When he put his arms around her and kissed her gently, the sorrows and frustrations of the day, the hurts of a lifetime, vanished in a sweetness unlike anything she’d ever known. Her heart sang with joy and ached with longing for 320 this man, for his strength and gentleness, for his steadiness and passion.
That night a new passion had flared between them the instant his lips touched hers. They both kept control, although it wasn’t easy. In years past, she would have yielded to her desire, especially one so powerful.
But as Chance had once reminded her, she was a new creature in Christ. One who struggled with all sorts of issues, but who earnestly sought to live the way God wanted her to. Still, it was a good thing they’d decided on a very short engagement and were planning the wedding for the first day of May.
Her mother would probably faint when Emily told her she was getting married in three weeks. She hoped her mom could clear her schedule and be there. The date was set, and Emily wasn’t going to change it.
They’d reserved Grace Community Church in Callahan Crossing, and Jenna and Lindsey had agreed to stand up with her. Along with Sue, they’d gone to Abilene a couple of times looking for dresses. On the second trip, Emily found the perfect wedding gown, and the others found what they wanted too.
With all the wedding interruptions, Emily hadn’t accomplished as much as she needed to at the museum. She told Sue and the Historical Society board that she would refund them the money they had paid her and finish the job for free. Whether she did that driving home from Dallas on weekends or settled in as the newest permanent citizen of Callahan Crossing remained to be seen.
She had not heard anything more about the position at the McGovern. It didn’t worry her because she was too busy enjoying life.
That was a sobering, thought-provoking situation. She had never been happier, and not only because of Chance and their love. For the first time, she felt as if she belonged – to a family who loved her unconditionally, to a church small enough to recognize every face, to a town that welcomed her as one of their own.
The part of her that had worked so long toward her goal still hoped she would be offered the job at the McGovern. But she no longer needed to prove to her father that she was worth something. She really didn’t care what he thought.
After she put on the dangling diamond butterfly earrings her grandmother had loaned her, she walked across the large guest room, one of six, and studied her reflection in the long mirror. She had pulled her hair back in a chignon at the base of her neck. The simple style complemented the classic shape of her violet gown. Her only jewelry was the diamond earrings and her engagement ring. She looked good and felt confident. With Chance by her side, she could conquer the world.
And even her parents, she thought wryly.
Some people, her mother included, thrived in this kind of life. Emily didn’t. She could put up with the glamour and glitz on occasion, and possibly even enjoy the evening, especially when Chance was with her. If she moved up in the museum world, attendance at these functions would be mandatory. That was one more thing in favor of small-town life.
Picking up her small rhinestone bag, she moved toward the doorway. “It’s really not such a hard choice at all, is it, Lord?” she murmured.
Chance was waiting for her when she walked into her grandparents’ living room. He whistled softly. “You look incredible.” Turning to her grandfather, whose face glowed 322 with approval, he said, “Isn’t she the most beautiful woman you’ve ever seen?”
Grandpa Doyle chuckled and glanced at her grandmother. “Now, son, don’t put me on the spot like that. She’s lovely, but so is my wife.”
Chance grinned and winked at Grandma Iris. “Yes, sir. Both of them are incredible.”
Grandma laughed and hooked her arm through her husband’s, something Emily noticed she did more and more. “I was a looker when I was Emily’s age, but she takes the prize these days. Spin around once, dear.”
Meeting her grandmother’s twinkling eyes, Emily turned around slowly. When she faced Chance again, the dear man looked dumbstruck. Finally he found his voice and eloquently proclaimed, “Wow.”
Emily laughed and her grandmother practically cackled. “Is that all you can say, boy?” Grandma Iris asked, nudging Emily’s grandpa with her elbow. “Good thing he’s already proposed. He’d be too tongue-tied to do it now.”
Chance’s face turned a ruddy red, but he grinned and went along with their teasing. “I’m stickin’ to you like glue tonight, sweetheart, ’cause you’re gonna need a bodyguard.”
