Isaac's Decision Read online

  Rick grimaced. “I feel old.”

  “You’re not old. You just have a wealth of life experience to pass onto Greg about being a father. Why, who knows if Dave and Mary will be grandparents before the year is up? It’d be so much fun to take our grandchildren to the park together and make them clothes and share stories about all the adorable things they’re doing.”

  Isaac’s face flushed. He knew in order to make that possible, he and Emily would be sharing a bed—something he wanted to do, of course, but not something he could bring himself to think about quite yet. Everything was happening so fast, and he barely had time to catch his breath. He’d been focused on how they were going to get married without his father stopping them. However, if they did have a child, he could only imagine how horrified his father would be to learn he’d be a grandfather to a Craftsman child.

  Sally, who didn’t seem to notice his apprehension, said, “I used to think it was silly when my mother fussed over her grandchildren, but now I understand how much they mean to grandparents.”

  Rick motioned for Laura to stand by the fireplace before he looked at her. “Sally, aren’t you rushing things a bit?”

  “What? Why? Some people have children right away. With the way Dave and Mary have children, I think Isaac’s got a good chance of making them grandparents sooner rather than later.”

  Clearing his throat, Rick nodded toward Isaac and Emily before he shot Sally a look that could only be interpreted as a silent “maybe you should save this discussion for later” message.

  Her face turning red, Sally’s eyes grew wide and she offered an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. Sometimes I get carried away.”

  Sometimes? But Isaac should have expected it. Sally was known to ramble, and there were times when she said too much. Now was a perfect example. And he was sufficiently embarrassed enough where he didn’t dare make eye contact with Emily.

  Laura got up and moved her chair aside so the middle of the parlor was clear.

  Rick waved Isaac and Emily to the space in front of the fireplace. “We’ll get started so that you can be on your way.”

  Isaac set his cup down and eased off the couch. Deciding it was safe to look at Emily now that the awkward moment had passed, he did and saw that Emily didn’t seem as disturbed by his aunt’s outspoken disposition as he feared. Well, maybe she wasn’t. Emily, after all, had no qualms about dressing up like a man to go hunting with men or failed to speak her mind whenever she felt the need. Perhaps it was just as his Aunt Jenny told him one time when she said he had a lot of his mother in him. He couldn’t imagine his mother being so bold in her speech.

  When Isaac and Emily stood in front of Rick, Sally and Laura joined Rick. Sally and Laura exchanged excited looks. Rick held the book and read the vows which Isaac and Emily repeated, and though the ceremony only took a matter of minutes, there was that lingering dread in the back of his mind that his father would burst into the house at any moment and object to the marriage. But his father never showed up, and before he knew it, Rick pronounced them man and wife and said he could kiss the bride. He did, and just like that, it was over.

  “Congratulations!” His aunt called out and brought them both in for a hug. “And welcome to the family, Emily.”

  Isaac glanced at Emily and thought it was a shame that it wasn’t his parents who voiced the sentiment. His mother would, he knew, but there was no way they’d get it from his father. Pushing the depressing thought aside, he thanked them.

  “Where will you be living?” Sally asked as Rick signed the certificate.

  “At an apartment here in town,” Isaac said. Rick turned and handed him the fountain pen, so he went to the certificate and signed his name.

  “I thought you wanted to farm like your pa.”

  “Well, I do, but I can’t claim the acres until I turn twenty-one.” He handed the pen to Emily and faced his aunt and uncle while his cousin gathered the cups and pot to take back to the kitchen. “In the meantime, I got a job at the lumber place.”

  “Lumber place?” his uncle asked.

  Sally nodded. “Charlotte’s brother Ben owns it.”

  “Oh.”

  “I’m surprised at you, Rick,” she teased. “Don’t you know what our daughter-in-law’s brothers do for a living?”

  “I know what our daughter-in-law does and that’s enough for me to remember.”

  “Yes, she’s going to give us our first grandchild!” She squealed and clasped her hands together.

  With a sigh, Rick chuckled and shook Isaac’s hand. “Congratulations, Isaac and Emily.”

  “Or, as we can now say, Mr. and Mrs. Larson,” Sally added with a giggle.

  Behind her, Laura rolled her eyes, and Isaac bit back the laughter that rose in his throat. Alright. So maybe Sally had a tendency to embarrass his cousin, too. But still, his aunt meant well, and that’s what made her so wonderful.

  Once Isaac and Emily had their coats on, Isaac picked up the carpet bags.

  “Good luck on your new life together, and if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask,” his uncle said.

  “Thanks,” Isaac replied as he opened the door. With a look at Emily—his wife, he smiled and then turned back to his aunt and uncle. “For everything.”

  They said good-bye and after Isaac shut the door behind him and Emily, he directed his attention to her and shrugged. “Now you know that part of my family.”

  “They’re great people, Isaac,” Emily replied as he took her hand and they headed down the porch steps.

