A Tender Moment Under the Stars: An Inspirational Historical Romance Book

by Grace Clemens

  “This is quite amazing!” Isabel said, looking around her at all the bright colors, the toys, and games, the sound of laughter coming from what seemed like everywhere. Children ran up and down the street, chasing big hoops with a stick, kicking a ball around, playing tag.

  “It is, isn’t it?” Solomon said, his pride in his hometown coming out in his voice. “I was hoping we could have our wedding before the festival ends so we can make it a part of the festivities. Even maybe have the pastor come and officiate it here in the middle of the street.”

  Isabel raised her eyebrows at him. He couldn’t tell if the look on her face was positive or not.

  “Right here?” She spun around. “In the town square.” Her voice was contemplative. “Well, we wouldn’t have to give out invitations. I don’t think there is anyone in town who isn’t here.”

  Solomon laughed. “All we have to do is tell one or two people what day we’ve chosen and everyone will be here. Imagine all the presents we’ll get.”

  They both laughed.

  “I don’t mind that idea,” Isabel said, thoughtfully. “I’m not a shy person. Quite headstrong, my momma always said. She said I should have been in the theatre. I can stand in front of hundreds and speak. She never could do that. Not that she’d been asked to. But she said she’d thought about it because my father was good at it. She said that’s where I got it from.”

  “I’m not shy by any means either,” Solomon replied. “I doubt anyone would ever accuse me of it.”

  “If you aren’t shy, why aren’t you married already?”

  Solomon was a little surprised by the question but it wasn’t one he hadn’t been asked before.

  “I am not interested in any of the other ladies in town. I chose to reach far to find someone because everyone here knows that Betty and I were at one time betrothed. Even though she’s the one who broke it off, I believe the women here our age would judge me for pursuing any of them.”

  Isabel frowned. “You don’t think Betty made sure of that, do you?”

  “What, not letting any of the other girls fall for little ol’ me?”

  Isabel’s frown turned into a small grin. She looked him up and down. “Not so small as you say.”

  With a laugh, Solomon said, “I don’t think Betty had anything to do with it. I think the women here have shallow minds like hers and I’m not going to worry about any of them. They are my friends and nothing more. By mutual choice. And I don’t mind telling you they’re shallow. I’d tell them to their faces if an occasion arose where I could be so rude.”

  Chapter 19

  Isabel was enjoying her day with Solomon. She tried to resist thinking about anything that might bother her. Like Betty working the booth. Solomon was supposed to start at noon so Freddie and Betty went off on their own before they would return to run the game.

  “I know what we should do,” Solomon said in a jovial voice. She looked up at him, her heart warming over when his blue eyes turned to her. “Let’s go see Pastor Jennings. If he’s not at the church, he’s out wandering the street, enjoying the festival with the rest of us. But the first day, he usually doesn’t show up. Not until the evening time anyway. I don’t know why. Some kind of tradition of his, I guess.”

  “I’d love that.” Isabel turned her eyes to the church down the street, its steeple standing tall above the rest of the buildings. She pictured herself getting married in it, wondering if she would rather go with tradition than have a ceremony out in the middle of the street.

  Solomon took her hand and they walked down the sidewalk. Several people stopped them and inquired about Solomon’s new lady friend. Isabel was delighted by the welcome they were giving her. Solomon had been right when he said they had open arms. Several of the ladies actually pulled her into a hug, telling her how blessed she was to have such a man at her side.

  By the time they got to the church, Isabel’s security was intact. She hoped it remained that way and she wouldn’t be given any more reasons to doubt her future husband’s loyalty to her. Three days wasn’t a long time. However, she didn’t want to prove herself to him so quickly because another woman threatened them.

  “Hello, Pastor!” Solomon called out in his booming voice as he entered the sanctuary. “Are you here?”

  “In the back, Sol!” they heard the man reply.

  Solomon looked down at her. “There’s an office in the back where he works between Sundays,” he explained. He took her hand again and led her to the door on the back of the small stage. He knocked and then turned the knob.

  “Solomon! How good to see you!”

  Isabel’s first thought was that the pastor looked like a very friendly man. He was tall and slender, with dark brown hair and a brown beard and mustache. He had a majestic air about him, which seemed strange to Isabel, considering he was a preacher. He seemed more like royalty than a servant of God.

  Nevertheless, she liked him instantly and relished the big smile he gave her. “And who do we have here? A newcomer to Steven’s Gulch?”

  “Yes, this is Isabel Crane. She has come to Texas all the way from Virginia to be my wife.”

