Page 32 of Sweet Deal
At his side, Rachel stared at the king-size bed, her expression unreadable.
“It’s a nice room.” His hand brushed against hers and she startled as if surprised there was someone else in the house. Not a good sign. The weight of the situation was clearly affecting her.
“Sorry. I guess I’m a little… edgy.”
Considering he knew how he felt, he couldn’t fault her for feeling…edgy. “How much closet space do you need?”
The way she looked at him, a smile barely reaching the corners of her mouth, he knew his effort to ease the tension had worked. At least a little.
“Hey,” smiling widely, he flipped his hands up in the air, “I have an image to maintain.”
Groaning, she gently slugged him in the shoulder. “Men. You can have the big closet. I’ll use the little one in the bathroom.”
“A woman who believes in sharing is a woman after my own heart.”
Now she grinned in earnest, shook her head, and turned away. “I’ll get clean sheets for you.”
Rooted to the carpet, he looked around the room. It was cozy, comfortable, and spacious. The problem, as he saw it, Buckingham Palace wouldn’t be big enough to make sharing with Rachel easy.
Chapter Fourteen
Alice Sweet took a slow, satisfied breath, the scent of wildflowers and freshly mown grass filled her senses. Clint had truly outdone himself. The simple wooden backdrop he’d constructed under the ancient oak tree at the back of the house was more beautiful than she could have imagined. As soon as the sun starts its nightly descent, combined with Clint’s handiwork, they’d have the perfect setting for the next Sweet wedding. Her Rachel was going to be a beautiful bride.
“Clint, it’s just lovely.” She walked to where he stood, hiding the extension cords for the strings of fairy lights woven through the branches. “I don’t know how to thank you. This backdrop is more than I hoped for.”
Clint tipped his hat. “The bones are my doing, but the fabric and lights,” he gestured to the soft ivory material artfully draped around the wooden beams, “this is all Miss Jillian.” He chuckled. “She had strong opinions on how it should hang.”
“I bet she did.” Alice smiled. That sounded exactly like her daughter. Between Clint’s sturdy craftsmanship and Jillian’s eye for elegance, they’d created a little bit of magic right here in their backyard. It was perfect for Rachel and Jim. Simple, heartfelt, and surrounded by the land they all loved. The only thing missing would be Charlie to walk Rachel down the aisle.
Taking a step back, Clint nodded at the final results and once again tipped his hat. “I’ve got things to tend to before the festivities begin.”
“You’ll be finished in time for the ceremony.” It wasn’t really a question. “You’re almost part of the family.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Something she couldn’t quite read flashed in his eyes. “I’ll do my best.”
The man who had been a savior to the Sweet family disappeared into the barn and Alice spun around for one more look at the beautiful setting, then glanced up at the lights in the tree. “Oh, Charlie. You always thought Jim would be the one. How I wish you could be here to see for yourself.” Blowing a soft kiss into the air, she turned and walked back to the house. She had a wedding to dress for.
Had she completely lost her mind? Rachel stood in front of the mirror in the same room she’d slept in for most of her childhood. The same room that, for the last few days, had been only a few feet from the master bedroom where Jim had been sleeping. In a simple white mid-length dress, she felt like a bride from the fifties. Except this wasn’t technically for real. Technically. She’d be legally wed, and sharing her life—and bed—for one whole year with a man who could make her heart race, and her palms sweat. She had to be out of her mind. That was the only explanation for going through with this insane plan.
“You look stunningly beautiful.” Her mother stood staring at her with so much love and pride in her eyes that Rachel almost cried at how her mother’s heart would break when one year from now all of this would come to an end.
Trying not to sigh, who was she kidding? Her heart was the one that would break when Jim Henderson once again walked out of her life.
Jillian appeared in the doorway. “Are you two going to stand up here looking at yourselves in the mirror all day, or are we having a wedding?”
Nodding, Alice Sweet took a step in retreat. “I’d better go take my seat. You know your dad is going to be at your side with every step.”
It wasn’t a question really, but Rachel nodded anyway.
As soon as her mother was out the door and down the hall, Jillian met Rachel’s eyes. “You still want to do this?”
Did she? Of course she did. The ranch needed the money. It was her duty. And truthfully, grateful to have him back in her life, she’d take whatever time with Jim she could get. “I do.”
Jillian giggled. “Remember that.”
Outside, the sky lit up in hues of fiery orange and soft lavender as Rachel made her way down the short aisle to stand beside Jim, tucking her hand securely in the crook of his arm. The simple vows, spoken with a surprising depth of sincerity from the local Justice of the Peace Alice had rustled up, still echoed in her ears. His ring felt solid, a tangible weight on her finger, a constant reminder of this wild, improbable turn her life had taken.
Under the nearby open-sided tent, tables were laden with smoked brisket, corn bread, creamed corn, and all the other fixings of a proper Texas celebration. Fairy lights twinkled, mimicking the stars beginning to prick the darkening sky. The reception was small, just their two families, more of a party than a reception really. Their parents chatted joyfully, Mason darted between tables, proudly showing off a frog he’d caught, and her brothers, with their wives, seemed to be in a contest of who could tell the most embarrassing childhood story about her or Jim. The only person missing was Kade. Even though this wasn’t a real wedding, she still wished her eldest brother could be here to give her a hug and remind her tosuck it up, buttercup.
