The Cowboy Earns a Bride (Cowboys of Chance Creek Book 8) (10 page)

“Naw, I think Ned might be in the best shape of any of us now.” They stood a moment and mulled over that surprising fact. “Anyway, we’ve all got tempers. We just didn’t used to have wives and kids to take them out on. Now we do—or we will soon.”

It was an uncomfortable thought.

“None of us are like Dad,” Luke stated with far more certainty than he truly felt.

He’d regained his confidence by the time Mia walked into the cabin just before dinnertime. He’d motored through the rest of his never-ending chores and had even sat down to make the list of wedding guests Mia had requested from him. They needed to get a jump on things if this wedding was going to come off right. He knew some folks took an entire year to plan such an event, but with the spate of weddings among his family and friends lately, he figured his circle were old hands at it.

“Whose truck is that outside?” she said, taking off her coat and boots.

“Ours. What do you think?”

“Ours?” She stopped in her tracks. “You bought it?”

“Yep. Nothing but the best for my princess.”

“Luke, I wish you’d stop calling me that.”

“Why?” He moved toward her. Dipped his head down for a kiss. She kissed him back willingly enough that he took things a little further.

Mia retreated. “Because it makes me uncomfortable.”

“All right, sweetheart. I can call you sweetheart, can’t I?”

A smile tugged at her lips. “I guess so. That’s a pretty fancy truck. Are you sure you can afford it?”

It was his turn to pull back. “What did I tell you earlier? Stop worrying about the money. I’ve got it covered.”

“It’s just—”

“Shh.” He kissed her again. “Don’t you worry your head about anything. Come on and sit down.”

As he led her to the couch, Luke realized Mia seemed awfully tired. He knew she was beginning to feel the pinch of helping prepare Fila and Camila’s restaurant for its grand opening in a few weeks, but he was surprised by how pale and drawn she looked when she dropped onto the cushion beside him. He reached out to gather her into his arms.

“Something wrong?” He lifted her chin with his finger, the better to gaze into her eyes.

“My mother.” Her tone was sour.

He tightened his hold on her. “What did she do now?”

“She booked her church for the wedding. And she wouldn’t take no for an answer. I don’t want to get married there.”

“Well, hang on a moment.” That wasn’t as bad as he’d feared. Luke thought it through. He knew Mia’s parents were far more religious than anyone in his family. Their church had a large, close-knit congregation. He could see how holding the wedding there might be important to Enid. “It might make a lot of sense, now that I think about it.”

For one thing, the Anglican church was the grandest one in town. Its large structure boasted a vaulted ceiling and fine stain-glassed windows—a far cry from the simplicity of the church his parents attended.

A fitting venue for a fairy tale wedding for his bride.

“
How
does it make sense?” Mia stared at him.

“A wedding should take place at the bride’s church, don’t you think? Besides, it obviously means a lot to your mother, and we want her to be happy, too. We want our families to get along together.”

“What about my happiness?”

“Why wouldn’t you be happy?” He could imagine the two of them standing in front of the minister. Him in his suit. Mia in white gown with a flowing train. Picture perfect. Every girl’s dream, right? “I made my guest list, by the way.”

Mia had been about to answer, but the sheaf of papers he handed her seemed to make her forget what she wanted to say. She riffled through the pages.

“This must be everyone in town.”

“Just the important people.”

“We can’t fit all of these people in your parents’ house.”

“Then we’ll find a bigger venue—maybe Bella and Evan’s place.”

“The Mortimers? What about your mother? She’s already making plans.” Mia flipped through the list again and Luke felt a pang. She was right—his mother wasn’t going to be particularly pleased, but she’d understand when she learned the number of guests they planned to invite. “Luke, this is crazy. These people don’t mean anything to us.”

“They’re our neighbors, aren’t they?” He meant for this to be a grand event—one that would silence wagging tongues forever. He wanted no one to have a doubt that he was proud of his wife and coming family.

“If you count the entire county as our neighbors, sure.” She set the list on the table. “What is this all about?”

