Orchard Valley Grooms

by Debbie Macomber

  “Sure.” She nodded eagerly.

  Sometime tomorrow. A few short hours and yet it felt like a lifetime away.

  Valerie was leaving.

  Steffie did try talking to her. She’d tried to explain that running away from love wouldn’t help; it would just follow her wherever she went. Her sister had listened, then quietly packed her bags.

  Sunday morning, when Valerie was about to go, Colby showed up unexpectedly. Steffie was thrilled; it was as if everything she’d read about the power of love, everything she’d always secretly believed, was true. Colby would prove it. He’d come to declare his love and sweep Valerie off her feet.

  It soon became clear, however, that Colby wasn’t there because of Valerie. He hadn’t known she was catching a flight that afternoon, and when he heard, he seemed to accept it as inevitable. Furthermore, he had no intention of stopping her. No intention of asking her to stay. If anything, he seemed almost relieved at her imminent departure.

  When the moment came for Valerie to go, Steffie thought she might burst into tears herself. She’d so desperately wanted to believe in the power of love, in its ability to knock down barriers and leap over obstacles.

  Valerie hugged them all farewell, and with shoulders held stiff and straight, walked from the porch to her rental car. Then, just before she left, she turned and looked at Colby.

  Steffie would always remember the tenderness she saw in her sister’s eyes. It was as though she’d reached back, one last time, to say goodbye…and to thank him. At least, that was how it seemed to Steffie. She’d never been so affected by a mere glance. That look of Valerie’s was full of love, but it also expressed dignity and a gracious acceptance.

  Steffie was trying to sort out her mingled emotions of anger and pain as Valerie drove away. She turned to Colby, who still stared after her sister’s car. It took every ounce of self-control she had not to scream at him. Only the anguish in his eyes prevented her from lashing out, and when she recognized the intensity of his pain, her own anger was replaced by a bleak hopelessness.

  “She’s gone,” he whispered.

  “She’ll be back,” her father said with the same unquestioning confidence that had driven Steffie nearly mad with frustration.

  “No,” she insisted, her voice quavering. “She won’t. Not for a very long time.”

  Then, unable to face either Colby or her father, she dashed back into the house. Norah followed soon afterward, and Steffie realized that her younger sister was crying.

  “She’s going to marry Rowdy Cassidy,” Norah wailed. “What’s so terrible is that she doesn’t even love him.”

  “Then what makes you think Valerie would do anything so foolish?” Steffie asked calmly. Valerie might be unhappy about losing Colby Winston, but she was too sensible to enter into a loveless marriage.

  “You don’t understand,” Norah said as she continued to sob. “He’s in love with her. He’s called nearly every day and sent flowers and…and Valerie’s so vulnerable right now. I just know she’s going to make a terrible mistake.”

  “Val’s not going to do anything stupid,” Steffie reassured her sister. Valerie wouldn’t marry her boss on the rebound—Steffie was confident of that. Deep down, she knew exactly what her sister would be doing for the next three years—if not longer. She knew because she’d done it herself. Valerie would try to escape into her work, to the exclusion of everything else. Because then she wouldn’t have time to hurt, time to deal with regrets and might-have-beens. She wouldn’t have time to look back or relive the memories.

  An hour later, Steffie took a glass of iced tea out to her father, who stubbornly refused to leave the porch. He sat in his rocking chair, anxiously studying the road. “They’ll both be back,” he said again.

  Steffie didn’t try to disillusion him. By nightfall he’d be forced to accept the truth without her prompting.

  Within ten minutes of Valerie’s departure, Colby had left, too. He hadn’t raced down the driveway in hot pursuit or given the slightest indication that he was going anywhere but back to town.

  “Mark my words,” her father said confidently. “Valerie and Colby will be married before the end of June.”

  “Dad…”

  “And you and Charles will follow a few weeks later. All three of my daughters are going to be married this summer. I know it in my heart, as surely as I know my own name.”

  Although she nearly choked, Steffie swallowed her words of argument.