“And you’re just the man to do it.” Grandpa Doyle slapped Chance on the back. “I’m mighty glad our Emily found you.”
“So am I, sir. So am I.”
Emily watched in amusement as Chance studied the architecture of the Pavilion Ballroom in the prestigious Rosewood 323 Mansion on Turtle Creek. He glanced at her and smiled. “Do I look like a gawkin’ country bumpkin?”
“You, sir, look absolutely gorgeous.” She hadn’t been surprised to see him in a western-style tuxedo and black cowboy boots. The black coat, black vest, and crisp white shirt with a black crossover tie suited him perfectly. The only other man in the room dressed in a similar fashion was her grandfather, which pleased her immensely. Confident and fiercely independent. That described them both. “Personally, I’m glad you’re more interested in the arched windows than all of these low-cut gowns.”
“Darlin’, I only see one woman in this room, and that’s you. Everybody else fades away in comparison.”
“Such flattery.” She curled her hand around his. “I’m lovin’ it.”
“It’s not flattery.” He looked down at the floor. “Great tile. This is quite the place. Interesting how they’ve combined modern design elements with the original Italian Renaissance style. It’s hard to imagine that it was a private home for years.”
A couple who looked vaguely familiar walked by, smiled, and said hello. They had the same expression on their faces that she probably had on hers – I think I’m supposed to know you, but I don’t have a clue who you are. She was glad they didn’t stop. That had happened three times in the five minutes they’d been in the ballroom.
“Do you see anything on the live auction list that you want to bid on?” She held the sheet of paper where they could both study it.
“That trip to St. Thomas would make a great honeymoon. I’ve never been there. Have you?”
“No. Let’s bid on it. We might wind up spending more than if we simply booked a trip on our own, but that’s all right.” When he put his arm around her, she leaned lightly against him. “It’s also first on the list so we can make our getaway after that if we want to.”
“You don’t see anything else that you’re interested in?”
“Not really. Sports memorabilia doesn’t do anything for me. I don’t need a new shotgun.”
He chuckled close to her ear. “But they’re a matching His and Hers set. We’d look cute totin’ them together.”
“You want a shotgun, you buy one. I don’t want one.”
“I’m still going to teach you to shoot.”
“But I don’t need a fancy gun for that. None of the jewelry is my style. All the restaurant packages are here in Dallas. Too far to drive just for dinner. Though we might bid on some of the sports tickets or packages.”
He eased the list from her hand, drawing her attention. “What do you mean it’s too far to drive for dinner? It won’t be if we’re living here.”
“The Lord and I had another little talk earlier. I would have told you sooner, but I couldn’t talk in the car with the grandparents. And since we’ve been in here, we kept getting almost interrupted.”
“So talk fast.”
“I don’t belong here, Chance. Callahan Crossing is my home now.”
“What about the museum job?” He nodded politely to a middle-aged woman who ogled him as she walked slowly by.
Emily wanted to tell her to close her mouth or she’d catch
flies, but she’d promised to behave. “I hope I’m offered the job, just for the pleasure of knowing I was chosen. That’s prideful, I suppose, but it would be nice to have my abilities recognized. Still, I won’t take it. It might be interesting, but I’ll be happier being the unpaid curator at the Callahan Crossing Museum.
“In retrospect, I realize I was trying to please my parents, particularly my dad, more than I was me. The way things are now, to borrow one of Grandma Rose’s sayings, I don’t give a hoot nor a holler what my dad thinks.”
“I could kiss you right now.” He smiled as big as a politician in a runoff.
“Better not. Mom alert. She’s heading our way. She’s the blonde in the green strapless gown with the beading on the front.” She looked even more beautiful than the last time Emily had seen her. This time, however, with admiration and love glowing in Chance’s eyes when he smiled down at her, Emily felt on equal footing with her mother.
“I would have known her anyway. There’s a striking family resemblance. How old did you say she is?” Chance asked with a hint of disbelief. He lowered his arm and shifted slightly, putting a little space between them.
