Sweet on You (The Bridesmaids Club Book 4)

by Leeanna Morgan

  “Is that…” Annie started to say.

  “It is,” Molly finished.

  Rachel looked at them. “What?”

  Annie picked up the envelope. Little pink love hearts were stuck on the outside. Glittery jewels had been clumped together like flowers and a picture of a big yellow sun sat behind fluffy white clouds. “This is one of the letters that arrived at Tess’ Café after we helped our first bride. We tried to find Bella, but we didn’t have much luck.”

  Molly put her cup of tea on its saucer. “Sally contacted all of the schools, even the Police Department. No one had heard of a little girl called Bella who didn’t have a mom.”

  Annie opened the envelope and read the handmade card. “She must have been desperate for a new mom if she wrote to us.”

  “She’s only little,” Molly said as she looked over Annie’s shoulder. “But she’s got a big personality. Just look at the size of those letters.”

  Rachel peered across the counter at the pretty card. “Do you want me to try and find her? I’m filling in for a teacher in another class for three months. One of the parents or children might recognize the handwriting.”

  Annie passed her the envelope and card. “Go for it. It’s been a long time since Bella wrote to us. She might not live in Bozeman anymore.”

  “Or she might be closer than we think,” Molly said. “If you need any help, let me know. It would be grand to find her.”

  Rachel put the envelope in her bag. “I will, but you’ve got your exhibition to worry about. Leave this to me.”

  Annie ate more crumble. “Bella might be disappointed when she realizes that we only have bridesmaids’ dresses to give away. Finding a bride for her dad isn’t part of the service we offer.”

  Molly laughed. “We’d get a reputation around town if we did.”

  “I can see it now,” Annie groaned. “We’d have lonesome cowboys and stressed executives lined up outside, waiting to find the women of their dreams.”

  Rachel grinned. “I like what I’m hearing. I’m sure we could rustle up a few women looking for love. It would work really well with the, Find a Bridegroom Club. What do you think, Molly? As the last two single women in The Bridesmaids Club, I vote for diversifying our business interests.”

  Molly didn’t want to think about lonesome cowboys or women looking for love. After seeing Jacob hold his baby nephew in his arms, her heart had squeezed tight. It had looked so right. So much of what she wanted most in the world.

  She slipped off the stool and stacked her cup, saucer, and bowl in the dishwasher. “I think your hormones are getting the better of you, Rachel McReedy.”

  Annie finished the last of her crumble. “You’ll be a natural Sherlock Holmes, Rachel. All you need to do is direct your creative thinking toward finding Bella, and you’ll have better luck than anyone of us.”

  “I hope so,” Rachel said. “She must be so lonely.”

  Molly left the dishwasher open for Annie. “If her dad loves her, she’ll be okay. Gran looked after Becky and I, and we were happy. I don’t think we’ve turned out too bad.”

  Except for a phobia about snakes, bats, and rich men with beautiful green eyes, Molly thought. But that had nothing to do with her gran and everything to do with her.

  ***

  Jacob watched the convoy of vehicles lumber up the dirt driveway to his home. Okay, so he might have been slightly exaggerating when it came to the convoy, but it was still more than the single truck he thought would be arriving.

  Molly had arranged for Marsha and Doug to visit his ranch, try to get down to the lake, then leave.

  Even in his own head he sounded like the Christmas Grinch, but he couldn’t see how it was going to work. The last thing he wanted was for the groom or anyone else to hurt themselves.

  He grabbed his jacket and headed outside into the bitter nor’wester. Molly’s car was the first to stop. She opened her door, grabbing hold of it before it was flung off its hinges.

  “What have you done with the weather?” she yelled to him in her sing-song voice.

  He walked down the steps toward her.

  “Oh, dear. Someone’s not happy.” The smile on her face told him exactly how much she cared about his state of unhappiness.

  “You said one vehicle.”

  She slammed her door and he winced. He might not want to own a pre-loved sedan, but he did appreciate the mechanics that went into making sure the vehicle lasted more than twelve months.

