Rocky Mountain Bride (Roberts of Silver Springs Book 4)

by Nadia S. Lee

  “You know what? Let’s dance.” She pulled Sam back onto the floor. “I’m going to have a lot of fun with you tonight.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Sam was grateful for his date’s resilience and attitude. Some women would’ve let the encounter ruin the entire evening, but not Lina. He couldn’t have been prouder. And he was thankful to the good people of Silver Springs for standing up for her.

  So the next day he went to his parents’ house to see his mom, while Lina went out to have a late brunch at Bekah and Bri’s B&B.

  “Mom!” he called out as he stepped inside his childhood home.

  His mother came out of the kitchen. “Hey there. I was just making some tea. Would you like to join me?”

  “Sure, if you have some cookies.”

  “I always have cookies. You know that.”

  He grinned and helped her set the tray, choosing the biggest chocolate chip cookies from the glass jar. Patty baked some of the best cookies in the world.

  “Earl Grey good for you?” she asked.

  “Anything is fine, really. I’m really here for the cookies.”

  She laughed and brought out a big teapot and two delicate-looking porcelain cups. Sam carried everything to the living room.

  “So. Where’s your girlfriend?” she asked.

  “She’s out with Molly, Ally and Emma, although I imagine Bri and Bekah will join them.”

  “They went to the B&B?”

  He nodded. “Thought it would be good for her to have some girl time.”

  Making a noncommittal noise, Patty started pouring hot tea into a cup.

  “I’m actually here to ask you for the ring.”

  His mom stilled. The tea stopped flowing. “You are?”

  “Yes.”

  “You didn’t want it for Jolie.”

  “It wasn’t right for her.”

  “Ah.” Patty resumed pouring tea, not stopping until she filled both cups with steaming brew. “Aren’t things moving a little fast?”

  “Maybe…but it feels right.”

  “You love her.”

  “I do.”

  “It’s so soon.”

  “I don’t need to stare at a diamond for long to know it’s worth keeping.”

  She laughed. “So Lina is a piece of rock now?”

  “A very valuable and pretty one.” Sam smiled.

  “Does she feel the same way?”

  “I believe so.”

  “Did she tell you?”

  “I don’t need the words to know.”

  His mom sighed. “Well, I worry. It’s a big step.”

  “I know. I heard you at the office.”

  She started. “I didn’t realize you overheard us.”

  “Wasn’t intentional. I happened to be walking by to grab some coffee.” Sam took his mother’s fragile hand. “Lina won’t hurt me. If she was going to leave, she would have already. And she would’ve never spoken to you that way.”

  “Maybe not the way her sister did, but…”

  Sam shook his head. “I’m a big boy now, Mom. I can take care of myself.”

  “But if it doesn’t work out…”

  “But what if it does? I’m not going to miss out on a chance to be happy with a woman I love because I might get hurt.”

  Patty considered that for a few moments, then nodded and stroked his cheek with a hand. “Wise beyond your tender years.”

  “I’m your son, so…” He grinned.

  She gave him a look, her lips twitching. “Flattery will get you everywhere. Hold on a minute.” She disappeared upstairs, then returned with a black velvet box. “Here you go.”

  He took it and flipped open the lid. Inside was a beautiful ring. Small, brilliant-cut diamonds circled a large lustrous pink pearl in the center of a white-gold band. Despite its age, it was in perfect condition. Understated and elegant, the ring had belonged to his grandmother, who’d told him always to follow his heart. He’d wanted to propose with it since forever, but he’d known Jolie wouldn’t have liked it. She preferred her jewelry flashier and more modern—preferably in a box the shade of robin’s-egg blue. But he could envision Lina with his grandmother’s heirloom ring, happy to have it and absolutely radiant.

  “Thank you,” he said.

  “As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”

  “I’ll be happy. Lina will make me happy.”

  “Then like I told her, I’ll love her as my own.”

  He hugged his mother. “Thank you.”

