“He was that upset?” She wasn’t the only one who had been humiliated last night. Her actions had reflected on her whole family.
“I haven’t seen him like that since...ever.” He shot her a look. “You okay?”
She nodded, his question making her eyes burn. Her gaze wandered out the window and over the winter landscape. A slight freeze covered the gray-brown grass. Was she okay? No. Not at all. She’d told Ash she cared about him—in a roundabout sort of tirade—but she’d said it. And he hadn’t come after her. The one time she’d wanted him to come after her and he’d listened.
But if he had come after her, then what? They would have ended up in bed together and her heart would be more shattered than ever. He didn’t love her. Period. The sooner she accepted that, the sooner she could let go and move on.
“You don’t look okay.” His hand squeezed hers.
“I will be.” She tried to smile.
His vibrant blue eyes, so like her own, narrowed. “It’s that boy? Ash? He do something wrong?”
She stared down at their hands. As close as they were, she rarely bared her soul to her father. “Dad—”
“Don’t you Dad me, Renata Jean. If your brothers and I need to—”
“Dad! No. Leave him alone. Please.” She cut him off. “He hasn’t done anything.”
“Then why are you crying?” he asked, pulling his handkerchief from his shirt pocket.
“I’m not crying.” She dabbed away the tears, sniffing fiercely.
“Come on now. You know I can’t stand by and watch my girl cry.” He caught her hand again.
“He didn’t do anything. He proposed, I said no. Because he doesn’t love me.” She sniffed, wiping frantically at the tears that were streaming down her face. “And there’s nothing anyone can do about that.”
“Then the boy’s a fool,” he ground out, squeezing her hand. “He didn’t strike me as a fool.”
She shook her head. “He’s not.” The tears kept coming. “He’s a good guy. A keeper.” She gave up then, covering her face with her father’s handkerchief and sobbing.
Minutes later, the truck rolled to a stop.
“Renata Jean. Give me a second?”
She nodded, staring at the handkerchief in her hands. “I’m sorry, Dad. For acting this way—”
“Nothing to apologize for, you hear me?” He smiled at her. “Your momma told me sometimes a good cry could make her feel better.”
She laughed. “Let’s hope so.”
He nodded and climbed out of the truck.
It took a minute for her to realize where they were. They weren’t at the gate. Not anywhere near the gate. They were in the heart of the ranch. At the vow tree.
She sat forward, peering through the windshield at her father. And her brothers. All gathered under the vow tree, talking to—
“Ash?”
What the hell was he doing here? Why was her father laughing? And her brothers?
“What is happening?” She pushed the truck door open, winced from the cold air and hurried toward her father, her brothers, Ash and the massive tree.
“Hi.” Ash was smiling at her. That smile. The one that made her knees weak. And made her heart thump. And her cheeks flush.
“Don’t hi me,” she managed. “I thought we were checking on a gate. For you.” She faced Fisher, scowling. “What’s going on?”
Her brothers were all smiles.
“We’re heading out.” Hunter walked off in the opposite direction, his truck parked, almost hidden, behind the tree break. Beside Ash’s.
“Fisher?” she asked, hoping her twin would clue her in.
Instead, he shrugged and followed her other brothers to Hunter’s truck.
“I’ll leave you to it?” her father asked.
She frowned at her father. “Leave me?”
Her father held her by the shoulders. “I told you the boy wasn’t a fool, Renata. Listen to him, would you?” With a parting nod at Ash, he headed back to his truck.
Her curiosity was rapidly turning into irritation. “I’m supposed to listen to you?” she asked, steeling herself to face him. She wouldn’t let his smile or his dimples or the crinkles at the corners of his eyes disarm her. Until she faced him. And she reacted like she always did—uncontrollably. “I’m listening.”
He nodded, his smile growing. “First, I got you something.” He held out a package. “Curtis might have helped me wrap it.”
She eyed the present. “I thought we said no more presents.”
“You said no more presents, Renata.” He pressed the crudely wrapped package into her hands.
She frowned, tearing the wrapping apart. And laughed. “Gloves.”
He laughed, too. “You can put them on now.”
With a shake of her head, she tugged on the down-lined leather gloves. “Okay. Happy?”
“Not yet.” He reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear. “I can’t give you space. I don’t want you getting over me. Not now, not ever. I don’t know how seeing me hurts you. All I know is not seeing you hurts me.” His gray eyes wandered over her face. “Even if you weren’t having my babies, we’d wind up here.”
“What?” She shook her head. “I’m not sure—”
“I am. I love you. I am in love with you. I can’t tell you when it happened, only that it did. It’s real. It’s strong. And it’s forever. Whether or not you marry me, I love you.”
For the first time in her life, Renata Boone was completely speechless.
* * *
He blew out a slow breath. “Meeting you.” He broke off and moved closer, wanting to touch her but knowing the spark between them would complicate things. “I missed my plane.”
“What?” she frowned. “In October.”
