Sourdough Creek (18 page)

Cassie laughed and looked away nervously. “My pretty little head? Sam, what’s gotten into you tonight?”

Jonathan joined in, slapping Sam on the back. “Relief has a way of firing a man’s blood, isn’t that right, Sam? We’re all just so thankful there wasn’t more killing and bloodshed. This town has seen its share in the last week.”

“Yes, that’s so,” Sam replied. “Violence like that makes a man yearn for the good things in life. Makes him dream of peace and happiness.” The thought of wedding Cassie and becoming a true family was everything to him now. What a perfect ending to his problem with the claim, too. Even though that was a minor issue to him now, he was glad there was a good solution to this dilemma he found himself in, one without having to crush her dream or his.

“And love!” Jonathan added.

Cassie laughed nervously.

Sam smiled at Jonathan, nodding. After they were married he’d protect and love her, and Josephine, all the days of their lives. It shouldn’t be all that hard, he thought, as he looked directly at the cameo pinned under her shirt. He was up to the challenge.

“Come to the table,” Grace called from the other room. “Supper’s ready!”

Annabelle came into the room and laced her arm through Jonathan’s. “Can I steal him away from the two of you?” she asked softly. They approached Grace’s father and, taking the old man by the hand, helped him to his feet. “Ready for supper, sir?”

“I sure am, more than ready. Come along with us, Buddy.”

The dog, now awake, stood on Josephine’s lap. He barked once, leaped off, and trotted after William, his little toenails clattering on the hardwood floor.

“Over here, Josephine,” Cassie said, pulling out a chair. “Grace wants you to sit by her.”

Sam pulled out the chair next to his own, on the other side of Grace, and waited until Cassie was finished seating her little sister. “Cassie?”

She looked up at him suspiciously. Could she know what he was thinking? She moved slowly and then sat as he pushed in her chair.

“Thank you, Sam” she said quietly.

“You’re welcome. I do have a little couth and manners.”

Everyone was now seated and putting their napkins in their laps. All except Josephine, who was looking at the pretty china and serving dishes on the table with curiosity. “What’s couth, Sam?”

“It’s knowing how to be a gentleman, or a lady.”

“Like this,” Annabelle said softly from Josephine’s other side. She took Josephine’s napkin from her plate and placed it in her lap.

Josephine looked delighted but Sam could feel Cassie’s tenseness. The exchange had embarrassed her. He wished he could think of something to make her feel better without being too obvious.

“Please start passing before everything gets cold,” Grace said. “I didn’t work all afternoon for you not to be able to enjoy it properly.”

With anticipation they passed around the dark, golden brown pot roast with its blackened edges and chopped garlic cloves peeking from every crevice, seasoned new potatoes, and butter-coated green beans. Sliced carrots in a sea of honey followed, plus a gravy boat filled to the brim. Grace excused herself to the kitchen for a few moments to slice the bread, warm from the oven. When she returned and was again seated, she said, “Papa, will you please say grace for us?”

William bowed his head, and everyone else followed. “Heavenly Father, we thank you for this wonderful meal, good friends, and the roof over our heads. We keep in mind and prayer our beloved brother David, who has recently passed into everlasting glory. Amen.”

“Amen,” the group echoed. Grace’s eyes remained closed a moment longer, her head bowed.

Jonathan took his knife and gently tapped on his water glass. “May I have everyone’s attention, please? I know you want to get to your supper but Annabelle and I have an announcement.”

A smile crept onto Grace’s face and Annabelle looked as if she might faint.

“As some of you know and others of you don’t,” he laughed, “Annabelle and I have been planning to be married in a few months. But, with the events of late, we don’t want to wait any longer. So we’ve decided to do it tonight! As William is a minister, albeit retired, we’re having our wedding right here after supper. You’re all invited!”

A din of happy voices filled the room. Jonathan couldn’t stop grinning and Annabelle giggled like a schoolgirl.

“Cassie, they’re getting married! Tonight!” Josephine called out loudly. “I’ve never been to a wedding before.”

“Well, this is exciting news if I do say so myself,” Grace’s father exclaimed. “I haven’t performed a wedding since Reverend Greenmire took over Charity Church. I’m honored and delighted. Matter of fact, I still have some wedding licenses sitting in my drawer.”

