Mail Order Bride: Westward Winds by - (book club books TXT) 📕

Tessa sat at Lydia’s kitchen table sipping on some coffee. She’d brought the children over to play with their kids and to get away from the ranch for a while. The situation between her and Dean was getting worse, not better, and Tessa knew that something had to give at some point. She just didn’t know if they could get past the problem.

Lydia looked at Tessa with concern. “You don’t look like you slept at all last night.”

“I didn’t. I don’t know what to do. We’re both so angry with each other,” Tessa said. “It might sound silly to other people, but we’re both angry about letters that were either sent or not sent.”

Lydia took a sip of coffee and said, “You’re going to have to explain that to me, Tessa.”

Tessa looked into her kind, brown eyes. “I’m upset because he just doesn’t understand why I’m upset. He also thinks that I don’t have a reason to be. He’s angry because I didn’t write home to tell my family about marrying him.”

“Let me guess, both of you feel you’re justified in your anger and you want the other one to admit you’re right,” Lydia said with a chuckle.

Tessa said, “Yes. He admitted he was wrong last night, but it didn’t seem like a true admission. It was as if he just wanted to end the fighting.”

“Would that have been a bad thing?” Lydia said.

“If it wasn’t real, yes.” Tessa said.

Lydia said, “Is your anger and pride getting you anywhere?”

Tessa put her head down on her forearm. “No, but I can’t seem to help myself. I keep asking myself why I can’t let it go, but I’m not coming up with any answers.”

“I can help you out with that,” Lydia said.

Tessa raised her head and said, “You can?”

“Yeah. When you’ve been married as long as Charlie and I have, you learn a few things about how men and women deal with each other,” Lydia explained.

“Yes, that makes sense,” Tessa admitted.

“You said you ran away from home because no one was listening to you and you couldn’t live your life like you wanted to. You feel like Dean isn’t listening to you. He hears you, but he’s not really listening,” Lydia stated.

“Yes! That’s exactly it,” Tessa said. She felt relief that someone understood what she was feeling.

“Well, here’s your problem, Tessa. Men don’t listen like women do. Well, unless they’re Marcus. He pays attention. Always has. Anyway, there are certain times when men listen better than others and one of them is not when they’re angry. I love Dean like a brother, but the man has a temper and when he’s mad, it’s hard to reason with him sometimes. So that is not the time to try to talk to him,” Lydia explained.

“Yes. I have found that to be true,” Tessa agreed. “So when then?”

“Well, this is a little personal but I’m guessing that there’s not been a lot of physical contact going on,” Lydia said.

Tessa’s cheeks turned pink and she dropped her eyes. “No. There hasn’t.”

Lydia smiled. “That’s another thing that’ll change the longer you’re married. This subject isn’t nearly as embarrassing to talk about. I think it would be a good idea to do…that. Afterwards is the best time to talk to him. He’ll be in a better mood and more open to really hearing what you’re saying.”

Tessa put her hands over her face and said, “I can’t do that.”

Lydia laughed. “You’re as shy as he is. I’ve never seen a man like him who’s shy about this stuff.”

“I wouldn’t even know where to begin,” Tessa said.

Lydia made sure none of the kids were close to the open window in the kitchen and said softly, “Do you want him?”

“Oh, yes. Very much.”

“Then take what you want. I doubt you’ll get any complaints from him, Tessa,” Lydia said and winked at her.

Tessa laughed and Lydia changed the subject.