Page 14 of Montana Groom of Convenience (Montana Cowboys #5)

Jill had made it plain she didn’t care for the plans he and Carly had, but she’d soon learn to appreciate the benefits of a good home.

She might already like Mr. Morrison with his Scottish brogue and long white beard.

He’d watched her as the older man told stories and had seen something in her expression she would have erased if she guessed he saw.

..he wasn’t sure what to call it. Perhaps yearning. That was good.

The lead wagon drew close enough for him to recognize its occupants. “Isn’t that the preacher and his wife?” Before Carly could answer, Annie held up a cowbell and rang it.

Carly made a sound of frustration. “I should never have told her how it was for Mother and Father’s wedding.”

Mr. Morrison’s chuckle rolled from deep inside him. “You mean the ringing of the bells?”

“Yes, Mother always said it was the happiest sound ever.” She turned to explain to Sawyer.

“When they were married, the church bells all rang out. First one church and then another until the whole city rang.” She glanced out the window again.

“Annie’s brothers and their wives and children are here as well.

” As she spoke, the wagons drew to a halt before the house, and the occupants jumped down.

He counted at least a dozen people, all ringing cowbells.

They circled the house and continued to ring.

“Ye best go out and greet them,” Mr. Morrison said .

Carly faced Sawyer. “What do you want to do?”

It pleased him immensely that she asked his opinion. “Do I understand that they expect the newlyweds to go out to them?” Newlyweds? The term hardly fit them, and yet their friends and neighbors had no way of knowing that.

She shrugged. “I’m sorry. We don’t have to do it.”

Did she want everyone to know the details of their arrangement?

Why did it matter what she thought? And yet, strangely, it did.

He couldn’t explain why, but he wanted to show off the woman he’d married even though these were all her friends.

“I don’t mind.” He took her hand before he could think better of it and led her outside to stand on the doorstep.

The crowd gathered round and rang the bells until his ears hurt.

Carly laughed. “Enough now.”

At a signal from Annie, the ringing ceased, though it continued in his ears.

Annie rushed forward and hugged her. “I remembered the bells. How you said you hoped someone would ring bells when you were married.”

Carly pulled her hand free of Sawyer’s, leaving him adrift among strangers. She faced the crowd. “Everyone, this is Sawyer Gallagher.”

“Your new husband,” Annie added. “Or have you forgotten?”

“Haven’t had time to remember, let alone forget,” she said.

Although her answer tickled his funny bone that he thought he no longer had, it also brought him back to reality. He’d almost let himself believe she’d like to be his wife, but her words reminded him of the terms of their agreement.

She turned back to the house. “Jill, come and meet everyone.”

Jill hesitated a moment, then made her way slowly to Sawyer’s side.

Carly introduced Jill and then began introducing their visitors. “These are all Marshall men, Annie’s brothers.” She went around the group, naming each one.

“Dawson and Isabelle and their daughter, Mattie, who is six years old. Logan and Sadie with their children: Beth, fourteen, Sammy, seven, and Jeannie, who is three. Conner and Kate and their baby, Ellie.” Each adult shook Sawyer’s hand, welcomed him, and congratulated him on his marriage to Carly.

Then, they extended a warm welcome to Jill.

He acknowledged each introduction and hoped he’d be able to remember them when he met them later.

The women returned to their wagons and lifted out baskets.

Annie explained. “We brought a party.”

Carly pulled Sawyer to the side and waved the visitors in.

Then she and Sawyer followed. Jill had joined the children, though he noticed she held back, taking her time.

He could hardly blame her. So many strangers, and all so enthusiastic.

It was a bit overwhelming even for him. He expected it was the same, or worse, for his little sister.

Everyone greeted Mr. Morrison and inquired about his health. The old man beamed with pleasure. “This is just like when yer Mother and I married,” he said to Carly .

“Not quite,” she murmured to Sawyer.

He bent close to answer. “Let everyone have their party. Our agreement was between you and me. No need to share the details.”

She met his gaze, her eyes dark and—why did he think she sought something from him? What could it be? If he knew, he would do his best to give it. She smiled. It ricocheted in his heart, setting free a dozen or more fluttering butterflies of awareness.

He smiled as the feelings flapped upward.

