Finding His Heart (Cottonwood Ranch Book 4)

by Jaclyn Hardy

  “Hamptons?” She glanced between them. “What is he talking about, Amanda?”

  Mandy squared her shoulders. “I didn’t tell you that, Mother? Thomas’s family lives in the Hamptons. He moved here with his uncle in high school, but goes back to visit them for the holidays.”

  That last part was a lie, but they didn’t have to know that. Yet. Thomas watched her reaction to see if they needed to push it farther. Her mom was caving slowly, but the look she still gave him . . .

  “Yes, in fact, I’d planned to take her there this Christmas. As my wife.” Where had those last three words come from? He’d told Mandy he wasn’t going to propose for a while. And now this.

  “Is this true, Amanda?” She glanced down at Mandy’s hand as if expecting a ring.

  Mandy tucked her hand into her dress. “Yes. We’ve known each other for years, so when we ran into each other, we knew there was no point in waiting. It was so unexpected that Thomas hadn’t had a chance to ask Dad for permission yet.”

  Smooth. But Thomas was still reeling inside. There had to be a way to back out of this without losing face in front of her parents, right? Probably not. And it wasn’t like he didn’t want to marry her. That had been in the plans since the moment he realized it was her he’d saved from the bus in Indianapolis. And when she’d suddenly shown up at the convention the next day.

  Mandy’s mom dropped her hand from the doorknob and she folded her arms. “What is Mandy’s favorite color?”

  What? Thomas felt Mandy stiffen next to him, and he knew he’d better get the answer right. He thought for a moment, but then it hit him. No matter what pattern or style she wore, there was always one color present. “It’s red.”

  “What instrument did she play in high school?”

  Thomas had no idea. “She danced, not played an instrument.”

  Her mom smirked. “Trick question. Well done. Mandy’s favorite meal.”

  “Biscuits and gravy. They remind her of her grandma who died when she was twelve.” He’d heard enough of the story at the diner when they’d first eaten there. She just didn’t know it at the time.

  “Clever boy. And last one. Her favorite designer.”

  Not Walker Apparel. That was too easy. He had no idea what her mom did and by the look of her clothes, she didn’t design them. “She doesn’t have one. She prefers to create her own.”

  Thomas felt Mandy relax in his arms. That was a total guess, but she’d always seemed to do her own thing as far as clothes went, and she was building her own shop. He just hoped he was right.

  Mandy’s mom held a hand out for Thomas to take. “You may call me Natalie. Now, we must find somewhere that’s open for a wedding as soon as possible or you will be out of luck. I assume you’ll have another reception in the Hamptons at Christmas?”

  “Uh, sure?” Thomas’s parents were going to flip when they found out he was having a wedding reception there. His mom would go as crazy as Mandy’s mom.

  Mandy stepped toward her parents. “Hey, we can do this in the morning. Why don’t you two grab your things and I’ll find a place for you to sleep?”

  “Very well. But no sleeping in. We have too much to do in too little time.” And for the first time since Thomas met Mandy’s parents, Natalie smiled.

  They left the house and Mandy turned to Thomas, her hands on her face. “What are we going to do?”

  “I don’t know.” Thomas took her by the shoulders. “We talked about this earlier today and both of us said we weren’t ready. I’m still at that point. What about you?”

  Mandy covered her face with her hands. “I don’t know, I don’t know. I mean, we both knew it was going to happen. Just . . . not like this.”

  Thomas tipped her chin until she met his eyes. “Mandy, I know it’s the day after I first officially kissed you, but we’ve known each other for two years. We’ve set up our friends, I’ve saved you from a bus . . . I don’t know that there’s much more for us to do. Will you marry me?”

  Mandy searched his eyes for a moment before finally nodding. “Yes.”

  Thomas bent down and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back. It wasn’t until they heard the door open that they pulled away. Mandy pointed to her lips and Thomas quickly wiped his to get the lipstick off.

  Natalie laughed and swatted her husband’s shoulder. “Look at that, sweetie. They act as if we’ve never seen a kiss before.”

  Mandy’s face turned almost as red as her lipstick. “Your room is upstairs. Come on. Thomas, Justin and Laura have an inflatable mattress downstairs that I was sleeping on. Can you grab it really quick?”

