Patience nodded. “I like to drive her there. Do you like ballet camp?”
The girl nodded. “I’m not as good as Corinne though. No one’s as good as Corinne except Miss Katie.”
“Really?” Patience smiled at Corinne. “She does seem like a fabulous ballerina.”
“I love her new butterfly wings. They look great with her tutu.”
“I think so too.”
After a few minutes of talking with the children, Ryan put his hand on her arm. She stood up straight and looked at him. “Brother Anthony said he’s willing to help us any time we want. Even with just a couple of hours’ notice.”
Patience nodded, indicating she knew what he meant. “We really appreciate that, Brother Anthony.”
“Oh, it’s my pleasure, isn’t it, Lovie?”
“Sure it is.” Lovie smiled warmly at Patience. “Welcome to Culpepper. I hope you find it to be everything you want in life.”
“So far, it seems pretty wonderful to me,” Patience said with a smile.
“We’d better get going on our picnic, then.” Ryan looked down at Corinne who was still talking to her friends. “Corinne, it’s time to go. We’re having a picnic, remember?”
Corinne smiled happily. “I can’t wait!”
Once they were in the truck, Patience asked, “Are there going to be restroom facilities near our picnic spot? I’d like to change into shorts and a T-shirt.”
“We’re going to our house. You can use the bathroom there.”
“We’re going on a picnic at your house?”
He nodded. “We have a huge yard, and I want you to see the house. Two birds with one stone and all that.”
“All right.”
“I want you to see my room, Patience. It’s pink and ballerina-y.” Corinne sounded excited.
“Of course, it is! I can’t wait!”
He pulled into the driveway of a large ranch house. It wasn’t as big as the Culpepper’s main house, but it was a good size for a small family. As soon as they stopped, she unbuckled, and he walked around to open the door for her.
“I’m taking Patience up to my room first, Daddy!” Corinne said as soon as her feet touched the ground. She took Patience’s hand and started tugging her toward the house.
Ryan stood for a minute watching them disappear into his house. He hadn’t had time to clean it, so he hoped she didn’t freak out. He didn’t know how she felt about a spotless house, but his house was far from perfect.
Patience smiled as the door to Corinne’s room was opened. She looked around and nodded appreciatively. “This room is perfect for my little pink ballerina princess.”
Corinne giggled. “I am a pink ballerina princess!”
“I know you are! I’ve never met anyone quite like you, Corinne!” She spotted the girl’s name on the wall, spelled out in pink wooden letters. “Did your mama do this?”
Corinne nodded. “She did. I started taking dance lessons when I was three, so she redid my whole room. Isn’t it beautiful?”
“It’s absolutely wonderful.” There was a picture of the little girl with a woman with long dark hair and brown eyes on the dresser. “Is that your mama?”
“Yes. Wasn’t she beautiful?”
“She really was.” Patience smiled at the mess on the floor of the room. There were leotards and tutus everywhere. Sunday must be laundry day.
She felt rather than heard Ryan come into the room behind her. “Corinne, I asked you to pick up your room before Patience came over.”
“Why? Are you trying to hide who we really are, Daddy? ‘Cuz we’re really people who throw their clothes on the floor.”
Patience bit her lip. “You wanna know a secret?”
Corinne looked up at her and nodded very seriously. “I throw my clothes on the floor sometimes too.”
Corinne threw her arms around Patience and hugged her, burying her face against her. “I love you, Patience.”
Patience felt tears sting her eyes as she looked over at Ryan. “I love you too, sugardoodle.”
“Sugardoodle?” Corinne asked with a giggle.
“Just seems to fit you!”
Ryan held up the bag with Patience’s clothes in it. “I brought this for you.”
“Oh, wonderful!” Patience took it from him. “Where can I change?”
He led her out into the hall and to a small bathroom, which had even more clothes on the floor, and globs of toothpaste in the sink. “I’m really sorry I didn’t have time to clean.”
