“That is sad,” Carson said, leaning in to kiss the tear away. “But you do know all of that is about to change.”
“Yes,” she agreed. “And that's actually where my dream enters the picture.”
“Tell me about it,” he requested, earnestly studying her expression.
“I always wanted to get married on Christmas day,” Sally said simply. “And to have children, and to bring them nothing but merry Christmases as I celebrate my wedding anniversary on that day with my husband.”
Carson smiled. “A very impressive dream,” he said, stroking her back gently. “And I can't think of a single reason why you shouldn't have it.”
Sally's countenance brightened. “Even with everything else that's going on?” she asked. “The election, trying to rally your followers, and the prospect of starting a new town?”
He moved his hand to her face and stroked it gently, tracing the path the tear had just taken. “Nothing is more important in my world than you, along with my faith, of course,” Carson explained. “I want the same things as you do, and I have the same values for our life together as well.”
Sally grinned, her heart overflowing with relief to have finally found someone who truly understood her. “And what of your Christmases, my love, when you were growing up?” she asked. “What were they like?”
“Pleasant enough,” he said, smiling. “Although I grew up out here on the frontier before my family moved to Denver, so some of them were of the catch-as-catch-can variety.”
“I wish I would have been there for them,” Sally replied fervently. “For each and every one.”
Carson, too, felt his heart rise at the prospect of having her with him for all of his future Christmases. “Well, I have to admit,” he said, “I always had the feeling they could have been somewhat better.”
“And now they shall be!” Sally exclaimed, her determination returning. “The ceremony will most likely have to be simple due to the circumstances, but we'll begin preparing for it immediately.”
They spoke a bit more about the ceremony and who they wanted to attend, but as soon as they reached the end of Main Street, Sally's mind went in a different direction.
“We should start now,” she said suddenly.
Carson chuckled, thinking she was still talking about the wedding. “We do still have nearly two months, you know.”
“ No, not that,” Sally replied, realizing that her mind was once again racing ahead. “I was referring to recruiting for the new town. For Fresh Start.”
“Now?” Carson exclaimed. “You mean right this minute?”
“Why not?” Sally asked. “After all, you did say most of them do live in this part of town.”
“But. . .shouldn't we plan this out a bit more?” he asked, hesitating. “Go through the citizen rosters and all that?”
She shrugged. “Why? We've been through those lists dozens of time together, and we both know what they contain.”
“True,” Carson admitted. “There aren't exactly a lot of surprises at this point.”
“So lets get started,” Sally said.
“All right, then,” he replied, liking the simplicity of it.
They picked out the first house they came to, then walked up the path leading to the door.
“You do realize they may think we're peddlers?” Carson asked. “Arriving like this so suddenly in the middle of the day.”
“So?” Sally grinned as she went to knock on the door. “If they do, we'll know they're probably not suitable for Fresh Start.”
Sally knocked on the door, and waited to see who would greet them.
“After all,” she said, wanting to finish her thought. “We are looking for folks with a true sense of adventure.”
They went door-to-door for the remainder of the afternoon, telling everyone of their plan to form a new town. Everything they did was impromptu, with little or no planning. Sally and Carson knew who most of their biggest supporters were, and they began making an ad hoc list based on the results of each inquiry.
They also approached the project with a sense of whimsy. Sally and Carson agreed at the start that they would live with whatever the results were, and if they turned out to be negative they would simply come up with another plan.
Surprisingly, though, the results were quite good. Several people did in fact dismiss them as peddlers, and Sally and Carson moved on quickly from these stops.
But most responded immediately to Sally's charms and Carson's strong followup. The combination was close to irresistible, and with each stop they honed their approach, turning it into an effective routine.
And they did have another advantage. Many of those they talked to knew them from the election, having attended rallies and such. It gave them a starting point for their pitch, and selling the idea of Fresh Start became easier with each stop.
By the time the sun had begun to set they had over two dozen people, which was more than enough to start a small town. They emphasized the name of the town, Fresh Start, during all their conversations, and that seemed to appeal to the pioneer spirit of those who decided to join them.
Finally, even though they still had a half dozen or so doors to knock on, Sally knew it was time to call it a day.
She'd been tallying the results in her head, with Carson's assistance, so they could log them when they returned to the hotel. The numbers were starting to explode in her head, though, and she turned to Carson, knowing that fatigue was about to get the best of her.
“I'm bushed, my love,” she said wearily. “I'm not sure I can hold out for these last few houses.”
“I know what you mean,” Carson replied, shaking his head to keep from going cross-eyed. “I'm having trouble keeping it all straight in my head.”
Sally tilted her head and smiled. “It has been quite remarkable, though,” she commented.
“Indeed,” he said. “I've been keeping track of the skills of those we've talked to, and it seems we'll be able to add several small shops to the list of new businesses in Fresh Start.”
“I've noticed that as well,” Sally said. “There was the woman who wanted to open a bakery, plus the shoe repair gentleman who was open to a new venue for his wares. And who knows what else will pop up as we actually start building the town?”
