by Jillian Hart
He was too far away to see more than the blue of her dress and the fall of her molasses hair. An impression, really, of the woman he’d once loved with every piece of his soul. She moved away and the lamplight went out, but the past had a hold of him. Memories reared up, vivid and so sweet they hurt.
The boom of thunder chased them across the field. Her laughter filled his ears, sweet and melodic, the most beautiful sound.
They weren’t going to make it to the shelter of the buckboard before the rain hit. Lightning blinded him, but he took her hand, so small and delicate against his big, rough one. The tenderness in his heart doubled from just touching her.
This second date of theirs was not going to plan, not at all, but it didn’t seem to matter to her. She tilted her head to look up at him while they ran, and the heart and life shining in her bluebonnet-blue eyes stymied him. Just made him melt.
He had nothing but tenderness for her, tenderness that was so, so sweet.
“Oh no!” Her hand slipped from his, trying to catch a pretty pink bonnet that was spiraling up with the wind. “My hat!”
“Wait, I’ll get it.” He bolted after it, cursed under his breath when the wind snatched it away at the last second and dashed it to the ground. Sully snatched it up, clutching it between his big horsy teeth. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing?”
The gelding merely arched his neck, proud of himself.
“That’s no way to treat a lady.” Gabe made a grab for the hat. “Especially in the rain.”
Sully lifted his head high, keeping the hat out of reach. His brown eyes sparkled with mischief.
“It’s too late now.” Aumaleigh held up her hands in a helpless gesture. The skies opened up and rain hit the ground like bullets, drenching them both to the skin in seconds. As if they hadn’t been wet enough.
So much for a romantic second date.
“I knew I shouldn’t have worn the pink bonnet.” Aumaleigh sailed up to him, lovelier somehow with the rain in her hair. “You did warn me.”
“I tried to.” He rescued the dainty bonnet from Sully’s teeth. “Bad horse. I’ll beat you later.”
“Yeah, right.” Aumaleigh came in close to him, her slender fingers curling around the hat brim. The way her lips hitched in the corners made a man wonder what they would feel like pressed against his. Her chin went up. “Clearly your horses are terribly abused.”
“I try.”
And then they were laughing and the entire world disappeared—the rain, the wind, the thunder—all of it. There was only the wild beat of his heart slamming against his chest and the quiet hope soft in her eyes.
Oh, he wanted to be that hope for her. To give her every last one of her dreams.
He leaned in without thinking, following the whispers of his heart. Her eyes widened with realization as he moved in but she didn’t move away. Then their mouths were touching, his lips caressing hers in the gentlest of kisses.
Did she feel the reverence he felt for her? The adoration? He sure hoped so.
And then he felt her lips relax against his, softening in acquiescence, and he took her in his arms, kissing her without ever wanting to stop. Her hands lighted on his shoulders, such a sweet touch—
“Gabe?” Josslyn poked her head up into the loft, shattering his thoughts. She climbed up and headed his way. “Leigh almost has supper ready. That’s one stubborn girl you’ve got there. She refused to let me help. Just shoved me right out of the kitchen.”
“Yes. I think she may have gotten her stubbornness from our side of the family, especially from you.”
“I do have a gift.” Joss shook her head, her gaze darting out into the storm. “Interesting. You have a perfect view of Aumaleigh’s house.”
“I’m watching the storm.” It was easier to admit that than the truth. It had been hard seeing how much Aumaleigh disliked him. It had been clear and stark in her eyes.
Which was a problem. Because the love he’d had for her had never completely died.
Chapter Three
Aumaleigh held up her wine goblet in the McPhee Mansion’s stately dining room and smiled at all the lovely faces surrounding her at the supper table. They had grown to be quite a crowd. “To Seth and Rose. May you two have a life of dreams.”
“And infinite happiness.” Iris raised her wine glass.
“Happily-ever-after,” Daisy added, lifting her glass.
“A storybook life,” Magnolia chimed in, giving her wine a sip.
“And a fairy tale love.” Verbena lifted her wine goblet full of milk to finish the toast. “Welcome to the family, Seth.”
