January 1,1892, Train Station in Denver, Colorado

“You shoulda brought flowers.”

Joshua MacAllister shook his head and stared down the railroad tracks. “Did I ask for your advice?”

“I’m just saying that Sarah’s been gone for six months visiting her family. If you want her to know that you missed her, that you want her back, you shoulda brought flowers.”

“Corbin, don’t think that just because you look exactly like me I won’t punch you in the face. I don’t need your advice. Sarah and I are going to do just fine together now that she’s back.”

“If you knew what you were doing, you wouldn’t have let her go in the first place. You love her. You’re just stupid not to have told her.”

Josh balled up his fist and turned an angry gaze on his twin.

“Shut up. I won’t repeat it.”

“Fine, but when you’re begging my wife for a home cooked meal just because you can’t get Sarah to marry you, don’t say I didn’t warn ya.”

“Listen, you little…” The train whistle covered up the rest of Josh’s words. He turned back to the tracks and smiled as he watched the locomotive round the bend. Sarah would be here soon. His Sarah. He couldn’t wait to see her smiling face. Running the store without her for the last seven months had been hell. But now she was back, and sooner or later they would admit their love for each other and get married and have babies. Everything would be fine.

Of course, he couldn’t help but think there might be a grain of truth to what Corbin was saying. When Sarah had said she was going to St. Louis to visit her family it had started out as a two-month trip. Then it had turned into four, then five, and now, six months later, she was coming home.

Finally. Josh couldn’t wait to see her, to see a smile light up her beautiful brown eyes, to see her work her magic at the store and get the customers to buy more than what they’d originally planned. Everyone in Mac’s Crossing loved her. Josh included. He planned to tell her that as soon as possible.

Corbin was right. He should have told her before now. He never should have let her go to St. Louis on her own, even if it was just to visit family. When the trip had been extended time and time again he’d worried that something was wrong.

But what could he do? He’d answered every telegram with one that said, “Glad you’re having a good time. See you next month.”

He should have told her that living without her had been hell; that he wanted her back as soon as possible. But that mistake was in the past and he would make sure that things were fixed now. He’d tell her as soon as he saw her back to her house, when they were alone.

Corbin was right. He should have brought flowers. He turned toward his twin, in an effort to get him to run to the front of the depot and see if there was a flower vendor nearby, but Corbin was gone.

“Thanks a lot,” Josh muttered under his breath. He took a step backwards as the train pulled into the station, steam shooting out from the wheels as the brakes went to work. When the third car passed, he saw Sarah. She was looking out the window, her hands on the glass.

Her smile widened as she rode past and she waved to let him know that she’d seen him.

He waved back, then almost fell forwards when someone pushed into him. He turned toward Corbin, who pushed a bundle of flowers into his hands.

“Here,” his twin said, his chest heaving from running to the front of the station and back. “You can thank me later. I’m thinking some free material for clothes for the baby.”

“I was gonna do that anyway,” Josh said with a smile. “We’ll think of something else. Thanks, brother.”

He hurried toward the train and pushed past the railroad conductor who had offered Sarah his hand to help her alight from the train.

“Sarah,” he said, his breath catching in his throat. “Welcome home and Happy New Year.”

When she was standing on the platform, he thrust the flowers toward her, wishing he were as smooth as Corbin, or Win. He swallowed deeply then stepped back.

Her smile made his knees go weak.

“Thank you, Josh. Happy New Year to you, too. This is so sweet. I don’t know what to say. Flowers.” Her giggle made him smile more.

A woman clearing her throat made her jump. She stepped away from the train. “I’m sorry. Josh, you remember my mother?”

Josh turned toward the large woman whom the conductor was helping from the train.

“Of course I do. Hello, Mrs. McKay. This is a delightful surprise. Happy New Year to you.”

“Why that’s very kind of you to say, Joshua. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you boys.” The older woman turned toward his twin. “Corbin. Good to see you. And how are your brothers?”

“They’re all fine, ma’am,” Corbin said, tipping his hat. “All of us are married now except for Josh and Ben. We’re still working on them.”

Mrs. McKay cleared her throat and then patted her hands on her chest. “My, it’s chilly here. Is the carriage nearby?”

“Yes,” Josh said. “We’ll take you to it and then Corbin and I will see to your bags.”

They escorted the ladies to the carriage and helped them up, then went to collect their bags and loaded them onto the back of the carriage.

When they were all aboard, with Corbin at the reins, they took off for Mac’s Crossing, which was several hours away from Denver. The silence in the carriage was heavy and after about ten minutes, Josh cleared his throat.

“So, you had a happy Christmas?”

“Very,” Sarah said with a smile. “It was nice to see my family, and my brothers and sisters.”

