The Cowboy Takes a Bride (17 page)

F
rom his prone position in the sand, Ross popped one eye open and looked up at the crowd circling him. His ankle was killing him, his right eye was swelling and throbbing, he couldn't breathe and there was a crushing pain on his chest—a bright green one!

Thankfully someone reached out and helped Esther Mae off of him so he could finally get some air. But then Sugar's face came into focus—in his good eye—and he lost his breath again.

“Oh, Ross, you look terrible. What can I do?” she asked, sinking onto the sand beside him.

He thought he could see everyone behind her grinning, but then again, he wasn't focused on anything but her. Ready to blame it on getting knocked senseless by Esther Mae's right hook, he grinned at Sugar and said the first thing that popped into his addled brain. “You can marry me.”

Yup, he'd lost his ever lovin' mind
. And he didn't care one iota.

She blinked, and the crowd went silent.

“Ain't ya gonna say sump-thin', Sugar?” Applegate bellowed after a couple of seconds. “Ross, 'bout time ya finally come to yor senses. Pity it took a beatin' from Esther Mae ta do it!”

Sugar still didn't say anything.

Applegate didn't give up. “I was beginin' ta thank them two didn't have a lick a sense b'twin the both of 'em,” he said to the group. “Thangs are lookin' up.”

“Sugar?” Ross said, sitting up slowly. His ankle was still killing him, but the look in her eyes was ten times worse. He'd been a first-class fool. He'd gone and rushed her. He could see her shutting down. “Say something.”

“I don't know what to say.”

“Aw,” Stanley groaned. “Now that jest ain't right.”

“Come on, everyone,” Lacy called, “let's give these two some breathing room. How about we open up the ice cream?”

Ross could have hugged the woman as everyone followed her lead and retreated toward the shade trees, where freezers of homemade ice cream sat hardening up in rock salt and ice.

“I'm not kidding, Sugar,” Ross said, once they were alone. She stood up and stepped away from him. He tried to follow her, but his ankle gave way and he hobbled.

“That ankle needs ice,” she said, then lifted his arm and drew it across her shoulders. “Lean on me, and let's take care of that.”

He didn't care about his ankle, but he wasn't going to complain about the excuse to hold her. Then again, he knew he wasn't going anywhere on his own, what with the way his ankle was swelling. Esther Mae had really done a number on him.

No more, though, than Sugar had the moment she'd come to town.

There was a chair beside the blue ice chest, and he eased into it while Sugar pulled another chair over and carefully lifted his foot onto it. She wasn't looking at him. “Take your shoe off while I wrap some ice for you.”

“Yes, dear,” he said, smiling even though he was terrified. He knew this was right. Sugar was supposed to be with him. He got his shoe off and watched her yank a towel from a nearby table. Her movements were jerky.

“I can't believe you asked me to marry you,” she said, filling the dish towel with ice.

“That's what someone in love does, Sugar.”

She finally met his eyes as she gently laid the ice on his ankle. Her hands were trembling.

“If you love me, Sugar, then we can make this work. I don't care if you go off to Hollywood and make movies—well, actually, I do care about the kissing. I don't want you kissing anyone but me—but as long as I know you're coming home to me, then I can handle it. I want more than life itself to do this.”

“Ross,” she said, standing and pacing. “It just isn't that easy. Sure, everything has somehow changed since I got here but—”

“Do you love me?” He wished he could get up.

She slapped a hand to her hip. “Yes. And you good and well know it, cowboy. But you are not playing fair.”

He was grinning, his heart was bursting and, sprained ankle and all, he was out of his chair. “I'm not, I admit it. I tried—but who's talking fair? You're the one who stole my heart, the one who wouldn't quit until you had me working beside you. I couldn't help but fall for you after that. You're the one who kept at me until I started to dream.” He took her hand. “We're building something
here,
you and me. Yes, I believe God is going to use you in a great way, I do. But I was doing some thinking out there during the game, while I was looking at you—right before Esther Mae whacked some sense into me. Maybe God put me in your life to be your support. To stand by you and help you. And have you do the same for me.”

He was talking a blue streak, trying to get it all out, to say everything in his heart. Trying to find the right words that would get through to her. “I don't know, Sugar, there are so many things, so many positive things, going through my head that it would take me hours to get it all said. And I will, but you already know it all. In your heart, you know it.” He took her face between his palms and looked into her eyes, willing her to see his every emotion he felt.

She nodded. “I do know. I've been living for my dream for so long. You were right, I've been living for the future for so long it's hard for me to just live for today.”

“But God's given us today. Now. He hasn't promised us tomorrow. And I don't want to waste another minute without knowing you are mine.”

“Oh, Ross, you make it sound so easy.”

“I'm sure there will be times when it won't be. I'm sure we'll have to compromise and look out for each other's best interests. But loving you…that's the easy part.”

Sugar knew everything he said to her was true. In her heart, she'd known that her life had changed, taken a turn for the better. She just had to have the courage to accept all that God was offering her. She lifted her hands and slid them around Ross's neck. She saw his love in his eyes, and drew strength from it. This was right. She saw a future she'd never dreamed of. Possibilities she'd never thought of until he'd come into her life. She thought of what they were building at the theater, and how she could be a part of a community she loved. But mostly, she thought about how much she loved Ross. Dreams might come and go, but she was looking at the one she knew she wanted for keeps.

She smiled. “It might not always be easy,” she warned.

He smiled back, sliding his hands around her shoulders and pulling her close. “I can handle it, remember? I'm your hero. Please put me out of my misery and say you'll marry me, so we can get this show on the road.”

Sugar laughed and felt her world fall into place. “Oh, Ross, it's going to be a wonderful show, isn't it?”

