by M Elle Kelso
“I think you’re right, David. That dead cow will have been from the bunch they took before the fall round-up. I’m going to do up a spreadsheet that will show the ranch, the date and the results. I’ll get it typeset and printed on one of the presses that will give us a nice big wall mounted version, then we can hang it up either at your office or the house. Or maybe I should get enough printed to have one at each place and one for Mike as well. Then everyone will know what’s going on as soon as the results are in.”
“Sounds good. In the meantime, we’d better head for Douglas and get the first load of your belongings into the helicopter so I can get back here and do chores. I’ll be so glad when you’re finally out here permanently and I don’t have to gallivant around the countryside just to see you.”
David had turned the helicopter toward Douglas, climbed and picked up speed. They’d be in Douglas in about twenty minutes. In that twenty minutes, they discussed their wedding, laughing as they imagined the fuss everyone would be making for the rest of the week. By the time David set down, they were giggling like a couple of school kids over the plans they’d made.
“Come on, sweetheart, let’s get to your place and load up your car, then we can bring it back here and load the helicopter.”
Grabbing her hand, they started up the road toward C.J.s rented house. Looking at it as they approached, neither of them was sorry she’d soon be seeing the last of this place.
David drove C.J. back to her house as soon as they finished loading the helicopter. After parking her car for her, he took her by the hand and led her toward the house. At the door, he stood looking down at her, a bemused smile hovering around his lips and eyes. This woman would be his forever, as soon as they got through this week. He couldn’t wait to have her to himself every night.
He bent to kiss her, wrapping his arms tightly around her and pulling her close to his body. It was evident he was aroused, but she knew he wouldn’t go any further tonight. She gave him a gentle shove.
“If you don’t want to come in, you’d better go now, or we’ll be standing out here all night.”
“My love, I’d like nothing better than to stay here tonight. But we both know that won’t work. You have to go to Cheyenne tomorrow, I have an early meeting with Patrick. We both need sleep tonight. But...”
David looked as though he had just had the most wonderful thought, making C.J. poke him and urge him to finish the thought.
“What? But, what?”
“I just had this thought about us. I don’t want to leave you, you don’t want to leave me. Tomorrow night I’m coming back in with the truck to pick up a bunch of your belongings, whatever you have packed by the time I get here. What say you bring all your clothes, pack them in suitcases or boxes, and move out to the ranch with me tomorrow. I don’t want to wait anymore for you, C.J. I feel like I’ve waited all my life and even five more days is too many.”
David held her loosely, leaning back so he could see her face as he waited for her reply. What he saw was the blank look of astonishment.
“What’s the matter, love? C.J.?”
“Nothing’s the matter, David. I’m just...I’m...” shaking her head, C.J. began to smile. “I’m just sorry you didn’t think of this sooner, darling.”
Taking that as a yes, David swung her off her feet as he gave her a resounding kiss, aiming for her mouth then continuing around her face; her eyes, her forehead, her nose.
“Thank you, C.J., thank you. Now, get in there before I change my mind and decide I can’t wait for tomorrow.”
He gently pushed her in the direction of the door. The two blocks back to the helicopter was the longest walk he’d ever taken.
Once in the air, David turned his mind to the afternoon’s discovery. He’d better make notes on his aerial map of the ranches to show just exactly where they’d seen the pens and the loading chute. That was one area that would have to be watched carefully.
As the days raced toward the Saturday wedding, C.J. and David found they had very little to do. Kaycee had taken over the plans for decorating her home and Suzanah had commandeered a few of the wives of Patrick’s ranch workers to help her with the food.
Kaycee and C.J. had gone shopping in Cheyenne on Monday and had found a simple, pale teal, floor length dress for C.J., with the same dress for Kaycee and Annie in a darker shade of the same color. Size was not a problem as Suzanah would do the alterations for Annie and Kaycee, while C.J.’s dress fit her perfectly.
While Annie and Kaycee looked for shoes, C.J. visited a jewelry store she was familiar with, looking for a wedding ring for David. She had a design in mind, but when she saw the wide gold band, with three black diamonds set in a diagonal slash, she realized that the ring would be perfect for David.
It was simple, yet elegant.
And goodness knew, it fit right in with his favorite color of clothing. Everything the man wore seemed to be black.
She hoped the size would fit him, she hadn’t had a chance to find out what size ring he wore, but this looked about right. He could always have it sized after the wedding if it needed changing. C.J. tucked the ring into her purse, planning to have Kaycee put it in the office safe when they got home.
When the women arrived back in Cheyenne, there was a welcoming committee waiting for them at the airport. Blake and Jared were with David, all three men waiting at the arrival gate.
Two men welcomed their wives, David grabbed C.J.
“Did you get everything done, darlin’?”
“Oh, David,” she giggled, “I spent so much money on new clothes, it’s sinful.” Her laughing eyes gazed at him, wondering why it had taken her so long to find him.
“Why did those two,” she indicated Blake and Jared, “decide to come?”
“Well, we were talking about our plan to move everything out to the ranch tonight, and they figured that four more people would just make it happen faster.”
He gazed at the other two couples, standing with their arms around each other.
