"Aunt Margaret will be very upset with you if you leave Surprise."
"What?"
Pushing away from him she continued, "My aunt has invested a lot of time and energy pursuing you."
"Your aunt has nothing to do with this." With his hands placed firmly on his hips and standing at his full height, Cole reminded her of the man she'd met that night in the saloon so many weeks ago.
He looked surly and every bit like a bear, except with his beard gone, she was able to clearly see the expressions on his face. Cole may not know it, but right now he was looking every bit bemused. She had him right where she wanted him. And just where was that? Abigail wondered.
Running his hands through his thick hair, he looked at her standing so bravely before him. "Abby. How can I make you understand?"
"I love you."
The words were carried to him on a warm breeze, and for a moment he let his heart swell. He couldn't remember the last time someone had told him they loved him.
"Don't you understand, I could never let you go."
"You don't have to let me go, Cole. All you have to do is let me into your heart." Taking a few tentative steps towards him, Abigail looked at him.
He'd have to be blind not to see the love shining in her eyes.
"It's not that simple."
"Yes, it is."
Abigail was inches from him. He could feel the heat from her body penetrating his clothing.
"You have to remember what I told you last night. It's time for you to let go, Cole Stanton. It's time for you to love and be loved again. Tell me why you were smiling when I awoke this morning?"
With the excitement of their morning escapades, he'd almost forgotten about the dream. "Last night was the first time I'd ever had a good dream about my sister. We were sitting under the apple tree in the backyard and Beth was handing me apples, big red ones. She was smiling and laughing. Abby, it was the first time I hadn't seen her dying."
Rushing into his arms, she gathered him close. "Oh, Cole, don't you see, it's a sign from heaven. Beth is telling you to be happy."
Sobs began to rack his body. He held on tightly to Abigail. She began running her hands lightly up and down his spine, soothing him.
"Let go of your sorrow, Cole. I promise you your life will be better from now on."
Cupping her face between his hands, he lowered his mouth to hers. Through the tears they kissed each other.
"I love you, Abigail Monroe. With all my heart and my soul, I love you."
A smattering of applause erupted. Abigail and Cole spun around to find Maggie, Lydia, Mr. Wagner and Aunt Margaret smiling back at them.
"It's about time you two came to your senses." Aunt Margaret beamed and clapped her hands together delightedly.
"Miss Margaret, you and I need to have a few words." Without waiting for a reply, Cole strode over to her and, grabbing the handles of the wheelchair, pushed her over to the oak tree.
Leaning against the fence railing, Cole crossed his arms over his chest, and his feet at the ankles.
"You know my secret, don't you?"
He nodded. "Uh-huh. I knew it from the first time I had dinner at your home."
"How come you haven't told my girls?"
While he pretended to ponder the question, Miss Margaret shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"I imagine Abigail would have my head if I ever said anything bad about you, Miss Margaret."
With a twinkle in her eye, she stated, "I see she already has your heart."
"Yes, ma'am, she does."
"Push me back to my family, Mr. Stanton. We've a wedding to plan."
Wedding! Why he'd only just declared his love for Abigail! Taking hold of the handles once more, he pushed her along the dirt to where the girls stood in a semi-circle. "You should know I haven't proposed to her."
"I'll just have to fix that, now won't I?"
Pulling the chair to a stop in the middle of the yard, he walked around and knelt in front of Margaret Monroe Sinclair, the grand dame of Surprise. "Here's the deal; I won't tell your nieces you've been faking this illness, and in return you're going to let me propose to Abigail on my own."
For a moment she looked stricken at the idea of her little secret coming out, and then with a regal nod of her head she agreed to his terms.
Two days later Cole walked into the sheriff's office a free man. Wanda McCurdy had returned to Albany accompanied by her father and a marshal. He'd heard that the items she'd stolen had been returned and she'd been sentenced to six months in the city jail.
He felt sorry for her, but if not for Wanda he never would have found out how much he needed Abigail, so for that he owed her.
"I kind of miss being your prisoner."
Abigail looked up from the paperwork she'd been tending to and smiled at him. "Hello."
Dropping a kiss on her forehead, he sat down on the edge of her desk. "Hello, yourself. Do you think you could finish this work another time?"
"Well now it depends on whether or not I'm going to get a better offer."
He loved it when she bantered with him. "I guess you're going to have to trust me."
"I'll always trust you, Cole."
Wiggling his eyebrows at her, Cole helped her up from the desk. "I have a surprise for you."
Feigning innocence, she pressed her hand dramatically to her chest. "For me, you have a surprise for little old me?"
"I'm calling it 'A Surprise for Abigail!'
"I like the sound of that." With complete faith and trust she walked with Cole down the street. "Where are we going?"
"To the schoolhouse."
"Cole, I finished my studies a long, long time ago."
"I know. I've something to show you."
The smell of fresh-cut lumber and freshly painted siding filled the air. Abigail liked the smell, it meant Surprise was alive. Pushing open the tall doors, Cole led her into the classroom.
Abigail looked around in wonder. Three long windows lined either side of the outside walls. She could see the large square space in the front of the room where the chalkboards were to be installed. The wideboard pine floors had been swept clean of sawdust.
"This is lovely."
"I wanted you to be the first to see what I've been doing every day." Stepping away from her, he flung his arms wide. "All of this lumber came from Alexander Judson's place. Don't you just love the smell of fresh-cut lumber."
His enthusiasm was contagious and Abigail smiled back at him, laughing in delight.
"In case I haven't told you lately, I love you."
Her smile broadened. "I know."
Suddenly he turned from her and went behind the new teacher's desk to retrieve something. Straightening, Cole held a beautiful bunch of wildflowers. Walking to her, he handed her the bouquet. She buried her nose in the brilliant colors, the smell was so sweet. Before she knew what he was about, Cole was before her on bended knee.
Taking her hand in his, he looked deeply into her eyes. "Abigail Monroe, will you marry me?"
"Yes, Cole Stanton. Yes!" Heedless of the flowers clutched in her hands, she knelt before him and embraced him, crushing the petals on his back. "I love you."
Their lips met in the sweetest of kisses. Abigail knew every time she smelled flowers like these, they would forever remind her of this moment.
Nuzzling her head against his neck she said, "I think I could learn to love your surprises."
"You know what the biggest one of all was?"
She shook her head.
"Our finding each other and falling in love. Oh, Abby, I thought my life was over and then I met you and everything changed."
"I'm glad you drifted into my town."
Chuckling, he said, "Me, too, Sheriff. Me too."
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WOMEN OF SURPRISE 01: A Surprise For Abigail Page 12
