The Cowboy’s Targeted Bride

by Carla Cassidy

  “Have you ordered flowers or talked to the bakery about a cake?”

  “Not yet.” Jerod frowned. What all was involved in planning a wedding? He really had no idea. They’d only just started talking about it, and he already felt as if he were in way over his head. Flowers...a cake...he hadn’t even thought about those things.

  “So, basically what you’re really saying is that you don’t have a clue and need a planner.” Cassie’s smile widened. “Well, now you have one. I’ll take care of things. I think I might know what a woman wants for her wedding better than you.”

  Dillon groaned. “Let me warn you, Jerod. When my wife gets hold of something, she’s like a dog with a toy. She’ll shake it until all the stuffing falls out.”

  Cassie slapped her husband affectionately on his shoulder and then looked back at Jerod. “So, what have you already done?”

  “Uh...nothing,” Jerod confessed. “To be honest, I’m really not sure where to begin. But as of right now, I haven’t done anything. I figured I needed to make sure it was okay with you to use the barn before I lined up anything else.”

  “What time do you plan to have the ceremony?” Cassie asked.

  “I don’t know...maybe ten in the morning,” Jerod said tentatively.

  “We’ll have it at three in the afternoon with a reception to follow,” Cassie replied.

  “See what I mean?” Dillon said with a teasing smile at his wife. “She won’t be happy until she has everything her way.”

  “He obviously needs help, and I just want to help,” Cassie replied and then frowned. “It’s going to be tough to pull everything together in such a short time, but we can do it.” She clapped her hands together. “I’m so excited. I want you and Lily to have a wedding to remember.”

  “Cassie, I didn’t mean for you to take all this on,” he protested.

  Dillon shook his head and laughed. “Trust me, Jerod. She isn’t doing you a favor. You’re doing her a favor by letting her do this.” He smiled affectionately at his wife. “She’s needed a project, and you just handed her one.”

  “Well, I really do appreciate it,” Jerod replied and stood. “I’ll be glad to pay you for all your work, Cassie.”

  “Nonsense,” she replied. “It’s my pleasure to do this.”

  “You keep track of all the expenses, and I’ll pay you for everything.”

  “I’ll let you know how the plans are going. Expect a lot of phone calls from me.” Cassie also rose from the table. “Now get out of here so I can get busy. The only thing you need to do is decide who you want to officiate over the ceremony and set things up with him or her.”

  “I can do that. Let me know if there’s anything else you need me to take care of.” He shifted from one foot to the other. “There’s one more thing. After the wedding, I won’t be working or living here anymore. Lily has a big spread, and that’s where I’ll be working. I’m sorry, Cassie.”

  “Don’t be sorry, Jerod. Of course I really hate to lose you, but my aunt Cass’s ultimate goal for all you cowboys was that eventually you’d find love and be happy,” Cassie replied. “You’ve been a good and reliable ranch hand for me, Jerod. And now it’s time you are a good ranch hand for your own family.”

  An unexpected surge of grief followed Jerod as he left the house and headed back to the cowboy dining room. It felt like the end of an era. Big Cass was gone, and now he was leaving the only home and the men he had known for years.

  The grief was quickly swallowed up by excitement. He was eager to sit down with Lily and look at the books of the ranch. He was hoping to identify why it wasn’t more productive and make it prosperous. He was also elated that hopefully in the future Lily would give him his dream of a family of his own. This was the beginning of a new life for him, and he was eager for it to begin.

  But it wouldn’t happen if Lily had changed her mind overnight. As he worked throughout the afternoon, that was the biggest question in his head. When he spoke to her later this evening, would she tell him she’d changed her mind and no longer wanted the marriage?

  Now that Cassie had taken over the planning, he hoped Lily was still all in for this to happen. He’d already spoken to Dusty and Mac, who had sworn their silence in how this marriage had come about.

