To Love and to Cherish

by Leigh Greenwood

  “Don’t get me started on your father. That man—”

  A knock on the front door interrupted their conversation.

  “I wonder who that can be,” Laurie said.

  “It could be anyone coming to check on you. Everybody knows you haven’t gone to the ranch for two days. They’re bound to think you must be sick.”

  “Well, I’m not. I want you to assure everyone I’m in perfect health.”

  The knocks came again, more insistent this time.

  “You’d better see who it is,” Naomi said. “Then we can get back to discussing what to do.”

  Laurie reluctantly got to her feet. “There’s no discussion. I’m moving.”

  “There’s got to be another way.”

  “There isn’t, so stop worrying.”

  Laurie had been prepared to greet one of the women in town. She wasn’t prepared to find Jared on her porch. She must be a stupid woman who couldn’t learn her lesson even when it was obvious. Despite her dilemma, just seeing him sent her heart racing and her spirits soaring. It wasn’t just his handsome face or his imposing physique. He looked so worried, so tense, she wanted to put her arms around him and assure him everything would be all right.

  “I’m coming in,” he announced and proceeded to do exactly that.

  “What do you want?” Laurie asked. “We said everything last night.” But she didn’t mean it. However much it hurt to know it wasn’t likely to happen, she couldn’t relinquish the hope that he had come to love her.

  “You may have said everything you wanted to say, but I didn’t.” He stopped in his tracks when he saw Naomi.

  “Don’t think I’m going anywhere,” Naomi said, grim determination writ large on her face. “I’m going to pay close attention to every word you say. They’d better be good. If not, you’re in big trouble.”

  “I’m glad you’re here,” Jared said. “Maybe you can talk some sense into Laurie.”

  “Why are you here?” Laurie asked Jared.

  Jared crossed to Laurie and took both her hands in his. “I want you to marry me.”

  How could the words she longed to hear hurt so much? “I’ve already told—”

  “This has nothing to do with the baby. I was in love with you before you knew about that. I was just too stupid to realize it.”

  Naomi didn’t give Laurie a chance to answer. “She’s in love with you, too. Don’t let her deny it.”

  “I can speak for myself,” Laurie said to her cousin.

  “You haven’t been doing very well, so I thought I’d give you a little help. We’ve gotten to the part where Jared loves you and you love Jared. Don’t stop now.”

  “Do you really love me?” Jared asked Laurie.

  “You know I said I was never going to marry again.”

  “That’s not what I asked. Do you love me? Because I love you very much.”

  Laurie wouldn’t let herself believe it just yet. “What about Martha Simpson?”

  “I’m embarrassed to say I let Norman’s threats and her smile cause me to behave very foolishly.”

  “What did I tell you?” Naomi asked Laurie.

  Laurie had never wished her cousin at the other end of the earth until right now. “Do you mind if we have this conversation without interruption?”

  “Okay, as long as you don’t get sidetracked on things that are irrelevant.”

  “Martha Simpson isn’t irrelevant.”

  “She is if you love Jared and he loves you.”

  “She’s right, you know,” Jared said to Laurie. “I’ve never been in love with Martha nor she with me. She only wanted advice on how to deal with a young man who was hesitant to say what was in his heart. Apparently I convinced her it was all right for her to say it for him. So now she’s engaged to Ted Drummond.”

  Laurie was surprised—and relieved. “Why was she reluctant to marry Ted? He’s the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.”

  “More so than me?”

  “I love you, but I’m not blind. At least not where Ted’s looks are concerned.” Oops! She’d committed herself before she was absolutely sure that he loved her.

  “We’re getting off track again,” Naomi warned.

  “I’m liking your cousin more and more,” Jared said. “She never forgets what’s most important.”

  “And what is that?” Laurie asked.

  “You agreeing to marry me. You still haven’t given me an answer.”

  Laurie met his gaze, her heart in her throat. “Can you tell me that this has nothing to do with the baby, the money, or the loan, that you would want to marry me if none of that had ever happened?”

