The Chef's Mail Order Bride: A Sweet Western Historical Romance (Wild West Frontier Brides Book 1) (4 page)

T
ripp had set
to moving all of the restaurant supplies and equipment into the new building while Suzanne and Sadie planned the wedding.

“I didn’t bring anything near good enough to wear,” Sadie told her sister as they sat down for tea the next morning. Her head still reeled with all of the speedy developments, and Tripp had asked her to come and see the new restaurant space later in the day.

“I don’t know how you feel about it, but I would be honored if you wanted to wear my wedding dress,” Suzanne said as she poured another cup of tea. “We’re still the same size, after all.”

Lucy and Lily tore into the room, grabbing at their mother’s skirts. “We want to be in the wedding, Mama,” they chorused. Suzanne laughed and said, “Ask Aunt Sadie, girls. It’s not my wedding.”

“Please, Aunt Sadie? Can we?” Lucy said, batting her eyelashes at her aunt in a way that Sadie couldn’t possibly say no to.

“I would love that, girls,” Sadie said, tears welling. It may be just a business arrangement, but she was thrilled that her family wanted to be involved.

“I have the perfect dresses for them, too, if you’d like them to be flower girls.” Suzanne tousled the girls’ hair.

“I would love that. To wear your dress, Suzanne, and to have the twins be flower girls.”

Her heart clenched for a moment, and she said, “I wish Mom and Dad were going to be here. Even though it’s just a business arrangement.”

Suzanne reached for her hand. “You can say that, sister, but I just know it will be more than that.”

Sadie sighed, wondering if her sister was right, and afraid to hope that maybe she was.

T
he next few
days were a blur again as Suzanne bothered Sadie about flowers and dresses and Sadie herself was so nervous that she went into a baking frenzy. It had always been what calmed her down.

She made a wedding cake, pastries, bread for the wedding supper and biscuits for breakfast beforehand. She even created meat pies from the leftovers of the roast Tripp had made. Suzanne walked into the kitchen as she was putting the final touches on the wedding cake the morning of the wedding.

“Good grief, how long have you been up doing all this?” she asked as she surveyed the full counters of baked goods.

“I’m not sure I slept last night,” Sadie said as she set aside the last tray of meat pies. She gave a satisfied sigh and was grateful that her nervous energy had gone into something useful. She hoped that Tripp would feel the same way.

“It looks like you’ve baked enough to feed the whole town,” Suzanne said, sniffing the tray of meat pies.

“What are these?” she said, picking one up and breaking it open.

Sadie was pleased as the aroma of beef, onions and spices wafted to her.

“These smell delicious,” Suzanne said. “And they
are
delicious.” She closed her eyes as she savored the bite she’d taken.

“It’s something I’ve been making for a while, and since I’ve been so nervous and couldn’t sleep anyway, I thought it might be a good use of the leftover roast. You like it?”

“It’s divine. I think you should sell them in the restaurant. But, enough now. We need to get you ready for your wedding. We will be skipping the regular Sunday service today for the special occasion, so we have a little bit of extra time,” Suzanne said as she went to retrieve the wedding dress Sadie would wear.

Sadie quickly brushed her floury hands on her apron, untied the bow in the back and slid it over her head. With one final look at her creations, she headed upstairs toward the bath Suzanne had heated up for her and felt her heartbeat quicken as she thought of her wedding in a few hours.

Her wedding! Butterflies fluttered in her belly as she raced up the stairs, trying to forget about the fact that it was only a business arrangement. She knew in her heart she was hoping for more. What she didn’t know was whether Tripp felt it was even possible. Or something that he even wanted.

S
adie opened
the door at Suzanne’s knock and couldn’t help but smile as her sister clapped her hands together, tears welling in her eyes as she said, “You look beautiful.”

She had taken extra care to get ready, washing her hair with the divine-smelling lavender soap and slowly putting her long, blonde hair again up in a chignon. She did place some of the flowers that Suzanne had left on the vanity in her hair, the flowers perfectly matching the color of her dress.

As she followed Suzanne down the stairs, she tried to shake thoughts she’d had of how her wedding
should
be and tried to be grateful for how it was. She was no longer alone, at least, and with this wedding arrangement came her opportunity to be with the only family she had left.

