Minnie Read online

  Minnie walked down Main Street to the town judge’s chambers where Cletus presided. She had already been there once that morning to drop off a letter from the mayor, but she hadn’t seen Cletus or Timothy. She wondered how Timothy’s first day of work was going. She hoped he liked working for Cletus. She loved her father, but he sometimes took a little getting used to.

  “Hello, Cletus!” Minnie called as she walked in. Cletus and Timothy sat at a round table with a pair of sandwiches in front of them. “Do you have enough for a third at lunch?”

  Cletus stood up and walked over to greet Minnie. He kissed her on her cheek. “Oh, Minnie! What a surprise. Have a seat!” Cletus pulled out a second sandwich from his lunch pail. “Lucky for you, Edna Petunia always sends me with a spare. In case I get extra hungry.”

  Minnie took a seat between Timothy and Cletus. As she sat down, her leg brushed against Timothy’s leg. She felt her face flush with heat. She hoped Cletus wouldn’t notice. He was very overprotective of his adopted daughters, and she didn’t want him getting the wrong idea about Timothy.

  “How’s your first day at the mayor’s office? Does anyone know what they’re doing over there?” Cletus took a huge bite of his sandwich.

  Minnie laughed. “Cletus, you are terrible. Everyone’s been perfectly nice to me. They’re keeping me busy.”

  “Well, that’s good.” Cletus turned to Timothy. “We’ve taught the girls that idleness is a sin. Do you agree, boy?”

  Timothy quickly nodded. “Yes, sir. My parents taught that to all of their children as well.”

  “Oh, do you have brothers and sisters?” Minnie asked.

  “Yes. I have an older brother and three younger sisters.” Timothy looked down as he spoke, as if he were embarrassed to be speaking directly to Minnie.

  Minnie wondered if Timothy’s older brother was just as good-looking as he was.

  “What’s on your mind, girl?” Cletus smiled. “Minnie’s one of the smartest of all my girls, you know. She’s probably thinking up something special.”

  Minnie looked down. She was glad Cletus hadn’t guessed what she had been thinking about. She would be embarrassed if he knew the thoughts she was having about his new assistant. She thought quickly. “Oh, I’m just thinking about what errands I might have to do this afternoon. I hope I don’t get a cramp in my leg. I’ve been doing a lot of rushing around. Not that I’m complaining—I am happy to have the job.”

  Cletus smiled. “I’ll give you a ride home if your legs are too tired at the end of the day. Just meet me back here around closing time.”

  Minnie stood up and threw her arms around Cletus. “Oh, thank you, Cletus. I’m so lucky you and Edna Petunia adopted me.”

  Now it was Cletus’s turn to seem embarrassed. “It’s nothing at all, Minnie.”

  “You’re adopted?” Timothy raised an eyebrow. “I was curious as to how your family could have so many young girls so close in age . . .”

  Cletus howled with laughter. “Now there’s an idea. I wasn’t married to Edna Petunia until well past her child-bearing days, but oh my. I can’t imagine if she’d had fifteen pregnancies! Minnie, can you picture it?”

  Minnie shook her head ruefully. “I truly cannot. Edna Petunia is an incredible woman, but giving birth to fifteen girls might have been too much, even for her. Then again, I’ve learned not to underestimate her.”

  “Well, we’re all glad the way everything worked out. Timothy, I tell you—a man without a family truly does not know what he’s been missing. All these years, I lived a fine life—out in the woods for a good part of it—but when Edna Petunia and I adopted these fine young women, I learned the reason life was worth living.” Cletus looked proudly at Minnie. “Do you have a young lady waiting for you in your hometown, son?”

  Timothy nearly choked on the bit of sandwich he was eating. He coughed, and Cletus offered him some water. “I’m sorry about that, sir.”

  Cletus grinned at his new assistant. He was such a proper young gentleman. “No need for such formality, son. Call me Cletus.”

  Timothy took a sip of water. “Thank you, si—er, Cletus. No, I don’t have any young woman waiting for me where I grew up.” He looked at Minnie and hesitated. “If I’m being completely truthful, sir, I mean, Cletus, I’m not very good with women. My tongue gets all tied around them. Especially the pretty ones.”