As Sam glanced from one face to another, an inspiration started to grow. He looked at Cassie, a beautiful smile beaming on her face. Did he dare? For a moment he shoved the idea from his mind, thinking it outlandish, but instantly felt the overwhelming loneliness that had been his world for the last few years. He strengthened his resolve. Would Cassie consider making it a double wedding tonight? He couldn’t think of one reason to wait. Would she laugh in his face? After her reaction to him in the parlor, he didn’t think that would be the case. She was warming to him, no doubt. “Congratulations, you two,” he said, a bit distracted.

“Yes, Annabelle and Jonathan, congratulations,” Cassie said. “I’m surprised—but not too much. It’s wonderful you’ve made it possible for us to share your special event.”

“Cassie, that’s actually one of the deciding factors for us choosing tonight,” Annabelle said. “We knew you, Josephine, and Sam would be leaving us soon and we feel as if you’re family already. We hoped you’d stand up with us as witnesses.”

Sam felt encouraged. These were perfect circumstances to get Cassie thinking along the right lines of becoming Mrs. Sam Ridgeway.

“We’d be honored to do that,” he replied. “Wouldn’t we, Cassie? And, to think this has all happened so fast. When opportunity strikes, one should seize the day, I guess.” Maybe he was laying it on a might too thick, but he felt time was of the essence. With the announcement at hand he better act fast. No sense at all in stalling.

“Can I talk to you privately?” he whispered in her ear.

Her look was one of disbelief. “
Now
?”

He nodded.

“What could possibly be so important that you’d need to talk to me now?”

All conversation had stopped and everyone looked at them.

“Trust me, it is.” Sam stood and helped her to scoot her chair back. “Will you all excuse us for just one moment?”

“Well, I guess,” Grace replied, curiosity shining in her eyes. “But only for a moment, as you say. I’ll never forgive you if you two go off and let this dinner I slaved over get cold.”

Chapter Thirty-One

“H
ave you lost your mind, Sam?” Cassie asked as he herded her into the sitting room, far away from the others. “What on earth are you up to?” He had a look about him, something she’d never seen before, a vulnerability that made her want to take him into her arms instead of admonish him. Still, excitement shot through her body as she wondered what it was that was so important he would interrupt the dinner party directly after Jonathan and Annabelle’s important announcement. Remembering how he’d earlier caressed her back, her heart trembled.

“I want you to hear me out with an open mind.” Facing her, he took both her hands into his and held them. “Then, when I’m done, you can give me your answer. Just promise me you won’t cut me off before I’m finished saying what I have to say.”

“Sam,” she said, glancing at her hands in his.

“Promise me.”

Looking up, she searched his eyes for any hint to what was going on. “Sam?”

“Promise or we forget it. Your food’s getting colder by the second.” A few moments ticked by. “Well?”

He was so disarmingly handsome tonight.

Especially his eyes.

And his expression.

How could she not promise him?

“Okay. I promise not to interrupt you.”

His obvious intake of breath made her duck her head momentarily to hide her smile. Whatever it was he wanted to tell her must be really important. Unease filtered through her. Maybe he wanted to ride on without her and Josephine? Or, more likely, he’d decided to stay here in Rosenthal after all and be the new sheriff. She certainly couldn’t blame him for that. This was a wonderfully welcoming town, one anyone would like to call home. At the thought, her heart plunged to her feet. It would be a sad day without Sam by her side. Or, just maybe…

He stared at her as if he’d totally forgotten what it was he wanted to say.

“Sam, our dinners? Remember? Let’s not be rude. What is it you want to tell me?”

“I—” he stopped.

“Yes?”

He gazed into her eyes with an intensity that almost frightened her. “I want you to marry me.”

“
What
!”

He didn’t flinch at her outburst and his gaze never left her face. “I want you to be my wife.”

“Sam,
what
are you talking about? You
have
lost your mind!”

“I want you to marry me
tonight
. Don’t you feel it, Cassie? This thing between us? I do, and it’s been on my mind and I can’t think of anything else. It’s driving me crazy. Besides, you know—we make a good team.”

Cassie felt as if the wind had been knocked from her lungs. Sam’s expression was so earnest she was sure he wasn’t playing some sort of joke. But it was impossible to get any thoughts in her head to come into focus.

