Page 41 of The Rancher's Cinderella Bride

“Gabe, let’s go. You’ve already paid the waiter. I want to leave.”

“You’re not going to get to leave for a little while longer,” he said. “Here come some people we know, and they probably want to congratulate us. Let’s just hope everyone in the restaurant doesn’t decide to wish us well.”

“Oh, my gracious,” she said, smiling as friends came to congratulate them.

The minute the last person left, Meg picked up her purse and present and the boxes. “Gabe, we have to get out of here. We’ve posed for pictures, and people took pictures of us when you proposed. There were probably people who even got videos of it. Our families will know about this. Justin will know before we can tell anyone.”

“This worked out to be a little more of a response than I had envisioned in this quiet, staid, expensive restaurant. I’m ready, darlin’.” He stood up, came around to pull out her chair. “They’re probably all thinking we’re going somewhere to make love. How I wish.”

“Come on, let’s go.”

They walked out together and as soon as she was in the car, she called her mother. “Mom, can Gabe and I come by the house? I have some news.”

Meg listened a moment. “We’ll see you in about half an hour,” she said, thinking about how long it would take. “See you then.” She ended the call.

“They hadn’t heard?” Gabe asked.

“No. My folks aren’t on social media. Let’s go tell them we’re engaged.”

“I hope your dad doesn’t slug me.”

“My father would never do any such thing.”

Gabe smiled. “I really didn’t think he would, but he is not going to like this and your mom isn’t, either. And I hope it doesn’t give your poor grandparents fainting spells when you call them.”

“Stop being a pessimist.”

Gabe shook his head. “I know one thing. Your folks won’t hug me and say, ‘Welcome to the family.’”

* * *

While Gabe watched traffic, he dreaded facing her folks and announcing they were engaged. Even though he’d agreed to this situation, it went against living an honest life. Meg’s folks should never have tried to push her into a loveless marriage. She was too loving and full of life to settle for a guy who was marrying her solely to get a promotion in his dad’s firm.

He heard her phone ring and glanced over at her as she checked the screen.

“Well, Justin must have seen a picture of us because this call is from him. I might as well talk to him about it now.”

Gabe wondered if Justin had already heard about his proposal and was angry about what was happening, but he didn’t care to hear her conversation.

“Seriously?” she gasped. “Seriously? You mean that?” She sounded so shocked Gabe glanced at her to see her staring at him wide-eyed with her mouth hanging open and her face pale.

Wondering if someone had died in Justin’s family, Gabe signaled and once again got off the freeway and into a residential area where he parked.

“When did this happen?” she asked.

Now Gabe wished he had told her to put the call on speaker. Something had happened to someone in Justin’s family. Hopefully Justin was all right himself.

“I’m shocked. I wish you the very best. I really mean that. I hope you’re so happy and that everything good comes your way.”

Gabe stared at her, trying to guess what Justin was going to do that had her wishing him the best. His curiosity grew and he wondered what had happened and how it would affect her.

“Thank you, Justin. That’s nice of you. Yes, we’ll do that sometime. Tell your family hello and I’m thrilled for you, for all of you.” She nodded as Justin must have been talking. “Sure. I’ll see you then for sure. Congratulations. I’m so happy for both of you. Goodbye.”

She turned to Gabe, but he wondered whether she saw him or not.

“I can’t believe what he just told me,” she said, sounding dazed. She focused on Gabe and he waited patiently. “Justin is engaged. He’s getting married. He’s engaged to Pamela Gatersen. They went together all their senior year in college and then went to different law schools. They just got back together and it was a whirlwind courtship and everything worked out perfectly. He sounded as if he had won the lottery. They’ll have a Christmas wedding and travel around the world for a honeymoon.”

Gabe knew of her. “Her dad owns Gatersen Equipment, which is a nationwide company—heavy-duty stuff, tractors, backhoes, trucks. Hon, she probably has way more money in her family than you do in yours and that seems to be highly important to Justin.”

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