  * * *

  Lina wasn’t planning on doing more than late brunch, but then Molly and Ally wanted to do manis and pedis, so she ended up going with them too. She figured she deserved to treat herself after getting her first paycheck. She’d totally forgotten about payday until she’d withdrawn some cash earlier that morning.

  This felt extra special. Not because it was her first job—it wasn’t. But it was the first time she’d gotten a job without caring about what her family thought, and she loved the work. She enjoyed dealing with clients, felt pride in being part of a legal team that helped the little guys, rather than only the rich and corporations with deep pockets.

  The only thing sort of niggling at her was what the drunk guy had said. Maybe she should look for a rental. It’d made sense for her to crash at Sam’s place when she’d thought that her time in Silver Springs was going to be short, but if she wanted to be here for long, she should probably get a place of her own.

  When she mentioned it during their mani pedi, Ally’s eye widened. “Is that what both of you want, or just something you’re doing because of what happened last night?”

  “A little bit of both.”

  “Be specific. Give me the exact percentages,” Molly said.

  “Maybe half and half?” Lina ventured.

  “It’d be a shame to get an apartment only to have to give it up when Sam proposes,” Ally said.

  “I doubt he’s going to propose anytime soon. We’ve known each other for…I don’t know…about a month?”

  Ally tilted her head. “Didn’t you know him before? He was engaged to your sister.”

  “My sister and I don’t always get along, so no.”

  “Oh.”

  Molly shrugged, careful not to jostle her fingers, which were under a manicurist’s care. “It probably doesn’t matter. Sam can find an elegant way to break the lease. That’s his specialty, after all.”

  “Sam doesn’t break leases!”

  “I’m just saying. He’s a lawyer. Not that I hold that against him. It’s convenient to have a lawyer in the family.” Molly winked.

  “But if he did propose, would you?” Ally asked.

  “He’ll have to ask first if you want to find out,” Lina said primly.

  Molly laughed. “You won’t say?”

  “Nope. I’m not giving anyone an answer I haven’t given Sam. He’s going to be the first to hear it.”

  “That means it’s a yes.” Ally sighed. “So romantic.”

  “Hey, stop with the sighing. It’s my brother,” Molly said.

  “Pretend it’s not and quit being so squeamish.” Ally stuck her tongue out. Molly rolled her eyes in response, but she was smiling.

  Lina grinned. She liked hanging out with Sam’s sister and cousins. They were fun, and she felt a camaraderie that she’d never had with her sister. Even with Crystal, the friendship had been more businesslike—worrying about who to impress, how to impress them, how to get a man with a bank account big enough to finance at least an upper-middle-class lifestyle in one of the most expensive cities in the world. It had taken being removed from New York before Lina had started to see the shallowness of it all.

  And now she couldn’t imagine going back to that again.

  “Anyway, I’m going to look for a place, since I do plan to stay here long-term, whether I’m dating Sam or not,” Lina said.

  “Then you should talk to Uncle Bob,” Molly said. “He’s the best realtor in town, and he’ll be ha
ppy to help.”

  “Great. Can you text me his info? I’ll give him a call today.”

  “Done…once my nails dry.”

  Ally gave Lina a meaningful look. “I still say you’re wasting your time.”

  “We’ll see. If Sam proposes,” Lina said, doing her best to stay cool, even though the idea of Sam proposing made her tummy flip.

  “Not if, when.” Ally winked. “I know my cousin. Ten bucks says he proposes before the summer’s over.”

  Lina groaned. “What is it with your family and wagering?”

  “Chicken?” Ally made soft clucking noises.

  Lina tilted her head. “You’re on. Although I feel like losing this bet is winning in life.”

  “It’s called a bet you can’t lose, because no matter what happens, you win,” Molly said. “And if you end up getting the ten bucks from Ally, it’ll only mean Sam’s being slow, not that the proposal isn’t happening.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Lina felt energized and pampered after the mani and pedi, and she couldn’t wait until Sam saw her new royal-purple nails. She’d thought about pink, but that was the color her mother would’ve insisted on. Why should she get that color when she could try something else?

