The Airman's E-Mail Order Bride (Heroes of Chance Creek Book 5) (23 page)

“Try on ours before she gets back,” Regan said to Heather. “Ellie always finds the perfect dress and then you won’t want to wear anything else.”

For the next twenty minutes Heather managed to forget her circumstances and give herself up to the fun of trying on beautiful gowns. She and Melanie took turns standing on the small raised dais Ellie had positioned in the center of the fitting area and looking at themselves reflected in the many mirrors surrounding them.

Melanie found a gown with a plain bodice and tiered skirt that made her look like a cross between a princess and a ballet dancer. With her lean body and graceful air she looked so elegant it brought tears to Heather’s eyes. None of her gowns made her feel quite so beautiful, but she told herself that was okay. Even if the dress she bought now was fancier than she’d planned, she wanted to save the very best one for her wedding to Colt.

Actually, she thought she’d seen the gown she’d wear someday to marry him. It hung by itself in one corner of the store. A corner she studiously avoided.

Once Melanie had chosen her gown, however, Ellie turned her attention to Heather and as if she could read her mind, she made a beeline to the gown and brought it back. “This is the one,” she said.

“I don’t think so.”

“Oh, that’s beautiful. Try it on,” Ella encouraged.

“She’s right; you have to try it,” Regan said.

Camila shrugged when Heather turned to her for support. “You might as well.”

Heather gave in, even though she knew it was a mistake.

The gown fit like it had been made for her. The bodice showed off her curves, just like she knew it would. The sweetheart neckline revealed a tasteful amount of cleavage and small off-the-shoulder sleeves gave the gown a dashing air. The skirt was full and flounced with a beautiful, lacy underskirt peeking out. When she exited the changing room all conversation stopped.

“Oh, Heather, it’s beautiful.” Regan looked misty and Storm clasped her hands. Heather stepped up onto the dais and took a look.

The dress was everything she’d hoped for. It transformed her from a practical single mother into a radiant bride. Her gaze met Melanie’s and she saw her own anguish reflected there.

“What do you think?”

When Melanie didn’t answer, Camila spoke up. “She’ll take it,” she said to Ellie. “Heather, you have to take it.”

Heather nodded slowly. She’d take it. But she refused to wear it to marry Eric. She’d sneak off to Silver Falls or even Billings to find another one.

She would only wear this dress when she married Colt.

‡

“M
ia called. Autumn
Cruz is coming with some cakes to try after dinner tonight,” Regan was saying to Heather when Colt met up with them at the base of the stairs a few days later. He was surprised to see Heather. Normally she worked at this time of the day. He was glad to hear that Autumn was coming over, though. She was married to Ethan Cruz, whom Colt had known as a child. Together they lived with several other couples on the Cruz ranch where Autumn ran a bed and breakfast. She was a phenomenal cook and was becoming known for her wedding cakes.

If she was bringing samples over for them to try, it meant the fake double wedding was still on. It had been touch and go for a couple of days, with him and Eric circling each other like dogs ready for a fight. He’d finally swallowed his pride and admitted he was out of line, however, after Heather persuaded him it wasn’t fair to punish Eric for doing his job well. After that, the tension had eased between them.

“Okay,” Heather said to Regan and smiled at Colt wanly. He waited until Regan headed back toward the kitchen.

“Everything all right?” he asked when they were alone.

“Not really. I… have a bit of a headache. I’m going to go lie down. Did Richard make it home from school?”

“He’s out in the barn helping with chores.”

“Good.” She started up the stairs.

Colt followed her. “You sure you’re okay?”

“It’s nothing. I just need a little rest.”

“You’re pale.”

“I told you; I have a headache.” She swallowed. “I don’t feel very well.”

“Are you going to be sick?”

“I don’t think so.” She didn’t look sure and Colt placed a protective hand on her waist as they walked upstairs.

“Come here.” He led her to his room.

“Colt, I said I’m tired.”

“You can rest right here.” He drew her down onto the bed and a thought struck him. “Is there a chance you’re pregnant?”

She shut her eyes a moment. “It’s far too early to know that. It’s only been a week. I’m just stressed out.”

“But it is possible.”

When she looked at him again, tears trembled on her lashes. “It’s possible, but I better not be. I don’t think I could stand it.”

He winced.

“You know why.” She touched his arm. “Not now. Not when you’re marrying Melanie.”

“I know. I wish to God I was marrying you.”

“Me, too.”

He hated how helpless he felt in the face of her misery. All he wanted to do was to spend his life making this woman happy. He couldn’t do that yet, but he needed to do something. Colt checked his watch. “I’ll be back in half an hour.”

“Where are you going?”

“To get a test.”

“But it’s way too early to tell.” She rose with him and followed him to the door.

“If it’s too early, then we’ll have it on hand for when the time is right.”

“I don’t think the time will ever be right.”

“Don’t say that.”

“I just—” She broke off. “I’m just tired. Drive safe, okay? There’s no rush.” She turned toward the stairway that led to the third floor. Colt watched her go and slowly trudged downstairs to the front door. He knew Heather had spent every spare moment this week planning the wedding. It had to be hard to put so much time into the sham marriage, especially since they still didn’t know how they’d pull it off. Mason and Zane had begun to look into fake identification for Eric, but no one wanted to take things that far.

For the thousandth time he wondered how things had ever gotten so out of control and wracked his brain for another way to solve their problems. Once again he failed to find one.

At the store he read every box to find a pregnancy test geared toward early results. By the time he headed for home again, it was fully dark outside and he knew his brothers would wonder where he was. He ran up both flights of stairs the minute he got home, but when he opened Heather’s door, she was fast asleep, lying diagonally across her bed.

