The Cowboy Takes a Bride

by Debra Clopton

  Mule Hollow volleyball was unique and unlike anything Sugar had ever seen—or rather, the dress code was. It was pure entertainment to see both the men and women.

  While some of the cowboys changed into shorts and athletic shoes, others opted to play in their dress attire: Western shirts, stiff starched jeans and cowboy boots! And then there were Esther Mae and her husband, Hank—him sporting full-dress attire and her in a lime-green jersey. The group was rounded off with Norma Sue’s husband, Roy Don. He served as the referee, and fittingly so, as he was a stout cowboy with a full mustache and commanding presence. He was starched up stiff as concrete from the bottom of his tan jeans to the collar of his pearl-snap dress shirt.

  Looking at them, Sugar had no doubt that Mule Hollow most assuredly made a fashion statement. But it was Norma Sue, running roughshod over everyone as she organized the game like a general, who took the prize for best dressed. She wore her trademark overalls with the legs rolled up to just below her knees, and instead of sneakers, she, too, kept on her boots. She topped the look off with a red sweatband that came just above her eyebrows and made her short gray hair bush out all over the place.

  Sugar was standing to one side, watching in wonder, when Ross jogged over to her. He had opted for athletic wear.

  “Hey,” he said, stepping close. “Are you going to hang around?”

  She nodded, smiling at him. Wild horses couldn’t drag her away from watching him—and the others. “Is Norma Sue going to play like that?”

  He chuckled. “She always does. And surprising as it may be, that short dynamo can hold her own out there. The woman has a mean serve.” His eyes were twinkling with merriment.

  Sugar felt happy just from looking at him. “How about you? Can you play?”

  “I do all right. How about you?”

  She shook her head. “Not my game. But I’ll really enjoy cheering you on.”

  He leaned close. “With you cheering me on, they had better watch out. I’ll be unstoppable.” He was just so appealing that Sugar did what came naturally before she thought better of it. She rose up on her toes and kissed him.

  It was just a simple touch of the lips, but it felt like so much more that both of them froze. They’d been dancing around kissing each other for weeks.

  Ross didn’t move, but his eyes were not twinkling as they held hers. “That was a dangerous move right there, Sugar.”

  Boy, did she know it. But suddenly she was tired of dancing. “And what does that mean?” She could hardly breathe.

  “It means I’ve been playing this game between us with a handicap, trying to give you room to make up the rules. Fair warning—don’t kiss me unless you’re willing to change them.”

  And that was the million-dollar question. Did she want the rules to change?

  Yes.

  “Ross Denton, you gonna play or what? Get out here,” Norma Sue hollered. “We’ve got a game to play and daylight’s aburnin’.”

  He lifted a questioning brow and Sugar took a shuddering breath. “Go play ball.” She pushed him lightly and he backed away toward the players.

  “This conversation isn’t over.” He gave her a smile of warning. “You and me, after this game.” He pointed at himself, then her, as he said it.

  She couldn’t help but chuckle. “Play. Ball. Tough guy.”

  He grinned full out. “Oh, yeah, I’m goin’ to go out there and keep the games movin’ faster than you can blink. And then you and me are havin’ a heart-to-heart.” He winked, then spun and jogged away.

  As she watched him join the others, Sugar sank to the grass. Her legs wouldn’t hold her up. What, oh what was she doing?

  She’d been having trouble all week. Ever since the storm, really, but it was the night when she’d talked with him after helping Stacy that something inside of her had switched gears. She’d been flirting with danger and she knew it. She’d been attracted to him from day one, of course, but he’d said the most beautiful things to her that night. He really believed in her. And he really wanted her to reach her dream. He hadn’t said so, but she could tell he had deep feelings for her.

  And then there was the kissing issue. They’d practiced their final scene all this time and never actually kissed. She had known he was barely holding back, and it had driven her crazy.

  And now she’d crossed a line.

  “Sooo, what’s the story?” Lacy asked, plopping down on the grass beside her. “You are looking at that cowboy like he’s a glass of water and you’ve been lost in the desert for a week.”

