Here Comes the Bride (27 page)

“But . . .” His voice bordered on a whine.

“Gabriel.” Tess’s amber eyes crackled with fire. “I have to do this. You be here at three o’clock sharp and I’ll be waiting.”

Gabe groaned. “I don’t know if I can wait that long.”

“I’m sure you’ll survive.” She laughed. “Now let me get back to work.”

It was as though her heart had somehow left her body and was floating around her; it felt so light, so happy, so loved. Her hands cupped his cheeks and pulled him down to meet her lips once more.

“Three o’clock?” he whispered against her mouth. “That seems like an eternity away.”

With marked reluctance, she released him, but not before he planted a hundred kisses across her brow, down her nose, and over each eye.

“I love you, Tess Kinley.”

“So you said.” She smiled saucily. “Does that mean those flowers are for me?”

“Oh, yeah, they are.” He picked them up, blew invisible dust from the petals, and held them out to her. As he pressed the bouquet into her right hand, he pressed her left hand to his lips and kissed it ever so gently.

“Three o’clock,” he said, backing away slowly.

Tess’s tears blurred her vision of him, but her mind’s eye saw him perfectly—halo, wings, and all.

“Tess,” he called from the doorway, grinning that stupid grin of his. “Does this mean you’ll marry me?”

She half ran, half flew, across the restaurant, threw herself back into his arms, and buried her face in the warmth of his neck.

“Yes,” she sobbed. “Absolutely, yes. Forever and a day, yes.”

“Good,” he choked, wrapping his arms around her again. “Just had to double check.”

They stood in the doorway, locked in each other’s arms, until Miss Lutz cleared her throat loudly. Tess loosened her hold around his neck and he lowered her to the floor.

“Three o’clock,” he repeated.

“Three o’clock.”

“Tess.” Miss Lutz’s voice got shriller with every breath.

Gabe backed out the door slowly, holding Tess’s gaze until the glass closed between them. Her hand lingered against its smoothness for several more moments before she turned back to her work. She found a vase, filled it with water, and arranged the dew-covered daisies in it. Then she set about cleaning up the pile of broken dishes on the floor.

It was the longest eight hours of Tess’s life. More than once, she was certain Miss Lutz had turned the clock back—it was not possible that time could move that slowly.

Stupid Frankie arrived shortly before the appointed time and short of yelling, Tess finally convinced him she did not need a ride back to the ranch.

And then, suddenly, it was three o’clock and Gabe was standing in the doorway, looking more handsome than he ever had before. Tess’s cheeks flushed against his gaze. She made her good-byes to her employer, retrieved her daisies from the vase, and followed Gabe out the door.

Not a word was spoken between them. Gabe lifted her up on Zeus’s back and climbed behind her, his arms circling her waist, his lips exploring the soft delicate skin behind her earlobe. She leaned back against him and sighed happily, wrapped in the arms of love.

“Why are we stopping?” Tess asked, lifting her head from Gabe’s shoulder.

Zeus’s head lowered to gnaw the lush green grass at the creek side. The sparkling clear water tripped and danced along merrily; the long, flowing branches of the willows swayed gently in the breeze.

“We’ve got a lot to talk about, a lot of decisions to make, and I’d just as soon do it without Wyatt’s rifle pointed at me.”

“Wyatt?” she asked as Gabe lowered her to the ground. “But I thought . . .”

Gabe laughed. “You really have to stop that. Thinking I mean.”

“But . . .”

“Okay, listen,” he sighed, still smiling. “I can’t take you home with me today because I’m not ready for you yet. And I can’t take you to Langman’s because Wyatt made it pretty clear if I stepped on his land again I’d be leaving in a pine box.”

Tess smiled. “Yes, he’s become very protective of me lately. More than my own father ever was.” Her brow wrinkled. “What do you mean you’re not ready for me yet?”

Gabe took her by the hand and led her to the bank of the creek. They sat in the grass, side by side, her small body tucked beside him and held tightly by the strength of his arm.

