Chapter Twenty
E llie was still walking on air as she opened her shop on Wednesday morning. She felt like dancing. She’d just put her handbag away when Rose strode in, followed by Vivian, Annie and Janice.
“Good morning,” Ellie smiled. “This is a nice surprise.”
Annie clapped her hands as she rushed forward. “The ring! I can’t wait to see your ring!”
“Ooh, wait for us!’ Willow called from the doorway as she, Arlene and Laura entered. As Willow hurried over to them, Arlene put down a big white bag on the counter.
While everyone was admiring Ellie’s ring, Arlene bent over and kissed her forehead. “Welcome to our family. I’m so, so happy my Becket has found you. You make him happy and if he’s happy, so am I. His grandma would’ve loved you.”
By this time everyone was sniffing, dabbing at their eyes.
Wiping her tears, Arlene cleared her throat. “We have a wedding to plan and only three days in which to do it. We don’t have time to sit around and cry!”
Janice hugged Ellie. “I just knew it. On that very first day I saw Becket strolling out of your shop, I just knew.”
Ellie hugged herself. “That was the day I fell for him, even though I didn’t know it at the time.”
“Okay, girls, let’s focus,” Laura said. “Ellie, you’re getting married on Saturday!”
“I know! Dress, shoes, flowers, caterers,” Ellie cried out. “It will only be us, but we’ll need food, won’t we?”
“You have a dress,” Willow smiled. “You remember that day Mom took us to Bozeman to get a dress for Laura?”
“I do!” Ellie sighed. “I tried on a beautiful pale blue one. Do you think they still have it?”
Her eyes dancing with mirth, Willow shook her head. “Nope. It’s been sold.”
Ellie sighed. “Of course. I’ll have to—
“Mom bought it,” Laura said.
“What do you mean? Ellie asked, as Arlene picked up the big white bag she’d brought with her.
“I bought the dress for you on that day,” Arlene said. “Of course, at the time I had no idea who your bridegroom would be, but I knew you’d get married eventually. I had hopes for Becket, though. I saw the way he looked at you at Hayden and Laura’s wedding.” She put the dress in Ellie’s arms.
Sniffing, Ellie took the dress. “I can’t accept this, Arlene…”
“Of course you can. You’re my daughter now, too, and mothers can buy their daughters anything. Go on, try it on. I also got the perfect shoes to go with it.”
For another minute, Ellie stared at Arlene. She’d never known love could be so easy, so comfortable, so giving, so generous. She’d never known a mother who loved like that. But here in Marietta, she’d not only found her man but also a mom, as well as his whole family.
“Thank you,” she got out before she hugged Arlene.
“Well, come on,” Willow said, dragging her by the hand. “Try on your dress. If it needs any alterations, we’ll drive to Bozeman afterward.”
“I’m here to look after your shop, Ellie,” Rose said.
“Great!” She quickly gave Rose a hug. “I so appreciate this. We’ll talk later.”
“Come on, sis!” Willow called from behind the cupboard.
Sis. She’d never been anyone’s sister before, and now she was getting two sisters. Smiling, she hurried to the back of the shop.
*
Becket parked in front of Hayden and Laura’s house. Hayden had phoned earlier to ask him to stop by.
Luke and Jessie were playing outside. As Becket got out of his truck, the little boy ran up to him, Jessie yapping at his heels.
“You’re getting married to Ellie, Mom says.” Luke smiled.
“I am indeed.”
“She’s nice. She likes dogs.”
Crouching down, Becket smiled. “She does indeed.”
“And you like her?”
“I do. Very much. I was wondering if I could ask you a big favor.”
“What favor?”
“Your dad and Coop will be my groomsmen, but I need one other man. Would you mind?”
Luke’s eyes widened. “You mean will I also be a groomsman?”
“Yes, please.”
A big smile nearly split his little face in two. “Yes, thank you.” He threw his arms around Becket’s neck, giving him a quick hug before he was running away again. “Dad’s in his office!”
Smiling, Becket entered the house. Luke was growing up way too quickly.
Hayden was in the corridor. “Come on, we’re waiting for you.”
Becket followed his brother into his office. Cooper was already there.
“I had to talk to Luke,” Becket said. “I’m looking for groomsmen. Luke has agreed, but I hope you and Coop will also help me out?”
Cooper nodded. “As long as I don’t have to wear a tux, I’m in.”
Becket laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a tux.”
“Exactly. It’s just cruel.”
“So, what will you do if your bride insists on a tux when you get married?” Hayden chuckled.
“Not getting married, remember?”