A muscle in his jaw pulsed. “It’s about me showing the world I care about you. It’s about putting to rest any misunderstandings about who your husband is.”

She didn’t look satisfied. “No one else but us cares.”

“I care. Let’s put an end to all the rumors once and for all. Let’s have a big church wedding and a big reception.”

“It bothers you, doesn’t it?”

“What?”

“That people are talking about us?”

He pulled her into the circle of his arms again, ignoring the protest of muscles that ached from his day’s work. Those aches and pains were his constant companions now that he was running the bulk of the ranch himself. “Look, princess. Pretty soon there’ll be nothing to talk about except us Mathesons. You, me and our baby.” And he kissed away the rest of her words.

‡
Chapter Seven

“Y
ou’re so tiny,”
Rose sighed. “Like a fairy princess, even at four months pregnant.”

“You’re pretty tiny yourself,” Mia said, but she surveyed her reflection in the floor-length mirror at Ellie’s Bridals with satisfaction. Rose was right; she did look like a princess in this gown with its antique off-white corset top and elaborately bustled skirt. Add in a tiara and she could be the royalty Luke seemed to want her to be. The thought of what his expression would be when he saw her in it for the first time made her smile.

Her smile slipped a little bit as she thought about the ring, the truck and the way Luke seemed determined to buy her happiness. Ellis had thrown around his money like that. Fred Warner had played up his cash, too—telling her no one would take her word over a wealthy businessman’s. Was she wrong about Luke’s character? She hoped not.

Thinking about Warner made her think of Inez’s request. She still hadn’t decided what to do. What if she did as Inez asked—wrote a letter to the council—and things blew up from there? What if it got into the paper? She wasn’t sure she could handle that.

She lifted her skirts and hopped down from the pedestal in the center of the room. “Your turn. That dress is… nice.”

Ellie Donaldson, the proprietress of Ellie’s Bridals, clucked her tongue when Rose stepped up. “I thought that would look lovely, but it’s not quite right, is it, dear?” The older woman bustled off to pull more dresses. Mia scanned the nearest racks herself.

“I swear I saw one earlier that would look terrific on you. Here it is.” She held it up for Rose to see. “You’ll knock Cab off his feet in this one. Try it on.”

“Oh, I like that one,” Morgan said from one of the plush chairs that ringed the fitting area.

Five minutes later, Rose stood on the pedestal in the new gown and Ellie circled around her, one hand up to her mouth. “It’s perfect, and you know what? I would have never thought to have you try it on. Mia, you’re a genius!”

“That’s a high compliment coming from another genius,” Rose said, twisting this way and that to see the gown from all angles. Like Mia’s, the gown had a corset top, but instead of the yards of bustled fabric of Mia’s skirt, hers clung close to her legs in asymmetrical folds, emphasizing Rose’s hourglass figure.

“I love it,” Morgan agreed.

“And here are the perfect shoes.” Mia fetched a pair so Rose could try them on.

“How’d you know my size?” Rose laughed.

“Just a guess. Here, try this.” She handed Rose a veil, too.

“You’re stealing my thunder today,” Ellie cried. Mia knew what she meant; Ellie had a reputation as having exquisite taste when it came to bridal gowns and accessories. She made sure her customers left with the perfect dresses and normally she could pick out
just the thing
on her first try.

“I’d never do that,” Mia assured her. “I just love helping people dress up and throw parties.”

“Then you should be a wedding planner,” Ellie said, taking a seat next to Morgan. “Lord knows this town needs one. People are always asking me to help them find a venue for their reception and a caterer for their food, but dresses are what I do best. What do I know about event planning?”

“A lot, I’m sure. And Mia’s already got two jobs,” Morgan pointed out. “I’m not sure she can handle wedding planning on top of working the till at the hardware store and Fila’s Familia.”