  Needing some physical activity to vent her frustrations, she saddled Princess. She knew better than to try her luck with Fury again. But the mare, who was generally docile, seemed to sense Steffie’s mood and galloped down the long pasture road and across the rocky field until they reached the bluff. The same place Fury had taken her.

  Holding the reins, Steffie slid off the mare’s back and sat on the very rock she had before. She lost track of time as she sat looking out on the valley, thinking about Valerie. And Colby. Remembering her own disastrous relationship with Charles, and how her willful behavior had destroyed any chance they’d had three years ago. Now there seemed to be a fresh beginning for her and Charles, however fragile it might be. Not for Valerie, though… Life wasn’t fair, she thought, and love didn’t make everything perfect.

  She rode slowly back and had just finished rubbing down Princess and leading her into her stall when Charles appeared. “I thought I heard someone here.” He stood by the stable door, hands on his hips, smiling.

  “Charles.” She shouldn’t have been so surprised to see him. After all, he’d made a point of telling her he’d be in touch.

  “Your dad figured you’d gone out riding, but he seemed to think you’d be home soon.”

  “Have you been waiting long?”

  “Not really. Your father’s kept me entertained.”

  “Is he still on the front porch?”

  “He hasn’t moved since I got here.”

  Dispirited, Steffie looked away. “That’s what I was afraid of. Valerie’s gone, and he seems to believe she’ll come back if he sits there long enough.”

  Charles frowned heavily. “Is something going on? A problem?”

  “No,” she answered quickly, perhaps too quickly because Charles’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “I mean, nothing you need to worry about. Dad desperately wants to believe Colby and Val will kiss and make up—that’s the reason he’s being so stubborn. By dinnertime he’ll have to recognize that it simply isn’t going to happen.”

  It might’ve been because she was nervous and flustered, or maybe she just wasn’t watching where she was going, but Steffie tripped over a bale of hay.

  Although she threw out her arms in an effort to right herself, it was too late. She fell forward, but before she completely lost her balance, Charles caught her around the waist. He twisted his body so that when they went down, he took the brunt of the fall.

  It was as though the years had evaporated. They’d been in virtually the same position on that previous occasion, with Steffie sprawled over him, her heart pounding. Only this time she hadn’t manipulated the circumstances. This time she wasn’t in control.

  They were both breathing hard. A tumult of confused emotions raged within her, and she braced her arms against him, ready to get up and move away. Instead, his arms, which were around her waist, held her firmly in place.

  “It seems we’ve been here before,” he said, his eyes gazing into hers.

  “I—” She stopped abruptly and nodded.

  “Do you remember what happened that day?”

  Incapable of speaking, she nodded again.

  “Do you remember the way we kissed?”

  She couldn’t look at him, couldn’t allow him to read the answer in her eyes.

  He held her fast for another long moment before he gradually eased his hold. “Let’s talk about that time.”

  “No!” she cried. The instant she was free, she rushed to her feet, not realizing she must have sprained her ankle. But when she pl
aced her weight on her left foot she experienced a sharp stabbing pain. She couldn’t suppress a whimper as she leaned against the stall door for support.

  “You’re hurt,” Charles said, immediately getting to his feet. He slipped his arm around her waist.

  “I’m sure it’s nothing. I’ve just twisted my ankle—it hardly hurts at all,” she lied.

  Without another word, Charles effortlessly scooped her into his arms.

  “Charles, please,” she said, growing angry. “I’m perfectly fine. It’s a minor sprain, nothing more. There’s no need for this.”

  He didn’t reply but began to carry her out of the stable.

  “Where are you taking me?” she demanded.

  “The kitchen. You should put ice on it right away.”

  “I want you to know I don’t appreciate these caveman tactics.”

  “That’s too bad.” He was short of breath by the time he reached the back door, which infuriated Steffie even more. “Put me down this instant,” she snapped.

  “In a minute.” He managed, after some difficulty, to open the door, then deposited her unceremoniously in a chair—like a sack of flour, she thought with irritation. He was pulling open the freezer section of the refrigerator and removing the ice-cube tray.

