Close to Her Heart
Page 17
“Hurray! You’re here. We wanted to rush out when we heard your vehicle, but we didn’t want to swarm you.” Sage was easy to identify, thanks to her red hair. She was pretty, too, but in a completely different way from Dani, or Mattie too, for that matter. She was similar to her sister, however, in the way she bee-lined to the baby. “Oh, let me hold her!”
The good-natured looking cowboy who’d been sitting next to Sage at the table, came around to shake Eliot’s hand. “Welcome to the chaos, man.”
“I take it you’re the lucky groom?” Dawson O’Dell had muscles and a strong, solid build. Eliot knew he was a former rodeo cowboy, but now worked as a county Deputy.
“Sure am. Sage finally said yes. Keep pinching myself in case it’s a dream.”
“You have to be sleeping to dream, Daddy.” A pipsqueak of a girl came up beside him, hair in braids and chocolate smeared at the corners of her mouth. “I’m Savannah. I’m the flower girl. I’m going to wear a dress, and pink cowboy boots. They’re really pretty. Want to see them?”
“How about we say hi to your Aunt Dani and the new baby first, Pumpkin?” her father suggested.
“Oh, yeah, I forgot about them.” Savannah rushed off, almost tackling Dani with the intensity of her hug.
“She loves the ranch and being part of a big family,” Dawson explained. “But she gets a little carried away at times. This wedding has her higher than a kite.”
“Dani said something about your mother coming, too? Is she here yet?”
He sighed. “Nope. Patricia will be arriving in the morning with her new boyfriend. Can’t wait to meet him,” he deadpanned.
“Not too fond of him?”
Dawson shrugged. “Never met him. He’s just one in a long string, let’s put it that way.”
“These chocolates look wonderful,” Dani said. “Can we sample?”
“Only the broken ones,” Savannah piped up. “But I’m good at breaking them, so there’s lots over here.” She pointed to where she’d been sitting.
“You have to try my sister’s chocolates,” Dani fed him one of the rich-looking morsels. “These are her famous salty caramels.”
“Coated in seventy-percent, single origin chocolate,” Sage added.
Eliot nodded, showing his approval.
“The chocolate are delicious, but have you had dinner?” Mattie asked. “We can offer pulled pork sandwiches and coleslaw.”
Dani’s eyes brightened. “Is it Grandma Brambles’ recipe?”
“Absolutely.”
Dani tucked her hand around his arm and pulled him into the kitchen. “You have to try this. It’s the best coleslaw in the world.”
He didn’t need to be convinced. He was hungry and the pulled pork sounded pretty tempting, too.
“Beer?” Dawson asked.
“Absolutely. A lager if you have one.”
“Sure thing. We’re well stocked for the weekend.” Dawson winked, as he pulled open a gigantic fridge.
Everything in this kitchen was huge, from the large island at the center, to the cast iron range and the industrial-sized dishwasher. Eliot could tell this was the room where the Carrigan girls spent the most time and felt most at home. They’d probably spent a lot of time with their mother in here.
He and Dani sat at the island to eat their meals, which were every bit as delicious as promised. When he was done, he counted heads and realized he still hadn’t met everyone. “Where’s Callan? And the twins?”
“Out in the barn doing evening chores,” Mattie said. “They should be in soon. It’s almost dark.” Turning to Dani she added, “I can’t believe Portia kept your secret for so long. The little minx.”
Along with the others, Eliot gazed out the west-facing windows. The sun had already dipped below the Gallatin Range and the mountains were glowing with a faint purple haze.
“Sure is pretty out here,” he said, thinking of the painting Dani kept in her study. Despite her complicated feelings about her father, she loved Montana and now he understood why.
“It is,” Dani said. “How about we go out to the barns and see if we can find those girls?”
Eliot nodded. It would feel good to stretch his legs. After checking with Sage and Mattie to make sure they were okay being left with Beverly for a while, he and Dani went out the back door, following a stone path that curved around the gardens and the area with the tent, beyond a bunch of shrubs and trees, to the barns and corrals. But they didn’t need to go any further, because three cowgirls were walking toward them and Eliot honestly couldn’t tell which one was Dani’s baby sister and which were Mattie’s twins. They were all wearing jeans and western shirts, dirty cowboy boots and hats. They still hadn’t spotted them and were talking quietly among themselves. The slightly taller one on the left said something and the others laughed.
