The Rancher Takes a Cook (27 page)

“I think Jacob’s gettin’ nervous, so you’d
better hurry. Either that or he’s just plain hot. I know I sure
am.” Edward tugged at his collar for effect.

Anna spun back to the mirror to make sure
everything was in place and straightened the gold cross around her
neck. Finally satisfied, she faced her aunt and brother. Letting
out a deep breath, she allowed a smile to spread across her face.
“I’m ready.”

* * *

Jacob stood in the front of the church
between Reverend Walker and Pa. He was trying his best to remain
calm and collected on the outside, but the longer Anna took, the
tighter his stomach coiled. What was it exactly that had him so
tied up in knots? It didn’t matter, really, he was just ready for
this shindig to be over.

At last, a hushed commotion near the back of
the church caught his attention, and Anna appeared on the arm of
her brother. The sight of her uncoiled his stomach and everyone
else faded into the distance. She was the prettiest image he’d ever
seen, carrying the bouquet of yellow roses.

Her eyes stayed fixed on him as she strolled
toward the front of the church. His chest constricted as the
reality of the situation settled over him. This woman was about to
become his wife. This beautiful, amazing woman would be bone of his
bone, flesh of his flesh. As Edward placed Anna’s hand into
Jacob’s, she flashed him a brilliant smile, soothing the last of
his nerves. With Anna by his side, things would be just fine.

* * *

The women of Seguin had prepared a feast for
supper on the church lawn that rivaled that of the Independence Day
celebration. It looked like the entire town had turned out for the
event, and even the mixture of blue Yankee uniforms in the crowd
didn’t squelch the festive atmosphere.

Anna stayed by Jacob’s side throughout the
meal, and even afterward when the editor of one of the local papers
pulled out a fiddle and the dancing commenced. Of course, many of
the boys approached to request a dance with Anna, but Jacob would
have none of it. Not even Monty was allowed the honor.

They sat enjoying the revelry before them,
until the fiddler began to play “The Yellow Rose of Texas.” Jacob
stood and held out a hand to Anna. “Mrs. O’Brien, would you give me
the honor of a dance?”

The name sounded almost foreign to Anna, and
she replayed it silently on her own tongue as Jacob led her onto
the dance floor. He swept her into a lively waltz while the music
played their own special song. Jacob piloted their progress around
the dance floor, maneuvering expertly around the other couples.

Anna took the opportunity to feast her eyes
on Jacob’s face. His strong chin and ruddy features were set in
perfect proportions, creating a flawless background for his amazing
blue eyes. She certainly hoped their sons would look just like him.
Anna’s mind wandered to the making of those sons, and her heart
flip-flopped at the same time her mouth went dry. Jacob chose that
exact moment to look down at her. As though he could read her
thoughts, his eyes darkened a bit.

With a smile touching his lips, Jacob leaned
down to whisper in her ear. “As much as I love dancing with you,
this party’s getting a bit old. Think we could sneak away?”

Anna gave him a coy smile. “Sir, I am at
your disposal.” That seemed to be all the encouragement he needed,
for Jacob swept her to the edge of the dance floor and escorted her
straight toward the buggy waiting by the hitching rail. Anna
stopped, forcing him to pull up. “Wait. We need to say goodbye to
everyone first.”

A hint of frustration touched his face.
“Darlin’, you can have the rest of your life to say goodbye or
hello or whatever you want to them all. But if we stop to speak to
our family and friends now, they’ll keep us here all night.” He
dropped his voice to a low tenor and stroked a finger across Anna’s
cheek. “And
that
would be a tragedy.”

Anna swatted his finger playfully. “You’re
just impatient.”

“Why, yes, ma’am,” Jacob said, his face an
image of mock seriousness. He reached for both of Anna’s hands and
raised them to his lips. “But, I’ve never been able to say no to
you, and I’m afraid I can’t start now.” He gave a martyr’s sigh.
“Let’s go say goodbye to them all.”

Anna stared into his blue gaze in
indecision. She supposed people would understand if they slipped
out. She allowed a grin to slip out. “I guess they won’t miss
us.”

