"So, if she's getting married, I suppose that would make you single again?" She smiled playfully at him but he wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention. He needed to find out if there was any truth to this rumor. And, he still had one more stop to make on the way home.
Julia wasn't surprised to hear that Ricky had proposed the night before.
"He's not one to wait around. Ricky is good at making things happen. Usually." She looked at her friend closely. "Do you love him?"
"He's a lot of fun," Colleen answered, somewhat avoiding the question. Julia raised her eyebrows, indicating that she was still waiting for a real answer.
Colleen sighed. "I really don't know how I feel about Ricky, but it's not love. Not yet."
"Do you think it could be, at some point? Ricky does have a number of advantages," Julia pointed out sensibly.
"I know. One of the women last night pretty much told me I'd be a fool not to marry him."
"But you really aren't sure, and there's still David to consider," Julia said, and then asked, "What are the two of you doing tonight?"
"He didn't say, just that he had something special planned."
"I think I hear him outside now." Colleen also heard the sound of a buggy coming up the drive. A moment later, there was a knock at the door. Colleen let him in and then they said their goodbyes to Julia and headed out.
"So, that something special I mentioned? It's nice out and still light, so I thought we'd have a picnic dinner at my place. We can eat at my favorite spot, by the pond."
"Oh, that sounds wonderful."
A short time later, David pulled up to his house and helped Colleen out of the buggy. They went inside for a moment so he could get the picnic basket that he'd packed earlier.
"Do you mind carrying this?" he asked as he handed her a blueberry pie.
"Did you bake this?" It looked delicious.
He chuckled. "Of course not. That's from my mother. She remembered that you mentioned liking blueberry pie and insisted that our picnic wouldn't be complete without it."
"She's a smart woman."
David picked up the picnic basket and headed for the door. Colleen followed with the pie. They walked across the field to a small meadow full of tiny flowers that took her breath away.
"Pretty amazing, huh?" He flashed her a grin and they kept walking until as they came over a hill, she saw a glistening pond below. There was a soft, grassy area at one end and that's where David set the basket down and spread out a blanket. They both sat and then he opened the basket and drew out plates and some sliced cheese and apples.
It was so relaxing to sit in the sunshine and just enjoy each other's company. As they chatted easily and nibbled on the cheese and apples, an orange cat wandered over and rubbed against David's back until he reached over and scratched its ears.
"This is Boris. He's getting up there in age, but he still likes to chase birds every now and again and keep an eye on the horses and cattle." Boris purred loudly as David petted him and then, with a twitch of his tail, he ventured over to where Colleen was sitting and tentatively rubbed against her knee.
"Hi, Boris." She loved cats. They'd had a house cat that everyone shared at the boarding house in Boston and she missed having a furry friend around. She reached out and patted his head and he continued to purr as he flopped himself down and got comfortable between the two of them.
"You don't mind, do you? Boris likes to follow me around whenever I'm home. Sometimes, I think he thinks he's a dog."
"No, I don’t mind at all. You don't have any dogs, do you?" She didn't think she'd noticed any.
"No, it's just me and Boris. We're a good team."
Colleen smiled at the sight of David rubbing Boris's belly. The big, tough cowboy was a marshmallow with his cat. It was nice to see a softer side of him. Out here, he seemed more relaxed, less reserved. She really liked this David.
"Are you ready for something else to eat?" He reached for the basket and started rummaging in it.
"Sure, what do you have?"
"Fresh bread that was baked this morning, butter, and sliced roast turkey. I hope sandwiches are all right?"
"Of course. Did you make all this?" Colleen was surprised and quite impressed. She had no idea he could cook.
He looked a bit sheepish. "No, unfortunately. I'm not much of a cook. I did have a little help. I bought the bread and butter at the mercantile earlier today and stopped by my mother's house on the way home. Our arrangement was for me to pick up a few things for her in town and she would have a roast turkey ready for me."
"That's a nice arrangement. Sounds like you need a wife," Colleen teased.
David chuckled. "I happen to agree. Do you know anyone who might be interested?"
"Possibly." She smiled at the thought. She had to admit, she could see herself fitting more easily into David's world than to Ricky's. Though she would have thought the opposite when she’d first arrived in Bozeman. Living in town at Ricky's place would be more like being in Boston, but unlike Ricky, Colleen didn't mind being out in the middle of nowhere, as he put it. She thought it was beautiful and peaceful and she liked that both his parents and Julia lived nearby.
"Well, you're giving me hope, then. I have to confess I was a bit nervous about asking you this." He dug into his pocket and pulled out something small and shiny and Colleen's mouth fell open. She truly wasn't expecting that. Not yet, anyway.
"Colleen Shea, would you do me the very great honor of being my wife?" His hand shook ever so slightly as he held the ring out and Colleen looked into his eyes and saw something there that shook her to her core. He hadn't said that he loved her, but she could see very clearly that he cared for her deeply. That was a good enough start for her. She didn’t even hesitate.
"I would love to," she breathed.