Patience shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. I know how busy your life is right now.” She closed the door and quickly changed, pulling on a pair of knee-length shorts and a pink T-shirt. She’d never been allowed to wear shorts, even long shorts, so she felt as if she looked slightly scandalous.
When she left the bathroom, she was greeted by Corinne, who had changed into a leotard and tutu. “Daddy’s getting the picnic ready.”
“Let’s go help him.” As they walked down the stairs and through the house, Patience looked around her. It seemed like a nice house, but it was definitely in need of a good thorough cleaning. She didn’t mind. She’d never expected a widower with a young daughter to do any differently. It would have been astonishing if he had.
Ryan was putting the chicken he’d picked up in the grocery store deli out on a plate in the middle of a big quilt he’d spread out on the ground in the backyard. When he saw Patience and Corinne approaching, he called out, “Just in time. Now I won’t have to eat alone.”
“You wouldn’t have eaten without us, Daddy!”
“Don’t be so sure! I snuck a peek at the treats Patience brought us, and I’m not sure I want to share.”
“You hafta share! Patience will get mad and think you’re a bad person if you don’t!”
He sighed. “Fine. I’ll share. I don’t want to, but I will.”
Patience grinned at him as she sank down onto the quilt. Once they’d all filled their plates, Corinne took a big bite of her chicken. “I’m glad we decided to have a picnic today,” she told them.
“You are?” Patience asked. “Why’s that?”
“Because I love picnics. And because I want you guys to get to know each other better.”
Ryan looked down at his daughter with one eyebrow raised. “And why is that?”
“Because she’d make a good mama. But you won’t know that unless you spend some time with her.”
“Can I tell you a secret, pumpkin?”
“What?”
“I already know she’d be a good mama.”
“You do?” Corinne’s eyes were wide.
“I do. And do you know what?”
“What?”
“I think we should ask her to marry us together. Do you know how to do that?”
Corinne shook her head, her eyes wide with wonder. “No, how?”
“Well, to propose to someone, you have to get down on one knee.”
Corinne knelt on one knee on the blanket. “Like this?”
He nodded. “Here, I’ll do it too.” He followed suit, so both of them were in front of her, on one knee. “Then, we say ‘Will you marry me?’ together. Can we do that?”
When Corinne nodded, he said, “Okay, on three. One. Two. Six. Forty-seven. Three!”
On cue the two of them asked Patience to marry them. Even though she’d known it was coming, Patience felt tears prick her eyes. “I will.”
“When?” Corinne asked after flying at Patience for a big hug.
Patience’s eyes met Ryan’s. “I don’t know. What do you think?”
“Now!”
“Now? But I don’t have a wedding dress right now.”
“Wear your church dress! We can have the wedding right here. I’ll be the flower girl!”
Patience took deep breaths for a moment. She was all for marrying, but now? Really? “I don’t know about right now, sweetheart. There’s so much to plan for a wedding.”
Ryan frowned at Corinne. “I forgot the salt
and pepper. Would you run inside and get them for me, baby?”
Corinne jumped up and did as she was told, hurrying into the house. “Do you really want a big wedding?”
She shook her head. “Not at all. I just—I don’t know about right now!”
“How about this evening? You can get a dress you want to wear. I’m sure your sister or one of your cousins would have one. I’ll call Brother Anthony, and we can all meet at the church at say seven?”
She carefully breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth. “I don’t know. That’s really fast.”
“It is. But I don’t see a need to delay. I mean, Corinne is all for it. I love the idea. It’s not like you have a house to sell or anything. Where you’re living is just temporary. Why not?”
“I—I have no idea why not. Sure. I’ve always been overly cautious, but I’m going to just go with it. I love Corinne. And I care about you.” She couldn’t tell him she loved him yet. Soon, she knew she would though. “I’ll make some quick phone calls.”
“You’re allowed to finish eating first,” he said with a laugh.
“My stomach is doing flip flops now. I can’t.” She got up and walked over to lean against the house, punching in Felicity’s number. After her sister answered, she said, “Hey you.”
