by B. J Daniels
Together they walked to the creek. The clear water pooled around an array of colorful rocks like stepping stones across the stream. “I used to come here when I was a boy and dream about what I would do with my life. I saw myself with a wife but I could never see her face when I looked into the water.” He drew her closer until their reflections appeared on the quiet surface at the edge of the creek. “But I can see her now.”
Darby looked over at her. “Mariah, will you be my wife?”
* * *
MARIAH FELT TEARS burn her eyes as Darby dropped to one knee at the edge of the creek. Reaching into his jean jacket pocket, he pulled out a small velvet case. His gaze met hers and held it as he slowly opened the lid.
The ring was so beautiful and so right, that she let out a gasp of surprise. Set in a wide band of gold was a diamond-shaped onyx stone. He took it out of the case and slipped it on her finger. It fit perfectly.
She looked from the ring to Darby and then threw herself into his arms.
They fell over in the warm sand at the edge of the creek.
“A simple yes would have been fine,” he said with a laugh as he rolled her over until he was on top of her. “So you like it?”
“I love it. I love you.” She looked into his gray eyes, seeing all the love and tenderness she’d known in this man. His look held a promise of a future she had never thought possible.
“So you’re going to marry me?”
“You’d better believe it.”
“I don’t want to wait,” he said, suddenly serious. “I feel as if we’ve been through so much...”
“I’d marry you right now.”
He laughed. “That’s what I was hoping you would say.” He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. She felt desire rocket through her. They hadn’t been together since that night before Rafael had showed up. All bound up with guilt, remorse, anger and depression, she’d thought she might never feel passion again.
But she’d underestimated what she and Darby shared. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her in a searing kiss. She’d never wanted him more than she did at this moment.
“What should we do to celebrate our engagement?” he asked, grinning.
“I have an idea.”
* * *
FLINT STOPPED BY Maggie’s house, not sure of what kind of reception he was going to get. They hadn’t spoken for a few days. He knew she was still angry and frustrated after the fire. She felt he hadn’t done anything about Celeste.
She opened the door in jeans and a shirt. Her feet were bare and her hair was pulled up in a ponytail. She looked like a teenager and he felt himself fall even harder for her.
Her cheeks were flushed as if she’d been doing something physical. He hoped she’d been packing to move in with him, but had a bad feeling that wasn’t the case.
“Mind if I come in?” he asked.
“Sorry.” She stepped back to let him in.
As he walked into her house, he saw at once that she hadn’t been packing. She’d been cleaning. Rock music pounded out of the speakers and the house smelled of lemon. What struck him was how happy she looked.
“How is Darby? I heard what happened. How terrifying and after being robbed earlier in the month...”
“He’s going to be fine.”
“And Mariah?”
“She’s working through it.”
Maggie went over to the stereo and turned it down.
“You’re not moving in with me, are you?” Flint said to her back.
Maggie turned to study him for a moment before she shook her head.
He nodded and had to swallow the lump in his throat. “Want to tell me why?”
She didn’t look as happy as she had when she’d opened the door and he felt guilty about that. She sighed. “Would you like something to drink? I just made lemonade.”
“Sure.” He doubted he could swallow a drop right now, but he welcomed the distraction. It bought him time. Because he knew he wasn’t going to like what she said and there wasn’t a damned thing he could do about it.
In the kitchen, he watched her pour two glasses of lemonade over ice. She handed one to him but didn’t pick up her own. As she leaned into the kitchen counter, she picked up one leg and rested her bare foot against her ankle. He could tell she wasn’t as relaxed as she wanted him to believe.
The sad part was that he knew this woman. He ached to take her into the bedroom. Ached to hold her naked in his arms. To smell the scent of her. To feel her heart beating next to his.
“I can’t do it. Not knowing that the only reason you asked me was because of your ex.”
“That’s not true. You know I want us to be together.”
“I know. But moving in... It was too early for us to do that. We aren’t ready. I’m not going to let Celeste run my life anymore.”
Good luck with that, he thought. “I talked to her. I even talked to her husband,” he said.
“She denied everything. I would imagine Wayne didn’t believe it either.”
He nodded. “So what do you want me to do that will fix this?”
Maggie shrugged. “Short of killing your ex-wife? I don’t know. Maybe she’ll tire of this if we keep seeing each other.”
Flint grabbed on to that sliver of hope. “You still want to see me?”
She cocked her head at him, giving him a disbelieving look. “I’m in love with you. Have been for years.”
He smiled and, remembering the cold, sweating glass in his hand, took a sip. “Good lemonade.”
She smiled at that.
“You know I love you and don’t want to spend another day away from you,” he said. “If there was anything I could do to...”
“I know.”
“You’ll still be looking over your shoulder.”
She nodded. “But I think it escalated because she heard we were moving in together. It would have been easy enough for her to hear since I had called about giving up my house when my lease was up.”
