Tariana blushed. “I was thinking of my wedding dress, and how different our tastes are. Yours will take away the breath of every person who sees you, whereas mine will be designed to take my husband’s breath away.”
“Now, she wants to get married,” Samantha said. “Our sister can’t seem to make up her mind.”
“Well, she has time until her eighteenth birthday before casting her line to the many eligible men in Oregon City.” Ada patted her daughter’s knee and smiled.
Jamie knocked on the door and popped his head into the room. “Mrs. Gracin, I was wondering if I could take Tariana for a short walk?”
Everyone looked at Tariana, who frowned. “What are you all staring at? I’ve walked with Jamie before.”
Ada Gracin bit her lip to hold back the grin. “Certainly. You two run along. Keep to the streets, Tariana, and stay clear of the meadows with your pretty dress on.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Although she and Jamie had snuck out for years to play in the woods or down by the river, the twinkle in her mother’s eyes suggested it had never truly been a secret, but merely turning a blind eye to her daughter indulging in boyish activities.
Tariana stood, walked to the door and offered Jamie her arm. “Shall we go, Jamie?”
Along the boardwalk they chatted casually about church, neighbors, and life in general – anything that did not steer close to the subject on both of their minds.
“So, Jamie, my sister says I have to choose between a career and a man. Do men talk about such things amongst themselves?”
“They’re all different. Just like women, no two are alike. It only stands to reason that each would be looking for a wide range of characteristics in their wives.”
“So, you believe there is a man for every woman?”
“If they aren’t too stubborn to admit it,” he said with a touch of sarcasm.
“Are you insinuating I am stubborn?”
“I don’t think that’s a secret,” he said. “And it now appears that neither have the years of sneaking out to fish and hunt. Your folks knew about us all along.”
“Suppose it was their way of letting me go without acknowledging it as unladylike behavior.”
“Takes a lot of patience being a parent, don’t you think?” Jamie asked.
“I suppose it does, especially raising five girls.” Tariana studied Jamie. “Do you want children someday?”
“Sure. Need to leave a legacy of Sackertons around the countryside.”
“My father has no son to carry on his name. That’s sad,” Tariana said. “I hope you have many boys.”
Jamie stopped and faced Tariana. They’d worked their way down a side street and were standing under an oak tree in the commons.
“What did you think of Evelyn’s remark?”
“My sister speaks out of turn. I hope you were not offended.”
“Not at all, but what about the man at your side who wilts with agony at your rejection?”
“Evelyn is dramatic.” Tariana noted his eyebrows raise and the hint of a smile playing at the corners of his lips. “You, Jamie? But I thought you had your eye set on Angelica?”
“I told you I wasn’t interested, but you weren’t listening,” Jamie said. “It appears you prefer your version.” He became earnest and grasped her hands in his while holding her captive her with his eyes. “Tariana, it’s always been you. Sure, when we were kids, it was all about fun and competition, but a while back, my feelings got all complicated. Of course, by then, you were dead set on Michael, and just when he is out of the picture, I have a career to contend with. I never seem to get you in between passions.”
“Are you one of those bigots who wants his woman tied to the kitchen?”
“I think you know differently. I love that we fish, hunt, pick berries, play-fight in the grass together, and don’t see that any job needs to be labeled man or woman. I see marriage as a team effort.”
“That’s very modern thinking, sir.” Tariana was beginning to relax. “So, if you and I hooked up, would you mind me working part-time? It might not even be an issue – I might hate the newspaper business.”
“I doubt that. Besides, if it’s not the newspaper business, it would be something else.” She started to object, but he placed a finger over her lips. “Unpredictable means we’ll never be bored. I can live with that.”
“You want to live with me?” she asked.
“You are making this very difficult.” He pushed her gently against the trunk of the tree and stopped his approach within inches of her face. “May I kiss you, Tariana?”
She gasped. Yes, she wanted him to kiss her. Her heart pounded so hard she felt certain he was standing close enough to count the beats. Her eyes transferred to his lips, and he took that as his answer. It was slow and tender, and before long, she surrendered to the kiss.
When they pulled away, he was grinning. “That did not feel like I was kissing my best friend.”
“Do couples not consider themselves friends?” Tariana asked. “My mother is old-school and says not necessarily. It would thrill me to share my heart openly with you for the rest of our lives.”
“We will build our home the way we want it because I surely want to continue our friendship, but moreover, I will love and cherish you as a wife. I see it as a double victory for both of us.”
“I never expected this to happen,” Tariana said. “I kind of hoped it might, but friends to lovers just seemed awkward.”
“Until now.”
“Yes, until now.”
Jamie whistled at work the entire morning, and at lunch, he decided to drop by The New Northwest and see how the apprentice was getting along on her first day
