Mail Order Bride: Westward Christmas Novel (Montana Mail Order Brides, Book 11)

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  ****

  LINDA BRIDEY

  Mail Order Bride: Westward Christmas

  Montana Mail Order Brides: Book Eleven

  Chapter One

  Dr. Ben Walker sat at his desk in the office that he shared with his partner and friend, Dr. Marcus Samuels, and their nurse, Hannah Night Sky. He kept reading the chart in front of him, but he couldn’t retain the information it contained. Ben pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. It wasn’t fatigue that plagued him. It was an inability to concentrate because he couldn’t get a certain blonde-haired, gray-eyed woman out of his mind.

  Sasha McCall had come to Dawson close to a year ago and she had made quite an impression on him. She was a beautiful woman with a sweet disposition and a little she-devil mixed in. He’d found that combination exciting and beguiling.

  At thirty-one, Ben found his thoughts turning to settling down and having a family. Although he had been out with several women and had enjoyed a few private liaisons with a couple, he thought about Sasha on a daily basis. He had hoped that she would return to Dawson for a visit, but so far there had been no word that she was planning a return trip.

  As he sat there at his desk, which he preferred to keep neat, Ben began to form a plan. He was the type of man who went after what he wanted and didn’t stop until he had attained his goal.

  Marcus entered the office and flopped down in his desk chair. His desk was a complete mess, with books stacked everywhere and charts lying about haphazardly. Ben didn’t understand how he could find anything and yet he could always quickly put his hands on what he needed.

  Marcus had delivered two babies in a day and a half and was exhausted. Dawson was having what Marcus called a “bumper crop” of babies that fall.

  Marcus looked at Ben with an exhausted expression and said, “If anyone comes for me, tell them I’m not here. I’m all done in.”

  Ben said, “Why don’t you go upstairs and get some rest? Hannah and I can handle things here.” Marcus and his family lived in the apartment over the clinic.

  Marcus said, “Are you sure? Because if you’re serious, I’ll take you up on that.”

  “Yes, I’m serious, but first I need something from you,” Ben said.

  Marcus sighed and looked at Ben with dismay on his handsome face. “What’s that?”

  “It’s a very simple thing. I need you to write me one of those snazzy ads for a bride,” Ben said.

  Marcus’ eyes grew wide. “You’re looking for a bride?”

  Ben’s face showed his annoyance. “Why should that surprise you so much? Yes, I am thinking about settling down, and there’s one particular woman I hope to reach. So don’t submit it to the papers; just give it to me and I’ll take it from there.”

  Marcus thought that was an odd request. “You don’t want it in the papers, but you’re looking for a bride,” he stated.

  “That’s correct, sir,” Ben said with a smile. “I have a plan, but I am not ready to divulge it at the present time. Will you write it?”

  Marcus was intrigued. “Yeah, I’ll write it. What do you want it to say?”

  “I’ll leave it to you. If there’s anything I want changed, I’ll let you know. I doubt there will need to be any adjustments, however. All of your ads thus far have been spot on.” Ben said.

  Marcus nodded and yawned. “Okay. I’ll have it for you tomorrow sometime.”

  “Good enough,” Ben said. “I appreciate it very much.”

  Marcus yawned again. “I’m fading fast here, Ben. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Sleep well, Marcus,” Ben said, and watched him walk out of the office.

  True to his word, the next day Marcus had the ad for Ben. He read it and grinned.

  “Dr. Samuels, you have written the perfect advertisement, as I knew you would,” Ben said.

  “Good. I’m glad you like it,” Marcus said, and yawned. He was still tired from the day before. “I think my age is starting to catch up with me.”

  “Oh, bull crap,” Ben said. “You’re in just as good a shape as I am and I’m ten years your junior. It’s all that running you do. I mean, we run with Elliot, but you do extra running down to the camp and such.”

