Rocky Mountain Hitched: Contemporary Western Romance (To Love Again Book 6) (2 page)

Tray squeezed her thigh. She turned toward him and smiled. “Everyone seems really nice,” she whispered.

He winked. “First impressions can be deceiving. Get ready, Mom is likely to ask you to say grace.”

“Uh, uh,” came Betty’s voice, as she admonished one of the younger boys who had just speared a carrot. “You know better than that.” Chastened, he put his fork down and folded his hands over his plate. “Our guest will honor us with grace, won’t you, Isabel?”

“Of course,” she said, searching frantically through her memory for something suitable. She bowed her head. Peering beneath her lashes, she saw everyone had done the same. “Lord,” she began, “thank you for this meal with this large, beautiful family. For the bounty at the table and the love and new friendships to be found here. And, Lord, especially,” she peeked over at Betty, “thank you that I fell off the mare and not the stallion.”

A laughing round of amens greeted her and Tray’s mother grinned. Just before she turned away to ask for the gravy, she caught Betty give Tray a wink of approval, and she beamed inside.

Conversation flowed around her. Michael was fixing a fence in one of the pastures and wanted Tray’s help early in the morning. Jesse and Ann were hoping to get away for a weekend and were arranging with Susan to babysit. The kids shoveled their food in, eager to get back to the stack of movies in the family room.

Isabel took another bite of the chicken, savoring the plumpness and juices in her mouth. “This is the most delicious chicken I’ve ever eaten,” she said to Betty.

“You don’t spend your life on a chicken farm and not learn how to cook a bird,” Betty said, brushing the compliment off. But a telltale blush rose in her cheeks and she straightened her shoulders. She pinged her spoon against her glass. “Boys - and girls - if you’re done your dinner, take your plates to the sink and go watch your movie.” Chairs scraped as they scrambled away from the table, and raced down the hall.

The smallest of the girls came back to tug on her grandmother’s sleeve, eyes wide. “What about dessert?”

“We’ll call you back out for dessert, sweetie. Off you go,” she said, patting her on the head. “Now,” she said, letting her gaze touch on each of them, “Susan will pour us some coffee and then we’re going to hear the whole story about what happened in the mountains with those boys who went through the ice. Aren’t we Tray?”

Tray nodded. Isabel suspected Betty would exact every detail. She pushed back, and lifted her leg to rest it on a chair recently emptied by one of the children and settled in.

CHAPTER TWO

“Sleigh ride, sleigh ride, sleigh ride.” The children jumped and bobbed around Jesse who had just mentioned that the sleigh was ready. Isabel had the impression that he’d wanted only Tray to hear him, but now the whole room was involved. Jesse shrugged his shoulders in Tray’s direction, Tray cocked his head.

“Naw,” Tray said to the children. “You don’t want to go on a sleigh ride. It’s boring.”

“We do, we do,” they cried, bouncing like beans around the kitchen.

“Naw, I think it’s too cold for a sleigh ride. Isn’t that right, Jesse?”

“I think you’re right,” hemmed Jesse. “Definitely too cold for small children.”

“Uncle Tray!” The smallest girl stood, hands on hips, directly in front of her uncle. “Stop teasing us so we can go and get dressed.”

Tray rolled his eyes. “Sarah, I wouldn’t dream of teasing you.” He scooped her up and licked her cheek while he made gobbling noises. She squealed and squirmed her way back to the floor. “Okay, five minutes - everybody get dressed!”

Screeching and pushing, the kids squeezed down the hallway and started pulling on snow pants and boots.

“Sorry, Tray.” Jesse said it mostly under his breath, but Isabel caught it just the same. Let’s see, she thought, full moon, sleigh ride in the prairies …

“Hmm,” she said to Tray. “Sounds like your romantic plan for the evening has been sidetracked.”

“No, no,” he sputtered. “We always do this with the kids. I promised them at Christmas,” he said, pushing his hand back through his hair. He didn’t convince her.

“This is quite a crowd,” Isabel said. “Will there be enough room for all of us?”

“Count me out,” Betty said, lowering herself into a chair at the end of the table.

