Minnie Read online

  With that, Minnie ran up to her room.

  “Hm. I’ll go see what’s gotten into her.” Edna Petunia clucked.

  “Oh, dear. I’ve seen that look before.” Cletus clutched his hand to his heart.

  “When?” Alice chimed in.

  Cletus paused for maximum dramatic effect. “I’ve seen that look whenever one of our girls has fallen in love.”

  Chapter 4

  Timothy watched from the front door to the judge’s chambers as John David and Minnie drove by in the automobile. It seemed nearly a daily occurrence. John David would pick Minnie up and drive her to work. Since Minnie was only a few doors away, Timothy often heard the engine or saw the two of them talking and laughing together in the car. He felt a pang in his chest each time he saw Minnie’s cheerful smile when talking to John David. Timothy wished he could be the one driving the car.

  Timothy sighed and pushed the door open. It wasn’t fair to Cletus if he spent all day making himself miserable about a simple crush. He needed to focus his attention on his work and making sure he was meeting Cletus’s needs.

  “Have a great day!” John David called as he waved goodbye to Minnie. She waved back.

  John David was such a nice young man. She genuinely enjoyed talking to him and thought he dressed well and treated others with kindness and respect. He was educated and had a steady job and came from a good family in her church. But for some reason, Minnie just didn’t feel anything when she was with him.

  She had fun and could laugh with him, but when she accidentally brushed his hand with hers in the car, she felt completely normal. On the other hand, each time she was around Timothy, it felt like there was an electric charge in the air. She had tried to stay away from Cletus’s office during the day because she remembered what he had said about mixing business with family. She wanted to be respectful of his wishes, but it was difficult when Timothy was so handsome and kind.

  Minnie was the first to arrive at the mayor’s office, so she began to get ready for the day ahead. She enjoyed her work with Mayor Winstead and Agatha. The position kept her on her toes. There was never a dull moment, and that suited her perfectly. Agatha had even mentioned that if she were to retire, Minnie might be able to take over her job and find another young girl to take Minnie’s place.

  Minnie was excited to hear about opportunities like that, but they also made her feel sad. She knew that if she were married, she wouldn’t work anymore. She’d stay at home, raising her family and running the household. In a way, she hoped she’d never be offered Agatha’s position because that meant she’d be spoken for.

  Mayor Winstead strode into the office humming. Minnie knew that was a sign that it would be a very good day in the mayor’s office. Agatha arrived a bit later and busied herself in several stacks of paperwork. Minnie continued her project from the day before, re-arranging all the files in the filing cabinet in alphabetical order. Somehow, over the years, the system had not been followed, and it was Minnie’s job to set it right.

  Lunch hour seemed to come in the blink of an eye. Minnie had packed her lunch, and she sat outside on a street bench as she ate an apple and a few bits of cheese.

  Abner sauntered down the street, wearing a cowboy hat. He tilted it off his head when he approached Minnie. “Why, Miss Minnie, you do look absolutely stunning today. May I have the pleasure of taking you out this evening?”

  Minnie let out a deep breath. “No, thank you, Abner.”

  Abner kept smiling. “All right. If not tonight, when can I take you out?”

  Minnie sighed. When would Abner understand that he was not the kind of man that she or any of her sisters would date? “You need to talk to my father.”

  Abner’s face clouded a bit. “Cletus Sanders?”

  “Yes. That’s my father.” Minnie didn’t mean to be rude, but she wanted Abner to move along.

  “Oh. All right.” Abner walked away rather quickly. Minnie breathed a sigh of relief.

  At the judge’s chambers, Cletus was just about to dig in to his fried chicken sandwich when there was a sharp knock on the door. “Will you go see what that racket is about?” Cletus called to Timothy.

  Timothy opened the front door to find a mischievous-looking man standing on the doorstep.

  “I’m Abner, and I’m here to see Mr. Cletus Sanders about one of his daughters, Minnie.” Abner stuck his hands in his pockets and began to whistle.

  Timothy felt his palms grow sweaty. Who was this man, and what did he want with Minnie? He seemed too nonchalant and care-free to truly respect her the way Timothy did. He hoped Cletus would send this man away at once. “Cletus?”

