The Cowboy Imports a Bride(The Cowboys Of Chance Creek #3) (11 page)

"I did a little checking into Morgan. It seemed strange when she appeared out of the blue last month, and then when I heard you two were getting married…something didn't add up." His shrug was barely visible in the darkness. "Sometimes I get a hunch, you know?"

Rob did know. "What'd you find out?" he asked reluctantly, his good mood evaporating. Once again he realized how much he was counting on this marriage – both for the prize of the land, and to be with Morgan.

"I don't know exactly how to say this, so I'm going to just say it, okay?"

Rob steeled himself. That didn't sound good. Although what Cab could possibly have found out about Morgan he couldn't guess. From everything he'd seen she was hardworking, quiet and kept to herself. What kind of trouble could she possibly have gotten into?

"She's implicated in an international diamond smuggling operation. I figure she's using this marriage to make it even easier for her to travel between the United States and Canada. A married woman can pretty much fly under any radar, know what I mean? She'll have a husband in the US, and family back in Victoria. Who would think to question her movements?"

His statement blindsided Rob. Diamond smuggling? That was so far from anything he'd guessed, he couldn't even form words into a sentence. "I…how…she what?" he finally managed to choke out.

Cab's laughter roared through the small interior of the truck. "Got you!" he gasped, wiping tears from his eyes. "I had you going good. You should have seen your face! Diamond smuggling? Morgan? Come on, man – how could you believe that for a minute?"

"She did appear from nowhere last month," Rob sputtered, trying to defend himself. "You have to admit it was pretty weird to find out Ethan and Claire had a sister we'd never heard about." Shit, he'd been had, twice in one day. His reputation was going to take a beating over this.

Relief flooded him, however, and he had to laugh at his own stupidity.
Diamond smuggling
.

"Yeah, I guess so," Cab said, his laughter subsiding into silent chuckles. "I did check her out, by the way. Clean as a whistle, as far as I can tell."

"Great." Rob tried to breathe normally again. He hoped no one else felt the need to get revenge for his past practical jokes any time soon, or he was going to have a heart attack.

CHAPTER TEN

"I'm shaking," Claire said as she checked her image in the full-length mirror again.

Morgan patted her arm. The beautiful bride was indeed shaking like a leaf. "You'll be fine."

"What if I'm not? What if I trip, or laugh when the minister's talking?"

"I was like this before my wedding," Autumn said, fluffing out Claire's veil. "The minute you walk down those stairs and out the door, you'll settle down."

"I think I’m going to be sick."

Claire did look pale, Morgan thought. Pale, but stunning. She'd surprised everyone when she showed them the dress she'd bought from Ellie's Bridals. Morgan had guessed Claire would choose a severe, unornamented sheath dress, to suit her sleek, black bob and no-nonsense fashion style. Instead, she bought a gown out of a fairy tale. Cream colored satin, a corset-boned bodice, long underskirt and an overlay of fabric pulled back into a generous bustle and train. With her imperial features and her dark hair swept back into a sophisticated updo, she could have stepped off the pages of a magazine.

"You won't be sick," Autumn said with authority. "What's nine times nine?"

"Eighty-one. Why are you asking…?"

"Six times eight."

"Forty-eight."

"Three times ten."

Claire started to laugh. "Multiplication tables? That's how you want me to conquer my nerves?"

"It works, doesn't it? It's how my Mom got me through getting shots when I was little."

Claire looked surprised. Morgan knew she was thinking of Teresa Leeds' cold personality.

"I know," Autumn sighed. "These days Mom would tell me to suck it up."

"She's pretty serious," Claire agreed.

"She didn't used to be. Anyway, you look beautiful, and the ceremony should start any minute. Let's get to the top of the stairs." She took one look at Claire's face and began to quiz her again. "Five times eleven."

"Fifty-five," Claire said as they left the room.

Morgan checked her own reflection one last time. As maid of honor, she'd need to get out there in a second. She and Autumn both wore light coral strapless bridesmaid dresses with flowing, floor length skirts and crisscrossed bodices. Plain, yet elegant enough to stand beside Claire.

"Morgan," Autumn called.

