“It was fun.”
Jessie looked at her reflection one last time, silently admitting that she did look nice. Nice wasn’t really the right word, but she couldn’t bring herself to say beautiful. Radiant. “Yes, that fits,” she whispered. “Because I’m in love.” She touched one pearl and diamond earring, the set a gift from Cade for her wedding day. Sometimes she still couldn’t believe how much her life had changed. She was almost afraid she would wake up and discover it had been a dream.
The diamond in her engagement ring sparkled in the sunlight. It was such a beautiful ring, signifying a precious promise. Thinking of the rings Ransom found in Wyman’s room, and the engraved sentiment on the wedding band, sorrow shadowed her joy. O’Malley had loved his wife, too.
The door creaked open, and Ellie stuck her head around it. Her eyes grew wide. She came into the room, staring at her mother. For once, she was speechless.
“Think I’ll do?” Jessie asked softly, sitting back down on the stool in front of the dressing table.
Ellie nodded. “You’re so pretty, Mama. Will I be that pretty on my wedding day?”
Jessie’s heart gave a little lurch. That day would come all too soon. “You’ll be even prettier, sweetheart, because you’re beautiful now.” She held arms open wide, and Ellie ran to her. Jessie lifted her up on her lap. “It’s the love I feel for Cade that makes me look especially nice today.”
Ellie nodded. “But the dress helps.”
Jessie laughed. “Yes, it does.” She gave her daughter a hug and set her on the floor, admiring her pink ruffled dress. “You look quite lovely yourself, little miss.”
“I like my new dress. And I put on my company manners all by myself. You didn’t even have to tell me to.”
Tenderness and love misted Jessie’s eyes. Oh, dear, if I’m going to get all weepy over company manners, what will I do at the wedding? She hugged her daughter again. “Thank you. That makes me extra proud of you.”
“Oh, I forgot. I was supposed to tell you that the preacher is here.”
“Then it must be time for a wedding. You go on down. I think I’m supposed to come down by myself.”
“Okay.” Ellie skipped to the door and opened it, then looked back at her mother. “I’m glad you and Cade are gettin’ married. He’s gonna be a good daddy. And you smile a whole lot more than you used to.”
“That’s because he makes me happy.”
Jessie picked up her bouquet of white roses, sent in the day before by train from Cade’s friend in Fort Worth, and waited a few minutes before making her way downstairs. When she turned on the landing and saw Cade waiting at the foot of the stairway, she paused to engrave the memory on her heart.
He was quite somber until he saw her. Then his face broke into a beaming smile. His gaze traveled slowly over her, admiration, approval, and love in his eyes. He wore a new black suit, pristine white shirt, and string tie. His black dress boots had been polished until they glistened.
When she was two steps away, he held out his hand to her. She clasp her fingers around his, letting him tuck her hand around his forearm when she reached his side.
He leaned down close to her ear. “You’re beautiful, and I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She smiled up at him. “And you’re beautiful, too.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Still smiling, he escorted her across the room to where the minister stood. Other than Nola, everyone else stood, too. Given that all the men from the ranch had been invited, they never would have been able to seat them all in the parlor.
Brad smiled at her as he and Ellie took their places beside them. He also wore a brand new suit. Like Cade, he wore his boots, nicely shined. Jessie doubted she’d ever get him to put on another pair of shoes, but that was fine with her.
Quint gave her an encouraging, I’m-proud-to-be-your-big-brother smile. She thought she caught the glint of moisture in Ty’s eye as he nodded to her and his brother. Lydia wiped a tear from her eyes, and Asa looked nervous. Ransom grinned and winked.
The preacher cleared his throat. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today...”
Jessie heard just enough of the minister’s words to respond appropriately. But Cade’s voice—deep, firm, and filled with resolve—penetrated the daze that had overtaken her. He looked into her eyes and promised to love, honor, and cherish her “until death do us part.” The pledge, made with love and integrity, resonated in her heart. It would not be broken. Nor would hers to him. He slipped the engagement ring from her right hand and transferred it to the left along with the wedding band.
She slid his wedding band on his finger, promising in turn to love, honor, and cherish him for all her days. He had asked her to change the traditional pledge, leaving out the word “obey.”
“It wouldn’t be any fun if you obeyed me all the time,” he had said. Then he laughed and added, “Besides, you wouldn’t be able to do it.”
“I now pronounce you man and wife,” intoned the minister solemnly. After a pause, he grinned at Cade. “You may kiss your bride.”
Cade kissed her tenderly with a sweetness that touched her soul. But when he raised his head and gazed into her eyes, she saw the promise of waiting passion.
