RICKY: A Sweet Western Historical Romance (Mail-Order Brides Club Book 5)

by Ashley Merrick

  He leaned back and grinned as Sarah gasped at the unexpected comment. The music picked up then, and he dipped and twirled her around the dance floor. They were both a bit breathless when the music stopped. The next song was a favorite of both of them, so they started dancing again and soon the dance floor was packed.

  The rest of the evening was like a dream to Sarah. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun. There were no overheard nasty comments, no disdainful glances. It seemed as though people were, if not outright approving of her as a potential mayor's wife, at least accepting.

  From what she could see, anyway. She knew that there were still many townspeople who didn't frequent events like this and who might have very different ideas about her suitability for Ricky. But, there was nothing she could do about that, so she tried not to worry too much about it.

  * * *

  Her bubble was burst, however, when they left at the end of the evening. She and Ricky had said their goodbyes to everyone and were about to climb into their buggy when a slurred voice called over to them.

  "Still don't know why you bothered to marry her. Could have just gone upstairs like all the others probably did. You'll never be mayor now. Who would vote for you with a saloon girl for a wife?"

  It was the vile man, Ronnie, that Sarah had run into so many weeks ago at the mercantile, when Lynn was ahead of them in line. He was evidently still bitter that she had refused his offer to 'go upstairs.'

  "I never..." Sarah started to say as hot tears appeared.

  "I know." Ricky's voice was frightening as he stepped toward the drunk man.

  A small crowd had gathered around him as he continued to taunt Ricky and Sarah. "Trash is what she is, I tell you!"

  “Ronnie, you know that none of what you just said is the truth? You're just mad because Sarah turned down your advances."

  "What?" the man sputtered, surprised that Ricky had caught his lie.

  "Sarah told me everything. I also know that you've been banned from the saloon for harassing the girls. It's not that kind of place. Never has been. Now, why don't you go on your way and stop bothering people."

  Ronnie was silent, swaying and fuming.

  "Oh, and I think you owe my wife an apology."

  "I'm not going to apologize to the likes of her!"

  Ricky stepped forward, towering over the other man by almost a foot. He stared down at him and lowered his voice so that only Ronnie could hear. "Yes, you will, unless you want me to beat you senseless. You don't want that, do you? Because I'd be more than happy to oblige."

  "Fine,” Ronnie muttered as he backed away from Ricky. He turned to Sarah and cast his eyes downward, unable to face her directly. "I'm sorry I said those things."

  "And I was wrong about them," Ricky prompted.

  "Yes, that too. I was mistaken," he mumbled.

  "Now, go on your way." Ricky said, and the man shuffled off.

  "I'm so sorry about that," Ricky said as he climbed into the buggy next to Sarah.

  "It's all right. Thank you for defending my honor."

  She was glad that Ricky hadn't needed to get into a fight with the man and was happy that it was over. The small crowd that had gathered began to disperse as well as they drove off.

  "Do you think that had any effect on those people? That they might believe what he said?" Sarah was worried about that again.

  "No, those are all good people. They're not going to listen to a drunk fool who doesn't know what he's talking about. Everyone knows he's been banned from several of the saloons in town. He's a menace.

  Sarah smiled. "Yes, that he is."

  * * *

  The house was quiet when they arrived home. Ricky brought the horses out to the barn for the night and then came inside, joining her in the kitchen where she was thinking about heating some water for tea.

  That thought went right out of her mind, though, when Ricky came over to her and pulled her into his arms. He leaned in and kissed her thoroughly, taking her quite by surprise. A pleasant surprise, to be sure. When they finally came up for air, he grinned and said, “I’ve been dying to do that all night. I hope you don't mind?"

  Sarah chucked. "Did it seem like I minded?"

  "Good, so you won't mind if I do it again?"

  He brought his lips to hers and kissed her slowly and tenderly this time, just barely brushing his lips over hers and then tracing a line of soft kisses along her neck and then back to her lips again. He pulled back, then, and looked her in the eyes.

  "There's so much I want to say. I can't thank you enough for putting up with me. I know it hasn't always been easy. I’ve been thinking a lot about something my mother said to me shortly before she passed. She knew how I felt long before I did. She said she could see that we loved each other, that I loved you.”

  He hesitated for a moment, and then continued. “I’ve never truly been in love before, so I didn't recognize it right way, but she was right.”

  He grinned at her then and it was the sweet mischievous smile that she loved so much. “I love that you're the first person I see each morning and the last one I see at night. I love that we can spend hours in each other’s company without saying a word, just enjoying the comfort of being near each other. And I love that when I'm away, I can't wait to get home to see you. I miss you when I'm not here and I guess this is my long-winded way of telling you that I love you, Sarah Donovan. I just wanted you to know that."

  "You do?" Sarah's heart swelled. She'd been falling deeply in love with Ricky as well and didn't dare hope that he might have similar feelings. He’d been so hard to read of late.

  She felt a rush of joy that was indescribable. "I love you too, more than you'll ever know."