“Well, it’s nice to have you home,” Josh said. “We missed you.”

Mrs. McKay cleared her throat and gave Sarah a pointed look. Josh looked at both of them in confusion.

“Is something wrong?”

“No,” Mrs. McKay said. “But Sarah has something she needs to tell you, Joshua.”

Sarah worried the hanky that she’d had in her hands when she’d arrived, her gaze trained on the floor.

“Sarah? Tell him.”

“Tell me what?” Josh reached out and grabbed Sarah’s hand. “Is something wrong? You’re not sick, are you?”

“Of course not,” Mrs. McKay said with a laugh. “She’s just shy about telling you she’s going to be married. To a delightful widower who works with Mr. McKay. We’re only here to collect her things from her house and let Sarah say her goodbyes.”

Josh’s head felt like it would split open as he stared at her. Her gaze never left the floor, but her chest rose and fell more rapidly.

“Sarah? I, um, well…”

“Of course you’re happy for her,” Mrs. McKay said in a stiff voice. “Sarah’s almost twenty-seven. When we allowed her to stay with her aunt when the family moved to St. Louis we didn’t expect her to stay in Colorado so long. Now it’s time for her to do as good daughters are supposed to do. To marry and have children and raise a family. You must admit, Joshua, that her working at your store is unorthodox. Women shouldn’t work.”

Words formed in Josh’s brain, but didn’t make it past his lips. Sarah remained silent and he wondered what she was thinking. Next to her, her mother was sprouting words about Sarah ‘living with my dear sister’, and that being the only reason they hadn’t demanded that she come to St. Louis sooner.

“I thought you were…” Josh said, his voice sounding strangled. “Happy.”

“Nonsense. What woman her age would be happy that she doesn’t have a husband yet? It’s high time she married, and her father found the right man for her, so you don’t have to worry, Joshua. She’ll be well provided for, and she won’t have to work anymore, isn’t that right Sarah?”

When Sarah didn’t answer, her mother cleared her throat. “Sarah!”

“Yes, Mother, you’re right.” Josh willed Sarah to look at him. Instead, she looked out the window as the carriage bumped along.

Josh strained his ears to hear what else she said. It sounded strangely like, “You’re always right,” but he couldn’t exactly be sure. He needed to get Sarah alone where he could talk to her, see exactly what was happening because he’d seen three very happy brides in the past few years, when his brothers had married. First, Win to Vanessa, then Rob to Dawn, and finally, Corbin to Ruby. They had all been laughing and joking. Sarah looked like she was about to cry. Definitely not a blushing bride.

Sarah thought her heart would break when they pulled in front of her Aunt Becky’s house and she finally looked up into Josh’s face. She’d pretended to be asleep for the last hour of the ride, afraid that if she looked at him she’d burst into tears.

Was he happy that she was getting married? Lord knows he’d never made a move to ask her to marry him, although she’d always hoped that he’d cared about her just a little bit. When she’d told him, she was going to St. Louis she’d wanted him to beg her to stay. Instead, he’d told her to have a good time.

She had no idea that her father had already promised Ernest Hall that she would marry him and be a mother to his three children. The man was nice enough but he was twenty years older than she was, and she felt not a wisp of attraction to him. The one time he’d tried to kiss her, she’d turned her head as quickly as possible and his lips had landed on her cheek, which had made her shudder.

He’d taken it as a shudder of delight when in actuality it had been a shudder to hold back her disgust. The only man she’d ever wanted to kiss her was Josh. For years, people thought she’d had a crush on his brother, Corbin, but Corbin had known better.

Unfortunately, Josh had never shown an interest in her as more than an employee. She’d thought at Christmas last year that he might tell her that he wanted to marry her, to live with her and have children. Instead, he’d just thanked her for working in his store and making things better for the both of them.

Aunt Becky had told her to flirt with him, to make him notice her but Sarah was too shy to try. And now she was stuck with Ernest Hall.

After Corbin helped her mother from the carriage, Josh put out his arm.

“Sarah. Don’t go just yet. We need to…” He stopped speaking when her mother stuck her head in the carriage.

“Come along, Sarah. Let’s not keep Becky waiting. Joshua, we’ll see you before we leave. Thank you again for picking us up at the station. We could have taken the stage here.”

Sarah gave Josh a pleading look, and then quickly moved toward the door of the coach before he could look at her again with those sad eyes. The look he gave her told her everything. He loved her, just as much as she loved him. And now it was too late. Plans for the wedding were already underway, and she couldn’t embarrass her parents by backing out.

If only Josh had said something to her about his feelings earlier, then they wouldn’t be in this dilemma.

“Kidnap her. Take her to Denver and marry her. Tonight.”