She hurried from the room and took her place at the beginning of the procession. They met Ethan at the bottom of the stairs, and he took Claire's arm. Since Claire's parents were both dead, Ethan would give her away. Rob was to be Jamie's best man, with Cab his second groomsman.

"Ready?" Ethan asked Claire. Morgan smiled to see the look that passed between her half-brother and sister.

"I think so."

"I'm really happy for you," Ethan said, and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. Claire blinked back tears, and Morgan's eyes were damp, too. How wonderful for Ethan and Claire that their marriages kept them close to home and among friends. And now she and Rob were trying to make a go of it, too.

As the processional music swelled, she stepped to the doorway and out onto the front lawn of the Big House. Their path was strewn with rose petals and as she made her way between the rows of chairs set up on the lawn for the guests, Morgan heard the gasp from the assembled friends and relatives that signified they'd caught sight of Claire for the first time.

"Oh, isn't she beautiful," she heard a woman say.

She wanted to be that beautiful at her wedding. If all went well she would be making her way down the aisle in about a month. Soon she would belong here as much as Autumn, Claire, Ethan and Rob did.

She hoped.

As she took her place near the altar, she met Rob's gaze and smiled. His answering look promised another night of passion ahead of them when they were finally alone again. She knew he had to be frustrated they still hadn't consummated their relationship, but they were intimate often, and they'd both expressed how much fun they would have on their wedding night.

Rob cocked an eyebrow and her face warmed. She hoped he hadn't somehow read her mind.

She had a feeling he had.

* * * * *

Rob knew he should be admiring the bride, but he couldn't keep his eyes off of Morgan. In her coral dress, she looked like a Grecian goddess, so feminine, so lovely. It was all he could do not to cross the aisle and take her into his arms.

He hoped he looked half as good in this damned suit. Twice in seven days he'd had to dress up. He hoped this wasn't a harbinger of things to come. A glance at Jamie told him his friend was dumbstruck by the vision his bride presented walking toward him. Good. That's what a wedding should be. That's what his would be like with Morgan.

Minus the suit.

He spotted his father in the crowd and looked away fast. He'd woken this morning to find Holt waiting for him in a chair on the front porch.

"You ready to get back to work?" were the first words out of his mouth.

Work? "Uh…not until after the wedding," Rob said.

"There're chores to do."

"I'm supposed to head right over to the Cruz ranch, help get everything set up. I need to square things away with Jamie, too. I'm his best man."

His father stood up. "Fine. Take another day off. But I expect your help with evening chores tonight, and first thing tomorrow you get right back to work like usual. You've already made your brothers shoulder your burden for far too long. I expect you to do your share. I'll post a list of chores in the barn."

A list?

Realization dawned over Rob and he'd rubbed a hand over his face, the bristles of his unshaven face scraping his skin. "Dad, I promised Morgan I'd help her start a business. I planned to spend the time between now and the wedding working a job to save up for that. I wasn't expecting to do chores here, as well."

"Ah, I see." Holt put his hands on his hips. "But you did expect room and board and laundry service, didn't you?"

"I expected my family would welcome me home," Rob said carefully.

"You expected a free ride, as usual. Well, you're not getting one. You want to live here, you'll work, too. Any extra jobs you want to take on can be in your own time."

"You all are going to have to get used to running the spread soon without me, anyhow," Rob said, annoyed.

"How do you figure that?" Holt loomed large, his ire up.

"Once I'm married and working my own land, I won't be working here anymore." Rob forced himself not to back down. They stood like two peacocks almost chest to chest. He was glad Morgan wasn't here to see this.

"I never said nothing about you shirking your obligations once I hand over that land. You'll still be a part of this family and this ranch. You'll help your brothers and that's final."

"Dad…"

Holt waved him away, and Rob expected he meant to storm off, but the steps of his porch seemed to give his father a little trouble. Holt leaned on the railing heavily as he made his way down, and while he stalked off, his pace was slower than usual. Rob bit back the angry words he'd meant to say.

When had his father gotten old?

