KC stood to give a toast. “Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention? The first time I met Creighton was four years ago. He came to my office to tell me he was looking for a workshop space. For some reason he thought I probably knew where everything in town was.”
The audience laughed.
“He moved in and made such incredible furniture that his orders keep him too busy to take a vacation. Well, I’m sure now he’ll make time since he has a lovely wife to go with him.”
Everyone laughed louder this time.
KC continued, “He recently survived a psychotic killer, not once but twice. Pauline has been through some tough times as well but she is a strong woman and never wavered. These two special people make the perfect couple.”
He raised his glass. “To Pauline and Creighton Reed.”
Everyone there toasted them, either with champagne or lemonade or water. In spite of Pauline’s happiness tears gathered in her eyes. The musicians struck up a waltz and Creighton guided her onto the floor.
“I’m so glad we practiced the waltz again.” Everyone watched as he led her around the floor. Soon other couples joined them. The second dance was with her father while Creighton danced with her mother in another waltz. He danced with Mrs. Morgan.
Then, Creighton took her hand and signaled the musicians. They struck up a polka and Creighton guided her around the floor. Both breathless when the dance ended, they laughed with one another. He pulled her off the dance floor and near a wall.
He caressed her face. “Do you remember that was the first dance we shared? The first time I got to polka with you, Pauline, but not the last.”
“I’ll hold you to that.” She rested her hands on his lapels.
He scanned the ballroom. “Do you think we can sneak away yet?”
“I’m sure we can. Let’s go home, Creighton.”
“It will be a home now that you’re there.”
Epilogue
Two months later
Pauline set a plate of candy on the parlor coffee table. “What kind of surprise could Papa be bringing?”
“You’re asking me? He’s your father and you know him much better than I do.”
“When he’s mysterious I get nervous.”
Creighton caught her by the waist and pulled her onto the couch beside him. “He said he’ll eat breakfast on the train. Stop fussing and sit down. If the house was any cleaner we’d have to wear blinders.”
He held up is hands as if shielding himself from the sun’s glare. “The shine on that table is almost blinding.”
“Ha ha. You’re the one who put a shine on it when you made it. I only added a little beeswax to protect it.”
He stood. “I saw a shadow through the curtains. Someone’s coming up the walk. I’ll answer the door.”
She leaped up to accompany him. “I’ll go with you.”
The ringer pealed seconds before Creighton opened the door. “Come in, Fred.”
She kissed her father’s cheek. “I’m glad you’re here, Papa.”
Her father put his arm around her shoulders but looked at her husband. “Creighton, I’d like to introduce you to your uncles, Sam and David Reed of Denver.”
Creighton gaped at the two men then at her father. “My uncles? Are you sure?”
Her father gestured to the wall. “Get the photograph, son.”
Hearing Papa call her husband “son” added to her happiness.
“Pauline framed it for me.” He took the frame from the wall and handed it to one of the men. She didn’t know which man was which.
They both looked at it.
The first one said, “This is amazing. This is our brother Tom. Isn’t it a good likeness, David?”
“Sure is. Man, I’ve missed him. Just think, if our father hadn’t overreacted, we would have had this man in our lives all this time.”
“And maybe Tom wouldn’t have died.”
Creighton looked from one to the other. “What happened?”
The first one, who must be Sam, handed the frame to Creighton. “Our father had picked out a girl he wanted Tom to marry. When Tom refused and said he was marrying Naomi, our father disinherited him. He told Tom to leave and never come around again.”
David said, “He repented in a few weeks when he saw Tom wasn’t going to give in. Then, he sent us to look for him. Tom and Naomi had disappeared off the face of the earth. We never stopped looking.”
Sam said, “We found Tom’s death record and that he’d died when a load of bricks fell on him at the brick yard where he worked. He was trained to help run the family business and not for manual labor. That about killed our father since he felt responsible—if he hadn’t turned Tom away his accident wouldn’t have happened.”
Creighton hung the frame back on the wall. “How your father must have suffered from that knowledge.”
David’s facial expression was grim. “He was your grandfather, don’t forget. He did suffer but Tom’s death was his fault. He had a fiery temper but then he’d cool off and be sorry he’d lost control.”
Sam stuck his hands in his pants pockets. “We couldn’t find Naomi. We asked her family if they knew where she was. If they did, they wouldn’t tell us and I can’t blame them. We assured them we wanted to welcome her to the family.”
David went to look at the photo again. “We had no idea you existed. Fred said you were two when she took you to the orphanage. You couldn’t know, but we found out Naomi died of consumption in 1869. That must be why she took you to the orphanage.”
“I wonder why she didn’t leave me with her family.”
“All she had by then were some cousins and they each had a bunch of kids. Most of the men were heavy drinkers. Not the sort you’d want raising your son.”
Creighton had tears in his eyes. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to find out what happened to her and why she left me there. I always hoped she’d come back and get me. Later I hoped I could find her. Maybe it doesn’t make sense, but learning she couldn’t come is a relief. At least I know the reason she didn’t claim me wasn’t that she didn’t want me. Knowing I do have a family is my wildest dream.”
Sam clapped him on the back. “You have more than a family. You have a third of Reed’s Wholesale Hardware Supply.”
“Thank you, but it’s not your money I want. I just want a family. Please don’t misunderstand me, Pauline’s family members are wonderful people who treat me as one of them. But, as long as I can remember, I’ve longed for a family of my own. I’ve wanted to find out who my relatives are and where they came from and to be accepted as one of them.”
He took out his handkerchief and wiped his eyes. “Sorry, but this has been a dream come true. I think I’ve already said that, but I mean it.”