  She rested her sore foot on her opposite knee and was about to remove her shoe when he stopped her. “I’ll do that.”

  “Charles, you’re being ridiculous.”

  He didn’t answer, but carefully drew off her shoe and sock. His fingers were tender as he examined her ankle, and it felt strangely intimate to have him touch her like this.

  “I told you already—it doesn’t hurt anymore,” she argued. “I might have gotten up too fast or put my foot down wrong. I don’t feel a thing now.”

  “Try standing up.”

  Cautiously she did. His arm circled her waist as she gingerly placed her weight on the foot. “See,” she said, feeling both triumphant and foolish. “There doesn’t seem to be any damage.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure. Try walking.”

  The floor felt cool against her bare foot as she took a guarded first step. There was barely a twinge. She tried again. Same result. “See?” she said. “I’m fine.” And she proceeded to prove it by marching around the kitchen.

  “Good.” Charles replaced the ice-cube tray in the freezer, but he was frowning.

  “Don’t look so disappointed,” she teased as she pulled on her sock and shoe.

  He glanced at her, then smiled slowly, sensually. “I’ve heard of some inventive ways to avoid kissing a man, but…” He let the rest fade as he sat down beside her, then pulled her chair toward him until they sat face to face, so close their knees touched.

  Steffie shut her eyes as his hands came to rest on her shoulders. His breathing grew ragged and he whispered her name. “Stephanie,” he said, leaning forward to touch her lips with his own.

  Steffie was afraid—of his kiss and of her own response. But she felt a thrill of excitement, too. He must have sensed that, because the quality of his kiss changed from gentle caress to fierce desire.

  Charles groaned, and she slid her hands up his chest, delighting in the feel of hard, smooth muscles as she gave herself fully to his kiss.

  Suddenly he broke away, his shoulders heaving. Steffie let her eyes flutter open and for a long silent moment they stared at each other.

  His hand reached out to touch her hair, a small, intimate gesture that moved her unbearably.

  Then he stretched out his arms, clasping her by the waist and lifting her from the chair to set her securely in his lap. She wasn’t given the opportunity to protest before his mouth claimed hers once more.

  This time his kiss was slow and gentle, as tender as the earlier kiss had been hungry and demanding. She felt herself melting in his arms, surrendering the last of her resistance.

  “I want to talk about what happened,” he whispered.

  She knew what he meant, and she wanted none of it. That scene in the stable—the fall she’d faked—was much too embarrassing to examine even now. “That was in the past.”

  “It has to be settled between us.”

  “No,” she said, trying to change his mind with a deep, hungry kiss.

  His voice was rough when she finished. “Steff, we have to clear the past before we can talk about the future.”

  “We only just met, remember?” He was the one who’d suggested they start over. He couldn’t bury the past and then ask that they exhume it.

  “Just listen to me…”

  “Not yet,” she pleaded. Maybe never, her heart whispered, balking at the idea of reliving a time that had been so painful for her.

  “Soon.” He tangled his fingers in her hair and spread kisses across her face.

  “Maybe,” she agreed reluctantly.

  The sound of laughter broke into the haze of her pleasure. At least Steffie assumed it was laughter. It took her a wild moment to realize the sound was coming from the porch, and that it must be her father. Not knowing what to think, she slowly broke away from Charles.

  “Is that David laughing?” he asked.

  Steffie shrugged. “I’d better find out if something’s wrong.”

  He nodded, and they walked hand in hand to the porch.

  “Dad?” she asked softly when she saw her father, rocking contentedly. His smile broadened when he noticed her and Charles. His gaze fell to their hands, which were still clasped tightly together, and his eyes fairly twinkled. “Check the freezer, will you? By heaven, I wish I’d thought of this sooner.”

  “The freezer?” she repeated, glancing at Charles, wondering if her father had lost his wits. “Why do you want me to check it?”

