"Yes, she is," Lance agreed.
"I'm Trudy," she stuck out her hand ignoring the compliment.
"Just call me George, ma'am."
"I'm pleased to meet you," she smiled at him.
"Go on in and sit down, we'll be there in a second." Lance told her.
She excused herself and went inside. Already there were a few men at the table, and she went around to each of them introducing herself. All of them stood up and shook her hand and smiled at her.
"Please be seated." She told them as she found a chair to sit in.
A couple of the men helped her scoot her chair in and seemed eager to please her.
She blushed.
Lance and George started bringing the food in on big platters and when they'd put the tea on the table, they all sat down. When he saw Trudy was sitting in the middle of the table, he went to sit beside her instead of taking his regular place at the head of the table. George sat opposite them.
"Will you say the blessing?" Lance asked.
Trudy stared then cleared her throat, "Lord bless this food for our bodies and nourishment. And thank you for its abundance and all these wonderful people gathered to eat with us. Amen."
The boys smiled, she didn't recite anything long and they were happy about that as they all seemed hungry.
"Boys," Lance looked around the table at the men who were openly admiring her beauty. "Want you to know that we were married today at the church and from now on she'll be doing the cooking for you and me."
"S-she'll be doing the cooking?" One of the younger men asked.
"Yes, Trudy is a fantastic cook and she wants to do it."
"We thought you hired someone for that, boss?" one of the older boys replied.
"Yes, well, I won't be needing one, now. It seems my new wife is eager to pitch in and help where she can."
They all nodded and smiled again.
When the meal was over, she got up to wash the dishes, but he pulled her aside, "Rusty will take care of the dishes tonight. Let's go sit on the porch a while."
"Oh, alright." She blushed.
She thought everyone would join them, but only George and Chico joined them for a bit.
"I guess Texas is a far cry from Boston." George asked her.
"Yes, I guess it is." She told him.
"Got family back there?"
"Uh… no my mother died some time ago, and my father died last week."
"I'm sorry for your loss, ma'am." George told her.
"It's alright, I like to think he's watching over me."
"I'm sure he is," George smiled. "You have a bit of an Irish brogue."
"Yes, I'm Irish." She admitted. She felt a tear rise, but she never let it fall.