And then the shortest, curviest girl glanced up in their direction, paused, and then exclaimed. “It’s them! They’re here!”
“Hey there, Portia!” Dani wrapped her niece in a big hug. “I’d like you to meet Eliot.”
“Where’s the baby?”
Eliot was getting used to that question and it made him glad. Nothing meant more to Dani than having her daughter loved unconditionally by her family.
He met the other twin, next. Wren was quieter than Portia, with thoughtful, intelligent eyes and a slimmer build, rather like her aunt. Callan was shorter than both of her nieces, with a slim, petite frame and an extremely pretty heart-shaped face. Despite her small size, she had a man-sized grip and shook Eliot’s hand before she relented and gave him a tentative hug.
“So you’re a lawyer, huh?”
“I am.”
She planted her fists on her slim hips. “And you’ve known my sister how long?”
“We’ve lived next door to each other for a few years now.” Eliot tried not to laugh. He was finally getting the grilling most guys would expect from their girlfriend’s father. This Callan was quite the tough lady. He’d do well not to cross her.
*
On the morning of Sage’s wedding, Dani was up early breastfeeding Beverly on the porch when Sage joined her. She had a cup of coffee and put another on the table for Dani.
“Decaf,” she assured her, before sitting on one of the wicker chair and leaning back with a sigh. “What a beautiful morning.”
“I’m glad. I hope everything about today is perfect for you.”
“My family is here and I get to marry the man I’ve been in love with for years, complete with the cutest little step-daughter. Anything more is just icing. And I’m talking fondant, obviously.”
Dani smiled. “At least something good came out of your barrel racing. You wouldn’t have met Dawson if dad hadn’t practically forced you to take up the sport.”
“I don’t regret it now, though I did hate it back then. Not the practising, I loved that. It was performing that made me sick.” Sage took a sip of her coffee. Her beautiful hair was wet from the shower. Later Portia was going to curl it for her. Sage had pooh-poohed the idea of a beauty salon appointment, said she’d prefer to spend a relaxing day with the family instead.
Beverly let out a little burp, and Dani pulled her up, sitting her on her knee and rubbing the baby’s back to give her stomach a chance to settle.
“She’s such a sweet baby,” Sage said. “Dani, why didn’t tell us that you were pregnant?”
“I’ve been thinking about that,” Dani admitted. “I guess it goes back to how my role in the family changed when Mom died. Mattie was already married, with children of her own. That left me in charge of you and Callan.”
“Dad certainly wasn’t much help,” Sage agreed.
“I wouldn’t say I stopped being your sister and suddenly became your mother. But I did have to step up in a lot of areas. Dad hired a housekeeper, but I made your lunches and checked that you ate breakfast and brushed your teeth. I helped with homework and looked after you when you were sick.”
“You’re right. You did so much.
And none of us ever thanked you.”
Dani waved a hand. “I’m sure at the time you found me bossy and overbearing. But I didn’t enjoy being the bad guy all the time either. Plus, Dad and I butt heads a lot back then. So, by the time I’d finished high school I was pretty desperate for my freedom.”
“No wonder you left Montana. But it makes me sad that when you needed help, you didn’t feel you could call any of us.”
“I was afraid you’d tell me something I didn’t want to hear. Like, I was a fool to have a baby on my own. Or that I should go for more testing when the ultrasound tech told me my baby was showing markers for Downs.”
“Well.” Sage reached over to play with the little fingers on one of Beverly’s hands. “Just like my barrel racing days, it looks like the last nine months have paid off for you, too. Not only do you have this sweet girl, but I have to say, I really like Eliot and so does Dawson.”
“Thanks Sage. It means a lot to hear you say that.”
The sisters hugged, and when Sage pulled back she said, “Please, next time life throws you a curveball—call me?”
“I promise.”
With perfect timing, Beverly squawked, demanding more food, and after Dani moved her to the other breast she noticed a vehicle approaching from the highway.
“Oh! My flowers!” Sage jumped up from her chair and went to great the newcomer.
Dani had walked by the new SweetPea Flowers shop in Marietta a few times, since the new shop was next door to Sage’s Copper Mountain Chocolates, but she’d never met the owner. She pulled a blanket over the baby and smiled as Sage brought Risa Davison up on the porch to say hello.
Risa’s dark curly hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she was carrying an exquisite bouquet of baby yellow roses surrounding a pale, pink calla lily. “So nice to meet you, Dani. And congratulations on your new baby. Must be busy, huh?”
