Marrying My Cowboy

by Diana Palmer

  “Well, I offered to put them all in here with you, and that seemed to do the trick.” He fought a smile. “You have a very loyal bunch of friends there.”

  “I know.” Sam sighed and sat up. “Thanks for saving me.”

  “You’re welcome.” This time his smile was more obvious. “First drunk who’s ever said thank you, rather than taking a slug at me, or vomiting all over my uniform.”

  Sam made a face as she sipped her water. “I couldn’t get down. My boots were soaked, and I wasn’t able to get any grip.”

  “Which is why you don’t climb up statues,” Nate said. He stood up. “I think I hear your rescue party.”

  “My what?” Sam said, but he was already on the move, locking the cell door behind him, which he hadn’t done before. “Wait—what are you doing?”

  She heard a familiar voice and lay back down on the bench, pulling the towel she’d used to dry off over her head. The door was unlocked; she heard the sound of booted and spurred feet on the concrete floor, and then silence.

  Eventually, Sam couldn’t stand it anymore, and lowered the towel to see HW looming over her.

  “Eew . . . You smell like spirits.” Sam wrinkled her nose.

  “So do you,” HW pointed out. “But I’m not the one in jail for being loud and obnoxious, and fondling public property.”

  Sam slowly sat up and waited for her head to stop spinning. “Did you bring a lawyer?”

  “For what?”

  “To get me out of here.”

  HW stared at her, shook his head, and held out his hand. “Come on.”

  She allowed him to help her to her feet and clutched his muscled arm for support. “I can just go?”

  “Yeah, I’m breaking you out. I tied Nate up in the front office.”

  “Really?” Sam looked worshipfully up at him.

  “Wow, you really are drunk, aren’t you?” HW chuckled. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Come on, Billy the Kid. I’m taking you home.”

  * * *

  HW paused long enough to thank Nate for not pressing charges, and then walked Sam down the street toward her apartment. He’d spoken to Cam and Nancy, and sent everyone home, assuring them that he’d take care of Sam, and absolving them of any blame. Sam was uncharacteristically quiet on the way back, which was a first, and made the laughter bubbling up inside him even harder to hold back.

  In the apartment, Cam’s door was discreetly shut, and everything was quiet. He helped Sam out of her clothes and maneuvered her into the shower, getting totally drenched when she refused to let go of him. After toweling her dry, he found her a fresh T-shirt and settled her into bed.

  She looked up at him, her green eyes soft and luminous in the lamplight.

  “I love you, HW.”

  He smoothed her dark hair out of her eyes. “I know.”

  “I really, really do.” She squeezed his fingers. “When I’m with you, everything is better. I’m not scared, or lonely, or afraid of going to sleep because I know you will keep me safe from the nightmares.”

  “Yeah?” He swallowed hard at the trust in her voice. He knew all about her nightmares, which always involved a version of the ambush that had almost killed her and ended her military career. “I’ll always do that for you.”

  “Because even though you are totally hot on the outside, you are also a really nice person on the inside.” Sam nodded. “And if anyone says any different, you just send them my way, and I’ll sort them out, okay?”

  “I will, my fierce little warrior.” He kissed her nose. He’d never seen her with a buzz on before. It was quite entertaining.

  “I mean it, HW. I’m not putting up with it.”

  “And I respect that about you,” HW reassured her. “But right now, I want you to go to sleep.”

  “You won’t go away?” Sam opened her eyes again.

  “No, I’ll stay right here.” HW reassured her with another kiss. “I just need to let Chase know what’s happening and get out of these wet clothes.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Why are you wet? Did you fall into a pond as well?”

  “Something like that.” He stood up. “Now, just stay put, and I’ll be back in a minute, okay?”

  “Okay, I love you.”

  He left the bedroom door slightly ajar as he took a quick shower and hung his damp clothes over the back of one of the chairs in the kitchen to dry out. Luckily, he kept a few clothes in the apartment so was able to don boxers and a T-shirt of his Sam had somehow acquired. He also liberated a bucket from the closet and set it next to Sam’s side of the bed—just in case.