  After he’d eaten dinner, instead of moving to the rec part of the dining area, he went back to his own room. He sank down on the edge of the bed with his phone in his hand. Very little made Jerod nervous. He could face down a stubborn cow or a coyote causing trouble. He could tangle with an enraged bull or control a misbehaving horse, but calling Lily had him sweating with nerves.

  He finally got up the nerve and punched in her number. She answered on the first ring. “Hi, Jerod.”

  “Hey, Lily. How are you doing today?”

  “Okay, what about you?”

  “I’m fine. Uh... I was just wondering if you’d had time to think about what we talked about yesterday. I was...uh...wondering if maybe you’ve changed your mind about things?” He held his breath.

  “I haven’t... I mean, I’ve thought about it and I haven’t changed my mind. Have you?”

  “No, not at all,” he replied hurriedly. “In fact, I spoke to Cassie this afternoon, and she’s not only agreed to let us get married in the barn, but she’s going to act as a sort of wedding planner and get it all organized for us.”

  “Wow, that’s really nice of her.”

  “Have you talked to Caleb about any of this yet?” he asked. He thought of the young boy who looked a lot like his mother with his brown hair and blue eyes.

  “Not yet. I wanted to make certain you weren’t going to change your mind. I’ll have a conversation with him tonight and let him know what’s happening.”

  “Lily, I’m definitely not going to change my mind. A week from this Saturday, I’m planning on marrying you if you’ll have me. In fact, Cassie is planning for a three o’clock ceremony. Does that work for you?”

  “That sounds fine.” She released a small laugh. “My social calendar is pretty open for that day.”

  “And I was wondering if maybe you would let me take you and Caleb out to dinner tomorrow night at the café. It would be our first official outing together as a couple.” Once again he found himself holding his breath in anticipation.

  “I won’t lie to you, the very idea of going out in public and testing if people believe we’ve been dating makes me nervous. But, if we’re going to keep our...uh...business arrangement a secret, then I guess it’s important we be seen out together from now on so people will believe we’re a couple. So, yes, we’d love to have dinner with you tomorrow.”

  “Great, then how about I pick you two up around five thirty tomorrow evening?”

  “We’ll be ready.”

  The two said their goodbyes, and he hung up. As he stood from the edge of his bed, a wave of relief shot through him. It looked like everything was a go. In less than two weeks, he’d be a married man and building a new future for himself and Lily.

  Although it wasn’t a traditional happily-ever-after, he was hoping it would be a happily-ever-after nevertheless, and there was nothing he could foresee that would mess that up for them.

  Chapter 3

  At five fifteen the next afternoon, Lily looked in the bathroom mirror one last time. Her hair was neat and her makeup had been carefully applied. She wore a pair of jeans and a coral sweater that coworkers had told her was a good color for her.

  She’d had a talk with Caleb the night before and had told him that she’d been dating Jerod and they were planning to be married. To say he’d been shocked was an understatement. She’d asked him if he had any questions and how he felt about it, but he’d grown quiet and hadn’t talked to her about any of his feelings.

  She hoped Caleb would be good at dinner tonight and that he didn’t have an angry outburst. She hated it when her son refuse
d to speak to her about important things, and she considered her getting married to Jerod definitely an important thing in his life.

  Leaving the bathroom, she couldn’t help the nervous energy that raced through her. She hadn’t been on a date for over a decade. At least over dinner maybe she would learn more about the man she was going to marry.

  Caleb sat in the living room watching a television show. “All ready to go?” she asked.

  He shrugged. “I guess.”

  “Are you hungry?” She sank down next to him on the sofa.

  “A little.”

  “Before Jerod arrives, is there anything you want to talk to me about?”

  “No, I’m good,” he replied.

  “You’ve always told me you thought that Jerod was pretty cool when you’ve spent time with him at the community center.”

  “Yeah, but I didn’t know he was going to be my new stepdad,” Caleb replied.

