“Why Cooperton Barlow Jones, you silver-tongued devil. You watch what you say in front of Lee. You’ve embarrassed her.”
But Lee noticed it was Lenore who blushed and stammered and looked away. Coop’s watery blue eyes followed Lenore with such unabashed love it made her heart ache.
She looked down at the full satin skirts billowing out from the trim waist and felt an ache in her soul that threatened to shake every bit of self-control she had. That was what she wanted when she married, that look in her husband’s eye that told the world she was the only woman he saw, the only one he wanted.
Instead, she was fulfilling the obligation of an agreement she’d made with a friend she barely remembered. But what option did she have? Without knowing the details, Lee couldn’t bring herself to disappoint Gramma Lenore, nor break her agreement with Tag. She touched Gramma Lenore’s hand, consciously breaking the silent spell between the two elders. “I’m ready,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “We’re late. It’s after eleven.”
Coop chuckled. “Oh, Tag’s not going anywhere,” he said. “You’re going to really surprise that boy when he sees you, Miss. You are definitely a sight to behold.”
He held his arm out to Lee, his smile absolutely beaming. Lenore sniffled behind her, then blew her nose. “Here, put this on first,” she said, pulling a fragile lace veil attached to a headband covered in silk flowers out of the garment bag.
Lee slipped it over her freshly brushed hair, clipped it securely, then curled her fingers around Coop’s bony forearm and flashed him a nervous smile.
Well, Tag Martin,
she thought.
Ready or not, here I come.
TAG STOOD beside the big stone fireplace and nervously slipped the worn gold band off and on his little finger. Thank goodness Coop had mentioned the ring, or he’d have missed that important prop completely.
He raised his eyes in a silent prayer for forgiveness from his parents, more specifically his father. Jim Martin had loved this ranch with all his soul, and he’d loved his young bride just as much.
Unfortunately, Tag knew it hadn’t taken her long to kill that love. Maggie’d never tried to hide her feelings about the Double Eagle or the man she’d married. Even as a youngster, Tag realized his mother had married his father merely to escape an unhappy home. She’d simply brought her own unhappiness with her.
Tag rolled her wedding band between his thumb and forefinger, and thought about slipping it on Lee’s slender finger, wondered what it would be like to know the promises you made were real and lasting.
He guessed that was something he’d never find out.
Buck took another long swig out of his silver flask. Tag frowned at him. Buck returned his look with a sheepish grin of his own, tucked the flask in the breast pocket of his suit coat, and belched. Tag did his best to suppress a groan. This was not going to work.
The hired hands, all dressed in their Sunday best, milled around the big front room. A few of the men had wives with them and there were a couple of small children, but for the most part they were single men who kept their lives fairly separate from the boss’s affairs. Tag wondered how much they knew, or if they even cared. They had no idea their futures rested on the success of this stupid charade.
They were the only guests he’d invited, other than Will Twigg, who hadn’t shown up. There was no point in putting on a show for the entire community. It was going to be hard enough, carrying off this charade in front of his men and their families.
Tag checked his watch and glanced toward the hallway. Almost ten minutes late . . . had Lee changed her mind?
Tag was silently counting in German by the time she appeared.
A sigh swept across the small gathering, a soft exhalation of awe. Tag knew he wasn’t the only one to react, but he was the only one she was smiling at.
She was a vision in satin and lace, every man’s fantasy, every woman’s secret dream, crossing the room on the old cowboy’s arm. Coop couldn’t have played his part better.
He held his head high, his old black Sunday-go-to-meeting Stetson neatly brushed and sitting at a cocky angle on his gray hair. His western-cut suit, shiny from years of wear, gave him the look of a nineteenth-century gambler, and he held his elbow cocked at a perfect right angle to his body. Lenore stood silently behind them, off to one side, where she could watch the entire proceedings from an angle.
She looked suspiciously as if she’d been crying.
But Tag’s focus wasn’t on the old man or his grandmother. It was on the woman at Coop’s side, the most beautiful bride he’d ever seen. His bride. A band of silk roses across her forehead held a sheer lace veil that merely emphasized her sparkling green eyes, full red lips and softly waving auburn hair. The gown fit as if made for her, the yards of ivory satin flowing out from her tiny waist, shimmering with each measured step she took.
