Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy? (24 page)

Silence greeted her pronouncement, and Leigh finally muttered, “Sorry.”

Molly cleared her throat and picked up her fork. “Ladies, your time today is your own until the barbecue tonight, but please fill out the surveys left in your rooms. We can’t tell you how grateful we are for your time and energy. Cookie can saddle some horses if you want to take a ride around the ranch, or you can visit the Little Falls downtown area, all five stores of it. The day is yours.”

After breakfast, Riley escaped to the stables and saddled Westley before any of the invaders could detain him or ask to come along. He was going to work today. Cookie had been training a new dog and he wanted to see her progress. The company of animals was more suited to his current mood.

His horse galloped under him toward the south pasture. He was done. Done trusting, done being played, done being fed lines of lies and deceit. He would go back to the way things had been before his family decided to turn his beloved ranch into a meat market. His body tightened in protest, but an empty cavity expanded in his chest. She had seemed so lively, so sincere. And she had been using him the whole time. For sex, or for something else. It didn’t matter. None of it mattered anymore.

The barbeque was an hour away and Ainsley stood in a bra and panties next to her bed. She flipped through her clothes to find the perfect outfit—either something her mother would approve of or something she looked good in. Not good. Smashing. She wanted to be stunning. For no particular reason. Really. Giddy excitement filled her belly and she let out a laugh. After realizing how stupid it was to have Riley leave last night, how her body had craved his heat, she was ready to reclaim her life and confront her mother. She’d give Tess glowing recommendations and help her find a new job, and then Sophia could have Charleston Blooms. Being herself with Riley had become more important.

Molly hadn’t seemed eager to have two extra guests, but since the entire town had been invited, she had eventually agreed. The woman’s frosty conversation left Ainsley confused, since she had been friendly before. Ainsley pulled out the turquoise shirt that brought out the color in her eyes. She hadn’t been able to find Riley that afternoon. That wasn't surprising. Meagan had told her about his reaction when he’d found out Edward had returned, but she knew when she got him alone, she’d be able to explain. She had spent her time at the greenhouse, testing the moisture levels of the plants. The flowers had begun a miraculous recovery from their long neglect.

She wiggled into her black skirt. It fell just to her knees, with a ruffle on the edge that spoke of femininity. A slit in the side allowed for moving around while dancing. Ainsley twirled in front of her reflection, pleased with what she saw.

Meagan waited for her in the common area, frowning and picking at her purple shirt. Her head jerked up, her blue eyes wide with terror, when Ainsley entered the room. Her voice was strained when she spoke. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

“Do what?”

“This is my last night here, Ainsley. My last chance for the silent, reserved, uncommunicative man of my dreams to actually communicate with me and tell me how he feels.” She pressed her lips together. “What if he doesn’t say anything?”

Ainsley gave her roommate a hug. “Then you say something. Some guys have a hard time expressing themselves. But a lot of the time, those are the guys who are worth the wait. For example,” she continued, “Edward never had any trouble telling me over and over about his feelings.”

Meagan snorted, the muscles in her face smoothing out, and the two women left the cabin into a night scented with spruce. “You’re right. You are. Maybe he’s scared because I haven’t told him how I feel. Maybe he’s afraid of rejection, too. I won’t let tonight go by without him knowing.”

A definite chill fell over the group when they approached the carriage that would take them all to the barbecue site, but it wasn’t from the weather. Lines had been drawn long ago, and tonight was the final showdown. Ainsley met the backstabbing bachelorettes with her back straight and chin up, and silently dared them to mess with her. She wanted one of them to say something. Anything. Especially since she still felt invincible after accepting what her heart had been telling her since she’d met Riley in the greenhouse that first night. She was ready.

Jewel very deliberately stared Ainsley up and down, then rolled her eyes and turned away, whispering something to Robin and Leigh. The three women laughed, but Ainsley wanted someone to say something to her, not whisper to each other. “It will be fun seeing my stiff and proper mother at a barbecue,” she told Meagan in an attempt to break the oppressive atmosphere.

Leigh snorted, and Ainsley spun, ready to hash it out.