  At that moment she heard the crunch of gravel outside, indicating the arrival of Jerod. Her nerves jangled as she stood and waited for his knock on the door. When the knock came, she grabbed her jacket from the hall closet and tossed Caleb his jacket. She then opened the door and greeted Jerod.

  He wore a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved navy blue turtleneck. She had forgotten how handsome he was. “Hi, Lily.” He greeted her with a tentative smile.

  “Hi, Jerod. We’re ready to go.”

  Minutes later she was in the passenger seat of the king-cab pickup, Caleb was in the back seat and they were heading into town. She was acutely aware of Jerod’s presence next to her. He smelled of minty shaving cream and a fresh-scented cologne that was very pleasing.

  “How was your day?” he asked, breaking the slightly uncomfortable silence that had begun to build between them.

  “It was good. How was yours?”

  “It was fine.” He looked in his rearview mirror. “What about you, Caleb? Did you have a good day?”

  “It was okay,” he replied in a half mumble.

  Lily appreciated him trying to bring Caleb into their conversation, but her son obviously wasn’t much interested.

  “It was a pretty day today,” Jerod said.

  “It was nice. I’ve always loved fall,” she replied.

  He flashed her a quick smile. “Me, too. It’s my favorite of the seasons.”

  She and Jerod continued with small talk until they arrived at the café.

  It was Thursday night, and the place was packed as usual, causing a new jangle of nerves inside her. There were so many people here, and it felt like a baptism by fire to test the believability of their “relationship.”

  “Okay?” Jerod asked her as they got out of the truck.

  She flashed him a shaky smile. “I’m fine,” she said with more confidence than she felt.

  The three of them walked inside the front door, and immediately Lily felt as if a hundred eyes were upon them.

  There was a long counter where singles could sit on stools to eat. The rest of the space inside was relegated to booths around the sides and tables and chairs in the center.

  The interior was painted a cheerful yellow with pictures of mouth-watering food on the walls. Normally she found it a pleasant place, but tonight she felt as if she was on display.

  Jerod led them to an empty booth toward the back, and it was only when they were seated that she began to relax a bit.

  Jerod sat across from her, and Caleb slid in next to her. Immediately waitress Julia Hatfield stopped to offer them menus and get their drink orders.

  When she had the drink orders, Julia scurried away from the booth, and Lily and Caleb opened the menus. “Aren’t you going to look at the menu?” she asked Jerod.

  “I’ve eaten here often enough I have the whole thing memorized,” he replied.

  “Mom and I almost never get to eat out,” Caleb said.

  “Then we’ll have to change that once your mother and I get married,” Jerod replied.

  “Just because you’re marrying my mom doesn’t mean that you are going to be my dad,” Caleb replied with a frown and a belligerent edge to his voice.

  Before Lily could say another word, Jerod smiled at Caleb. “Well, of course not,” he said easily. “I would never try to replace your father, Caleb. However, I’d like to eventually become somebody you like and somebody you can trust. We’ve always gotten along well at the community center.”

  Caleb grunted and then closed his menu. “I just want a cheeseburger and some cheese fries.”

  “Well, I’m planning on getting a big steak with a baked potato,” Jerod said.

  “And I’m leaning toward the special of a stuffed pepper,” Lily said.

  “Yuck,” Caleb exclaimed, making both Jerod and Lily laugh. The shared laughter immediately put Lily more at ease. As they waited for their meals to arrive, they talked about likes and dislikes of food.

  “There’s really not much I don’t like, although I’m not fond of sloppy joes,” Jerod said.

  “What’s wrong with them?” Caleb asked. “I think they’re awesome.”

  “I’ve only had them prepared by Cookie, the cook at the ranch, and he puts something in them that kind of turns my stomach,” Jerod explained.

  “Well, you need to taste Mom’s sloppy joes. She makes awesome ones,” Caleb replied. “She’s a really good cook.”

