The Cowboy Wins a Bride (The Cowboys of Chance Creek) (3 page)

"Wanna bet?"

CHAPTER TWO

Five hours later, Jamie stood next to Ethan under a latticed trellis watching Autumn process along the aisle between the rows of guests, as radiant as a movie star in her striking wedding gown. He knew Ethan could barely breathe for love of her, and he was happy for his friend, but try as he might he couldn't keep his eyes on Ethan's bride.

Instead, his gaze kept sliding over to a certain sister-of-the-groom who sat in the first row, her flowered sundress and cowboy boots a whimsical combination that was a far cry from the dark, severe suits she normally wore these days. She sat ramrod stiff on the plastic seat, her black bob shaking with every move of her head. She was still furious, but he could tell she was trying to put on a good show for Ethan and Autumn's guests. It wasn't working. That fake smile could cut someone if she wasn't careful.

He'd blown it. All his careful plotting and planning were smoke up a chimney now. Forget about planting the seeds of friendship in her mind. Forget about getting her involved in the guest ranch operation, and soliciting her help designing the interior of the log house he was building on his plot of land. Forget inviting her to ride the horse he'd hand-picked for her and taking her all over the land and reminding her just how much she loved this place.

He had intended to walk her step by step through a process of falling back in love with the ranch, with horses, and with him.

Instead he'd demanded she marry him and shoved the ring on her finger with all the suaveness of a caveman bludgeoning his woman.

He was an idiot. But Rob was a bigger one for not telling him what he'd done: leaving that note in Claire's bathroom, making sure she was furious before he ever had a chance to open his mouth. He knew now that she interpreted every word he said this morning as a personal attack rather than a proposal. He had a lot of ground to cover if he wanted to get things back on the right track.

But he was determined to marry her, and now that he'd broached the topic he wasn't stepping back. Claire would bolt for Billings the second the wedding was over and who knew how quickly she'd shut down her business and leave for her tour around the world.

He needed more time with her – time to do all the things he'd meant to do before popping the question.

How could he keep Claire on the ranch for a few weeks – maybe even a month – so he could convince her this was where she wanted to stay? How did you get a stubborn, unreasonable, competitive terrier of a woman to admit she's wrong and you're right?

He glanced at Rob, standing next to him in the line of groomsmen. Rob rubbed his thumb and first two fingers together – a not-so-subtle reminder that he thought he was going to win their bet.

That stupid bet.

He stiffened, a crazy idea forming in his mind.

Jamie began to smile.

* * * * *

Ethan and Autumn took turns repeating their vows. They exchanged rings. The ceremony wound down.

Claire did her best not to look at Jamie, but she couldn't help it – he was standing right up there with Ethan, Rob and Cab. As Ethan's best man, he stood beside the groom. Rob came next, his blond hair glinting in the sunshine. Cab was last, having walked Autumn up the aisle, standing in for the father she hadn't seen in years. With the backdrop of ranchland sloping down toward the creek, and mountains in the far distance, the wedding looked straight out of a fairytale. Claire's heart ached at the thought of leaving all of this behind again.

For the first part of the ceremony, Jamie's face was stony and she knew he was still angry. Because she'd ruined his game? Certainly not because he'd been serious. As the ritual came to an end, however, some silent message passed between him and Rob. Then Jamie smiled suddenly – a wicked, triumphant smile.

It made her insides flip, and then tighten with the realization that she'd been right – Jamie and Rob were in cahoots. Once again she tried with all her might to pull the engagement ring off her finger, inadvertently nudging Autumn's friend Becka, who sat beside her. Becka peered down at her hands to see what she was doing, and Claire quickly covered up the ring. What was Jamie planning now? Had he decided to humiliate her further?

Why?

Because she'd left his house last Saturday and driven home rather than spend the night with him? Was he that pathetic? Did he really need her particular notch on his bed post to feel like a man?

She glanced at the thin silver watch on her wrist. Five hours at least until she could make a break for it. No matter how badly Jamie behaved she couldn't ditch Ethan on his wedding day. He was depending on her. Her gaze slid back to Jamie. He was still smiling.

The former hired hand had been full of surprises lately, and she didn't want to guess what he'd do next. He must have saved every penny he earned since he came to work on the spread. And done incredibly well with his investments.

Maybe she shouldn't have been surprised he wanted to buy into the ranch. He respected Alex Cruz, her father – worshipped him, in fact. He stuck closer to Alex than even Ethan did, and that was saying a lot. She guessed Alex was the father Jamie wished he had, instead of the dour man who pressured him through four years of business school when all he wanted to do was live and breathe horses.

Jamie was born a cowboy the way other people were born athletic, or smart, or pretty. Every move he made around horses was a symphony of understanding of the beasts. Claire always appreciated that about him, because she loved horses, too. Adored them.

Of course, she hadn’t touched one in thirteen years.

Damn her mother. Damn Mack. Damn Jamie, too.

Jamie – sensing her agitation, perhaps – lifted an eyebrow.

She fought to keep her ragged emotions in check. The cowboy had soothed the jangled nerves of many a mare with a touch or a murmured word, but he wasn’t soothing her at all. Instead, she felt all too exposed in her thin, cotton sundress – a new, pretty one she’d bought especially for the wedding since her usual severe suits didn’t fit the occasion. She felt silly, too, in her old cowboy boots, but she knew the combination would garner a smile from Ethan, and after this last year, she'd do anything to make her brother smile.

But the damn engagement ring made her feel most conspicuous of all. It wouldn't come off – her knuckles were swollen from the heat. She tugged at it again.

Under the lattice archway, Autumn lifted her veil and Ethan leaned in to kiss her soundly on the mouth. The crowd cheered and clapped as the kiss went on and on, and when the happy couple pulled apart, Autumn was flushed and Ethan grinning ear to ear.