  “I can do better than that,” Jared said. “I not only love you unconditionally, I’m going to marry you. I think we ought to do it today.”

  Laurie’s heart started beating so fast it was hard to breathe. “I can’t get married five minutes after I say yes.”

  “Of course you can. All you have to do is say yes. The boys are waiting for us at the church along with Reverend Simpson. I’ve already got the license.”

  Naomi jumped to her feet. “I’ve got to get Colby and Sibyl. Papa, too. We’re not going to miss this.” She was out of the house before Laurie could collect her wits.

  She heard the words, saw the love in Jared’s eyes, but could hardly believe this was really happening. Five minutes ago, she was planning to leave Cactus Corner as soon as possible to avoid disgrace. Now, in the next five minutes, Jared wanted her to become his wife. “Are you sure you want to do this?” she asked.

  “Didn’t you hear me when I said everybody was waiting? All you have to do is say yes.”

  Laurie hesitated.

  “I know it’s an awkward situation. I wish I could change that, but I can’t. I can only try to assure you that I would love you regardless of the circumstances. You’re the most beautiful, the most remarkable, and most wonderful woman I’ve ever met. All the men adore you. Everybody in Cactus Corner adores you. Why wouldn’t I?”

  “Not one of them wants to marry me.”

  “Loomis told me he asked you to marry him.”

  “He was feeling sorry for me. He doesn’t love me.”

  “I’m not so sure.”

  “I don’t love him, so it doesn’t matter.” She shook her head to clear it. “Why are we talking about Loomis?”

  “Because you’re looking for every excuse to keep from saying you’ll marry me. I can wait all day, but I doubt the preacher will.”

  “Do you really have the boys and the preacher waiting?”

  “You’ll soon be able to see for yourself.”

  “How could you be sure I’d marry you?”

  “I couldn’t, but I was determined to take advantage of any momentary weakness or indecision.”

  “You’d marry me on those terms?”

  “I’ll marry you on any terms.”

  She scanned his face and looked deep into his eyes. What she saw there erased all her doubts. “I believe you would.”

  “I’m ready to prove it if you’ll just give me the chance.”

  “I have one condition before I’ll give you my answer.”

  “Anything.”

  “The money I was going to give you for the partnership—”

  “I don’t care about the money. I’ve told Norman I don’t want his loan. I’ll try to make it with longhorns. If necessary, I’ll go back into the army.”

  “You didn’t let me finish.”

  “Okay, but you can give that money away for all I care.”

  “That’s what I intend to do.”

  Laurie grinned when Jared looked shocked. She was glad he wasn’t entirely altruistic. She liked him better with a few faults. “I’m going to give the money to you. That way you can buy your Herefords and the men can have their original share of the income.”

  “But it’s your money.”

  “If I marry you, it’ll be our money just as it will be our ranch.”

  “Will you stop saying if. I
’m about to go crazy waiting for an answer.”

  “If I marry you, will you teach me how to run the ranch?”

  Jared was becoming frustrated. “Yes, I’ll teach you how to run the ranch and anything else you want.”

  “I want to learn to ride astride, castrate a bull, and everything.”

  Jared gulped. “I’m not letting you anywhere near a bull that’s being castrated. Not only is it dangerous to you and the men. Everybody in this town would think I was a callous fool.”

  “You say the sweetest things.”

  “Would you be serious!”

  “I am.”

  “No, you’re not. You’re just looking for ways to put off giving me an answer.”

  “Actually I’m trying to decide what dress to wear. You don’t think I’m going to get married looking like this, do you?”

  Apparently having gotten the answer he wanted, Jared decided talk was no longer necessary, so he grabbed Laurie and covered her with kisses. Laurie agreed with his decision.

  ***

  When Laurie and Jared entered the church, she found it packed with virtually every person in town. Cassie met them at the door.

