Rocky Mountain Wedding (3 page)

According to the slight dimple in her cheek, she did recall the afternoon as fondly as he did. “Trust me, Sawyer. I've put on a couple pounds.”

He let go of her hands and caressed her cheek in his palm. “You can buy a new dress. Maybe the sizing was off,” he said, thinking how much better she would look once he got her out of that dress, anyway. Maybe wearing the new lingerie he'd gotten her. “Who needs a dress?” he murmured so the others wouldn't hear.

“It's not the dress,” Ruby whispered, and the somberness in her gaze snagged his attention back from drifting toward thoughts of their wedding night.

“I'm pregnant.”

The room dimmed and then everything seemed to get brighter. “What?” His head shook. He must not have heard her right. She'd already told him it'd be hard for her to get pregnant. She had that condition…

But she was smiling at him, this big, happy, beautiful smile with tears spilling from of her eyes.

God. Oh God.
Hope clamored for release from his heart, but he kept it caged because she couldn't be pregnant. “What, Ruby?” he gasped. Suddenly it was hard to breathe.

This time she took his hand in hers, squeezing it tightly, forging that connection they'd developed until he felt it spark in his gut. “We're going to have a baby.”

A baby. Letting that word—that life-changing word—sink in, he eased in a measured breath, then let it sigh out. Elation rose up and overpowered him, made his head dizzy. He couldn't speak, couldn't say one damn thing. He could only stare back at his fiancée with this ridiculous openmouthed grin, letting that news shine all through him.

“I took a pregnancy test.” Ruby went on cautiously, like she wasn't sure how he was taking everything. “And we stopped by the clinic on the way here. The doctor said he thinks I'm about eighteen weeks along.”

“Eighteen weeks?” he choked out. That was almost halfway…

“Everything looks fine. The doctor's not concerned,” rushed out, as though she was worried about him.

Because she knew. She knew about Matthew. That he and his ex-wife had lost a baby right around this same time…

“I'm scheduled for an ultrasound next week.”

An ultrasound. A baby. They were having a baby. In less than five months!

Finally, sense came back to him, and he was not the same man he had been two minutes ago. Not even close. Her words had changed everything. The life and light inside of her had changed everything.

“I know this isn't the best place to tell you,” Ruby whispered, tears cascading again. “But I didn't want to wait. Oh, Sawyer, I'm so worried about how Brookie will feel…”

“No.” He pushed out of his chair. He would not let her worry, her fear, steal this moment from her. From them. Easing to his knees in front of her, he placed his hands on the softness of her stomach—that place that would protect him or her, that would nurture their baby into life. “There can't be any worrying, Ruby,” he said, peering up into her emerald eyes. “This is a gift. And we'll accept it. And we'll let ourselves enjoy it.” No matter what happened. They'd both lost so much, and this new life inside of her was their restoration. “Brookie will be ecstatic.” They'd never wanted her to be an only child. They'd wanted their house filled with chatter and laughter and the stampeding of little feet. “She will love this baby,” he said, nodding until Ruby started to nod with him. “And so will we.” Hell, he already did. He loved Brookie and this baby and Ruby more than he ever thought he could love.

On the outskirts of his vision, he became aware that everything else had stopped. All the conversation and laughter from across the room. He glanced over, and sure enough, everyone stared at him and Ruby.

He shot to his feet and pulled Ruby up, bringing her in against him, holding her, letting his own tears free. “We're having a baby,” he hollered like a fool, laughing and crying.

The room broke into a concert of squeals and congratulations.

“We need a bottle of champagne, Pops!” Ben called to his father-in-law.

Ruby clung to him. “I don't think we should tell Brookie until after the wedding,” she whispered in his ear. “Maybe after the ultrasound.”

“Okay, but I can't wait too long.” Brookie would be excited. It would be a lot of change, but they would get her through it. Together. “Everything will be fine. Amazing. We'll prove to her that she's the daughter we've always wanted. Both of our kids are what we've always wanted.” Ever since they'd gotten engaged, this was what they'd talked about, planned for. A family.

After everything they'd been through, this was their new beginning.

