A Bride for Adam

Greta somewhat.
When they returned to Eve, Manny had eight more recruits lined up. Adam clapped Manny on the back and said to Greta, “We set sail tomorrow.”
Before retiring for the night, Adam had a meeting with his crew to make sure everyone knew the rules and their duties. He hoped they could all be trusted, as Adam preferred to work with the same crew for each voyage, and they were all strangers, again. Adam went below and knocked on Greta’s door.
“Who is it?” she called.
“Adam.”
“It’s all right to come in,” she said.
He used his key and came in, carrying his Bible. “I wondered if we could continue our nightly Bible reading.”
Greta was in bed with the quilt pulled up to her chin. She smiled and nodded.
He sat at the desk and read several chapters from Ephesians. Before he locked Greta in for the night, he said a prayer that they would have a safe and quick journey home.
~~~~***~~~~
Greta stood at the rail, watching the sea as they set sail for home. She could hardly wait to see land on the horizon. She was still somewhat angry with Adam for contesting the annulment. It would have been different if he’d contested it because he loved her, but he’d done it to keep his promise to Seth. Greta prayed every night that Adam would return her love, but she supposed God wasn’t in the romance business. After all, he was busy answering dire prayers for people who were dying or in trouble.
Sometimes, she wondered if Adam did care for her. He certainly looked out for her welfare. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he was in love with her, given the sparkle in his eyes when he saw her each morning and the way he always touched her when he spoke to her. If she wasn’t happy, he tried to move heaven and earth to change her mood. Why would he do that if he wasn’t in love with her? Was she caught up in wishful thinking?
Greta wondered if he’d be satisfied with a life away from the sea. Would raising horses stifle his urge to sail, or would he yearn for the sea after a few months?
She wished she had the nerve to ask him all of these questions.
Greta had wool-gathered far too long. It was nearly time for lunch, and Tully would be waiting for her in the galley. She scurried down to the galley to apologize to him.
Tully waved off her apology. “Not a problem. I decided to make sandwiches from last night’s leftover chicken.”
“Oh, that will be good and easy.” Greta saw six loaves of homemade bread on the counter. “You’ve made bread already?”
“I couldn’t sleep,” Tully said, “so, I got up around four and baked the bread.”
Greta grabbed a knife and a fat loaf of bread and began slicing. “Tully, do you think Adam will be satisfied living in Texas?”
“Once you two start a family, he won’t want to leave, I promise you.”
“I have a daughter from my first marriage to his brother, so we already have a family.”
“Have another one, and I guarantee he won’t want to leave either you or the children.”
“How do you know that?”
“I know Adam and his family. They’re close knit, so he’ll also want the same for his family. Those things run through the generations.” Tully grabbed another loaf and began slicing. “Especially if his marriage is a good one, which I’m sure it is.”
Greta stopped slicing. She dropped her knife on the cutting board. “Our marriage isn’t a good one, and it’s in the process of being annulled. We’ve decided to partner in a horse breeding ranch but not as a married couple.”
Tully shook his head. “I wouldn’t hurry on that annulment.”
“It would be different if the marriage were based on love, but it was a forced marriage, and Adam is simply carrying out a promise he made to his brother.”
Tully gave Greta a serious look. “And you? Why did you agree to the marriage?”
“Adam’s mother was pushing me, but—”
“But?” Tully prompted.
“I’ve been fond of Adam since I was thirteen and first laid eyes on him. He never noticed me until after our proxy marriage.”
Tully shook his butcher’s knife at her. “Isn’t it possible that Adam agreed to marry you because of a promise to his brother, but now, after getting to know you, he’s realized that he loves you?”
Greta shook her head. “How would I know if that were true? He treats me well, but he’s never displayed any affection other than friendship.”
Tully continued slicing the bread. “Men are different than women; they sometimes need a bit of encouragement.”
Greta shook her head. “I can’t encourage him—I was brought up to be a lady. Am I expected to throw myself into his arms and smother him with kisses? No, I couldn’t do that.”
“Well,” Tully said, “maybe not something quite that extreme. You could, perhaps, show your feelings in another way. Does he usually seek you out, or do you approach him first?”
“He usually approaches me.”
“Then switch that up. You seek him out. He’ll be surprised, but he might get the message.”
“I suppose I could do that.”
“When you and he are talking, you could, perhaps, squeeze his hand. When he does something nice, it wouldn’t be unladylike to give him a peck on the cheek as a thank you.”
“If I did those things, how would that make a difference, Tully?”
“Just do them, and you’ll find out.” Tully laughed. “Time to put the chicken and sauce on the bread.”
The dining room—which was just across from the galley—filled with crew members. Tully served them, as ordered by Adam—he didn’t want Greta too close to the crew. When Tully returned to the galley he remarked, “Adam didn’t come down to eat.