How he missed that. Travis hadn’t known how much he wanted it back—until she was taken from him. Now that Sophie was gone, he wished he could have told her how much he loved that, even when he complained about the strong, odd smells some of them had. Oh, the things he would do to see those arrangements again—just the way she did them.
Travis stood behind the trunk of a large pine tree, his hands resting on the rough bark as he watched Miss Callahan and his children in the distance. Jonas sat on the picnic blanket, playing with Gideon while the girls picked flowers with their soon-to-be stepmother. Lillian stuck close to Miss Callahan, her tiny hand never far from the woman’s skirt. It warmed Travis’s chest to see Lillian getting along so well.
His gaze shifted to Ivy, who lingered on the edge of the group as she plucked flowers at a distance. Though she wasn’t entirely withdrawn, she had a lingering hesitation that Travis recognized in himself. Ivy seemed caught between wanting to join in and holding herself back.
Miss Callahan’s hair was styled differently than the day before. Her long blonde hair fell freely down her back, the color nearly blending with the wheat fields in the distance. The sight tookTravis’s breath away, stirring something deep within him that he hadn’t expected. His gaze followed her across the field, her voice carrying through the valley. Yesterday he could barely get a word out of her, and when he had, it had been so soft.
Miss Callahan’s hand fit in Lillian’s as if she had already molded into their lives. Travis wished they could continue the arrangement without matrimony, but that wasn’t an option. Though he admired how easily the children bonded with Miss Callahan, he could hardly stand to watch any longer. A knot tightened in his stomach. The thought of her fully taking Sophie’s place was more than he could bear.
Travis decided to leave. He didn’t want to see any more. He pivoted on the ball of his foot and set off to the homestead.
“Pa!” Lillian shrieked, interrupting him in his path.
Travis wiped his face and exhaled before facing his family. Attempting a slow turn, he noticed his daughter running towards him, her pigtails flying behind her. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he bent down and scooped her effortlessly into his arms. She giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck as he lifted her. Travis kissed her cheek and forgot all his worries and anxieties from moments ago.
“I love you,” he whispered against her cheek.
“I love you, too, Pa,” Lillian said back, her hands cupping his face.
Travis carried the lightweight girl back to the picnic area where Ivy and Jonas greeted him. Ivy reached out for his hand while Jonas tugged at his shirt. Miss Callahan, who had been quietly watching from a distance, didn’t say a word. Instead, she leaned over and picked up Gideon, who squirmed on the blanket. Gideon giggled and squealed as she nuzzled his face.
“Pa, look what I found!” Ivy exclaimed, showing him her wildflower bouquet.
“It’s beautiful,” Travis said. The bouquet nearly brought tears to his eyes. Not only did Ivy have her mother’s features, but she also had her mother’s gift.
“Josie helped us pick them,” Lillian said.
The name caught Travis by surprise. He raised a brow. “Josie?”
Lillian gasped and covered her mouth. “Oops. I meant Miss Callahan.”
“I told her she may call me that,” Miss Callahan quickly explained with her face blushing. Her gaze remained fixed on his chest. “It was difficult for her to say Josephine.”
Travis smiled politely. “No harm done. It suits you.”
Miss Callahan turned to Gideon and planted a kiss on the side of his head. Gideon clapped his hands and looked at Travis, flashing him a wide-mouthed grin. Nausea swirled in Travis’s stomach. He glanced down at Ivy, desperate to escape what should have been a happy family moment.
“Ivy, would you mind taking Gideon from Miss Callahan?” Travis asked.
Ivy nodded and obeyed without question, stepping forward to take Gideon into her arms. The little boy went willingly, his small hands clutching his sister’s dress. Travis rubbed his hands together.
“Children, I need to speak with Miss Callahan alone,” he explained. “Go join Aunt Polly at the cabin, please.”
Travis set Lillian down. Just as her feet hit the ground, she pushed Jonas. “Race ya!”
“Hey!” Jonas shouted, scrambling to his feet before he bolted after her.
Finally alone with his bride-to-be, Travis threaded his fingers through his hair. He hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words. “I spoke with the reverend today . . . He said he doesn’t mind officiating . . . if you still want to get married.”
Miss Callahan nodded, her gaze flickering toward him briefly before dropping back to the ground. “That is fine with me.”
Travis noticed the way she avoided his eyes, the subtle change in her posture. She wrapped her arms around herself and shifted up and down on her feet. Was this timid behavior simply her acting shy? Or maybe it was the awkwardness he felt, a part of the distance he desired to create between them.
“Miss Callahan, I was hoping . . . if you don’t mind telling me why you wanted to marry me?” Travis wiped his forehead, his palm damp with sweat. “I hope I don’t offend you, but you’re very young and . . . surely you must have plenty of suitors at home. Why would you tie yourself down to me and four children in the middle of nowhere?”
Her eyes widened, clearly caught off guard by his question. She blinked a few times. “I-I just wanted a family,” she said slightly above a whisper. “It has been a long time since I had anything like this. Today was a dream come true, being with your children. They’re wonderful, and . . . I felt like I belonged.”
Travis’s lips curled at her response. It made him somewhat happy to know that Miss Callahan was genuinely committed. She wasn’t as desperate as he had initially perceived her to be; she had a real intent behind her decision. But still, the question lingered in his mind. Why wasn’t she married already? She was beautiful by all means, with her qualities and gentle demeanor. Wouldn’t North Carolina be full of eligible men? She was only twenty-three, hardly old enough to be labeled an old maid.