  "My mother was right, then. She said that she saw it in your eyes. I can't tell you how happy that makes me.”

  Sarah hesitated as a worrisome thought crossed her mind. "But, what if you lose the election, because of me?"

  Ricky ran a hand through her hair, smoothing it as he smiled down at her. "What if I do? There will be other elections. If I lose this one, it just means that it's not my time. It doesn't change the way I feel about you."

  "Really?" Sarah caught her breath. There was a gleam in Ricky's eye that gave her hope that this was real and true.

  "Yes. I love you, Sarah. Always and forever."

  "Always and forever," she repeated softly. "I like the sound of that."

  "I'm glad, because you'll be hearing it a lot," He claimed her lips again and again and finally, when they took a break, he asked, "Would you consider coming upstairs with me?"

  Sarah didn't hesitate. It was the right time for them.

  "Yes," she said simply and held out her hand. "Lead the way, Mr. Donovan."

  Chapter 20

  There was going to be a party on election night, no matter which way the vote went. Everything had been arranged. Sarah handled all the details and worked with Julia and Liam to have the gathering at Donovan's Pub.

  Sarah thought that she was probably more nervous about this election than Ricky was. He was as cool as a cucumber, it seemed, laughing and joking with everyone, and he continued to assure her that it didn't matter to him if he won or lost. He'd grown fond of saying, "Being married to you is a win for me. Being elected mayor would just be icing on the cake."

  The polls were closing at six and the election results were expected to be tabulated by eight p.m. The town hall was just a block away from Donovan's Pub and Liam was the designated messenger to deliver the news. News that would mean either an exuberant celebration or a more reserved gathering. That had yet to be determined. All the Donovans, as well as their friends, were there to support Ricky. Donovan's Pub was bursting at the seams with well-wishers.

  As 8 p.m. drew near, everyone could feel the anticipation building. At ten of, Liam started his walk to town hall. He returned at ten past and behind him was that Ronnie, smiling from ear to ear, which immediately turned Sarah's stomach as a feeling of dread washed over her.<
br />
  A hush fell over the room as they waited for Liam to speak. He stepped onto a stool so that everyone could see him as he addressed the room.

  "It was very close, an unheard of margin, actually. The winner won by just one vote!"

  There were several gasps throughout the room. But then Liam's poker face revealed itself as a happy grin stretched across his face.

  "Ricky won! He is the next mayor of Bozeman!"

  The room erupted in cheers and cries of congratulations. When Sarah looked to her left, she took a step back as Ronnie was standing beside her. But his smile was genuine and he held out his hand to her.

  "I wanted to come and apologize in person to you. I was out of line more than once with you. I can admit when I'm wrong. I voted for Ricky, too."

  He walked away then and Sarah shook her head. It was amazing to her how things had turned around and to think that one vote could make such a difference.

  * * *

  When most of the crowd had cleared out and only the Donovan family was left in the pub, Sarah told Ricky what Ronnie had said to her and he chuckled.

  "I'm not too surprised. I heard that more than one person had words with him after that altercation and each one set him straight about you. I think his biggest issue is alcohol. He's not so bad when he's sober."

  "His vote may have been the one that gave you the win," Sarah said.

  "I know. Every vote matters. I'm thankful for every one, even his."

  They strolled over to the large corner table where Colleen and David were sitting with Julia and Liam. The rest of the family had left and they were all planning to leave shortly as well.

  "Oh, I meant to mention this to you earlier, Julia,” Colleen said. “I received another letter from Maeve today. She's sounding desperate to leave Boston. Her situation there is only getting worse. Is there anyone we could match her with?"

  Julia thought for a moment. "What about Jason? I overheard him at the bar here just last week complaining to his friend that he'd get married in a minute if only there was an attractive, single woman available."

  "Jason could be intriguing," Colleen said excitedly.

  "What is Jason like?" Sarah asked. She'd met him briefly at one of the Donovan's Sunday dinners but knew little about him, other than that he'd recently joined the sheriff's department as a deputy sheriff. He was tall, like Ricky, but very light, with blonde hair and blue eyes. From what she'd seen, he seemed more serious and quiet.

  "He's close to David. They are similar personality-wise, both more reserved. He's a thinker, loves to read, and he's also a peacemaker. Jason is very good at calming people down, helping them to see both sides of a situation. I think he'll make an excellent deputy."

  Colleen’s eyes clouded as she hesitated for a moment and then asked the others, "Do you think he's over losing Angela yet?"

  They were quiet and David just shrugged.

  "Who was Angela?" Sarah asked.

  "His childhood sweetheart. Everyone knew they were going to get married and he was about to propose when she suddenly got very sick and then died. It was completely unexpected and shocked everyone. Jason took it especially hard, of course."

  "That's awful. How long ago was it?" Sarah couldn't imagine how painful that must have been for him.

  "A little over two years now. He hasn't shown any interest in any other women since."

  "Well, from what I heard, it sounds like he may be open to the idea now," Julia said.

  "I'll talk to him, if you really think this Maeve might be right for him. What is she like?" David asked.

