Page 73 of Wyoming True

“And here I was thinking it was unique!”

He held out his hand. She slid hers into it. The contact felt wonderful, she thought, and wondered why her feet didn’t feel as if they were touching the floor.

“IFOUNDAway to get Cindy a dress without hurting her pride,” Jake said while they drank coffee.

“You did? How?”

“Her husband does odd jobs for me when he isn’t working at his full-time job. I told him it was an early holiday bonus, but he had to use part of it to buy Cindy a bridesmaid’s dress and outfit her. I also mentioned that Maude was wearing a color like pale roses.” He cocked his head. “Did I do all right?”

She let out a long sigh. “Oh, yes. It broke my heart to think that she wouldn’t come. She’s been such a good friend. I didn’t know how to work it out. Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” he replied. “I like Cindy, too. She’ll probably call you later. Her husband was going to take her shopping this morning.”

“Lovely!”

He looked at her bright, happy face over his coffee cup. “This time tomorrow, we’ll be married.”

Her heart jumped up into her throat. She was sure that he wasn’t anything like Bailey. And there was no chance that he didn’t like women. The only thing that worried her was Mina. He’d never gotten over her. What if he never did?

“No more cold feet,” he said, reading the worried expression on her face without understanding why it was there. “We’re going to make a good marriage.”

She searched his eyes for a long time, feeling the electricity jump all over her body at the intensity of the look they were suddenly exchanging.

“You were knitting a baby blanket,” he said, his voice sounding oddly husky. “You like kids.”

“Oh, yes,” she said softly.

He looked down into his coffee cup. He wasn’t going to mention what he and the minister had talked about. Still...

“The minister mentioned that he had a couple of women in his congregation with injuries similar to yours. Both of them had kids.”

Her heart ran wild in her chest. Her lips parted on a stunned breath. “Really?” she asked, without confessing that she’d consulted her orthopedic surgeon about it.

“Not that we’re going to have that sort of a marriage,” he said quickly, misreading the look on her face. He averted his eyes. “Children take a lot of work.”

“Yes.” She had to hide her disappointment. She forced a smile. “We’ll have several people at the wedding.”

“A nice little bunch, without overcrowding,” he said, pleased to let the subject of children pass by. It disturbed him, how much he wanted a child. Ida was beautiful. He wondered if a child of theirs would have her blue eyes or his silver ones. He thought about a miniature version of himself, in little cowboy boots, following him around the ranch. He smiled to himself and then wiped the smile clean. Impossible dreams were a waste of time.

“Well, I’ve got a few phone calls to make. People get married, but business goes on forever,” he teased. “I’ll see you later.”

“Okay.”

SHESATWITHMAUDE, discussing little details about the ceremony. The phone rang and it was Cindy.

“My husband got a very early vacation bonus,” she said excitedly. “And he said we were going to spend it on a bridesmaid dress. He said Maude had a pale rose-colored dress, so I got one, too... Am I invited?”

“Are you kidding? Of course you’re invited! Oh, Cindy, I wanted you to come so badly, but I knew you’d never let me outfit you...”

“No, I wouldn’t,” Cindy replied, but there was a smile in her voice. “I’m so happy that I get to come.”

“Me, too. We’ve been friends for a long time. In a way, I owe our marriage to you. If you hadn’t been so thoughtful when my car broke down, Jake and I might never have gotten together at all.”

“Oh, I doubt that,” Cindy teased. “He used to stare at you when you were both in the café,” she added.

Ida’s heart jumped. “He did?” she asked breathlessly.

“He did. I’m not sure he realizes what he feels, you know,” she said very softly. “But he does feel something.”

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