Ellie tugged on Cade’s coat. “Are you my daddy now?”
“Sure am, sweetheart.”
“Whoopee!!” She jumped up and down and hugged his leg. Laughing, Cade picked her up, squeezing her tight.
Brad was next, and he didn’t even mind the hug. The boy put his arms around Jessie, too. “This time will be better, Mama,” he murmured.
Jessie’s eyes misted up again. “Yes, it will be. For all of us.”
The others crowded around, offering their congratulations. A half an hour later, Nola and Lydia announced that the food was ready. The cowboys disappeared into the dining room in an instant, quickly followed by the others.
Jessie was too excited to eat much, the daze of the ceremony having evaporated with Cade’s kiss. As much as she liked her family and friends, she was anxious to be alone with her husband.
After they ate, Cade caught her hand, leading her out to sit in the front porch swing. “Hello, Mrs. McKinnon.”
“Good afternoon, Mr. McKinnon.” She stretched up and kissed him, not caring if any of the neighbors saw them. “Did you ask Ty if we can use his house for a few days.”
“Well, no I didn’t.” He tugged a little on his collar. “I have something else in mind. But if you don’t want to do it, just say so.”
“If you want to go back to the ranch, that’s all right.” She tickled his chin. “As long as the men know the house is off limits for a few days.”
He chuckled and put his arm around her shoulders. “Well, I wasn’t thinking about the ranch. I had thought about throwing a party, bringing in an orchestra from St. Louis, but there wasn’t time to arrange it.” He leaned down and nibbled on her ear. “So I thought I’d take you to the orchestra. Ever been to St. Louis?”
She stared at him. “No.”
“Want to go?” He looked at her hopefully.
“Well, yes. But what about the kids?”
“Nola, Quint and Ty can take care of them for a week. Lydia said she’d be glad to help, too, if Nola needed it. I already talked to Brad and Ellie. Ellie wasn’t too sure about it, but Brad convinced her it was a good thing. And I promised to bring her something special.”
“You’re spoiling her.”
“I like to spoil my girls.”
“When?”
He pulled out his pocket watch. “The train leaves in about half an hour.”
Jessie hesitated. She didn’t want to ruin his gift, but she wasn’t at all that excited about spending what was left of her wedding day on a train with dozens of other people. “Would we stop in Fort Worth? Stay overnight?”
“Well, we could, but I’d rather not.” When she frowned at him, he chuckled and brushed a kiss on her mouth. “I’d rather spend the whole trip alone with you.”
&nbs
p; What had he cooked up?
A train whistle sounded in the distance. “What I’m proposing, Mrs. McKinnon—I like saying that—is riding to St. Louis in a private Pullman Palace car. Real furniture, including a bed. Complete privacy, unless we ring the dining car for food. Lydia is packing us a picnic basket, so once we get on that train, we won’t have to see another soul until sometime tomorrow. Maybe even the next day.”
“It sounds like heaven.”
He leaned down next to her ear. “It will be.”
Suddenly, she panicked. “I have to pack.”
“Nola and Lydia are doing it for you right now. With a little help from Ellie, I expect.”
She relaxed. “You’ve thought of everything.”
“I hope so. But we’d better go say our goodbyes so we can head to the station.”
The next fifteen minutes passed in a flurry as Jessie hugged the children, ordered them to behave, mind Nola—and anyone else who watched over them—and hugged them again. Ty brought his buggy to the front gate to transport the newlyweds to the station. Quint drove up right behind him with a rented surrey from the livery to carry their luggage and some of the quests along. The ranch cowboys took off at a quick walk, trying to beat them there.
At the station, they shared another round of hugs and good wishes before boarding the private car. When Jessie and Cade stepped through the doorway, she halted, looking around her in amazement.
The furniture was the finest she had ever seen. A heavy mahogany sofa with thick cushions richly made up in red velvet sat across the car. Two arm chairs, made in the same fashion, faced it, with a long narrow table in-between. Two other chairs sat by the window. They were lighter and could be easily moved around. Behind the sofa stood a table with four chairs. And behind it was a bed, adorned with a paisley bedspread and about ten pillows. There was a skylight above the bed, and another above the sitting area.
“Cade, it’s beautiful. Is it yours?”
“No. Belongs to a friend.” He grinned as the porter smiled and closed the door, leaving them in private. She had noticed him slip the gentleman a tip before entering the car. “You’ll discover, darlin’, that I have a lot of friends. Some of them in high places. The use of his railcar was John Moore’s wedding gift to us. He’s a cattleman and banker who lives in St. Louis, so you’ll get a chance to meet him.”
