COLLEEN: A Sweet Western Historical Romance (14 page)

Colleen walked over to him and put her arms around his neck."I can't believe you got me a sewing machine. That is the sweetest, most thoughtful thing anyone has ever gotten for me."

"I know that it makes you happy. I want us both to be happy." He brushed a stray piece of hair off her forehead and then kissed her again.

“I have something for you too, I’ll be right back.” She ran outside to the buggy and pulled the guitar out of the back. Julia had put it there while David had run into the church to find the pastor. She’d wrapped it in a blanket so that he wouldn’t see it until she was ready. A moment later, she was back in the house holding the guitar, still wrapped in a blanket.

“What is that?” he asked as she handed him the bundle. Once it was unwrapped, he was speechless.

“I know how much you love music and thought you might enjoy playing with this.” She hoped that he liked it.

“Thank you, it’s the perfect gift.” He ran his fingers reverently along the polished wood of the guitar. Then, he looked up, set the guitar down and pulled her toward him.

"I love you, Colleen," he said softly.

Her heart swelled as it recognized the truth of her own feelings.

"I love you, too," she said and felt as though she might burst with happiness.

"We haven't finished our tour yet," David said."You haven't seen the bedroom yet. "

Colleen blushed a bit at that, though she had to admit she wasn't feeling quite as terrified by the thought anymore.

David took a step back. "There is another bedroom. Two of them, actually, so if you prefer to sleep in separate rooms until you're ready to share my bed, that's okay."

Colleen thought about that for a moment, and then said "I don't think that will be necessary." David took her hand then and led her into his bedroom and shut the door behind him.

How's it going so far?" Julia asked on Tuesday when Colleen arrived to pick her up. Julia and Liam had told Colleen to take Monday off, so she could have the day to relax and get used to her new home. They had also decided that since Julia and Colleen were going to be working the same shifts on most days, it would make sense for Colleen to pick Julia up and they could ride in together.

"So far, so good." As Colleen pulled the buggy out of the driveway and onto the main road, she casually added, "He got me a sewing machine."

"He did? As a wedding present? That is so sweet."

"That's what I said, too. I thought that it was incredibly sweet of him. He is pretty amazing, actually." She felt herself blush again, as she remembered exactly how amazing their wedding night had been.

"So, you're not sorry that you are living on a farm instead of Ricky's plush house in town?"

Colleen shook her head. "No, not at all. I haven't given it another thought."

Julia smiled at that. "I had a feeling from the very beginning that you would pick David. He's perfect for you. "

The week flew by, and before she knew it, Saturday morning had arrived and Colleen was back at Julia's house getting ready for her "wedding”. She’d left the dress that she wore to the benefit behind when she moved in with David as she was planning to wear it again as her official wedding dress. Julia helped her to get ready, playing with her hair until it looked just right. She had set it in rollers earlier that morning, and Julia used two tortoiseshell combs to secure her hair away from her face and then arranged it in a tangle of pretty curls that tumbled down her back.

"Are you girls just about ready?" Liam poked his head into the room.

"Yes, she looks perfect," Julia said proudly.

The three of them rode into church together. As was customary for a wedding, David would be meeting them there.

Pastor Ben wore a mischievous smile as he recited their wedding vows and once again pronounced them husband and wife. As they left the church, he told them that he'd be along shortly for the surprise party as well. This time, as Colleen rode along with David on the way to the party, she felt nothing but pure happiness. She couldn't wait to see the looks on Jed and Naomi's faces when they realized everyone was coming to celebrate their anniversary as well as David and Colleen's wedding. All the women helped with the food, and Julia told Naomi that she would take care of the wedding cake. That way, she could actually write
Happy Birthday and Anniversary
across the top of it and it would be chocolate, Naomi's favorite. It actually was Colleen's favorite, too, so that was an additional bonus.

It was Elizabeth's job to stall her parents so that they'd be among the last to arrive. Her plan was to wait until after they’d left and were about ten minutes away before telling them that she'd left her shawl at the church and they had to go back and get it. It worked out perfectly.

When Jed and Naomi walked through the front door, everyone yelled, "Surprise!"

They looked around the room in confusion. "What's going on?" Naomi asked.

"Happy anniversary!" several people shouted, followed by “Happy birthday!” for Jed.

"Aren't we celebrating a wedding?" Jed asked.

Colleen and David stepped forward, and David spoke. "This was Colleen's idea. She wanted to surprise you. We actually got married last weekend, and then again today, but wanted this celebration to be about you and Dad. We can only hope that someday, we'll be celebrating our thirty-fifth anniversary, too."

“So, did it work? Are you surprised?” Colleen asked.