  Minnie could see Timothy’s face growing red, and it wasn’t from the sandwich he’d almost choked on. Was he talking about her when he said he got tongue-tied around pretty girls? She hoped so, but she also didn’t think Timothy was the type of person to flirt with a man’s daughter right in front of the man. Then again, Minnie did not have much experience in these matters.

  Minnie looked at the clock on the wall. “Well, I’d better get back. Mayor Winstead does not approve of tardiness.”

  “Thanks for stopping by, honey. Always glad to see my girls.” Cletus kissed her cheek as Minnie stood up and said goodbye.

  Minnie waved to Timothy as she exited the judge’s chambers. She hoped she’d get to see more of him around town, but she wasn’t sure if he felt the same. But in the meantime, she needed to get back to the mayor’s office.

  When she returned to the building, Agatha was cleaning up after her own lunch, and Mayor Winstead was leaning back in his chair, his hands folded across his stomach, a hat placed on top of his face. Minnie wondered why he was sitting that way until she heard a loud, buzzing noise.

  “Is he snoring?” Minnie whispered.

  Agatha smiled and put a finger to her lips. She pointed to an envelope addressed to the town lawyer, Carter Reeves—who happened to be one of Minnie’s several brothers-in-law.

  Minnie was thrilled. Carter’s office was in his home, which meant she would get to see her sister, Dorothy, and her adorable young nephew. Minnie straightened up her desk and set off for Dorothy and Carter’s house.

  As she walked through Nowhere, she thought about what a wonderful day it had been. She was so relieved that she hadn’t been late to work, thanks to John David’s ride. Part of her wondered what it would have been like to get onto Timothy’s horse, but she tried not to think about that. She knew if Cletus would have seen her riding alongside Timothy, he would have had stern words for both her and his new assistant.

  Yes, it was better if she focused her attention on one of the other bachelors of Nowhere, like John David. She looked around the street as she walked along, keeping an eye out for one of her friends or family members, but not very many people were out in the dry summer heat. Minnie waved a friendly hello to the few people she did encounter but didn’t stop to speak with them.

  When she arrived at the Reeves household, Dorothy opened the door.

  “Minnie! What a nice surprise. Come on in.” Dorothy held the door open for her younger sister and led her into the formal parlor. She took a seat and gestured for Minnie to do the same.

  “I’m here on official business. A letter from the mayor’s office.” Minnie held up the mail for Carter.

  Dorothy took the envelope from her and frowned. “Hm. I wonder what this is. Carter’s hard at work, I’ll just give this to him later. Now, can I fix you something to eat?”

  “Oh, no thank you—I already ate lunch with Cletus!” Minnie explained. “And his new assistant . . .”

  Dorothy squealed. “Minnie Sanders, you’re blushing! Don’t tell me you’re sweet on Cletus’s new employee.” Dorothy quieted her voice. “I shouldn’t shout. I just put the baby down for his nap!”

  Minnie lowered her voice, too. “I will admit, I think he’s very handsome. And he seems very polite. Maybe a bit too polite . . .”

  “Nothing wrong with having some manners.” Dorothy looked toward the kitchen. “Are you sure I can’t get you anything to eat? What about a drink?”

  “No. I really should be getting back, Dorothy. Mayor Winstead doesn’t tolerate being late.” Minnie stood up and brushed off her skirt.

  “Thanks for stopping by, Minn
ie. Remember, you can stop by any time you want to babysit!” Dorothy walked her sister to the door and waved goodbye as Minnie set off for Main Street.

  As Minnie walked toward the mayor’s office, she had to slow down because she felt pain in her feet with each step. If every day working for the mayor was going to involve this much walking, she would have to send away for a new pair of shoes.

  Once Minnie returned to the mayor’s office, she was glad to see that Mayor Winstead was awake again. Agatha asked for Minnie’s help with some filing and paperwork, and Minnie was happy to give her feet a break. She worked straight through until she heard the church bells ringing five times.

  “I can’t believe it’s the end of the day already!” Minnie finished putting away a folder in one of the filing cabinets.