Josh turned toward Ben, his second oldest brother. “Are you still the sheriff? Or did I miss something? You’re advising me to kidnap her?”

“Yeah. As the sheriff I could say I didn’t know where you’d gone, and lead a posse down toward Texas. Maybe you’re heading to Mexico, how would I know? By the time I figured it out she’d already be your wife, and the marriage would already be consummated and there would be nothing they could do about it.”

“Not a bad idea,” Win, the oldest MacAllister brother, said with a shrug. “Do it tonight. Vanessa and I can go and distract the mother while you and Ben help her out the window.”

“It would take more than the two of you to distract her,” Josh said. “She’s like a bulldog. She didn’t give us a second alone today.”

Four of the five MacAllister brothers stood in the middle of Josh’s store. Corbin’s wife, Ruby, had worked there this morning, and had been helping out while Sarah was gone, but Corbin wouldn’t be willing to part with her services at his own business for long. Besides, Ruby was due to give birth in three months, and would need to be off her feet soon.

“I just don’t know what to do,” Josh said. “I could tell from the look on her face that she doesn’t want to marry this man.”

“I told you long ago to say something to her,” Corbin said. “If you’d have listened to me, you wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“Would you shut up?” Josh turned to his twin. “You’re not helping.”

“Cut it out,” Win said. “What’s done is done, and it’s time to figure out a way to help Josh, not lay blame. I think Vanessa and I need to have a nice dinner at our house tomorrow night. We’ll invite Sarah and her mother, and Becky. At some point we’ll distract Mrs. McKay long enough for you to get Sarah alone and talk to her.”

“That sounds good,” Josh said. “I thought maybe they’d come into the store today but I guess that’s not going to happen. I don’t know how I could have been so stupid. Why didn’t I say anything to her before she left?”

“Because you’re shy,” Corbin said, drawing out the last word and then sidestepping the punch Josh threw his way.

“Of course, we could always convince Mrs. McKay that since Ruby’s so far along in her pregnancy that she can’t work the store anymore and you have to have Sarah’s help,” Corbin said. “You might need her for a while. Until you find someone else.”

Josh nodded. “That’s the first smart thing you’ve said this year. I’ll tell her that tomorrow night. Ruby doesn’t need to be on her feet during the last months of her pregnancy. We’ll just have to convince Mrs. McKay.”

“Ruby can do that,” Corbin said with a grin. “Don’t you worry about it. It’s as good as done.”

Josh let his gaze wander toward his pregnant sister-in-law, who was helping Mrs. Adams measure out material for a new dress. She really had been a great help, and the baby was due in a few months. She would tell you that she was fine, that she didn’t mind working.

He just hoped that Mrs. McKay bought the story and let Sarah out of the house alone. Because if she didn’t, then Josh was going to seriously consider Ben’s idea of kidnapping her, with Sarah’s permission, of course.

The next morning, Josh was putting out a new shipment of hard candy when Win’s wife, Vanessa, breezed through the doorway. She always made Josh laugh and this time was no different.

She was a former actress who could play any part. She hugged Josh and patted his cheek.

“Don’t you worry. Sarah will be your wife before long. I just delivered the dinner invitation myself, and they readily accepted. I think Mrs. McKay was very happy to be invited to the bank president’s house.”

“I’m sure she was,” Josh said. “I don’t remember her as being pretentious, but now I think she’s very interested in image.”

Vanessa nodded, and then frowned. “Sarah looked like she’d been crying. I think she half expected you to come and take her away last night.”

Josh dropped the bag of candy on the counter and put his hands on his hips. “Damn. Oh, sorry Vanessa.”

“That’s all right, little brother. You just make sure you talk to her tonight, and make sure you…”

“Tell her I love her. Don’t worry. I will.”

“She asked about you. She cares, you know.”

“Yes.” Josh sat down on a stool near the counter. “I’m an idiot. All those years she was right there and I didn’t do anything. Now I can’t stand the thought of being without her.”

“Don’t worry. After tonight everything will be just fine.”

Vanessa bought some candy, and ordered some material for a new dress, then left. As he worked through the afternoon Vanessa’s words bolstered him. He knew that she was right. Sarah loved him as much as he loved her, and when he finally told her, things would work out just fine.

He closed the store at five and went to his house. He heated up water and quickly bathed before changing into his best suit. He wanted Mrs. McKay to see him dressed up and know that he would be a good son-in-law.

Vanessa had set it up so that he and Ben would pick up Sarah, her mother and her aunt and take them to Win’s house in Win’s carriage. The idea of it made Josh pause for just a bit. He knew that he would never be able to afford a fancy house, or a nice carriage, but he hoped that Sarah didn’t need those things.