* * *

After spending their wedding night in
Seguin’s grand Magnolia Hotel, they drove the thirty miles to San
Antonio in a rented buggy. It was so much better than the bumpy,
crowded stage.

They finally rolled into San Antonio on
Sunday evening, and Jacob reined the buggy to a stop in front of an
impressive two-story building. Its beige exterior appeared to be
made of the same limecrete material of which most of the buildings
in Seguin were constructed. Windows spanning the front on both
floors were taller than Jacob. The three center windows on the
second floor were topped by rounded arches reminiscent of Grecian
architecture. Above the arched windows were the words ‘Menger
Hotel’ in large block letters, topped by a triangular arch rising
above the limecrete wall. A balcony spanning the second floor
across the front was bordered by an ornate black metal railing.

Anna couldn’t help but stare in awe at the
elaborate exterior. She hadn’t seen anything this impressive since
leaving Columbia.

“Would you rather sit here all night or
should we go in?”

Anna blinked, pulling herself from her
reverie. Jacob had already disembarked and waited patiently next to
the buggy. His eyes held their familiar teasing twinkle.

“I suppose we might as well see the inside,
too,” she bantered, allowing him to lift her to the ground. His
strong hands could almost span her waist, fingers touching on
either side.

The interior was a hundred times more
grandiose than the outside. The center of the lobby was a huge open
space that rose all the way to the dome above the second floor.
Massive round pillars supported the vaulted ceiling, with marble
bases that were taller than any of the men in the room. Elaborate
metal railing ran around the interior balcony on the second floor.
White porcelain tile with a black fleur-de-lis design gleamed from
the floor, with an ornate oriental rug spanning the center of the
room.

Where should her eyes feast first? She was
barely conscious of Jacob’s hand on the small of her back, nudging
her toward the long gleaming desk that seemed lost in one end of
the massive room. The murmur of male voices droned in the
background, as Anna took in the rich royal blue of the velvet
curtains and the large artwork adorning several walls.

Upon hearing “Mrs. O’Brien,” she forced her
attention back to the gentleman behind the desk. He motioned them
toward a young man dressed in a smart uniform. The lad’s black coat
was buttoned to the neck with a double row of polished silver
buttons. Black pants met with black shoes, and the entire display
was topped with a smart black cap. The young man would have
appeared rather somber if not for his shock of sunshine yellow hair
and a white, toothy grin.

He gave a sharp salute and, with a spin of
his shiny black shoes, led the way to the grand staircase that
wrapped the west wall. She might have been the Duchess of Wales
ascending the palace stairs as they made their way to the second
floor and down a long, opulent hallway. The attendant marched to
the end of the corridor, jangled the keys that hung at his waist
until he found the right one, and swung open the large mahogany
door with a flourish.

“Here you are, Mr. and Mrs. O’Brien. The
bridal suite. Our finest room in the hotel.” His chest puffed at
his words and his grin flashed as if he’d personally built the
room.

Anna had prepared herself for a
well-appointed room but nothing so extravagant as this lavish
sleeping chamber. The oversized canopy bed was centered on the east
wall, with a dressing table and a large picture window taking up
much of the north wall. Its burgundy damask curtains blended nicely
with the burgundy and gold spread covering the bed.

Anna’s eye was drawn to two doors on the
west wall of the room. Was this room connected to a sitting room or
another bedroom?

She strode to the doors and cautiously
turned the handle of the first. It opened to reveal a small closet
with rods stretching from one end to the other, hangers dangling
loosely in preparation for garments.

“Look, Jacob. A closet!” She couldn’t help
the excitement in her voice. She’d known a girl who spent her
summers in a plantation home with closets for hanging clothes built
into the bedrooms. It had always seemed like a lavish waste of
space, although practical if one was wealthy enough to have too
many gowns for a wardrobe cabinet.

Anna eyed the other door with curiosity. She
turned to glance at Jacob where he leaned against the wall watching
her. His legs and arms were crossed casually and he had a devilish
twinkle in his eye. He raised an eyebrow at her expression. “Why
don’t you open it and see?”

Anna spun back to the door and twisted the
handle. When she pulled the door open, a curious sight stood before
her. It was a small room with washbasin and pitcher on a stand. To
the left of the basin was a low, round seat with a cone-shaped
base.