“There’s room, Mom,” Tray said, without conviction. Isabel guessed that once his mother had her mind made up, there was no changing it.

“I’ll stay with the baby. Go on, I’ll be here when you get back in.” She nodded at Isabel and topped up her coffee.

“Thanks for dinner,” Isabel called over her shoulder, as Tray pulled her down the hall.

Jesse and Michael had gone ahead to get the horses ready. Susan and Ann let the kids follow them out to the barn. Tray threw on his jacket, pecked her cheek and took off out the door.

Ann laughed and Susan lowered herself onto a stair. They both let out long sighs. “Oof,” Ann said. “Let’s enjoy a minute of peace before we go out there.”

Susan nodded and pointed Isabel to a chair. “We can take our time getting ready, they’ll need a few minutes to get the sleigh hooked up and the horses ready.”

“So,” Ann leaned forward. “You and Tray have been dating since … Thanksgiving?”

Isabel nodded. She liked Ann. Susan, too. They seemed grounded and open.

“He’s sure got it bad for you,” Susan said.

“Susan, leave the man some secrets.” Ann shook her head and smiled at Isabel. “I’m sure you have an idea how he feels about you.”

Isabel dropped her head and nodded. “I thought we were going to lose him at New Year’s.”

“I’m glad we didn’t know all the details while it was happening. Betty would have had us all camped out at the hospital in Banff,” Ann said.

“I may be older than you, Ann, but I’m not deaf,” Betty called. “And you’re damn right I would have.”

The sisters-in-law rolled their eyes at each other.

“Stop grilling that poor woman and head out to the barn. I’m sure they’re ready for you by now.”

They shrugged into their jackets, grabbed mittens, scarves, and hats. A blast of frigid air greeted them when Susan pulled the door open.

