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  She could never have guessed it would work out the way it did.

  When the three of them entered the kitchen, all eyes were on them. Bethany searched for Clay but he wasn’t with them. She needed to speak with him, needed to tell him the news.

  Where was he?

  Nine

  Clay

  When Edmund Peters walked into the kitchen and introduced himself Clay could almost feel the shocked silence on his skin. He looked at the man and could only feel jealousy and anger at how his life had unfolded. This man would take the woman he loved with him and there was nothing Clay could do about it. And, looking at him, Clay could see no reason why Bethany shouldn’t go with him. He appeared to be a well-mannered, well-dressed, and well-spoken man. He looked pleasant and he came in there like he had good intentions. That said a lot about a man.

  And it frustrated Clay because there was no reason for him to dislike Edmund Peters. Except for the fact that Clay wanted Bethany. And that was more than enough reason for Clay to despise him.

  Clay couldn’t very well tell the man to get lost, no matter how much he wanted to. Bethany was the only one who could do that. When she stepped forward and said that she was the one he was looking for, Clay knew that wasn’t going to happen. He had to face the facts—she had been promised to a man before he’d met her. He couldn’t expect either of them to change their plans because he’d come along and fallen in love with her.

  No matter how badly he wanted it.

  Annabelle suggested a private place they could talk and Bethany walked past Clay, following Edmund, not even glancing at Clay. He’d been trying to get her attention, even if it was just for her to look at him. But that was it. There was nothing left.

  That was it. He couldn’t take it anymore. He had tried to avoid her the whole week so that seeing her leave wouldn’t be that hard. Now, the man who had single-handedly—even if unintentionally—ruined his chances with Bethany had come to Clay’s home, rubbing it in his face.

  Of course, it wasn’t Edmund Peters’ fault. He hadn’t asked for any of this either. It wasn’t anyone’s fault—it was an unfortunate turn of events—but Clay was angry that he’d lost the one thing he’d ever wanted as badly as this.

  It stung, and he wasn’t going to spend time with the other ranch hands while they looked on him with pity in their eyes.

  He couldn’t relax.

  Since Clay had arrived at the Johann Ranch he had loved how it felt like a family, like home. Everyone was in everyone’s business and he enjoyed being a part of something bigger.

  Now, he hated it. He didn’t want everyone to know what he’d lost, to have a front row seat to his misery.

  Before the food was dished up, Clay turned and walked out of the kitchen again.

  “Clay,” someone said behind him.

  Clay turned to see Ace had followed him out to the living room. Clay hooked his thumbs on his suspenders and waited for his friend to say something.

  “Are you okay?” Ace asked.

  Clay shrugged. He wasn’t okay, of course. “She’s in there with the man she’s going to marry.” What more was there to say?

  Ace sighed. “I know that right now it looks like nothing will work out. But just keep pushing on, okay? Your happiness is around the corner. I know it. You’ve been working hard and I saw that house you’re working on… all that hard work pays off.”

  Clay shook his head.

  “Thanks, Ace,” Clay said. “I know what you’re trying to do. And I appreciate it. But it’s easy to look at it from the bright side when you already have what you want.”

  “Come on,” Ace said.

  Clay shook his head. “I know,” he said. “I don’t mean to be rude. I’m just not in a good mood. In fact, I’m in the worst mood I’ve ever been in.”

  Ace nodded. “I understand that.”

  Clay sighed. “I think I’m going to the cabin,” he said.

  “It’s snowing out. You want to wander around in the snow tonight?”

  Clay grinned. “Rather a bit of snow than a storm.”

  Ace laughed. “Yeah…”

  Ace had braved the worst storm to save two of Mr. Johann’s calves before he’d married Annabelle. His love story was one that Clay had always loved. When he’d met Bethany, it had seemed like his happy ending would be the same for him. And now? Now it was all shattering.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Clay said and headed out into the snow. The wind bit at the skin on his cheeks and he huddled deeper into his coat. Snowflakes blew around him in small circles and he breathed in deeply, his lungs aching from the cold.

  “Clay,” Annabelle called from the door.

  He stopped and turned. But it wasn’t Annabelle calling, it was Bethany. And she ran after him into the snow.

  “You’ll catch a cold out here,” Clay said. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m coming after you,” Bethany said. “You left.”

  Clay nodded. “I’m going back to the cabin.” He glanced toward the house. “He seems like a nice guy.”

  Bethany nodded. “Yeah, he does seem like a nice guy.”

  They stood together awkwardly. Clay wished she would say what she wanted to say so he could disappear into the dark. He had no intention discussing Edmund Peters with Bethany.

  When she didn’t say anything, he sighed.

  “What do you want to say, Bethany? It’s cold and it’s been a long week for me. I’m happy you’re happy but I want to go home.”

  Bethany looked down. In the darkness, he could only make out her dark eyes and the black hair surrounding her face that melted into the almost dark of the night around them.

  “I just wanted to tell you that I wrote Edmund. I asked him if I could be released from the engagement.”

  Clay frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean,” she said, “that I said to him I couldn’t get married to him.”

  Clay struggled to understand what she was saying to him.

  “You’re not marrying him?” he asked.

  Beth shook her head.

  “Then why is he here?” Clay asked. The man was right inside, he’d asked for a private audience with Bethany, and Bethany had agreed. It didn’t make sense at all.

  “He was here to talk to me about my letter in person. He wanted to tell me in person that he understood.”

  Clay blinked at her.

  “Understood what?”

  Bethany smiled and despite the dark it lit up her face and she was beautiful.

  “That I am in love with someone else.”

  Clay tried to put the pieces together. He had been distancing himself from his feelings for Bethany because he’d known he would have to say goodbye. Now, she was telling him that he didn’t have to say goodbye at all. Wasn’t she?