“Yes. But in a good way.”
“I’ll bet. May I see her?”
Beverly had unlatched from her breast, so Dani made a few quick adjustments, then pulled aside the blanket.
“Aw. She’s adorable.” Risa seemed utterly unfazed by the almond-shaped eyes that had turned toward her at the sound of her voice. “You’re so lucky.”
Dani knew that Risa had recently married former Marine, Monty Davison, and they were now living out on the Red Barn. Maybe they were hoping to start a family, too? But whether that was true, or not, the very fact that Risa would call her lucky, warmed Dani’s heart.
She did feel lucky. With each day that passed she loved her daughter more, and felt so blessed to have her in her life. And Eliot. He was the rock she’d thought she’d never find. Just seeing how easily he’d fit into her Montana family had cemented her belief in him and their budding new relationship.
They were friends, on the verge of becoming lovers. And Dani couldn’t wait. But first there was this wedding, Sage’s special day. She wanted to help make sure that everything was perfect.
And it was. Sage’s best friends Jenny, Selah, and Chelsea were there as well as the gorgeous new men in their lives. Jenny, pregnant and glowing, Chelsea with a sparkly new diamond from her very rich and sexy new fiancé.
Despite the fact that they were their nearest neighbors, none of the Sheenan boys came, out of deference to Hawksley and his life-long feud with their father.
Grouchy Great-Aunt Mabel was there, however, along with her great niece, Eliza Bramble. Eliza ran a bed and breakfast in the historic Bramble family house in Marietta. Dani made sure to introduce her daughter and Eliot to both Great-Aunt Mabel and Eliza. It seemed unfortunate to her that though their cousin had moved to Marietta from Nashville a few years ago, and was close in age to Sage, none of them knew Eliza very well.
At one time, Dani had been suspicious that Eliza might be after whatever remained of the Bramble’s copper mining fortune. But today, she was feeling magnanimous and put her cousin’s reticence down to shyness.
The one false note in the day was when Hawksley walked Sage down the aisle. He stumbled a bit after handing Sage’s arm to Dawson, then almost collapsed, before Sage and Dawson intervened and helped him to his chair. A glass of water had seemed to revive him, but Dani thought his complexion was still a little grey. If only he would agree to go to the doctor. But, stubbornly, he insisted he was fine.
And he probably was. The ornery old coot would probably live to one hundred.
Dinner and toasts were over, and people were dancing to the lively bluegrass music being played on a raised platform in the tent. Dani looked for Eliot and found him heading for her.
“I just put Beverly down to sleep. Several women are chatting in the kitchen, and they promised to keep an eye on her.”
God he looked good, elegant and handsome in his beautiful charcoal suit. A lot of the men were dressed in Western wear today, but Eliot managed to look perfectly comfortable and at ease among them. He had a gift for mingling with people, Dani realized. It came from being the sort of person who cared about others and didn’t spend too much time fussing about himself.
“I want to dance with the most beautiful woman on the Circle C Ranch.” Eliot held out his arm, and she gladly took it. She’d grown up on this ranch. But in Eliot’s arms she was truly home.
The End
If you enjoyed Close to Her Heart, you’ll love the other Carrigans of Circle C novels!
The Carrigans of Circle C
Hawksley Carrigan, owner of the Circle C Ranch south of Marietta, Montana, always wanted a son to carry on the family name. Unfortunately for him, he ended up with four daughters
Book 1: Promise Me, Cowboy
Sage Carrigan’s story
Book 2: Good Together
Mattie Carrigan’s story
Book 3: Close to Her Heart
Dani Carrigan’s story
Book 4: A Cowgirl’s Christmas
Callan Carrigan’s story – coming soon – Christmas 2014
About the Author
Hard to imagine a more glamorous life than being an accountant, isn’t it? Still, I gave up the thrills of income tax forms and double entry book-keeping when I sold my first book in 1998. Hard to believe I’ve now written more than 40 (2 of which were nominated for RITAs).
When I’m not writing I love to be out hiking, cross-country skiing or biking. I’m not athletic—I just enjoy the outdoors, especially here in Calgary, where I live, and on Flathead Lake, Montana, where we have a cottage. My partner Mike and I share this in common. We also love to play cribbage and Scrabble. If a glass of wine is on the table, so much the better! Visit C.J.’s website at www.cjcarmichael.com and sign up to receive her newsletter for more on her newest releases.
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