He cursed under his breath. “So you’re playing right into her hands.”
“No, Flint, we weren’t ready to move in together. We were rushing it because of her. I’m happy here in my house. I’m not ready for that next step, I guess, otherwise I wouldn’t let Celeste stop me.”
“Okay, but I’m disappointed. I was looking forward to your moving in.”
She smiled again, a smile that always seemed to bring sunshine into the room. “If our relationship can withstand your ex, then it will last. We just got back together after the last hurricane Celeste. Apparently we’re going to have to live with her so maybe time is the only thing that will help.”
He didn’t think Celeste would tire of trying to control his life, but he said nothing as he took another drink of his lemonade. He knew Maggie was right. He’d asked her to move in on impulse and she knew it. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.
“You’re still going to Lillie’s wedding with me, aren’t you?” he asked as he put down his glass on the counter.
“Of course.” She stepped toward him and, leaning into him, kissed him. “I have just the dress. It’s blue. I think you’ll like it.”
“I’m sure I will. But I’m also a big fan of what you’re wearing right now, though all I can think about is taking it off you.”
* * *
LILLIE COULDN’T BELIEVE her wedding day was coming up so quickly. She’d dreamed about this day all her life. After falling for Trask Beaumont, she’d known that the only groom she wanted standing next to her was him. For those nine years he was gone, she’d thought she’d probably never marry. She definitely wouldn’t fall in love again.
Then he’d come back for her. It still seemed like a dream, one she’d had many times while he was gone. Bu
t it had come true. Trask loved her, wanted to marry her, wanted to have children and raise them on the ranch he’d bought.
She couldn’t imagine anything more perfect.
Now if she could just get through the wedding without crying. Lately, she’d been in tears a lot. She’d almost lost her twin. Her heart still ached when she thought about it.
“Lillie?” Trask asked when he saw her tears.
“I was just thinking about Darby.”
“Darby is going to be fine,” he said coming over to take her in his arms. She felt him falter. “This isn’t about the wedding, is it? Are you getting cold feet?”
Lillie shook her head, unable to talk around the lump in her throat. She couldn’t explain what she was feeling. All she could think about was that she’d almost lost her brother and she didn’t think she could live without her twin in her life.
“Honey, if you’re having second thoughts...” Trask began.
“It’s not that,” she managed to choke out. “I... I... I can’t get married without Darby there.”
“He will be there. He’s mended, even back at work.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Trask looked lost. “Okay, why don’t you tell me what you mean?”
“I have to talk to Darby first.” With that she left her handsome cowboy fiancé looking confused as she rushed toward the door.
“The whole family is crazy,” Trask said under his breath.
“I heard that.”
* * *
“WHAT’S WRONG?” DARBY SAID when he saw his sister come through the back door of the saloon. It was clear that she’d been crying.
“I need to talk to you.”
“Is it Trask? Is it the wedding? Is it—”
“I almost lost you.”
He let out a relieved laugh. “I’m fine. You haven’t lost me.”
“Still, I realized something. I need you in my life.”
“You got it.” He pulled her into a hug. “Are you sure this isn’t about the wedding?” he asked letting her go.
“In a way it is,” she said.
He’d seen this look in her eye before. “Lillie?”
“You asked Mariah to marry you and she said yes, right?”
Darby nodded slowly, afraid where this might be headed.
“I want you next to me at my wedding.” He didn’t get a chance to ask what she was talking about. “I already spoke to Mariah. I told her how I felt about her joining our family and how I can’t get married without my twin next to me.” Tears welled in her eyes. “She agrees with me that there is only one thing to do. Have a double wedding! We’re twins. Of course we should have a double wedding.”
“Wait.” Darby tried to argue that he didn’t want to steal her thunder. “You don’t want to share your wedding day.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Getting married on the same day as you would only make my wedding day more special. It was meant to be, so quit arguing.”
“But I need to talk to Mariah about this.”
“I already did.”
“Lillie.”
“The only thing that wasn’t settled between you two was when. I know you’re anxious to tie the knot but you wanted to wait because of my wedding. So see, this is meant to be.”
He quit arguing. He always gave in to his twin. He and Mariah had planned to elope as soon as Lillie and Trask’s wedding was over. Mariah hadn’t wanted a big wedding. Definitely not some big wedding dress.
“And after we’re all married, I can help Mariah furnish the apartment. She said the two of you are going to live there.”
“Did she? Sounds like the two of you have everything figured out.” He could see his sister and Mariah with their heads together. He liked the picture it painted. He could also see how Mariah would have gotten caught up in Lillie’s excitement.
“We have it all planned. She and I will try to plan our pregnancies around our schedule at the saloon.”
Darby laughed. “Good luck with that.” But he couldn’t help but imagine his kids and Lillie’s playing together. He liked the idea and apparently so had Mariah.