As much as he wanted to know the answer, he couldn’t make himself wake her. Instead, he set the box on the end of the bed and let himself out again quietly. Forcing himself to join his brothers to finish the chores, he tried to take his mind off of it, but with every breath the question remained. Was the woman he loved going to grow his child inside of her while he married someone else?

By the time they finished up, Colt was tight with anxiety, and when Austin bumped into him on their way out of the barn, he snapped, “Watch it!”

His brothers exchanged glances. “Everything all right?” Zane finally asked.

“No. It’s not all right. But there’s nothing for it, is there?” He strode ahead of the others around the outside of the house so he could leave his wet things in the front hall. There was no sign of Heather, but before he could go upstairs to look for her, Regan called, “Wash up everyone. Dinner’s on!”

Sometimes Ella and Austin ate in the bunkhouse where they’d made their home, but most nights they joined the rest of the family in the Hall. Someone had already set the long table, and while Colt hesitated, still eager to go find Heather, Ella spotted him. “Help carry the food in, would you?”

After washing up in the small bathroom at the rear of the house he joined the women in the kitchen and spent the next few minutes ferrying platters of chicken, potatoes, beans and rolls into the dining room. By the time he was done everyone had already sat down.

Except Heather.

“Where’s Mom?” Richard asked, grabbing a roll and quickly buttering it.

“I’ll go find her.” Finally, he’d get the privacy he needed to talk to her. Colt sped toward the stairs and climbed them two at a time.

She met him on the third floor. “I read the directions,” she said without preamble. “It’s too early to take the test.”

Something about the way she said it told him there was more. “But…”

“But I think I might be pregnant. It’s just a feeling I have and I could be wrong—I’m probably wrong…”

“But you’re not wrong, are you?”

She shook her head once. There were dark smudges under her eyes that he longed to kiss away.

“We should talk.”

“Not now. No—” She held up a hand when he began to speak. “I mean it. Autumn is coming over after dinner with some sample cakes. Everyone’s going to be there for the tasting. I can’t do this until afterward.”

“Heather—”

She brushed past him, refusing to catch his eye, and after a moment Colt followed her. She was right. This wasn’t the time, but the minute the evening was over, he’d bring her back up here and they’d figure out how to make the next few months possible for everyone to endure. He’d seen how well she and Melanie were getting along and Regan, Ella and Storm had all rallied around Heather and Richard. They could do this as long as everyone pulled together.

When they reached the dining room, Colt noticed Melanie had dark circles under her eyes that rivaled Heather’s. Eric looked grim and the rest of the crowd grew subdued when it was clear that both the brides-to-be were struggling to keep their emotions in check tonight. He knew Melanie and Eric were inseparable these days whenever they weren’t needed elsewhere. Their relationship had passed simple attraction and he wouldn’t be surprised if it grew into something permanent someday.

Regan and Ella did their best to keep the conversation light. Mason joined in with a story about the cattle nearly knocking over one of the fences.

“It’d be cold work to fix a fence today,” he said.

“That’s for sure.” Regan chuckled. “Once is enough, anyway.”

They exchanged a smile that Colt felt sure had a story behind it. He knew that Regan had helped Mason fix the pasture fences when they’d first arrived at the ranch last spring.

Still, it was an uncomfortable meal and Colt was glad when they were through. He helped everyone else clear the dishes from the table and they were almost done washing up when the doorbell rang, announcing Autumn’s arrival.

“I don’t know if I can eat another thing,” Melanie murmured to Eric. He gave her a sympathetic smile.

“Know what you mean.”

Heather, who had barely touched her dinner, moved among the others like a ghost. Colt couldn’t stand to see how drawn her features were. As Autumn breezed in with a pile of cake boxes in her arms, he almost pitied her. He had no doubt Mia had filled her in on the circumstances of the fake weddings, but she had no idea what a pit of despair she’d just stepped into. Regan walked by with a stack of plates and Storm followed with clean silverware.

“Can I spread these out on the table?” Autumn asked.

“Sure,” Ella said.

Once more everyone took their places, but this time Autumn’s happy patter lightened the mood a little. Even Melanie perked up. Heather, however, drew further into herself as Autumn opened each box and explained the contents.

“I’ll give you each a piece of paper listing your choices,” Autumn said, passing them out. “Everyone make sure you get a pen, too. Rank the cakes in the order of your preference.”

“Thanks for doing this,” Melanie said politely. She sat next to Eric who, despite what he’d said earlier, had already bitten into a piece of cake. He whispered something to her and she smiled a little.

“Heather? Which one do you want to try first?” Autumn asked brightly. Colt could tell she was doing her best to act as if the situation was normal. He wondered what she thought about it all privately.

Heather looked around at her choices. “I’m not sure. Any of them,” she said dully.

Autumn hesitated, then quickly sliced a piece of the nearest cake. Heather took it, and lifted her fork, but instead of cutting into it, she sat motionless. A tear slid down her cheek and dropped onto her plate.

Autumn made a sound of concern and everyone around the table turned to look. Colt stiffened, his fork halfway to his mouth, as another tear traced the same path down Heather’s cheek. At the far end of the table, Richard watched his mother with an expression so wretched it felt like the stab of a knife to Colt’s heart, and in a moment of stunning clarity, he saw the next few months unwind before him like a film until he could anticipate the results of every move he’d made so far. The truth took his breath away.

He was going to lose Heather—and Richard too.

Not tonight—not all at once, but in a series of small hurts, misunderstandings and separations.

It would happen when he had to put Melanie first ahead of Heather. When his son watched him touch a woman who wasn’t his mother. When he kept his distance while his baby grew in Heather’s womb. Bit by bit, wound by wound. Until one day the gulf between them would be too wide to cross.