Hope nodded. “He seems very sweet.” She was thankful for his agreement on waiting for sex. She was nervous about the wedding still, but it made it easier knowing he didn’t expect that immediately.
Chastity rushed from the room without a word to anyone.
“She probably had to pee again,” Faith said, rolling her eyes.
Hope laughed, feeling some of the tension ease out of her at the familiar complaint. “Why can’t she just go when we’re stopped somewhere?”
Lachele looked between the sisters. “Did Chastity have bladder issues on the drive here?”
“Chastity always has bladder issues,” Joy said.
“Next time you go on a car trip with her, you should get her a box of Depends. You could totally bling them out so she’d like them better and actually wear them. No need to stop all the time!”
Hope stared at the woman for a moment, not sure if she was supposed to laugh or agree with her. Thankfully, Chastity burst back into the room. “I got you this for your wedding night!” Chastity announced, a grin on her face. She handed Hope a white box wrapped nicely with a lavender ribbon.
Hope looked at the box for a moment, afraid to open it. “Should I open it now? Or later?”
“Now! I want to see your face when you open it!”
Hope sighed. “I was afraid you were going to say that,” she mumbled.
“What?” Chastity asked.
“Nothing.” Hope took hold of one end of the ribbon and tugged on it, untying it. She then slid the box open, and stared down at a frilly piece of red see-through lingerie. She couldn’t imagine ever wearing it. “Thank you, Chastity. It’s lovely!”
“Look under it!” Chastity was practically bouncing up and down with her excitement.
Hope was more afraid than ever as she moved the frothy piece of fabric out of the way. Oh. Dear. God. A vibrator. One that looked like it was simulating an elephant penis. The thing was enormous!
“Just in case he’s not good in the sack!” Chastity explained, her face lit up with excitement.
“I—appreciate it, Chastity. Thank you for thinking of me.”
Chastity hugged Hope. “I love you so much. I hope you’re happy with Karlan.”
Hope smiled. “I’m sure I will be.”
Lachele stepped forward. “Sorry to interrupt, but I think it’s time to get out there. The pastor’s here. The men are waiting. Let’s get this show on the road, ladies.”
Hope watched as her three sisters left the room to go out to join the men. There was no one to give her away, but that was okay. The wedding was small. She could walk herself down the aisle. How hard could it be?
She hurriedly closed the box and moved it to the floor outside of Linda’s bedroom. She’d get it after the wedding and not feel like she needed to ask permission to go back into Linda’s room. That would be perfect. Then she just had to find a place to dispose of the gift. Too bad Faith’s kiln hadn’t arrived yet.
She slowly walked down the hallway toward the living room, where she could hear people. As soon as she saw Karlan, standing there in a formal suit, her heart started racing. He looked good as a cowboy, but he looked just as good in his formal attire. All she could think about was going to the man, grabbing him, and kissing him silly.
Of course, that led to thoughts about where kissing him silly could lead, and she started shaking. By the time she was at Karlan’s side, she was shaking like a leaf, and having to force her breathing to stay calm. Why was this so hard for her?
Brother Anthony smiled at Hope. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join these two people, Karlan and—” He looked over at his wife. “Lovie? What’s the bride’s name again?”
“Oh, you should be able to remember that, dear! It’s Hope! I hope you’ll get it right!” Lovanne giggled behind a white handkerchief.
“That’s right. Hope. We’re gathered here to join Karlan and Hope in the state of holy matrimony. Of course, they’ll still be in the state of Wyoming when they’re in the state of holy matrimony. Why do they call matrimony a state? Do you know, Lovie?”
“No, but the bride is nervous, so you just keep going with the wedding, Tony!”
“Yes, dear.” He faced the couple again. “Do you, Karlan, take this sweet woman to be your wife?”
It was obvious to Hope he’d forgotten her name again. Who was this man? She couldn’t wait to go to a Sunday service if he was the one preaching. He was going to be a lot more entertaining than Pastor Rick back home. Pastor Rick talked about hellfire and damnation for sixty percent of his sermons. The other forty percent was spent picking apart the flaws of everyone in the congregation.