Hayden laughed out loud. “So we’ve all said.”
“Tell you what,” Coop groaned. “If I ever marry, I’ll wear a damn tux.”
Hayden put out his hand. “I’ll shake on it, come on, Becket.”
They were still shaking hands when Hunter Grant knocked on Hayden’s office door and walked in.
Smiling, Becket shook Hunter’s hand. “Nice to see you, Hunter.”
“Hunter has accepted my offer to join our team,” Hayden said. “He’s moving into the empty house on the ranch today and he’ll start next week,” Hayden said. “Becket, this of course means you can now concentrate on your art.”
Becket put out this hand. “Welcome to the Weston Ranch, Hunter.”
Hunter smiled. “I’m looking forward to working with all of you. I know I can learn a lot from Hayden.”
“We still have to discuss Becket’s wedding. He’s getting married on Saturday,” Hayden said to Hunter. “Give us a few moments, then we’ll come and help you.”
“You’re invited, of course,” Becket smiled.
“Thanks and congratulations. You’re a lucky man. Ellie Campbell, I’ve heard?”
“Of course you’ve heard,” Becket sighed. “I’d really like to know how Aurelia Hill finds out so quickly about what is going on in Marietta.”
When Hunter left, Hayden took out a list. “Laura has left instructions.”
Coop groaned. “I don’t know why you’re in such a hurry to get married. Geez, three days!”
“Why wait?” Becket grinned. “I want to be with her, always. And I want always to start as soon as possible.”
Coop shook his head. “Never thought I’d see the day. You’ve never dated anyone for more than two weeks. Are you sure you won’t get bored?”
“With Ellie? Never.”
“You’ve got it bad,” Cooper sighed. “Well, tell me what you want me to do.”
*
Ellie jumped out of bed and rushed to the window. As she threw it open, she inhaled the crisp morning air. Lifting her eyes up to Copper Mountain, she hugged herself. It was a gorgeous summer’s day.
She was getting married later this afternoon.
To Becket Weston. To the cowboy who had shown her that it was okay to let go, to embrace the uncertainty, to take that leap and to love.
He’d shown her that love meant you didn’t have to be afraid, you don’t have to worry about anything on your own, and had taught her even though love wasn’t always easy, it healed, it accepted, it tolerated, it showed up, every single time.
And he’d shown her how exhilarating throwing caution to the wind, jumping recklessly into what her heart wanted, could be.
Just thinking about him had her all hot and bothered.
Laughing, she inhaled shakily. This afternoon still seemed so far away.
Maybe she could phone him, at least talk to him.
She grabbed a light jacket from a chair, picked up Marmalade and, with the dogs at her heels, she headed downstairs.
Becket had left his dogs with her last night.
They wouldn’t move when he called them, just wagged their tails.
Downstairs she opened the back door for the dogs, put the coffee machine on and opened the boxes she hadn’t gotten to yet.
One was full of photo albums and the other one held the beautiful tea set her grandma used to take out on her birthday.
Her throat clogging up, Ellie unpacked the box and washed the cups and saucers before she found a place for them in one of the cupboards.
Peering in the other box, she opened the top album.
Opening it up, she turned the pages, catching a glimpse here and there.
Her grandma had still been so young when these were taken.
She’d take the time after the wedding to look through all of these, there wasn’t really time to look through them right now…
On her way to closing the album, her eye caught on a photograph of a house on the next page.
A woman and a young girl were standing on the steps of the porch. Her heart stopped for a millisecond.
Quickly taking the photo out of the album, she looked closer. Even though it was a old photograph, it was unmistakably this house, this porch. She turned the picture over. There was a date written on the back and the words Ellie and I visiting Marietta .
Stunned, Ellie looked at the picture again.
According to the date, she’d been three years old.
At that time, she hadn’t yet been living with her grandma.
She didn’t remember the trip to Marietta, but this was proof she’d been here when she was little.
And somehow, she’d never forgotten what this house looked like.
Tears were streaming down her face. “Grandma,” she sniffed. “I’m living here. In Marietta, in this house you brought me to.”
Her doorbell chimed, the dogs charged back into the house, barking. Wiping her cheeks, she checked her watch. It had just turned eight. She was expecting all her friends around half past eight, but they were probably early.
Dropping the photo back into the box, she ran after the dogs who were already at the front door.
She had a smile ready, one that turned into a laugh when she saw who was standing on her porch.
It wasn’t the women, but her soon-to-be husband, Becket.
A very grumpy-looking Becket if she read the expression on his face correctly.
“What…?” she began but that was as far as she got.