As “welcomes” rang out and wine glasses clanked, Aumaleigh noticed that Daisy took only a small celebratory sip of her wine before setting it down. Her plate was largely untouched, and she looked unusually pale. Was the girl just tired? Or perhaps it was something more?
Aumaleigh remembered when Laura, the girls’ mother, was pregnant with Daisy, she’d had evening instead of morning sickness.
“I’m going to bring out dessert.” Iris rose and began taking the plates from the little girls seated beside her. “Sally and Sadie. Do you want chocolate cake?”
“Yes!” Sally answered. “And Mitsy too!”
“And Bitsy too!” Hailie gave a sweet, little girl smile and leaned against her stepmother, Daisy.
“I know that baby dragons like chocolate cake.” Aumaleigh stood and began gathering plates too. “But do they like chocolate frosting too?”
“Yes!” the little girls chorused.
“Especially with the frosting flowers,” Sally added, crooking one eyebrow hopefully.
“You’re in luck.” Iris brushed a kiss on the top of the girl’s head as she moved past. “We made all kinds of frosting flowers.”
“Oh goody! Mitsy is delighted!”
While the men at the table talked horses and ranch business, and the girls hopped up to run around the dining room with their imaginary dragons (guarded over by Sheriff Sadie), Aumaleigh headed into the kitchen. Her footsteps felt light and her heart full as she set the plates on the counter. She loved seeing how joyful her nieces were these days. “Rose, are you ready for tomorrow?”
“Yes, but I’m nervous. Verbena and Daisy, were you nervous too?” Rose lifted the cake cover to reveal a chocolate marvel of frosting and colorful rose frosting flowers.
“Was I!” Daisy grabbed a pile of dessert plates from the cupboard. “But it was a happy-nervous.”
“Excited-nervous.” Verbena counted out dessert forks from the drawer.
The clink of plates, the rattle of silverware and the melody of conversation grabbed Aumaleigh, bringing up a memory she’d thought long forgotten. Images flashed through her mind, carrying her back in time to when she was young.
“Aumaleigh, are you going to see Gabe again?” Josslyn whispered as she swished over in her ruffled apron, carrying a pie fresh from the oven.
The apple and cinnamon scent filled Mother’s kitchen, and her stomach rumbled.
“He asked me out again for Sunday.” She stopped slicing onions and blinked. Her eyes were burning. Whew, those onions were strong. “I can’t believe it. He’s taken me out twice and he hasn’t changed his mind about me. Yet.”
“Why would he?” Josslyn set the pie on the cooling rack and backtracked to the oven where more were waiting. “You’re gorgeous. You’re adorable. You’re fun—”
“Now you’re just making things up.” Aumaleigh’s cheeks heated. Honestly, she was terribly uncomfortable with praise. Compliments always made her feel unworthy because she knew they weren’t true. “I don’t know why he’s still interested. There could be something really wrong with him. Do mental afflictions run in your family?”
“Funny, but no.” Josslyn added another pie to the rack. “Gabe is as solid and as sensible as a man gets.”
“Hmm. If a mental disorder doesn’t explain it, then I’m doomed.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because one day
Gabe will take a good look at me and think, what am I doing with her?” She set down her knife. Her eyes were stinging so bad from the onion fumes, she had to wipe the tears on her sleeve. “I was actually hoping the mental thing would work in my favor.”
“Don’t even try and fool me. Gabriel is lucky to have you and he knows it.” Josslyn shut the oven door and stopped talking the instant Cook looked across the large kitchen in their direction.
“What are you two doing?” The short, rotund woman scowled at them with her rat-like eyes. “If I catch you one more time, I’ll tell Maureen and you both will pay dearly. No more talking. That’s the rule.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Josslyn needed the job and nodded contritely. Only Aumaleigh recognized the proud jut of her jaw. In her head, Josslyn must have plenty of sass she’d like to give to Cook.
Footsteps rounded the corner, pounding into the room with military precision. Aumaleigh’s spine went straight, she took one final sniff and grabbed her knife.
But not quick enough.
