CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
Jake ran his hand down Sunrise’s flank after her exercise. “Now the mischief has ceased, we’re able to run this ranch as it should be run.” The scent of warm horse combined with barn smells might turn some off but it was perfume to him.
Rowdy laid down the brush he’d used on Sunrise. “She’s gonna breed a fine foal.”
Jake led the mare to her stall. “You coming to our wedding Saturday?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.” Rowdy blushed. “Naomi’s coming with me.”
Jake shut the stall door and rubbed the mare’s head before he turned away. “Great. So, you two are definitely a couple now, right?”
Rowdy’s face split in a wide smile. “Planning our own wedding. She’s switching her nursing to days so we can be together in the evenings. Kids are real happy about us marrying.” He opened Golden Boy’s stall and hooked a lead to his halter.
Jake walked with the horse and cowboy to the exercise corral. “Her mother being a problem?”
Rowdy laughed. “Seems more reconciled to the inevitable. She’s gonna live with us and has already chosen her room. We’ll see how that goes.”
Jake sent Golden Boy through his routine. “At least she’ll be there when the kids get home from school. That will mean a lot to them and relieve Naomi’s mind.”
Leaning on the fence, Rowdy watched Golden Boy go through his paces. “Mine, too. I sure am attached to those kids. We’re lucky men, Boss.”
“That we are. Having all this trouble earlier makes me appreciate my good fortune even more than I would have.”
“Hey, you didn’t think you were going to trial?”
“Listen, alone at night in a jail cell you can believe the worst is bound to happen. I could see us losing the ranch and me going to prison or death row for Tolbert’s murder. Thank heavens for Bart and Caleb.”
“If I’d known, I’d have visited you. I figured you’d be fuming mad but never dreamed you’d be worried about the outcome. Lucky thing Bart’s a good sheriff. I’ll mosey on and check out the hay supply. Since that kid poisoned your horses I don’t trust anyone else to check the bales.”
“Thanks, Rowdy. Nice to know I can always count on you.”
When his friend had gone, Jake exercised Golden Boy by rote. His mind was on his soon-to-be wife. He still couldn’t get enough of the Penny drug.
***
Saturday had dawned with brilliant colors. About noon a cold wind blew in but Penny didn’t care. Today was her day. Hers and Jake’s.
Sally helped her don her mother’s wedding dress. It was a little too short and tight in the bust, but Penny was determined to wear the gown. The silk satin with overlays of lace was intended to be worn over a corset but she refused to cinch herself into one ever again.
Penny turned from side to side in front of the mirror. “You did a great job getting the wrinkles out.”
“I used my hair dryer on warm to fluff the fabric. Read how in a magazine.”
“Daddy wanted so badly for me to be wed in this dress. I wish he could see me.”
Sally patted her arm. “I’m sure he knows. You look absolutely beautiful. Good thing we did your hair first. No way could I get close enough now. I’d be afraid of stepping on the skirt or mussing you.”
“You’ll have to help with the veil. I can’t do it alone.”
With a hat pin in her hand, Sally adjusted the veil. “I can’t get over the fact that this dress is almost 150 years old. It’s held up very well.”
“I know there are places that need refurbishing but it’s important to me to wear Momma’s dress. Perhaps someday my own daughter will wear if it holds up that long.”
“I think it will. I’ll look up how to conserve it.” Dressed to serve as Maid of Honor, Sally looked prettier than Penny had ever seen her.
The housekeeper’s gown was of rose with a chiffon skirt. Over the silk top she wore a matching lace jacket with three-quarter sleeves. Both the dress and the color flattered Sally. Penny looked forward to Howard seeing Sally at her best.
Sally fluffed the skirt of Penny’s dress. “I think it’s a shame Jake’s mother isn’t coming to the wedding. Certainly sounds selfish to me.”