“May I help you?” she asked archly in her best Sophia impression.

“Can you just shut up? Everyone here is tired of listening to you talk, PB,” Leigh answered.

Oh, she really didn’t want to know. And she certainly didn’t want to ask. But curiosity finally got the better of her. “Okay, I’ll bite. What’s with this PB crap?”

“Only our little nickname for you, Peanut Butter. Because you spread so easily and for anyone.”

All the frustration and animosity building inside Ainsley roared in her head as the adrenaline kicked up her pulse. A bizarre buzzing surrounded her and her vision narrowed in on the carefully dressed woman with the unnaturally purple eyes. Her hands curled into fists on their own. She’d never started a fight before, but this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Leigh shrieked and tried to hide behind Jewel, fear crossing her features. “Don’t hurt me! It was Jewel’s idea!”

“Shut up!” Jewel pushed Leigh forward.

“Ainsley!” Edward’s familiar voice cut through the haze in her head and she froze, her eyes locked on Leigh. “We have the rental; do you want to drive with us?” He leaned in and lowered his voice. “Please come. I don’t think I can handle your mother alone anymore.”

The pure absurdity of Edward being scared of her mother, Leigh’s actions, battling women for the love of a man she had met only a week ago—suddenly it was all hysterically funny and she exploded in giggles. She took Edward’s offered arm and turned away from the women while trying to stifle her laughter. She grabbed Meagan’s hand on her way, dragging her along.

After they settled into the car, Sophia drove to the barbeque. Her mouth maintained the thinnest line Ainsley had ever seen, making her red lipstick barely visible, and her frown etched grooves in her cheeks. For once she was thankful for her mother’s good breeding; decorum dictated she would not start a family argument in front of friends. Bringing Meagan along had been an inadvertant stroke of genius. “You shouldn’t do that to your mouth, Mother. You may get wrinkles,” Ainsley scolded her.

Edward choked in the back seat, then coughed, pounding himself in the chest. Ainsley flicked him a smile over the seat, then settled in for the short drive.

The car followed the carriage to a large clearing and parked next to a row of other vehicles. The Pommers’ friends and neighbors milled wooden benches that formed three sides of a square. A stage made up the fourth. Two fiddle players stood next to a man holding a guitar and another with drumsticks, all of them wearing red bandanas. A drum set and microphones sat on the stage behing them. Ainsley and Meagan bid Sophia and Edward good-bye and scurried through the guests to join the women waiting for Molly.

The sun set over the mountains, the bright dot barely above the horizon, turning the sky a vibrant orange, making the mountains look as if they were burning. The fresh scent of the outdoors competed with Sophia’s rose perfume. His future mother-in-law glanced around the rustic setting before gliding to a bench set up far away from the band. “This is ridiculous. I’m sure seeing Ainsley again has reminded you of your feelings for her. You need to retrieve her and take her home.” She took a tissue out of her purse and wiped the bench before sitting down.

“She seems happy here.”

“She’s only doing it because she knows it’s contrary to what I want. She’ll make you a good wife, Edward. We just need to convince her of that.”

He sighed and sat down, not bothering to check for loose dirt, and took a moment to find the right words. “I think we need to convince you that Ainsley has her own mind and can make her own decisions. It doesn’t matter what you say. Seeing her here didn’t rekindle any feelings I may have had for her. I’m not struck with a longing to be with her. I’m beginning to realize I only had feelings for her because you said I should.” He braced himself for her reaction. “I love your daughter, Sophia. Just not the one who fits into your plans.”

Her lips did that straight-line thing again and she patted his knee like he was a small child. “Don’t be silly, Edward. Ainsley is perfect for you, when she’s not being disobedient. Cecelia is too wild, out of control.”

He settled against the bench and studied her covertly. “Did you know she went back to college? She’s a semester away from graduating with a degree in sociology.” He bit the inside of his cheek at Sophia’s wide-eyed look of disbelief.

“What are you talking about?”

“Cecelia’s not the same girl she was ten years ago, Sophia. You need to see her for herself and stop viewing her like you did when she was a teen.”