  Sugar jerked her eyes away from watching Ross stretch for a high ball. He looked great. “What story? There isn’t any story.”

  Lacy smiled, stretched her legs out on the grass and crossed her feet. “Mmm-hmm if that’s your version, I’m cool. I just wanted to come say thanks for giving some of your time to Stacy. I make it a point to try and draw her out, but it has been a slow process. I really got excited when she told me she had fun reading with you on Monday night, and that y’all are going to do it again. Just so you know, she really enjoyed it. You could be an answer to a prayer with what you’re doing. What you did, giving her your time, was a big blessing, Sugar.”

  Sugar’s heart lifted at the knowledge. “You know, Lacy, it was a blessing for me, more than Stacy will ever know. I have never felt that way before, sharing something that means so much to me with someone else. And I think with time, and given half a chance, she might get up on that stage and perform herself.”

  Lacy’s blue eyes widened and her smile flashed, like a child in awe of a Christmas tree. “That would be a miracle in so many ways. You’re good for Mule Hollow, Sugar. I hope you know that. I mean, I know you have plans to go back to L.A. After seeing your ability, I understand totally that you could be famous tomorrow.” She paused and picked a blade of Bermuda grass before pegging Sugar with intense eyes. “Or maybe God has prepared you for a different kind of fame than you thought.”

  Six weeks ago—even two weeks ago—Sugar would have been frustrated by such a remark. But she knew Lacy had a missionary’s heart. Lacy had come to Mule Hollow to open her salon so that she could be a witness to the women who moved to the town. Lacy had a heart for souls.

  Sugar sighed. The answer she always gave didn’t come. Her throat clogged, instead. She’d been so excited about getting the show up and running so that she could garner her reviews and then move on to bigger and better things…but was there anything bigger and better than what she’d felt here, in this tiny town?

  “You sure make Ross happy,” Lacy said, breaking into her thoughts.

  Sugar looked toward the volleyball court, automatically seeking him out. He made her happy. He was in the back row at the moment, and despite the rambunctious volleying in progress with the black-and-white ball, she found him watching her instead of the game. Their eyes locked and her stomach did a roll-over-and-die maneuver. He was looking at her as if he loved her, and she knew that as long as she lived, nothing within the bounds of human possibilities could compare with that. Someone shouted his name and Ross jerked his attention back to the game just as the volleyball shot across the net and hit him between the eyes—or would have if a lime-green flash of waving arms and legs squealing, “mine-mine-mine” hadn’t flown into him first.

  Chapter Twenty

  From his prone position in the sand, Ross popped one eye open and looked up at the crowd circling him. His ankle was killing him, his right eye was swelling and throbbing, he couldn’t breathe and there was a crushing pain on his chest—a bright green one!

  Thankfully someone reached out and helped Esther Mae off of him so he could finally get some air. But then Sugar’s face came into focus—in his good eye—and he lost his breath again.

  “Oh, Ross, you look terrible. What can I do?” she asked, sinking onto the sand beside him.

  He thought he could see everyone behind her grinning, but then again, he wasn’t focused on anything but her. Ready to blame it on getting knocked senseless by E
sther Mae’s right hook, he grinned at Sugar and said the first thing that popped into his addled brain. “You can marry me.”

  Yup, he’d lost his ever lovin’ mind. And he didn’t care one iota.

  She blinked, and the crowd went silent.

  “Ain’t ya gonna say sump-thin’, Sugar?” Applegate bellowed after a couple of seconds. “Ross, ’bout time ya finally come to yor senses. Pity it took a beatin’ from Esther Mae ta do it!”

  Sugar still didn’t say anything.

  Applegate didn’t give up. “I was beginin’ ta thank them two didn’t have a lick a sense b’twin the both of ’em,” he said to the group. “Thangs are lookin’ up.”

  “Sugar?” Ross said, sitting up slowly. His ankle was still killing him, but the look in her eyes was ten times worse. He’d been a first-class fool. He’d gone and rushed her. He could see her shutting down. “Say something.”