  “I’m the flower girl,” she announced. “Naomi is waiting inside to be your matron of honor. Sibyl wanted to be one, too, but they were afraid two might scare Jared off.”

  “The only thing I’m scared of is Laurie changing her mind before I can say I do.”

  Dr. Kessling stepped up to join them. “Steve is going to be your best man,” he told Jared, “and I’m going to give the bride away.”

  Jared turned to Laurie. “I had hoped we’d have a small wedding.”

  “Laurie is related to half the people in this town,” Naomi said. “There’s no way she gets married without us being here. No more procrastination. Martha is about to play a wedding march. When you get inside, make sure your answers are loud and clear. Everybody wants to hear them.”

  Jared looked at Laurie, his eyes spilling over with love. “Even if I shout them, they won’t convey how important this day is to me.”

  “I’d prefer you don’t shout,” Laurie said. “Everybody would think I was pinching you to get you to say yes.”

  “The way you’re looking at each other right now, nobody could possibly doubt that you’re in love,” the doctor said. “Now get going. I hear music.”

  ***

  Later, Colby came up to Jared. “I hate to interrupt you at your wedding reception, but I’ve got something to show you.”

  Jared didn’t know how she’d done it, but Sibyl had managed, with the help of every woman in town, to pull together a party to celebrate his wedding. There was cake, punch, and more sweet things to eat than he’d ever seen at one place. He had married into one incredible family.

  “You look so serious,” Jared said to Colby. “Is something wrong?”

  “No, but I thought you ought to know. I’d have told you before, but I didn’t get it until today.”

  “Get what?”

  “Come outside. I’ll show you.”

  Jared didn’t want to leave Laurie, but he was certain Colby wouldn’t have asked him to step outside if it hadn’t been important. “Colby wants to see me outside for a few minutes,” he said to Laurie.

  “What’s it about?”

  “I don’t know, but he said it wasn’t bad news.”

  Laurie gave him a quick kiss. “Don’t be gone long, or folks will think you’ve deserted me on my wedding day.”

  “Not a chance of that.” Jared gave her a kiss in return. “Just don’t let Loomis poach on my preserves. I don’t trust that look in his eye.”

  “It’s whiskey, not lust. Now go.”

  Colby was waiting by a wagon when Jared went outside. “I wrote my family like you asked,” he told Jared. “I didn’t expect an answer, but I got a letter a short while ago telling me my parents were dead and that I had a lot of money in the bank.”

  Jared wasn’t sure that this had to do with him, but he was listening.

  “I couldn’t believe they’d leave me anything, certainly not money, but the letter said they were sending a trunk my mother left to be sent to me if I ever tried to contact them.” Colby pointed to the trunk in the wagon. “This is it.”

  “What’s in it?” Jared asked. It was a little trunk. It couldn’t hold much.

  “Not what I expected. There’s nothing about their family or where they came from, just some things I had as a baby. Clothes and a couple of toys.” Colby reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. “And this. My parents were Randall and Betty Holstock. My name was Kevin Holstock. I’m your brother.”

  Jared had wondered how he would feel when he finally found one of his brothers. Now that it had happened, he found it impossible to put into words. But when he saw tears streaming down Colby’s face, he knew it meant even more to him. Without hesitation, he stepped forward to embrace the brother he’d lost so long ago. Soon tears were running down his face, too.

  He tried to think of something to say, but no words were as powerful as his brother’s embrace. He finally had a family, someone who was a part of him, someone he was a part of. He wasn’t sure he’d ever thought it would happen. Now that it had, it would take some getting used to.

  “What are you men doing out here? Come inside. Everybody’s asking for Jared.”

  When the two men separated, it was obvious they’d been crying. Immediately worried, Naomi hurried down the step to her husband.

  “What’s wrong? Did somebody die?”

  When Colby couldn’t speak, Jared answered for him. “He just got some information from his mother that proves we’re brothers.”

  Naomi let out a shriek and threw her arms around Colby. Both of them were crying, which started Jared tearing just in time for Laurie to come outside.