Lucy and Lily grabbed her hands and pulled her to the waiting buggy.

“It’s time to go, Aunt Sadie,” Lily said. “Come on, Mama.”

James patted her hand after he’d helped her into the buggy and loaded his three women.

“Are you all right?” he said, his voice low and kind.

She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “I’m fine, James. Let’s get going.”

He squeezed her hand and hopped into the buggy, driving them straight to the church.

As they approached, the last of the congregation was leaving and her stomach fluttered, knowing that Tripp was inside, waiting for her. Before she knew it, the organ music signaled it was time for James to walk her down the aisle.

She had trouble focusing her eyes as she walked toward Tripp and he smiled, reaching for her hand as James held it out to him. Her breath caught as she felt warmth and comfort in his hand and wondered how that could be—she barely knew the man, although she would be his wife in mere minutes.

“Sadie. Sadie…it’s time to say ‘I do’,” she heard the pastor say, aware that it wasn’t the first time he’d said her name.

Her heart fluttered as she realized she had been somewhere else in her head the entire ceremony. She looked at Tripp, his brow smoothing as she said the words.

“I now pronounce you man and wife,” said the pastor, and Sadie couldn’t help but notice that Tripp let out a big sigh, as if he’d been holding his breath until it was over.

He put his hand on her arm, pulling her gently toward him, and placed a quick but firm kiss on her lips. He pulled away, hesitating a moment as his eyes held hers. She felt the heat creep into her cheeks as she looked toward Lucy and Lily, who were clapping and sitting on their mother’s lap.

Before she could take another breath, Tripp grabbed her hand and led her down the aisle. She took a quick peek in his direction and was pleased to see that at least he was smiling.

I
t had been a sweet wedding
—what she remembered of it—Sadie thought, as her new husband helped her up into the buggy that Suzanne had decorated with ribbons. She laughed as Lucy and Lily threw rice at them as they drove away, knowing full well that they would be meeting back at their house in a matter of minutes for a very small supper.

She turned to Tripp and said, “Thank you for making this a special time for me, even though it’s just a business arrangement.”

She was grateful that her wedding—probably the only one in her life—had been lovely, after all. The pastor had said all the right words, Tripp had looked in her eyes with—maybe just gratitude—but she had dreamed of this day when she was a little girl, and so far it was going fine.

“Oh, you’re welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“I did, and I hope you like the supper I’ve gotten ready,” Sadie said.

Tripp turned to her and said, “That was awful nice of you to do that for your own wedding.” He turned back, keeping his eyes on the road. “I’m sure you wouldn’t have recognized him, but one of the bankers was in the last pew, watching. I had a feeling that might happen, so it mattered that we made it look real.

She gasped as her stomach sank, and she dropped her bouquet onto the floorboards of the buggy. Tripped turned to her quickly. “What? What is it? Are you unwell?”

She wished she saw genuine concern in his eyes. Actual concern for her, rather than just concern for his loan. She caught herself quickly, picked up the bouquet and wondered what she’d expected.

This wasn’t her dream wedding. It was a business arrangement, she reminded herself. She lifted her chin and looked straight ahead for the remainder of the drive home.

This is absurd
, she thought as she waited for Tripp to help her out of the buggy after he’d tied up the horses.
You don’t even know this man.
She wondered why she felt anything for him at all as they walked into the house to the applause of her very small family.

Sadie and Suzanne had set most things out before the wedding, knowing it was going to be brief and that they’d be right back. James’s mother, Ida, had placed the things that needed to stay cool on the table as they drove up.

As they walked into the house, Sadie hoped her new husband would be happy with what she had made, and that he would enjoy it as much as she’d enjoyed his dinner when she arrived.

Tripp stopped short as he entered the dining room after gesturing for Sadie to go in first. He stood for a moment, surveying the pink and white wedding cake that Sadie had made and the trays of baked goods, potato salad and roast chicken.

“Sadie, you made all this?” he asked, his eyes wide.

“I tend to bake when I get nervous,” she said quietly. “I hope you like it.”

Tripp laughed and walked over to the cake. “It’s beautiful, Sadie. What kind is it?”

Suzanne cut in. “Chocolate, of course. What other kind of wedding cake is there?” She smiled as she picked up two plates and handed them to the bride and groom. “Dig in, and let’s start the celebration.”