Told himself it was only because he wished to offer her encouragement.

Not because he couldn’t keep his feelings stuffed away.

He considered the last thought. That couldn’t be right.

After all, he had only met her this morning.

Hardly time for anything to change...especially his long experience of not having feelings.

Since this morning, he’d met her, married her, and now was about to celebrate their marriage with a host of friends. He promised himself he would do his utmost to make it a party she would remember. Seemed the least he could do, considering she’d given up any hope of a romantic union.

Soon, a feast of cakes and cookies and two pies filled the table.

Chairs, a bench from under the hooks for the coats, and a stool or two provided seating for all the adults.

The children were content to sit on the floor as they enjoyed the repast. Jill joined them, though she sat at the edge of the gathering.

He recognized the feeling because it was familiar.

He distanced himself from people, too. With a start, he looked around the crowded table and realized that might no longer be possible. Or even desirable.

Dawson, the eldest Marshall brother, lifted his hand to get attention. “I’d like to hear more about Sawyer than what Annie told us.”

Sawyer stiffened at the question. He sat next to Carly, pressed tight to her elbow. She must have felt his reaction, for she laughed and answered in his stead. “Why not let the poor man enjoy an evening of peace before you all start on him?”

A chorus of protests greeted her request. “We haven’t started anything,” Dawson said above the uproar.

“Only because I stopped you.” Carly’s grin never faltered, yet he detected a fierce warning note, and perhaps the others did, too.

“I expect we could tell him a little about you,” Conner—the middle brother—said.

Carly groaned. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”

Sawyer leaned forward. “I’m all ears.”

He ignored the way Carly poked her finger into his ribs. When she did it a second time, he captured her hand and held it firmly enough she couldn’t escape.

The others noticed and nudged one another. Annie whispered loudly, “She’s already learning submission.”

Carly jerked her hand free and scowled at them all, saving her fiercest scowl for Sawyer. “No one lords it over me.”

“Now, now, lassie,” her father said. “Give the man a chance to show you how pleasant it can be to have someone to help you and take care of you.”

“I don’t need anyone to take care of me.” She began to push to her feet but Annie, at her other side, pulled her down.

“Carly, sit down and enjoy the party.” She leaned close to whisper. Sawyer heard her words. “Set a good example for the children.”

They all glanced toward the youngsters. Several watched the adults with interest. Sawyer noticed that Jill seemed particularly drawn to the conversation.

He studied her, hoping beyond hope that she wasn’t tucking Carly’s words into that little brain of hers to throw back at one of them the next time someone asked something of her.

Carly sat back down, and with a strained smile, asked for someone to pass the plate of cookies.

Sawyer thought it best to change the direction of the conversation. “Carly said something about the Marshalls being big around here.”

The women all laughed. “It’s because they are big.” Pretty Isabelle held her hand above her head to indicate they were tall.

Carly held up her hand to get the attention of the others. “I meant because the Marshalls pretty much run the place.”

The men protested. “Not all of us. Just Grandfather.”

Mr. Morrison chuckled. “He is a fine man.”

One by one, sometimes all speaking at once, Sawyer learned that Grandfather Marshall had come west, the first of the early ranchers. When gold was found nearby and a rough mining town, Wolf Hollow, sprang up, he saw the need for a gentler, kinder place and built the town of Bella Creek.

“Over a year ago, in the dead of winter, a fire took out a block of buildings,” said the youngest brother, Logan Marshall. “Among them, the schoolhouse, the doctor’s quarters, the barbershop, the lawyer’s office, and a store. They’ve all since been rebuilt.”

Logan’s wife, Sadie, took up the story. “They needed a new teacher and doctor. I came as the teacher.”

Logan’s grin was wide with pride. “I persuaded her she’d be a happier woman as my wife.

” The look he gave Sadie was so filled with love that Sawyer couldn’t take his eyes off the pair.

He would not admit that he’d denied himself the one thing he longed for—love—by entering into a loveless marriage.

Something about losing his mother and brother and the many moves afterward that he and his father had made caused him to close his heart to that emotion.

And to every emotion. Seeing the open love between the couples at the table made him feel hollow inside.

“We adopted the three children.”

He heard everyone’s story of finding love and family. This was what he wanted—family for Jill. That’s all that mattered.