"This is such a treat," she said as she selected a cupcake for herself and settled into a seat. The cupcake was chocolate and the frosting vanilla, and Sarah was almost embarrassed by how quickly hers disappeared. "It's so good!"
Emma chuckled. "Thank you. I brought plenty, so we can all have seconds. One is never enough for me," she said as she reached for a second cupcake. Sarah smiled and did the same. Once everyone had their fill, Sarah cleared the plates from the table and Colleen brought their little meeting to order.
"So, let's discuss our dress plans for the library benefit. It's probably the most formal occasion that Bozeman will have this year and the most visible, so we may want to go a little fancier than we might normally. What do you all think?"
"Fancy is good," Brianna said. "I haven't dressed up in ages. Haven't even thought about it since the baby came, but now a night out sounds fabulous."
"It's been too long for me as well," Emma agreed. "I love my children, but it will be a treat to dress up. Fancier the better suits me."
"Not for me. I want something a bit simpler and elegant. That I'll be able to wear again so it shouldn't stand out too much," Julia said.
"I'm not sure how fancy I should go? What do you girls think?" Sarah asked. She wanted to make sure that whatever she made was perfectly appropriate in her role as Ricky's wife.
Colleen thought about that for a moment. "I think you should make the most exquisite dress that you are capable of making. Something that people will admire and talk about. Something tasteful and elegant, yet wildly feminine at the same time."
"That's a tall order!" Sarah laughed.
The girls exchanged glances and then Colleen spoke again. "Please excuse my bluntness, but not everyone in town is as open and accepting as we are, and as Ricky is. There are some who will use your former work experience as a saloon girl against him, who will make judgments about the kind of person you are, and your character and whether it's suitable for a mayor's wife."
Sarah was speechless and unsure of what to say to that. She then felt even more horrified when her eyes watered and when she blinked, a long tear escaped and ran down her cheek. Emma immediately jumped up and hugged her.
"Please don't be upset. None of us think that of you and we certainly know that Ricky doesn't. Colleen, in her usual direct way, just wanted to address the issue head on, so we can strategize on how to overcome it."
Sarah found her voice and smiled. "I understand, I do. It just bothers me that people think that way, that they make assumptions without knowing the facts. None of the saloon girls I worked with were like that. They were just honest, hardworking women."
"That may be, but all it takes is one or two somewhere that tarnish the reputation for all. That's the case here. But the more that you meet people and are seen out with Ricky, we think people will accept you. It may just take some time to win them over."
Sarah swallowed nervously. The thought of having to win the townspeople over, to battle against their possible poor perception of her, was intimidating.
"I'll do whatever you suggest."
"Now that that's settled, let's discuss specifics." They all pulled out their fabric then and debated which different styles and which cuts would be most flattering for their figures. Once everyone had a turn and decided on a plan for their dress, the conversation shifted again.
"How are you settling in to your marriage with Ricky?" Brianna asked. She was the most recent of the girls to move to Montana and to marry one of the Donovan brothers.
"It's going relatively well, so far. We're still in the getting to know each other stage. Yesterday was a hard day for Ricky, though. His mother isn't doing well."
"Evelyn isn't getting any better?" Emma asked.
"No, and Ricky's father told him that he thinks she may be gone soon. We went to see her again earlier today and she looked even more frail than she did on Sunday. I didn't think that was possible."
"I'm so sorry to hear that," Julia said. "How is Ricky handling it?"
"It's difficult for him. His way of dealing with it yesterday was to spend the afternoon and most of the evening at the saloon. His friends brought him home and he went straight to bed. I wish I knew what to do to help him."
"I don't think Ricky is used to having someone else to lean on," Colleen said thoughtfully. "He's been a bachelor for some time now. He's independent and I know he has always been very close to his mother. I'm sure this is hard for him."
"He's a great businessman, but there's no easy solution for this. That must be incredibly frustrating and heart-breaking for him,” Julia added
"The best thing you can do is to simply be there for him," Brianna said. "Eventually, he'll turn to you and appreciate your support."
"I suppose. I wish there was something more, though. I hate seeing him so sad."
"Death is sad, but it's something everyone has to deal with at some point, as hard as it is,” Emma said. “You can help in little ways too. Make sure he eats well or just eats, period. Help him stay on track. Dealing with this is bound to make him forgetful, and distract him from things he needs to do. You can assist there. Find out what his schedule is and where he needs to be."
"I can do that." Sarah liked that idea. She could help him stay organized and mark his appointments on their calendar.
"And let us know if we can help in any way," Brianna added.
"I will," Sarah assured her. "Thank you. All of you."
"Well, we should probably get going or Naomi will never offer to do this again," Emma said with a laugh.
They all said their goodbyes and Sarah promised to give them an update after church on Sunday. After they left, she went into the library and started on her dress. She was motivated now and was determined to make the most beautiful dress that Bozeman had ever seen.
Chapter 13
Ricky grew more distracted over the next two weeks. He stopped in to see his mother every day and, depending on her condition, his mood would seesaw from hope to despair. The past few days had been more down than up.