  Agatha beamed. “You did a very good job, Minnie. There’ll be more to do tomorrow.”

  “Yes, dear. We’re very lucky to have you in our office.” Mayor Winstead smiled at Minnie as he prepared to leave the building.

  Agatha showed Minnie how to lock up and close the office. When they walked outside, Minnie remembered Cletus’s offer to give her a ride home.

  “Thank you so much, Agatha. I’ll see you tomorrow!” Minnie called as she rushed down the street to the judge’s chambers.

  Cletus and Timothy stood outside, where both their horses were attached to a hitching post.

  “I’m so glad you didn’t leave yet. My feet are—” Minnie stopped talking as she realized that she might sound ungrateful if she kept complaining about her pain. She was very lucky that Cletus had helped her get the job at the mayor’s office, and she wanted to keep it as long as she could. “Thank you for offering me a ride home.”

  Cletus waved it off. He unhitched his horse from the post, and he and Minnie climbed up into the wagon. “Good night, Timothy. See you tomorrow morning!”

  Timothy watched the wagon get smaller and smaller as Cletus and Minnie drove off toward their home. He hoped he’d be able to see more of Cletus’s spirited yet sweet daughter. She intrigued him in a way no woman ever had before. He knew that he likely wasn’t good enough for someone like her, but in that moment, watching her ride off, he knew that he had to try.

  Chapter 3

  That evening, Minnie approached Cletus in his formal parlor after dinner.

  “May I speak to you about something?” Minnie hemmed and hawed. She wasn’t sure how to ask for what she wanted.

  Cletus’s eyes peered at her over the top of his newspaper. “Get on with it, dear.”

  “I was wondering if—if you’d be open to inviting Timothy over to dinner. He’s new in town, and he must be awfully lonely.” Minnie felt nervous about how Cletus might react, but she was glad she’d been able to get her words out.

  “Edna Petunia!” Cletus hollered.

  Edna Petunia came running in from the kitchen, with bits of chocolate frosting on her cheeks and hair. “What is it?”

  Minnie waited nervously for her adoptive parents’ judgment. Was Cletus going to scold her in front of Edna Petunia?

  “Should we have the new young man I hired over for dinner?” Cletus wondered out loud.

  Edna Petunia frowned. “I don’t see why not. But what are you hollering for me for? You don’t need my permission to invite a man over for dinner.”

  “Yes, but I like to ask for it, anyway. You know I live to make you and our daughters happy, Edna Petunia.” Cletus stood up and tipped Edna Petunia back into an embrace.

  Edna Petunia squealed in delight. “You crazy old man! You’re mad!”

  Minnie couldn’t believe the way her parents carried on sometimes, but she had a soft spot for the pair. They truly were in love with one another, and they did live to please each other. She thought it was all rather sweet.

  “Then it’s settled. I’ll invite the boy over for dinner tomorrow,” Cletus decided.

  “Thank you, Cletus.” Minnie started to leave the formal parlor so her adoptive parents could have some space.

  Cletus called out to her. “One more thing, Minnie dear.”

  “Yes, Cletus?”

  “No falling in love with this boy. He’s my assistant, and I don’t want to mix work and family. Understood?” Cletus sounded more serious than Minnie had ever heard him.

  Minnie bit her lip. That was the last promise she wanted to make Cletus. But she didn’t have a choice. “Understood.”

  That night, Minnie tossed and turned, unable to get to sleep. All she could think about was Timothy. His jawbone, his strong hands, his narrow waist. It was unfair how handsome he was. She wondered if he ever thought about her the way she thought of him. Then she remembered Cletus’s warning about not falling for Timothy.

  She tried to focus on something else but kept coming back to the way Timothy had looked at her during lunch. She’d felt like he was truly listening to her, like she had something important to say. Like she was something special.

  Minnie pulled her quilt closer around her. There had to be something she could do to get her mind off Cletus’s new assistant. She tried to think of John David, who had been so kind to her that morning while driving her to work. He’d asked about her family and her job and told her he hoped he’d see her again sometime soon. John David was a real sweetheart. She didn’t know if he was even interested in her in that way, but if things did work out, she was sure he would make a wonderful husband and father. He was smart and kind.