  “We need something special to fix for dinner tonight. We’re going to have a celebration!”

  Steffie frowned in puzzlement. “What kind of celebration?”

  “There’s going to be a wedding in the family.”

  Steffie groaned inwardly. “Dad…”

  “Don’t argue with me, Princess, there isn’t time.”

  “But, Dad…”

  “See there?” he said, pointing toward the long stretch of driveway. “What did I tell you?”

  Steffie looked, but she couldn’t see anything except a small puff of dust, barely discernible against the skyline.

  “I was about to give up on those two,” he said with a wry chuckle. “They’re both too stubborn for their own good. I have to admit they gave me pause, but your mother was right. Guess I shouldn’t have doubted her.”

  “Dad, what are you talking about?”

  “Your sister and Colby. They’re on their way back to the house now.”

  Steffie glanced up again, and this time the make and color of the car was unmistakable. Colby was returning to the house. And although she couldn’t clearly tell who the passenger was, she knew it had to be her sister.

  Seven

  “Even now I can’t believe it,” Valerie said wistfully, sitting cross-legged on her bed. Steffie and Norah lounged on the opposite end, listening.

  “Colby actually chased you down on the freeway?” Norah wanted to know.

  Valerie’s smile lit up her whole face as she nodded. “It really was romantic to have him race after me. He told me he didn’t realize he was planning to do it until he was on the interstate.”

  “You’ve got everything worked out?” Steffie asked. From what Norah had told her, and from remarks Valerie herself had made, she knew there were a lot of obstacles standing in the way of this marriage.

  “We’ve talked things out the best we can. It’s been a struggle to come up with the right compromises. I’ve got a call in to Rowdy Cassidy at CHIPS. I think I can talk him into letting me open a branch of the company in Oregon. He’s already done a feasibility study for the Pacific Northwest. He was just waiting until he could find the right person to head it up. He didn’t originally have me in mind, but I don’t think he’ll have a problem giving it to me. Then again—” she paused
thoughtfully “—it may be better to discuss this in person.”

  “Colby doesn’t mind if you continue working?” Norah’s voice was tinged with disbelief.

  “No. Because it’s what I need. Naturally he’d rather I was there to pamper him when he gets home from the hospital every night, but this way we’ll learn to pamper each other.”

  “I’m so happy for you.” Steffie leaned forward to hug her sister. Valerie’s eyes reflected an inner joy that Steffie had never seen in her before. This was what love—real love—did for a person. When two people cared this deeply for each other, it couldn’t help but show.

  “Now that we’ve decided to go ahead with the wedding, Colby wants to do it as soon as possible,” Valerie went on to say. “I hope everyone’s willing to work fast and hard because we’ve got a wedding to plan for next month.”

  “Next month!” Norah’s blue eyes widened incredulously.

  “I was lucky to get him to wait that long. Colby would rather we flew to Vegas tonight and—”

  “No way!” was Norah and Steffie’s automatic response.

  “I never thought I’d be the sentimental sort,” Valerie admitted sheepishly, “but I actually want a large fancy wedding. Colby loves me enough to agree, as long as I organize it quickly. Once that man makes a decision, there’s no holding him back.”

  Steffie smiled to herself. Dr. Colby Winston was in for a real surprise. Valerie was talented enough in the organizational department to manage the United Nations. If he gave her a month to arrange their wedding, she’d do a beautiful job of it with time to spare.

  A wedding so soon meant the family was about to be caught up in a whirlwind of activity, but that suited Steffie. It was time for them to celebrate. The grieving, the anxiety, were over.

  “You’ve been seeing a lot of Charles lately, haven’t you?” Norah asked, looking expectantly at Steffie. “Do you think we could make this a double wedding?”

  Valerie smiled broadly at Steffie, as though she’d be in favor of the idea, too.

  “I haven’t been seeing that much of Charles,” Steffie answered, thrusting out her chin. She realized she sounded defensive. “Well, I—I suppose we have been together quite a bit lately, but there’s certainly never been any talk of marriage.”