He knew that he wasn't easy to be around and he regretted that but couldn't seem to do much about it. He was just trying to get through each day. He was grateful to Sarah, though, as she was really helping. Her suggestion to jot his appointments down on their calendar had been a lifesaver more than once recently as she'd reminded him about several meetings he would likely have missed otherwise.
His focus just wasn't there and his appetite was gone, as well. Sarah had been trying her best to make sure he ate, but he wasn't always cooperative and his pants were looser around the waist now than they'd ever been. He knew he needed to take care of himself better.
The charity benefit was that evening and ordinarily he loved those kinds of events, and reveled in being the center of attention and socializing with everyone. He'd need to do a good job faking it, though, because he knew how important it was that he be 'on' tonight.
He hadn't been back to the saloon since the unfortunate episode with the two accountants and hadn't had a drop to drink since then, either, preferring to keep a clear head about him.
Tonight though, he looked forward to having a few drinks throughout the evening and since Sarah was still getting ready, he decided to pour himself a small taste of whiskey to try and shift his mood into a more jovial one. He'd just taken his first sip, the alcohol creating a trail of warmth as it worked its way through him, when he caught his breath at the sight of Sarah coming down the stairs.
She looked more beautiful than he'd ever seen her. Her hair was piled on top of her head in a fancy bun of sorts, with wispy tendrils framing her face, and her dress was like nothing he'd ever seen before. The word elegant came to mind, but that didn't do it justice. Exquisite came close.
Her dress was a frilly confection of palest apricot and it fit her like a glove, showing off her tiny waist before billowing out into a skirt that cascaded to the floor, and was a mass of delicate gathers and folds. It looked as though she'd had it specially made
at a fine dress shop and he realized that she was an unusually talented seamstress, who could give Colleen a run for her money, if she were so inclined.
"Does it look all right?" she asked nervously.
"How can you possibly question that? It's stunning. You're stunning. I'll be proud to have you by my side--I would be, anyway, but you'll be the envy of all the ladies tonight.”
"You do exaggerate!" she protested. "But, it's lovely to hear. Thank you."
"Are you ready to go? I told my brother we would drop Andrew off with them by six."
"Yes. Andrew, it's time to go."
* * *
The three of them climbed into the buggy and Andrew chattered the whole way about how excited he was to spend the night with his cousins and to sleep over. Ricky's oldest brother, Tom, had two sons, one the same age as Andrew, and they were friendly in school.
Sarah was nervous about having him spend the night, as he'd never stayed away from home before, but he didn't seem nervous at all. It was an adventure he was looking forward to and Sarah realized that her baby was growing up.
They dropped him off and promised to stop by in the morning to collect him and then drove back into town. The library benefit was taking place in the grand ballroom at the Bozeman Hotel, and as they drew near, and Sarah saw all the people streaming in, dressed in their finest attire, she grew nervous again.
What if they didn't like her dress? Or her? Above all, she didn't want to do anything to embarrass Ricky. She knew how important this event was for him and it was her first public appearance where he'd be introducing her over and over again as his wife. She was excited too. She'd only been to an event like this once, many years ago before she married and she remembered feeling like a princess. It was a memory that she treasured.
Ricky pulled up to the hotel and tied up the horses, then came around to help her out of the buggy. With her voluminous skirts, it was a bit of a challenge. But, moments later, they were making their way inside, stopping every few feet as people said hello and Ricky made introductions.
Ricky led the way to the grand ballroom, which was already bustling with people. They'd just stepped inside when Julia appeared with her husband, Liam. They were both holding cocktails.
"We have a large table in the back. Come and join us," Julia invited them, and they followed her to the back of the room, to a large round table where many of the others were already sitting. The table sat twelve and they were the last two to arrive. Naomi and Jed Donovan were there along with Emma and Ethan, Brianna and Paul and Colleen and David. Colleen jumped up and came over to greet them and to inspect Sarah's dress.
"It's even more gorgeous than I imagined it would be! Your stitching is impeccable."
"Thank you. It was a fun challenge making this one. I've never made anything quite like it before."
"Well, be prepared for questions. People are going to want to know where you had it made, and if you're interested, I'm sure you could pick up some assignments tonight."
The thought of a sewing service had never occurred to Sarah.
"You really think so? In my mind, I'm still a teacher."
"There's no need for another teacher yet, I'm afraid. But you should think about sewing. You have an amazing talent for it," Colleen insisted.
Sarah smiled. "Thank you. I have to admit, I was a little nervous to hear what you would think of it, since you know sewing so well."
Colleen grinned. "Nothing to be nervous about. I love it! And I expect quite a few others will, too."
"Can I get you something to drink?" Ricky offered. Since this was a special occasion, Sarah decided to indulge.
"Yes, please. A glass of wine would be nice."
Ricky flashed a smile, something she hadn't seen recently. "I'll be right back," he said and turned toward the bar.
Moments later, he returned with a glass of red wine for her and a whiskey on ice for himself. There was a five-piece band nearby and as Sarah took her first sip, they began to play a song they were all familiar with and she found herself tapping her toes to the music.