  Thomas nodded and left the house in a daze. Things had happened so fast that he wasn’t even sure what was going on. It took three tries to get the code right on Justin’s garage before he was able to get inside. He took the steps down to the basement two at a time and found the mattress Mandy had been talking about. While that one deflated, he looked around for some sheets and blankets and found another mattress for Mandy. He laid everything inside one of the quilts and wrapped it up to make it easier to carry back to the truck. He’d have to remember to tell Justin that he’d taken them.

  Mandy answered the door when Thomas got back, and she closed the door behind her. “I want to ask you one more time if you’re okay with this rather quick turn of events.”

  He brushed the hair away from her face. “We met because you and Laura spun a globe and ended up here. Whirlwind is just how you do things. And I’m more than happy to be a part of the craziness.”

  “Good answer.” She reached up and kissed him on the cheek. “Come on. Mom and Dad are upstairs.”

  Thomas helped get everything set up before he bowed out and headed back toward the ranch. Between the Poultons, his parents, and Justin, Thomas had a lot of explaining to do the next morning.

  Mandy leaned back on her couch that had been delivered the day before and took a deep breath. It had been a long few days and by the sound of things, it wasn’t going to calm down any time soon. Chloe cooed in her arms as she stared at the new world around her.

  Laura lay on the other couch, flipping through bridal magazines. “I’m thinking next year when Chloe is old enough to stay with a babysitter, we take another trip with the four of us. Just you, me, Thomas, and Justin.”

  “If this shop takes off, I’m all for it. Right now, I’m a little broke.” It wasn’t something Mandy had ever had to say, and she wasn’t thrilled with the way it sounded. Except that by June of next year, she’d be a shop owner. And a married woman. That part still blew her away.

  “I think you’re right. You can make a better dress. But do you have time?” Laura dropped the magazine she held and went for another one that was filled with bridesmaid dresses.

  Mandy pointed to a notebook on the coffee table. “It’s there. I came up with it last night while Mom was droning on about the perfect centerpieces.”

  Laura flipped through and gasped. “It’s perfect.”

  “Thanks. I think so too. Emily is supposed to be working on it right now.” Mandy clapped Chloe’s hands together. “It’s too bad she’s not a little older. I’d have her be the flower girl.”

  Laura laughed. “I’d like her to be old enough so she’ll actually sleep at night.”

  The door slammed, and Mom walked into the living room holding an armful of tablecloths. “I believe we’re down to these three.”

  “It’s a good thing. The wedding is in two days.” Mandy sat up and stood to hand Chloe back to Laura.

  “Oh, no you don’t. I need to see this little one.” Mom held her arms out. “Oh, she’s just a doll.”

  Laura rolled off the couch. “Thank you. I’ll be right back.”

  Mandy held up the notebook. “My dress.”

  “Oh, darling. That is gorgeous. You designed this?” Mom looked at her with a respect that Mandy hadn’t seen before.

  “Yes. And since it’s fall, I’ll have some fall colors to accent it.” Mandy t
urned the page to show her the other designs.

  Mom pulled Mandy to her and kissed her forehead. “You have a gift. And while I don’t like that you’re hiding out here with it, I’m proud of what you’ve been able to accomplish.”

  Mandy figured asking her mom to say it again so she could save it and frame it was probably a bit much, so she filed it away under things she’d never thought she’d hear. “Where’s Dad?”

  “He’s out with Thomas looking at the land he owns. Really, honey. A ranch?”

  Mandy laughed. “Not for a while. We want to get things set up here first and then once the shop is established, we’ll move out there.”

  Mom sighed. “Very well. Now, about the guest list.”

  Mandy couldn’t stop grinning as she walked down the aisle. The cold November weather had given away to warmth just for her special day. The leaves underfoot crunched as she took one slow step after another. It was too slow for her taste, but she’d already sped enough things up. She could slow down and savor this day.

  Thomas stood just below the arch that led into the fairy garden dressed in a tux that her father had helped pick out. Thomas’s parents stared her down as she walked past. While Thomas had won over her parents, it would be a while before she would win over his. Not even the promise of the reception in New York had appeased them.

  Laura gave Mandy a thumbs up and Emily stood next to her, grinning. She’d fallen in love with everything about this place, but still swore she would never leave the big city. Mandy knew that would only last for so long.

  Dad kissed Mandy’s cheek and went to sit down by Mom. Thomas took her hand and they faced the pastor. The stooped man had also married Justin and Laura, so it was only natural that they chose him.

  “I have known Thomas for years. He came to us a little rough around the edges, but he grew to be a remarkable young man. I feel so honored that he would ask me to marry him to his beautiful bride.”