“So what do you think?” Lillie asked.
He smiled. “I think I couldn’t have been luckier than to have shared a womb with you.”
She playfully slapped his shoulder. “I’m not sure you mean that, but I love you anyway.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
LILLIE AND TRASK had postponed their wedding day to give Darby and Mariah a little more time. As the days passed, Darby saw that Mariah was getting much better. She slept more and woke up less during the night. It had been weeks since she’d had a nightmare and it hadn’t been one of the bad ones.
Now the double wedding was upon them. Darby had never seen his sister looking happier. He kissed her cheek and held her at arm’s length. “You look beautiful and so grown up.”
She smiled up at him. “You clean up nice, as well. Seriously, Darby, you look so handsome in that tux.”
“Monkey suit. I can’t wait to get out of it.”
She hit him playfully on his shoulder and then winced as she must have remembered it hadn’t been that long ago that he’d been shot.
“I’m fine,” he assured her.
Lillie seemed to breathe a little easier. “Excited?”
“Very. How about you?”
She let out a breath. “Nervous. We have to watch Dad at the reception. He’s been good for a while, but—”
“Don’t worry about Dad. Cyrus has it covered.” He glanced at the clock on the wall. “About time. Ready?”
She nodded, smoothing her beautiful wedding dress. He couldn’t help but think of Mariah’s first wedding dress. He quickly pushed the thought away. Lillie had gone with her to pick out a wedding gown. When they’d come back, his sister had told him the gown was beautiful—just like Mariah—and nothing like the other one.
Both he and Mariah were trying not to look back. They’d survived and now their futures lay ahead of them. Darby couldn’t wait.
At a knock on the door, he turned to find Flint standing in the doorway. “It’s time.”
Darby quickly gave his twin a kiss on her cheek. “Break a leg,” he said.
“You too.”
He followed Flint out into the packed church and took his place next to Trask and his brothers. Lillie was right. They all looked good in their tuxes. It took a wedding to get them out of their jeans. But they all still had on their boots with their tuxes. Dress boots, but still cowboys at heart.
The organist began to play the wedding march. Darby looked toward the front door as first Lillie appeared and then Mariah.
His breath caught in his throat. He’d never seen a more beautiful woman. Mariah had her long dark hair pulled up. Her dress was simple and sleek, a pale silken honey against her olive skin.
Both women stopped for a moment, looked at each other and smiled then, holding hands, began the walk toward their grooms.
Darby had thought his sister had lost her mind when she’d suggested a double wedding. But now as he watched his beautiful bride and his beautiful and amazing sister coming up the aisle, he knew that Lillie had been right. Nothing could be more special than this.
He smiled at Mariah. She was glowing today. They’d put the ugly past behind them. He couldn’t wait to make her his wife.
* * *
HAWK STOOD BACK watching the dancers at the wedding reception. Even Cyrus had gotten out there and was now doing the cowboy jitterbug with Lillie while Trask and the others clapped and cheered from the sidelines.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been at a dance. Maybe Lillie was right. He and Cyrus were becoming cranky old bachelors. Well, at least he was, he thought as he watched his brother and
sister dance.
“You forget how to dance, cowboy?” asked a distinctly female voice next to him.
He turned to find his high school girlfriend, Deirdre Hunter, smiling up at him. “I don’t see you out there, Drey.”
“I would be if you asked me to dance.” Just then the song ended and a slow one began.
“Unless you’re afraid you’ll step on my toes,” she teased.
“I will step on your toes. But you know me, I can’t back down from a dare.”
“That’s the Hawk Cahill I knew and loved.” She seemed to realize what she’d said. He saw color warm her cheeks.
Drey hadn’t changed that much since high school, he thought as he looked at her. If anything she was prettier in a more confident grown-up way.
“Then I guess we have to do it,” he said, motioning to the dance floor. “But you’ve been warned.”
She said nothing as he led the way out into the middle of the fray. Once there, she turned toward him. She didn’t look so sure now. He figured they both would have preferred a fast dance given how many years it had been since they’d been in each other’s arms.
He stepped toward her and gently drew her to him. They were both stiff at first, but then it was as if the years had never happened, as if this was their senior prom, as if this was still the night he’d ask her to marry him—and she’d turned him down.
They moved to the music and toward each other as if drawn together by something much stronger than the two of them. She laid her head against his shoulder and he pulled her close, breathing in the sweet, familiar scent of her hair.
It transported him back to that night when they’d had their whole lives ahead of them. When he’d thought they would be making the journey together.
He felt a tap on his shoulder. It took him a moment to realize that someone was trying to cut in. Turning, he saw who it was and quickly let go of Drey.
“You don’t mind, do you, if I dance with my date?” Junior Wainwright asked.
“She’s all yours,” Hawk said, and he left the floor.
