Perfectly Matched

By Ruth Ann Nordin

Jim Griffin is in trouble. The moment he arrives in Omaha looking for a place to stay, Patricia and Erin Larson have decided he will marry one of them. And the longer he’s a guest in their home, the louder those wedding bells are ringing!

Their father isn’t as excited by the prospect of an upcoming marriage as they are, and he does everything he can to discourage Jim from getting too close to them. Meanwhile, their mother has other plans and is more than happy to look for ways to get him to spend time with each of them.

This cute and sweet romantic comedy takes a look at an overwhelmed bachelor who is at the mercy of two sisters who are determined to get a husband.

*For anyone who follows the Larson family, this book features Tom and Jessica's daughters.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ruth Ann Nordin
• Release date: Mar 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9780463933671

Ruth Ann Nordin

Ruth Ann Nordin has written almost 100 romances, ranging from Regencies to historical westerns to contemporaries. She plays with other genres from time to time, but her first love is romance. She has been happily married for twenty-two years to a sweet and funny guy, and they have four sons, who are all taller than Ruth now that they're 16, 17, 19, and 20. The good thing is she doesn't need a ladder. She considers herself very lucky to have led such a charmed life. Being able to play with characters and create stories is just icing on the cake. Hopefully, she'll get to keep doing this many years to come.

Book preview

Husbands for the Larson Sisters: Book 2

Perfectly

Matched

Ruth Ann Nordin

This is a work of fiction. The events and characters described herein are imaginary and are not intended to refer to specific places or living persons. The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and also represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher.

Perfectly Matched

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright 2021 Ruth Ann Nordin

Book Cover Design by: Yellow Prelude Design, LLC

This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without expressed written consent of the publisher/author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Quick Epilogue

List of Larson Books

All Books by Ruth Ann Nordin

Where to Find Ruth

Chapter One

November 1893

Omaha, Nebraska

I can’t wait to get married, Patricia Larson said as she picked up the ribbon from the top of her bedroom dresser.

She used to share the room with her older sister, Nelly, but when Nelly moved out to her own homestead, she got the room all to herself. Her younger sisters, Erin and Daisy, on the other hand, still shared a bedroom.

Patricia glanced at Erin who was sitting on Nelly’s old bed and added, I didn’t feel right marrying someone as long as Nelly was single. Now that she has a husband, I can give serious effort to being courted.

Erin crossed her arms and smirked at her. Is that how you explain the fact that no one offered to court you?

With a gasp, Patricia hurried to her bed and flung her pillow at her sister, who, unfortunately, managed to dodge it just in time.

Erin laughed. Your aim is as bad as Pa’s when he’s nervous.

Patricia shot her a pointed look before returning to the mirror above the dresser. I could have had an offer if I’d wanted one. Then, just because she knew it would bother her sister, she continued, If you’d marry Alex, you’d finally put that poor boy out of his misery.

As she expected, Erin grimaced. You better not say anything to encourage him. I don’t want to end up with him. I wish Daisy was older. Then I’d arrange for them to get together like we did with Nelly and Val.

You would have Daisy write a mail order husband ad and convince Alex to answer it? Patricia mused as she pulled her blonde hair into a ponytail. She secured the ponytail with a ribbon.

I would figure out something like that, yes, Erin said.

Alex would never marry her. He doesn’t want anyone but you.

Well, he’s not going to have me. I’m waiting for someone better to come along.

Erin claimed that he was annoying because he’d been following after her since they were children. Sometimes Patricia thought it was sweet that he had followed her sister around the schoolyard and was there to carry her books to the wagon every day when their father or mother came to pick them up from school. But she could also understand why Erin didn’t like it. Alex was a little too eager.

You’re lucky, Erin said. You can dance with anyone you want without Alex hovering nearby. Standing there and watching you. She shivered. Sometimes it gives me nightmares.

Just tell him no if you don’t want to dance with him. Besides, you can dance with anyone you want. Patricia brushed her ponytail then checked her plaid red and white dress in the mirror. She turned around and glanced at her backside. Do I look alright?

You look fine. Erin stood up and adjusted the pretty green dress she’d chosen for the evening. Unlike Patricia, her blonde hair was hanging in soft waves down past her shoulders.