It didn't matter; he knew what Holt was up to. He meant to keep Rob so busy he couldn't possibly earn enough money to give to Morgan before the wedding, let alone start his own business after they were married. He'd get his 200 acres, but they'd be worthless to him – he'd be right back in the same position he always was, working for his father, never his own man.

Normally he'd give his father hell for playing a trick like that. First he needed to figure out what was wrong with him.

Turning his attention back to the wedding unfolding in front of him, he watched Jamie and Claire exchange vows. He supposed he should have known his childhood friends would end up together, but the days when Claire used to try to boss them all around remained too clear in his head. Time was passing swiftly, and suddenly he understood why his father was in a hurry to see his sons married.

He wasn't going to live forever.

* * * * *

"I can't believe you're moving here permanently," Autumn said as she and Morgan sat at the bridal table watching Jamie and Claire dance their first dance together.

"I know. I'm so happy."

"I'm happy, too." Autumn smiled at her.

Morgan wanted to hug her for that. Ethan seemed genuinely thrilled that she was going to be their neighbor, but Claire had been a little quiet last night when they'd talked about it. Perhaps it was only wedding nerves, but Morgan had a feeling something was going on. She hoped Claire wouldn't see her as intruding into her family.

"Be careful around Claire," Autumn said, echoing her thoughts.

"What do you mean?"

"It's just…" Autumn twirled her fork as she searched for words. "She's been going on about your mother – about how things don't add up."

"The money," Morgan said glumly.

"And the time. Claire thinks you're downplaying how much time Aria spent with you."

"And how much money she spent
on
me," Morgan said.

"Well," Autumn looked thoughtful. "She does seem a little obsessed about money."

"I understand why. It must have been awful to find out the ranch was in debt after Aria and Alex died. I'd suspect me, too, I guess. But it's still depressing."

"Well, she'll get over it," Autumn said, doubtfully.

"No, she won't. But if she digs hard enough, maybe she'll find out the real answers."

Autumn speared a piece of chicken. "Does that idea scare you as much as it scares me?"

Morgan laughed. She already was coming to love her sister-in-law, especially her sense of humor. "It scares the crap out of me."

* * * * *

"You left us short-handed, you know," Ned said, shouldering up next to him as Rob waited for the bartender to hand him a bottle of beer.

"Had to get out of town for a little bit. I had a woman to propose to," Rob said. He was determined not to get into a fight with either his brothers or his father today.

"Yeah, you're pretty set on getting that free land. You even love Morgan, or did the two of you work out some kind of a bargain?"

"Watch it," Rob said, keeping his voice quiet.

"No, I don't think I will." A few wedding guests turned their way as Ned's voice rose. Rob wondered how many drinks he'd already had. Couldn't be too many. It was early yet. More likely Ned relished the chance to have a good argument. He liked arguing, especially with Rob. They always seemed to be in each other's way.

"If you haven't noticed, you're at a wedding," Rob said. "Show some respect."

"What do you know about respect?" Ned said. "When's the last time you ever showed any of your family any respect?"

"Hey, what's going on here?" Jake appeared out of the crowd and stepped between them. "This ain't no time for a fight."

"That's what I said."

Ned cast Rob a disparaging look. "Just telling him we missed him last week. Could've used the help."

Jake opened his mouth to speak, but Rob beat him to the punch. He wanted to say something cutting and sarcastic, put Ned in his place, but Raoul and the other men in the fields of Cassidy Wineries popped into his mind. Their respect for their jobs. Their respect for how the work they did put food on the tables of their families, and added something good to the world. As much as he hated to admit it right now, his father and brothers did work like that, too, and he'd walked away from the job without a second thought. If Raoul or the other men pulled a trick like that, they wouldn't have a job to come back to. Far more than their pride was on the line every day. He'd been acting like a spoiled brat for years, and though it galled him to admit it, Ned was right.

He'd been thinking about his father all day, and when he'd gotten over his anger, he'd had to admit that Holt was right, too. He had expected his folks to put him up in his cabin while he worked for someone else to save up the money for Morgan, and why should they? He was a grown man, after all. The deal he had with them was that he worked in exchange for his room and board. He needed to figure out another way to go about all of this, starting with the way he answered Ned.