S
he hadn't known it would feel like this. Being a mom.

A
mom
. Love the likes of which she'd never felt pierced Ruby's heart until warmth bled all through her, until the all-too-familiar tears saturated her eyes.

From her car, she watched children spill out the doors of Aspen Elementary School, their voices and giggles a sweet melody that made her belly glow with a fervent longing, as if she could actually feel the baby growing, second by second, cell by cell. She rested her hand there, watching for Brookie to come skipping toward her, backpack askew, that dark, curly hair she'd pulled into a ponytail this morning in beautiful disarray. Sawyer was right. Brookie was everything they'd ever wanted. And now this new baby would knit the four of them together as a family. Brookie and her sibling would always have each other. Always. Even after Ruby and Sawyer were gone.

The thought, the blessing of that knowledge, filled the cracks in her confidence. She'd been so worried since Brookie had come to live with her as they waited to formalize the adoption. Technically, right now, she was only the girl's foster mom—not according to her heart, but according to the state. Everything had been an adjustment for both of them. But Sawyer was right. This was good news. And ever since she'd dropped her off at school earlier that morning, Ruby couldn't wait to share it with Brookie.

She straightened, eagerly straining to see over the bobbing heads of the kids that bounded toward the crowded parking lot.

There she was! The sight of her daughter sent her heart soaring, but as the girl neared the car, the scowl on her face spiraled it into a crash. While all of the other kids walked in small groups, grinning and giggling, Brookie walked alone. She'd been at the school for only a month, and she wasn't having an easy time.

Attempting to cleanse the worry from her expression, Ruby inched the car forward in the carpool line. Brookie looked up and saw the car, but she didn't smile and her eyes didn't light. Every once in a while they would, and Ruby would see a glimpse of hope, but bringing a foster child to live with you didn't result in a sudden happy fairy-tale ending.

It was hard. There were so many kinks to work out. And there were days Ruby wondered if she was enough. If she could love enough. If she could give enough. But then she would stare into Brookie's dark, innocent, thick-lashed eyes and she would decide she would be enough. She would do whatever it took to be what this girl needed.

The car door opened and Brookie scooted in, head hanging so low her chin grazed her collarbone. Though she only wanted to gather the girl against her chest and hug away whatever had upset her, the cars behind her impatiently inched forward, and Ruby knew she had to drive out of the parking lot.

A weighted silence pressurized the car. She glanced in the rearview mirror. “How was school today, honey?”

“I hate it,” Brookie uttered, voice teetering on tears. “I'm not going back to school. Ever.” Anger provided a feeble covering for deep sadness, Ruby knew. She remembered. She'd felt that so often when she was trying to survive her own foster home experiences. It was almost like if you kept everyone out, you couldn't get hurt.

But now she understood hurt was crucial. You couldn't know love if you didn't know pain.

She slowed the car, looking for Brookie in the rearview mirror again. “What happened?”

The girl said nothing, only stared out the side window, her face tightened into a hard mask of anger.

“Remember what we talked about Brookie?” she said softly, attempting to draw the girl's gaze to her own. “You can tell me anything. You don't have to deal with everything by yourself anymore.”

That was maybe the hardest thing for a foster child to learn. To share their burden with someone. To trust someone with it. Ruby stepped on the brakes, pausing at a stop sign. “Maybe I can help. If you tell me what's bothering you.”

The mask melted and tears ran down her cheeks. “Today at recess Charlotte asked why my own mom didn't want me.”

The words struck her, quick and fast and white-hot, like a lightning bolt.

“Then she said you won't want me either.” Brookie sniffled fearfully. “Because I'm not your real kid. And since you're getting married, you and Dad will have your own real kids someday.” The words seemed to break open the dam of emotion she'd been trying so hard to hold back.

They broke Ruby, too. They were cruel, but they weren't the real source of Brookie's insecurity. No. That came from years of being moved around, at first with relatives after her mother was put in jail and then into the homes of strangers.

Choking back her own tears, Ruby swerved to the side of the road and put the car in park, not giving a damn that the car behind her honked.