  Cletus frowned. He did not appreciate being disrupted on his lunch break. He pulled himself up out of his chair and walked over to the door. “What’s this about?”

  Abner regarded Cletus with a confident smirk. “I’d like to court your daughter, sir.”

  Cletus looked at Abner in irritation. “I’ve got fifteen of them. Which one are you speaking about?”

  Timothy put his hand to his mouth to stifle a laugh. Say what you would about Cletus, but the man’s spirited temper was something to behold.

  Abner swallowed. “Minnie, sir.”

  “Well.” Cletus put his hands around his belt loop. “Minnie’s a smart girl with a good head on her shoulders. You’re welcome to invite her out with you, I don’t really care, but I wouldn’t expect her to agree. She’s got good taste, you see.”

  Abner seemed to ignore Cletus’s insult and simply smiled a cheeky smile and grabbed Cletus’s hand. He pumped it up and down enthusiastically. “Thank you, sir!” Abner rushed off down the street.

  Timothy stared after this odd man. It seemed like Cletus didn’t think very highly of this Abner person, so why had he given his permission for the man to court his daughter? Timothy didn’t understand.

  “I’m sorry you had to deal with that. Let’s get back to our lunches.” Cletus motioned for Timothy to sit down at the table again. Cletus grabbed his sandwich again. He held it in front of his mouth, preparing to take a bite, and then they heard a sharp rapping at the door.

  “Oh, for goodness sake . . .” Cletus just glared at the closed door. Timothy jumped up to answer it.

  This time, Cletus could see the visitor was Troy Jacobs, dressed unusually formally in a suit and tie. Troy spent his days on Cletus’s son-in-law’s ranch. Cletus had only seen him in a suit on special occasions at church. He paced back and forth at the doorstep.

  “How may I help you?” Timothy asked.

  Troy stopped pacing. “I’m here to see Mr. Sanders, sir.”

  “Cletus, this gentleman’s here to see you,” Timothy called. He wondered what this visitor needed. They didn’t have any appointments scheduled until the following day.

  Cletus eased his way to the front of the room, feeling hunger pangs in his stomach. “Yes, son?”

  “Sir, I’d like to . . . well, the thing is . . .” Troy seemed unnaturally nervous.

  Cletus groaned. “Spit it out, son. I’m in the middle of my lunch.”

  “I’d like your permission to court your daughter, sir. Minnie. I think she’s an honorable and beautiful young woman who would make a fine match for me. I work hard and get along well with your family. Do I have your blessing?” Troy blurted out his speech, which he’d clearly practiced for some time before arriving.

  Cletus had to admit, he was impressed. He knew from his son-in-law Frank that Troy was a good man and could be trusted fully. “Yes, son. I give you my blessing. You need to ask Minnie, though. She’s a bright and responsible young woman, and she can make her own decisions.”

  Troy’s face relaxed. “Thank you, sir. You won’t regret it.” He walked away, humming to himself.

  Timothy tried to hide the anger and frustration on his face. Two men in less than an hour that had come to ask for Cletus’s permission to court his daughter? That had to be some kind of record. It also told him that Minnie Sanders was likely to be someone’s wife
well before the end of the year. He shuddered as he thought about attending church and seeing Minnie be promised to another man forever.

  Timothy tried to work up the courage to approach Cletus about his feelings for Minnie. He knew that he wasn’t the best potential suitor, but he thought that maybe his work ethic and rapport with Cletus could make a difference. He didn’t know if he was comfortable asking Cletus such a personal question after only knowing him for a few days, though.

  Cletus closed his eyes and prepared to finally take a bite of his fried chicken sandwich. He could practically taste the—

  Someone pounded on the office door. “For crying out loud!” Cletus yelled and climbed out of his chair. He stomped over to the door and flung it open. “You’d better speak fast!”

  Timothy shook his head from the side of the room. He hadn’t been fast enough to answer the door, and now he watched as Cletus greeted the man who loved giving Minnie rides to work.

