The Bride Wore Red Boots

by Lizbeth Selvig

  “Sorry to walk in on your, ahem, private love suite, but there’s a phone call for you, Mia.” Harper grinned at them from the kitchen door, not sorry at all.

  Gabe liked Harper, too. The dynamics blossoming within the family of sisters fascinated him. Harper was quickly becoming the heart of Paradise Ranch, with her mother’s help and her grandmother’s towering wisdom. The other sisters, Mia included, looked up to her now. Things were much different than when Gabe had first met them all two-and-a-half months before.

  “I’ll take it in the office.” Mia smiled, and he reluctantly gave her room to duck out from his hold. “I think you’re the mustang I’ll have to check on tonight.” she whispered into his ear as she left, her hair swinging around her shoulders.

  “You’ve been good for my big sister.” Harper relaxed against the side of the door. “And I don’t mean just a little bit good. I’ve never seen her like this.”

  “Like what?”

  “Happy and nice. Not nice to us so much as nice to herself. And happy. Did I mention that?”

  “You did.”

  “I don’t know where you two will end up. Long term, I mean. I kind of know where you’ll end up tonight.”

  He squinted in embarrassment and scratched at his head, fluffing out the hat hair. “That obvious, huh?”

  “I’m still in that stage myself—sneaking away with the guy I love. Be patient with Mia. On the other hand. If you aren’t sure for any reason? She’s crazy about you. And she’s almost as crazy about Rory. Sometimes these things happen overnight—don’t doubt it.”

  “You’ve all accepted me pretty easily. I appreciate it.”

  “Hah. That was easy. We liked you before she did.”

  He hugged her on his way through the door and kissed her on the top of the head, feeling, finally, like he belonged.

  He headed for the stairs and the guest room where he’d left his dry clothes so he could change out of winter long underwear and wet jeans. Rory was nowhere to be seen, so Gabe planned to head first for his room to make sure he was there. Such a domestic chore. He wondered for the first time what it would be like, checking on his own flesh and blood son or daughter. He didn’t need one; he believed that. Rory was the perfect kind of child to make a family with—one who would have to go through The System otherwise. But the thought of biological kids no longer seemed unthinkable. A little girl like Mia. A little brother for Rory . . .

  Whoa!

  That was getting so far ahead of himself, or the times. But rather than make him recoil as it maybe should have, the thought of being with Mia forever, come what may, made him smile. Made him excited for the future.

  His path took him through the living room and past the open door to Mia’s father’s old study—a dark navy and burgundy masculine space that hadn’t been changed since Sam’s death.

  “This is very much a dream come true.”

  He heard Mia’s voice, breathless and charged with disbelief. He stopped, frowning. Gabe dealt every moment of his work days with privacy issues and handling peoples’ sensitive personal information. He didn’t hold with eavesdropping or spying. But some gremlin, fueled by the fantasies that had just been engulfing him, rooted him in place.

  “Of course, I would love to talk with you. You know how I feel about that position.”

  That position.

  There was only one “That Position.” The pediatric job at New York General. His heart began to race.

  “I’m planning to return Friday of next week. Wouldn’t that be soon enough? . . . I see. Wednesday at three o’clock . . . Can I call you back within the hour, Mason? I have some complications to smooth out here . . . No, no, just plans to reschedule . . . Thank you. I’ll do that. I’ll talk to you soon. Thank you again, so much.”

  Gabe stood by the open door, his heart in his socks, watching her stare at the cordless phone in its cradle. He shoved down the desire to rush in, grab her into his arms, and beg her to stay. Instead, he turned from the doorway, pressed himself into the corner outside the office, and let his head fall back against the wall. Swallowing, he closed his eyes. Resentment, anger, and hurt burned through him like acid. He’d done it. He’d jumped in all the way, ignoring the inner voices that had cautioned him for the past month. He’d let himself believe that overcoming his fear of openness and commitment was the healthy way to move ahead.