“I stood there, wondering what the hell had happened. You made me feel things I shouldn’t be feeling—not yet, anyway. But I couldn’t go. If Betty hadn’t called, snapped me out of it, I might not have left.” He shook his head. “Once I had, I didn’t want to come back. Ever.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You scared me.” He swallowed. “After losing Shanna, I didn’t want to be in that position again.”
A tear hung from her long lashes then fell down her cheek.
“Fate brought me back, I believe that. I was supposed to come back because you were here. Maybe I was already a little in love with you then. It took everything I had to resist.” He reached for her hand. He squeezed her fingers, breathing easier when she squeezed back. “I love you. I love the way you smile, the way you laugh, the way you love my son—and me. Even if you did insist on telling me everything I never wanted to know about the place I know is my home, I can’t imagine my world without you.”
She wiped the tears from her cheek.
“Tell me what to do now. Whatever you need, whatever I need to do, tell me.”
“Say it again,” she whispered.
“I love you,” he whispered. “Forever.”
He waited, breathless. The longer she stared at him, the more terrified he grew.
Her big blue eyes never wavered, searching, doubtful. “You’re serious?” she whispered.
He nodded.
“This isn’t about my family or—”
He shook his head. “This is me. Loving you. Hoping like hell I didn’t just send you running for the hills.” He groaned. “I know you might not feel the same way. Like you said, who falls in love in a few weeks—”
“I do,” she whispered.
He could breathe again. “Pregnancy hormones?” His fingers brushed along her cheek.
“Possibly.”
“I’ll risk it,” he murmured.
“Seeing you only hurt because it reminded me of what I wanted—but couldn’t have.” The hitch in her voice shook him to the core.
He closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her and resting his forehead against hers. “I’m yours, whether you want me or not. I’m done.”
She smiled, tears running down her face. “I don’t know why I’m crying. I can’t stop crying.”
“Happy tears?” he asked, tilting her face back. “I hope?”
Her nod was quick. “Are you happy now?”
He grinned. “Almost.”
“Almost?” She shook her head. “What else could you want, Asher Carmichael?”
“For you to take off your left glove,” he murmured, dropping to his knees before her.
“It’s freezing,” she argued.
“Then you’d better hurry up.” He nodded at her gloved hand.
She tugged off the glove, more tears falling.
He lifted her hand and pressed it against his face. Her sweet scent filled his nostrils, soothing the ache deep inside and the hole in his heart. “Marry me, please, Renata. I want to wake up beside you and fall asleep in your arms. I want to laugh with you and cry with you—and be with you.”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Yes. I’ll marry you.” She tugged. “Now get up, please. Before you get pneumonia.”
He stood, kissing her softly. “Glad you said yes.” He pointed at the tree. “Since I already sort of committed us.”
Her blue eyes searched the trunk until she found the fresh carving. RB + AC in a heart.
“Your dad says this is the best way to guarantee a long and happy marriage.” He held her close. “That’s all I want for us.”
“This is real?” she whispered. “You mean this?”
“I mean it. I love you, Renata. And I’ll happily spend the rest of my life making sure you believe me.”
Chapter 15
“You didn’t have to do this.” Renata hugged Lola then Carl Stephens. Not that it surprised her in the least.
“We did, sweetie,” Lola argued. “I’m ashamed of myself. Ashamed, you hear me?”
“Well, no, it all turned out fine,” Carl finished. “More than fine.”
“And it means so much to Ash and me.” Renata eyed the wedding cake Lola and Carl had made for them. Considering she and Ash had pulled the ceremony together in two days, it was coming out quite nicely. The three-tier, lacy-iced confection was gorgeous. “It’s truly beautiful. And I know it will taste even better.” Hopefully, she’d be able to enjoy a piece. After all, it was her wedding day.
“Let’s hope so. It’s not every day we have something this special to celebrate.” Lola waved aside her arguments. “This is the last Boone wedding.”
“Come on, Lola, this girl’s gotta go get hitched,” Carl said, patting Renata’s cheek. “We’ll see you at Cutter’s for the party later on.”
To say their wedding reception would be nontraditional was an understatement. But once word had spread that they were getting married, the whole town had stepped in to help—day after Christmas or not. And since the wedding wasn’t going to be a big affair, the reception had to make up for it. Her brothers, their wives and who knew who else had been drafted into helping put together this last-minute reception party, had been up since before dawn getting ready. The Lodge was at capacity and, considering the number of people expected at the reception, was too small a venue anyway. Cutter’s was a pool hall, but they’d open up the dance hall so there’d be plenty of room. Added good news—she and Ash might be able to sneak away without staying until the wee hours of the morning.
But first, she had to get married.
“Renata?” Fisher cleared his throat. “You ready?”
She nodded, beyond excited to be marrying Ash Carmichael. She’d imagined, once or twice, what it would be like to be loved by him. But her imagination hadn’t come close. He loved with abundance.
“You look beautiful.” There were tears in her brother’s eyes, a rarity. “I know I punched him and all, but I like him well enough. But, you know, if he ever messes up...”
“I know.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “And I’m pretty sure Ash knows. But he won’t. Don’t worry.”
“I’m not.” He smiled a wobbly smile. “I want you to be happy. Always.”