  On the way to the house, she saw a florist, so she stopped and got a bouquet of bright red, purple and yellow tulips. By the time she arrived, the dusk was settling in.

  “I’m home!” she called out, then stopped. When had it become so natural to announce that every time she stepped inside Sam’s house?

  Before she could process it, Sam came out. He looked absolutely perfect in a blue shirt and khaki slacks. Who needed a prince on a white horse when you had a sexy lawyer waiting for you at home?

  “Welcome home,” he said. “Did you have a good time?”

  “It was great!” She extended her free hand, palm down.

  He squinted. “What is it?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Come on.”

  “Purple! My favorite color!” He clutched his chest theatrically. “It looks great on you.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Really?”

  He laughed. “Actually, Molly texted me you guys were getting manis and pedis. Sorry to disappoint.” His gaze zeroed in on the flowers. “Those are pretty.”

  “They are, aren’t they?” She thrust them his way. “For you.”

  “Me?”

  “I saw them, and I had to get them because…” She stopped, suddenly shy. “They’re cheery and wonderful, and they reminded me of you.”

  He kissed her tenderly. “Thank you.” He placed the bouquet on the dining table and went into the kitchen. She gasped. “My gosh. You don’t have a vase, do you?”

  He laughed. “Thanks to Bri, I do.”

  “Bri?”

  “A housewarming gift. She said everyone needed a vase, just in case.” He brought out a cool, pale blue crystal cylinder from a cabinet in the corner. “And your flowers get to be the first to grace it.”

  Lina grinned, absurdly pleased.

  “And since the weather’s so perfect, we should have an evening picnic. Just the two of us by my favorite spot by the creek. I don’t think I’ve ever taken you there.”

  “Is that where you fish?”

  “Sometimes.”

  “Sure. I’d love to.”

  “Excellent. I already prepped a basket for us.”

  They climbed inside his convertible and went off. A panoramic summer vista greeted her—all those shades of green and blooming flowers. Aside from the natural scenery, Sam pointed out a few roadside flowerbeds that had lilies. “Some of the townsfolk are putting those together to make Silver Springs more beautiful.”

  “That’s wonderful. I want to help out next year.”

  “They’d love to have you. They’re always looking for more volunteers.”

  He reached over and took her hand. She linked her fingers with his, enjoying the skin-to-skin connection, the wind in her hair and the alpine quiet, broken only by the sound of the car.

  The sun was mostly gone by the time Sam pulled over to a patch of dirt and killed the engine. “Close your eyes,” he said.

  “Do I have to?”

  “Uh-huh.” He nodded. “Don’t you trust me?”

  “I do.” And she smiled a secret smile as she said those words.

  Her eyes closed, she felt a long strip of silk being tied around her face to keep her eyes covered. She waited, her heart pounding with excitement like a child on Christmas. Sam placed his hands at her elbow and the small of her back and led her slowly forward.

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “Patience.”

  Biting her lower lip, she grinned. Whatever it was, it was going to be awesome. She knew because it was Sam.

  A couple of gentle tugs, and the blindfold came free. She blinked as her eyes adjusted. A sheet of soft plaid lay on the field, surrounded by what seemed to be a hundred small candles. The evening sky was rich with stars and the full moon.

  “Wow,” she breathed.

  He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back against his chest. “Happy?”

  “Definitely happy. I love it.” She turned her head so she could see his face. I love you. “Thank you.”

  He grinned. “My pleasure.”

  They both settled on the blanket. “When did you have the time to set all this up?” she asked.

  “I did it before bringing you over. And they aren’t real candles. Otherwise Emma would flay me.” Emma volunteered at the local fire department.

  “But…”

  “Look.”

