“You won’t hear any complaints from me,” Hudson laughed, as he picked Ina up in his arms and headed up to her room with her. He couldn’t wait to start loving her all over again.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The house was empty. Chayton, Callie, Joey, and Shanny had decided to ride out to inspect the ranch, and Chayton said he would consider putting in barbed wire fences if it turned out to be cost-effective. Having been stuck in a big city for so long, they were all eager to stretch their legs and get back to what fulfilled them the most. The Comanche crew was taking care of the mother cows and calves and getting prepared to go out the next day to weed out the cattle that wouldn’t go on the drive and bring them in to fatten them up for next year’s drive. Then there would be the grueling job of dipping all the cattle before they headed out on the drive.
Connor was starting to feel pleased with himself. Things weren’t as bad as he had thought they had been, and now that Ina had her memory back, and Cooper was off of the Circle P Ranch, he figured things could start running smoothly again. He had come in the house to check on Carrabelle. She was preparing the evening meal for his whole family, and it was the first time she had made a complete meal for so many people. Now that Tommy and Beth were getting married, their intended husbands would be invited, and Hudson had been invited too. That meant eleven people would be sitting at the large table in the dining room.
Connor poked his head in the kitchen door. Carrabelle was just transferring a pot filled with boiling potatoes over to the sink to drain them so she could start to mash them. Steam was rising from the pot, and Connor noticed that Carrabelle’s hands were shaking from the weight of the pot. He came up behind her and put his arms around her, placing his hands over hers to secure the pot before she dropped it. She gave a little squeal since he had surprised her, turning to see his face so close to hers.
“Just thought you needed a little help with that,” Connor mumbled.
“Thank you,” Carrabelle’s voice shook.
“You don’t mind, do you?” he asked.
“Not really. It is a little overwhelming.”
“I could stay if you want. Everyone else is out riding over the ranch, and the workers seem to have everything in hand. I used to help Callie with the meals sometimes. I was a lot younger then, though,” he laughed.
He helped her drain the water and then set the pot on the drain board.
“I hear you were a big help to your mother, even when you were young,” Carrabelle said softly.
“Yeah, we all had something to do, but I liked it. I wanted to make my mother proud of me. I told her where my father hid his money so we could build this house. He was a mean, miserly man, and treated my real mother with no respect. He wouldn’t build her a house unless she furnished him with sons. I was the only boy she had, and he wasn’t happy about it.”
“That is so sad. You aren’t that way, are you? I mean only wanting sons and no daughters.”
Connor laughed.
“At the rate, I’m going, I may never have any. It is slim pickings around here if you are looking for a wife.”
“Are you looking for a wife?” Carrabelle asked.
“Never thought about it, until recently. I have always been too busy running the ranch.”
“Until recently?” she asked, turning to look at him when he removed his arms, now that the pot had been drained.
Conner smiled a little nervously.
“Well, I always had my sisters around for female company, but they were mostly working the ranch right along with me. They never puttered around the house. I notice you do more than just cooking. You bring in flowers, and keep everything neat and tidy and are always wearing a dress. I’m not used to being around women who actually act like a woman.”
“How do you think a woman is supposed to act?” Carrabelle said, looking up into his eyes with curiosity.
‘Oh, kinda like you, looking all soft and pretty, making sure the house smells of flowers and the food is on the table.”
“I’m only the hired cook. That is my job,” she insisted.
“You seem to do it well. If it wasn’t your job, would you still be bringing flowers into the house and looking soft and pretty all the time?”
“You think I’m pretty?”
“More than just pretty, Carrabelle. I can hardly keep my eyes off of you. I like the way you move, and the way you push your damp hair out of your eyes with the back of your hand. I like how your hands look all covered with flour when you are baking bread or biscuits. In fact, I pretty much like everything about you.”
“You do? You haven’t said more than a few words to me ever since I have been here,” she complained.
“I’m just too tongue-tied. I never knew what to say, but I’m saying it now. I like you, and I am thinking about wanting a wife, I just don’t know if you would be willing…”
“Are you asking me to marry you?” Carrabelle asked, widening her eyes at him.
Connor paused, looking into her dark eyes.
“Yeah, I suppose that is what I am doing. I didn’t intend it to be this way, though. I mean I know women like romance, and I haven’t done a single thing to romance you.”
“I guess I should admit that I like you too, Connor,” Carrabelle said shyly. “I like the way you look, all strong and capable. You come in looking tired from working, and I want to comfort you, and help you to relax, only I know it’s not my place.”
“Maybe it could be,” Connor almost whispered. “I mean if you will consider my offer.”
“You really want me for your wife?”
“I know I’m being clumsy about this, only I never proposed to a woman before. I’m not sure how it is done.”
“Well, I’ve never been proposed to before, so I can’t tell you how to do it,” she giggled.
“Just say yes, and put me out of my misery!” he mumbled.