“I’m quitting the hardware store any day now,” Mia said slowly, as the idea took hold of her. Wedding planning sounded like a terrific career. It had never crossed her mind before that she could do something like that, but why not? You didn’t have to have a college degree to plan a wedding. “I’m sure I could figure out how to balance it with working at the restaurant. That’s a great idea, Ellie!”

Ellie blinked. “Oh, I was only joking, honey. Starting a business is hard work.”

“And it takes a lot of money,” Morgan added.

Mia looked from one to the other, and frowned as she realized neither one of them thought she should seriously consider the idea. “You don’t think I can do it?”

“It’s just you’re so young,” Ellie said.

“And you’re about to be a mother.” Morgan bent forward to touch her arm softly.

Mia couldn’t believe it. “You’re not that much older than me and you’re about to have a baby yourself. You’re starting a business. Why can’t I?”

“I think you’d be great at it,” Rose spoke up, “but they’re right. What about the money for startup costs?”

“I’ve got plenty of money,” Mia said. The others looked surprised. She rushed on before they could ask where she’d gotten it. “What I need is references. Rose, would you let me plan your wedding for free? If you like how it turns out maybe you’d tell people about my new service?”

“Of course,” Rose said staunchly. “I’d love to have you plan my wedding. Plus you’re planning your own wedding, don’t forget. You can make a portfolio of photos from both of the weddings to show people.”

“That’s a great idea.” Mia flung herself into Rose’s arms as Rose stepped off the pedestal, their wedding gowns billowing around them. But she noticed Ellie and Morgan exchange a worried glance over their heads and had to swallow down a surge of irritation. They really didn’t think she could do this, did they?

She’d just have to show them they were wrong.

“Your father will
get over it. He always does sooner or later,” Lisa said to Luke.

“Generally later,” Luke’s sister-in-law Hannah chimed in.

“A lot later,” Claire said. She and Hannah had come to help Lisa clean up the aftermath of the wedding. Claire lived on the Cruz ranch with her husband, Jamie Lassiter, and visited the women of Double-Bar-K frequently. Now they were taking a coffee break around the kitchen table. Luke joined them, dropping down into a chair with a sigh. He was always tired these days, especially when he thought about his father’s reaction to his news about Mia’s baby.

“He didn’t say a word. Just looked like he was about to have a coronary.”

“Oh, dear. I hope he doesn’t end up in the hospital again,” Lisa said.

“He will if he says a word to Mia.”

“Luke,” Lisa chided. “That’s no way to speak about your father—and he won’t say anything. Remember? If he does, he has to take me to Paris.”

“In other words, you’ll egg him on.”

Lisa smiled and patted his hand. “I wouldn’t do that, now would I?”

“I don’t know. You seem to want that trip awful bad.”

She chuckled. “I do want that trip, but your father sure doesn’t. Besides, Holt likes Mia. He’ll growl a bit about her situation, then calm right down when the time comes. Mark my word.”

Luke didn’t believe her. “More like he’ll drive her away before the wedding. You know Dad.” He checked his watch. “She ought to be home by now. I’m going to find her before he does.” He needed to warn her that Holt was on the warpath. The thought of his father giving Mia hell made his chest tighten.

“Wait—did you show Luke the topiary?” Hannah asked Claire.

“The one Rob made?” Luke spoke up, glad for the change in topic. “I saw it yesterday. Didn’t turn out quite like he wanted it to, did it?”

“If you saw it yesterday then you didn’t really see it. Someone decided to improve upon his effort.” Claire dug in her pocket and pulled out a smartphone. She pulled up a photo on her screen.

Luke stared at it. “Holy—” He glanced at his mother. “Holy smokes. He must be hopping mad. Is that a dog…?”

“Lifting its topiary leg and taking a topiary piss on the next bush? Yes, that’s exactly what it is,” Claire said. “Rob read Cab the riot act this morning.”

“Cab did that?” He remembered Cab making fun of Rob, although he couldn’t picture the sheriff standing outside in the freezing cold last night snipping away at a box hedge. Nor did the sheriff have an artistic bone in his body as far as he knew.