“I’ve got some surprises in store for you, Miss Kinley,” he said, his gray eyes sparkling like the creek. “And they’re not ready yet, so you can’t come with me.”

“You didn’t have to—”

“I know I didn’t,” he interrupted again. “I wanted to. I want to make you happy, Tess—as happy as you make me.”

Tess lifted her face to his and kissed his chin with feather-soft lips. “You already have made me happy, Gabriel. There’s nothing else I could possibly want.”

“You weren’t so happy yesterday,” he said quietly. “I didn’t honestly think you’d ever speak to me again.”

Tess’s throat tightened. “Why did you do that? Why didn’t you tell me yesterday?”

“I’m sorry, darlin’,” he sighed. “I didn’t want to say anything to you until I had everything ready for you at El Cielo, but then you started off on how I was in love, and you’re right, I am.”

“But I thought you meant . . .”

“That’s what you get for thinking again.” He chuckled softly and kissed the tip of her nose. “I’m sorry, Tess. The last thing I wanted was to hurt you, but you ran off so fast I couldn’t explain anything to you, and then Wyatt . . .”

“Wouldn’t let you see me,” she finished for him. “I heard Stupid Frankie telling Beau.”

“Exactly.” Gabe lifted Tess off the ground and lowered her down on his lap. “I love you, Tess. I want to marry you and give you everything.”

Tess’s face flushed. “I love you, Gabriel, and I want to marry you, but I don’t know what I have that I can give to you. Everything I own I left in Boston.”

“Not everything,” he answered, his voice low and husky.

“What do you mean?”

Gabe swallowed hard. “Kids, Tess. I want kids and I want a whole passel of ’em. I want to be trippin’ over them every time I turn around. And I want them all to look exactly like you.”

Tears welled in her eyes—blissful, exhilarated, overwhelmed tears.

“Oh, Gabriel,” she cried. “I want that, too—although I don’t think I want them to look like me, poor things. They should all look exactly like their father, but maybe get their common sense from their mother.”

“What?” His laughter shook his whole body. “You’re the one who traveled halfway around the country all alone to come to some godforsaken town in the middle of nowhere, remember? D’you call that common sense?”

“Yes,” she said with a sharp nod and a smile. “Because look what I found when I got here.”

Gabe wrapped her in his arms and sighed again. “Yeah, look what you found—a man with a cussed sense of pride who’s more stubborn than a ten-year-old mule, who . . .”

“Who takes a while to figure out what’s best for himself, even if it’s right under his nose.”

Gabe’s stomach tightened. “When I think about how I almost lost you, how I would have put you on that stupid stage and seen you out of town. How Gribbs . . .”

“Shush,” she said, curling against him. “That’s all behind us now. You’ve finally come to your senses and admitted I was right.”

Gabe could hear the smirk in her voice, even if he couldn’t see it.

“Okay.” He laughed. “You were right. And you need to straighten me out on something else, too.”

“What’s that?”

“When are we going to get married?” He tilted her chin back so she looked up into his face. A smoldering fire burned in his eyes. “I’d like to get to work on those kids we were talking about.”

Tess’s eyes lowered, her cheeks flaming beneath his gaze.

“What?” he teased lightly. “That embarrasses you? Not one day after meeting me, you told me you loved me and that didn’t embarrass you.”

Tess couldn’t look at him.

“I know,” she whispered, “but it’s just, well, you see, I’ve never . . .”

“Tess,” he said, his voice as tender as the fingers that brushed against her cheek. “Look at me.”

Slowly, she lifted her gaze to his. All teasing had vanished from his eyes until all she saw was a gentle passion that warmed her through to her soul.

“I won’t deny how happy it makes me to know I’ll be your first,” he said. “But even if I wasn’t, it wouldn’t matter to me. I love you. And I promise you this, Tess. I will never do anything you don’t want me to do, okay?”