  As soon as he slid between the sheets, she scooted over and put one hand on his chest. Her bent knee rested on his hip. She smelled like a tequila factory, but he wasn’t going to let it bother him. She was his woman, and he was grateful for every contrary, beautiful inch of her.

  HW gathered her close, and she murmured his name, her fingernails scratching down over his chest toward his abs.

  “We could have sex?” Sam suddenly said, making HW jump.

  “No thanks. Remember our promise?” HW said hastily.

  “Oh, yes, right.” She lapsed back into apparent unconsciousness. HW settled down again, watching her like a cat with a mouse until she started snoring.

  She might think that he’d saved her, but the feeling was mutual. She was the only woman he’d ever met who was one hundred percent in his corner. When Sam Kelly loved you, you darn well knew it. She might argue everything out with him toe to toe, but he knew in his soul she would never abandon him. And that was the most amazing thing in his whole world....

  HW’s last thought as he succumbed to sleep was that they’d both survived their bachelor parties, and that in two days’ time, barring any more accidents like his fiancée ending up in the town jail again, they would finally be married.

  Chapter Three

  “Here you go, Sam. Try this.”

  For some reason Cam’s voice was incredibly loud this morning. Sam groped her way over to the table and sat down with a thump. A glass full of something fizzy awaited her, and even that was too noisy.

  “Drink up,” Cam said. “It really will help.”

  “Thanks.” Sam picked up the glass, braced herself, and drank it down in one. “Gah . . .” She shuddered.

  “Exactly.” Cam looked way too smug as she ate her granola and yogurt.

  “I swear I will never drink tequila again,” Sam croaked as her stomach rolled uneasily.

  “You’re not a big drinker, and last night was a special occasion,” Cam reminded her gently. “Just take a day to rehydrate and relax, and you’ll be all set for Sunday.”

  “Is HW here?” Sam looked around, but there was no sign of her cowboy.

  “He left about six this morning.” Cam grinned. “I caught him coming out of the bathroom, which was a bit embarrassing.”

  “Was he naked?’ Sam asked with interest.

  “Not quite. He had a towel around the important bits.” Cam ate another spoonful of granola and chewed extra slowly. “But what I did get to see was pretty spectacular. Well done, you.”

  “Thanks,” Sam said. “He is pretty fit. Was he embarrassed when you bumped into him?”

  “I think he actually blushed and then he stuttered a bit, held on to his towel like it was a lifeline, and skedaddled for your bedroom.”

  “Sweet.” Sam contemplated Cam’s granola. “I think I want to eat something, but not that rabbit food.”

  “I saw waffles in the freezer. You could have them with maple syrup.”

  “What a great idea!” Sam perked up. “And lots of whipped cream.”

  She made herself a plateful of fat, sugar, and carbs and ate her way through the whole lot while Cam sipped green tea and answered e-mail.

  “Is there anything we have to do today?” Cam asked.

  “Loads.” Sam sighed. “I have to go and see Daisy at the flower shop to make sure my bouquet is how I want it, and then check the post office in case m
y dress has ended up there.”

  “Your dress?” Cam looked up from her phone. “Not your wedding dress?”

  “Yeah, that one. I had a message this morning from the store saying that they sent it five days ago and have no idea what has happened to it.”

  “That’s not good.” Cam frowned. “Did they give you the tracking information?”

  “I think so. I didn’t read the whole thing I was too busy hyperventilating.” Sam got up to unplug her phone from the charger. She didn’t remember Nate giving it back, so HW must have got it. She scrolled through her messages and found the one from the shop.

  “There is a tracking number. I’ll check it out.” She copy-and-pasted the number into the relevant site and frowned. “It just disappears around Friday. I suppose I should call them.”

  “Check the address as well,” Cam suggested. “Sometimes they get it wrong. Maybe it went up to the ranch?”

  Sam sent a text to January to see if that had happened and finished her coffee. “I’ll still call at the post office. They might have been the ones to make the final delivery, and that’s why we can’t track it.”