  “I needed to show everyone where to go. Marsha and Doug brought their car, and then Marsha’s sister decided to come. When Doug’s brothers heard that Angela was coming, they decided to join her. They shared vehicles, if that’s any consolation for your environmentally conscious soul?”

  “You’re enjoying this aren’t you?”

  Molly’s cheeky grin almost brought a smile to his face. “I knew you’d be wanting to greet us at the door. But might I suggest that you put your growly voice away? You can save that for me.”

  Jacob could think of at least ten things he’d like to save for Molly, and a growly voice didn’t even make the list. “Are you planning on sticking around after Marsha and Doug leave?”

  “Only if you’re lucky.” She slapped her hand over her mouth. “Oops. I’ve done it again.”

  He cleared his throat. “I don’t mind.”

  A soft blush hit Molly’s cheeks. She zipped her jacket to her chin and put her best business face on. “Be that as it may, it’s not a professional response to give my employer.”

  Jacob didn’t like stating the obvious, but in this case, it was important. “I’m not your employer anymore.”

  Molly tilted her nose in the air. “It’s the principle that counts, Jacob Green.”

  With that parting comment, she sashayed across to the next vehicle that had stopped. A woman with short blonde hair stepped out of the mini-van. The driver’s door opened and a man a few years younger than Jacob sat behind the wheel. His seat rotated out of the vehicle, turning toward the rear door. Marsha rolled the door open and a wheelchair started unfolding out of the back. In less than five minutes, Doug was safely in his chair, heading across to Jacob.

  “Nice wheels,” Jacob said, nodding toward the van.

  “Thanks. You might have guessed that I’m Doug. I take it you’re Jacob?”

  Jacob nodded and held his hand out. “Welcome to Emerald Lake Ranch.”

  Doug shook his hand. “Thanks for letting us use your lake for the wedding.”

  Marsha, in her pink leggings and fluffy blue sweater, stood beside Doug. “We really appreciate what you’re doing for us.” The sincerity in her voice made Jacob wince.

  He’d been moaning all morning about having to meet Molly out at his ranch. He’d postponed two business meetings and missed an important phone call to be here. None of that mattered now. He’d been a jerk, end of story.

  “Did you bring the four-wheeler?” he asked.

  Doug nodded. “My brothers have got that sorted.”

  While Jacob had been talking to Marsha and Doug, Molly had been helping two men and a woman. They were standing beside a trailer they’d towed out to his ranch. One of the men lifted a tarp off the back, while the other lowered two ramps to the ground. The woman jumped onto the bright red four-wheeler and rode it off the trailer.

  “Steve, Mike, and Angela,” Doug shouted. “Come and meet Jacob.”

  The man who’d been driving the truck lifted a metal frame out of the trailer. He headed across the yard with the other man and woman.

  The family resemblance between the brothers was easy to see. They may have had different shades of blond hair, but the blue eyes and high cheekbones gave their relationship away.

  One of the brothers stepped forward. “I’m Mike. Thanks for making this possible.” He shook Jacob’s hand. With a nod of his head, he introduced his other brother. “This is Steve. And that deconstructed wheelchair is part of the frame that’s going to get Doug down to the lake.”


  Steve put the metal frame on the ground. They’d taken the wheels and leg braces off the chair. The only thing left was the seat and the metal frame surrounding it.

  The woman who’d ridden the four-wheeler off the trailer grinned at Jacob. “Hi, I’m Angela, Marsha’s sister. We added special clamps to the four-wheeler so that Doug’s seat sits on top of the rack at the back.”

  Jacob looked between the four-wheeler and the frame. “Does it work?”

  “You bet,” Steve said. “We’ve tested it in town and on a couple of hiking trails. It should get down to the lake easily.”

  Jacob had to admire their design, but he wasn’t convinced it would work. Most off-road trails were easier to navigate than untouched pasture. The trick would be to find a path that had the least amount of obstacles in their way.

  Molly stuck her hands in her jacket pocket. “Let’s get started. It’s only going to get colder the longer we stand here.”

