Rancher's Double Dilemma

by Pamela Browning

  Disturbed by a wave bigger than the others, their rafts rocked together, and she almost slid off hers. She took hold of his arm to steady herself.

  “I don’t believe this,” she said. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “You’d better believe it,” he replied with a trace of cockiness. “And since when did you, Lacey Shaw, lack for words?”

  “As of now,” she managed to say.

  He laughed. “Your mother likes me, by the way.”

  “You’ve met my mother?” She was incredulous.

  “Oh, sure. And your stepfather. I convinced the doorman to buzz me up to the penthouse, and Fletcher answered the door. He took me to the pool to see the girls, and your mother promptly told me where to find you.”

  “She did?”

  “You didn’t tell her I’d asked you to marry me.”

  “I wanted to make my own decision,” she said.

  “I hope you’ve made it, because there’s a whole crowd on the beach waiting to see what you’re going to say,” Garth said. His eyes sparkled.

  Lacey turned her head to take in the knot of people gathered in front of the condo where her mother and Fletcher lived. One was pointing out to sea, where the pesky plane’s engine was so loud that it had almost drowned out what Garth was saying.

  Annoyed at the interruption, she glanced upward. The plane had swooped low over the ocean, and it was pulling a red-lettered banner that said, MARRY ME, LACEY—SAY YES!

  She gaped at the plane and its message, looked from it to Garth, stared at the banner again.

  “Well?” Garth asked.

  “I…I—”

  “I went to all the trouble to hire this plane and pilot at the airport where my friend’s jet landed. Come on, Lacey, don’t disappoint me. I love you. I need you. We can fly back to the ranch tonight, all four of us. Your mother and Fletcher, too, if they want to come.”

  “Dear God in heaven,” Lacey mumbled.

  “Is that a yes?”

  She looked at him, at this man who had somehow stolen her heart when she wasn’t looking.

  “Oh, Garth, I do believe it is.” She reached across the small expanse of water between their rafts and cupped her hand around his cheek, and at the same time, he made as if to kiss her.

  But the timing was wrong, at least for the kiss, and what happened was that he lost his balance and rocked wildly on the raft for a long moment before falling off with a big splash. A collective moan rose from the people waiting on the beach as he submerged, but Garth surfaced immediately and gave them a triumphant thumbs-up.

  A cheer rose from the group, which by now contained, Lacey could see, Sheila Sue and Fletcher, each carrying one of the babies. They were trailed by Proserpine.

  Garth latched on to the edge of her raft. “How long will it take you to get ready to leave?”

  “A few minutes. Seconds, even. Oh, Garth, I never should have left Mosquito, Texas!”

  “I hope you never will again,” he said fervently. And this time, somehow, he managed to kiss her with passion and much pleasure—and without dumping her into the ocean.

  Epilogue

  Mosquito, Texas—One Month Later

  The little church was full to capacity, and Kim kept peering out through the peephole in the pastor’s study into the sanctuary.

  “There’s Francelle Spurlin right in the third row. Donna’s behind her, and she brought her new boyfriend. He’s a nice fellow, he comes into the bank all the time. And there’s Proserpine slipping into the front pew, carrying Ashley and Michele. The twins are looking bright and cheerful today, which I guess they should be considering it’s their first birthday. Maybe Ashley’s new tooth is finally in, do you think?”

  Lacey took a pause from sketching eyeliner above her lashes. “I noticed this morning that Michele is cutting the same tooth now, so she’s going to be fussing before long. I’m so glad that Mom and Fletcher have decided to stay on at the ranch while we’re honeymooning.”

  Kim turned around. “Me, too. I was hoping that Cody and I could help you out, but we’ll be on our honeymoon, too. Having a double wedding was a wonderful idea!” She gave Lacey an impulsive hug. “Now I’ll feel like we’re really sisters,” she said.

  “If only you weren’t moving so far away,” Lacey said as she brushed her eyelashes up and out.

  “There’ll always be room for you and Garth and the girls in our house in Wichita Falls.”

  “That’s good. Where’s Fletcher? He said he’d be here early.” Fletcher had insisted on walking Lacey down the aisle.

  Kim looked back out the peephole. “I don’t see him yet. He’s probably cheering up my dad, who is not too happy about my moving away. Oh, look, Cody is seating your mom. That means we’re almost ready.” She turned to Lacey. “Are you okay? You look kind of wistful.”

  “I am. This is the twins’ first birthday, and Garth and I planned it this way so we’d have another event to celebrate on this day, but I can’t help thinking about—”

  “About Joan’s baby?” Kim asked gently.

  “Yes. Garth had the fence around the Colquitt plot enlarged to include her, you know. It looks right pretty, and it’s so peaceful.”

  “You’re not sad, are you?”

  Lacey smiled. “No, I couldn’t be sad on my wedding day.”

  Kim looked at herself critically in the mirror. “Will you check to see that my jacket’s on straight? It tends to bunch at the sides.”

  Lacey inspected and gave the jacket a tug. Since they’d both wanted to be married as soon as possible, she and Kim had decided against elaborate gowns and trains and veils that would have to be specially ordered, choosing simple but elegant suits instead. Kim’s was white lace with short puffed sleeves, and Lacey’s was the palest pink silk with a wide white collar. They carried nosegay bouquets, Kim’s all white roses and Lacey’s mixed pastels.