  Cam put all the breakfast things into the dishwasher and Sam got ready to go out. It was weird worrying about the nonappearance of her wedding dress when she knew HW wouldn’t mind what she wore. But trying on the dresses and looking so different had secretly made her want to surprise him. She still had her beautiful white embroidered boots, and a new white cowboy hat with a veil. What she wore in the middle might turn out to be January Morgan’s wedding dress.... She reminded herself not to worry. It was all good.

  She zipped up her fleece, followed Cam out the door and down in the elevator. As they exited the elevator, the outside door of the building opened, and Dr. Tio came in. He smiled when he saw Sam and waited for her to reach him.

  “Hey, it’s my favorite patient.” He looked her up and down. “What have I told you about wading in fountains?”

  Sam felt herself blushing. “Oh jeez . . . does everyone know?”

  “Pretty much.” Dr. Tio grinned as Sam groaned. “Most exciting thing that’s happened in Morgantown for years.”

  By way of a desperate diversion, Sam turned to Cam. “I’d like to introduce you to my friend Dr. Cam Lee. She’s a pediatrician in Sacramento.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Dr. Tio shook Cam’s hand. “If you ever want a change of scenery, please consider the exciting, bustling metropolis of Morgantown. I’d love to find a great pediatrician to add to my team—preferably one who would stick around for a while.”

  “Yeah?” Cam smiled at the doctor. “I’m always willing to check out new things. Do you have a website or contact number?”

  “I have them,” Sam intervened, seeing as the other two were still busy shaking hands and making the most blatant eye contact. “I’ll give them to you before you go back, Cam.”

  “Okay.” Cam finally stepped back. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Right back at you.” Dr. Tio winked at Sam. “See you tomorrow at the wedding.”

  Sam hustled Cam out through the door and onto Main Street. “I told you he was cute.”

  “You were right.” Cam sighed. “Cute and smart. The perfect combination.”

  “And he loves his grandmother,” Sam added. “Which means extra points in my book.”

  “And in mine.” Cam linked her arm through Sam’s. “I’m up for a challenge. Maybe I’ll move here after all. . . .”

  Ignoring the siren scent of coffee drifting out of Yvonne’s café, Sam went to the post office and found out that they hadn’t received any rogue parcels. The woman in the back did promise to let Sam know if anything turned up, which was helpful. Worried, but trying not to show it, Sam went into Daisy’s flower shop, which was next door.

  “Hey!” Daisy, who was small and curvy with long brown hair, greeted Sam with a smile. “I hear you were painting the town red last night. I’m sorry I had to work and couldn’t come to your bachelorette party. It sounds like it was a lot of fun.”

  “It was fun—until Nate Turner stuck me in the slammer,” Sam said.

  Daisy chuckled. “Poor old Nate. He gets all the worst jobs. It’s a good thing he’s such a nice guy.”

  “He usually is—except he called HW to come and bail me out,” Sam said gloomily. “You can imagine how that went.”

  It was Cam’s turn to laugh. “Yeah, he rescued you from jail, brought you home, helped you shower, and put you to bed. What a big meanie.”

  Realizing she wouldn’t win because Cam was right, Sam turned to Daisy. “Did you want me to look at some flowers?”

  “Yes! Come in the back and tell me what you think of this arrangement for your bouquet,” Daisy said. “I know you said you didn’t want anything fancy, but I wanted to make sure it would go with the design of your dress.”

  Sam winced. “Well, as to that . . .”

  She followed Daisy into the rear of the shop. The smell of flowers and greenery settled around her, making her think of a drenched rain forest. Daisy was also making the corsages for her attendants, and Cam was thrilled with hers.

  After Daisy promised to have everything up at the ranch early the next morning, Sam took her best friend into Yvonne’s café for a cup of coffee, and possibly something sweet. There was no sign of Yvonne, but Lizzie was busy working the register and making coffee like a pro.

  “Is Yvonne here?” Sam asked as she paid for the drinks and Cam’s strawberry tart.

  “She’s in the back. Do you want to speak to her?” Lizzie asked. “She’s got a bit of a headache this morning, which she entirely blames on you by the way.”

