A Hasty Wedding

by Cara Colter

They had to pull Blake off of Todd.

  They finally succeeded, and he stood there, his chest heaving in and out, his hands loose at his sides.

  She got unsteadily to her feet, swayed.

  Blake was at her side in a split second, scooped her up in his arms, elbowed through the men who were everywhere.

  "Look, renegade," Rory said materializing beside them, "you could have got her killed."

  "The way I see it, so could you have," Blake said calmly.

  "You jeopardized this whole operation."

  "You're lucky my hands are full or I'd give you a fat lip. Negotiate with the bastard! Wear him down. What kind of plan was that?"

  "The tried and true kind."

  "I'll tell you a kind that's even truer. My heart told me my woman wasn't spending one more second being terrorized by that man. You got it?"

  Rory blinked first.

  Rafe appeared, shaking his head, and clapped Rory on the shoulder. "Don't think you're going to change him. Better men have tried. Blake, take your woman home."

  "Just a second. We need to debrief. We need—"

  "He's right," Rafe told Rory softly. "There are times to throw the rule book away. Let them go. What she needs right now you can't give her."

  "But—"

  "I just have one question for you, Sinclair. What if it had been Peggy?" Blake asked.

  Rory was silent, then he looked at his shoe. Then he said, "Aw, get out of here. I'll drop by and see you in the morning."

  "Late in the morning," Blake said in a way that made shivers run up and down Holly's spine despite how weak she felt, exhausted and emotional.

  Rafe handed him the keys to the van.

  In what felt like seconds they were at her house. He picked her up and somehow managing to open the door, went through the house and laid her on the bed, kissing her tenderly.

  In a moment she heard the bath water running. He came back to the bed and began to take her clothes off.

  It was different this time, far different. There was nothing sexual about what he was doing. He wrapped her in a big towel and carried her to the tub. It was full of bubbles, and rimmed by candles. He switched off the lights and helped her into the tub.

  She closed her eyes. She tried to feel something, but she didn't. She felt wooden and dead.

  He undressed and slipped into the tub behind her. "You can cry now," he said. "It's okay to cry."

  She leaned back against his chest, felt his hands encircle her. She closed her eyes, and she began to weep.

  For the longest time he said nothing.

  And then he said, "You told your father you loved me."

  "Ummm."

  "Why didn't you tell me?"

  "How could I?" she asked. "I felt unworthy. I felt ashamed…of my father. That I didn't figure things out sooner. All these weeks, taking credit for getting the water turned off. He practically told me, and I was too stupid—"

  "Stop it."

  She had never heard him use that tone of voice with her before. On one of the kids who had done something particularly bad, yes, but never on her. Not even over the incident with Tomas and the knife.

  "I won't listen to you talk about yourself like that."

  "Blake, this can't work. How can it work? My father—"

  "You never seemed to hold it against me that my father took a loaded gun, aimed it at Joe Colton and pulled the trigger."

  "It's not like you did it."

  "Exactly."

  "This is different."

  "Okay, tell me how."

  But she couldn't. She was too tired.

  "You know what I think?" he said softly, "I think it's an amazing piece of kismet that you and I both have less than perfect fathers. I'm going to take it, not as a sign that we're meant to be apart, but a sign that we're meant to be together.

  "Forever," he added softly.

  "Forever?" she whispered.

  "I want you to marry me, Holly Lamb. As soon as that's humanly possible."

  She swung around so that she could see his face. He traced the line of her cheek tenderly. She drew his wet finger to her mouth and kissed it.

  "You want me to marry you?" she repeated, not sure she could have possibly heard right.

  "Yup, you."

  "You could have any woman you wanted."

  "That's good to know, because I've picked the one I want."

  "I mean someone more beautiful than me."

  "Doesn't exist."

  "Someone more sophisticated."

  "Uck."

  "Me?" she whispered. "You want me to marry you?"

  "Yeah. And soon. As soon as I can get a license and a preacher."

  "I have to get through the trial. And my mother will go crazy over this."

  "Why? How many husbands has she had since then?"

  "Every one of them seemed to be about her failure with him. Trying to prove something to him. Plus, she's very big on what people think. She'll be devastated by this."

  "Those sound like good reasons to get married. You need me to support you and to protect you."