“I do.” Karlan smiled at her as he said the words. He squeezed the hand he was holding as well. She wondered if he could tell how nervous she was and was trying to help.
“Do you, insert bride’s name here, take Karlan to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
Karlan leaned toward the pastor. “Her name is Hope.”
“That’s what I said,” Brother Anthony retorted.
“I do,” Hope replied, biting her lip to stifle her laughter.
“I don’t think you need to repeat anything after me, since you both said, ‘I do.’ So you’re man and wife now. Kiss her, you fool!”
Karlan leaned down and brushed his lips across hers, keeping the kiss soft and gentle. He slipped his arm around her shoulders and turned toward their families gathered there. “We’ll get rings later,” he whispered.
Hope nodded, very much at ease after the wedding. Brother Anthony was a real gem.
The others crowded around them, hugging them both. Linda held Hope for a moment longer than the others. “I have a daughter!”
Hope laughed. “I hope I live up to your expectations.”
“Of course you will!” Linda turned and hurried into the kitchen, pulling out two trays of finger foods. “I had a feeling at least one of the boys would marry today, so I made these last night.”
Lachele grinned. “I knew it would be Karlan. He’s not the patient sort, is he?”
“Not true!” Karlan protested. He looked at Hope. “Okay, so it’s true. But I try.”
Hope grinned at him, liking the look in his eyes. “I appreciate all efforts. Especially if they’re geared toward being patient with me!”
She walked over and picked up a tiny sandwich from the platter on the counter, taking a bite. “This is good!”
Karlan watched her, and watched the way she interacted with her sisters and his mother, as well as Lachele. It seemed she didn’t even notice his brothers. “You know, I should probably introduce you to my brothers, and it might be a good idea for me to meet your sisters,” he said softly, his lips against her ear.
Hope felt a tingle rush through her body at his innocent gesture. “Sounds smart.” She motioned for her sisters to come close. “This is Faith,” she said. “This is Joy.” Joy waved. “And that’s Chastity.” Hope said a silent prayer that Chastity would, just this once, keep her mouth shut.
Karlan smiled at all of them, before turning to his brothers. “That’s Cooper and Kolby. The two of them are completely dedicated to the ranch. And that’s Chris. He’s a science teacher.”
“Really? A science teacher?” Hope was surprised, but she wasn’t sure why. All four brothers looked like they belonged on a ranch. “Do you help out on the ranch as well?”
Chris nodded. “Of course. I only work during the school year. I’m an itinerant teacher, going from homeschooled family to homeschooled family, teaching the higher level sciences.”
“I’ve never heard of that as an occupation. Very interesting.”
“Chris kind of invented his own job,” Karlan said, obviously dismissing his brother. “What did you do back home? Wow, I don’t even know where back home was. Mom just told me in her text earlier that you’d traveled thirteen hundred miles, but she didn’t say from which direction!”
Hope laughed, taking his hand and leading him to the sofa, wh
ere she sat close beside him. “Back home is Kentucky. We were in a small town, near Paducah. My sisters and I weren’t allowed to work. We occupied our time with crafts.”
“Not allowed to work?” The words came from Linda. “Why weren’t you allowed to work?”
Hope smiled sardonically. “Our parents believed that a single female’s job is to find a man to marry. They didn’t think any girls should work on starting a career when they’d just be required to quit as soon as children were born.”
Karlan frowned. “Why would you be required to quit when you had children?”
“Because a woman’s place is in the kitchen, of course.” Hope shook her head. “Faith makes dolls, and I’ve always sewn clothes for them. I also volunteer a lot of time with children. I teach Sunday school at our church. I work with kids after school. I volunteer in the local schools, doing whatever anyone needs. I do what it takes to keep busy.”
“How did your parents expect you to occupy your time?”
“Searching for a husband, of course. What else would we do?”