Bright pink toenails peeked out from beneath the hem. He bit his cheek to keep from laughing. His blushing bride was barefoot.
Tag recognized his grandmother’s gown from the wedding pictures he’d seen. This woman, who smiled at Tag as if she truly loved him, was acting exactly as if this marriage was real.
It was more than he could have hoped for. So convincing even he believed her. How could his grandmother ever doubt their love?
He felt like throwing up. But Coop was placing Lee’s hand on Tag’s arm and she was smiling up at him, the tremulous smile of a nervous bride about to marry the man she loves.
Tag gulped, covered her hand with his, and hoped she didn’t notice how badly his palms were sweating.
The ceremony passed in a blur. Other than a slight list to the right, Buck handled his duties as preacher impeccably.
Tag repeated the vows, his voice strong and unwavering, and wondered if the tightening in his gut was the same feeling he’d have if all this were real. With his hands noticeably trembling, Tag placed the ring on Lee’s finger. She stared at it for a long, silent moment, as if unable to believe any of this was actually happening.
Then she gave his trembling hand a compassionate squeeze, and smiled at him with so much love in her eyes he wanted to sit on the steps and cry.
Instead, he followed Buck’s instructions and kissed the bride.
LEE KNEW this wasn’t real. She felt as if she’d stepped into a fairy tale, but it was someone else’s, not hers. She couldn’t remember her past, but Lee knew her life had never been this perfect. Obviously, someone had made a big mistake.
She looked down at the simple gold band on her finger, the metal warm from this man’s touch, and wished it could be true. Then she gazed up into his dark blue eyes just as he lowered his mouth to hers, and she believed.
It didn’t matter, none of it mattered, not when his lips made her heart sing, not when his touch made her feel whole.
Sighing, Lee kissed him back.
She might have stayed lost in his kiss forever, but the hoots and hollers, the ribald cheers and the sound of applause invaded their quiet, private moment. They ended the kiss together.
Buck spread his arms wide, encompassing the small crowd of well-wishers as well as the bride and groom. “May I present Mr. and Mrs. Taggart Martin,” he said.
Lee’s heart soared.
With their arms around each other, linked as if they’d always been a pair, she and Tag turned to greet their guests.
TAG SHADED his eyes with one hand and watched Lee talking to a small child out near the horse barn. Miraculously the rain had stopped just as the ceremony began. Now the sun shone down on his bride as if she were the focus of all of heaven’s attention.
She was leaning over in earnest conversation with the four-year-old daughter of one of his men. Tag knew the child didn’t speak a word of English, but it was obvious Esmeralda and his new bride were conversing without any problem.
One more surprise from this surprising woman . . . she clearly spoke Spanish as well as English. He wondered what else he might find out in the coming days.
Coop stepped up on the porch beside Tag and leaned on the railing. “Seems to get along with the young’ns just fine,” he said. “Lenore thinks she’s perfect for ya, the women seem ta like her, and I think the hands are all half in love with her.”
“How can they have an opinion? They don’t know her,” Tag muttered, turning his back on Lee and the little girl.
“Neither do you, but that didn’t stop you from marrying her.”
“It’s not quite the same.”
“Shhh.” Coop glanced in all directions then back at Tag. “No one but you an’ me knows that for a fact.”
“Which reminds me,” Tag said, turning around so that he could watch Lee. She’d taken the little girl’s hand, and the two of them were walking over to where a couple of kittens played in front of the open barn door. The full skirt of her wedding gown billowed out around her ankles, exposing her bare feet. She’d tucked the train up in back to form a jaunty bustle that bounced with every step she took.
Tag couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“Reminds you of what,” Coop prompted.
Tag blinked, and dragged himself back. “I wanted to tell you . . . the license really was a nice touch. I hadn’t thought of that, but when Buck pulled it out for us to sign, I swear I heard Gramma Lenore sigh from clear across the room. What made you think of phony’n up a license?”
“Uh, well, I jest wanted to be sure it looked all legal. Your grandmother and I signed it, as your witnesses.” Coop stared out across the yard, watching Tag’s bride as intently as he did. “Hate to go to all this work and not have it look believable, ya know.” He coughed and cleared his throat.