  Fletcher stuck his head in the room. “You two ready?” he asked as the organist struck up the first strains of “Here Comes the Bride.” Kim’s father was behind him.

  “Ready as we’ll ever be.” Lacey took Fletcher’s arm, and Kim took her father’s.

  As the music swelled, so did Lacey’s heart. In this little town she had found what had too long been missing from her life—a sense of belonging, of family, and a man who truly loved her and her daughters.

  The only thing Lacey could see as she approached the altar was Garth, his wonderful face, his joy at greeting her at the front of the church.

  When Fletcher stepped back to stand beside her mother, Garth took the hand that Fletcher had placed in his and raised it to his lips for a kiss.

  “We are gathered together…” said the minister, whose father had married Garth’s parents, and in that moment Lacey thought that together was the most wonderful word in the English language. It was a mere word, but it spoke volumes.

  “Do you, Lacey, take this man,” began the question, and there was a whole lot more, but she, Lacey, knew that she would be together with this man and their children for the rest of their lives.

  “…as long as you both shall live?” finished the minister.

  Hadn’t she just answered that? Well, of course she had, but she hadn’t spoken it out loud. Confused, she had to ask the minister to repeat, and a low rustle of laughter swept the church.

  “I will,” she said strongly and firmly at the end, and Garth smiled down at her.

  She thought she would remember the light in Garth’s eyes, the pure love shining in their depths, for the rest of her life. Easier to remember that than the words either of them spoke, because they were part of the blur that obscured everything but their feelings for each other. She spoke her vows on cue. She slid the simple gold band on Garth’s finger and watched as he slid one on hers. But the most solemn promise she made was in her heart, the promise to love him forever.

  That was not a difficult promise to make. Garth had taken her in when she needed a home. He had loved and cared for her daughter Ashley wh
en Lacey had not been able to be there for her. He had opened his heart to Michele. And he had initiated adoption proceedings so that both babies would be really and truly his. They had received the signed adoption release form yesterday from Bunny, who was only too glad to be let off the hook.

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the minister said at length.

  Lacey, rousing herself from her reverie, spoke up and said brightly, “And family,” causing another bit of laughter.

  She and Garth acted as Cody and Kim’s attendants, just as Cody and Kim had acted as theirs. And after the minister had pronounced the other couple married, she and Garth gathered Ashley and Michele into their arms and, for their first act as a family, went forward together with Cody and Kim to receive the good wishes of their guests.

  ITEM FROM the Mosquito Messenger’s Social Hi-Lites column by Francelle Spurlin:

  Dr. Donna Faber hosted a small postelection drop-in at her home on Friday evening to celebrate her election as mayor of Mosquito. Cohost was councilman Dennis Ebersole, who talked her into running. (Let’s have a big hand for Dennis.) Honored guest was Horace the mule, Mosquito’s former mayor, soon to be put out to pasture at the Colquitt Ranch.

  Also attending were Garth and Lacey Colquitt and their two adorable daughters, Ashley and Michele. When they get a little older the twins are expected to learn to ride on Horace when he’s not relaxing in his own pasture. You may not remember this, but there was a time when Horace was put into regular service giving rides to kids at birthday doings. Go, Horace!

  Unable to be at Dr. Faber’s get-together were Cody and Kim Colquitt (née Kim Jenrette, formerly of our Lone Star Bank), who are real busy moving into their new home in Wichita Falls right now. They promise to come back and visit often, though, so if you see them, be sure to say “howdy”!

  LACEY’S LASAGNA

  Meat Sauce

  1 lb. ground beef

  ¾ cup chopped onion

  1 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil

  1 clove garlic, minced

  1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

  1 (1 lb.) can tomatoes

  2 tbsps. tomato paste

  ¼ cup dry red wine

  ½ cup water

  ½ tsp. sugar

  2 tbsps. parsley, chopped

  1 tsp. basil

  ½ tsp. oregano leaves

  ¼ tsp. pepper

  1 tsp. salt

  Cheese Mixture

  2 (12 oz.) cartons cottage cheese

  ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

  1 tbsp. parsley flakes

  1 ½ tsps. salt

  1 tsp. oregano

  1 (8 oz.) pkg. lasagna noodles, cooked and well-drained

  ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

  1 pkg. Mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

  In large skillet, brown ground beef with onion in oil. Drain off fat. Add tomatoes and break up with fork. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, wine, water, 2 tbsps. parsley, basil, ½ tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. salt and pepper. Stir until smooth. Heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 1 hr. or until mixture is the consistency of spaghetti sauce.

  To prepare cheese mixture, mix cottage cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp. parsley flakes, 1 ½ tsps. salt and 1 tsp. oregano.

  Heat oven to 350 degrees. In 13 × 9 × 2-inch baking dish, spread ½ cup sauce. Layer 1/3 of the noodles, meat sauce and cheese mixture; repeat two times. Finish up with meat sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover top with Mozzarella cheese slices. Bake covered with foil for 45 minutes. Remove foil for the last 15 minutes to allow browning. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Serves 6.

  ISBN: 978-1-4603-6832-9

  RANCHER’S DOUBLE DILEMMA

  Copyright © 2002 by Pamela Browning.

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