“Marry you?”

“Yes.”

“Now?” she squeaked.

“Tonight. In a double ceremony. I’m sure Jonathan and Annabelle won’t mind.”

Panic took over. A hundred reasons ran through her head why Sam’s idea was crazy, as her mother’s warning about men vied for attention. Still, when she looked in his eyes she saw happiness, love, and more. This was Sam. Her hero. Josephine’s hero. A good man who’d been caring and truthful. “I—I don’t know. We’ve only met a few days ago.”

“I’m asking you to become my wife. I don’t want to lose you. I realized today when I was looking down the barrel of the outlaw’s gun that I can’t live without you. Life is short, darlin’. I don’t want to have any regrets.”

Suddenly Josephine appeared by their side. “What are you two doing?”

“Nothing,” they said in unison.

“Grace says you’re to come back to the table this instant. Your supper is cold.”

“Tell her we’ll be right there,” Sam said, touching Josephine’s cheek. “Away with you now.”

As Josephine walked away, Sam straightened. “Well, this didn’t go quite as I hoped it would. You’re saying
no
, then?”

As unbelievable as it was to herself, Cassie wanted to say yes! She couldn’t deny her feelings and attraction to him any longer. He was right—life was short and sometimes one just had to jump in with both feet. Had to forgo warnings and doubts. Had to grasp for the brass ring.

Sam ran his hand over his face. “We have to go before Grace herself comes looking for us with a wooden spoon. Your answer
is
no, then.”

“No. My answer is
not
no. I just needed a moment to let what you said sink in. Yes, Sam Ridgeway. I’ll marry you. I’ll be your wife.” She laughed. “Three minutes is a fast courtship.”

Sam pulled Cassie into his arms. When his lips covered hers the whole world faded away. He was warm, and tasted good. Her body tingled as every nerve ending fired with delicious excitement. He loved her! Wanted to marry her! Unable to stop herself, she leaned in boldly, acutely aware of the hardness of his muscles and feel of his body. His head tipped and he pulled her even closer.

Cassie’s heart thudded so hard she feared the others in the dining room would hear it. Throwing caution to the wind, she ran her hands up Sam’s back and over his strong shoulders, reveling at the feel of his muscles beneath her fingertips.

Sam buried his face in her neck and took a deep breath. “There, it’s sealed,” he breathed into her ear. “Let me take care of the rest.”

They returned to the table hand in hand. Their expressions must have given them away because Jonathan slowly stood. “Well?”

Sam cleared his throat and the anticipation in the room hummed.

“Sam, spit it out,” Grace said excitedly. “You’re killing us.” Laugher erupted at her uncharacteristic lapse in manners.

“Cassie and I are getting married, too. Tonight, if Jonathan and Annabelle don’t mind.”

Jonathan stepped forward and grasped Sam’s hand, pumping it up and down in excitement. “Mind? We’d be honored! It would make the day even more special. Isn’t that right, Annabelle?”

Annabelle and Grace hurried over and hugged Cassie as Josephine squeezed in amongst everyone.

“Let’s do it right now!” Annabelle cried. “Our dinner can wait—but I can’t! I won’t be able to eat even the tiniest bite just thinking about it.”

William nodded. “We can do that.”

“Actually, I think it’s a fine idea. David would be pleased,” Grace echoed. “What’s dinner compared to a double wedding? But, the brides will need a few minutes to get ready.” She took Annabelle and Cassie by the arm. “You boys can put the meat and potatoes in the oven to keep warm. We’ll be back shortly.”

Upstairs in Grace’s bedroom, Annabelle and Grace whipped Cassie’s boy clothes off so fast Cassie didn’t have a moment to protest. Grace then slipped a beautiful, creamy yellow gown, made from an incredibly soft fabric, over Cassie’s head, letting it cascade all the way to the floor. It hugged Cassie’s body almost indecently, making her feel like the most beautiful, most desirable woman in the world. The neckline scooped down to the swell of her breasts, and long, fitted sleeves went past her wrists. Glancing at herself in the mirror, Cassie shivered, not recognizing the girl who looked back.

“What about my boots?” she whispered, watching Grace in amazement. The woman was a human whirlwind.

Grace plopped Cassie onto the bed and quickly unlaced the first. “You can go without.”