Page 8 of The Rancher's Mail-Order Husband

Graham blinked, caught off guard by the suggestion. "I didn’t—"

"Yes, I know," Liam said, cutting him off. "You’ve been busy. You’ve got a lot on your plate. Don’t worry about it. I’ll get it all planned. I’m fairly good at organizing these things, aren’t I, fear céile?"

Ronan drained his teacup, setting it down with a gentle clink before replying in soft, measured tones, "Sea, tá sé amhlaidh, mo ghrá." His Irish was thick with affection, as always.

Liam beamed, kissing the top of Ronan’s head. "There you are. A ringing endorsement."

Graham tried not to laugh, but it was hard not to feel the warmth of the moment. Liam had a way of making everything seem easy, of taking over the responsibilities others might hesitate to tackle. It was impossible to say no to him.

Before he left, Graham found himself overwhelmed, though in the best way. Liam had, without asking, taken charge of the wedding reception, promising to bake the bread, make the pie, and ensure the guests were fed. He had even insisted on bringing a few small gifts. It was both touching and a little overwhelming, but it was clear that Liam took immense pride in being part of this new chapter of Graham’s life.

As he left Liam and Ronan’s house, three warm biscuits with raspberry jam tucked carefully into his jacket pocket, Graham felt both comforted and bewildered. The weight of the upcoming wedding felt heavier now, more real. It wasn’t just his responsibility anymore—it was something shared.

???

Before he went to see the priest, Graham made one final stop by the post office. The bell above the door jingled as he entered, and he found himself greeted by the warm sound of Oscar’s deep voice, laughing at something Mrs. Fournier had said. The two were standing near the counter, chatting amiably, as Mrs. Fournier adjusted the folds of her skirts. Her youngest child, a small girl with soft baby fat still lingering around her cheeks, stood at her side. The little girl wore a purple dress and a matching bonnet, both adorned with ribbons of the same color, and she clutched a fistful of her mother’s skirt in her chubby hand, swishing the material back and forth as though it were some grand piece of fabric that deserved her attention.

As soon as she saw Graham, the little girl’s face lit up, and she broke into a toothy, exuberant smile. “Hi, Mr. Shepherd!” she called out brightly, her voice full of uncontainable enthusiasm.

Graham tipped his hat politely, still a little surprised by her forthrightness, but smiled nonetheless. “Ma’am. Miss. Oscar.” His eyes moved from Mrs. Fournier’s face, where her smile mirrored the one of her daughter’s, to Oscar, who was watching him with a slight grin of his own.

“Well, hello again, Graham! I rarely see you so often,” Mrs. Fournier said, raising her eyebrows in mild surprise. “What brings you to town today?”

Graham hesitated for a moment, a wave of sudden nervousness overtaking him. His thoughts were already racing, and he could feel his face warming as he gathered his thoughts. This wasn’t how he imagined announcing something as personal as a wedding, but the words had already formed in his mind, and he wasn’t going to back out now.

“Actually—” he cleared his throat, his voice still slightly rough. “Lucky you’re all here right now. My—wedding is going to be in a—uh, a couple of days. I was wondering if you’d like to come. That, is, you, Oscar. And you and the family, ma’am.”

The words felt strange even as they left his lips, but they hung in the air for a moment. Mrs. Fournier and Oscar exchanged a surprised glance, their expressions shifting between shock and delight. But before either of them could speak, the little girl, Adeline, clapped her hands together and let out a gleeful cry, her voice ringing with excitement.

“A wedding! Mama, please, a wedding!” she practically danced in place, as if she were already imagining the cake and ribbons and all the sweet things weddings were known for. Her enthusiasm was enough to melt any lingering hesitation in Graham’s heart.

“I understand if you can’t,” Graham began, suddenly flustered by the unexpected attention. “I sprung this on you late and all,” he added quickly, though he immediately regretted his words. Why was he apologizing? These were people who had been kind to him. It was only right to ask them.

But before he could retract his words, Mrs. Fournier smiled broadly. “Oh, Graham, of course we’ll come,” she said, her tone warm and welcoming. “I need to get out of that shop more, anyhow. And I want to see what this man of yours is like.” Her voice carried a hint of playful curiosity, as if she were already imagining the man who had managed to capture Graham’s interest.

Oscar nodded in agreement, his easy smile never fading. “Yes, I’d love to,” he said sincerely. “Thank you, Graham, for thinking of me.”

Graham smiled gratefully. Why wouldn’t he invite Oscar? The man had been his steady companion on those Friday afternoons when the long hours of the week grew too heavy, and he’d always been generous with his time. And then there was Mrs. Fournier, who had not only helped him with his purchases but had also given him a thoughtful wedding gift—a kindness that was hard to repay.

Adeline, bouncing on her feet and nearly glowing with excitement, interrupted the adults’ exchange with a question that had clearly been on her mind. “It’s nice that you’re getting married. I’ve never been to a wedding before! Will you have sweets?” Her wide eyes shone with eager expectation.

“Adeline!” Mrs. Fournier admonished gently, though there was no real severity in her voice. She was clearly amused by her daughter’s curiosity. The child was only four, maybe five, but her enthusiasm was contagious.

Graham couldn’t help but laugh at the girl’s unbridled excitement. She was so fresh and untainted by the reservations that often came with age. He knelt down a little, smiling at her in return. “Well,” he said, his voice carrying a teasing lilt. “It’ll be even more special then. The first wedding you’ve ever attended.”

Adeline clapped her hands together, her face alight with glee. “Ooooh, thank you!” she exclaimed, before bouncing back to her mother’s side and tugging at her skirts again, her mind already drifting to the sweets and celebrations.

Graham’s eyes twinkled with amusement as he thought about what he could provide for the reception. “I know there’ll be some kind of pie, at least,” he added thoughtfully, his mind now turning to the food as he imagined the small gatheringof guests. He chuckled when Adeline’s eyes grew wide and she clapped with excitement, her earlier question now answered.

“Well, that sounds good,” Mrs. Fournier said with a knowing smile. “I’ll make sure we’re there. And I’m sure Adeline will be just as thrilled to have pie as she is to see a wedding.”

Graham stood up, still grinning. “Thank you,” he said to both Mrs. Fournier and Oscar. He felt his shoulders relax, the weight of his earlier anxiety beginning to fade away. Having them there, at the wedding, felt like the right thing. He wasn’t sure why he had been so nervous. It wasn’t as if anyone was going to judge him. It was, after all, a celebration. A new beginning.

???

The day of the wedding arrived, and in a few hours so would Graham’s husband-to-be. He hitched Ginger to the buggy and rode to the train station, heart pounding in his chest. At various points along the way he stopped beside the dirt road and just—

Breathed.

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