“She’s never cared about anyone but herself. She’ll disrupt your plans and ruin your life, Edward. What about the future we talked about? Your business with Bennett?” Her tone was convincing, but anxiety covered her pinched expression.

“I can still do all that. My future would be nothing without Cecelia, Sophia. And I’m sorry if that disrupts your plans, but the only thing that will ruin my life is if I don’t marry the woman I love.”

Ainsley stood in the storage building with the other women, listening to Molly give them their last minute instructions. The machinery and tools had been removed and replaced by tables and chairs, and festive lights hung from the ceiling beams. Food and drinks sat along the walls, though the rich fragrances couldn’t hide the underlying odor of oil and gas.

“Riley will ask each of you to dance at least once this evening,” Molly said. “While you are waiting for him, feel free to dance with anyone else. Believe me when I say he won’t mind, and would rather everyone have a good time instead of waiting around for him. The dance will be like an exit interview to gather more personal information about your time here. If you get chilled or tired, or need a break from the music, come back here for warmth, food, and rest. Have fun, ladies!” And with that, she led everyone back outside.

Riley stood in the grassy field helping one of the hands set up chairs. Her blood sang when she saw him. Tonight she wasn't going to play it safe. Tonight she would take the same chance Cecelia had. Tonight, she would tell him.

I love you.

The words in her mind rose into a crescendo she was sure everyone around her could hear. He turned then, disgust and distaste marring his strong features. She followed his gaze, looking behind her, but saw only the building. She turned back and the heat of anticipation suddenly sank into her belly, leaving a cold ball in its place. That awful, hateful glare was aimed right at her. What the hell had happened?

Rose scents in the air preceded her mother’s arrival by her side. “Having fun?”

“Yes,” Ainsley said without enthusiasm. She focused her attention on Seth and schooled her features into the emotionless stare she’d learned from her stoic mother. The teen shuffled his feet while he talked to a girl who looked several years older than he was. Whatever he said worked, for she took his hand and they went to the dance floor.

Sophia studied the twirling couples. “These aren’t your people, you know. You will never be completely comfortable here, and they will never completely accept you,” she said quietly.

Thanks, Mom. You always have a kind word of encouragement for me.
“Are you trying to drive me away from you, or do you really think you’re offering me good advice?” she asked hotly.

“You don’t belong here, Ainsley. You know it as well as I do. But you can have your little rebellion, and know that Edward will be waiting for you with open arms.”

It wasn’t
his
arms she wanted. Right now, those were leading Leigh through some complicated dance moves. The woman caught her staring and flashed a smug, satisfied smile. Ainsley forced down the hopelessness that picked at her. “Open arms, maybe, Mother. But not with an open heart. That belongs to Cecelia.”

“You expect to find that with that cowboy? He hasn’t even asked you to dance yet, Ainsley.”

“Then you have nothing to worry about, do you?” she asked sweetly.

“I heard my name; my ears are burning,” Edward announced his presence to the two women, and for once, Ainsley was glad to see him. “Come dance with me, Ainsley.”

Better to dance with him than wonder why Riley was being an ass. Technically Edward was a good dancer, but he never seemed to feel any passion, any inspiration. He knew the moves with precision, but not emotion. It would be interesting to see how well he danced to Cotton-eyed Joe.

“I have something to show you.” Edward moved her to the side of the dance floor opposite her mother and took a small velvet box out of his pocket. He opened it and held it out to her. Nestled in the maroon padding was a heart-shaped diamond surrounded by tiny sapphires set on a gold band. She clasped a hand over her mouth, tears stinging the back of her eyes.

If she had any doubts of Edward’s heart belonging to her sister, they vanished with the unique shape of the ring. It was a far cry from the impersonal bouquets of common roses he had always given her. The man had learned. “Edward.” Emotion squeezed her chest, making it hard to breathe, and she wrapped her arms around him. “It’s perfect. And beautiful. And perfect.”

“Are you sure? I want her to be happy. God knows why she chose me, but I’m not going to give her a chance to change her mind.”

If it could happen for him, it could happen for her. She glided in Edward’s arms, using the movement to search for the man who could give her forever.