  Marcus smiled at his use of the swear word. Somehow when Ben swore, his Georgia accent made it sound classy instead of vulgar. He and Ben had taken to running some mornings with Elliot Bradbury, the owner of the general store in Dawson. Elliot ran every morning, rain or shine, and was the fastest runner in the county. When he ran foot races with the Lakota braves who were his friends, he always won.

  Marcus said, “You know it always amazes me that you and Elliot have become such good friends after you attempted to woo Abby away from him.”

  Ben smiled. “As I told him, the better man won. I always enjoy a competition but can recognize when the fight is over and I should count my losses and move on. It became clear to me that Elliot and Abby were meant to be together. He can keep up with her rapid conversation, while I cannot. It’s uncanny how he keeps track of everything she says.”

  “That it is,” Marcus said. “So what are you gonna do with that ad?”

  “I’ll tell you once I see if my plan is successful. You’ll be the first to know,” Ben said.

  “I’m gonna hold you to that,” Marcus said.

  Suddenly they heard a Lakota whistle and they knew that Marcus’ nephew Mike was coming to visit. They’d discovered last year that the young man’s intellect was in the genius range. He had rapidly advanced through all of the grades that his Aunt Claire, who ran the Dawson school, taught. He had exceeded her educational expectations and he was now ready for college at the tender age of seventeen.

  He was planning on starting the winter semester at Rush Medical College in Chicago, Marcus and Ben’s alma mater. Over the past year, he had shown an amazing aptitude for practicing medicine and had decided to follow in Marcus’ footsteps to become a doctor.

  He appeared in the doorway and entered the office.

  “Howdy, fellas,” he said with a smile.

  Ben said, “Well, there’s our future physician. How are you, Mike?”

  “Good. Guess what?” he asked. This was his favorite question, it seemed.

  “What’s that?” Marcus asked.

  “Jenny said she’d wait for me while I’m at college,” Mike said.

  He had been courting Jenny Cartwright, one of his former classmates since August.

  “That’s fantastic,” Marcus said. The couple was cute together and everyone got a kick out of them.

  Ben said, “Congratulations, Mike. That’s wonderful.”

  “Yeah, I think so,” Mike said. “So what kind of cases do we have today?”

  Marcus and Ben let Mike assist on some things since he no longer went to school. He wasn’t starting college until after the New Year and he had time to help out around the clinic.

  “Pretty simple stuff so far, but you never know what’s going to happen,” Ben said.

  “Okay. Just let me know what you want me to do,” he said. He selected a medical book from a large bookshelf in the office and sat down Indian style on a chair, where he began to read.

  Marcus and Ben exchanged smiles. They knew that Mike was in a world of his own when he was reading. The building could fall down around him and it wouldn’t faze him. Ben looked at the time and went to see if his first patient was there.


  The brisk early November day in Nebraska was perfect for riding, and Sasha McCall enjoyed the trip as she rode into Lexington to run some errands. Her Morgan horse was one of the pair that she had taken to Dawson, Montana that last year when she’d helped her Lakota friend, Sparrow, escape from her abusive Lakota husband.

  She’d met the love of Sparrow’s life, Jack Samuels, and his family last December and had become fast friends with all of them. She had hated leaving them, but had to return to Nebraska to take care of some matters. Now with the holiday seasons approaching, she was feeling a yearning to return to Dawson to be with them again.

  Sasha stopped by the post office and picked up her mail. She sorted through it as she left the post office. One letter caught her attention because it was from Dawson. The writing was bold and elegant and she thought it beautiful. Her heart skipped a few beats when she saw the return address.

  Ben Walker had taken her out to dinner one evening and they had developed an instant connection. It was one of the reasons she hadn’t wanted to leave Dawson. That his name was on the envelope filled her with excitement. Standing by her horse, Sasha opened the envelope. Inside was another, smaller envelope that had a number one on it. She took it to mean that she was to read that one first.