  Minnie yawned and sighed. She knew she needed to get to sleep so she could wake up early and get to work on time. Boys could be such a headache sometimes!

  “You have a lovely home, Mrs. Sanders.” Timothy complimented Edna Petunia over chicken-fried steak, green beans, and mashed potatoes. The Sanders family had just begun to eat the meal Edna Petunia and Hattie had prepared for dinner that evening with Timothy as their guest.

  “Where in the world did you get those manners? I thought you were born in the middle of a turnip field somewhere.” Edna Petunia shook some more salt onto her steak.

  Minnie gasped. She knew Edna Petunia hadn’t intended her comment to be rude, but she worried Timothy might take it that way. Fortunately, Timothy was smiling. “My mother grew up in Boston. Her family took manners quite seriously, and she taught that to my siblings and me. Even though we lived on a farm, away from town or a whole lot of people, she insisted we speak properly.”

  “Hm. That’s something!” Edna Petunia shoveled more potatoes into her mouth.

  “What made you want to work for a judge, Timothy?” Minnie was eager to change the subject. She was glad Timothy felt comfortable opening up to her family, though.

  Timothy looked straight at Minnie before answering. “I’ve always thought fairness and justice were essential to any society. When I was younger, I thought I might be a lawyer myself one day.”

  “He’s got the brains for it, all right.” Cletus chimed in. “You should see the documents he writes for my legal arguments.”

  Timothy blushed. Minnie secretly enjoyed watching Timothy’s discomfort. It showed that he truly cared about what other people thought of him, that he was shy, and that he was modest. All of these were good qualities—qualities she wanted in a future husband.

  After dinner, the Sanders family all retired to Cletus’s formal parlor. Timothy sat in the place of honor on the couch while Cletus took his seat in his arm chair. The girls took turns entertaining their adoptive parents and Timothy. Katie, who had a lovely voice, sang her favorite hymns. Hattie played her flute. Minnie and Alice did a silly dance.

  Timothy laughed and smiled throughout the evening’s festivities. Being around the Sanders family made him feel less alone. Although he missed his family and their small, rural farm, he knew that he had done the right thing in accepting the job with Cletus. He had a lot to learn from the man—including how to start a family. Although it sounded like the older man had had a late start, he envied Cletus’s large, close-knit brood. He knew that in addition to the girls who lived at home, there
were several other daughters, their husbands, and a growing number of grandchildren.

  Timothy had always pictured himself with a warm, caring wife and a large number of children. He knew that it may not be easy to find the one woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, but he hoped he would find her soon.

  Timothy wanted to stay for a while longer, but he found himself yawning and excused himself. “I’ve had such a wonderful evening. Thank you very much for your hospitality.” He bowed to Edna Petunia and Cletus Sanders, then walked over to each of the girls and pressed his lips quickly to each of their hands.

  Minnie felt a ripple of desire as Timothy kissed her hand. She wanted him to kiss so much more than just her hand. She walked Timothy to the door. “I had a very nice time tonight. Thank you for coming.” She hoped Timothy might say something sweet to her that revealed how he felt about her.

  “I had a very nice evening. Thank you.” Timothy looked like he had more to say, but instead, he gave her another one of his formal bows and exited the house. Minnie watched him mount his horse and ride off toward his house.

  Minnie went back into the parlor, where some of her sisters had started to play a game. She sat down and watched them.

  Theresa noticed Minnie’s quiet, solemn expression. “What’s wrong, Minnie?”

  “Oh, it’s nothing.” Minnie glanced at Cletus. She couldn’t help having a crush on his new employee. But she wouldn’t admit it to Cletus. She had made him a promise.

  Hattie and Katie took notice of Theresa and Minnie’s conversation. They crowded around Minnie. “What is it, Minnie?” Katie asked.

  “Something’s wrong. I know it!” Hattie declared.

  Now Cletus and Edna Petunia were paying attention. Minnie sighed loudly. “Nothing is wrong, everyone! Please, just leave me alone!”