  “So at least I know I won’t starve to death once we get married,” Jerod said teasingly. The more he said it, the more comfortable she got with the idea of the marriage. Still, the whole thing felt a bit surreal. Lily should have many more doubts. Maybe she should have taken more time to think this through. But she didn’t have time. Foreclosure was a real and imminent disaster, and Jerod was the fix for that.

  “So, Lily, did you always want to be a teacher?” he asked.

  “No, what I really wanted to be was a full-time rancher. When I moved here from Oklahoma City, that’s what I intended, but things didn’t exactly turn out well, and thankfully I had a teaching degree to fall back on. What about you? Have you always wanted to work on a ranch?”

  “When I arrived at the Holiday Ranch when I was fifteen years old, I hadn’t really given much thought to what I wanted to do with my life. All I knew at that time was learning to be a real cowboy was what was expected of me. Now I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

  She knew the story of Cass’s cowboys—the twelve runaway boys who were brought to the Holiday Ranch to get them off the streets and living a productive life. She had no idea what Jerod’s life had been like for the first fifteen years, but she hoped someday he would share that with her.

  “I want to be a real cowboy when I grow up,” Caleb said. “Mom said I could work on our ranch and then when I got old enough she’d turn it over to me.”

  “That’s great. Maybe I could teach you some things about being a real cowboy,” Jerod said.

  “Nah, that’s okay,” Caleb replied. “Just because you’re marrying my mom doesn’t mean you get to tell me what to do.”

  “Caleb,” Lily said sharply. She would have reprimanded Caleb more for his rudeness if they had been at home, but she didn’t want to get Caleb stirred up to the point where he’d make a scene in the café.

  Thankfully, at that time their meals arrived. “What I’m really hoping for is that we can get the ranch at a place where you could quit your teaching job and be a working partner with me,” Jerod said once they’d been served and Julia had left their booth.

  “That would be absolutely wonderful,” she replied. “But I think it’s going to take nothing short of a miracle to get to that place.”

  “I’m eager to sit down with you and Rod and look everything over,” he replied.

  “Rod and I will be ready whenever you are,” she replied.

  “I think Rod likes Mom,” Caleb said, making Lily g
asp.

  “Why do you think that?” Jerod asked.

  “I’ve seen him when he’s getting ready to go into the house to talk to her and he always combs his hair and sprays that stuff in his mouth to make his breath smell good,” Caleb replied.

  “You never told me that before,” Lily said in surprise. She had never, ever looked at Rod as a potential suitor. He was just a ranch hand that she depended on.

  “Well, I guess he won’t be combing his hair or having sweet breath after next week,” Jerod said wryly. “He’ll know your mother is a married lady.”

  “I’m just glad you aren’t marrying creepy Mr. Walsh,” Caleb said.

  “And who is creepy Mr. Walsh?” Jerod asked.

  “He’s a fifth-grade teacher at the school,” Lily explained.

  “And he keeps asking Mom to go on dates with him, but she always tells him no. Sometimes I think he stalks her,” Caleb added.

  “What do you know about stalking?” Lily asked her son.

  “I know a lot about it. I watched a movie where a woman was being stalked by an ex-boyfriend and then he wanted to kill her.”

  “Maybe I need to better monitor what you’re watching on television, but now I intend to eat before my food gets cold,” she said.

  For the next few minutes they fell silent as they began to eat. Caleb had made it sound like all the men in Bitterroot were after Lily, and nothing could be further from the truth. Other than Brad hovering around her, no man had ever shown an interest in her. Not that she’d cared. She hadn’t been interested in dating.

  Before Cody had left her, he’d made it clear that she’d never be enough to keep a man happy. She wasn’t pretty enough or lively enough to keep a man happy.

  As far as Rod was concerned, she just assumed his combing his hair or whatever he did before he spoke to her was simply a matter of respect and not any romantic interest.

  “So, what else do you two enjoy doing when you have spare time?” Jerod asked.

  “I like to play catch with my best friend and play my video games,” Caleb said.