“Then don’t you dare cry.” She wiped at his eye. “I’m the emotional one. Remember?”
“Yeah, yeah.” He sniffed.
Laughter bubbled up. At the end of the day, he’d always be her overprotective brother, willing to punch first and ask questions later. It helped to know that Ash would never do anything that would land him at the end of her brother’s fists. “Let’s go.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He chuckled, hooked her arm through his and led her out to his truck. She let him help her into the passenger seat, then smoothed the white lace fabric over her legs. Eden had insisted Renata wear her wedding dress. It was simple and elegant—just like Eden. The tea-length dress had a full bell skirt, extensive lacework and delicate beading around the sweetheart neckline. It was a little snug on her belly and a little short, but Renata felt pretty anyway. And, as Eden pointed out, it was her something borrowed.
She’d considered the selection of heels and pumps her sisters-in-law had rounded up, but none of them worked. Instead, she’d slipped on her favorite pair of embroidered ostrich-skin boots. After a long debate on what to do with her hair, she’d put her booted foot down. Ash liked her hair and she was leaving it down.
Her sisters-in-law had the whole wedding luck thing covered. A blue silk garter for something blue. Her engagement ring—something old. And the strand of pearls her father had left wrapped for her under the Christmas tree was her something new.
But she and Ash wouldn’t need much luck. They had love.
The drive to town had never been so quick. Kylee and Josie rode with her and Fisher, filling the otherwise silent drive by sharing stories about the kids, their favorite Christmas gifts, the newest recipes that were a hit, and a handful of pregnancy tips Renata was too distracted to remember. When they parked in front of the small whitewashed building that was City Hall, Renata all but jumped out of the truck.
“Careful.” Kylee laughed. “He’s not going anywhere, believe me.”
“He’s right where he wants to be.” Josie pressed a kiss against her cheek.
Her father was waiting for her outside the front door. “You make the prettiest bride I’ve ever seen, Renata Boone. Your momma is smiling down on you right now, make no mistake about it.”
She’d been fighting tears all day, but her father’s words had them flowing. “Daddy...” When he wiped a tear from his eyes, Renata hugged him tight. “I love you. I’m sorry, I know this isn’t the way you imagined this.”
He patted her back. “Nothing to be sorry for, Renata. You found your fella. He’s a good man, a good fit—and I’m mighty fond of the way he loves you and his boy. Besides, I’m tickled pink to have more grandbabies coming. These will be extra special because they’re yours.” He smiled down at her. “I’d say today is just about perfect.”
“Isn’t it?” she agreed.
He hugged her again, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Well, let’s not keep your fella waiting. He’s been pacing the floor, itching for you to get here.”
She swallowed, remembering the love in his eyes last night. He hadn’t been happy about saying good-night, knowing he wouldn’t see her until the wedding. But tradition mattered to her family and to her, so he’d relented. Because, he reminded her, if she was happy, he was happy.
“If I didn’t see how Ash feels about you, I might have some reservations about all this. But that boy?” He smiled at her. “It’s in his eyes. Plain as day. Does a father’s heart good to see, let me tell you.” He kissed her cheek. “Enough talking.”
The doors opened and, beyond the small crowd of Boones, Ash’s mother and Betty, Ash Carmichael stood, shifting from foot to foot, looking
every bit the nervous groom. But when he saw her, she heard her father’s voice. There was tenderness in his eyes—and so much more.
His sudden swallow. The tightening of his jaw. The rapid blinking. That this man wanted to be here, wanted to marry her, filled her with pride. And love. So much love.
His smile was all for her.
Someone, probably Eden, had created an impromptu aisle—with rose petals. Her father led the way, his hand covering hers. She heard the whispers and murmurings of her brothers, their wives and the passel of kids packing the small one-room building, but had no idea what they were saying. All she saw, all that mattered, was Ash.
Her father placed her hand in Ash’s.
“How the hell did I get so lucky?” Ash’s hands were shaking.
“Make sure you never forget it,” her father said. “I’m giving you my daughter but I won’t hesitate to take her back.”
Ash nodded, grinning widely. “I give you my word that will never be necessary.”
“We ready to get this wedding started?” Judge Mack McCoy asked. “I hear there’s some sort of shindig over at Cutter’s tonight and I don’t want to be late.”
* * *
Ash considered himself a patient man. But since his proposal, he’d been a man with a purpose. Now that she’d said yes, nothing was more important than marrying her. And now, with her hand in his, the fear that she’d back out, change her mind, began to fade away. Just like everything that had to do with Renata Boone, today had turned into something altogether unexpected. And wonderful.
She was wonderful.
Now she was there, wearing her boots and a smile that shook him to the bone. Holding her hand in his melted whatever lingering fears he had. He was here for her, because she was home. This place, this town, this family. He’d been given a second chance at a good life and he was going to grab on with both hands and hold tight.
She was what he wanted. Needed.
And this was perfect. Almost. “Wait,” he said, turning toward his mother.
“Da,” Curtis said, reaching for him, his starched button up pulling free from his pressed khaki pants.
Home on the Ranch: Texas Wedding Page 16