  Pastor Jennings’ eyebrows shot up at the same time as a wide smile came to his lips. “Well, I’ll be.” He looked back at Solomon. “Might I say it’s about time? We’ve all been wondering, you know. Afraid you would never get your heart back from Betty.”

  Solomon nodded. “That’s what the sheriff said, too.”

  Isabel watched them talk but stayed quiet. She didn’t want to interrupt them and she had nothing to say anyway. She would let them do their things while she looked around at the sparsely but beautifully decorated interior of the church. She actually wouldn’t mind getting married there and would suggest an outside wedding only if the weather permitted. If anything untoward should happen, like rain, they would be ready inside the church.

  She wondered how much trouble it would be to arrange two separate places for her wedding and have everything ready both inside and out, just in case.

  “Well, it’s lovely to have you here, my dear,” Pastor Jennings said warmly, giving her a friendly look. “You are welcome. And you want to have the wedding here, I assume?”

  “We were thinking about having it out in town square before the festival ends. We wanted to give ourselves enough time to get to know each other better and even though a month isn’t long, I think we can agree the last day of the month would be the best.” He looked at her as if for approval.

  She nodded. “I was also thinking we could prepare the church for the wedding, just in case the weather is bad.”

  She noticed the way the Pastor and Solomon looked at each other.

  “What did I say?” she asked.

  The Pastor was the one who answered. “The festival won’t shut down for rain unless it’s really bad. Every few years, the storms are pretty bad in the summer. But right now, it seems to be quite calm and nothing bad has been predicted in the Farmer’s Almanac. You can expect your wedding to take place outside. However, I would be happy to make arrangements inside, as well, just to keep you comfortable and secure.”

  “I’d like that very much, thank you.”

  “I should be the one thanking you for finally giving this man some motivation to move on with his life.” The Pastor grinned at Solomon. “Not that any of us dislike Betty but she hurt you a lot, my friend. You deserve better. I certainly hope that Isabel is the one to bring it to you.

  Isabel flushed. “I will if I can,” she said.

  The Pastor took her hand and patted it. “I know you will. You look like a sweet young woman looking for love. Well, I believe you’ve come to the right man for that.”

  Isabel looked up at Solomon and noticed that he, too, was blushing.

  “You’re making us blush,” she said to the man. “I appreciate all you’re willing to do for me, though.”

  “Well, let’s sit down and you can tell me all about yourself. Unless, of course, you want to go out and have fun with th
e games and food, instead.” He laughed. “Which I would completely understand.”

  “There’s thirty whole days to enjoy those things,” she replied with a smile. “I’d be glad to sit with you and talk.”

  The Pastor held his hand out to the chairs on the opposite side of his office desk. She and Solomon sat in them.

  “So tell me how you came to find out about our Solomon here?”

  “I put an ad in an East Coast newspaper for a bride,” Solomon said, bluntly. “I would have sworn you knew about that. I figured everyone in town knew.”

  “I guess it just didn’t get back to me.” Pastor Jennings shook his head. “Anyway, it’s a delight that you’re here. Are you enjoying Steven’s Gulch?”

  “I’ve been here for three days and so far, it’s a lovely town with friendly people. Solomon has been wonderful and I’m glad to be here.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “I spent the last five years taking care of my mother. She was ill and died about a month or so ago. I knew it was going to happen. She and I actually went through the newspapers together but I wasn’t seriously looking until after she was gone. That’s when I saw Solomon’s ad. As a matter of fact, it was the first one I’d seen since she passed that really intrigued me. He asked for an adventurous woman, someone who liked to do things. That’s what I like. I’ve spent a long time in isolation. Self-imposed, of course, as my momma took up most of my time and all of my brainpower and strength.”

  “I understand,” the Pastor’s voice was gentle. “But you must have found something you like to do, a hobby that takes your mind off your troubles?”

  “Well, God did give me the talent of sketching. I am hoping to invest in some good paints, an easel, and some canvas. I’d like to start making portraits and some landscapes.”

  “You didn’t tell me that,” Solomon said. “You know I will buy you whatever you need.”

  She smiled at him. “I’ve been here three days, Sol. There’s a whole lot I still have to tell you.”

  “You should see some of her sketches, Pastor,” Solomon said, turning back to the preacher. Isabel was filled with warmth from his flattery. “She really has a lot of talent.”

  “And I thank God for it every day in my prayers,” Isabel said, drawing the attention of the two men back to her. “I have a strong faith in the Lord, Pastor. When I was young, I was a member of a Bible study group and led it on many occasions, even as a child. I’m what I like to refer to as a born believer. I know there is a God and I live to worship him. My mother and I prayed together sometimes for hours, especially in her final days. God has been good to me, despite the loss of both my parents. As far as I’m concerned, their time here was a blessing for me and I would never want to take their heavenly home from them and have them back here. Life can be very hard.”