  He’d fallen for her. He’d fallen for the kid. He’d fallen for the whole damn family. But when it came down to the truth, it turned out the falling was one-sided. New York and big goals were, just as Gabe had always known deep inside, Amelia Crockett’s true lovers. If that weren’t the case, she’d be jumping at the new job she’d been handed, and choosing him over a career most of a country away.

  His eyes stung, both with grief and anger. Pressing hard into their corners with his thumb and forefinger, he was working to control the emotions when he heard her gasp. He opened his eyes to find her beside him.

  “Gabe?”

  “Good news, I hear,” he said, as evenly as he could.

  Her face fell. She bit her lip. “The pediatric surgery chief resident’s position,” she said. “The person they hired was released from his contract today. Some cheating scandal in his recent school past. I . . . ” She met his eyes. “The job is mine if I go in and pass an interview with the selection committee.”

  “Well, that’s terrific, Amelia. I’m happy for you.” His tone was unfair, and her eyes filled with confusion.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “Nothing. It sounds like your luck has changed. It’s wonderful.”

  She stared as if registering his annoyance for the first time. “My. That was convincing.”

  “Honestly? I can’t say I’m not a little shocked. You’ll be heading out almost right away if I correctly understood the end of the conversation I stumbled upon.”

  “If it’s what I decide, I’ll fly to New York for the interview tomorrow and be back before our Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. That’s all it is—the interview. They just need it done before December first.”

  “Friday. And when do you start?”

  “Gabe!” She touched his arm. “I haven’t taken the job.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course you have, or you will. It’s your dream.”

  “It is,” she said. “So why are you angry?”

  He started to deny it, but she was so secure in herself, so single-minded about her dream that his resentment wouldn’t let him wimp out.

  “I’m angry at myself for thinking you might have considered this something that affected both of us. I realize now that I was presumptuous.”

  “That is not fair.”

  “No. It isn’t.”

  “Are you asking me not to go?” She firmed her lips.

  “Of course not.”

  “It sure sounds like it.”

  He sighed. She was right. He didn’t want her to go. He wanted to be more important to her than some job. She was also right that it wasn’t fair of him at all.

  “I’m sorry. You’re right.” He tried to soften his voice. “I’m basing my feelings on a very short amount of time spent with you. I don’t expect you to change your life for someone you’ve known a matter of weeks. That would be foolish.”

  He couldn’t read anything on her face. She stared at the floor, her hands in loose fists, her mouth still in a tight line of control.

  “How can you talk like the past weeks don’t matter? That I’m not considering everything we’ve gone through?”

  “I know you care.”

  “Then trust me. Let me see what they’re offering.”

  His anger deflated. His resentment dissipated. But the hurt remained, stinging like hell. He pulled her very gently toward him by one arm and kissed her on the brow.

  “You’re absolutely right,” he said. “Go. Follow your dream.”

  EIGHT YEARS OF living in New York had given Mia a healthy respect and a reluctant love for the city. Truth to
tell, she didn’t spend that much time walking its iconic paths—most of her time was spent in the hospital or at the homes of her friends. Still, she’d never hated it. Until today.

  Admittedly, it had been a little comforting to step back into her condo with all its familiar furnishings and the decorating she’d chosen. But it had also seemed empty and a little sterile, like a pretty museum room. She longed for a touch of warm knotty pine somewhere. And she’d slept fitfully after calling home. She’d talked to Rory and was assured he was fine, having a blast with Skylar’s Border Collie, Asta, who didn’t even mind Jack although she chased the barn cats. But she hadn’t been able to reach Gabe. He never answered his phone, and Mia didn’t know whether to be crushed or furious. Part of her knew just how he felt—he didn’t want her to leave Wyoming. The other part of her wanted only his support in whatever she chose.