Maybe that’s why she was marrying this man in St. Louis. Maybe he had money and could give her things that she wanted. Surely not, though. He didn’t think Sarah was that superficial. She had never shown that during the years he’d known her. Then again, he’d never shown her he’d cared about her, either.

When they arrived at Becky Turnbull’s house, Josh stepped down from the carriage and straightened his jacket.

“You look fine, Josh,” Ben said, patting him on the back. “Just make sure you let her know how you feel and everything will turn out just perfect.”

“Sure it will,” Josh replied. “I wish I had your confidence.”

Sarah opened the front door, and Josh knew she’d never looked so beautiful to him. She had her dark brown hair swept up on top, with ringlets falling down. Her dress of deep green brought out the green flecks in her eyes.

He stuttered and finally said, “Hello.” Then he caught his breath. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you, Josh.” Her voice was soft. “I’m glad to see you.”

“Let’s…”

“Hello, Joshua.” Mrs. McKay stepped into the doorway and pushed herself between the two of them “Shall we go before we’re late?”

When she pushed Sarah past them, Ben rolled his eyes.

“She’s going to be tough,” he mouthed to Josh, who nodded.

Who knew where this evening would lead?

Sarah thought she would throw up before they reached Win’s house. She was so nervous that she just knew her blood vessels would burst and she would die. She was the one who had suggested the trip back to Mac’s Crossing.

No, she’d done more than suggested it, she’d fought for it. She loved Josh so much that it was going to be hard to leave him. But there was no way she was going to marry Ernest Hall without one final look at the man who had filled her dreams for the past five years.

She’d had a crush on Josh when her family had lived in town, and when they’d decided to move to St. Louis, she’d convinced them to let her stay with Aunt Becky, sure that Josh would ask her to marry him.

He acted as if he liked her. He touched her arm gently sometimes and would give her a one-armed hug when there were others around. He’d never done anything untoward. Never once had he tried to put his hands were they did not belong.

But as the years passed by she realized that the only thing that Josh felt for her was friendship, and that he would never ask her to marry him.

She’d been shocked when her father had announced that Ernest had asked for her hand, and her father had agreed, without asking her.

When she’d balked, her father told her that she would do as she was told, or she would be put out on the street with nothing to her name. End of story.

Sarah had wondered if it would go that far, but she didn’t push it. If he had put her out where would she go? Back to Becky to live the rest of her life as a spinster? She didn’t think she could stand working with Josh and knowing that he wasn’t going to return her affections.

Besides, she’d been taught that good, obedient daughters obeyed their fathers. Ernest was a nice enough man. His children needed a mother; and, if she had children of her own with him, then she would raise them too and be a dutiful wife and mother.

She was sure that everything would work out. Her mother had convinced her she was doing the right thing. But the look on Josh’s face this afternoon when he’d found out she was marrying Ernest had made her want to cry.

Maybe she was wrong about his feelings. Maybe he did care about her. He himself looked like he would cry, and she knew that men never cried.

When they arrived at the house, she allowed him to take her hand and help her down from the carriage. He squeezed her hand and smiled at her.

“I want to talk to you,” he whispered as Ben led her mother and Aunt Becky toward the house. “Alone.”

“We can’t. It wouldn’t be proper now that I’m engaged.”

“Nonsense. Just for a little bit. Sometime after dinner.”

She nodded curtly, and then smiled at her mother who turned a questioning eye toward them.

Win was on the front porch. He introduced her mother to the new members of the MacAllister family, including his own two sons; Robert’s new wife Dawn, and their children; and Ruby.

At one point, Sarah had hoped these men and women would be her family. Now that she knew it wasn’t going to happen, it made her very, very sad. They all seemed so happy with each other, and so casual. They were always laughing and having a good time.

At her father’s house, everything had been strict, and she’d always done what she was told. She didn’t want to think that the strictness was why she was marrying Ernest, simply because her father told her that she had to.

She knew there was no spark there. When she saw him her heart didn’t pound, as it did when she saw Josh. When he touched her, her palms didn’t sweat, as they did when Josh would touch her arm. And when he’d kissed her, well she’d done the best she could to make sure he hadn’t kissed her on the lips. She knew that wouldn’t last, though.

At some point she would have to let him kiss her. It would be his husbandly right.

The idea made her shiver. Josh, who was still standing next to her, bent down, his breath hot against her neck.

“Are you all right?” The concern in his voice made her moan softly.

“Yes.” She wanted to pull away from him. Being this close would make things harder than they had to be.

“Don’t worry, Sarah. I won’t let you marry him. I love you too much for that.”

Sarah’s heart almost stopped as Josh’s words filtered through her mind. He put his hand on the small of her back and propelled her up the porch stairs. She hoped that he never moved that hand, because if he did, she was sure that she would faint.