  “That is very true, young lady,” Pastor Jennings said, approval in his voice. He nodded, turning his eyes to Solomon. “You have a good one here, Sol. You chose well.”

  Isabel blushed again, dropping her head and looking at her hands.

  “I think so, too. I’ll know better by the thirtieth, won’t I?”

  Isabel gave him a strange look, as did the Pastor. He blushed.

  “I don’t think that came out the way I intended.”

  All three of them laughed.

  Chapter 20

  They stayed with the Pastor for another two hours, talking about life, God, and their plans for the future. It was after noon when they came out into the sunlight.

  “Whoa, that is bright!” Isabel exclaimed, shading her eyes from the sun, as her bonnet was doing her no good at all.

  Solomon laughed, looking down at her. “Surely you have bright sunny days in Virginia.”

  “Oh yes, many,” she replied. “But this is the first time I’ve been blinded the moment I left a building.” She laughed with him. She wasn’t too blind to see how handsome the big man was. Her heart did a little flip when she thought about it.

  “Let’s go check on the booth, shall we?”

  Isabel nodded, denying the negative thoughts that ran through her mind. It was only half-past noon. Freddie and Betty hadn’t been running the booth for very long. Was Solomon checking on the game or on the woman he left in charge of it?

  Isabel tried to tell herself that Freddie was the one in charge because he knew how to run the game. But Betty, though bothersome, was far from stupid. Isabel was sure she would catch on quickly and be running the game herself in no time.

  She didn’t want Betty doing all the right things. She might distract Solomon.

  Her feelings got worse when she spotted the booth in the distance. There were people milling all around it, waiting their turn, cheering on their friends, shooting metal ducks, and eating cotton candy.

  “So!” Solomon said loudly as he approached, bringing the attention of the crowd to him. “How many winners so far?”

  “It’s half past, Sol!” Freddie replied in just as loud and friendly a voice as his. “We’ve had two winners already! Can you believe that? Jimmy and Logan over there.”

  The two young boys raised their hands to Solomon and Isabel, clutching the stuffed animals they’d won.

  “That’s wonderful! Thanks for playing, boys! I do hope we have more winners.” He walked through the crowd and around the booth to go inside. “But if you keep it up, there won’t be any prizes left! Then what will I do?”

  “Make it into a kissing booth!” A woman called from the group. Light laughter floated above the crowd.

  Solomon gave the woman a mischievous look, shaking his head. “Now, now, Abby. You know that’s not appropriate.”

  “A hugging booth then.”

  Solomon laughed with the rest of them. “I think that can be arranged. However, let’s just keep giving out prizes until they’re gone, shall we?”

  “You won’t run out for weeks, Mr. Bedford!” one of the children at the table with a toy rifle in his hand said to him. “I saw those boxes in the back. They’re loaded!”

  “Mikey, are you going around snooping?”

  The boy looked momentarily frightened. “No, I wasn’t. I really wasn’t.”

  Solomon reached across the table and ruffled the boy’s hair, smiling. “I’m teasing you, Mikey. You aren’t in trouble. Let’s see if you can win one of those prizes for yourself.”

  Isabel watched the scene, her appreciation for the man Solomon was, making her warm all over. She hadn’t noticed Betty coming out from the tent behind the booth, her arms loaded with small stuffed animals, which she began to place around the booth so they could be seen.

  She turned to Mikey and everyone was quiet for a second while the little boy took aim and fired. The duck he was aiming at fell over and everyone cheered. Mikey didn’t stop there and toppled six more ducks before he missed. He looked at Solomon with a disappointed face.

  “Does that mean I don’t get anything?”

  Solomon grinned wide. “Are you kidding? You shot down over half a dozen ducks! Of course, you get a prize!”

  Mikey’s face lit up as Betty approached him. With an apprehensive heart, Isabel watched Betty as she let the boy choose from the animals in her arms.

  “You can have any one of them you want, Mikey,” she said, amiably. “You did a great job there!”

  “Thanks, Betty!” the boy said with enthusiasm.

  Isabel hated the fact that the little boy was so familiar with Betty. He couldn’t have been more than three or four when Betty left for college. But he remembered her fondly, apparently, as did most of the other residents there. Instead of focusing her attention on Solomon, Betty was talking with the townsfolk, especially the women, and playing with the children. She doled out cotton candy to them all with a big smile and a laugh.