  “What’s taking so long?” When she saw Colby and Naomi embracing and crying, she hurried down the steps. “Why is everybody crying? What’s happened?”

  Jared wiped away his tears. “Nothing’s wrong. Something wonderful has happened. Colby got a letter from his mother proving we’re brothers.”

  Laurie looked from her husband to Colby and back to Jared. Then she smiled and kissed her husband. “I’m so happy for you because I know how much you wanted to find your family, but I hope you won’t be upset if I’m even more happy for Colby. At least you had a family that loved you. Colby had nothing.”

  “His name is Kevin,” Jared said. “Kevin Holstock.”

  Laurie looked to where Colby and Naomi were still locked in each other’s arms. “You can’t begin to know how important that man is to us. He’s probably the only reason any of us are alive today. To us he’ll always be Colby Blaine.” She paused. “Am I going to be Laurie Smith, or Laurie Holstock?”

  Jared hadn’t thought about that. As long as he could remember, he’d been a Smith. The name connected him with the only family he had. “Colby and I will have to talk about that someday. Until then, you’re Laurie Smith and your husband is Jared Smith. We don’t need a name to make us a family.”

  As soon as Naomi and Colby released each other, Laurie turned to Colby. “Welcome, brother-in-law. You can’t know how happy it makes me to know you’re my husband’s brother. Now let’s go inside before our guests think we have abandoned them. We have something really special to celebrate.” She reached for Colby’s hand. “I know the whole town will want to celebrate with us.”

  So they walked back into the church, the two brothers with one arm over the other’s shoulders and their other arms around their wives’ waists.

  Epilogue

  Laurie sat quietly astride her horse, watching more than four hundred white-faced Herefords begin to spread out over the Green River Ranch. “They don’t look like they’re in good condition,” she said to Jared.

  “That’s the only reason I was able to buy them so cheaply. The owner didn’t think they’d make it to California.”

  Laurie reached over to grasp her husband�
�s hand. “I was glad Colby offered to give you the money if you needed more to buy the whole herd.”

  Jared squeezed his wife’s hand in response. “He said we’d missed twenty-nine years of doing things together as brothers. Offering to be partners in the herd was his way of trying to make up for lost time.”

  Laurie knew that the two men would never make up for the years they’d lost, but asking Jared to be the godfather of the child Naomi was carrying was a first step. She was certain Jared would ask Colby to be the godfather of their child. Laurie’s hand moved to her stomach. Her body hadn’t begun to swell, but she could feel the baby’s presence within her. Jared hadn’t wanted her to ride, but she’d insisted. She relished the time she spent in his arms at night, but she wanted to spend as much of her day with him as possible.

  The sound of hammering drew her attention to a rise about a quarter of a mile from the river. A new house was going up, one big enough to hold all the children they hoped to have. Jared had said it didn’t need to be so large, but now that Norman had relinquished control of Noah’s estate, Laurie intended to spend her money on her family. It was hard for Jared to accept her affluence, but Steve had told him not to be an idiot, that if Jared didn’t want Laurie’s money, he’d be glad to take it. But Laurie intended to be very careful how she used her money. Jared’s pride and self-respect were as important to her as they were to him.

  Jared turned to his wife. “Colby told me he had stopped trying to find his brothers because Naomi and the children gave him all the family he needed. I didn’t understand him then, but I do now.” He reached for Laurie’s hand. “I’m glad I found Colby, and I’m glad I have Steve, but it wasn’t until I found you that I knew what being part of a family really meant.”

  Laurie squeezed her husband’s hand. “My parents sold me into marriage, and my husband disliked what I was. Despite being related to half the people in Cactus Corner, I never felt worthy of love until now.”

  Jared leaned out of the saddle to kiss his wife. “I don’t know of anyone more worthy. And I’m going to do my best to make you believe it.”

  Laurie could think of no better way to spend the next fifty or so years.