They filled their plates and sat at the table, everyone chattering about the wedding and the good food. Tripp stopped when he bit into his meat pie, chewing slowly as he looked at it like it was something he’d never seen.

“You made this, too?” he said, turning to Sadie.

“Yes, I did. Do you like it?”

“It’s delicious. Especially for something so simple.”

She’d have done anything to stop the blush she could feel spreading over her cheeks. She couldn’t seem to find her voice, and her sister jumped in, saying, “It’s very good, isn’t it? It’s something Sadie created with your leftover roast.”

“Oh, that explains it,” he said, seemingly oblivious to her discomfort.

James cleared his throat. “How about some cake,” he said, as he moved toward the cake table.

“Oh, yes. That’s a good idea,” Tripp said as he gestured for Sadie to join him.

James lifted his punch glass for a toast and said, “Here’s to a long, happy partnership between two of my favorite people.”

“Hear, hear,” Tripp said as he clinked glasses with James.

He hadn’t even glanced at her during the toast, and Sadie sighed, settling into the understanding that this was a marriage in name only, and would never be anything but. Only a reason to have two names on the loan document.

By the time Tripp turned to her and said, “The cake is delicious,” she’d decided that she would just be as helpful as she could and not allow herself to care
what
he thought.

I
t was evening
by the time they left the reception. The ride to Tripp’s house seemed longer than it was due to the silence that had fallen heavily between them. Sadie didn’t know what to say and wasn’t sure she even cared to think of anything, and Tripp seemed lost in his own thoughts.

“I showed you the kitchen and downstairs the other day. How are you feeling? I can take you to your room and you can rest. It’s been a rather long day, and we have a lot to do tomorrow,” he said as he opened the door, stepping aside as he gestured for her to enter.

She walked into the foyer and once again noticed that the house was very neat but with the few pieces of furniture and lack of decorating, it was clear he spent most of his time in the kitchen. He hung his hat on the rack by the door and set her suitcases at the bottom of the stairs.

“Are you hungry?” he said, glancing toward the kitchen as he smoothed down his brown, wavy hair.

With a laugh, she said, “How could I possibly be hungry after eating all of that food at the reception?”

“Oh, yes, right,” he said, tugging his vest down and shoving his hands in his pockets. “Well, what do you want to do, then?”

He shifted from one foot to the other, and she wondered if he was a little nervous after all.

She looked at her bouquet in her hand and said, “Do you have a vase I could put these in? They’re really beautiful and I’d like to keep them alive as long as I can.”

“Oh, yes, of course. In the kitchen,” he said, heading in that direction. She followed, and he filled a blue glass vase with water. She set to arranging the bouquet in it as she felt him watching her as he leaned against the kitchen counter, his arms folded over his chest.

As she stepped back to admire her handiwork, he cleared his throat and said, “Thank you, Sadie. I am very grateful to you for helping me make my dream come true.”

Sadie dropped her chin and glanced down to the floor. “I told you I would help. Please tell me about it. The restaurant.”

His eyes lit up and he pushed away from the counter. She thought he actually looked taller somehow. “Really? You want to know?”

“Of course I do. If I’m going to be any help at all, I need to know what your plans are.” She smiled as he rushed out of the room, returning seconds later with a rolled-up set of papers in his hand. He grabbed the few items from the kitchen table and moved them to the counter.

“This is it,” he said as he unrolled the paper across the table, placing salt and pepper shakers on the corners so it didn’t roll up again. “It’s a building adjacent to the mercantile, actually. James helped me acquire a lease for it. It’s a perfect location, and this is a drawing of the inside.”

She pulled the lantern closer as she bent over the plans. It wasn’t at all like the bakery, but she could see that it had been designed with customer comfort in mind—very few tables close to the kitchen door and some elbow room between them. The drawing of the kitchen showed what she thought would be a very easy space to work in, with a prep section off to the side.

“It’s lovely, Tripp. I can’t wait to see it,” she said.

The smile on his face grew even wider, which she hadn’t thought was possible. “Thank you,” he said. “That means a lot to me, but this means even more.”

She sat as he spread out the rest of the papers he’d brought in. “And this—this is the menu. I’ve perfected it, I think, and I worked on it all throughout culinary school. It’s the latest and most popular of all the dishes in New York. And a few of my personal specialties, as well.”