“Aumaleigh!” Her mother, Maureen McPhee, charged into the kitchen, her mouth pressed into a tight line. “Don’t even try and deny it. I heard what Cook said.”
Aumaleigh’s face turned hot. “I’m sorry, Mother. I’m not behind on my work.”
“That’s not the point.” Maureen stormed to a stop at the work table, staring down her nose at the half diced onion. “You need to concentrate. How many times must I tell you? Work is the only thing you’re good for, and you’ve got to get better at it. What will happen to you when I die?”
“Oh, Mother, please don’t talk about dying.” Her chest tightened. She didn’t want to think of her mother gone. “Please go sit back down. I’ll make you a cup of tea.”
“With those onion-y fingers? I think not.” Maureen glanced around, as if pleased to notice all the kitchen workers in the big farm kitchen had ceased their work and turned to watch another installment of the McPhee family drama. “The problem with you is that you never think, Aumaleigh. You’re never considerate. Here I am, just trying to help you with your future. Do you think any man is going to want a girl like you?”
Yes. The treacherous word caught on her tongue. Her heart ached, thinking of Gabriel. Her mother must never know, so she bowed her head, feeling everyone’s eyes on her. “No.”
“That’s right. A man wants a lovely and refined wife, not a mess of a girl like you. Look at those onions. You call that finely diced? Cook, make sure Aumaleigh stays through her supper, practicing until she can chop an onion correctly.”
Aumaleigh’s hand shook as she gripped the knife, angry words filling her head. Her vision blurred as she sliced the onion, listening to Maureen’s heels tapping a cheerful rhythm on her way from the room.
“You’ve got to stand up for yourself, Aumaleigh.” Josslyn whispered after everyone had turned back to their work. “You can’t let your parents control your life.”
“—isn’t that right, Aumaleigh?” Rose’s voice broke into her thoughts, stealing her away from the memory and that miserable time in her young life. She blinked, realizing all five of her nieces were staring at her as if waiting for an answer.
“I, uh—” She had no clue what to say. “Sorry, my mind drifted.”
“That’s the way it looked,” Magnolia reassured her, holding a plate as Rose set a slice of chocolate cake on it. “You had to be a thousand miles away.”
“And a few decades.” Aumaleigh felt foolish. The past was gone. Why was she letting it grab hold of her again? Her regrets were over and done with. “What’s the question?”
“It’s me.” Dottie lifted her shoulders in a self-conscious shrug. “Do you want me to leave in the morning so you all can get ready? I don’t want to be in the way, and I’m not part of the family. You probably just want to be alone, and I completely understand.”
The dear girl twirled a lock of dark hair around her finger, looking painfully nervous.
“No way are you walking anywhere. Or riding, for that matter.” Aumaleigh lifted the tea kettle from the stove and poured steaming water into the teapot Iris had prepared. “I’m sure the girls will agree with me.”
“Oh, we do.” Rose spoke up, shaking the cake cutter for emphasis and a blob of frosting fell off.
Magnolia scooped it off the edge of the plate with her finger and popped it into her mouth, thinking no one was looking.
“You’ll help me get the girls ready,” Aumaleigh decided. “Come to think of it, you probably haven’t had time to get a nice dress for the wedding. You only just moved in and started managing the bakery.”
“I was going to wear what I already have. Ma always said it’s good enough for me.” Dottie shrugged self-consciously.
Aumaleigh winced. She had way too much experience with critical mothers. “Let’s see. You’re about the same height as Rose. After we’re done demolishing the cake, let’s go through her closet. I bet we can find a dress to fit you.”
“Oh, no! That wouldn’t be right.” Dottie blushed bright red. “I’m fine, really I am. I couldn’t wear someone else’s dress. What if I spilled something on it? I might ruin it. I can be very clumsy.”
“I have that green dress that would look perfect with Dottie’s coloring.” Rose cut a final piece of cake and slipped it onto a dessert plate for Dottie. “It’s decided. Dottie, you have to wear it. I’m the bride and you can’t disappoint me. It’s a territorial law, I’m sure of it. You have to do what I say.”