He blinked a couple of times. “Are you serious? Is anyone really that backward in today’s world?”
Hope sighed. “Only my parents. Don’t worry. I don’t expect to be a wastrel.”
He shook his head. “I don’t care if you work. We don’t really need the money, and it’s always nice to have laundry done and dinner ready and whatever else women do when they’re home all day. But…if you want to work, you can work. I have no desire to control you that way.”
She smiled sweetly. “I may just take you up on that.”
The front door banged open, slamming against the wall. Karlan immediately stood when he saw his cousin, Travis, standing there. “What do you want?”
Travis’s eyes focused on Karlan. “I see you decided to follow Granddaddy’s will to the letter. Married already?”
“You’re not going to get this ranch.” The way the will was worded, those who were married would inherit the ranch. Travis was married. “I’m married now too.”
“You know as well as I do, I don’t want your stupid ranch. In fact, what I really want is for the ranch to be sold. I want my share.”
“We’re not selling the ranch!” Karlan yelled, before he realized he’d even raised his voice. “How can you want us to sell off the ranch that’s been in our family since the 1880s? Don’t you want your children to understand their heritage?”
“Why would I care? I want the cash. Sell off a fifth of it.”
Karlan shook his head. “We’re not selling off one square inch of dirt. This whole place belongs to Culpeppers. After a hundred and thirty years, it’s going to keep belonging to Culpeppers.”
“I’ve contacted a lawyer, you know.” Travis studied his nails as he spoke. “I’m taking you four boys to court. You’ve got six months to buy me out, or I’m going to insist on a sell-out.” He waved before turning and leaving.
Kolby took off toward the front door. Karlan ran and grabbed his brother’s arm. “Don’t give him the pleasure!”
“I’m going to kick his citified butt. That man doesn’t know what a real man does with his time. No, he’s not getting our ranch.”
Karlan sighed. “He’s not getting the ranch. I don’t know how we’re going to come up with that kind of cash in six months, but he’s not getting our ranch.” He rubbed the back of his neck. They could easily come up with about a fifth of the money necessary. He didn’t want to mortgage the ranch, but he would if he had to. Travis was not getting a single acre.
Kolby closed his eyes and nodded. “He’s not getting it. You’re right. Kicking his butt would do no good.”
“No, it wouldn’t. We’re just going to have to figure out how to make a little more money.”
Hope looked at Faith. Faith nodded. Chastity and Joy walked over to Hope, each putting a hand on her shoulder. They may not have been allowed to use them for making money, but all the sisters had skills. Their men were about to wonder what hit them. They were going to help save the ranch.
Out of the corner of her eye, Hope saw Linda watching them. She’d help them. Hope was sure of it. Monday, the four of them would sit down and have a meeting. In the meantime, it would be Hope’s job to crunch some numbers.
4
Much later that evening, Karlan drove Hope and her SUV over to his house. The men had unpacked the vehicle, putting Joy, Faith, and Chastity’s things into the house first. Hope had left her things in the vehicle, ready to get them into her permanent home.
When he stopped in front of his house, he led her to the door, surprising her when he swung her up in is arms and carried her over the threshold. Hope let out a gasp of surprise, not having expected that. He set her down in the living room, leaning down to kiss her softly. “Welcome home, wife.”
Hope smiled, leaning into him. “I think I’m going to like it here.”
He smiled, tapping her nose with his index finger. “You explore while I bring your stuff in.”
Hope wandered through the house. It wasn’t big, but it wasn’t tiny either. There were three bedrooms and two bathrooms. She went into his room first, eyeing the big bed for a moment. Soon she’d be sleeping there with her husband. Shaking her head, she walked away. She wasn’t going to start obsessing about sex like Chastity.
She went into his bathroom, looking around. There were two sinks, and a separate shower and bathtub. The bathtub was a huge one, and she looked forward to soaking in it.
Next she went into the kitchen. It was large with an island in the middle and well-laid out. She’d be able to cook there comfortably.