“Hey! I thought you were out with Ryan and Corinne!”
“I am. But…I need a favor.”
“What?” Felicity sounded wary.
“I need you to borrow a wedding dress for me, and get yourself a bridesmaid dress. Can you make the phone calls? I’ll be home in a couple of hours, but we’ll want the whole clan at the church in town at seven.”
“Seven. Tonight?” Felicity’s voice was barely a squeak. “You plan everything out for months!”
“Not this time. I’m getting married tonight. Are you in?”
“Wedding dress for you and bridesmaid dress for me. Everyone at the church at seven. I’ll have Grace start on a cake.”
“I don’t need the cake. Just you. We’ll need flowers.”
Felicity sighed. “I’ll pick flowers. Better yet, I’ll have Chastity and Chris pick flowers. That way we don’t have to listen to Chastity talk about sex.”
“Perfect!” Patience closed her eyes for a moment, thinking of all she’d just asked her sister to do. “I wouldn’t trade you for anything, you know.”
“I know. Love you.” Felicity ended the call before Patience could respond.
Patience walked back to the quilt and took a bite of potato salad. It tasted like sawdust, but she really didn’t want to pass out at her own wedding. “Did you call Brother Anthony?”
Ryan nodded. “He said he’d been expecting my call, because you Quinlan girls can’t seem to go more than three days after meeting a man without getting married.”
Patience laughed. “Now that’s not true. I don’t think any of us have gotten married within three days. Oh wait. Hope did. Okay, maybe he has a point.”
Corinne ran back then, giving Ryan the salt and pepper. “What did you decide while I was gone?” she asked, looking back and forth between Ryan and Patience.
“You knew why he sent you away all along, didn’t you?”
Corinne nodded. “I may be six, but that doesn’t mean I’m stupid.”
“No, it certainly doesn’t!” Ryan grinned at his daughter. “We’re not going to get married right now. We’re going to wait until about seven tonight. Do you have a dress to wear to be flower girl?”
“I think so! I could be a ballerina butterfly flower girl!” Corinne looked at Patience, as if she expected her to say no.
“What kind of wedding would it be without a ballerina butterfly flower girl? Of course you can!” Patience vowed to herself then to never suppress the girl’s personality. If she thought she wanted to be a ballerina butterfly for the wedding, then that’s what she’d be.
Ryan let out a groan. “Even I would have said no to that one!”
Patience shrugged, looking at Ryan. “I don’t know why! She only gets a new step-mom once in her whole life. She might as well enjoy the experience.”
Ryan held his hands up in defeat. “Fine. A ballerina butterfly flower girl is just want I wanted.”
Corinne looked at her father and nodded regally. “You have very good taste.”
“I’ll take you home right after lunch so you can get ready.”
Patience’s phone rang, and she fished it out of her pocket. She saw it was Felicity. “Yeah?”
“Everything’s in place. Leave Corinne with me tonight. You need at least one night alone.”
At the thought of the wedding night, Patience’s stomach did a flip. “All right.” She pushed end and looked at Ryan. “Felicity wants to have an overnight with her new niece tonight. Would that be all right?”
Ryan nodded, understanding exactly what that meant. He’d be getting a real wedding night after all. “I’m all for it.”
“I’m taking Corinne to get ready for the wedding at Linda’s. She needs her hair done perfectly to match her ballerina butterfly flower girl look. It’s a tricky look that will take a while to perfect.” Patience really wanted Corinne to have more time with the Quinlan women before she was left overnight.
Corinne squealed. “I get to spend time with Patience and my new aunt Felicity.”
“Your new aunt? You know she’s going to be your aunt?”
“Oh, she told me she’d be my auntie very soon last night. I’m supposed to call her Aunt Felicity from now on.”
Patience laughed. “Of course you are. I should have known.” Her eyes met Ryan’s and he grinned at her, shaking his head.