  When she did, a small piece of paper fell into her hand. It read:

  Ladies, this is just what the doctor ordered! Devilishly handsome physician seeks a marriage-minded woman who desires children. She must be between the ages of 25 to 33 and enjoy dining out and a little bit of rowdy night life. The lovely lady must also be able to deal with the sometimes demanding life of a busy doctor. With his jet black hair and green eyes, 6’1”, 183 lb. physique, he’ll raise any lady’s heart rate. Send your letters stat!

  Sasha laughed to herself. She knew that Marcus must have written the ad. While she’d been in Dawson, she’d been told that Marcus ran a part-time mail-order-bride service. It was said that his ads were unique and quickly caught the attention of available females, and now she had the proof. Sasha opened the letter in the envelope.

  Dear Sasha,

  I do hope this letter finds you well. Please pardon me for being forward, but I find that sometimes it is best to be direct. While you were here in Dawson, I enjoyed our short time together immensely and I regret that we did not have more time to spend together. I did chastise my colleague for not introducing us sooner.

  I find myself at a time in my life where I am contemplating marriage and starting a family, hence the ad I have sent you. If I am wrong, please tell me, but I feel as though we hit it off splendidly and I think there is a good chance that you and I would make an excellent match. The enclosed advertisement has not been placed in the papers yet. I wanted to give you the first crack, so to speak.

  Frankly, I desire to see you again and with the holiday season around the corner, I think the festive atmosphere would be perfect for getting to know one another better. If money is an issue, please let me know. I would happily send you the funds to cover the trip. It would be a small price to pay for the chance to see you again.

  If I do not receive a reply from you within a month, I will take that to mean that you are not interested. Although I will be deeply disappointed, I will respect your wishes and not contact you again. However, I am fervently hoping that will not be the case.

  Yours truly,

  Ben

  Ben’s letter made Sasha smile, and she couldn’t stop smiling as she mounted her horse and went about her other errands. That he had been thinking about her so much pleased her immensely and was a boost to her bruised ego in the area of romance. Marcus’ ad had been spot on about Ben. He was indeed devilishly handsome. His jade green eyes were mesmerizing and his shiny, black hair made her fingers itch to run through it.

  His was a powerfully built man and when he’d kissed her there had definitely been chemistry between them. Ben was a delightful dinner companion and very gentlemanly in his treatment of her. He opened doors, helped her get seated at the table and had seen to her every need. Sasha had never been treated like that by any man, including her late husband.

  Once she was finished in town, Sasha put her horse into a fast canter so she could get home and send a reply to Ben.

  Chapter Two

  Dear Ben,

  What a very pleasant surprise to hear from you! The advertisement you sent is certainly accurate. I recognize Marcus’ handiwork. He is talented at capturing a person’s essence. I appreciate you giving me the first opportunity to reply to your ad. Let’s see if I meet the qualifications outlined in it.

  I am thirty-years-old and am not averse to remarrying. I adore children and would love to have as many as would come along. Being a physician is a noble profession and I understand that it requires dedication to those in need of your services. Common sense would tell any woman contemplating marriage to a doctor that there may be times when her prospective husband must be away from home for many hours or even days, depending on the circumstances.

  As for the rowdy night life, I’m assuming you are speaking about the Watering Hole that your brother-in-law and the mayor own. I have not yet been to the establishment, but Seth and Luke have told me that a good time is usually had there, so I would be willing to give it a whirl. Marcus told me that you live in the apartment on the second floor. What is that like? Is it noisy? Does it interfere with your sleep? You already know that I enjoy dining out. It would seem as though I’ve covered all of the requirements listed.

  I will be as candid as you have been. I, too, felt that we got along well and that perhaps something more could develop. I am entertaining that possibility since we had such a positive reaction to one another.

  While your offer of monetary assistance is very gallant, I have the means to make such a trip. In truth, I have wanted to return to Dawson. I regret not having been able to stay for Sparrow and Jack’s wedding and that I missed the birth of their little boy, Danny. I promised Sparrow that I would come to see the baby and have been working on finishing up some matters here in preparation for my trip. The timing of your letter is quite remarkable.

