Page 33 of The Wrangler Takes a Wife

“Well, everyone, who is close enough to make it. Don’t worry, your lovely fiancée will fill you in. I wanted to see you about what you were going to wear.”

Louisa held him captive. Catching him up on plans. Amara was right. He did not know the Pandora’s Box he’d opened. He had to give it to Louisa the tiny woman was a force. And she could plan like it was nobody’s business. At some point, Rodney wandered into the room. He took one look at Chase and started laughing.

“I was going to leave you at my wife’s mercy, but I got hungry.”

Rodney’s interruption was the perfect excuse for Chase to leave. He drove straight from Rodney and Louisa to the diner.

Roslynda greeted him. “Amara’s busy on the phone with a supplier. She’ll be out soon.”

He drank some chicory and had a slice of pie. In the short time Chase was waiting, he received congratulations and promises they would see him at the wedding. Some woman kept giving sad glances. He didn’t know who the hell she was. But it was what he expected from this town.

“Amara says you can go back to her office.”

When he arrived at the door, she was holding it open. “Hey,” he greeted.

“Hey, yourself.”

He stepped inside, and she closed the door. It was nice to see her smile. “So, I heard you stopped by the wedding headquarters.”

“I did.” Chase pulled her into his arms. She went willingly. God, he’d missed her returning his embrace. “I’m sorry.”

Her body shook in his hold. It took him a moment to realise she was laughing.

“I know you tried to warn me, but I wasn’t prepared.”

“Louisa loves planning celebrations. It might actually be a good thing she had such short notice.”

He stepped back, so they were an arm’s length apart, but still held on to her hands. It had been days since she looked at him like his mere presence wasn’t a huge annoyance. He felt like he had his partner in crime back.

“You don’t look like you want to scratch my eyes out.”

Amara rolled her eyes at him. “I accepted my fate and, to be honest, it helps to see how shell-shocked you are.”

“I can’t believe she’s done all that planning in such a short time.”

“Mm.”

“I didn’t mean for it to get this out of hand.” He pulled her flush against him.

“I guess we will have to get through this together.”

When he kissed her and she allowed more than just a peck, he felt like he won the lotto. This cocoon they had created meant more than he was willing to admit.

Chapter Thirteen

Amara

Nothing felt different. Everything felt the same. Chase and Amara had driven up to New Oxford, a city right outside of Calgary, and spent the night. Then when they woke up this morning, they headed to the courthouse, got a license, exchanged vows, and tied the knot. He slipped a thin band which matched her engagement ring on her finger. Yet she felt like the same old Amara. Maybe if they married for love, the vows would have magically transformed this into something new and she’d feel like Chase’s wife. The big celebration waiting for them seemed pointless.

“Hey, you’ve been quiet the entire trip back. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you ready for the wedding?”

As she feared, when Chase involved her family, they completely took over. What had started off as a little party had grown into a full-blown wedding. They were going to repeat their vowsin front of family and friends, then a reception would follow. Amara’s input was minimal. She nodded through most of the planning, chose items when she was pushed and reeled them in, when necessary. Because hell no, they weren’t arriving at the reception in a hot air ballon. Louisa and Jo were ridiculous.

She allowed them to persuade her to get a wedding outfit, but she refused to buy a wedding dress.

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