Daisy ran into the room and spun around in her yellow dress. What do you think? Do I look pretty?

You look beautiful, Patricia said. Just like Ma must have looked when Pa met her.

He says we all look like Ma, Erin replied.

He fell in love with her the night they met, Daisy said. He thought he had ruined things when he ruined her hair.

Ma said it wasn’t as bad as he makes it sound, Patricia corrected. All she had to do was cut her hair just past her shoulders. It wasn’t like he made her bald or anything. Besides, hair grows back.

Yes, but I like mine long. Daisy touched her ponytail. I have mine up just in case some young man who is clumsy like Pa asks me to dance.

Patricia laughed. He’s not clumsy all the time. It’s only when he’s nervous.

That’s her point, Erin said. If the young man is nervous because he’s smitten with her, she wants to protect her hair.

What about you? Patricia asked Erin. Aren’t you worried about your hair?

Erin shook her head. Most young men aren’t clumsy when they’re nervous.

If they are, then it’s easy to tell if they like you, Daisy said. Otherwise, you have to guess.

You’re only sixteen, Erin replied. You have plenty of time to figure out if someone likes you or not.

Unable to resist the urge to tease Erin, Patricia told Daisy, Unless you have someone like Alex following you all over the place.

Erin rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything.

Daisy, on the other hand, scrunched her nose up in distaste. I’d hate to have someone like Alex following me everywhere. He’s annoying. I’d rather have someone ruin some of my hair.

Maybe it was wrong, but Patricia giggled.

Well, Daisy, you’re too young to marry anyway, Erin said. Consider yourself lucky. Alex won’t be bothering you this evening.

I do consider myself lucky, Daisy replied, her eyes wide and tone serious. I’d rather be single forever than be married to him.

Oh, I’m sure there’s someone out there for him, Patricia said. There’s someone out there for everyone. Nelly didn’t think so, but we found someone for her. Inspired, she turned her gaze to Erin. We should find someone for Alex! Then you won’t have to worry about him anymore.

I don’t know, Daisy replied. Alex’s been wanting to marry her since they were eight. Do you think he’ll consider anyone else now that they’re nineteen?

Patricia shrugged. Why not? Erin’s done nothing to encourage him all of these years. Ma thought she was going to marry Peter when she met Pa.

Yeah, but Ma wasn’t really in love with Peter, Daisy said. I’ve seen the way Alex looks at Erin, and he loves her.

Or he’s fooled himself into thinking he loves her, Patricia pointed out. If the right woman came along, he might forget all about her.

That would only work if the right woman fell in love with him, too, Daisy replied.

There’s bound to be someone who’ll find him suitable for marriage, Patricia said. If we can pair up Nelly with Val, we can pair someone up with Alex. There are plenty of young women in Omaha who are looking to get married.

I like the way you think. Erin patted Patricia on the shoulder. But the only two marriageable women who’ll be at this dance tonight are you and me.

Well, let’s hope there are some marriageable men to choose from, Patricia said. That’s what really matters anyway.

That’s not true, Daisy argued. It’ll be fun to dance, eat, and talk with our friends.

Excited by what the evening would bring, Patricia nodded her agreement and followed her sisters out of the room.

***

Jim Griffin turned to look at the man who’d taken him out to a farm with a small cabin and barn on it. The man had agreed to take him from the train station to his friend’s homestead. And now that they were in front of the little cabin, he just couldn’t believe they were in the right place.

Jim shifted on the wagon seat and pulled out the letter his friend had written to him. Maybe I got the address wrong. Jim showed him the letter. I asked to be taken to Valentine Silverton’s residence.

The man nodded. Val lives here.

Are you sure?

Yes. Val married a Larson girl. The man rubbed his jaw. Let me think. She’s Tom and Jessica’s oldest. He snapped his fingers. Nelly. That’s her name. It is Nelly Larson’s homestead you were asking me to take you to, wasn’t it?

Yes, but this isn’t a homestead.

Jim gestured to the property. Where was the large house? Where was the large barn? Where were the buildings to house the workers who grew the crops and took care of the animals? Where was the nice carriage and stables?

Go on to the door, the man said. I’ll bring your trunks in for you.