“It's going to be a runaway hit,” he whispered against her lips as he lowered her into a perfect dip and kissed her with all his heart.

And from across the lawn they got a standing ovation!

O
n opening night, Sugar Rae stood backstage with her heart in her throat. Everyone's efforts had paid off, and it was so unbelievable to see the full house. Tickets to the other shows for the weekend were almost sold out as well and while she had no illusions that this would always be the case, for opening weekend, it was a thrill to see. God was so good.

She peeked through the curtain, which Adela had made, and glanced up at the loft. Applegate and Stanley, looking like generals overseeing a battlefield, were checking out the crowd as they prepared to dim the lights. Ross had already called the cast and crew together for a prayer.

Sugar had added her own thank-you into the prayer, feeling so humbled, and overwhelmed at the same time, at how the town had jumped in to make this happen. The ladies from the shelter had set up a refreshment booth outside in a small air-conditioned trailer, and Norma Sue and Esther Mae were greeting everyone at the door and handing out programs. Lacy, Sheri and Haley were helping orchestrate behind-the-scenes details such as keeping Sugar calm and giving her a hand with costume changes, among a host of other small things that needed to be taken care of. Their husbands were overseeing the parking area.

And then there was Molly. She'd done an unbelievable job of hyping the show in her articles and was sitting out there now, smiling like a dark-haired answer to prayer, waving when she caught Sugar's eye. Her review the week before of the dress rehearsal had been almost too wonderful, but Ross had assured her the praise was every bit deserved.

Sugar looked up and saw Ross and Will shaking hands. Then Ross went over and clapped Applegate and Stanley on their shoulders, saying something encouraging to them before he headed her way. The show was about to begin.

Ross was smiling as he came down the stairs from the catwalk. “Are you ready?” he asked, his eyes warm with excitement.

He had been right about so many things. The endeavor was much more than she'd anticipated, but together, they'd worked everything out. She was so grateful for Ross. And so in love with him. She'd grown to love him more and more every day they'd worked together.

She took a deep breath. “I've been ready my entire life,” she said, then walked into his arms and hugged him with her heart and soul.

“Hey, what's this?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her. Sugar laid her cheek against his heart and drew from the well of steadfast assurance she always found in his arms.

“You're trembling,” he whispered against her ear.

She closed her eyes. “I'm okay. I just needed you to hold me for a minute. I need you to know how much this means to me. How much all you've done has meant to me. Thank you.”

His arms tightened and she felt the brush of his lips against her hair. “I'm thankful God put you in my life, Sugar. I thank Him every day. I've had more fun getting this place going and sharing the experience with you than I've ever had before. Building this with you has been a dream come true.”

They were both silent as the lights dimmed. “Are you ready?” he whispered against her ear. She saw Lacy and Haley smiling at her, waiting for her signal.

“Let's do this,” Sugar said, looking up into Ross's loving eyes. Rising on her tiptoes, she kissed him before taking his hand in hers. Together they walked onto the stage to welcome everyone to the first performance of
The Cowboy Takes a Bride
.

They knew it was going to be the performance of a lifetime.

 

1. The Mule Hollow series is written with a sense of community as its core. In THE COWBOY TAKES A BRIDE, Sugar Rae had never felt a sense of belonging or responsibility to a community before. How do you feel about your community? Do you get involved? How about with your local church?

2. Sugar was so determined and single-minded in her quest to achieve her dream that she was afraid to fail. How did she handle that fear once she confronted it?

3. Do you have a dream that you've struggled with? Do you believe God would give you a deep desire and then ask you to lay it down at His feet as your sacrifice?

4. Sugar got so caught up in reaching her dream that she sometimes forgot to live life in the now. Do you have balance in your life between living for today and preparing for tomorrow? What does the Bible say about this?

5. Sugar Rae had valid reasons for being convinced she was supposed to be an actress. How has your past influenced your dreams?

6. How about Sugar's family—do you believe they acted badly in supporting her dream early on and then pulling back? Why do you think they did this?

7. Why did Ross not want to have anything to do with Sugar's production? Do you think he had valid reasons?

8. Sugar was convinced God had put her dream of being an actress in her heart, and when she couldn't reach it, she became frustrated at the Lord. In your own life have you ever felt this way? Some people believe you should never question the Lord. What are your thoughts?

9. The pastor pointed out to Ross that his life in the entertainment industry might have been only the preparation for this moment when he had the chance to step up and help Sugar attain her dreams. What do you think about this, both in the book and as it pertains to life as you've seen it?

10. Sugar wasn't one to totally immerse herself in the word, but on a day-to-day basis she had an ongoing dialogue with the Lord. He was always a variable in her life, whether she was upset, happy or struggling to understand. How would you define her relationship with God? Was it a healthy one? Do you find that when you struggle you are brought closer to the Lord?

11. At the volleyball game, Lacy told Sugar that she knew Sugar could be famous. But then she said, “Or maybe God has prepared you for a different kind of fame.” What do you think Lacy meant? Do you believe God gave Sugar her dream so that it would lead her to Mule Hollow?

12. Sugar understood that Lacy had a missionary's heart, but she hadn't ever realized that
she
could use her talent in a similar manner until she encouraged Stacy to read the part in the play. Do you have abilities that you could use to show others God's love? How could you do this?

13. Sugar realized that Ross was right that she was living life always for tomorrow and never for today. How do you think they will handle life in their future?

14. Ross thought if he loved Sugar, he had to let her go to achieve her dream—but then he decided differently, and spoke up. Do you think he shouldn't have? Was he right in putting his feelings on the table? His choice would require some compromise on both parts. What do you think about that?