Anna looked back at Jacob. “What is it?”

He grinned and pushed away from the wall
then stepped behind Anna. His arms wrapped around her waist, chin
resting on the top of her head. “It’s an indoor outhouse with
plumbing. Just like the fancy hotels in Boston and New York.”

Anna whirled to face him, loosening his grip
in the process. “I’ve heard about those. I had no idea they were
here in Texas, though.”

Jacob’s arms tightened around her waist
again, and Anna rested her hands on his chest. She raised her gaze
to meet his. “Jacob, this whole place is amazing. I never expected
anything so lavish. I would have been perfectly happy in a little
boarding house.”

He slid his hands up and down her sides and
one corner of his mouth quirked. “Only the best for my gal.”

Anna’s eyes opened in the dim pre-dawn light
as she tried to place the strange surroundings. A warm, contentment
settled over her like a blanket as the details of the hotel room
became clear. Their wedding trip. She snuggled deeper into the
warmth of Jacob’s body. He mumbled something incoherent and Anna
placed a soft kiss on the tender part of his forearm.

“G’mornin’.” Jacob’s voice was thick and
husky from sleep as he nibbled the ticklish part of her neck. His
warm breath and prickly whiskers brought goose bumps to tingle her
skin.

Anna giggled and turned over to face him.
“Good mornin’.” She rubbed a hand over the stubble on his jaw and
looked up to heat darkening the blue in his eyes. Jacob leaned
forward and planted a quick but less-than-chaste kiss on her mouth.
When their lips separated, Anna lay back against his arm with a
contented sigh and traced his jaw with her finger. Jacob’s stomach
grumbled to voice its complaint about the lack of food at such a
late hour. Anna couldn’t help but grin. “I think we’d better feed
you.”

“Mmm… Come to think of it, I guess I am a
bit hungry.” He grinned, mischief sparkling in his eyes. “The food
here is good but not as tasty as what I’m used to. You know, that
is why I married you. Couldn’t let your food get away from us.” She
threw a pillow at him, but he winked and slid out of the bed.

Less than an hour later, Anna sat across
from Jacob at a little round table in the hotel’s dining room. As
the waitress poured coffee for them both, Anna used the opportunity
to scan their surroundings. The room was full of genteel people,
mostly dressed in suits and elegant day gowns. The quiet
conversation murmured over the soft clink of fork against dish.

She turned back to Jacob. His rugged good
looks helped him fit into any setting, but his blue long-sleeved
shirt that brought out the color of his eyes clearly identified him
as a cowboy. Warmth flooded Anna’s chest.
Her cowboy.

A familiar scene flitted through her mind of
the group around the large dining table at the Double Rocking B.
Such a comfortable picture it made. The haphazard group of cowboys
had become her extended family. And she was one of the women of the
house now. She really belonged there and had a gold band on her
finger and a marriage license to prove it.

Jacob reached forward to lay a hand on top
of Anna’s. “Everything okay?”

She brought herself back to the present and
smiled. “I was counting my blessings.”

“Would one of those blessings be the
breakfast I smell cooking?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Maybe.”

When it arrived, the food did look awfully
good. Crispy bacon, buttered toast, warm eggs, sausage and grits.
Jacob had ordered an extra plate of hotcakes, just to make sure he
had enough to hold him over until lunch.

As they bowed to ask God’s blessing on the
food, Anna’s eyes drifted open to stare at the shiny ring on her
left hand. A warmth spread through her. This was the ring Jacob’s
father had given to his mother as they began their beautiful and
lasting marriage. And now, Jacob had given this same ring to her as
a symbol of all their own marriage would hold.

She sneaked a peek at Jacob and drank in his
perfectly-formed features. His rich voice and the adorable pucker
between his dark brows revealed his concentration on the prayer.
Anna’s conscience pricked. She quickly bowed her head and raised
her own heartfelt thanks to the Father.

* * *

“So what would you like to see
tomorrow?”

Anna strolled on Jacob’s arm along the river
walk next to the San Antonio River where it ran through the center
of town. The sky held the dusky aura that comes just before a
magnificent sunset.