The house was so small that Jim wondered if his trunks would fit in there. From the outside, the entire house looked like it was as big as his bedroom back East.

The front door opened, and Jim’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw Valentine Silverton, the friend he’d had since childhood, wearing a green shirt and a pair of denims. Since when did Val wear anything but a suit?

Val saw him and stiffened in surprise.

For a moment, neither one spoke. Then a pretty young woman, wearing the kind of dress Jim’s mother wouldn’t have been caught dead in even if she stayed at home all day, asked, May we help you, sir?

Sir? Was she talking to him? Jim glanced back at the man who was getting down from the wagon.

The man glanced her way as he went to the back of the wagon. Hi, Nelly! I brought out a friend of your husband’s. His name is Jim Griffin.

That seemed to break Val from his trance. He hurried down the porch steps and ran over to Jim. What are you doing here? Val asked.

After a moment, Jim got down from the wagon so he could speak directly with his friend. I came out here to help you with the homestead. I thought about what you said about Carla and decided not to marry her. I figured you’d have a position here where I could work. You know, he glanced around the property, to see if I could help get word out about the homestead so you’d get more business. He finally turned his gaze to his friend. Is there a business here?

Val winced. There is, but it’s not the kind we thought it was going to be.

What kind is it?

It’s a small farm that has enough to feed one family.

Only one family?

Val winced. I know I didn’t explain that in the letter I sent you. I was too embarrassed to let you know that this piece of land is all Nelly had. Her family isn’t among the wealthy like we both thought.

Jim wished he had known that before he came out here. He had walked away from his family’s business. When he left, his father had told him that if he went to Nebraska, he’d be cut out of the will. That left him with only the things in his trunk and the money in his pocket, which, though it’d been more than enough for the trip, wasn’t enough for making a life out here.

Hi, there, Nelly said.

The two friends jerked.

Sorry, she continued. I thought you heard me approach. I’m so excited to meet you, Jim. Val said you two were good friends. Did you come by for a visit?

Not quite, Jim replied.

He didn’t marry Carla like we thought, Val told her. He came to live here.

As if on cue, the man passed by them with a large trunk.

Her eyes grew wide. Where is he going to live? There’s not enough room for him here.

That was a good point. All this time, Jim had entertained this fantasy where he was going to be a guest in a large bedroom in a large house. He hadn’t planned to be a guest for long. He would just need enough time to earn up the money to buy his own house. He figured that such a thing wouldn’t take too long. But from the looks of it, he realized that fantasy wasn’t going to happen.

Maybe there might be enough room, Val said. After a moment, he looked at Jim. You can sleep in the parlor. You won’t fit on the couch, but we have blankets to help make the floor comfortable.

There weren’t even two bedrooms in there? It was even smaller than it looked?

Nelly’s face lit up. He can stay with my family until he finds a place to live. They have plenty of room in their house.

They did? Jim’s gaze went to Val.

It’s a pink house, but it does have more space than we do, Val told him. They’re not too far from here, and they’re having a barn dance tonight. It’s the end of the harvest. He put his arm around Nelly’s shoulders. Thanks to her, I got through it.

She patted his chest. You did a great job, Val. I told you once you got used to the scythe, there would be nothing to worry about.

Harvest? Scythe? Jim had no idea what they were talking about. For all he was concerned, they were speaking a second language.

Nelly turned to the man as he was taking another one of Jim’s trunks to the porch. She hurried over to him. Will you put that on the back of our wagon instead?

We’ll be right back, Val promised Jim before he followed her.

Jim took off his hat and ran his fingers through his dark hair. This couldn’t be happening. He had to be dreaming. Either that, or he’d fallen into some other world similar to the one he’d been reading about on the train. The book did say the world had been a lot like the one the character was used to. Was it possible that the train went through some strange doorway into another place? Perhaps he wasn’t on Earth anymore.

No. That was nonsense. That was fiction. Things like that couldn’t happen. He, unfortunately, was still awake, and he was still on Earth. Apparently, what he and Val had thought about Nelly Larson and her family were wrong. He and Val hadn’t understood what Nelly meant when she wrote about the land and animals and her role on this homestead. They had wrongly assumed she had a huge house with a lot of crops and animals and servants to take care of things. Never once did