“Yeah, well, I’m glad you thought of it. Now I’m just wondering how long we’re going to have to pretend to stay married. Gramma tell you when she’s planning to go home?”
“Nope,” Coop said. “She brought luggage, though, so she’s not goin’ home tonight. I’m guessing she’ll stay on through roundup, maybe till your birthday.” Coop grinned and tipped his hat to Lee as she climbed the steps to the porch, then he turned and headed into the house.
Tag stared at the door as it swung shut behind him.
“Is something wrong? Tag?” He looked as pale as a ghost. Lee stopped just in front of him and rested her hand on his forearm. He drew her into a light embrace. “It was a beautiful wedding, Tag. Thank you. Your grandmother is just wonderful. I feel as if I’ve known her forever.”
He grunted in response. Lee reached up and cupped the side of his face with her hand. His skin felt cold and clammy, like he might be coming down with something.
“Tag, are you all right?”
“Yeah,” he said, closing his eyes a moment, then dropping his arms from around Lee’s waist. “I’m fine, Lee. Fine and dandy. Couldn’t be better.”
Without another word he turned and headed to the barn.
What had put Tag in such a strange mood? She’d overheard him and Coop talking about Lenore staying on. Could that be it? It was their honeymoon, after all, and a grandmother might not be a welcome guest at such a time.
Except, as far as Lee knew, they weren’t even sharing a room, much less a bed. Tag hadn’t made himself completely clear on that subject. It had to be something else.
Something nagged at the back of Lee’s mind, something about researching material and finding answers. Then she remembered . . . the way to find answers was to go to the source. It looked like she was going to have to talk to Tag. Smiling, welcoming any chance at all to get to know her new husband better, Lee headed for the barn.
TAG STROKED the velvety muzzle on the big old bay gelding. Dandy had been a fixture on the ranch for well over twenty years and he’d listened to more of Tag’s problems than any friend should have to hear. At least that was what Tag always said to him before he opened up and dumped his worries on the big horse’s broad shoulders.
But what could he say? This mess was so huge even Dandy’s calm acceptance couldn’t help. Lenore was here to stay. Tag definitely hadn’t counted on carrying out this charade for more than a few days. Oh, he’d planned on Lee being here, but more as a houseguest than a wife, at least until the ranch was his. His grandmother always said she missed being in town, and her visits to the Double Eagle were usually brief.
Of course, she’d never had a granddaughter-in-law to get to know. Damn. Tag saw it all unraveling right in front of his eyes. If this scheme fell apart before his grandmother turned the ranch over to him . . . Gramma Lenore would never forgive him, Coop would hate him till his dying day, and if Lee ever learned this marriage was part of a scam to get his grandmother to deed him the Double Eagle, she’d have his hide and then some.
How could he have known his temporary bride and his grandmother would bond like blood kin? No, Lee would never forgive him for using her to fool his grandmother to get control of the ranch.
This was one mess even Dandy’s undying loyalty couldn’t solve, though running his fingers across the velvety smooth skin around the animal’s broad nostrils and stroking his silky cheek never hurt.
“Oh, he’s just beautiful.”
Tag jumped and whirled around at the sound of Lee’s soft voice, thankful that, for once, he hadn’t been spilling his guts out loud to Dandy. Lee stood in the dusty barn, a beam of light from the overhead doors shining down on her like a spotlight, casting a golden glow over the ivory satin, illuminating her fair skin with the soft glow of polished marble.
She was so beautiful she made his stomach hurt. Or maybe that was just the ulcer this whole charade was beginning to give him. Lee smiled and stepped closer, holding her hand out with a tentative manner like a woman who’d never even touched a horse.
“Be careful where you step,” Tag warned, thinking of those perfectly shaped bare feet.
“I’ll be careful,” she said. “May I pet him?” She stepped closer, so close Tag felt the brush of her satin gown against his pants leg, so near he smelled the fresh, clean scent of shampoo and Ivory soap.
He swallowed a lump in his throat the size of Colorado. “Of course. Lee, meet Dandy.” Tag moved aside so Lee could reach the big horse. Dandy lowered his head and nuzzled her open palm. She giggled when his whiskers brushed across her skin. Giggled as if she’d never experienced this before.