“Well, I know one thing,” Carson proclaimed. “Anyone starting a business that involves selling something could take some serious lessons from you.”
“Oh, you,” she said, tapping him on the arm as she smiled and blushed. “You're far more convincing than I am.”
Carson cocked his head and grinned. “I'm not so sure about that,” he replied. “There were times when I was convinced that you should be running for office instead of me.”
“Stop it now!” Sally said, giggling. “I was just expounding on the things we both believe in.”
“Which are evidently more powerful than we realized,” Carson commented, smiling. “It looks like we're going to have to go through with this.”
“With great eagerness!” Sally said, taking his hands and beaming at him. “I'm convinced that we can do this!”
“As am I,” Carson said, noticing that the sun was setting quite quickly. “But I do think we should call it a day.”
“Not just yet,” she said. “There's one more thing we have to do before we return to the hotel.”
Once they reached the center of town they made their way to the mayor's office, knowing he'd still be hard at work with the election fast approaching.
Somehow they managed to slip into town hall without being noticed, which was a significant feat given how well-known Carson and Sally had become throughout town. Owen Standard's door was open, and Carson gave it a gentle tap, not wanting to startle his rival.
“Excuse me, Mr. Mayor?” he said softly. “Might we have a bit of your time?”
“Carson!” the mayor exclaimed, looking up from the paperwork on his desk. Then he saw that Carson wasn't alone. “And Sally as well! What a welcome interru
ption.”
“Really?” Sally asked shyly, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the significant shift in plans now that they were actually in the mayor's office.
“Of course!” he exclaimed, shaking his head as Owen looked at the mountain of paperwork on his desk. “You know how it is with all of this. . .there's just so much to be done.”
“I do indeed,” Carson said, thinking of the impromptu mental list he and Sally had just compiled. “It just seems to keep growing and growing as the election draws closer.”
“It does at that,” the mayor said. He pointed at the chairs in front of his desk. “Sit, please. Tell me how things have been going for you.”
“Well,” Carson began, “that's actually why we're here. Something's come up that we wish to talk about.”
“Do tell,” Owen said, peering over the spectacles he'd been using for his paperwork. “Pertaining to the election, I assume?”
“Yes,” Sally replied nervously, wanting to get it out in the open as quickly as possible. “We're making a significant change, I'm afraid.”
“A change,” the mayor said, tilting his head. “Of what sort?”
“Well, it's a big one, to be honest,” Carson began. “A major shift, as it were.”
“Well, I'm open to whatever it is,” Owen replied. “You've been very fair in your dealings with me, and I've enjoyed our debates and speeches in the events we've done together.”
“Thank you,” Carson said. “But this will cast all of that in a new light.”
“Hmm,” the mayor said. “Perhaps you should just tell me what's happening.”
“I agree,” Sally replied, trying not to rush her words.
“We'd like to concede the election and start a new town,” she said. “We're calling it Fresh Start.”
“Really now!” Owen exclaimed. “Well, that is a big change for sure.” He paused, pondering the notion. “Might I ask what brought all this on?”
Sally took a deep breath. “The realization that we couldn't win the election for starters,” she said, giving the mayor her most engaging smile. “And our awareness that we needed to go in a different direction.”
“This certainly is new, that's for sure,” the mayor commented. “Can you tell me how it might work?”
“We've talked with some of our supporters about the idea,” Carson said, picking up where Sally had left off. “There was something of a groundswell, especially when we told them that we wished to rebuild First View and rename it.”
“Ah yes,” Owen said, his enthusiasm for the project growing noticeably. “That would be a laudable goal indeed.”
He sighed. “It was a great tragedy losing First View.”
“Exactly,” Carson agreed. “And part of our goal would be to pay tribute to those whose lives were lost in the fire.”
“And when would you do this?” the mayor asked. “What effect would it have on Last Chance?”
“We'd start right away,” Carson stated as Sally nodded vigorously. “It would be good to at least get things off to a strong start before the winter rolls in.”
The mayor nodded. “Without a doubt,” he agreed. “A very ambitious timeline, though, to be sure.”
Carson grinned. “Well, we do have a bit of an ulterior motive with that,” he added.
“Oh?” Owen grinned slightly. “And what might that be?”
Carson took Sally's hand and gave it a squeeze. “My mail order bride here wishes to celebrate our Fresh Start by getting married on Christmas day!”
The prospect of a Christmas wedding tipped the scales for Owen. The mayor made the announcement the next day, at a rally that was supposed to be the final debate before the election.
Instead, they were given true cause for celebration. The crowd gasped when the mayor made his announcement, but he quickly explained that Last Chance would maintain it's charming character despite the loss of two or three dozen residents.
Moreover, the crowd's curiosity turned to cheers when they learned the purpose of the new endeavor. The true pioneer spirit that pervaded the town was about getting a fresh start, and the name of Fresh Start would remind everyone of that for as long as the town stood.