  Having travelled during horrible weather last year in December, I would prefer to come sooner rather than later to avoid having to travel in such conditions again. I am planning on being there by Thanksgiving.

  I hope all is well with your practice and with you as well. Please give Marcus my regards and compliment him on a job well done regarding his ad. I look forward to hearing from you again.

  Warmest regards,

  Sasha

  Jake Henderson, Ben’s brother-in-law, was startled when Ben slammed a fist on the bar and yelled, “Hot damn!” It was such an uncharacteristic thing for Ben to do that he laughed. Ben had picked up a few of the local colloquialisms, and that was one of them.

  It was only seven o’clock on a Tuesday night so the Watering Hole wasn’t in full swing yet. The mayor, Joe Dwyer, and his band of merry makers were supposed to perform later on, so the crowd would start to come in fairly soon. For now though, it was quiet and Jake had a little extra time on his hands.

  “What’s that all about?” Jake asked. His blue eyes assessed his brother-in-law’s happy countenance. “It must be good news.”

  “Yes, Jake, it is good news indeed, but I’m afraid that I cannot divulge this news just yet,” Ben said as he folded the letter from Sasha and put it in his jeans pocket. “It won’t be long until I can, so be patient.”

  Jake laughed. “I’m not Seth. I can wait to find out.”

  Ben said, “Please don’t mention it to him or he’ll hound me ceaselessly.”

  Seth Samuels, who played fiddle with Joe’s group, was notoriously nosy and wanted to know everything that went on in Dawson. He never spread gossip, he just liked hearing it and wasn’t afraid to keep pressing until his questions were answered.

  “He won’t hear it from me,” Jake said.

  “Thank you,” Ben said. “I’ll go take a tour around the barroom.”

  “Why
? Sammi and Reckless are here,” Jake said, referring to his two bouncers.

  “I’m aware of that fact. I would like to visit with them a little until things get busier, if that’s all right with you,” Ben said with a stare at Jake.

  “Fine by me. No need to get riled up about it,” Jake said. He was unflappable, so Ben’s flash of his more volatile nature didn’t bother him.

  “Good.” Ben left the bar area and found Sammi sitting at a table along the far wall that allowed her an unobstructed view of the entire barroom. Ben smiled at her as he approached. She kicked out a chair from the table for him to sit on.

  “Well, how is the prettiest bouncer I know?” he said as he turned the chair around backwards and sat on it.

  Sammi smiled back and said, “Fine. You?”

  “The same,” Ben said as he rested his forearms on the back of the chair. “Quiet so far.”

  “Hopefully that’ll change. I could use the chance to blow off some steam,” Sammi said. Her icy blue eyes held a hard glint in them, a sure sign that anger simmered just below the surface.

  Ben regarded her solemnly. “Uh oh. That sounds ominous.”

  “My husband and I are arguing. I haven’t gotten pregnant again yet, so I said, why don’t I work as a part-time deputy again? He said he didn’t think it was in the budget and he’d have to check with Joe. I don’t think he wants me back as a deputy,” Sammi said.

  Ben heard the hurt in her voice and felt badly for her. “I’m sorry that you are having a dispute with Mitch, but perhaps you should just ask him if that’s the case.”

  Sammi speared him with a hard look. “I’ve thought of that, but I’m sorta afraid of what he’s gonna say.” Though Sammi was tough as they came, where it concerned her husband and kids, she was vulnerable.

  Ben nodded. “It’ll be better to have it out in the open so it can get resolved.”

  Sammi looked down and crossed her long legs under the table. “Yeah, I guess.”

  Ben couldn’t help noticing how strong and shapely they were since she wore jeans. She was the only woman in town who wore them every day, but once one came to know Sammi, it seemed fitting. At five-feet nine-inches tall and as strong as many men, she was no one to fool with and woe to the person who made fun of her mode of dress.