“Fifty last week.” She barely looked forty. “She works out religiously and takes good care of herself, but she’s the best example of my dad’s skill.”
“Who’ll she see now?”
“Good question.” Emily smiled and lifted her head slightly under her mother’s scrutiny. “Hi, Mom.” She kissed the air beside her mother’s cheek. And Miranda did the same. Couldn’t mess up the makeup or wrinkle a gown with a hug.
“Hello, Emily. You look lovely tonight, dear.”
Emily caught her breath at the unexpected compliment. She waited a second for a but . . . When it didn’t come, she did a mental reboot. “Thank you. So do you, as always.”
“So, this is your cowboy.” Her mother gave Chance an appraising once-over. Nodding her approval, she smiled her most enticing smile. “Very nice. If you want to go into advertising, let me know. You’d make a lot more money than you do herding cows.”
Emily barely kept from rolling her eyes. “Chance, this is my mother, Miranda Denny. Mom, this is Chance Callahan.”
Her mother held out her hand, and Chance shook it. “Nice to meet you, ma’am. You’re as beautiful as Emily said you were.”
Her mother’s eyes sparkled. “I like a man who knows how to compliment a woman and make it sound sincere.”
“I don’t say things I don’t mean, ma’am.” He gave her his most charming smile.
Her mother stared, and Emily barely held back a laugh.
“I absolutely must sign you with my agency.”
“No, thanks.” He flashed that smile again, with a spark of mischief added. “I like herdin’ cows, and I don’t need the money. I have plenty.” He put his arm around Emily’s shoulders. “My fiancée has a bunch too.”
Well, that takes care of that, Emily thought ruefully. So much for worrying about how to break the news to her mother.
Miranda’s eyes grew round. She looked at Emily and back at him. “Your wh-what?”
“Fiancée.”
Emily dutifully held out her hand to show her the ring. “Isn’t it beautiful? It was his great-great-grandmother’s. She was married to Aidan, who established the sixty-thousand-ebook. acre ranch the Callahans still own.” She leaned closer to her mother and said quietly, “Don’t worry, Mom. He’s rich.”
Her mother frowned up at Chance. “You are?”
“Cattle, oil, land, buildings.” He smiled lazily. “Typical Texan.”
“I know a lot of typical Texans who don’t have a row to hoe,” her mother snapped. “Emily, what about all your education and your career?”
“I’ll do some things here and there. I’m really happy in Callahan Crossing.” Despite the curious stares of those around them, Emily wasn’t going to back down. “Mom, I love him. And he loves me,” she said softly.
“Just like a man, expecting you to give up your life’s goals for his.”
“He volunteered to move here, but I said no.”
“He did?” Her mother studied him for a moment, then focused on Emily. “How could you say no to that?”
“I’ve discovered I’m a country girl at heart. I love the town, the people, the ranch.” She shrugged and smiled at her mother. “You had to go from the country to the big city to find happiness. I had to do it the other way around.”
“Who says I found happiness?” her mother said under her breath. She tapped her foot, her gaze flickering back and forth between them. Emily could practically see the wheels turning in her mind. “Do you really love my daughter?”
“Yes, ma’am. With all my heart.”
People were beginning to murmur and shift around, trying to see what was going on. Emily smiled to herself. Dallas or Callahan Crossing, folks were the same all over. Nosy.
“All right. We’ll start making wedding plans tomorrow over lunch.”
“We’ve already made wedding plans, Mom,” Emily said gently. This might be harder than breaking the news about the engagement. “May 1 at our church in Callahan Crossing. Nice and simple.” Surprising tears misted her eyes. “I really, really hope you’ll be there.”
“But I have to plan the wed – ” Her mother stopped, glanced down at the floor, and looked back up again with a watery smile. “I’ll be there.”
Chance quickly handed her his handkerchief, and she dabbed her eyes, being careful not to smear the mascara.