The icing on the cake was the part of the announcement about rebuilding First View. Many residents of Last Chance had had friends there, and while they'd certainly had a reasonable period of time to mourn their losses, they all agreed that rebuilding the town and renaming it Fresh Start would be the perfect way to memorialize them.
But there was another announcement to be made.
“There is one last thing I need to add!” the mayor said after he covered the rebuilding of First View. “It's an important addition that you all should know about.”
The crowd quieted down and the mayor continued, motioning to Carson and Sally to join him at the front of the platform.
“As you know, we've welcomed a wonderful candidate to Last Chance in the last few weeks and months,” Owen said, pointing to Carson. “I know many of you have come to know him quite well during that time, and I'm sure you've been as impressed as I have with his honor, integrity and devotion to his Christian faith.”
The crowd sent up a brief but hearty cheer, and Carson waved, looping his arm around Sally.
“What you don't know, though, is that Carson Jackson has been spearheading the effort to rebuild First View and rename it Fresh Start,” the mayor continued. “And you may not realize that he's been joined by his mail order bride, Sally Galvin, and that the two of them are about to be married.”
A buzz went through the crowd, and Owen paused to let them take in the news before continuing. Finally he put his hands up to quiet them, then went on.
“I would now like to formalize that arrangement by declaring Carson Jackson the new, official mayor of Fresh Start,” he exclaimed, holding up his hands again before the crowd could burst into a new cheer.
“And I've just been told today that Carson and Sally intend to get married on Christmas day, in Fresh Start!” he added enthusiastically. “I would like as many residents of Last Chance as possible to join me for the wedding to give them the merriest possible Christmas!”
The cheer from the crowd overwhelmed the last few words of the mayor's announcement, but it made little difference. The cheer went on for some time, and finally Sally leaned over and whispered in Carson's ear.
“I think you're supposed to kiss me now,” Sally said, giving his hand a squeeze. If you don't I'm going to have to kiss you first.”
Carson smiled and turned to her, taking Sally in his arms. He savored the taste of her lips, looking forward to the long, cold days of winter when they would warm each other's hearts. He thought of the children they would have once they were married, and the family they would raise in the new town they would start together.
Once the announcement was made, everyone realized that there was much to do. The mayor made it quite clear that he wanted everyone in Last Chance to get behind the effort to build Fresh Start before winter set in, and heads began nodding enthusiastically in the crowd as he voiced that thought.
Plans were quickly made once the crowd dispersed, and Sally and Carson were relieved to learn how much help they would have in the project.
A planning meeting was scheduled for the following day, starting with an effort to figure out what could be salvaged in First View.
At the conclusion of the meeting, everyone agreed on the first step: Sally and Carson would ride out to examine the remains of First View together with Jake and Jasper McCourty.
As a scout who'd roamed the territory, Jasper was the most qualified man to make sure the location was safe. And Jake quickly volunteered his talents to help rebuild the town once he had a chance to see what was salvageable.
The mayor provided a coach to take them to the McCourty farm, which the brothers had renamed after marrying their mail order brides. They'd begun breeding horses as well, so it was easy to provide transportation for Carson and Sally to join them on the ride to what wa
s left of First View.
The first issue to come up was the riding skills of both Carson and Sally. Fortunately, Carson was an experienced horseman, having grown up in Denver and traversed the area many times on horseback.
In fact, Sally remembered, Carson had told her that his mother said he'd been so fond of horses that she thought he'd grow up to be a cowboy.
And now he was going to be a cowboy mayor.
As for Sally, she surprised the men in the group by claiming that she, too, was an accomplished rider. She wasn't stretching the truth at all; her father had paid for riding lessons at a stable just outside of Baltimore when she was quite young, indulging a little girl's wish to develop a skill that was suddenly coming in quite handy.
They saddled up quickly and headed out on Parson's Trail, which led to the main trail to Denver. They let Jasper take the lead, with Carson flanking him on one side and Sally on the other, so they could ask him questions about what he knew of the territory around First View.
“Is it safe?” Carson asked, voicing the most obvious question as they hit the main trail leading to Denver.
“From what I know, absolutely,” Jasper said, nodding. “There haven't been any criminals or hostile Apaches seen out here for months that I know of.”
“Do you get out this way often?” Sally asked.
Jasper smiled shyly. “Not as often as I used to,” he began, and Carson immediately got the feeling he was hiding something.
“Why's that?” he asked.
“Well,” Jasper began. “I just married a mail order bride of my own, Willa, and she's been keeping me quite busy.
He blushed. “So I'm afraid I've been domesticated a bit.”
Jake laughed at his brother, having married a mail order bride of his own, a woman from back east named Jessie. Carson and Sally watched with amusement as he teased his brother a bit, and finally Sally spoke.
“But you still get out here?” she asked, slightly concerned.
“Oh yes ma'am,” Jasper said, nodding. “It's part of my livelihood. The Pony Express pays me to keep an eye on what's happenin' out this way so their stages can be safe, and several ranchers who rely on the supply routes to support their operations pay me as well.”
Christmas Miracles: Mega Mail Order Bride 20-Book Box Set: Multi-Author Box Set Page 71