"Really?" He sounded a little surprised and relieved and then quickly slid the ring on her finger. She looked down and marveled at its beauty. It was a square cut diamond and it glistened as the sunlight fell upon it. She felt a calloused hand on her chin, pulling her toward him and then for the first time, he kissed her. His touch was light and warm and his lips brushed hers for just a moment or two before he leaned back and smiled. His touch warmed her like Ricky's hadn't and she relaxed, knowing she had made the right choice.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Julia and Liam were still up when David brought her home later that night. They could see the glimmer of candlelight as they pulled up to the door. David came inside with her for a moment to share their good news. Julia saw the ring on her finger before either of them said a word and flew across the room to give her a hug.
"Congratulations! I am so happy for you both. When will you have the wedding?"
Colleen glanced at David to let him answer. They had discussed it earlier.
"We were thinking in about three weeks, the weekend after the art society benefit," he said.
"That gives a little time to plan and I'm going to be making us new dresses for it, so I'll have something nice to wear for the wedding, too," Colleen added.
"That makes sense." Julia glanced at both of them when she asked the next question, "Will you still work at the pub? You don't have to, but you're welcome to." Colleen knew they needed her there, especially with Julia getting further into her pregnancy and needing to slow down at some point. She and David had discussed that as well.
"Yes, I'd like to. David said I can use his buggy to go into town. He doesn't need it too often for working on the farm.
"Oh, good, we like having you there." Both Julia and Liam looked relieved to hear that she would be staying on at the pub. Colleen had caught on quickly to restaurant work and was able to fill in waiting on tables as needed as well as acting as a hostess. She enjoyed the work as well for the most part. It was fast paced and made her feel useful.
After David said his goodbyes and that he'd see them all the next day at church, Liam excused himself to head to bed. Once he'd left the room, Julia turned her attention bac
k to Colleen.
"I'm thrilled, of course, but are you sure about this? You were just out with Ricky last night."
Colleen sighed. "I'm sure. It just felt right when David asked me. I didn't get that same feeling from Ricky. But it's not just that. It's been building. I've always been drawn to Ricky but also wary of him at the same time. He's not as bad as Frank, but they do share some similar qualities that ultimately made it clear that David was the better choice for me."
"Are you in love with David?" Julia looked hopeful and doubtful at the same time.
"I'm not sure. Maybe if I'd only been dating him, I might be, but I kept both of them at a distance to be respectful of everyone's feelings and because I wanted to avoid being hurt as well. It took me a long time to get over Frank."
"I know it did," Julia sympathized. "And coming out here was a huge step for you. I'm so glad and proud of you that you did it."
"I'm glad I did it, too. Bozeman really feels like home already."
She chuckled then. "And to think that I had the option to live in town and chose to live on a farm instead."
"I'm not at all surprised," Julia said. "It's not where you live that matters as much as who you live with."
Colleen had to agree with that, and for the first time in several weeks, now that the decision had been made, she slept like a baby.
At David's parents’ house the next day after church, they talked about the wedding non-stop. Naomi was thrilled with the news and Elizabeth was fascinated with her ring. Before they sat down to dinner, Colleen had Elizabeth try on the dress that she'd half-finished sewing so she could see how it looked and adjust the fit. Elizabeth insisted on doing it before they ate, when she'd be at her slimmest. She twirled in her bedroom as she admired herself and the dress in the full-length mirror. Finally, Colleen had had enough.
"I'm glad you like it, but I need you to stand still for a few minutes so I can get this pinned without sticking you."
"Oh, sorry!" Elizabeth then stood perfectly straight while Colleen nipped and tucked here and there to get it just right.
"It does look lovely on you," she said as she stuck in the final pin.
"I can't thank you enough for this!" Elizabeth turned and looked at Colleen and added, "As soon as all of my friends see this dress, they are going to want one of their own. You could start a sewing business!"
Colleen just smiled at that. She appreciated Elizabeth's enthusiasm, but she doubted that there would be that much of a demand in Bozeman for her sewing services. She didn't mind, though, as she enjoyed working at the pub. If she could pick up the occasional sewing project here and there, that would be just fine with her.
Just as Elizabeth was almost done slipping the dress off, Naomi's panicked voice called up to them. "Girls, could you come down here as soon as you have a minute? Jed is missing, and we need to go find him."
Elizabeth quickly got dressed and they made their way into the main room where the others were gathered. Naomi looked close to tears and quickly explained. "I thought he was just going out to the barn as soon as we got home from church to get some eggs, but he never came back in. I had Joshua run out to check and there's no sign of him. David and Paul have already gone out to start looking."
Colleen hadn't even noticed that Jed wasn't there when they'd first arrived. It seemed somewhat strange to her that they were so alarmed. It was a nice day, and he probably just went for a walk. She kept her thoughts to herself, though, as Naomi seemed very upset.
"Julia, why don't you, Elizabeth and Colleen go together, and Hannah and I will head out and the rest of the boys will go ahead of us on horses so they can go faster."
Elizabeth led the way as they walked down towards the pond area that David had shown her before. She walked quickly and Colleen noticed that although she was quiet, she looked almost as upset as her mother. Then she suddenly realized why. "It's not the first time he's done this, is it?" she asked.
