Mail Order Cowboy (Love Inspired Historical) by Laurie Kingery

knew two or three other men who might be interested, depending on what he reports back to them…”
    â€œOh, so he’s being sent to survey the prospects, is he?” Milly said with a laugh.
    Nick imagined the pride Milly must be feeling that her idea was working. Now, he only needed to make sure Milly didn’t find the new gentlemen more attractive than himself!
    They went across the street to the general store fromthere, where Milly selected a bolt of sturdy tan broad-cloth for the shirts she was going to make. “It might as well match the color of the dirt around here,” she commented, politely rejecting a bolt of dark navy that the proprietor had brought down from the shelf first, “since it’s going to absorb a lot of it while it’s being worn…” Her voice trailed off as she stared out the window. “Oh, there’s Mr. Dayton now, just going down the street,” she said, looking out the window. “Mr. Patterson, will you save this bolt for me?” She dashed outside.
    Nick edged toward the open door but remained within the building, wanting to unobtrusively overhear without being seen. Just as he had guessed, the man Milly was hastening toward was the same man who’d been speaking with Waters outside this store yesterday.
    â€œMr. Dayton, how are you? How’s the family?” Milly asked, her voice friendly.
    The paunchy middle-aged man stopped and shaded his eyes to peer at her. “Afternoon, Miss Matthews. Same as always.”
    â€œI hope y’all are coming to our barn raising,” she said. “I haven’t seen your wife in a month of Sundays, and from what I’m hearing already, the food’s going to be the best this side of heaven.”
    â€œI’m sure Alice Ann will nag me into comin’,” he said, looking less than pleased at the prospect. “As if I don’t work hard enough all week long at the lumberyard.”
    Nick watched Milly’s cheerful smile remain in place. “And that reminds me, I wanted to talk to you about the price of the wood for the barn. I—”
    â€œI’ll tell you right now I cain’t jes’ give that wood away,” the man whined, his lips tightening. “The mayor’s daughter’s already been jawin’ at me, tryin’ to get me to donate it ‘outa the goodness of my heart,’” he said, a sneer making his jowly features even more disagreeable.
    â€œI completely understand, Mr. Dayton,” Nick heard Milly say, still cheerful. “I was just wondering how soon you would require payment, so I could figure out if we could afford it. If we can’t, of course, we’ll have to wait to raise a barn when we can.”
    Nick saw the other man’s face take on a wary look, as if he realized he might miss out on a sale altogether if he made his price too high.
    â€œI can give you a couple weeks, ma’am, and then I’m gonna need payment in full. I got mouths t’feed, y’understand.”
    â€œOf course,” she said, her voice losing none of its warmth. He marveled at her poise.
    Just then he saw another man join them—Bill Waters.
    â€œHow do, Bill? Didn’t know you’d be comin’ inta town today,” Dayton said. “Now, Miss Milly, I didn’t mean t’ speak too hasty,” he said. “Seein’ Bill here, I might could work somethin’ out to help you out, under certain circumstances…”
    Nick straightened. There was something in the man’s tone he didn’t like.
    â€œOh? And what circumstances would those be?” Milly’s voice had cooled, but the lumberyard owner didn’t seem to notice.
    â€œWhy, I’d give that wood to you as a weddin’ present.”
    Milly sounded puzzled. “But I have no weddingplanned, Mr. Dayton. Did you mean if I married a man I met through the Society for the Promotion of Marriage?”
    â€œNaw,