  After the restless night, she’d braved the little coffee shop on her building’s corner, standing in a cranky New York line and jostling for her turn to be served and fighting her way back out onto the street. Longing for one of Grace’s gooey caramel rolls, she’d made her way to the hospital and visited with Brooke and Sam. They fussed over her and feted her with lunch and stories from the past month, but when she’d gone back to her office and greeted her colleagues, there were no hugs or back slaps. Then again, there never had been. She didn’t roll that way in her professional life. Why in God’s name would she notice it now?

  She took an hour before her meeting with the committee to find some kitschy souvenirs for her family. She bought Rory an I Heart NY T-shirt to remind him of home, but the whole time she found herself hating the streets, the crowds, even the Christmas tree sellers taking up space on the sidewalks. She’d always thought the city way of selling trees to hold its own kind of charm. Now she wanted the real pines of Wyoming.

  By the time she returned to New York General a familiar headache jackhammered in her temples. As she dug for her ibuprofen, it occurred to her she hadn’t taken a single pill in nearly a month. But then she reentered her domain, this time not as a visitor but as a professional. Being back in her element eased her headache and relaxed her knotted shoulders. Familiar and safe, as her apartment had been, the hospital was one of her two havens in the hurricane that was New York. Finally, a tiny flutter of excitement swooped through her stomach. This was her part of the city.

  Mason Thomas met her in the conference room and did, actually, offer a welcome embrace. Professional and appropriate. “Hello, Mia. We’ve definitely missed you around here. There’s a little zing and spirit lacking when you’re gone.”

  “You’ve no idea how nice that is to hear. And I want to thank you for this second chance. I’ll do my best to live up to your vote of confidence.”

  “What is that I hear in your voice? A little softness?” He smiled. “I think your time off did you a world of good.”

  The tension as she thought about the job she’d be doing, was curling back into her body like it, too, was back from vacation. But it was familiar and good for her. It was what kept her sharp. And ready for anything.

  “I haven’t changed my philosophy on what makes good doctor, patient, colleague relationships,” she said. “But I have done some thinking about how people react to it.”

  “That’s just what I want to hear,” he said. “Let’s get this show on the road, shall we, Doctor?”

  The committee wasn’t brutal, but they did grill her. And the session ran for nearly two hours—as if they hadn’t already put her through the process during her original interview. What would she do if . . .? What was the most important aspect of . . .? Where would she like to be in one, five, fifteen years? What was her philosophy on . . . everything?

  By the time she was finished, she’d kept her cool, explained herself until her answers felt rote, and knew without a doubt she’d gotten what she came for. And when she walked out of the conference room, she had to escape to her office, lock her door, and hide her face in her hands while she shook with excitement and absolute dread. But despite the fearful and gleeful emotion, all she could really think about what how she was going to tell Gabe.

  THE THANKSGIVING GUEST list at Paradise Ranch was impressive. When Mia finally set her bag in the front foyer at a little after noon Thanksgiving Day, Rory had to push his way through a lot of tall people in order to reach her. She hugged him as if they’d been apart for weeks.

  “I’ve been riding five times on Bungu. He wasn’t crazy at all. And I taught Asta how to roll over.” He bubbled over with his news.

  Bungu, evidently a Shoshone word meaning horse, was Skylar’s pinto gelding. He was young at age four, but Mia had never heard rumors that he was crazy. She took it to mean Rory’s nervousness about riding had abated.

  “Sounds like you’re becoming an official animal trainer. Do you like the horses?”

  “I love them.”

  She squeezed him one last time and marveled at the tenderness welling in her heart. He’d made so many strides in just a handful of days. There’d be ups and downs. She couldn’t fool herself into thinking Rory had processed all his grief. Right now he was on a high from all the new experiences. Still, she hoped she’d made the right decision for him.

  She waded through the hugs and welcomes.

  “Hi, sis!” Kelly, newly arrived herself, offered a Rory-worthy hug.

  “Kel!” Mia rocked her with joy. “My triplets are a full set. Welcome back! Are you staying a while now?”