After waiting for the SUV to pass, she climbed into the backseat next to Brookie and held out her arms. “Come here.” There was nothing she could say to undo those words, those doubts. She could only show her again and again that she was wanted, that she was valuable and cherished. “Your dad and I love you very much,” she whispered into the girl's hair. “We chose you, Brookie. We chose you to be our little girl, and now you will always belong with us.” She smoothed her hand down Brookie's back, gathering her in closer, feeling like she could put her back together with all of the love that lived in her heart. “Nothing will ever change that.” She had said those same words before, as many times as she could, and yet each time the power of them seemed to grow. Brookie clung to her like Ruby was lifting her out of a flood, face buried against her chest, warm against her breast. Arms secured unyielding around her waist.

Ruby gently peeled back her head and searched her eyes. “Do you believe me?”

Brookie's lip still trembled with uncertainty, but she nodded.

Blotting tears with her shirtsleeve, Ruby reached forward between the seats and dug a hand into her purse. “Your dad and I got you something to remind you. So you'll never forget that you belong to us.” They'd planned to wait until the wedding ceremony to give her the necklace, but she needed it now. Sawyer would understand.

She lifted out the small package that was wrapped in delicate flowered paper. “Open it,” she said, holding it out to Brookie.

The girl's eyes widened. “What is it?”

“You'll see.”

She ripped at the paper until it lay in shreds on their laps. The small velvet box creaked as she popped it open.

Brookie gasped and studied the heart-shaped locket. “Always,” she read. That was the inscription they'd chosen for the heart.

Ruby helped her open it to reveal a picture of the three of them. A grin broke through Brookie's sadness and erased the tremble from her lip. “Always,” she said again, sounding sure and hopeful.

“Now you won't forget,” Ruby said as she carefully removed the necklace and clasped it around her daughter's neck. “And next time Charlotte says something like that, you show her this.”

Brookie swung her arms around Ruby and squeezed the breath clean out of her. “Thanks for choosing me.”

She hugged her back. “We'll always choose you, Brookie.” After what she'd been through herself, Ruby would make sure her children grew up knowing that they were loved and wanted. She would remind them every day. She and Sawyer would always choose Brookie and the baby.

But the sight of the girl's still-teary eyes kept the secret locked away. When the time was right, she would tell Brookie she was going to be a big sister.

But not today. She was still too fragile. Right now Brookie couldn't handle one more change.

“So you ready for all this?” Bryce asked in that direct way he had.

“Yes.” Sawyer didn't even hesitate. He was ready.
They
were ready. To him the actual wedding was simply a necessary activity. It was every day after that mattered most.

“Avery and I are so happy for you.” Bryce tossed his hammer back into the toolbox. They were out installing the arched garden arbor they'd built for the ceremony on the ranch's back patio. As long as the weather held, they'd planned to do the whole thing out here at sunset, hemmed in by the towering pine trees with a perfect view of the snow-studded peaks on the horizon.

“Thanks.” Sawyer admired the view. “This is the perfect spot.” He stood back to inspect their work. The morning of the wedding, the florist would decorate the arch with Ruby's favorite flower—mountain lilies—though she didn't know it yet. That was one of many surprises he'd planned for her.

“Guess we'd better get cleaned up,” Bryce said, latching the toolbox. “See if Mom needs help getting things ready for tonight.”

“Sounds good.” Sawyer checked his watch. Almost four. Ruby would've just picked up Brookie from school. After a couple of errands they'd meet him here before the party started at six.

“Your mom didn't have to do another party,” he said, following Bryce up the steps toward the lodge.

His cousin just laughed. “You do know who you're talking about, right?”

“Oh, yes. I know.” If there was one thing Aunt Elsie loved, it was planning parties. She'd already thrown Ruby a massive wedding shower, and she'd insisted on inviting the whole wedding party over tonight for yet another celebration before the celebration. By the time the wedding rolled around, they'd be all partied out. Not that he didn't appreciate it. “I'm just ready to move past all of the events.” Settle down, move in with Ruby and Brookie for good…

“I hear ya,” Bryce said, holding open the door for him. “You couldn't pay me to have another wedding. It's exhaust—”

“Sawyer!”