More tears cascaded down her cheeks and Gabe simply wiped them away with the pad of his thumb.

“Enough of these.” He smiled. “Now answer the question.”

“Which one?”

“Which one?”
he groaned, falling on his back in the grass. “When are we going to get married? Pick a day—any day.”

“How about . . .”

Suddenly, Gabe jerked back up. “Or do you want to wait for your family to come out for it?”

Tess noted the panic in his eyes and smiled. “No, Gabriel, I’m not about to wait for them to get on a train and make their way out here.”

“Oh, thank God,” he breathed, glancing heavenward. “I don’t think I could’ve waited that long anyway.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?” he yelped. “Don’t toy with me, Tess. You don’t have a dress yet, we haven’t even talked to Reverend Boswell, the house . . . my surprises aren’t done yet.”

“I don’t need a fancy dress, Gabriel, I need you. I can’t imagine Reverend Boswell is run off his feet with things to do and I don’t want any surprises. Marry me. Tomorrow.”

“But . . .”

“Tomorrow,” she repeated, a mischievous sparkle glinting in her smile. “Or we wait for my family to come out.”

“Tomorrow it is!” In one fluid motion, he lifted her from his lap and stood up. “Come on then, we’ve got work to do.”

“What work?” She laughed. “Let’s sit back down and . . .”

“Nope,” he said, shaking his head. “Too many things to do.”

He hoisted her back up into the saddle and climbed up behind her, turning Zeus back toward town.

“Where are we going?” She laughed. “I thought you said we had work to do.”

“You’ll see.” He held her fast with one arm while urging Zeus into an even run. He spoke not one more word until he’d tethered the horse to the post outside the mercantile.

“Go on in and see what Mrs. Clark has for dresses. I’ll go talk to the Reverend.”

“But Gabriel . . .” She began to protest, but he cut her off.

“Don’t argue with me, woman!” he teased. “Now come on.”

He took her by the hand and half pulled her inside the store.

“Mrs. Clark?” he called, marching toward the counter. “Mrs. Clark?”

“Yes?” The middle-aged, portly woman scuttled out from the back room. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing,” he answered, “unless you don’t have any ready-made dresses.”

Mrs. Clark’s eyes narrowed slightly as she studied Gabe first and then Tess.

“What kind of a dress?” she asked, forcing a sugary smile.

“I don’t need . . .”

“A pretty one,” Gabe said with a definitive nod. “A real pretty one. And put it on my account.”

With that, he turned on his heel, shot Tess an amused wink, and strode out of the store. Both women stared after him, their mouths hanging open. Mrs. Clark was the first to regain her thoughts.

“All right then, Miss . . . ?”

“Kinley,” Tess replied. “Tess Kinley.”

“Oh!” The woman’s eyes flew open wide, her right hand resting on her bosom. “Of course, I should have known.”

In that instant, Tess’s anger flared. “What is that supposed to mean, exactly?” she demanded.

“Well,” Mrs. Clark started with a sniff, “it’s no secret you have been living out at El Cielo with those Calloway boys. So I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone he wants you to look your best.”

“I beg your pardon,” Tess seethed. “But if it’s any of your business, which I assure you it is not, Gabriel and I are to be married. Now that might not mean much to you right at this moment, Mrs. Clark, but I’m sure it will when I tell him how you have treated me. The Calloways must do a fair amount of business in your store, am I right?”

“Y-yes,” the woman answered falteringly.

“Believe me, then, when I say unless you change your attitude toward me and anyone else whom you judge, all transactions between the entire Calloway family and your business will stop.” Tess’s voice grew louder and louder. “I have no problem ordering everything I need from a catalog or—better yet—taking trips into Helena to purchase the goods I need. Do I make myself clear?”

“Is there a problem out here?” Mr. Clark came out from the back room, his eyes fixed on his wife.

Tess raised her eyebrow in the other woman’s direction as well, waiting for her to answer.