  “A couple of weeks. I’m sending Grace back. Raquel will probably follow in a week. I have to stay, though, and catch up on my big sister’s news. That big, strong hunk of a Gabe. And that amazing little hunk of a Rory. My gosh, your life is . . . ”

  “Out of control? Crazy? A little wonderful?”

  “Beautiful. You sound so happy.”

  “We’ll talk. But . . . yeah.”

  “Hi, Mia.”

  She spun to the front drawing room door and, sitting like a princess in her wheelchair, was Joely. Mia ran the few steps and grabbed her.

  “You are absolutely the most beautiful sight in the world,” Mia said. “I am so glad you’re here.”

  “I am, too.”

  Pale but lovely, with her honey-wheat hair and her wide hazel eyes, Joely spoke quietly, almost but not quite without conviction.

  “Are you exhausted already?” Mia asked. “Are you hurting anywhere?”

  “I am tired. But I feel okay.”

  “You do look beautiful.”

  “Let’s don’t go there.” She said it without rancor, but her tone was firm. There’d be no discussion of beauty. The decision was irrevocable.

  “Okay we won’t. But I for one have found what I’m grateful for this year. My beautiful sister safely here with us. I love you.”

  “I couldn’t have survived without you, Mia.” Joely held open her arms again.

  Mia fell into them. “You certainly would have. But I’m glad I could be with you.”

  To her surprise, the guests included Brewster, Finney, and Pat who, because they had no other family close, all were there to raise glasses of beer in a welcome home salute. Then she found Leif, Bjorn, and their family, which filled the living room and kitchen. But the one person she really wanted to see, hadn’t come to the door to greet her.

  She forgave him the instant she found him in the kitchen, helping Cole pull two of the biggest turkeys Mia had ever seen from the double-decker oven.

  “Hey, you,” she called.

  His head popped up and for an instant, his eyes lit with a combination of passion, joy, and lust she hoped only she could read. Then he smiled, and shutters of reserve, still warm but unmistakable, darkened his honey-colored eyes. “Hey, Doc. Welcome home.”

  Home. She liked that he’d said it.

  “Give me two minutes,” he added, hoisting his turkey roaster from its oven rack and following Cole to the massive island counter.

  “To the master of the bird, I’ll give all the time he want
s.”

  When the roasters were safely on the counter, Gabe and Cole worked in tandem with two heavy duty spatulas each to move the golden brown birds to platters. The aroma was exquisite. And when the guys shook hands to congratulate each other, Mia slipped behind Gabe and snaked her arms around his torso. “That was male skill at its finest.”

  He loosened her hands so that he could turn and face her. “You have very low standards,” he said. “Easy to live up to.”

  “I try not to make it too difficult.”

  “How’d it go?” His question held a hint of wariness. Or maybe she was projecting out of nervousness.

  “It went really well. I got what I wanted.”

  He kissed her on the top of the head and pushed her away again. “I’m really glad. It’s good to have you back.”

  He said the words, but he certainly didn’t show them. Slightly wounded, she kissed him once on the mouth. “It’s good to be back. New York showed me her most crowded and feisty, noisy side this trip. Kind of an obnoxious lady.”

  “It’s Christmas season. I expect a place like New York would be insane.”

  She sighed. He was still annoyed. In fact, he was dull, almost uninterested. She missed his spark and the underlying comic bursting to come out.

  “Everything all right?” She probed for him to open up and, in fact, he shook himself slightly out of his lifelessness.

  “Yeah, sure. Everything’s great.” He finally kissed her properly, but he wasn’t really back.

  Dinner was jovial and loud, filled with the laughter and chatter of twenty people. Grandpa Sebastian had known what he was doing when he’d made a table that could seat nine on a side. But the family boisterousness didn’t infect Gabe either. At the end of the meal, when two turkeys had been thoroughly decimated, the sweet potatoes, roasted vegetables, stuffing, and cranberries were memory, and nobody had room for pumpkin pie but clamored for it anyway, Mia rose with her sisters. Gathering around Joely’s chair, they lifted half-finished glasses of wine in a pre-arranged toast.