He extended his hand to Papa. “Thank you, Fred. You asked me about Sam Reed when first we met but I didn’t know the name.”
Papa shook his hand. “I admit I sort of forgot about it. Then, at the wedding when I heard your middle name, I thought that there might be a connection. I don’t know David well but Sam and I serve on a committee. The first time after the wedding that I saw Sam, I asked if he’d had a brother named Tom who’d died.”
“That was last week, and we couldn’t wait to come meet you. You see, my wife can’t have children. David’s wife died years ago. He’s the youngest brother and isn’t much older than you. You are the only Reed in your generation.”
David’s grin reminded her of Creighton’s. “I was only four when Tom left. He was sixteen years older than me. Frankly, I was a surprise baby. Old man Sam here is forty-five.”
Papa raised a hand. “Hey, if you don’t mind let’s not call forty-five old.”
The uncles visited all day and spent the night in the guest room downstairs. Papa stayed with Aunt Nancy and Uncle Henry. The next morning, the three men had tickets for the train to Denver.
At the station, Sam said, “I hope you’ll come visit us.”
David nodded. “We’ll pu
t together some of Tom’s things to give you. I hope you’ll come to Denver soon. We both live in the house in which we were born. I’d like you to see it.”
Creighton shook the hand of each of his uncles. “Thank you, I’d love to see where my father grew up and get to know the two of you better.”
Pauline hugged her father. “Thank you, Papa. You’ve made Creighton so happy.”
“As it turns out, you were right and I like him. Now that I know he’s the Reed heir, I don’t have to worry about whether or not he can support you.”
“You didn’t anyway but I’m glad your mind is at rest.”
“Don’t forget you promised to visit Denver. I hope you intend to keep that promise. Your mother’s birthday is coming up soon.”
“We’ll be there for her birthday.” She kissed his cheek.
Creighton shook Papa’s hand again. “I can’t thank you enough for this gift. You can’t know how much it means. I don’t know how to repay you.”
“You’re taking good care of my girl and that’s thanks enough.”
She and Creighton watched the train pull out of the station then turned to walk home.
She linked her arm with his. “Well, Mr. Reed, I am happy you’ve found your uncles and discovered the story of your life.”
“All this time I’ve felt I wasn’t complete—except for marrying you. I mean complete as… I don’t know how to explain myself. I’ve felt less than others who had a family.”
“You’re the most perfect man I’ve ever known. You’ve survived against the odds and you don’t make excuses. I’ve heard people say they couldn’t succeed at this or that because their family didn’t have money. You succeeded instead of using being poor as a crutch. I respect you immeasurably.”
“Thank you. Your opinion is the one that counts. I do want your family to at least tolerate me but if all I have is your love, I can be happy.”
“You have it, Creighton Reed. I’ll love you forever.”
“As I will love you. I feel like the richest man on earth. I have a family and the perfect wife.”
The Matchmaker’s Ball Books to Date
Two-Step With Tess, book 1, by Jo Noelle https://www.amazon.com/Two-Step-Tess-Matchmakers-Ball-Book-ebook/dp/B07Z2B1B16/
Alemande With Angel, book 2, by P.Creeden https://www.amazon.com/Allemande-Angel-Matchmakers-Ball-Book-ebook/dp/B08146Y6ZG/
Moonlight With Alice, book 3, by Amelia Adams https://www.amazon.com/Moonlight-Alice-Matchmakers-Ball-Book-ebook/dp/B082RFCRML/
Last Dance With Letha, book 4, by Jo Noelle https://www.amazon.com/Last-Dance-Letha-Matchmakers-Ball-ebook/dp/B083TCPV28/
Promenade With Penelope, book 5, by P. Creeden https://www.amazon.com/Promenade-Penelope-Matchmakers-Ball-Book-ebook/dp/B084656ZVW/
Strolling With Savanah, book 6, by Amelia Adams https://www.amazon.com/Strolling-Savannah-Matchmakers-Ball-Book-ebook/dp/B0858JMW62
A Penny For His Heart, book 7, by Jo Noelle https://www.amazon.com/Penny-Heart-Matchmakers-Ball-Book-ebook/dp/B0857JYJ6P/
Polka With Pauline, book 8, by Caroline Clemmons https://www.amazon.com/Polka-Pauline-Matchmakers-Ball-Book-ebook/dp/B085BT965N/
About Caroline Clemmons
Through a crazy twist of fate, Caroline Clemmons was born in town instead of on a Texas ranch. To compensate for this illogical error, she writes about handsome cowboys, feisty ranch women, and scheming villains in a tiny office her family calls her pink cave. She and her Hero live in North Central Texas cowboy country where they ride herd on their rescued pets—two indoor cats and a dog—as well as providing nourishment outdoors for wild critters who stop by to visit.
The books she creates in her pink cave have made her a bestselling and award winning author. She writes both sweet and sensual romances about the West, both historical and contemporary as well as time travel and mystery. Her series include the Kincaids, McClintocks, Stone Mountain Texas, Bride Brigade, Texas Time Travel, Texas Caprock Tales, Pearson Grove, and Loving A Rancher as well as numerous single titles and contributions to multi-author sets.
When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, reading books written by her friends, eating out with friends, browsing antique malls, checking Facebook, and taking the occasional nap. Find her on her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest.
Join her and other readers at Caroline’s Cuties, a Facebook readers group for special excerpts, exchanging ideas, contests, giveaways, recipes, and talking to like-minded people about books at https://www.facebook.com/groups/277082053015947/
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Polka With Pauline Page 11