“Not to mention that we’re your employers,” Iris pointed out, handing Dottie a fork. “Let us do this for you. You have to get ready with us.”
“And I’ll do your hair,” Verbena volunteered.
“Wait! Our shoes are about the same size,” Magnolia hopped over to Dottie to compare feet. “I have some cute shoes that would look great with that green dress.”
“Poor Dottie,” Daisy sympathized. “She’s going to be McPhee’d whether she likes it or not.”
“Maybe she’ll learn to love being one of us.” Aumaleigh watched with fondness as the girls led the way out of the kitchen, carrying plates of cake for everyone. She snatched up the teapot, hanging back.
The memories in this house didn’t seem to bother her anymore. The years she’d spent here taking care of her mother seemed distant. Guilt had kept her here, but love had too. She had to be honest about that.
However you looked at it, love wasn’t easy. Families were complicated. Life wasn’t fairytale perfect. Not even close.
But life could surprise you.
Aumaleigh whirled around, remembering to grab the honey jar. Laughter and conversation rang in the other room, echoing around her on the walls of the kitchen. Smiling, she listened to the sounds of the little girls running and playing, their shoes knelling merrily on the hardwood floor. The men’s deep conversation paused while the women handed out cake, only to resume again once they had forks in hand. The women talked of dresses and how Dottie should wear her hair tomorrow.
The back door opened and Oscar slipped in with an armload of wood.
“Don’t tell them I’m here,” he whispered. “Just wanting to get everything ready for Rose’s big day tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Oscar.” She nodded in agreement and in gratitude before slipping into the dining room.
This was the happiest she’d ever been. She savored every moment. With teapot in hand, she refilled cups, stopped to pet imaginary Mitsy and finally sat down with her nieces and Dottie. What an exciting evening, and tomorrow was Rose’s wedding day.
Dawn peeked between the part in the curtains, stirring Rose McPhee from sleep. Her eyes popped open and she sat straight up in bed. Today she was going to become Mrs. Seth Daniels! Joy shivered through her as she tossed off her covers and leaped out of bed.
Okay, truth be told, she was shivering because it was cold too. She grabbed her warmest slippers and her quilted house coat and tossed open her door. Was that bacon frying? Following her nose, she headed down the hallway.
“Good morning!” Iris glanced up from the stove. “You’re up early. Here I was hoping to get everything made before you woke up. You’re the bride. You deserve breakfast in bed.”
“You’re going to be the next bride after me.” Rose spotted the coffee pot and grabbed a clean cup. “Have you and Milo set a date yet?”
“Oh no, I’m not saying a word. You can’t drag it out of me.”
“Not even if I get some wild horses?”
“Go ahead and try. Nothing is going to get me to talk, not until after you and Seth are married.”
“Well, that’s in six hours.” Rose glanced at the clock ticking away. “As soon as Seth kisses me, then I want to know. I’m the bride. You have to do what I say.”
“You can pull that on Dottie, but it won’t work on me.” With a wink, Iris forked the bacon strips out of the pan. “How about at the reception? After the meal.”
“That’s a long time to wait.” Rose poured a cup of coffee and returned the pot to the trivet. “Give me a hint right now?”
“You’re as bad as Magnolia.” Iris nodded toward the back door. “I think someone wants to see you.”
“Seth!” Rose set down her cup and waltzed across the kitchen.
The sight of him fresh-shaven and tousle-haired set her heart to fluttering. The new light of dawn haloed him, making this feel like a dream as she went up on tiptoe for a kiss.
“You’re not supposed to see me.” She leaned back in his arms, grinning from ear to ear. “It’s bad luck.”
“Not for us, it isn’t.” He pulled something out of his coat pocket. The gold chain caught the morning’s light, glinting like a promise of their happiness to come. “You need something new according to my ma.”
“Yes, always listen to your mother, especially when it concerns presents for me.” Rose took the chain. When their fingers met, it was as if their souls touched, leaving no doubt. This was true love.
Ashes banked? Yes. Aumaleigh poked her head into her new kitchen, surveying the half-unpacked room. Lamps out? Yes. Back door locked? Yes.