  Thomas cleared his throat. “Thank you.”

  Mandy was surprised at the emotion in his voice.

  “Thomas, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife as long as you both shall live?”

  “I do.” Thomas smiled and squeezed Mandy’s hand.

  “Amanda, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband as long as you both shall live?”

  “I do.”

  “By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you, Thomas and Amanda, as husband and wife lawfully wedded before God. You may now kiss the bride.”

  Mandy’s heart felt like it would burst as Thomas bent down and pulled her in for a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. Her cowboy. She took his hat off and tossed it into the crowd, followed by her bouquet.

  Chaos broke out as people scrambled to catch each one of them. Mandy jumped when someone tapped on her shoulder. She turned to find Justin and Laura standing there, holding a globe.

  Mandy looked up at Thomas. “Are you ready?”

  Six months later

  Mandy stared up at the sign in front of her store. Mandy’s. No, it wasn’t unique, but she didn’t care. It was hers. A line had formed outside to get in, and a giddiness filled her stomach. It had been a brilliant idea on Thomas’s part to open during the fourth of July festivities. The town was packed with people, and they all had to see the newest store.

  “Ready?” Laura held the door closed.

  Thomas and Justin both gave a thumbs-up. They’d been the volunteered bouncers for the crowd, a job they took a little too seriously with their black shirts and sunglasses.

  Hailey and Hannah stood just inside the store, their shiny new badges pinned to their work shirts.

  “Ready.” Mandy reached inside the door and flicked the switch. The “Open” sign buzzed to life and a cheer went up. She moved to the front desk and Laura pushed the door the rest of the way open.

  The crowds poured in, oohing and ahhing over the clothes hanging on the racks throughout the store.

  Mandy made sure each of the employees and volunteers were in control of their section of the store, but stayed back to be ready for any questions that would come her way. Some of the people bought items, while others wandered out. These styles weren’t for everyone, and that was okay.

  Thomas came into the store and took off his sunglasses. “Everyone’s in.”

  “Thanks.” Mandy reached up and kissed him on the cheek. “They seem to like it.”

  “Of course they do. They’d be crazy to think otherwise.”

  Thomas hugged her, then backed away as a familiar face appeared in front of Mandy. Dawn.

  “So, this is where the patterns went.” Dawn gestured to one wall that displayed all of Mandy’s first designs. “I hate to admit when I’m wrong, you know.”

  Mandy smiled. “And?”

  A man came up and stood next to Dawn. He held out his hand with a smile. “And our company owes you a big apology. When I found out that I lost this line because they completely changed your work, I was less than pleased.”

  Mandy couldn’t stop staring. Lance Walker was standing in her store. He’d flown thousands of miles just to come to her store.

  “Mr. Walker. It’s a huge honor to have you here.” Mandy’s hands shook. “And there is no apology needed. It just gave me a reason to leave and do what my heart was telling me to do.”

  Lance handed her a card. “Even so, we hate to see you leave. Give us a call if you ever want to return.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Walker.”

  He shook her hand again and then went to one of the racks to look through it. Dawn left the store, shooting a glare at Mandy as she left.

  Mandy shrugged off Dawn’s anger. If anything, Mandy wanted to thank her. She stared down at the card, then put it in her back pocket. Maybe someday she’d take a look at it again. But for now, she was content right here. She was home.

  Jaclyn is an Idaho farm girl who grew up loving to read. She developed a love for writing at a young age and published her first book in 2013. She met her husband, Steve, at BYU, and they have six happy, crazy children who encourage her to keep writing. After owning a bookstore and running away to have adventures in Australia, they settled back down in their home in Utah. Jaclyn now spends her days herding her kids to various activities and trying to remember what she was supposed to do next. Her books include the Silver Script Series and the upcoming Roping His Heart and Never Say Necklace. When she's not writing romance, she's chasing kids, playing games, and dreaming of running away to Ireland.

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  MORE BOOKS BY JACLYN HARDY

  Silver Script Novels

  Ring of Truth

  A Christmas Worth Billions

  Fashioned for Love

  Change in Harmony

  Another Chance for Love

  Love in Return

  Waves of Hope

  Love on the Run

  Never Say Necklace

  Emeralds Are Forever

  The Crown is Not Enough

  Cottonwood Ranch

  Roping His Heart

  Taming His Heart

  Rescuing His Heart

  Finding His Heart