  "You realize you're saying you're going to have a mother-in-law that people need to be protected from." She actually felt a certain lightness beginning to grow in her, despite everything. It felt like a miracle.

  "You're worth it."

  "Let's go to bed," she whispered.

  "All right. But no hanky-panky tonight."

  She could have wept when he said that. Because she knew he was being sensitive to her deepest need.

  Just to be held. Loved.

  With no ulterior motive, no secret agenda.

  "Blake," she whispered, as he slid in the bed beside her and tucked the blankets securely around her. "You know I've loved you forever, don't you?"

  "Yes, I know that."

  "And," she said sleepily, "that I plan to love you for at least that long?"

  "Lucky me."

  "And you know why I didn't tell you about what I dreamed, don't you?"

  "No, I haven't figured that one out."

  "It wasn't because I didn't love you. It was because I loved you too much."

  "Okay. I'll accept that as an excuse this once. Don't try and use it again."

  "All right, boss."

  "Better make that partner, I think."

  And then, in the warmth of his arms she slept. The dream came that night—the same red-skinned monster coming toward her, his rage murderous.

  Only, in the dream this time a knight galloped in on a white horse and slayed the monster and all he stood for: conditional love, trying to win approval that never came, trying to be something she could never be.

  And when the knight who had slain the dragon rode up to her, stopped, lifted his visor and bowed to her, she smiled.

  Blake.

  Her knight in shining armor. She snuggled deeper into the arms that held her.

  Forever.

  Epilogue

  The ivory satin rustled around Holly. She smoothed the dress with her fingertips, smiled. The last few weeks seemed to have passed in a dream, but suddenly it all seemed real.

  "Are you nervous?" Jenn squeaked in her ear.

  "No," Holly said and it was true. How could she be nervous about something that was so right?

  "I am," Jenn said. "Look at all the people! What if I trip and fall flat on my face in front of that crowd? in front of Stephen?"

  Holly smiled at her friend. Jenn looked more beautiful than ever. She was madly in love with Stephen Darce, and he with her. Holly suspected there would be another wedding before long.

  "I think all of Prosperino is here," Jenn wailed. "There goes the mayor."

  Holly peeked out the door. It was true. There was quite a crowd gathered at Hacienda de Alegria this beautiful day.

  The sun was shining and flowers bloomed in radiant abundance. The lawns had been manicured, the shrubs trimmed, the fences painted. At least three hundred white chairs formed a half moon around the beautiful pagoda Joe Colton had ordered bu
ilt just for today.

  The thought of Joe deepened the feeling of well-being inside of Holly. He had come to her as soon as Blake had told him of their engagement and their plans to wed quickly.

  "Holly," Joe had said, "it would be the greatest honor of my life if you'd allow me to escort you down the aisle, give you away."

  She had been too astounded to speak, and Joe had continued.

  "Blake is my son, the son of my soul, if not my flesh. And now you will be Meredith's and my daughter, and we couldn't be more tickled."

  What Joe Colton had said to her was that he would take the place of the father who could not be there. Todd Lamb was in jail. What Joe Colton had really said was that he, the most respected man in this community, would stand beside her, proudly, completely divorcing her from the crimes of her father.

  The father who had never been there.

  Holly looked again at the crowd, moving now in colorful groups that dotted the sloping lawns to take their places in the chairs.

  Finally, she saw her mother. She had expected that Rose must be wearing an outlandish outfit that would surely attract more attention than the bride's.

  But her mother was in a very mature gray silk suit, and a lovely matching hat.

  "You're right," Blake had said thoughtfully. "Let's tell her to go ahead."

  And so Rose had gone ahead, her lessons culminating with the wedding.

  Holly's mother caught her eye and waved. She mouthed some words.

  Beautiful. Her mother thought she was beautiful.

  Holly's gaze moved on and found Rafe and Libby.

  And then Rory and Peggy.

  And then Michael and Suzanne.

  Nature knew about balances, too. Nature or fate or God. Whatever you preferred to call that power that was greater than all things.

  Some heavenly force had looked down on the horror of that water being poisoned, children becoming ill, the ranch being closed, and had decided some balance was required.

  And so love sprang up all around that tragedy.

  Love and evil arm-wrestled. And love won.

  The children were all back in residence at the Hopechest now, the contamination completely cleared from the water, all the DMBE accounted for and disposed of, the ranch was like a ghost town that had been given a second chance at life. It bustled with activity and energy and laughter.