  Glad to hear that someone else was suffering, Sam sat down at the table and sipped her excellent coffee while Lizzie went to speak to the boss. She idly checked her phone as she waited, and Cam did the same.

  “Oh, no,” Sam breathed.

  “What is it?” Cam looked over at her.

  “My dress,” Sam said. “It’s been returned to the shop. It just turned up there as undeliverable.”

  “What?”

  Yvonne joined the conversation. “What on earth happened?”

  Sam continued reading the e-mail. “Apparently, the dress and box were badly damaged in transit, and the address label wasn’t clear, so the barcode wasn’t scannable, and by the time it got to Morgantown, the deliverer didn’t know where to drop it off, so he returned it to the store.”

  Sam sat back. “Well, that’s that, then, isn’t it?” For some reason she wanted to cry, which wasn’t like her at all. Maybe the wedding was getting to her. “I’ll have to go with January’s dress.”

  Yvonne sat down and took Sam’s hand. “We could drive to one of the bigger towns today, and try and find something there?”

  “I doubt I’ll find anything I liked as much as those two dresses.” Sam said. “I looked everywhere before we went to the city. And to be honest, I’m not sure I have the heart to do this all again.” She found a smile somewhere. “It’s fine, really, and you can’t leave your business on a Saturday, Yvonne.”

  “But I could take you,” Cam insisted, her brown gaze serious. “Just tell me where to go, and I’ll get you there.”

  “It’s okay.” Sam met her friend’s worried gaze. “It’s just a white dress. No one is going to remember what it looks like anyway. Do you want to come up to the ranch with me so I can check out how everything’s going, and make sure January’s dress is going to work for me?”

  “Of course I’ll come with you.” Cam nodded. Yvonne still looked worried as she rose to her feet.

  “And don’t tell HW about this, okay?” Sam finished her coffee. “He’ll just want to fix everything for me, and I don’t want him worrying about anything.”

  Yvonne didn’t look convinced as she went back into her kitchen, but Sam knew her friend wouldn’t say anything. HW was way too worried that she wouldn’t turn up. She didn’t need to give him anything else to fret about.

  * * *

  HW came
out of the ranch house and went down the steps to greet Sam and Cam as they got out of Sam’s truck.

  “Hey.” HW smiled at his beloved and her best friend. “Isn’t it unlucky for you to see me?”

  Sam frowned. “Is it?” She kissed his cheek and gave him a bright smile. “Then maybe you’d better go away.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” HW kissed her back. There was something up, but he wasn’t going to mention anything yet. He’d learned with Sam that sometimes the less said the better because at some point she usually blurted it out all by herself.

  “Everything okay?” HW asked casually as he held the screen door open for her and Cam to go past him.

  “Yes! Everything’s great!” Sam said, avoiding his gaze, which really set his alarm bells ringing. “Is January around?”

  “She’s upstairs with the baby. She said to tell you to go on up when you arrived.” He leaned against the doorframe as she and Cam took off their boots and coats and hung them in the mudroom. “You sure everything’s good?”

  He caught the glance between the two friends and silently groaned.

  “Everything is great!” Sam said enthusiastically. “Can you tell Avery I’ll be over to speak to her at the guest center after I’m done with January?”

  “Sure.” HW stepped back as Sam went by him and marched up the stairs. He touched Cam’s shoulder. “Are you sure everything is all right?”

  Her smile was about as genuine as Sam’s. “Absolutely! Nothing to worry about at all!”

  HW walked down the hall to the kitchen, and sat at the table where his grandma was reading the local newspaper and sipping tea.

  “What’s wrong?” Ruth asked from behind the paper.

  “I didn’t say anything was wrong,” HW objected.

  “You’re sighing like someone let all the air out of your tires.” Ruth studied him over the top of the newspaper. “Is something up with Sam?”

  “Ah, the million-dollar question,” HW muttered. “When isn’t there something wrong with Sam? She’s acting weird, and I don’t like it.”

  “Have you asked her what’s going on?”