  “My aunt didn’t embarrass you, did she?”

  “No. Why would you think that?” she asked, looking curious.

  He laughed and squeezed her hand. “I have a feeling you two will get along really well.” He reckoned Emily and his aunt shared many things in common, and that just might lead to a friendship. “Are you ready to go home?”

  “Yes.”

  “It’s not far from here. Care to walk?”

  “It’s a beautiful night out, and even better, I’m with you.”

  His heart warmed at her statement. “I love you, Emily. I think I loved you since I was thirteen.”

  “I love you, too,” she whispered.

  He untied the reins and led the horse to the street, and together, he and Emily went home.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Everything happened so fast that Emily could hardly believe it, but when Isaac took her to the small apartment, the reality of it all began to sink in. He opened the door and slipped their carpet bags into the apartment. With a sly grin, he turned to her and swept her up into his arms.

  She giggled. “What are you doing?”

  “Carrying my bride over the threshold,” he replied, giving her a quick kiss.

  The gesture was so sweet that she kissed him back before he carried her into the apartment. After he set her down, he went to light the kerosene lamp. The place was small, something he already told her to expect. The main room contained a living area with a couch, coffee table, and a chair to one side and a kitchen with a round table and two chairs on the other. She guessed the cook stove was supposed to heat this room, except she hadn’t used it yet so the winter chill penetrated the apartment.

  “The place came furnished,” Isaac told her as he carried the lamp toward her. “I know it’s not what we’re used to, but in four years, I’ll be able to get some land and I’m going to set aside money so we can build a house out there.”

  Realizing he worried over what she thought of their new home, she smiled at him. “It’s perfect, Isaac. We don’t need more space when it’s just the two of us.”

  “But what if my aunt’s right and we have a baby soon?”

  “Well, let’s see the bedroom.”

  He held up the lamp and led her to the other room in the apartment. It was just as cold as the other room, but it had a small box stove and a pile of wood beside it. In the center of the room was a bed, and an armoire was against the wall. A small dresser and a wash basin was in f
ront of a mirror.

  She pointed to the spot next to the bed. “We can fit a bassinet over there. We might even have enough room for a crib. We’ll be fine, Isaac. It’s a cozy apartment.”

  His face relaxed. “I’m so new at this whole thing. I don’t feel like it’s real yet. You know, being a provider. I don’t want you to regret marrying me.”

  Stepping toward him, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I don’t regret it.”

  He smiled. “I’ll get the fire going in the box stove and then bring our bags in here.”

  Deciding it was a good idea to heat up the whole place, she followed him out of the bedroom. While he picked up their carpet bags, she went to the wood pile in the corner of the kitchen and gathered a couple of logs to put into the cook stove. She started the fire and then straightened up. Shivering, she tightened her hold on her coat and returned to the bedroom where Isaac was at the box stove, getting it ready for them.

  She saw her carpet bag resting by the dresser and put her things away. Since she didn’t take much, the task was done in a matter of minutes. When she was done, she looked over at Isaac who drew the curtains shut. Her attention went to the bed. Why it didn’t occur to her that they’d be sharing a bed tonight, she didn’t know, but the butterflies in her stomach suddenly fluttered around like crazy.

  Isaac backed away from the small window and set the lamp on the dresser. “I think the room will warm up soon.” He shut the door and added, “That’ll help keep the heat in here.”

  Though she nodded, her attention was on the lamp, and she wondered if he planned to keep the light on or not.

  He slipped out of his coat and gave a slight shiver as he made his way over to the armoire. “If I was smart, I would have heated up the place before we went to my uncle’s.”

  She figured she should also take her coat off. Soon, they wouldn’t have their clothes on anyway, so there was no point in keeping it on. It was ridiculous that she was nervous. She’d known Isaac since they started school. Granted, they hadn’t shared a romantic relationship until now, but still, he was familiar to her. It wasn’t like she was a mail-order bride or anything.

  As he took off his shoes, he said, “The good thing is the box stove is close to the bed.”

  “Everything else is, too,” she teased.

  With a grin, he consented to her point and took the coat from her and hung it in the armoire next to their clothes.

  He faced her in the soft light and took her left hand. “A married woman ought to have a ring as a token of her husband’s love for her.”

  Touched, she said, “In time I’ll have a ring. We need to stick with the necessities first.”

  “You’re right.”

  After a moment of silence passed, she asked, “Will we be sleeping in the dark?”

  He turned his gaze to the lamp. “I was assuming the dark, unless you want to keep it on.”

  There was a hint of interest in his eyes at the mention of keeping the light on, and she figured it was because then he could see her without her clothes on. As interested as she was to also see him without his clothes, this was all too new yet. “I’d like it dark for tonight. Maybe tomorrow?”

  “Alright.” He squeezed her hand and then headed for the dresser.