“Of course, we have to keep them separated until we’re finished. Seems like every time they get close to one another, they start that kissin’ and huggin’ stuff.”
C.J. giggled again, so happy to be back with David all she wanted was to be held. “Well, I know how they feel. I don’t want to leave you like that again. I missed you.”
David gathered her close and stood swaying, his kisses on her ear making her shiver.
“Come on, let’s get out of here.” C.J. gave him a shove. “Let’s find something to eat then we can get to work.”
They picked up take out for supper and were busy packing within the hour. By eight thirty, they were finished.
C.J.’s house was empty.
Staying with David at the ranch on a full time basis was everything C.J. had dreamed of and more. When David wasn’t working at the agency’s office, he was home with her. They took walks around the property while she showed him the things she knew from her time spent there when her father was alive. He showed her things he’d done since buying the place. Together they explored the trails wandering around the ranch and then rode onto the back of Patrick Morgan’s ranch and discovered new trails there. David rode Mirage, usually bareback, and C.J. rode the little chestnut mare that had been her favorite. They spent hours just walking their horses while they held hands. The time left before the wedding fairly flew by.
The night before the wedding, Kaycee, Annie and Suzanah came for C.J.. They had managed to get David to agree that she would stay at the Corbin ranch overnight and have the morning with the other women to get ready for her big day. That was as much fussing as David wanted and more time away from him than C.J. was happy about, but they somehow got through the time away from each other.
David spent the early part of the evening doing the final chores around the ranch so that come Saturday morning he would be able to leave bright and early for the Corbin ranch. When his chores were all done, he looked out at the brightly lit landscape, co
urtesy of a full moon and a cloudless sky and decided there was time for one more ride before he turned in.
Saddling Mirage, he headed east, following trails through the ponderosa pines that wildlife had made. Mirage sure-footedly picked his way over the small rocks and around the trees, needing no encouragement to move on. David didn’t realize he had ridden so far until they came out of the trees at the edge of a rockslide. This was the corner of John Williams’s ranch. Rocks that had years before rolled from their place up the mountain made a moonscape of the terrain. Pulling the horse to a stop, he looked out over the expanse, wondering at the catastrophe that had caused this.
“Glad we weren’t in the way of that, Mirage. Would have smarted a bit.” He was talking out loud to his horse and didn’t care. He and Mirage shared some sort of bond that allowed him to read the horse’s mind and he was quite sure the horse could read his. He would never have admitted that out loud to anyone, but he knew C.J. had caught on early to the bond. And while he had never believed in that sort of empathy with animals in the past, he had his living proof with Mirage. He had become a believer.
Turning the horse toward the road he knew ran south of the slide area, he rode aimlessly, looking at the moonlit landscape, marveling in its grandeur and knowing he was lucky to be a part of it. Tomorrow, when he and C.J. said the vows they had written themselves, he reckoned he’d be the happiest man alive and said so. To his horse. That was the kind of secret he could share with Mirage. Blake and Jared would think he was crazy; so would their wives. But C.J. understood.
C.J. understood him.
C.J. was watching the moonrise out of her bedroom window and marveling at the pristine look of the landscape around the ranch. To the north was David’s ranch, with someone else’s property in between. To the east was the Wynn’s home. And tomorrow David’s ranch would become her permanent home. It was like going full circle. What had been her father’s home was now hers. She wondered idly what David was doing and decided he was probably out riding. It would be just like him to take one last ride on Mirage in the vastness of the ranch country around him. She slid into bed, pulling the blankets up around her chin and missed the warmth David’s body provided, missing him next to her and his arms around her.
She fell asleep thinking of him.
David bedded down the stall for his horse then walked back to the house looking at the grandeur of the country around him. He let himself in, listening as he always did for the sounds of C.J. moving around inside. But there were no sounds this night.
In the silence of the house, he got himself ready for bed, wondering what she was doing, wondering if she was missing him like he was missing her. As he slid into bed he missed not having her to reach for, not having her body to snuggle against, not having her there to love.
He fell asleep thinking of her.
Morning was a raucous affair in a house overrun with twin toddlers while everyone else was busy getting their chores done and the house set up for the small wedding. There weren’t many invited, just the people who worked for the agency and Kaycee’s father and his wife. Hooch Lawrence would be there as would Paul Sorne, Will Carter, Mac Blade and Patrick and Suzanah Morgan. The only other guests were Blake and Kaycee and Jared with his Annie. The two women were standing with her, the men with David.
As she stood gazing out over the decorated family room, C.J. felt a great peace of mind, knowing she had finally found true happiness.
“Come on, C.J., get out of here, go take a bath and start getting yourself ready.” Kaycee was standing behind her, holding a twin, C.J. wasn’t sure which one, under her arm. “You go on up, Annie and I will be along as soon as the sitter gets here.”
Kaycee had wisely decided to have someone come and look after the twins so the adults could have the day to themselves.
“All right. I’d like to take a nice long soak, but when you’re ready, just knock and I’ll get out and we can work on this.”