“See you in a bit, Betty,” Ann called, as they stepped out into the night. Supporting Isabel between them, they made their way across the yard to the barn.

~~~

The moon was enormous, a bleached white orb that looked like it had been placed in the sky for their pleasure. It hung over the east horizon, partially hidden behind a slight haze. Isabel pulled the blanket around her tighter, and shifted closer to Tray. He kept the horses at a steady pace across the prairie. The fields rolled out before them without end.

Behind them, the children threw fresh hay and roughhoused with each other. Their mothers sat on a bale of hay chatting.

Jesse and Michael rode alongside. Despite the sub-zero temperatures, they both wore only battered cowboy hats, their scarves loosened around their necks.

“Jesse,” Ann called. “Will you please wrap that scarf around your neck? You just got over a cold.”

Her husband blew her a kiss and tossed one end of the material over his shoulder. Tipping his hat in her direction, he trotted out in front of the sleigh. Michael pulled away to join him. Together, they led the sleigh team further into the night.

“Your family’s great,” Isabel said, happy to have a few minutes alone with Tray.

“Aw, shucks ma’am, well, thank you very much,” he grinned, resting his arm along her shoulder and pulling her close. He leaned in to kiss her, but backed off when the kids started hooting. “Everybody sit down back there, and hold on,” he said. “We’re going to pick up speed soon.”

Isabel raised her eyebrows. “Nice try,” she said. Ahead of them, Jesse and Michael split off to opposite sides of the sleigh and dropped instantly out of sight. What the … She gulped as the team of horses also dropped out of sight, then she screamed and hung on when the sleigh plunged behind them. Tray worked the brake and behind them the children shrieked with glee.

The sleigh hurtled down a small hill and then - whoops - they were level again. She struggled to catch her breath, laughing uncontrollably. “Auntie Isabel,” called one of the kids, “Are you all right?”

She brushed a tear from her eye. “That was a blast,” she said, turning to the older girl. “Did you know that was coming?”

The girl nodded, eyes wide. “We do it every time,” she said. “Uncle Tray made us promise not to tell you.” Behind the girl, Susan and Ann smiled at her.

She started giggling again, and turned back in her seat to look at Tray. “Where are we? I thought the prairies were flat.”

“Mostly flat,” he agreed. “We’re in a coulee. Basically it’s a dry river bed.”

“And we’re staying down here?”

“We’ll follow it for a while - easier to get down than up in this area. Plus, it makes a good wind break.” He winked at her. “How’s the leg?”

She shifted slightly and her leg responded with a dull throb. “Feeling better, I guess. I’m sure it’ll be fine by tomorrow.”

“It’s so fun having you here.” He smiled into her eyes and she found she couldn’t hold his gaze. Too intense. She wondered what he had been planning because it seemed clear that he’d planned to have her to himself out here.

“Uncle Tray, can you stop so I can go with Daddy?” Michael’s eldest boy leaned over and poked his head between them. “Daddy said I could, once we got in the coulee.”

“You betcha, champ,” Tray said. “Whoa,” he urged the team to a stop. Jesse and Michael circled back. Michael lifted his son into the saddle in front of him.

Jesse pulled alongside. “What about you, Lizzie? Want to ride with me?”

Lizzie ran to her mother’s side and shook her head. “I want to stay with Mommy.”

“Take me Daddy, take me,” cried Sarah, bounding across the hay toward her father.

“Not tonight, love,” he said. “You’re too small.”

“I’m always too small, Daddy,” she said. “Lizzie doesn’t want to go, take me.”

“We’ll go in the daytime, Sarah,” he said, his hand on her head.

“Promise?”

“Daddy promises, Sarah. Come sit with me and Lizzie,” Ann said. Sarah dragged her feet through the hay and plunked down next to her mother.

“I never get to go,” she mumbled.

“You will, Sarah, soon. Just not tonight.”

“Ya,” Tray called, and the horses pulled the sleigh forward. Moonlight shimmered off the snow, the rails of the sleigh squeaking along the frozen ground. Isabel pulled the blanket tighter. “We’ll head back, it’s getting cold.”

Jesse and Michael rode ahead to open the doors of the barn. Tray drove the team of horses straight in. The musty smell and warmth of the barn enveloped them. The two brothers pulled the doors closed behind them and the frozen prairie was shut out.

Isabel stood, ready to step down. Damn, she still couldn’t put weight on her leg. She turned back to Tray but Jesse was speaking quietly to Tray.

“You want to go again?” Jesse asked.

Tray shook his head. “Another time. It’s too cold.”

“Sorry about that,” Jesse said.

“Don’t worry,” he shrugged. He turned toward Isabel.

She started singing. Jingle bells.
Good grief, that’s original.
The conversation had clearly been private - she didn’t want him to know she’d overheard. Apparently he did
have a plan for tonight and it looked like she was the only one not in the loop.

“Hang on, I’ll help you,” he said, jumping down and coming around to her side of the sleigh. He put his hands just above her hips and she fell into his arms. Lowering her gently to the ground, he hugged her. “Can you put more pressure on it now?”

She shifted her weight, but her leg threatened to collapse beneath her. She winced. “Not yet.”

“Give it time,” he said, looping his arm around her. “Let’s head in.” He turned toward his brothers who waved him out of the barn.

“We’ve got it,” Michael said. “Get the women and children inside.”

She hobbled along at his side, savoring one last look at the moon before he scooped her up in his arms and carried her up the stairs. The jury was in — sore leg or not, she loved the farm. And she sure as hell loved this gorgeous man who had brought her here.

~~~

Tray set Isabel down in the warm, brightly lit hallway and closed the door tightly against the night. “Let me help you with your boots,” he said, crouching.

She swatted him playfully. “I’m not an invalid yet,” she said. She tried to toe her boot off.

He waited a few seconds, then pulled them off for her. “One day you’ll realize you don’t have to do everything yourself.”

“Lover’s quarrel already?” Betty stuck her head around the kitchen door. “Just so you know I’m here. Tray… ? You’re down on one knee? In my front hallway?”

“I’m helping her with her boots, Mother.” Damn it, it was only a matter of time until someone in his family proposed before he had the chance. It’s not like he could have said no to the kids once they knew about the sleigh ride, but considering Jesse and Michael knew his plan, they could have helped out somehow. Like possibly a touch of discretion. Would that be too much to ask? He caught the flush in Isabel’s cheeks and knew it wasn’t from the cold. He shot his mother a warning glance.