“Is there a problem, Mrs. Clark?” she asked.

“N-no,” the woman answered slowly. “I was about to show Miss Kinley our selection of dresses. Right this way, dear.”

Tess smiled sweetly at Mr. Clark and followed his wife to the far counter where the ready-made clothes were kept.

“I have a selection of different styles,” Mrs. Clark said, then faltered. “And colors.”

“White will do fine, thank you very much.”

“Yes, of course.” She held up three different dresses for Tess to examine, each varying greatly from the others.

She chose a plain white satin gown, fitted at the waist, with long puffy sleeves and a full skirt. Tiny pearls edged the curved neckline and delicate ivory lace finished the hem and cuffs. She did not bother to look at veils, but opted to wear roses from the ranch in her hair. It was certainly not the dress—or the look—she would have worn if she’d ended up married to Harmon Stiles, and that was perhaps one of the reasons she loved it so much.

Mrs. Clark nodded approvingly and quickly wrapped the garment in brown paper.

“Will you be needing any . . .” She hesitated, glancing around the room for her husband. “Any pretty underthings? I have a lovely selection of lace camisoles and the like if you’d care to look.”

A genuine smile found Tess’s lips. “Thank you, Mrs. Clark, but I don’t think so. Not today, anyway. But perhaps another day.”

Mrs. Clark’s round face beamed back at her. “Yes.” She nodded. “Perhaps.”

She handed the package to Tess and followed her out of the store.

“I apologize if I offended you before,” she said, her cheeks pinking slightly. “I tend to forget what the Good Book preaches—judge not lest ye be judged. I think you’ll be a welcome addition to the town of Porter Creek.”

Tess patted the woman’s hand softly. “Thank you, Mrs. Clark, that was very kind. I look forward to seeing you again soon.”

Gabe strode up the boardwalk then, his even white teeth flashing in the sunlight.

“Congratulations, Mr. Calloway,” Mrs. Clark offered. “You’re a very lucky man.”

“Yup,” he agreed. “I am. Are you ready?”

Tess nodded, thanked Mrs. Clark again for her help, and let Gabe lift her up on Zeus’s back.

“Are we set for tomorrow?” she asked.

“One o’clock,” he grinned, “at the creek.”

“At the creek?” she repeated. “Why . . . oh, that’s lovely.”

A hint of a blush colored her cheeks as the memory of their first kiss warmed her veins.

They rode in silence for a while, secretive smiles playing against both their mouths.

“I’ll walk from here,” Tess said with a smirk as they neared the turnoff to the Langman ranch. “I’d hate to lose you this close to our wedding day.”

“No bloody way,” he snorted. “I’ll take you in. You shouldn’t . . .”

“Gabriel,” she said softly. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to antagonize Mr. Langman any more than necessary. I’d rather you be in one piece tomorrow, if it’s all the same to you.”

“But . . .”

“Hush now. Let me down, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Reluctantly, Gabe slid from the saddle and lifted her down. But he didn’t release her right away.

“Tess,” he said, his voice low and shaky. “I . . .” His slate-gray eyes glowed with an inner fire that filled her with a whole rash of emotions—love and passion, anxiety and fear.

“Tomorrow, Gabriel. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Gabe’s head lowered slowly, his hands pulling her closer. She tipped her head back and met his kiss with a gentle intensity that told him everything he needed to know.

When he finally released her, there was an aching look in his face that melted her heart into a pool of molten love.

“Tomorrow,” he rasped.

She nodded slowly, backing away from him one tiny step at a time.

“I love you, Gabriel,” she said, her eyes illuminating that very fact. “And I’ll see you tomorrow, one o’clock, at the creek.”

She watched him swallow, open his mouth to speak, and then shut it again. For a moment she thought he was going to cry, but then he turned away and climbed back on his horse. With a lightning quick wink, he shot her a dazzling smile and sent Zeus racing toward El Cielo, whooping all the while.