Her lips pinched together as she looked over the items he’d listed.

S
oups
Chicken Giblet and Consomme
, with Egg

Fish
Columbia River Salmon, au Beurre Noir

Relieves
Filet a Boeuf, a la Financier Leg of Lamb, Sauce, Oysters

Cold Meats
Loin of Beef, Loin of Ham, Loin of Pork, Westphalia Ham, Corned Beef, Imported Lunches

Boiled Meats
Leg of Mutton, Ribs of Beef, Corned Beef and Cabbage, Russian River Bacon

Entrees
Pinons a Poulett, aux Champignons Cream Fricasse of Chicken, Asparagus Points Lapine Domestique, a la Matire d'Hote Casserole d'Ritz aux Oeufs, a la Chinoise Ducks of Mutton, Braze, with Chipoluta Ragout California Fresh Peach, a la Conde

Roasts
Loin of Beef, Loin of Mutton, Leg of Pork Apple Sauce, Suckling Pig, with Jelly, Chicken Stuffed Veal

Pastry
Peach, Apple, Plum, and Custard Pies English Plum Pudding, Hard Sauce, Lemon Flavor

“
I
…I’ve never tried some of these things before. You know how to make all of this?”

He stood up, folding his arms over his chest again. “Of course, I do. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have put them on the menu. And the people are going to love it. It’ll be something new and exciting for them.”

“Have you tested any of these? Asked some of the people what they think?” she said gently, sensing it might be a sensitive topic for him.

He waved his hand toward the menu. “This is the newest and finest from the east coast. There is no reason to test. The lines of people waiting for tables were halfway down the block. Of course, the menu items will have to rotate as I am only one person, but those are the things I will be making.”

She sighed, remembering the clientele she’d had in Chicago. She’d tried several different times to add things that were more fun for her to make. She’d introduced fancy desserts at one point as well as small cakes another time.

They were good, and the clients loved them, but what kept them coming back time after time were not the specialty items. It was the basics—biscuits, scones, bread and the meat pies she’d made that customers could hold in their hands and take on picnics. Those flew out the door as fast as she could make them.

She smiled, not wanting to tell him any of that and risk dampening his enthusiasm. He was pacing now, reading over the list in his hand, smiling. Who was she to rain on his parade?

She’d throw in and hope that the area was ready for a gourmet restaurant. She’d heard that some people who had travel experience passed through and maybe they would be good customers. So far, though, she’d seen mostly miners, heading to the mine to work or home from the mine afterwards.

“I can’t wait to try some of these,” she said, removing the salt and pepper shakers and rolling up the drawing.

He smiled as she handed it to him. “Will I get to see the restaurant tomorrow?”

“Oh, yes. First thing in the morning, we’ll be heading to the bank to sign the loan documents. Then, we’ll go to the restaurant and get started. I’ve had all the equipment placed and the tables, chairs, dishes and silverware should arrive tomorrow. We have lots of work to do. Are you prepared?” he asked, reaching out for her hand.

She placed her hand in his, noticing his eagerness and enthusiasm. She could tell how badly he wanted this, and vowed again to help him make it a success.

“Yes, I’m ready. I will help in any way I can. But right now, I’m exhausted. And it sounds like I’ll need to be rested and ready for tomorrow,” she said, squeezing his hand.

“Thank you, Sadie. Thank you again.”

She could see the gratitude in his eyes, and she followed as he led her up to her room and set her suitcases on stands for her.

“I hope you will be comfortable here,” he said, gesturing to the room that had been fitted with towels, fresh linens and, on the vanity, a vase of lavender.

She smiled at the kind gesture and said, “This is lovely, Tripp. It’s very comfortable.”

“Good,” he said, and he took a step toward her but stopped. “Well, good night, then. I am just next door if you find you need anything.” He nodded toward her and quickly turned and left the room, closing the door gently behind him.

“Not exactly my idea of a wedding night,” she said out loud. “But I guess it’ll have to do.”

She changed into her nightdress and crawled into the soft, clean bed. She looked on the nightstand, smiling at the small vase of lavender placed by the lantern.

She sighed, turned the lantern off and fell immediately to sleep, wondering if tomorrow would be as interesting as she hoped it would be.