Just inside the dining room, he jolted to a stop. There, sitting at the table, were Mom and Dad, along with Thomas and Aunt Elsie. He blinked. His parents weren't supposed to be back from their European tour until tomorrow. Not that he wasn't thrilled to see them, that they'd cut their trip short for the wedding, but he'd had it all planned out. He'd wanted to introduce Ruby and Brookie at a quiet dinner at his place. Not at a huge gathering at the ranch. Mom and Dad could be slightly overwhelming, especially for someone who didn't have a family of their own…

“Come here and give us a hug!” Mom cried out in her weepy voice. “Oh my God. I can't believe I haven't seen my baby boy for six months.” She popped out of her chair and hurried toward him, fanning her face with her hand as though trying to dry her tears.

“Hey there,” he said, catching his mom in a hug. She was as petite as Aunt Elsie—the two of them obviously shared genetics. But Mom had always been more sophisticated somehow. Probably because she'd married a corporate lawyer in Aspen while Aunt Elsie had married a ranch hand. Still, the two of them looked like they could be twins, barely ten months apart. Only difference was his mom kept her hair short and styled and dressed like she'd just stepped off a geriatric runway in Paris.

“Sawyer.” She shook her head, looking him over as though she couldn't believe he was standing there. “Look at you. My handsome boy. I've missed you so much!”

“Marybeth, stop smothering him.” His father nudged her out of the way. “Good to see you, son.” He caught his hand in a firm shake, the way he'd always done. Though the man had somehow miraculously gotten a tan, he still looked the same—tall and broad, sturdy jaw, the same blue eyes as his own.

“Good to see you, too, Dad.” It was. He'd missed his parents. He just hadn't expected to be reunited with them here, the evening of the party, the evening when there would be chaos and crowds. God, he hoped his sisters weren't coming up early. He didn't need them fussing over him, too.

“And, Bryce.” His mother clucked. “I just can't wait to meet my little great-niece.”

“She can't wait to meet you, either,” Bryce said dutifully, leaning in to give her a quick hug before shaking Dad's hand. “I should actually run home and see if Lily's awake. I'll bring her by if she is.”

“Please do,” Mom gushed, waving as he headed out the door.

“We should get moving, too.” Behind his parents, Aunt Elsie scurried around, collecting teacups. “We have a whole heap of work to do yet in the kitchen, don't we, Thomas?”

Thomas muttered an agreement, and Sawyer couldn't help but feel that she was giving him a moment alone with his parents for some reason. Unease spread through him, dimming the anticipation of the upcoming wedding. What had they been talking about when he walked in?

Before he could ask, Aunt Elsie and Thomas slipped into the kitchen.

“So…” His mother started right in, taking his hand and leading him to the table like she used to when she wanted to give him a firm talking to. “When do we get to meet your fiancée?”

He sat across from his parents. Why did it suddenly seem like they were facing off? “Her name is Ruby.” Which they knew well and good. She was all he'd talked about on the phone with them.

“Yes.” His mother waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “When do we get to meet Ruby?”

He glanced at the clock on the wall. “She and Brookie should be here soon.”

“Wonderful.” But she didn't smile when she said it. Instead, his mother and father shared a look. “That gives us a chance to chat, then.”

He heaved a sigh. When his mother said “chat,” it usually meant she did a whole lot of talking and everyone else listened. “Chat about what?” he asked. He wasn't as good at catering to the bullshit as he'd once been.

Mom handed the floor to Dad with a decided tilt of her head, and he had flashback to being eight years old, when he'd gotten busted for sneaking out the ATV without asking.

“Well, son,” Dad bellowed in his courtroom voice. “We have some concerns.”

Of course they did. His parents were nothing if not overprotective. Which had meant he'd grown up in a stable, loving home, so he wouldn't complain about it. Especially knowing the alternative—seeing it in both Brookie's and Ruby's lives. “Let me guess.” He shot them both a wry smile. “You think it's too fast. That we haven't known each other long enough.”