“Will I still be the cook?” Carrabelle asked.
“Not if you don’t want to,” he told her.
“I like cooking. I thought I would hate it, but it has grown on me. I would enjoy making meals for you, and your family, even if I was your wife.”
“You would?”
Carrabelle nodded.
“Then is that a yes?”
“I guess so,” she said feeling unsure of herself.
“Can I kiss you, then?” he asked.
“I would be honored,” she said, lifting her lips to his.
Instead, Connor grabbed her to him and smothered her in a long passionate kiss. A kiss he had been dreaming about ever since she came to be the cook. He never wanted the kiss to end until he heard someone clearing their throat.
Connor pulled away, to see Callie smiling at them.
“I suppose this means I am going to have a daughter-in-law along with two new sons-in-law?” she asked, knowing the answer already.
Connor just grinned.
“Guess we had better set another place at the table. Carrabelle may be the cook, but she is now going to be part of the family no use her having to eat in the kitchen.
Carrabelle laughed.
“Connor always had me eating at the table until you all came home. He wasn’t sure it was considered acceptable having the cook eat with the family. He said the other cook didn’t”
“Well since you will soon be more than just a cook…”
“She still says she wants to cook,” Connor put in.
“Then I will help you. I have missed cooking while I was in Philadelphia. You and I should make a good team.”
“I would like that,” Carrabelle smiled. “Then you could tell me all the stories about when you first came to Texas while we work. I have heard little bits and pieces, but I want to hear the whole story coming from your lips.”
“I will be glad to share it with you,” Callie smiled. “Everyone is back, and expecting to eat. Connor, why don’t you stay and help Carrabelle finish up the meal?”
She gave him an encouraging look, knowing it w
as exactly what he wanted to do.
The table was set and the family gathered around it, all talking with one another, sharing stories and exclamations as they waited for Ina and Hudson to show up. When the two walked into the room, everyone turned to them. From the beaming look on Ina’s face, Callie knew she and Hudson had come to an understanding.
“I am so happy to be home with my family,” Callie said, as everyone was preparing to eat. “It has been a long road, and now that you are all adults, I want to tell you how thankful I am that I could be the mother to raise you. It pleases me that Tommy and Beth have finally found someone to share their future with, the same as Chayton and I did. I have never regretted my choice to become his wife. I hope the four of you will have many happy years together.”
Ina cleared her throat.
“I would like to add something,” she said. “I think this double wedding is going to turn into a triple wedding since Hudson and I have decided to get married too.”
“Well, that is a pleasant surprise,” Callie said, smiling at Ina.
“I might as well tell you all that Carrabelle and I want to get married as well! We might as well make it a foursome.” Connor added.
“Goodness!” Callie laughed. “It seems like the whole family is in the marrying mood!”
“You might as well add us to the wedding plans too,” Joey said. “Shanny has finally agreed to marry me, so it seems the whole family is going to get married!”
“What will the neighbors say?” Callie laughed. “The marriage bug has attacked all of you at the same time! It must be an epidemic!”
The whole family laughed.
Connor stood and raised his glass.
“I suggest we make a toast to this extraordinary family, to the extraordinary mother and father, who raised us, and to the extraordinary country that we live in. I hope we have many wonderful years ahead of us to raise our children and teach them the trade that has made us grow and become responsible people. I do have to thank my father for starting this ranch, even though he was not the right man to raise us or be a kind father to us, but he made us tough, and it got us through. I think we should start weeding his grave, regardless of the cruel things about him we all remember, he wanted to make something of his ranch. He just didn’t’ know how to go about it. Let him be a lesson to us, to treat our wives kindly and to make this ranch a pleasant place to live, so our future children will feel the love we have for them and know we want the best for them.”
“Amen to that,” Ina responded.
She could now put her troubling past behind her. She had a loving man to trust now and he would shower her with the love they both needed.
Shanny looked at Joey. Her heart swelled knowing how much love he had for her. She had underestimated Joey. She thought he would judge her, but instead, he overlooked her faults because he loved her more than she realized. She knew they were meant to be together forever, it just took her forever to realize it.
Tommy and Beth were looking forward to their new life with a partner they both loved. It had been a sudden discovery that they could fall so quickly and firmly in love with the men in their lives. Chayton was happy to have more of his kinsmen working the ranch and becoming part of the family.
Connor reached over and took Carrabelle’s hand. She seemed nervous. He wanted her to feel comfortable, and not consider herself a mere cook. He wanted her to realize that she was going to be a partner with him, helping him run the ranch that would become his in time. But he knew it belonged to all of them. Ina and Hudson would probably go back to Circle P, and maybe Beth and Taima would join them. But it was all a family enterprise. They had all worked together to make the ranch a success. It was within their blood. It was within their souls. It was within their hearts! He knew that would never change.
THE END
Within the Heart Page 23