They will be happy
, Claire thought, surprised at how sure she felt.
They really are in love
. A pang of deep loneliness followed that thought. Would she ever experience that kind of connection?

As the wedding party filed out, Jamie stopped next to her chair, bent down, and before she could push him away, he leaned in and kissed her cheek softly. “Look at them,” he said in his husky, velvet voice. "We could be like that." He kissed her again. There was nothing she could do about it and he knew it – not in this crowd. Not without making a scene. She was trembling with rage when they stood up along with everyone else as Ethan and Autumn paced up the aisle together.

Jamie took her arm. "I like the way that ring looks on your finger. I hope you never take it off. You'll need a wedding dress like Autumn's before too long," he murmured as the crowd surged around them. "Better start looking."

She confined her answer to an unladylike snort, turning the ring around so only the band showed. "Fat chance."

"Wanna bet?"

Those two words again. That knowing look. What did it mean? And why did his low, confidential tones make her hum all over?

Before she could question him, she realized Autumn’s mother was watching her with raised eyebrows.

Right.

Since she was the only other remaining member of the Cruz family besides Ethan, and the marriage was taking place on the Cruz ranch, it was her place to keep this shindig going smoothly.

“Okay, everyone,” she called out in what she hoped was a happy, steady-sounding voice. Heaven knew she was a master at masking her emotions. “The barbecue will be ready shortly and the bar is open. Please help yourself to appetizers and drinks and we’ll call you to dinner in a few minutes. Thanks for coming and celebrating with us!”

Autumn’s mother headed over to check on the buffet table, and Claire knew she was off the hook for the moment – at least as far as her wedding duties went. Autumn and Ethan disappeared into the Big House for a moment to themselves. Once they returned, the wedding party would have to take photos while hors d'oeuvres were served to the waiting guests. The bulk of the crowd meandered slowly toward the area of the lawn where tables and chairs were set up for dinner, stopping to chat with each other and exchange news. Claire knew all the guests, of course. How could she not, growing up in a small town like Chance Creek – population 7865? That’s why she moved to Billings – for the anonymity a city afforded you, even a relatively small city.

She knew her father and brother didn't understand why she left home and why she didn't come back. No one but her knew about her mother or what she'd done. First Aria had made fun of her schoolgirl crush on Mack, the man who trained the Cruz ranch horses. Claire had put up with that, spending every possible moment in the stables or corrals watching the much older man work with the animals. But when she came home early from school one day and found Aria and Mack in the barn – together – she couldn't stand to stay.

The apology she hoped for never came. In fact, nothing changed between her and her mother even after she moved out. Just like always, Aria Cruz came and went from the ranch like a hummingbird – beautiful, lively, and incapable of standing still. Surely she spent more time in Europe than she ever spent at home. How her father bore her escapades she had no idea.

Claire tried to push away her memories as she moved toward the photographer, noticing Autumn and Ethan had reappeared and were heading his way, too. But how could she not think of her mother – both her parents – on her brother’s wedding day? As for weddings in general, if she had her way she'd never go to another one.

"First we'll take pictures of the bride and groom," the photographer said as he led the wedding party to an open-air pagoda her mother had had built on the property years ago. As she watched Ethan and Autumn pose on the pagoda's steps, she knew she'd never be the one wearing a wedding dress. Whatever romantic notions she'd once had, her mother, Mack, Jamie and Daniel had long beaten out of her. Daniel's betrayal had nearly killed her. Just when she'd convinced herself she was over Jamie, and pinned her hopes on him instead, he'd taken all her money and left town with another woman.

Ninety thousand dollars.

Gone.

"Mother of the bride, sisters, join us, please." Claire moved stiffly to stand by Ethan's side, with Teresa and Lily Leeds taking their places next to Autumn. "Smile."

She tried her best, but knew her attempt was a dismal failure, as memories of Daniel's desertion swirled in her mind. She hadn't reported the crime to the police. She had no proof. When she brought up signing a contract, Daniel had blown her off. “It’s just for a couple of days. By the time we get the paperwork drawn up and signed, I’ll have the money back to you. Plus interest, and maybe something else.” He smiled at her and took her hand. “Something sparkly to put on your finger.”

Marriage. She’d actually thought Daniel wanted to marry her. Like any man cared about her that much.

There wouldn’t be any justice for her – just the humiliation of the whole world knowing how gullible she was if word got out. Bad enough the whole office was talking about how she’d been dating Daniel when he ran off with Edie. At least they didn’t know she thought he was about to propose to her.

"Groomsmen and bridesmaids, come on up." It took several minutes for the photographer to arrange everyone this time. Jamie grinned at her as he took his place and she scowled back.

The day she realized she was back to square one – less than $5,000 in her bank account, betrayed by the man she thought would be her fiance – was devastating, but she didn’t shed a tear. Nor did she high-tail it back home, although if she had she would have gotten to see her parents one last time before they died. No, she’d dealt with the police as a representative of Ledstrom Designs since Daniel had cleaned out the business accounts, too. She'd handled their clients and her coworkers in a calm and professional manner, and she hadn’t missed a single day of work. When one of the other designers suggested that Claire should take over all the open accounts and keep the business running, that’s exactly what she did.

To her surprise, it worked – barely. She used her multiple credit cards to fund the supplies she needed for the current contracts, and when those jobs were finished and paid for she had earned enough money to do it all over again with new ones. She was managing to get by – just.

"Smile for the camera. Big smiles." The photographer's flash went off again and again. The more Claire smiled, the more she wanted to cry.

Then came Ethan’s phone call in August, telling her their parents died in a car accident, followed soon after by the news of the ranch’s debt.