  Lina leaned closer. Sure enough, he was right. They were actually battery-powered lights with little free-moving plastic pieces to look like flames. They seemed so real that if Sam hadn’t told her, she would’ve never guessed. “That’s amazing.”

  “I saw them when I was in Tokyo.”

  She smiled. “How did you find so many?”

  “I know somebody who knows somebody.”

  She laughed.

  He laid out their picnic food. It was simple, just some slices of roast beef, cheese, fruit salad and brownies. She raised an eyebrow when he pulled out a bottle of chilled Dom.

  “Wow. This just turned into a super-fancy champagne picnic.”

  “Nothing’s too good for my girl.”

  It gave her an absurd thrill to have him call her that.

  Sam uncorked the Dom with a dexterity that surprised her, and served the bubbly wine. She watched with bemusement. “You missed your calling when you became a lawyer.”

  He grinned. “Want to know a secret? I bartended while going to law school.”

  She raised both eyebrows. “Really?”

  “It paid well, and I was good at it.”

  They clinked their flutes together. The Dom’s flavor coated her mouth like liquid butter, rich, with just right amount of acidity to keep it refreshing.

  “I always thought you tutored the LSAT or something,” she said.

  “Did you ever take it?”

  “Once because my parents wanted me to, but I scored so badly they stopped pressuring me.” She fed Sam a piece of the excellent cheddar. “How did you know you wanted to be a lawyer?”

  “My dad was one, and I grew up with it.”

  “But Chase and Molly didn’t go into law.” She’d heard the brother was serving in the military.

  “I was also good at it. I enjoy looking at details and how everything adds up to a bigger whole. It’s like a game, and every case is different. Keeps things fresh.” He tilted his head. “How about you? You’ve never felt the urge to go to Hollywood to see if you could make it?”

  “Nope. Not my dream. I studied drama because I enjoyed it, not because I had any acting aspirations. I didn’t subscribe to the idea that I had to study something with a career in mind.” She smiled ruefully. “Which is why I never had any kind of career plan.”

  He shrugged. “There’s no single right way to live your life.”

>   “I know,” she said softly. She didn’t realize that until she’d come to Silver Springs and met Sam and all the interesting and cool people in town. And for that, she’d always be grateful.

  Soon they finished the platter of food. She stretched her arms. “That was…amazing. Thank you.”

  “Lina…there’s something I need to say.” Sam’s suddenly solemn demeanor sent a frisson of anticipation through her. It was the kind of gravity that meant whatever he was about to tell her would profoundly change their relationship.

  She swallowed as her heart accelerated. Her mouth dry, she said, “Okay.”

  “This may feel too sudden…too soon…but I don’t need more time to know what I want in my life.” He turned so that he was looking her fully in the eye, and took her hand. “You.”

  “Sam…”

  “I love the way you don’t let life get you down. I love your resilience, your courage, your strength. I love all that you are, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  Her lips parted.

  “I love you, Lina.” He rose to one knee, and produced a velvet box with its lid open. “Will you marry me?”

  She covered her hot cheeks with her palms. This was so unexpected, so sudden, but so right. “I don’t know what to say.” Surely a moment like this called for something very clever and meaningful, but her brain was too high to come up with anything.

  “You’re supposed to say yes.”

  “Yes.” She launched herself at him, her arms going around his neck. “Yes, yes, yes!” She kissed him on his forehead, his eyes, tip of his nose, his cheeks and chin. “And just for the record, I love you too, Sam.”

  Laughing, he embraced her and covered her mouth with his. She melted into him—the axis of her world re-tilting just so, the stars in her sky realigning, and the sweetest warmth filling her heart. All her life she’d felt like an outsider looking in. Now she’d found exactly where she belonged—with Sam.

  Chapter Nineteen

  After Lina came back home with Sam, she checked the time. It was a bit late in New York, but her parents rarely went to bed early. “Sleep is for the weak” and “You can sleep when you’re dead” were their mottos.