Both Naomi and Jed seemed speechless. Naomi looked around the room and when she finally spoke, her eyes were wet with tears. “I can’t believe you all did this for us!” She turned and faced Colleen and David. “I couldn’t be more surprised or more happy for the both of you. Thank you.” 

They proceeded to have a wonderful afternoon. They celebrated everything, birthday, anniversary, and wedding. Colleen was on her second piece of cake when Elizabeth came rushing over.

"I meant to tell you this earlier. It totally slipped my mind." She seemed excited about something, but then again Elizabeth was always excited about something.

"Meredith loved the dress that you made for me and Cindy did, too. They both want you to make dresses for them.”

"They do?” Elizabeth had mentioned that she thought that would happen, but Colleen didn't really take it seriously.

"I knew they would. Meredith is going to New York City this summer with her family and Cindy just convinced her mother to get her a dress. She's never had one this nice before. Meredith said that her mother might even want one, too.”

Colleen was shocked. "That's wonderful news. Thank you so much."

"No need to thank me. It was your dress they fell in love with. I told you there would be a demand for your sewing services." Elizabeth looked very pleased with herself. 

“Well, thank you anyway.” Colleen gave Elizabeth a big hug, and then she joined Julia and Emma who were sitting at the kitchen table.

"I can't believe we’re all together again, and married!” Emma said, looking at her two friends.

"I've been pinching myself all week," said Colleen."It still doesn't quite seem real.”

“Well, pretty soon you'll be following in our footsteps another way, too.” Julia smiled and patted her stomach.

“Not that soon! It's only been a week.” Colleen laughed.

“It's never too soon for more grandchildren," Naomi said with a smile as she joined them at the table.

Although she protested that it was too soon, Colleen really did look forward to eventually starting a family with David. How wonderful would it be to be a part of this big family and for their child to be a cousin to Emma and Julia’s children.

It was truly a magical day, and though she hated for it to end, eventually it was time for everyone to leave. She and David arrived home a short time later, and it hit her that she really was home now. David was her home.

David held her hand as they walked inside and then pulled her close to him.

"Welcome home, Mrs. Donovan."

"I'm very happy to be home."

David grinned. “Have I told you yet today that I love you?”

Colleen chuckled. “Maybe once or twice.”

“Are you sick of hearing it, then?" he teased.

“Never. I love you so much.” She leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips.

“I will never get sick of saying it. I love you, Colleen, my sweet wife.”

Epilogue

Two months later…

"Another sewing project?"David asked as he walked into the den where Colleen was so busy at the sewing machine that she hadn't even heard the front door open. She nodded.

"One of the regulars brought this into the restaurant today. He needs the waist let out a bit.” After the wedding, word had gotten around that Colleen was very good at sewing almost anything. At least once or twice a week, she came home from the restaurant with another item of clothing that someone had dropped off, or received a request to make something new. She stretched, and set the sewing aside for the moment.

"Are you hungry?" she asked as they walked towards the kitchen.

"I could eat. What's for dinner?" David set a stack of mail on the counter as Colleen checked their dinner that was simmering on the stove.

“Chicken stew. Do you want to slice us some bread? The butter is already on the table.” Colleen ladled the stew into bowls while David sliced the bread and brought it over to the table. While they were eating, Colleen looked at the mail. She recognized the handwriting on one of the letters instantly—it was from her friend Brianna in Boston. Eagerly, she opened the envelope and slid the letter out. She always looked forward to Brianna’s letters. She had such a happy marriage, and in her last letter, she had shared the good news that she was expecting. 

This letter, however, was very different. Colleen read it silently to herself, considered what to do, and then said, “I’d like to read something to you.” As soon as David nodded, she began

“My dear Colleen,

It is with a very heavy heart that I write this letter to you. Something truly terrible has happened and I'm at my wits’ end wondering what to do next. Ted is dead. It happened very suddenly and they say that he didn't feel any pain. I do hope that is true. It was a regular day, and he was just crossing the street when a buggy swerved into him. Witnesses say that it seemed to come out of nowhere, and was going much too fast. He hit his head when he fell and there was nothing they could do for him. We only just bought this house a short time ago, and used all of our savings to do so. I put the house up for sale because I can't afford to make the mortgage payments on just my income. So I am debating what to do. If the house sells, then I'll have a little bit of money and can rent a room at the boardinghouse. But once the baby comes, I'm not sure what I'll do. So I'm asking your advice, as it's worked out very well for all three of you to move to Montana as mail-order brides. Do you think that there's a possibility that there could be a man there who would consider me as a mail-order bride, knowing I have a child on the way? It's difficult to even think about getting married. It's really the last thing that I want to do, but I need to think of what's best for the baby.