  She quickly went over to the bed while the light was still on so she wouldn’t bump into something. Sure, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if she did, but in her nervous state, she’d rather not embarrass herself. She also decided she wouldn’t undo a single button on her dress until he extinguished the light in the kerosene lamp. Once he did, she worked on the buttons of her dress.

  She heard him shifting around not too far from her and knew he was also undressing. Her heart raced. She’d never given serious thought to the wedding night beyond what her mother told her, and she’d grown up around animals so she understood what would happen. Even so, the knowledge didn’t do much to settle her nerves. This was going to happen to her, and that part of the equation changed everything.

  As soon as she had her clothes off, she slipped under the covers and shivered. She should have expected the sheets to be cold since the rest of the apartment was. She saw Isaac’s silhouette as he approached the bed and caught a glimpse of the male part of him before he joined her in the bed. It was unfortunate that she didn’t get to see him better but then decided it worked out this way since he most likely saw her naked silhouette as well. The realization made her skin flush. Suddenly, the room didn’t seem quite as dark as she first thought.

  The moment his body touched hers, she forgot all about the faint light in the room coming from the box stove and focused on him. He brought her into his arms and chuckled. “I didn’t think anything made you nervous.”

  She tried to laugh his observation off. If she’d been fully dressed, she could have, but without anything on, she became aware of how vulnerable she was.

  His voice taking on a serious tone, he softly added, “You don’t have anything to be nervous about.”

  That’s where he was wrong. Her mother had explained to her that the first time could be uncomfortable for the woman. She was also assured that the discomfort didn’t last long and as long as the man treated her considerately, it’d be a very pleasurable experience. And Isaac was very considerate. Clearing her throat, she whispered, “I feel cherished when I’m with you.”

  He brought his hand up to her face and stroked her cheek. “I’m glad. I want you to always feel that way.”

  Before she could respond, he kissed her, his lips warm and soft. There was no demand in the kiss. In fact, she sensed he was asking her permission to continue, and if she was right, then his hesitation to deepen the kiss informed her that for all his bravado, he was just as nervous as she was. But he was nervous for different reasons. He slightly pulled away from her, and she wanted to ask him what made him uneasy, but he brought his mouth back to hers and all her questions fell to the wayside.

  As he held her and continued to kiss her, she began to relax. Even though his erection was pressing into her abdomen, she found it wasn’t quite as intimidating as it’d been when she saw it just moments before. This was a part of him, and it was as natural as any part of her body was. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt her. She knew this, and it relaxed her even more.

  He parted his lips, and she followed suit. His tongue brushed her lips for a moment before it interlaced with hers. He rolled her onto her back and settled on top of her. She sighed in contentment and wrapped her arms around his waist. At the moment, her legs remained between his, but she was aware that his erection pressed against her triangular patch of curls. Maybe it should have startled her, but she was more curious about it than she expected to be. He was different from her. Her breasts flattened against his flat chest. As she ran her hands up his back, she noted the muscles under his skin. His arms and legs were stronger than hers, too.

  His lips left hers and his mouth descended to her cheek and then to her neck. She let out a soft moan and tilted her head so he could kiss more of her neck. Tingles raced up and down her spine as he continued to kiss her, and her hands went up his back and to his shoulders. This was wonderful. She thought she might enjoy doing this forever, except she was becoming aware of the heat traveling along her body. The chill of the room had become a memory as soon as Isaac joined her in the bed and put his arms around her, but now a new kind of heat was pulsing through her, and if she was right, it had something to do with the ache forming between her legs.

  He slightly rose above her and left a trail of kisses from her neck to her breasts. With one hand he cupped her left breast and kissed her right one. Surprised by the thrill of pleasure that shot through her, she shifted under him and parted her legs. In response, he placed his legs between hers but continued to explore her breasts. While he brushed her nipple with his thumb on one breast, he teased her other nipple with his tongue. She couldn’t decide which felt better and finally decided both were wonderful. He switched breasts so he could taste and fondle th
e other one, and she squeezed his shoulders to convey how much she was enjoying it.

  After he was done exploring her breasts, he rose up, and she thought he might enter her, but he settled next to her and ran his hand from her breast to her stomach and then lower until he reached her patch of curls. She widened her legs further for him and gasped when his fingers grazed her flesh. She hadn’t expected it to feel so good and murmured for him to keep going. And he did.

  He slid a finger into her and groaned. Lowering his head, he kissed her, and she brought her hand up to cup the side of his face, surprised that she was the one prompting him to open his mouth for her this time. He obeyed her silent command and let her explore his mouth while he slid another finger into her and stroked her core. Her body moved on its own accord, her hips building a rhythm so that her sensitive nub was rubbing against the palm of his hand. As much as she loved the way his fingers caressed her, she soon realized the mounting pleasure was coming from the pressure his palm was providing. She reached down and pressed his palm more firmly on her.