Homespun Bride

78 Homespun BrideAiden smirked—the closest to a smile he ever got.“I’ve been keeping an eye on the land prices aroundhere. Figured we would take a peek at the sale sometime,too.” He gestured toward the sale. “When Finngets home, he’s got to have something to ride. He’s notusing my horses.”Or Sunny. Thad nodded in agreement.Aiden cleared his throat as they started walking.“You wouldn’t be thinking about beauing that womanagain.”“Noelle?” Beauing her? There was an outlandishthought. “No. I learned my lesson and I learned it well.”“Now it’s time for me to worry about you, brother.If it’s not Miss Kramer, then what else has put that lookon your face? There are the Worthington daughters. Afew of them are of a marriageable age.”He’d hardly noticed the one in the parlor—thenagain, he would never notice anyone else when Noellewas in the same room. The pang that ached in his heartwas best left unexamined. He spotted the land office.“The real question is, brother, why are you mentioningthose daughters? Say, you wouldn’t be sweet on one ofthe Worthington girls, would you?”“Me?” Aiden spit out the word. “You’ve been gonea long time, brother, or you’d remember my opinion onmost women.”“I remember just fine. But I reckon that you’ve beenalone a long time. That might have changed youropinion some.” Thad tried to say the words kindly,knowing his brother hurt for the wife and the newbornson he’d buried. Years hadn’t chased the haunted lookfrom Aiden’s face. “Even I think about marrying nowand again.”