The living area looked like it was designed for comfort. There was a cozy sectional sofa and a large screen TV. From there, she went down the hall to the other two bedrooms. There was a bathroom in between.
One room had a full-sized bed and a small dresser. The other had a desk. Hope decided her sewing machine could go in there. She’d start making the outfits for Faith’s babies just as soon as she could. They had to help out the men. And she had some thoughts about how she could make money on her own as well. Yes, there would be no problem paying off that awful cousin.
Karlan carried her suitcases and boxes into her room, making several trips. “How did you get all this stuff here?” he asked.
She shrugged. “We shipped a lot ahead to your mom’s house, but we also strapped the suitcases on top of the car and put the boxes in the back. We probably should have strapped Chastity to the top, but it didn’t seem like an option at the time.”
He chuckled, setting down the last of her boxes into her room. “That’s done. Anything more coming?”
She bit her lip. “Well, our younger sisters are shipping the rest of the stuff.”
“Younger sisters? There are more of you?”
Hope nodded. “Grace and Honor are twins. Didn’t I tell you that? I thought I had. They’re still at home in Kentucky. I wish you had two more brothers for them. I hate that they’re still stuck at home with Mom and Dad.”
“It really doesn’t sound like a place I’d want to be. We’ll figure something out for them.” He patted her arm. “Do you need help unpacking?” She was still in her bridal gown, and he knew she needed to change out of it soon.
She shook her head. “No, I’ll go ahead and change. Are you hungry? We had snacks at your mom’s but I can cook something.”
He nodded. “A little. Are you a good cook?”
She laughed. “I have a degree in Homemaking. Did you know that’s even something you can get a degree in today? Well, you can!”
“Why did you get a degree in Homemaking? It was your choice, wasn’t it?”
“It’s all our parents would allow. I managed to minor in Accounting, but my parents didn’t know that until after I’d graduated.”
“I’m glad you’re here and not under their rule any longer.” He pulled her to him, kissing her forehead. “I’m ready to have a wife.”
She smiled. “Let’s go see how well-stocked
your kitchen is. I may have to buy groceries before I can cook.”
He shrugged. “I have some basics, but really not much.”
She spent a minute in the kitchen taking inventory. “Okay, I can do bacon and eggs with toast. Or French toast. An omelet. Not much else. I’ll hit the grocery store Monday. Are we going to church tomorrow?” She was actually excited at the idea. She’d never wanted to go back home, because the pastor had been so negative in his sermons. Brother Anthony would be a treat to listen to, though.
He shook his head. “Not this week. We’ll go next. Brother Anthony made sure I knew if we went to church tomorrow, he’d have to assume I wasn’t man enough to keep you occupied. Of course, he called you my new wife instead of Hope. I don’t think he knows your name yet.”
Hope giggled. “Probably not. At least he didn’t call me ‘insert bride’s name’ again.”
“He loves his congregation!”
“He’d have to! No one would have him otherwise.”
Karlan leaned against the counter, watching her as she cooked. “What did you decide to make?”
“I’m making omelets. If you want something else, now is the time to say something.”
“Omelets sound good.” He watched as she efficiently cracked eggs into a bowl and used a fork to mix them. Her movements were practiced. “You seem to have done this before.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, once or twice. Mom made sure we were all ready to be wives. That means knowing how to cook the perfect breakfast for our husbands.”
“You’ve led an interesting life.”
“No, I haven’t. That’s the problem!” She deftly folded the omelet, standing over it, watching it cook.
Five minutes later, they sat down, and he took a bite of his omelet. “You’re good at this cooking thing. Forget getting a job. Just keep cooking for me.”
Hope dropped her fork. “You said I could do whatever I wanted!”
“I’m kidding! It was my way of complimenting you on your cooking.” He was shocked to see that her face had turned white. “I’m not going to try to control you. I promise.”
Wyoming Wedding (Culpepper Cowboys Book 1) Page 4
