this? You were just out with Ricky last night."
Colleen sighed. "I'm sure. It just felt right when David asked me. I didn't get that same feeling from Ricky. But it's not just that. It's been building. I've always been drawn to Ricky but also wary of him at the same time. He's not as bad as Frank, but they do share some similar qualities that ultimately made it clear that David was the better choice for me."
"Are you in love with David?" Julia looked hopeful and doubtful at the same time.
"I'm not sure. Maybe if I'd only been dating him, I might be, but I kept both of them at a distance to be respectful of everyone's feelings and because I wanted to avoid being hurt as well. It took me a long time to get over Frank."
"I know it did," Julia sympathized. "And coming out here was a huge step for you. I'm so glad and proud of you that you did it."
"I'm glad I did it, too. Bozeman really feels like home already."
She chuckled then. "And to think that I had the option to live in town and chose to live on a farm instead."
"I'm not at all surprised," Julia said. "It's not where you live that matters as much as who you live with."
Colleen had to agree with that, and for the first time in several weeks, now that the decision had been made, she slept like a baby.
At David's parents’ house the next day after church, they talked about the wedding non-stop. Naomi was thrilled with the news and Elizabeth was fascinated with her ring. Before they sat down to dinner, Colleen had Elizabeth try on the dress that she'd half-finished sewing so she could see how it looked and adjust the fit. Elizabeth insisted on doing it before they ate, when she'd be at her slimmest. She twirled in her bedroom as she admired herself and the dress in the full-length mirror. Finally, Colleen had had enough.
"I'm glad you like it, but I need you to stand still for a few minutes so I can get this pinned without sticking you."
"Oh, sorry!" Elizabeth then stood perfectly straight while Colleen nipped and tucked here and there to get it just right.
"It does look lovely on you," she said as she stuck in the final pin.
"I can't thank you enough for this!" Elizabeth turned and looked at Colleen and added, "As soon as all of my friends see this dress, they are going to want one of their own. You could start a sewing business!"
Colleen just smiled at that. She appreciated Elizabeth's enthusiasm, but she doubted that there would be that much of a demand in Bozeman for her sewing services. She didn't mind, though, as she enjoyed working at the pub. If she could pick up the occasional sewing project here and there, that would be just fine with her.
Just as Elizabeth was almost done slipping the dress off, Naomi's panicked voice called up to them. "Girls, could you come down here as soon as you have a minute? Jed is missing, and we need to go find him."
Elizabeth quickly got dressed and they made their way into the main room where the others were gathered. Naomi looked close to tears and quickly explained. "I thought he was just going out to the barn as soon as we got home from church to get some eggs, but he never came back in. I had Joshua run out to check and there's no sign of him. David and Paul have already gone out to start looking."
Colleen hadn't even noticed that Jed wasn't there when they'd first arrived. It seemed somewhat strange to her that they were so alarmed. It was a nice day, and he probably just went for a walk. She kept her thoughts to herself, though, as Naomi seemed very upset.
"Julia, why don't you, Elizabeth and Colleen go together, and Hannah and I will head out and the rest of the boys will go ahead of us on horses so they can go faster."
Elizabeth led the way as they walked down towards the pond area that David had shown her before. She walked quickly and Colleen noticed that although she was quiet, she looked almost as upset as her mother. Then she suddenly realized why. "It's not the first time he's done
Colleen sighed. "I'm sure. It just felt right when David asked me. I didn't get that same feeling from Ricky. But it's not just that. It's been building. I've always been drawn to Ricky but also wary of him at the same time. He's not as bad as Frank, but they do share some similar qualities that ultimately made it clear that David was the better choice for me."
"Are you in love with David?" Julia looked hopeful and doubtful at the same time.
"I'm not sure. Maybe if I'd only been dating him, I might be, but I kept both of them at a distance to be respectful of everyone's feelings and because I wanted to avoid being hurt as well. It took me a long time to get over Frank."
"I know it did," Julia sympathized. "And coming out here was a huge step for you. I'm so glad and proud of you that you did it."
"I'm glad I did it, too. Bozeman really feels like home already."
She chuckled then. "And to think that I had the option to live in town and chose to live on a farm instead."
"I'm not at all surprised," Julia said. "It's not where you live that matters as much as who you live with."
Colleen had to agree with that, and for the first time in several weeks, now that the decision had been made, she slept like a baby.
At David's parents’ house the next day after church, they talked about the wedding non-stop. Naomi was thrilled with the news and Elizabeth was fascinated with her ring. Before they sat down to dinner, Colleen had Elizabeth try on the dress that she'd half-finished sewing so she could see how it looked and adjust the fit. Elizabeth insisted on doing it before they ate, when she'd be at her slimmest. She twirled in her bedroom as she admired herself and the dress in the full-length mirror. Finally, Colleen had had enough.
"I'm glad you like it, but I need you to stand still for a few minutes so I can get this pinned without sticking you."
"Oh, sorry!" Elizabeth then stood perfectly straight while Colleen nipped and tucked here and there to get it just right.
"It does look lovely on you," she said as she stuck in the final pin.
"I can't thank you enough for this!" Elizabeth turned and looked at Colleen and added, "As soon as all of my friends see this dress, they are going to want one of their own. You could start a sewing business!"
Colleen just smiled at that. She appreciated Elizabeth's enthusiasm, but she doubted that there would be that much of a demand in Bozeman for her sewing services. She didn't mind, though, as she enjoyed working at the pub. If she could pick up the occasional sewing project here and there, that would be just fine with her.
Just as Elizabeth was almost done slipping the dress off, Naomi's panicked voice called up to them. "Girls, could you come down here as soon as you have a minute? Jed is missing, and we need to go find him."
Elizabeth quickly got dressed and they made their way into the main room where the others were gathered. Naomi looked close to tears and quickly explained. "I thought he was just going out to the barn as soon as we got home from church to get some eggs, but he never came back in. I had Joshua run out to check and there's no sign of him. David and Paul have already gone out to start looking."
Colleen hadn't even noticed that Jed wasn't there when they'd first arrived. It seemed somewhat strange to her that they were so alarmed. It was a nice day, and he probably just went for a walk. She kept her thoughts to herself, though, as Naomi seemed very upset.
"Julia, why don't you, Elizabeth and Colleen go together, and Hannah and I will head out and the rest of the boys will go ahead of us on horses so they can go faster."
Elizabeth led the way as they walked down towards the pond area that David had shown her before. She walked quickly and Colleen noticed that although she was quiet, she looked almost as upset as her mother. Then she suddenly realized why. "It's not the first time he's done
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