“Will we have to leave this splendor there and ride back in a regular car?” She was only half-teasing.
Laughing, Cade put his arm around her. “No, he said we could use it for the trip home, too. But I had to promise to send it back to him.”
The whistle blew, and the train started to slowly move. Cade and Jessie went to the open window, waving to their family, friends, and about half of the town who had come to see them off.
When they cleared the station, he tugged off his tie and shrugged out of his coat, unbuttoning the stiff high collar on his shirt. “That’s better. It’s too hot to wear that getup all day.”
Jessie peeked into a couple of cabinets and the closet, stopping by a window to look at the passing countryside. “I’ve never ridden on a train before.”
Chuckling, he came up behind her. “Not bad for a first trip.” He leaned down and kissed the nape of her neck, sending goose bumps down her arms. “Do you have any problem making love in the daylight?”
“Not if the drapes are closed.”
“I’ll take care of it. Maybe you could do something with those pillows.”
“I see an empty corner.” She tossed the pillows into the corner and folded back the bedspread, nervous anticipation making her hands shake slightly. The bright sunlight in the car slowly dimmed as he closed the curtains, leaving some of the windows open at the top to let in air. He moved to the other side of the bed and helped her fold up the bedspread, setting it on a high shelf in the closet.
He drew her into his arms, kissing her slowly, his fingers working the buttons at the back of her dress. She unbuttoned his shirt, tugged the shirttail from his trousers, and splayed her hands across his broad chest. He edged the dress off her shoulders, slipping the sleeves down her arms, and took a step back as the gown slid to the floor.
Feeling a little self-conscious, she picked up the dress and draped it over a chair. He tossed his shirt on another chair and caught her hand, drawing her back around so he could look at her. His gaze caressed her, then his hands—so gentle, so loving, with each touch vanquishing the hurts of the past.
He carefully pulled the pins from her hair until it fell across her shoulders and down her back. Starting at her temple, he threaded his fingers through it and smoothed his hand all the way down to her waist, letting the ends curl around his fingers. “I’ve wanted to do that since the first night I met you. I wanted to kiss you that night, too, in the worst way.”
Smiling, he brought his hand up and lightly brushed the edge of his thumb across her lips. “But I did this instead.”
“It felt like a kiss. I could still feel your touch the next morning.”
They undressed each other slowly, treasuring the freedom—and the blessing—to do so, to love the way they wanted to. He carried her to the bed, laying her down with exquisite care and stretched out beside her. Then he showed what making love truly meant.
Afterward, lying in his arms, being gently rocked by the motion of the train, Jessie finally accepted the fact that Neil had been wrong. She had never been lacking as a woman; she only needed a good man who loved and respected her. Looking up into the beloved face of her husband, she breathed a soft sigh of contentment.
God and this strong, yet gentle man had done what she had feared impossible. They had mended her broken heart and healed her battered soul.
###
OTHER BOOKS
CHRISTIAN ROMANCE
Willow Grove, Texas Series (E-book)
McKinnon’s Bride, Book 1
Twice Blessed, Book 2
Standing Tall, Book 3
Buckley, Texas Series (E-book)
Love Song, Book 1
Texas Treasure, Book 2
Texas Tender, Book 3
Love Wanted, A Christmas Novella, Book 4
The Callahans of Texas (E-book & Print)
Jenna’s Cowboy, Book 1
Emily’s Chance, Book 2
Megan’s Hero, Book 3
The Highlander Series (E-book)
Song of the Highlands, Book 1
Highland Call, Book 2
The Homespun Collection (E-book)
Yours Truly
Cotton Pickin’ Cowboy, Novella
Country Kiss
SWEET REGENCY HISTORICAL ROMANCE
The Ladies of Quality Collection (E-book)
Hawk’s Lady
Ryland’s Love
Blackthorn’s Heart
NOTE TO READERS
Thank you so much for spending your precious time reading this book. I hope you enjoyed it! I’d appreciate it if you’d leave a review on Amazon. It doesn’t have to be too detailed—just a line or two giving your opinion of the book is fine. Reviews help other readers find things they might like.
And I hope you’ll give my other books a try. There’s a variety to choose from—different sub-genres, settings, time periods, and various writing styles.
If you’d like to learn a bit more about me and my books, check out my Author’s Page on Amazon.com. You can also email me at [email protected]
COPYRIGHT
Copyright 2013, Sharon Gillenwater
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations for use in reviews, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording—without the prior written permission of the author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dea
d, is entirely coincidental.
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