  Holly's feeling of belonging to that ranch and the children on it, filled her to overflowing. It seemed to her it was the most wondrous of miracles that she was going to spend her life on the Hopechest, side by side with the man that she loved.

  The music started, and Joe appeared at her side. Jenn gathered her basket of flowers and the train of Holly's dress.

  Somehow Rory and Rafe had found Blake and he was standing at the pagoda now, flanked by them, his eyes fastened on the house, waiting for her.

  Dimly, she registered the music wasn't "The Wedding March."

  Jamie Lynn Barker came forward. And then, in white shirts and blue jeans, the children of the Hopechest Ranch came in solemn lines down the aisles of chairs, and formed neat lines behind Jamie, smallest to tallest. Holly saw Tomas and Lucille and so many of the other children who had passed through her office, sat on her couch, cuddled her teddy bears.

  "Meredith's been rehearsing them all week," Joe said proudly. "It's a surprise for you. She heard it was your favorite song."

  Jamie's voice soared out alone.

  When

  all else has failed me,

  When

  I'm weary and torn,

  Love

  whispers to me,

  And

  my spirit is reborn.

  The children began to hum behind her, and her voice soared even higher, strong and vital.

  Oh,

  I've walked alone

  All

  the days of my life,

  But

  love promises me

  An

  end to heartache and strife.

  The voices of the children joined her now, voices full of innocence and wonder. Their voices were full of hope and dreams and promises. They were strong voices, for all that they were childish. Voices that had survived the storm and came out the other side still believing in goodness.

  Joe stepped forward, and they walked down the aisle to the joyous song of the children. Holly struggled not to cry as she followed his lead, allowed herself to feel his strength and his steadiness. Strength and steadiness that would always be available to her now.

  Because today she was not just marrying Blake. She was becoming a part of something larger than herself.

  A family. Today all her dreams were coming true.

  Like

  the sailor who comes home from the sea,

  The

  warrior home from the dying;

  Bring

  your broken wings to me.

  Love

  mends those hearts that are crying.

  Blake saw that she was coming now, floating down the aisle, a vision in that ivory gown that spilled over the hands of her bridesmaid and swept the grass.

  He could not take her eyes off her.

  She was radiant.

  More radiant than the sun.

  The music seemed to lift her up on its wings, and he could feel the pure emotion of those childrens' voices clawing at his own throat.

  She looked absolutely beautiful. But he alone, of all the people here, knew the best thing of all. She would still be the most beautiful woman in the world even if she put her glasses back on, and her hair back up, and those suits back on.

  Well, maybe he had to draw the line at the suits.

  But this was the secret he knew: She was more beautiful on the inside than she could ever be on the outside.

  And she had said yes to him. She was going to join him in this wonderful new adventure.

  "Who gives this woman?"

  Joe said firmly, "I do."

  And she walked the final few steps alone. She took his hand, and the trembling within him quieted as they walked up the stairs of the pagoda together.

  "Dearly beloved," the minister said, "we are gathered here in celebration of the love between a man and a woman."

  Who would have thought the events of the last few months would end like this? In celebration of love?

  He thought of that moment, weeks ago now, when he had pondered the nature of miracles. He had only asked for one more: That the children be returned to the ranch.

  But he had heard it said that God knew so much better than an ordinary mortal what that man needed.

  And God had given him the miracle he had never dared ask for. Not even when he was a little boy.

  God had given him someone to love him.

  Blake took her hand and lifted it to his mouth, kissed it gently, met her eyes. Her eyes shone with tears, and love and laughter.

  And held his future in their depths.

  He knew the dream that had been planned for him was better than anything he could have ever dreamed for himself.

  There were no words big enough to express that, but the two that came from his lips seemed like they would suffice, an affirmation of love and of life, an acceptance of the gift of love, a promise to do his best to be worthy of the immense and amazing gift the universe had given him.

  "I do," Blake Fallon said firmly. "I do."

  Special thanks and acknowledgment are given to Cara Colter for her contribution to THE COLTONS series.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-8423-8

  A HASTY WEDDING

  Copyright © 2001 by Harlequin Books S.A.

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br />   All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

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  Table of Contents

  About the Author

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Epilogue