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Aw,” Stanley groaned. “Now that jest ain’t right.”

  “Come on, everyone,” Lacy called, “let’s give these two some breathing room. How about we open up the ice cream?”

  Ross could have hugged the woman as everyone followed her lead and retreated toward the shade trees, where freezers of homemade ice cream sat hardening up in rock salt and ice.

  “I’m not kidding, Sugar,” Ross said, once they were alone. She stood up and stepped away from him. He tried to follow her, but his ankle gave way and he hobbled.

  “That ankle needs ice,” she said, then lifted his arm and drew it across her shoulders. “Lean on me, and let’s take care of that.”

  He didn’t care about his ankle, but he wasn’t going to complain about the excuse to hold her. Then again, he knew he wasn’t going anywhere on his own, what with the way his ankle was swelling. Esther Mae had really done a number on him.

  No more, though, than Sugar had the moment she’d come to town.

  There was a chair beside the blue ice chest, and he eased into it while Sugar pulled another chair over and carefully lifted his foot onto it. She wasn’t looking at him. “Take your shoe off while I wrap some ice for you.”

  “Yes, dear,” he said, smiling even though he was terrified. He knew this was right. Sugar was supposed to be with him. He got his shoe off and watched her yank a towel from a nearby table. Her movements were jerky.

  “I can’t believe you asked me to marry you,” she said, filling the dish towel with ice.

  “That’s what someone in love does, Sugar.”

  She finally met his eyes as she gently laid the ice on his ankle. Her hands were trembling.

  “If you love me, Sugar, then we can make this work. I don’t care if you go off to Hollywood and make movies—well, actually, I do care about the kissing. I don’t want you kissing anyone but me—but as long as I know you’re coming home to me, then I can handle it. I want more than life itself to do this.”

  “Ross,” she said, standing and pacing. “It just isn’t that easy. Sure, everything has somehow changed since I got here but—”

  “Do you love me?” He wished he could get up.

  She slapped a hand to her hip. “Yes. And you good and well know it, cowboy. But you are not playing fair.”

  He was grinning, his heart was bursting and, sprained ankle and all, he was out of his chair. “I’m not, I admit it. I tried—but who’s talking fair? You’re the one who stole my heart, the one who wouldn’t quit until you had me working beside you. I couldn’t help but fall for you after that. You’re the one who kept at me until I started to dream.” He took her hand. “We’re building something here, you and me. Yes, I believe God is going to use you in a great way, I do. But I was doing some thinking out there during the game, while I was looking at you—right before Esther Mae whacked some sense into me. Maybe God put me in your life to be your support. To stand by you and help you. And have you do the same for me.”

  He was talking a blue streak, trying to get it all out, to say everything in his heart. Trying to find the right words that would get through to her. “I don’t know, Sugar, there are so many things, so many positive things, going through my head that it would take me hours to get it all said. And I will, but you already know it all. In your heart, you know it.” He took her face between his palms and looked into her eyes, willing her to see his every emotion he felt.

  She nodded. “I do know. I’ve been living for my dream for so long. You were right, I’ve been living for the future for so long it’s hard for me to just live for today.”

  “But God’s given us today. Now. He hasn’t promised us tomorrow. And I don’t want to waste another minute without knowing you are mine.”

  “Oh, Ross, you make it sound so easy.”

  “I’m sure there will be times when it won’t be. I’m sure we’ll have to compromise and look out for each other’s best interests. But loving you…that’s the easy part.”

  Sugar knew everything he said to her was true. In her heart, she’d known that her life had changed, taken a turn for the better. She just had to have the courage to accept all that God was offering her. She lifted her hands and slid them around Ross’s neck. She saw his love in his eyes, and drew strength from it. This was right. She saw a future she’d never dreamed of. Possibilities she’d never thought of until he’d come into her life. She thought of what they were building at the theater, and how she could be a part of a community she loved. But mostly, she thought about how much she loved Ross. Dreams might come and go, but she was looking at the one she knew she wanted for keeps.