  “Well. The young man with three first names!” Cletus shook his head. “Like I said, fast. I’ve got a fried chicken sandwich waiting for me made by my lady love. It’s delicious, and I would like to be eating it. Now. You understand?”

  John David blushed. “I’m sorry to interrupt, sir. You see, I’d like to ask if you would grant your permission for me to court your daughter, Minnie. We’ve taken a shine to one another, and I’d truly like to get to know her better, with your approval, of course.”

  “Get in line, son!” Cletus cried. He walked over to the table and took a big bite of his sandwich. “Ah.”

  John David was baffled. “Excuse me, sir?”

  Cletus waved a hand and talked with his mouth full of food. “I don’t care. Ask her if she wants to go out with you. Doesn’t matter to me. But she may have something to say about it.”

  John David’s expression turned excited. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir!” He closed the door on his way out.

  Timothy felt his heart sinking. There were now at least three men in the town of Nowhere who wanted to court Minnie Sanders. He’d known before that his chances of attracting Minnie were slim, but this was an entirely different situation. He needed to forget all about Minnie Sanders. It was clear that nothing good would come from his attraction to her, and the sooner he could accept that, the sooner he could focus on his work with Cletus and make the old man proud.

  For the rest of the afternoon, Timothy put his head down and tried to lose himself in the stacks of legal documents he and Cletus had to review. Every once in a while, the image of Minnie in her ivory blouse and blue skirt would pop into his head, but he did his best to block her out of his mind.

  Meanwhile, at the mayor’s office, Minnie daydreamed about what her wedding might be like. She had no idea if anyone would ever propose to her, but she thought it must be very romantic and longed for the day it would happen for her. She had attended her older sisters’ weddings and watched closely for every detail, impatient for the day when she was the one wearing white. She had plans for everything from the dress to the flowers to the cake. Now all she needed was a groom!

  At the end of the day, Minnie washed the windows on the inside of the office after Agatha and the mayor left the building. She wiped each window with a dry cloth when she was done and put away the vinegar she had used. She went outside to lock up.

  Minnie suddenly heard a voice behind her, calling her name. She turned around quickly.

  “Minnie!” Abner raced toward her. “I thought you’d gone home for the day!”

  Minnie sighed. She just wanted to go home and eat dinner with her family. “What is it, Abner?”

  “I talked to your father.” Abner beamed proudly.

  Minnie didn’t understand. “And . . . ? What’s your point, Abner?”

  “He told me I had his permission to ask you out on a date!” Abner stepped a little closer to Minnie, and Minnie took a step backward.

  “Abner, I’m flattered, but I do not want to go on a date with you!” Minnie looked Abner directly in the eye so there was no doubt about it. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get home.”

  Minnie began to walk away, and Abner hurried after her, a shocked expression on his face. “Why not?”

  “Abner, you’ve dated almost every single unmarried girl in this town. I’m sorry, but I’m looking for a man who will have eyes for me and only me.” Minnie continued on her way.

  “Wait, Minnie!” Abner called out.

  Minnie exhaled and turned around. “What, Abner?”

  “Is there anything I could do to make you change your mind?” Abner looked more serious than Minnie had ever seen him before.

  Minnie shook her head. “I’m afraid not, Abner. I’m sorry. I’m sure you’ll find someone who’s a great match for you. But I’m not that girl.”

  “Okay. Thank you for being honest with me, Minnie. Sometimes I feel like people laugh at me, but they won’t tell me why to my face.” Abner put his hands in his pockets and turned to walk in the other direction.

  Minnie paused. “Abner?”

  Abner turned around, a hopeful expression on his face. “Yes?”

  “Maybe you should start contemplating what kind of woman you’d like to end up with. Do some serious thinking. Maybe even meet with Pastor Micah. I think if you slow down a little, you might find your special someone.” Minnie didn’t know why she was giving Abner advice, but he looked like he could use it.

  “Thank you, Minnie. I’ll think that over. I appreciate it. Have a good night.” Abner tipped his hat and went on his way again.