  Steve walked back to their truck, while Mike and Angela attached the seat to the back of the bike. Mike pulled a socket-wrench out of his pocket, ratcheting the bolts tightly against the four-wheeler’s rear rack.

  Steve returned with two light-weight frames that he attached to the side of the bike. “Looks like we’re ready to go.”

  Doug moved across to the bike and his brothers lifted him into the seat. With a five-point harness clicked into place and his legs in the frames either side of the bike, Doug wasn’t going to fall out of the seat anytime soon.

  Marsha went back to their van and took two helmets out of the vehicle. She passed one to her fiancé and the other to Steve. “If this doesn’t work, we’ll change to plan B.”

  “You worry too much,” Doug said with a smile. “Steve’s not the best driver in the world, but he’s been using four-wheelers for most of his life.”

  “I don’t know whether that’s an insult or a compliment,” Steve muttered. “Seen as I’m doing the driving, it might pay to keep your observations to yourself and concentrate on the navigating.”

  Jacob nodded at the lake. “The best way down isn’t the most direct path you could take, but there’s less chance of getting stuck. When you get to the edge of the yard, turn right. I’ll meet you about one hundred yards down the track and show you where to go from there.”

  Steve looked over his shoulder. “Are you ready to roll, Doug?”

  “You bet.”

  Steve started the bike and drove away from them.

  Jacob glanced at everyone else. “If you want to stay here, you’re more than welcome to wait inside the house.”

  Marsha shook her head. “I’ll go with you.”

  With Molly, Angela, and Mike saying the same thing, they all left the yard and headed down the track. The four-wheeler had almost reached the turn-off point. Steve cut the engine and waited for them to catch up.

  “You go first,” Steve said to Jacob. “Doug and I will follow you.”

  From that point forward it was almost plain sailing. There were a couple of moments when Jacob thought Steve wouldn’t have enough power to get out of the sudden dips in the ground, but he did.

  Thanks to the safety harness, Doug wasn’t tossed around too much. If anything, he looked as though he’d enjoyed every minute of the ride.

  “That wasn’t so bad,” Doug said when they arrived at the edge of the lake.

  Steve frowned. “It was all right today, but I’m worried about the weather. If we get snow between now and your wedding it could be completely different.”

  Jacob was pleased that at least one brother knew what they were talking about.

  Marsha looked at Jacob. “Are you still okay with us getting married in your home? It would only happen if we couldn’t get to Emerald Lake.”

  All eyes swiveled toward Jacob.

  “That’s fine.”

  Molly smiled at him. Anyone would think he’d found the cure to a life-threatening disease with the way he responded to her. A surge of adrenaline shot through his body, made him forget everything else that was going on in his life and focus on the woman beside him. What he felt wasn’t normal. They hadn’t even had a proper date yet.

  Marsha looked along the shore of the lake. “Now that we’re here, where are we going to have the wedding ceremony?”

  Molly moved away from the group. She hopped between some large boulders, then headed back to them. “The view is spectacular wherever you choose to stand. I think it’s a matter of making it as easy as possible for Doug to get from the four-wheeler to his wheelchair.”

  Steve grinned. “Damn. There goes my idea of leaving Doug on the four-wheeler.”

  Doug shoved his brother’s shoulder. “You want to be careful what you say. Marsha might think it’s a great idea.”

  Marsha frowned. “At least it’s not as bad as going white-water rafting for Doug’s bachelor party. I couldn’t think of anything more dangerous.”

  The three brothers kept their mouths shut. Jacob had a feeling that a day on a glacier might be closer than Marsha thought.

  He jumped into the uneasy silence settling on the wedding party. “So, it’s settled. You have the marriage ceremony here. Steve brings Doug down to the lake on the four-wheeler. Everyone else comes by foot.”

  Mike looked around the area they’d settled on. “I’ll follow Doug and Steve on another four-wheeler. There’s plenty of room to park. We could have Doug’s wheelchair ready for him.” He stood beside Marsha. “The minister could be here, you and Doug in front of him, and our families standing around us.”