Penny shared that opinion. “Jake doesn’t seem to mind. He counts you as his mother anyway. You’ve always been here but she left and didn’t try to take him or Bart or visit. Plus, she has another family. I know that must have hurt the boys, but they were much better off here with you.”
Sally touched up her lipstick. “Nice of you to say so. I get that Ardella didn’t like ranch life, but I don’t understand how she could have deserted those boys. Jake was destined to inherit and needed to grow up here, but you should’ve seen him and his brother when I first came.”
“Were they angry or sad?”
Sally pulled on her gloves. “A little of both I suppose. It was the look in their eyes that got to me. They had grown men’s eyes peeking out of little boys’ faces. Their expressions haunted me for weeks.”
“They’re certainly happy now. Having you here made all the difference in their lives.” Penny hugged Sally. “I’m grateful for the part you played in Jake turning out to be such a strong and kind man. I’m also thankful for the help and understanding you’ve given me.”
Howard knocked on the door. “Time to go, Ladies. For a small wedding, there’s quite a crowd.”
Penny saw the expression on Howard’s face when he gazed at Sally. He looked stunned and his mouth gaped open. She wanted to laugh but didn’t want to offend him.
He swallowed. “You look… you look… um, really beautiful, Sally. Oh, uh, so do you, Penny.”
She picked up her bouquet. “How could I not be pleased at that glowing compliment from my almost-father-in-law?”
Howard cleared his throat. “Sorry, Penny, you’re a beautiful bride and my son’s a lucky man. I couldn’t be happier you two are getting wed.”
Penny kissed his cheek. “I couldn’t be happier either.”
She trod carefully on the stairs for fear of stepping on her dress. She and Sally would be entering from the dining room and avoiding caterers setting up the reception. Howard had volunteered to walk Penny down the aisle. Bart was Jake’s best man and Caleb didn’t appear to mind being left out of wedding duties.
Furniture had been removed from the parlor and folding chairs from a party company set up in rows. In spite of Penny and Jake’s plans to keep the wedding simple and quiet, every chair was filled and a few people stood at the back of the room. A photographer was on hand to insure a permanent record of the day.
Sally turned back and grabbed Howard’s arm. “We miscounted and need more chairs.”
He patted her hand. “Too late now.” He offered Penny his arm and stood poised to enter the parlor.
The harpist changed from romantic tunes to the wedding march. Everyone stood as Sally walked slowly in front of Penny and Howard. Penny couldn’t have said who was in the audience because she only saw Jake.
He smiled at her and love shone from his eyes. She didn’t know if he could see through her veil, but she smiled at him. Howard guided her forward to stand by Jake’s side and she handed Sally her bouquet.
Penny was in a dream-like trance. Marrying Jake was almost too good to be true. He was everything she’d ever dreamed in a man—except, until late in October, she’d been dreaming of him in the 1800s.
She supposed she answered the minister at the correct times. Holding on to Jake was the only thing keeping her from dissolving at his feet. She wasn’t the only person who was nervous. When he slid the wedding ring on her finger, Jake’s hands trembled.
The minister said, “You may kiss the bride.”
Carefully, Jake lifted her veil and leaned in to kiss her amid a few catcalls from the audience.
He murmured, “I plan to do more of this when we’re alone.”
“That’s good news.”
The minister announced, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I present Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Knight.”
Jake gestured toward the dining room. “Please stay for the reception if you can.”
Later in their room, Jake loosened his tie. “You’re sure you don’t want to go on a trip for our honeymoon?”
She rested her hand on his broad chest. “There’s no place I’d rather be than right here with you.”
“I’ll hold you to that for the next sixty or seventy years. After that, we can re-negotiate.”
“I won’t change my mind in a hundred years. You’re the man of my dreams. I never dreamed I could be this happy, this complete.”
He pulled her into his embrace. “I’m happier than I ever imagined. My beautiful wife, the best is yet to come.”
For a preview of book two, TEXAS RAINBOW, keep reading to the end of the text.
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