  Minnie continued her walk out of town. It was well after five o’clock, and there were barely any people on Main Street. Suddenly, she heard hooves galloping nearby.

  A voice rang out. “Minnie!”

  Minnie looked over her shoulder and saw Troy Jacobs driving a wagon, dressed in a suit. Minnie had never seen him dressed so formally before, not even in church. She liked what she saw. Troy’s body was strong and muscular from his hard work day in and day out on Frank Keifer’s farm. She waved up at him. “Hi, Troy!”

  Troy pulled to a stop. “Would you like a ride home?”

  “Yes, please.” The long walk and her aching feet made Minnie’s decision easy. Troy stuck his arm out to help her up into the wagon.

  Minnie climbed up. “Thank you.”

  Troy flicked the reins, and they set off for the Sanders’ house. Troy glanced at Minnie shyly. “You look very nice today.”

  Minnie grinned. “Thank you, Troy. You look very nice, too. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear a suit before.”

  Troy cracked a smile. “I don’t have much occasion to wear one out on the farm.”

  “No, I suppose not. Beautiful day we’re having, isn’t it?” Minnie appreciated her view of the sun as it began its descent for the evening.

  Troy took a while to respond. “Yes. It’s very nice.”

  Minnie wondered why Troy seemed so distracted. “Is everything all right?”

  Troy swallowed. “I’m sorry. I’m not very good company right now. I’m a little nervous.”

  “Nervous? Why are you nervous?” Minnie wondered what Troy could be nervous about. He always seemed so sure and confident.

  Troy took a deep breath and prepared himself for what he was about to say. “You see, earlier today, I asked your father’s permission to court you. So I’d like to ask you, Minnie Sanders, if you’d be willing to go out on a date with me.”

  Minnie couldn’t believe it. First Abner, and now Troy. Even though she was thrilled to have a man—and a handsome man, at that—ask to court her, for some reason, she thought immediately of Timothy. She wished he were the one driving the wagon and asking to court her.

  Minnie tried to focus on what Troy was saying. Troy was the man in front of her asking her out on a date. “Yes, Troy! I’d be delighted to go on a date with you.” As soon as she answered, she felt relieved. Who cared about Timothy when she had Troy Jacobs interested in her?

  Troy smiled ear-to-ear. “W
ow. I was real nervous before coming here. I’m glad I caught you.”

  Minnie realized what a nice smile Troy had. “Yes, I was on my way home from work.”

  “That’s right, you work for the mayor, now, right?” Troy asked.

  “Yes, I do.” Minnie looked over at Troy. She still couldn’t believe that he was interested in her.

  Troy grinned as he realized Minnie was looking at him. “What’s that like?”

  “Oh, I really enjoy it.” Minnie gushed. “There’s a lot to do, but I’m learning so much about the mayor’s work and our town.”

  Troy was impressed. “That’s great. Must be very interesting.”

  “Yes, it is. And how is your work out on the ranch?” Minnie didn’t know much about the ranch, but she did know her brother-in-law, Frank Keifer, often said he wouldn’t be able to keep it running successfully without Troy’s help.

  “Things are going well. We’re having a good year.” Troy explained.

  “That’s wonderful.” Minnie began daydreaming about what would happen if she and Troy got married one day. They’d have to find a home of their own, maybe even a ranch of their own. Like her sister Evelyn, she’d learn to work on the ranch while also raising the children she and Troy would have together. Oh, it sounded so romantic!

  “Here we are.” Troy pulled up in front of the Sanders house.

  “Thank you very much for the ride, Troy.” Minnie climbed out of the wagon.

  “Good evening, Minnie. I sure am looking forward to our date,” Troy said sincerely.

  Minnie blushed. “I look forward to it, too. Good night.”

  Troy waited for her to walk inside the front door before he set off for the ranch.

  As soon as Minnie stepped inside the house, her sisters crowded around her and asked her several questions all at once.

  “Who was that?” Theresa peeked out the window.

  Alice cried out, “Did he kiss you?”

  “Are you going to get married?” Katie wanted to know.

  Minnie smiled secretively. “Maybe I’ll tell you all about it later.”