  “And if that doesn’t work, we can direct everyone to Jacob’s home when they arrive,” Marsha said. “Could we look at your living room to see how it might work?”

  Jacob nodded. “I’ll put the coffeepot on. You’re welcome to stay and enjoy the view.”

  The smile on Marsha’s face was captivating. “Thanks, but I’ve got other plans for Doug today.”

  Doug didn’t look impressed. “It’s not as exciting as Marsha thinks. We’re having a final fitting for our suits.”

  “You all look so handsome in your dinner suits,” Marsha said with a grin.

  Mike stuck his hands on his hips and scowled. “Like penguins going to a party.”

  A loud squawk filled the air and everyone watched a flock of geese rise into the air.

  Marsha sighed. “Molly said you’re selling your property, Jacob. I don’t know how you could leave such a beautiful setting.”

  Jacob watched a stray goose join his buddies. He frantically flapped his wings and hooted his annoyance at being left behind. “I’ve seen another building I want to buy in New York.”

  Steve tightened the strap on his helmet. “I dated a girl from Manhattan, once. She couldn’t stand the peace and quiet out here. I couldn’t stand the noise and pollution in New York. I guess everyone has different ideas about what makes them happy.”

  Jacob shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve lived in New York before. It’s not that bad once you get used to it.”

  Steve looked at the lake and the mountains, the land that held so much promise. “I couldn’t give up what you’ve got here for a concrete jungle. But you’re right, everyone’s different.”

  Molly’s gaze settled on Jacob. He knew what she was thinking.

  “Let’s go back to the house,” he said. “You can have a look around and see if it will work.”

  Steve settled back on the four-wheeler. “Sounds good to me. It’s freezing out here.” He started the bike and turned around. “We’ll meet you back at the yard.”

  Jacob pointed in a different direction. “We’ll walk this way. It won’t take as long.”

  As everyone hiked back to his house, Jacob thought about the appointment he had this afternoon. He was going to meet John Fletcher, the owner of one of the biggest security companies in America. John had relocated his head office to Montana. He was looking for a parcel of land to build a new home on.

  John had already been out to the property he was interested in, and he’
d liked what he’d seen. This time, he was bringing an engineer and an architect with him. It was looking good for a sale, but Jacob knew not to count on something happening until the offer went unconditional.

  He had less than four weeks to sell the land he’d subdivided. After that, it didn’t matter whether he liked New York or not. If he hadn’t sold his ranch, he wouldn’t be moving anywhere.

  And if that didn’t happen, he’d have to find his own plan B.

  ***

  Molly didn’t know who to look at first when Marsha and Doug came into Jacob’s home.

  After seeing the view from his living room, Marsha kept telling Jacob how crazy he was to sell his property. Doug tried to curb her enthusiasm for what Jacob should be doing, but she wasn’t listening.

  “It’s such a pretty place. Could you keep your home and sell the other three parcels of land?”

  Doug wheeled his chair over to his fiancée and sent Jacob an apologetic smile. “Marsha tends to get carried away when she sees something she likes.”

  Steve laughed from behind him. “And that’s exactly why she’s marrying you.”

  Doug didn’t pay any attention to his brother. “Let’s concentrate on where we’re going to put everyone if it’s too cold outside.”

  Marsha looked around the open plan area, assessing every spare inch. “We could stand by the stone fireplace for the wedding ceremony. That would leave enough room for everyone to see what’s going on.” She turned to Jacob. “Would you mind if we brought some fold-out chairs with us if we get married inside? That way everyone will be more comfortable.”

  “You’re welcome to bring anything you’ll need.”

  Molly glanced at Jacob. He didn’t realize what he’d just said. Marsha’s eyes did another thorough inspection of his living room, and a smile lit her face.

  “We could do so much,” she said a little wistfully.

  Angela stepped forward with a notebook and pen in her hands. “Tell me what we need and I’ll write it down.”

  “You’ve done it now,” Steve muttered. “Marsha’s the home decorating queen of Montana. You should see what she’s done to Doug’s place. It’s not a bachelor pad anymore.”