Tuxedo-clad servers strolled by, offering delicious appetizers, spiced meatballs, stuffed mushrooms, and some kind of liver spread on toast that was surprisingly tasty. Sarah tried it all and enjoyed every bite. It wasn't a formal sit down dinner, but more of a cocktail party with the passed hors d'oeuvres and side tables around the room that held more food, everything from cheese and crackers to sliced tenderloin and a horseradish cream sauce and of course, there was a dessert table that was overflowing with various cakes and sweets.
Sarah noted with amusement that the women mostly steered clear of the dessert table until later in the evening after they’d had several cocktails and were less concerned with what people thought. Sarah didn't wait. She eagerly picked out a dessert that looked intriguing and settled in at their table to enjoy it.
Ricky was off making the rounds and talking to people. She'd gone around when they first arrived and all the names and faces blurred together after a while; she knew she'd never remember half of them. The men had been friendly and welcoming while many of the women were more reserved.
Although her dress drew some admiring glances from both women and men, not a single person asked her about it. Colleen was totally wrong on that, she thought as she debated going up for another dessert. There was a lemon cupcake that had caught her eye and it was small, or so she told herself as a way to justify having a second dessert.
"Are you going up for something else?" Emma asked her and she laughed.
"Is it that obvious? Yes, I'm going for a lemon cupcake. Can I get you something?"
"Yes, but only obvious to me. I recognized that look in your eye. I'll take one, too, please."
Sarah made her way back to the dessert table and was picking up the cupcakes when she overheard two women speaking. They had their backs to her so she knew they had no idea she was listening in and she would have scurried away if she hadn't heard her name mentioned.
"Ricky's a fool if he thinks putting her in an expensive dress is going to fool anyone. Everyone knows she's nothing but a saloon girl, hardly fit to be a mayor's wife. He badly misjudged that." The woman speaking didn't look much older than Sarah and the woman with her was about the same age and agreed with her assessment.
"I know. It's an embarrassment, really. What was he thinking? It's not like he had to marry her. But, he did Sam a favor, it seems. He should easily win re-election now. Imagine thinking a fine dress would change anything. If you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig, is it not?"
Both women were chuckling at their cleverness as Sarah slunk away and had to fight back tears. Her face was burning and she felt like such a fool. If these women thought such a thing, clearly others did as well. She wasn't an asset to Ricky at all. If anything, she was a liability. One that could cost him the election.
She forced herself to focus and willed the tears away as she reached the table and plastered a smile on her face as she handed Emma her cupcake.
"You're in luck. I got the last two," she said brightly.
"I do feel lucky," Emma said as she dug into the cupcake.
Sarah had felt like a princess as she walked into the ballroom with Ricky, but now she felt more like Cinderella after the ball, and those two women were the evil stepsisters who ruined everything. She sighed as she realized what she had to do, for Ricky's sake.
Chapter 14
Ricky was in a good mood as they drove home. Sarah noticed that being around people energized him, and he was chatting the whole way home about different people he'd spoken with and how enthusiastic they all seemed to be about his prospects for mayor. She realized that he could have a good chance of actually winning, if it wasn't for her.
When they reached the house and went inside, Ricky was still in a great mood and led her into the library. He lit the fire and then grabbed her hand and twirled her around the room.
"I'm sorry we didn't have a chance to dance more," he apologized as he dipped he
r and then pulled her back up with a flourish and a laugh. He was actually a very good dancer, and Sarah had enjoyed their one dance together. He'd been too busy working the room after that. His enthusiasm was contagious, but then Sarah remembered what she needed to say to him.
"Ricky, can we sit down for a moment?"
"Sure, I need to catch my breath anyway." They both sat on the sofa and Ricky kicked off his shoes. "It was a good night tonight. I was glad to share it with you."
"It was a fun night, but there's something we should talk about. I've made a decision and I think it's for the best."
"What kind of decision?" Ricky smiled and reached for her hand.
Sarah took a deep breath, "Ricky, I don't think it was a good idea for us to get married. I want to go back to the saloon. I think it will be the best thing for us both." Her heart broke as she said the words, but she believed it. She'd manage somehow.
Ricky dropped her hand. "You're not happy? I thought things were going relatively well. I can try harder. Just tell me how to fix this."
"No, it's not you." She told him about the conversation she'd overheard and the looks of disdain she'd received from some of the townspeople, including Lynn. "I think if you lose this election, it will be because of me, and I don't want that to happen. It's your dream." She felt her eyes well up again and looked away, willing the tears to stay put.
Ricky took her hand again and pulled her toward him. She turned back and the traitorous tears escaped and slowly slid down her cheek. She noticed that the look in his eyes had softened, and he reached one hand to her cheek and gently wiped the tears away. Then he pulled her in even tighter and planted a whisper of a kiss upon her forehead.
"You're not going anywhere. I need you more than I need to win this election. I still think I'm going to win, but if I don't, life will go on. I'm not at all worried about it." He really didn't sound worried, but Sarah was still concerned. She didn't want to be the reason he lost.
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