Chapter Five
When Patience and Corinne were dropped off at Linda’s, the whole gang was already there. The men had made themselves scarce, as they did during wedding preparations, but the women were ready. Hope, Honor, and Joy absconded with Corinne, promising to make her the most beautiful butterfly ballerina flower girl in the entire history of weddings.
Felicity, Grace, Chastity, and Faith crowded around Patience to get her ready, while Linda oversaw the entire lot of them, going back and forth between rooms to help everyone with whatever they needed.
Faith smiled at Patience. “So did Aunt Rosemary talk to you about the wedding night, or do you need to choose one of us to have that discussion with?”
“Me! Me!” Chastity raised her hand, acting like a silly student in a ridiculous sitcom.
Patience refused to meet anyone’s eyes, not wanting to really talk about the subject. “I have a feeling Mama told us a great deal more than you guys heard from yours.”
Grace frowned. “She didn’t tell you it’s a sin to enjoy it, did she?”
Patience shook her head vehemently. “She told us God gave us those feelings for a reason.”
“Good enough for me,” Grace told her, holding up the wedding gown several of them had worn. “Will this work?”
Patience looked at it and nodded. All of the cousins were remarkably similar in size. “I think so. Let me try it on.”
“Hope can take it in really quick if she needs to.”
Felicity smiled at Patience. “Or I have a pretty white dress that you can wear. It’s not as formal, but considering your flower girl is a ballerina butterfly…”
Patience grinned. “Yeah, I don’t think formality is going to happen.”
“I picked some roses,” Chastity told her. “And Chris carefully cut the thorns off the stems. I wanted you to have pink and white roses to match your little ballerina.”
Patience felt a tear escape at that. “I don’t think you guys have any idea what it means to her to be included as she has been. You’re all amazing cousins...and sister,” she added as she looked at Felicity.
“She’s such a sweet little girl. We’re thrilled to have her. She should have a name like Destiny, though.”
The girls all laughed. “I hope none of us is silly enough to try to carry that tradition on,” Honor said from the doorway. “
I brought a ballerina butterfly with me. She wanted to make sure her new mama approved of her hair.” Honor stepped out of the way to reveal Corinne, who was dressed in her ballet shoes, leotard, tights, tutu, butterfly wings, and had her hair in a formal up-do.
Patience took one look at her and spread her arms wide. “You look absolutely amazing! Just remember, no dancing down the aisle or your hair will fall down.”
Corinne wrinkled her nose. “Maybe we should French braid it then.”
Patience laughed. “No, I think you should walk slowly down the aisle, just this once.”
“But when will I ever get to be a flower girl again?”
“Well, when your favorite new auntie Felicity gets married, of course!” Felicity announced.
Corinne’s face lit up. “Oh! That will be lovely!”
She hurried out of the room while Patience went into the bathroom to try on the wedding dress. She came out to show the others, and they all nodded. “Looks beautiful on you.” Grace walked over and handed her the bouquet of flowers Chastity and Chris had seen to. “Yup, I think that’s just right.”
Patience smiled. “It’s a good thing Ryan hasn’t attended any of the Quinlan weddings. He won’t be disappointed that he’s seen the dress before.”
“Like he could be disappointed when he sees you like that! You don’t know men at all, do you?” Chastity shook her head. “You my dear cousin, look like a sex goddess about to walk straight into his arms. If he complains, his manhood should be cut off and fed to rabid dogs.”
“Umm, Chastity?” Patience asked.
“Yeah?”
“You really scare me sometimes.”
Chastity just grinned.
Patience turned to Felicity. “What are you wearing?”
Grace clapped her hands together. “I brought over this adorable pink dress. Comes just past the knee. I’ve never even worn it.”
“But does the pink match my little ballerina butterfly?”
“Perfectly!” Felicity told her. “I’m going to go get dressed, and then we’ll play the hair and make-up game.
Faith put her hand on Patience’s shoulder, pushing her down into a chair. “I’m doing your hair. So sit there and behave.”
Trainer's Treat (Culpepper Cowboys Book 7) Page 5