  “What does that mean?” he asked, just to be sure.

  Bethany laughed and the sound was beautiful, happy, the kind of laughter he’d never heard from her lips before.

  “It means I’m staying here, Clay. With you. At least, if you’ll have me. I am in love with you.”

  Clay only needed two seconds to understand what it meant.

  “Oh my God,” he said. “I am in love with you, too.”

  Bethany laughed again and Clay knew that he wanted to hear that sound for the rest of his life. He put his hands around her and pulled her to him. Having her this close was something he hadn’t even dared dream about the last couple of days.

  “You turned your future husband down for me?” Clay asked.

  Bethany nodded. “He wasn’t my future husband. You are.”

  He smiled and pulled her against him, kissing her hard. The moment her lips touched his he knew that this was right, that this was how it should be. Suddenly he forgot about the cold, about the wind stinging his cheeks. All he felt was the warmth of holding the woman he loved close to him.

  Ten

  Bethany

  Winter was long and cold but it wasn’t nearly as unbearable as i
t was when you didn’t have someone you loved by your side.

  Bethany lived in the ranch house with Annabelle and Ace during the winter months. She spent as much time with Clay as she could—there was less work when it was so cold; the real ranch work would start again in the spring. During that time, they got to know each other better and better.

  Bethany had fallen for Clay in the first few days that he’d come to visit her and checked on her after her accident, but months down the line, when she’d gotten to know him better, she realized her first impressions were correct. She fell more and more in love with him.

  They spent time together building up the house Clay had built, too. They found, bought, or made furniture and bit by bit they turned the house into a home for them to live in together once they got married.

  Because that was what they both wanted—to get married as soon as possible.

  Now that there was nothing standing in their way, Bethany wanted to be with the man she had fallen for, the man of her dreams, the one who had rescued her from the coach.

  During the winter months, all the mail order brides in Carson Valley had gotten together. There were four of them already and they had decided to pull together and help Bethany out with a wedding dress. Together, they supplied material, thread, a pattern, and shoes to make it happen for Bethany, who had no money of her own thanks to her despicable brother. Ace and Annabelle helped where they could and Clay was there every step of the way.

  Spring finally came. The snow melted in patches and the promise of summer peeked through the endless frost in patches of color. Warmth crept in and slowly the world came back to life again.

  Gradually, work picked up on the ranch, and Clay was busier. Bethany spent more time alone again, but it wasn’t the same as when she’d arrived. This time, she truly belonged.

  Of the four brides—Caroline, Dory, Katrina, and Annabelle—Annabelle became Bethany’s best friend. They were only a few years apart in age, and because they lived in the same house they spent a lot of time together. Annabelle was loyal and it was easy to confide in her. When Bethany got nervous about getting married, unsure about her future with Clay, Annabelle was there to reassure her. She helped her with new clothes and together they made blankets and curtains for the new house as well.

  Finally, the day of the wedding had arrived. The four mail order brides met Bethany at the ranch house. The men had all gone to the church already and the five women were going to get ready for the wedding. Annabelle, of course, was Bethany’s maid of honor.

  They helped her into the most beautiful dress Bethany had ever worn. It was made of white lace that Caroline had made herself. It cinched at the waist and a short train trailed behind her. The shoes were ordered from the city and must have cost a fortune.

  Lastly, Katrina did her hair and when Bethany finally turned to a looking glass she barely recognized herself.

  “I can’t believe it,” she said, looking at the vision in a white dress in the reflection.

  “It’s not just the dress that looks so ethereal,” Annabelle said. “It’s the love and happiness that really makes you look stunning, honey.”

  Bethany hugged her friend, swallowing back tears—and this time, they were happy tears.

  “Let’s get going, your future husband awaits,” Caroline said.

  They made their way to the church. The whole town was gathered inside. The four women walked in first and then Bethany followed. She was nervous, her stomach twisted in a knot, but the moment she saw Clay it all melted away. His eyes found her and the love she saw in them was all she needed to make it to the front to be with him.

  Reverend Shreve was smiling when the two of them stood in front of him, together. Bethany hadn’t gone through the good reverend to find Clay, but Reverend Shreve enjoyed seeing two people joined together in love, no matter how they found each other.

  Everyone in the church with her had become family. Carson Valley was the kind of place where everyone stood up for each other, where loyalty was something real, and where Bethany knew she would be forever happy. Baltimore was barely a thought in the back of her mind, now.

  The wedding was beautiful. The reception, held at the ranch, was spectacular. Everyone who attended the ceremony had brought food and there was so much they could feed everyone three times over. Music played, people danced, and everything was just the way Bethany had always imagined it would be when she used to dream about love and marriage.

  Finally, everyone left. The night had drawn on and it was late. Bethany was tired and Clay wanted to take her home. She had no objection to that. She was eager to move into the home that she and Clay had built together.

  When they stood in front of the door to their new home, Clay turned to Bethany and kissed her.

  “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” he said.

  Bethany smiled. “And you saved me. Not just from the coach, but from marrying the wrong man, and from a future that would have been dull and empty if I didn’t have you.”

  Clay smiled and kissed Bethany again. He swooped her into his arms and she squealed.

  “This is the first step, my love,” Clay said and stepped over the threshold into their new home. “And I can’t wait for every step after this until the end of time with you.”

  Sweet Wedding is available now!

  Click here to get your copy so you can continue with this series now.

  About the Author

  Eliza Ester is the pen name of USA Today Bestselling author Wendy Meadows. She lives in “The Granite State” with her husband, two sons, two cats and lovable Labradoodle.

  When she isn’t working on her stories she likes to tend to her flower garden, relax with adult coloring and play video games with her family.

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  Eliza Ester, Sweet Wedding

 

 

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