Page 15 of The Cowboy Takes A Bride

Jace knew she was right. He nodded, met her gaze, and then shrugged. “What do I do?”

“For a man so good at business and cattle, you sure are lousy with people.”

“Forgive me for not knowing how to handle my mail-order bride situation,” he said.

“Touché. Come in and meet Meredith and then go get your folks. How’s that for a plan?” She uncrossed her arms and held them wide for a hug.

He stepped into them and pulled her close. “Thanks for being such a good friend.”

“Thank me when you’re celebrating your anniversary and wondering how you ever lived without Meredith. Name a child after me.”

“What if I have all boys?” He liked the idea of sons, something he hadn’t really allowed himself to imagine.

“I’ll accept Sebastian or Sabine or—”

“Never gonna happen.” They stepped apart and headed for the church. He put the Stetson on and adjusted the sightline. When they reached the door that opened into the church classrooms, he grabbed for it before Sabrina could and paused as he grasped the knob, his palms suddenly moist, his mouth dry.

“Wait, let me go in alone.” This would be the time he’d need to bargain with her. He couldn’t do that with Sabrina around.

She tilted her head, studying him. “Are you sure about that?”

“One hundred percent.” Twenty-five was more the truth.

“Okay, I’ll just go….” She looked around.

“To the diner for some coffee. Maybe stop by the clinic and tell my folks you’re here for a surprise. They’ll know soon enough.”

Sabrina nodded. “Okay.” She patted his chest. “Good luck.” Then brushed passed him on the stairs as she left.

Jace blew out a breath then swung the back door open. When he stepped inside, Meredith jerked to a stand, her hands behind her back. Her suitcase on the floor was open, clothes spilling out. They made brief eye contact, and in that second, he read her disappointment.

“You,” she whispered. Though the look was quickly gone, he didn’t need to see it again to know she was more enchanted with the view than him.

“You going somewhere?” From where he stood, this appeared to be the case. When he'd come in, she'd looked to be stuffing clothes into a small bag. Still wearing her long white coat and her purse on her shoulder, it was clear to him she was attempting to make a quick escape.

Her eyes were wide, and the bluest he’d ever seen. Her pretty mouth hung open, nothing coming out.

Jace whipped off his hat and slapped it against his knees. Shit. This would be the record. She hadn’t even met him and was trying to bail. “What’s the plan? Slip out the other door? Grab a cab?” Jace ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

She slammed her mouth closed and nodded.

“Well, you’re out of luck. We don’t have cabs here. Just a bus stop, and the one bus that comes through already left for the day.”

Meredith dropped what she’d been holding behind her back, a small backpack, and stepped toward him. “I’m sorry. I know I’m awful, but the gravity of this...this... Don’t you think this is insane?” Was that a tremble in her lip among the controlled tightness of her expression?

“Yeah, it’s insane. But that's not a new revelation. The idea was insane from the onset.” He sighed, putting one hand on his hip. “Was this your plan all along? To get this far and bail?” He needed to know. How had Sabrina called this one wrong?

“I’m sorry,” she said before promptly bursting into tears, covering her face with her hands. She mumbled her apologies again.

Well, shit.

“Here Meredith, why don’t you sit down?” When he touched her elbow, he expected her to pull away, or at the very leastjump, but instead she let him guide her to a chair. She sank into it, her face still buried in her hands. Though her sobs were quiet, they seemed to be coming from a well deep within, for her body shook each time she let one free.

Jace sat on his haunches before her; he placed his hat next to him. Pulling an old handkerchief, one that used to belong to his granddaddy, from his breast pocket, he placed it on her knee. “Here you go,” he said while patting her knee.

Removing her hands from her face, he watched her gaze dart from him to the hankie before she lifted it to her tear-ravaged face. “I’m so sorry.”

“Because….”

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