Elizabeth bit her lower lip. "No. It happened one day last week, too, but we didn't notice right away because he was just off working as usual. He always feeds the animals and brings in the eggs first thing, then sits down to have breakfast with us. When he was more than a half-hour late, my mother started worrying and sent a few of the boys out to find him." Elizabeth paused for a moment and then continued. "They found him sitting by the pond, staring off into space. Once he saw the boys, he snapped back and said he'd just been resting his eyes, that he was tired, but they knew something was off."
"Maybe he'll be there again," Colleen said, but as the pond came into view there was no sign of Jed anywhere. They were about to turn back when Julia stopped and said, "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Elizabeth asked and then they all heard the sound of footsteps and twigs cracking underneath. It was coming from just beyond the pond. They started walking toward the sound, into the woods, and then they saw him. Jed was walking in the opposite direction of the house and every few feet he stopped and changed direction slightly.
"Dad?" Elizabeth called out. At the sound of her voice, he turned and stared at her blankly. "Dad, it's me, Elizabeth."
A confused and panicked look flashed across his face and it broke Colleen's heart. It was as if he knew that something was wrong, that it was happening again, but then the moment was just as quickly gone and it was as if suddenly all the pieces clicked together and he smiled.
"My favorite daughter. What are you doing out here?"
"Your only daughter, silly. I was looking for you. Mom wanted me to come find you so we can all sit down to dinner."
"Oh, all right, then." He walked over to them and smiled. "I am getting kind of hungry. Beautiful day, isn't it?"
They walked back to the house and ran into Joshua on horseback. He took one look at them and just said, "I'll see you all back there." He rode off in the opposite direction, though, and Colleen guessed he was going to find the others and tell them to hurry back.
When they arrived back at the house, Elizabeth fussed over her father, telling him to have a seat and making him a cup of hot tea. As she was setting it down in front of him, Naomi came rushing into the house and then slowed down when she saw him sitting safely at the dining room table. She looked as though she wanted to give him a big hug, but she restrained herself and, instead, smiled cheerily.
"Now that everyone is all here, let's sit down and eat."
The rest of the afternoon passed peacefully and it was almost as if Jed's disappearing act never happened. No one mentioned it, and he was the same lively Jed that they always saw.
Later on, while the men were discussing the latest farm news in the other room, the women gathered around Naomi in the kitchen. She looked tired and worried.
"Elizabeth said this has happened before?" Julia asked.
"Yes, the same day that Emma and I went in to see the doctor. I tried to get Jed to come, but he's in denial that there's anything wrong. It's just as well, though. No sense in getting him upset, since the doctor said there's really nothing we can do about it."
"Nothing at all?" Colleen asked. She couldn't begin to imagine how difficult that must be for Naomi and how terrifying for Jed.
"Nothing. He said it's just going to get worse, but it could hold off for a long time. He could stay at this level for years. It's impossible to say. We'll just have to keep a closer eye on him, and pray that it doesn't get much worse."
"We'll do anything we can to help," Emma said.
"Thank you." Her eyes grew misty for a moment. It had been an emotional day. She shook it off, though, and forced a smile. "So, let's change the subject to something more cheerful. We have a wedding to plan!"
Ricky stopped into Donovan's pub a little before four on Monday. He wanted to catch Colleen before she left for the day and he wanted to see the ring and hear it from her. He'd heard the news, of course, the day before, as his sister had seen all the Donovans and Colleen at church and stopped by his house on the way home to let him know. She’d been matter-of-fact but also
sympathetic.
"I know you really liked her and she would have made a wonderful mayor's wife, assuming you managed to actually win," she teased him. "But you dodged a bullet as she clearly wasn't in love with you."
"She could have grown to love me. We could have grown to love each other," he’d sulked.
"See, you weren't in love with her, either. Things have a way of working out."
"I don't know about that. It's not like there are any other eligible women in Bozeman."
"Have faith. There's someone out there for you."
"Easy for you to say. You're happily married." Barbara and Tom married as soon as they’d both finished school. They'd been great friends first and with their three children seemed to be the perfect, happy family. Ricky had always liked Tom. He and Barbara were well suited and he was happy for both of them.
"It will happen for you, too."
The bar was almost empty as he slid into a chair at the far end. Billy came right over and asked if he wanted his usual, and a moment later set a beer in front of him. The restaurant was always quiet at this time of day, when the lunch rush was over and the dinner crowd had yet to come in. Colleen walked out of the kitchen, and immediately saw him and walked over.
"I hear congratulations are in order," he couldn't help saying as she reached him. She blushed and looked away uncomfortably, and while she did he took a good look at her ring. David had done well for himself.
"I'm sorry," she began and he interrupted before she could say anything else.
"I suppose I might have had a better chance if I'd had a ring for you? I was just caught up in the moment. It was really poor planning, now that I think of it." He joked a bit, hoping to lighten the moment. He didn't want to make her feel bad. She'd made her choice and he had to respect that.
"No, it wasn't that at all. I was honored that you asked me."
"I just wasn't the right guy, was I?" he said softly. He didn't wait for an answer before adding, "I wish the both of you a lifetime of happiness, I really do. David is a good guy."
COLLEEN: A Sweet Western Historical Romance Page 8
