Page 41 of The Rancher's Fake Fiancée

She didn’t scream it out, she didn’t send it with tears. It was a most solemn vow at its heart. It was as simple as that. She had dreamed a dream once upon a time. She sat on the porch of that dream and her heart had come full circle. Cole Connors was the piece of that dream she never could quite see. Until he stood before her and Uncle Joe was right. It took just a moment to know the rest of your life.

“Yes,” she repeated. “For the rest of our days I will love you.”

*

Fall was atime for Thanksgiving and dreams coming true under bright colored lights. And so there would be another wedding at Primrose House. For Cassie there could be no other place. In almost four months, a wedding had been planned, and everyone was in high spirits. The sisters had been busy. And Cassie and Cole had decisions to make.

Chapter Eighteen

“Can you believethat we are having another wedding in the Primrose House? Seems like there is something special in this old house,” Matthew commented as he carried in the last box of champagne glasses for the caterer.

“Please don’t call her old,” Tori corrected. “She is vintage if you must talk about the years in her foundation and walls and roof. She’s seen a lot and she is still standing and getting better with each year. She became our home and she has never let us down. Maybe if you moved in here, you might benefit from her magic. Find that special lady for you and for Jillie.”

“Hold it right there,” he said, raising his palm in her direction. “I have more than enough ladies in my way. I don’t need any help with that. I just need more to keep them away. It’s tough being a single guy in this town.”

“Well, you know what I really mean,” she persisted. “You and Jillie need that person in your lives. I just want you all to be happy.”

Matthew’s gaze softened on his eldest sister. “I know what you mean and I know you care. But we are happy and if someone else came into the mix, I don’t know how that would work. But I promise I will keep an open mind to it.”

“Open mind?” Cassie asked, bringing in another box of chair covers. She passed them off to her brother. “Please take those out to the patio for Mrs. Gunderson. She’s going to steam them and then have her girls put them on the chairs.

“Yes, ma’am.” He bowed to her. “Your wish is my command. Or rather it is your order that I must obey.”

“Matthew, please don’t upset the bride,” Tori said, pushing him out the door.

“Too late,” Cassie said, leaning against the cabinet. “I knew Cole and I should have eloped. Everyone is being so great and all but I feel bad on how much work they are putting into this.”

“They do it because they love you both. And they love a good party,” she finished with a laugh. “And you can relax now because you have your nail appointment in half an hour. I’m dropping you off and then I’ll pick you up and we can check on the bouquets at the florist on the way back for the rehearsal and dinner.”

“You have this all down to a science. You should open up a business planning weddings in this house.”

“Sure…just pencil that into my calendar between sewer plant reconstruction budgets and fire engine repairs. I am a multitasking mayor…and mother is in there somewhere,” she grinned.

“I want to be you when I grow up. I guess I always wanted to do that.”

Tori stopped beside her and slid an arm around her shoulders. “I take that as the best of compliments. But you turned out just right on your own. Now we are going to stay on schedule because we have a wedding tomorrow, and it will be the best ever. Move it.”

*

Fall was uponthem. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas was the best of both holidays and weather. That was the time chosen for Cole and Cassie’s big day. And four months was the limit that Cole was willing to wait to place a gold band on her hand. The porches of the Primrose House were covered in fall décor with pumpkins and strings of golden lights and hay bales and happy dancing scarecrows and miles of autumn leaves with twinkle lights entwined on railings and staircases. She had chosen the fall theme over Christmas trees and fake snow. Hurricane candles were surrounded by fall leaves and glowed on the table covers of gold and cream linen with the same color scheme in chair covers.

The two fire pits in the conversational areas on the patios would be lit to help make comfortable the coolness of the evening after the late afternoon wedding. Buffets of food sat in the dining room and alcoves. The cake was a four-tier confection of ivory buttercream and bright fall-colored flowers trailing from the top’s traditional bride and groom.

“Perfect,” Tori pronounced it as the trio arrived to get ready to play the music for the ceremony. A country band would take over after the meal. She adjusted the light gold wrap that went with her tea-length full skirted matron of honor dress. Opening the door to the bedroom, she went in to check on the junior bridesmaids, Jillie and Emmie. They had dresses much the same as Tori’s but in a soft ivory with sashes of gold.

“Ladies, we will be taking photos soon. I love your hair done in French braids with pearls.

You are both gorgeous. Cassie will love it.”

“When do we get to see her?” Emmie asked.

“As soon as she is ready, I’ll come get you for photos with her. Okay?”

They nodded and went back to sitting as still as possible in their full skirts. Tori had to smile at how grown-up they were trying to appear.

Matthew met her in the hall. “Can we do something with these now?” His nod went to the flowers in his arms. “Did Cole buy stock in that flower shop or something? It would be a lot cheaper if he just bought it and gave it to Cassie.”

“Do you have a romantic bone in your body?” his sister asked. “Take lessons from him.” They went to the last door and knocked. Tori added her voice. “It’s me and that little brother of ours.”

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