  She smiled. “It might not always be easy,” she warned.

  He smiled back, sliding his hands around her shoulders and pulling her close. “I can handle it, remember? I’m your hero. Please put me out of my misery and say you’ll marry me, so we can get this show on the road.”

  Sugar laughed and felt her world fall into place. “Oh, Ross, it’s going to be a wonderful show, isn’t it?”

  “It’s going to be a runaway hit,” he whispered against her lips as he lowered her into a perfect dip and kissed her with all his heart.

  And from across the lawn they got a standing ovation!

  Epilogue

  On opening night, Sugar Rae stood backstage with her heart in her throat. Everyone’s efforts had paid off, and it was so unbelievable to see the full house. Tickets to the other shows for the weekend were almost sold out as well and while she had no illusions that this would always be the case, for opening weekend, it was a thrill to see. God was so good.

  She peeked through the curtain, which Adela had made, and glanced up at the loft. Applegate and Stanley, looking like generals overseeing a battlefield, were checking out the crowd as they prepared to dim the lights. Ross had already called the cast and crew together for a prayer.

  Sugar had added her own thank-you into the prayer, feeling so humbled, and overwhelmed at the same time, at how the town had jumped in to make this happen. The ladies from the shelter had set up a refreshment booth outside in a small air-conditioned trailer, and Norma Sue and Esther Mae were greeting everyone at the door and handing out programs. Lacy, Sheri and Haley were helping orchestrate behind-the-scenes details such as keeping Sugar calm and giving her a hand with costume changes, among a host of other small things that needed to be taken care of. Their husbands were overseeing the parking area.

  And then there was Molly. She’d done an unbelievable job of hyping the show in her articles and was sitting out there now, smiling like a dark-haired answer to prayer, waving when she caught Sugar’s eye. Her review the week before of the dress rehearsal had been almost too wonderful, but Ross had assured her the praise was every bit deserved.

  Sugar looked up and saw Ross and Will shaking hands. Then Ross went over and clapped Applegate and Stanley on their shoulders, saying something encouraging to them before he headed her way. The show was about to begin.

  Ross was smiling as he came down the stairs from the catwalk. “Are you ready?” he asked, his eye
s warm with excitement.

  He had been right about so many things. The endeavor was much more than she’d anticipated, but together, they’d worked everything out. She was so grateful for Ross. And so in love with him. She’d grown to love him more and more every day they’d worked together.

  She took a deep breath. “I’ve been ready my entire life,” she said, then walked into his arms and hugged him with her heart and soul.

  “Hey, what’s this?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her. Sugar laid her cheek against his heart and drew from the well of steadfast assurance she always found in his arms.

  “You’re trembling,” he whispered against her ear.

  She closed her eyes. “I’m okay. I just needed you to hold me for a minute. I need you to know how much this means to me. How much all you’ve done has meant to me. Thank you.”

  His arms tightened and she felt the brush of his lips against her hair. “I’m thankful God put you in my life, Sugar. I thank Him every day. I’ve had more fun getting this place going and sharing the experience with you than I’ve ever had before. Building this with you has been a dream come true.”

  They were both silent as the lights dimmed. “Are you ready?” he whispered against her ear. She saw Lacy and Haley smiling at her, waiting for her signal.

  “Let’s do this,” Sugar said, looking up into Ross’s loving eyes. Rising on her tiptoes, she kissed him before taking his hand in hers. Together they walked onto the stage to welcome everyone to the first performance of The Cowboy Takes a Bride.

  They knew it was going to be the performance of a lifetime.

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for joining me and the gang in Mule Hollow! As always, I hope this book entertained you and maybe even made you chuckle a time or two. I had fun telling Sugar and Ross’s love story—since I do love watching people figure out God’s plan in their lives! In THE COWBOY TAKES A BRIDE, both Ross and Sugar find out exactly how perfect God’s plan is as their paths collide in my tiny Texas town.