“Thank you, Mom.” Emily hugged her gently.
“The dress, dear, don’t wrinkle the dress.” But her mother hugged her back and handed her the handkerchief. “Looks like you need this now.” Her eyes shifted toward the doorway, and she grimaced. “Drat. It’s time to deal with the devil. Here comes your father.”
Emily blotted her eyes and stuffed the handkerchief in her purse as she looked up at Chance. “Hope you don’t sneeze.”
“I brought a spare.”
She laughed and hooked her arm through his. “I should have known.” Her grandmother and grandfather casually moved behind them. They chatted with someone but were really moving closer to lend their support.
Before her father reached them, Sylvia Hanson, the director of the McGovern Museum, came hurrying over. “Emily, how nice to see you here. And how fortuitous. I can give you the good news now instead of calling you on Monday.”
Emily’s father stepped into their little group. He nodded a greeting to Emily, glanced curiously at Chance, and turned to Ms. Hanson. “What good news?”
Ms. Hanson shot him a quick glance and returned her attention to Emily. “Emily, we’d like to offer you the position as assistant curator at the McGovern. The three finalists all had similar qualifications, though personally I liked yours a bit better than the others. What put you on top, however, was your interview. You were by far the most articulate and personable of the whole group. And how poised and beautiful you look tonight. You’ll be a tremendous asset to the McGovern.”
She was the best! A thrill zipped through her.
“Finally,” her father said, with more than a hint of sarcasm.
Her mother beamed her a smile of obvious pride, bringing healing right along with it.
“It’s about time you used all that education for something besides digging through a bunch of old worthless junk in Podunkville.” Wearing his usual disapproving expression, her father shook his head. “Who cares if century-ago cowboys chased a bunch of longhorns around on the prairie, set up a few worthless ranches, and built a dozen pathetic little towns?”
“I do!” Emily, Chance, and Ms. Hanson all answered in unison.
Still smiling politely for the benefit of the crowd, Miranda muttered, “Shut up, Clark.”
“Why should I?”
Did the man have any idea how childish he sounded?
Before Emily could correct her father, Ms. Hanson turned on him like a mama bear protecting her cubs. “Because you obviously don’t kn
ow what you’re talking about, Dr. Denny. So please do be quiet.”
As her father sputtered, Emily felt Chance’s hand lightly press against her side. He leaned down close to her ear. “You can still change your mind, darlin’.”
Though she felt the tiniest twinge of regret at forgoing the job, she smiled and shook her head. “Thank you for the opportunity, Ms. Hanson, but I’ll pass on your kind offer.” She shifted a little closer to Chance, a movement the other woman didn’t miss. “My plans have changed.”
Ms. Hanson’s gaze flickered to Emily’s engagement ring, to Chance, and back to her. An approving smile slowly spread across her face. “I see.”
“Well, I don’t,” her father blustered. “You can’t refuse the only good job offer you’ve had. I won’t allow it.”
Emily desperately wished she had a sock she could stuff in his mouth. Almost everyone in the room – around three hundred people – shifted this way and that to see what the commotion was all about. Wondering if a handkerchief would do just as well, she was about to open her purse when Chance moved to her father’s side.
Smiling cordially, he put his hand on her dad’s shoulder and gripped it hard. “It’s not up to you, sir,” he said congenially.
Her dad flinched beneath Chance’s powerful hand. Her sweetie hadn’t lugged all that lumber or wrestled all those cows for nothing.
“Who are you?” Her father’s voice was strained.
Steely resolve replaced Chance’s smile. “Chance Callahan. The man who is going to marry your daughter.”
“What? She’s not – ” Her father flinched again as Chance’s fingers dug in deeper.
“Now, sir, you’ll apologize to Emily for embarrassing her in front of all these people.”
Her father tried to pull away, but Chance held on tight. “You should include your wife in that apology.”
He shook his head, glaring first at her mother, then her.
Emily's Chance (v5) Page 27