  "Maeve is beautiful and funny. She has long, blonde hair, green eyes and a wicked sense of humor. She's usually the center of attention. People like to be around her and she's never at a loss for words. Maeve is quite the storyteller. I really miss her."

  David smiled. "She does sound like she could complement Jason. I'll let you know what he says."

  * * *

  Later that evening, after everyone had left, Sarah and Ricky walked home from the pub, arm in arm. As they reached the front door, Ricky pulled her toward him for a kiss. Then he said, "This has been a magical night for me. A dream come true, made only better by having you by my side. You'll probably get sick of hearing this, but I'm saying it again, I love you Sarah Donovan, always and forever."

  "Always and forever," she whispered back. And then she kissed him.

  Epilogue

  “It sounds like the saloon in there,” Sarah said with a laugh, as Ricky came into the kitchen for another platter of sandwiches. Though Ricky’s days of being a regular at the saloon were over, he now often entertained his friends at home and the Saturday poker nights had become quite popular.

  “Jason Donovan just won the biggest pot we’ve had yet. He’s impossible to read, that one.”

  Sarah handed him the sandwiches and a slow grin spread across his face, a clear sign that he was up to something. “Why don’t you come join us for a round? The guys won’t mind and I can’t wait to see their faces when they realize you know what you’re doing.”

  Sarah chuckled. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

  She was tempted, though. She had always loved to play cards, and as Ricky said, she wasn’t half-bad at poker. She used to play with her father and his friends when she was younger, and during her time working in the saloon, she learned even more from watching some of the better players. Ricky had asked her to join them before and she’d always declined, not wanting to intrude, but tonight she was feeling a bit restless.

  Ricky could clearly sense that she was considering it. “Come on. One round. It will be fun!”

  She’d put Andrew to bed an hour ago and wasn’t ready to retire to bed or even read a book, just yet.

  “One round,” she agreed.

  She followed Ricky into the library and the men looked up in surprise when they saw her. It was a small crowd, just four Donovan brothers, Paul, David, Ethan and Jason, who at twenty-four, was the youngest of the group.

  “Sarah’s going to join us for a round. You have been warned, gentlemen!” Ricky said dramatically and held out a chair for her to join them at the makeshift table he put together on card nights. It was a big, circular piece of wood that he rolled into the room and set on top of a couple of wooden crates. It wasn’t fancy to look at, but it worked well for most size groups.

  “Have you played before, Sarah?” Ethan asked. Sarah noticed with amusement that there had been some skeptical glances when Ricky said she was going to play. She supposed she couldn’t blame them. It wasn’t often that women joined men in poker games.

  “I used to play quite a bit with my father, years ago,” she said with a smile.

  “Good luck,” Jason said. He sounded sincere and Sarah thought that was nice of him. She didn’t know him very well, and as Ricky dealt the cards to everyone, she asked him about his new job as assistant deputy sheriff and if he was enjoying it.

  “I am. It’s mostly breaking up fights in the saloons lately, but it keeps us busy enough. I’d love it if something more interesting came our way.”

  “You mean like a murder?” David asked.

  Jason hesitated. “Well, no. I don’t want to see anyone killed, of course. But some kind of a mystery wouldn’t be so bad,” he admitted.

  “You do have a mystery to solve,” Ricky said with a gleam in his eye. “Will the lovely Maeve win your heart? And will you win hers?”

  Jason’s cheeks flushed crimson and Sarah kicked Ricky under the table. Jason was more serious and reserved than most of his brothers and she could tell that he was embarrassed.

  “She sounds like a wonderful girl, and smart too, if she’s a mid-wife. When is she due to arrive?”

  “Next Tuesday,” he mumbled, looking down at his cards.

  Sarah decided to change the subject to get the attention away from Jason and back onto the game.

  “Okay, gentlemen, are we ready to play?” she asked.

  Thirty minutes later, the only pla
yers left with cards were Jason and Sarah. The other Donovan brothers were shocked and on the edge of their seats as they watched the final hand unfold.

  Jason was an excellent player and as Ricky said, he was almost impossible to read. But, Sarah had an amazing hand and when the cards were revealed, she won, by a hair.

  “Congratulations,” Jason said. “That was quite a game.”

  “Play us again? Give us a chance to win back our money?” Paul asked.

  “Thank you, but that’s it for me. I’m off to bed for the night. Enjoy the rest of your evening, boys, and good luck!”

  She gathered up her winnings and rose to leave the room.

  “I’ll walk you out,” Ricky said and followed her out to the kitchen.

  “That was fun,” he said. “The looks on their faces were priceless. Almost unfair, really, because I knew you were unbeatable.”

  “That’s not necessarily true, though. Sometimes the cards don’t go in your favor,” Sarah said.

  “True enough. Though, I feel like luck has been on my side ever since I met you.” Ricky pulled her in for a quick kiss.

  “Always the charmer,” she teased him.

  “Always and forever,” he agreed, and she laughed.

  “Yes, you probably will always be a charmer, and I will still love you. Always and forever.”

  ~The End~

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