically.
    At last, Lydia and Zack were alone. The silence seemed almost deafening to Lydia. Zack sat at the far corner of the table. Lydia suddenly felt the distance between her position in the center of the table and him seemed enormous.
    Zack drummed his fingers on the table and glanced down at the plates.
    "Can I get you some coffee, Lydia?" he asked after a long silence.
    "No. I'm fine. Thank you?"
    Lydia was suddenly aware that Zack was lost for words. He seemed to be deliberating, carefully weighing his words, and she wondered what he was going to talk to her about. The truth was, they had so much to talk about, and Lydia didn't have a clue where to start.
    Eventually Zack spoke. "Your children are incredible, Lydia. Just amazing."
    Lydia