‘This’ was her hair and she held up a piece and moved it in front of her eyes. “I don’t know what you think you can do with this. That’s why I didn’t get a headpiece or any kind of veil. Not to mention they would have looked ridiculous with the dress. And since this isn’t my first wedding, I don’t want to go down that road again. Look where it got me last time.” Her rueful chuckle made Kaycee smile.
Kaycee was quite certain that this time, no matter what she wore, no matter what she did, this marriage would last. These two were meant for each other.
Two hours later, C.J. stood at the top of the stairs with Annie and Kaycee and looked out over the room below. Suzanah had decorated the room with deep red poinsettias in gold foil-wrapped pots. This close to Christmas, it was the easiest flower to get in quantity in this area. C.J. wondered at the fact there were no chairs in rows for the guests to sit on, but decided there were enough big, comfortable chairs scattered around that it wouldn’t be a problem. As she started to turn back to the two women she saw Mac Blade come running through the family room, headed for the stairs. Her heart skipped a beat; fear gripped her. He was in such a hurry it could only be bad news.
“Whew! Didn’t think I’d make it in time. Then David would have had my head.” He held out a long, narrow box, obviously from a florist’s shop.
“What’s this?” asked C.J..
“David had me pick this up for him. He wanted you to have it.” He handed her the box then turned and started down the stairs. “By the way, C.J., you look beautiful.” He winked and was gone, leaving her standing there with the box.
His wink had relaxed her, making her smile and that smile grew when she removed the lid of the box. Inside, nestled in soft tissue paper was a bouquet of creamy white gardenias, surrounded by the darkest green leaves she’d ever seen. It was so beautiful that her eyes filled with tears as she gazed at it. Kaycee and Annie looked at her, then at the box and both women knew C.J. was well and truly loved by the man she was about to marry. Beneath the bouquet he had given her to carry at her wedding was a single, long-stemmed red rose. There was no note, just the rose. But the rose was message enough by itself.
“Oh, my....this is going to make me cry.” C.J. was sniffing, trying to prevent the tears from overflowing and ruining what little make-up she had on. David’s gesture touched her so deeply she didn’t know quite how to respond.
Holding the bouquet and looking at the rose in the bottom of the box, she suddenly reached out and took the rose, holding it between the gardenias and her body.
“It’s time, C.J..” Kaycee was standing beside her.
“You’ve got his ring?” C.J. asked the question for perhaps the sixth time in the last twenty minutes. Kaycee and Annie both laughed as Kaycee held out her hand so C.J. could see the ring circling Kaycee’s index finger.
“It’s right here. Now move. We’re keeping them waiting.”
She gave C.J. a last smile as she started down the stairs, with Annie behind her. C.J. hesitated for just a moment as she watched Blake and Jared move from the kitchen to the area in front of the big fireplace. Then came David. She gazed down at him and felt her heart swell with the love she had for this man. Their eyes met and she locked her gaze with his as she descended the steps. He came to meet her at the bottom step and put her hand under his arm and rested it there, his hand covering hers. As they walked back to where the others waited, including the judge who was presiding over the ceremony, they smiled at each other.
C.J. was thinking she had never seen David so dressed up and looking so regal.
David was thinking that he was marrying the most beautiful woman anywhere. Her dress was made for her and set off her hair and her fair complexion, making her look like someone out of a fairytale.
Together, they thought they were the luckiest two people on earth. They had each other and their love for each other. What more could they ask?
As they stood before the judge, C.J. suddenly found out why there were no chairs lined up. Their friends gathered behind them, as a group. Not
split up by whose friend they were, they were standing with the others to show their support. She vaguely remembered Annie telling her how they had done the same thing at her wedding.
The judge beamed at the two people in front of him, enjoying the feeling of being in the presence of such love. It radiated from both of them, lighting up the room. As the judge began the ceremony, David was watching C.J.; their eyes were locked. He heard the words but wasn’t paying total attention until he heard “Do you, Cornelia Jane, take this man…”
Cornelia Jane? Now he knew what the C.J. stood for.
He smiled at her, understanding why she hadn’t wanted to tell him. In fact she had refused to tell him. All she would say was that he’d find out the day they married. Well, now she would be Cornelia Jane Taylor, Mrs. C.J. Taylor. C.J. Taylor. His wife.
His mind came back to the words being spoken in time to hear her say “in sickness and in health, in times of trials and tribulations, through whatever comes our way and to love, honor and obey him until death parts us.”
He gasped, the enormity of what she said burning him to the core.
Then it was his turn to repeat the vows to her. He clung tightly to her hand as he spoke to her, the words for her alone.
When it came time to exchange their rings, David turned to Blake and took the band that matched her engagement ring as Kaycee handed C.J. the ring she had picked out for him. His eyes were on hers as he raised her hand and kissed her fingers after he had placed the ring there.
And when he looked down at the ring she slid onto his finger, he was amazed to find that it was probably the only ring he might have picked out if someone had given him a choice. The ring spoke to him. In its simplicity was a message. It spoke of love, of time and of the future.
“I now pronounce you man and wife. You, David, may kiss your bride.” Judge Johnson was trying to be heard above the good wishes being flung at the couple while they kissed. David wished he could take this kiss where he’d like to take C.J., but they were with other people. That kiss would have to wait.
