The Cowbear's Christmas Bride (Curvy Bear Ranch 4) Read online

  “Come sit with me.” A beautiful, curvy woman waved them over. She was sitting between a man who had to be a Grant brother, and Jimmy, the little boy from the pie shop.

  Carol led her mom toward the head of the table where the other brothers usually sat. She settled her mom into the seat next to Jimmy before sitting next to her.

  “I’m Rachel,” the woman said over the little boy’s head. “And this is my son Jimmy, and my fiancé Brady.”

  “It’s nice to finally meet you,” Carol said.

  “We’ve been in town dealing with wedding arrangements,” Brady said. “I think we’re almost done though.”

  “Is the wedding soon?”

  “Not too far off,” Rachel said. “I heard you’re also engaged. Congratulations.”

  “Thank you,” Carol said.

  “I heard you’re staying with us a while,” Rachel said to Vicki.

  “Just a bit until I can get on my feet again,” her mom mumbled.

  “We’ve all been through hard times,” Rachel said as she leaned over to pat Vicki’s hand. “One thing about this family is that we’re all here to support each other.”

  “It sounds like a mighty nice family,” Vicki said.

  “It is,” Brady said as he reached for his fiancée’s hand. He gave her a loving smile.

  “I hope you’re all hungry,” Madison said as she walked into the room with a huge steaming bowl of pulled pork.

  Mack followed her in with a heaping plate of hoagie rolls. He made two more trips to bring in all the sides. Huge bowls of potato salad, coleslaw, and a cold pea salad were placed in the center of the table.

  The chow bell rang, bringing guests in from the living room. A couple entered the dining room covered in what looked like wood shavings.

  “Logan! Didn’t you and Kate shake off outside?” Mack asked in a disapproving voice.

  “We tried, but with all the sanding we did today, it was like fighting a lost cause,” Logan said.

  “I tried to get him to at least change clothes,” Kate said. “But he was bellyaching about being hungry.”

  “I know the feeling,” Hank said as he entered the room. He took the chair next to Carol then gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

  “Well, eat up,” Madison said.

  As they ate, Carol gave silent thanks for being able to be a part of this family. Within minutes, her mom was smiling. When Jimmy accidentally knocked some peas off of his plate into her lap, she laughed.

  The meal didn’t end until the Grant brothers had stuffed their faces with more sandwiches than she could count. When everyone finally sat back, Rachel leaned over behind Jimmy and Vicki to tap Carol on the shoulder.

  “After lunch, I want to show you something so I can get your opinion on it,” Rachel said.

  “Okay.” Intrigued, Carol wondered what Rachel wanted to show her.

  “I’m getting pretty tired,” Vicki said.

  “Why don’t you go up and take a nap for a bit,” Madison suggested. “I can show you to your room.”

  “Is that okay?” Vicki asked.

  “Of course, Mom. You can do anything you want to do,” Carol said.

  How sad to think that she’d had to ask another person’s permission before she could do something. A spark of anger ignited in her belly. If she ever saw Trevor again, she’d kick his ass.

  After Madison and her mom left, the other Grant brothers and the guests drifted out of the room.

  “Can you watch Jimmy while I borrow Carol for a minute?” Rachel asked.

  “Sure,” Brady said. “We might run down and check out Logan and Kate’s new barn.”

  “Make sure he has a sweater and a jacket on,” Rachel said.

  “I will.”

  “Ready to go?” Rachel asked Carol.

  “Sure.”

  “We have to go back to the main house,” Rachel said.

  They bundled up in their jackets and scarves before running through the snow. Inside, they peeled off their jackets and went upstairs.

  “Brady and I are staying in his old room until we can figure something else out,” Rachel said as she pushed open a door. “Eventually, we’d like to have our own homestead.”

  The room had the cozy atmosphere of a ranch home. An intricately carved headboard depicting bears in a river stood out amongst the other furniture.

  “Wow, I love your bed,” Carol said.

  “Thanks. Brady’s had it for years.” Rachel strolled to a door across the room and opened it to reveal a walk-in closet. “Now, I don’t want to be presumptuous, so if this is too much meddling, just let me know. But Hank called me and asked for a favor, which I’m more than happy to grant.”

  “What favor?” Carol asked.

  “He asked me to let you choose one of the wedding dresses I have hanging in the closet.”

  “What?”

  “He wants to marry you tomorrow and said you needed a dress. Didn’t you know?” Rachel asked.

  “I thought he was kidding.”

  “The Grant brothers don’t kid when it comes to things like this.”

  “I can’t take your dress,” Carol said.

  “Well, technically, none of these are my dress yet. They’re on loan from Julia’s Bridal. We went to high school together. She’s been such a sweetheart, and is letting me keep a bunch of dresses until I can make a decision,” Rachel said.

  “I can’t really pay for a dress right now. I need all the money I have to make the move from New York.”

  “Hank’s got it covered,” Rachel said with a wave of her hand. “Besides, Julia’s going to give him a killer friends and family deal. So get in here and let’s start trying them on.”

  “What if I accidently pick the one you want?” Carol asked.

  “Trust me, there are no frontrunners. I love them all. Besides, Brady’s sick of having me hog the closet, so he’s given me a deadline. I have to pick my dress by the end of the year. So I have a little over a week left. You’ll be doing me a favor by taking one out of the running.”

  “Okay.” Carol followed Rachel into the closet.

  One whole row was stuffed with white garment bags filled with everything from satin, to lace, to taffeta. The dresses ranged in shades from bright white, to eggshell, to pink. She raised a brow at the pink dress.

  “It’s in style right now,” Rachel said.

  “I think I want something traditional.”

  “White then?”

  “But not too bright,” Carol said.

  “What about the fabric? Satin? Lace?”

  “Not satin. I’m a bit too big for that.”

  “We’re about the same size,” Rachel said.

  “Oh, I don’t mean—”

  “I know what you meant,” Rachel said with a laugh. “Don’t worry, our mates don’t seem to care that we’re a little rounder.”

  “Very true.” Carol smiled.

  “Anyway, let’s get you into the lace ones first and see what you think.”

  After three dresses, Carol slipped into a beaded lace dress with capped sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. When she stepped in front of the mirror, tears sprang into her eyes.

  “Oh, it’s beautiful,” she said.

  “I love that on you. And it fits perfectly. You won’t need any alterations, which is good because I haven’t picked up a needle and thread in years,” Rachel said.

  “I don’t know.” Carol passed a hand over the intricate beadwork around the waist. “I’m not sure if I’m ready yet.”

  “Does the thought of being without Hank make you feel like you’re going to die inside?” Rachel asked.

  “Yes.”

  “And can you picture waking up next to him every day for the rest of your life?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then you’re ready.”

  “Are you sure we can pull it off by tomorrow?” Carol asked.

  Rachel grinned. “Oh, honey. You have no idea what we can pull off in twenty-four hours.”

&nbs
p; Chapter 13

  On Christmas Eve morning, Hank rolled over to face the beautiful woman he was going to marry that day. When she’d tried to sleep in another room, claiming that he couldn’t see her on her wedding day until she was walking down the aisle, he’d spent an hour convincing her that their love was stronger than superstition. She’d finally relented and lay snuggled in his arms.

  The wedding would take place at six p.m. so that Madison could serve dinner right after. When he’d snuck downstairs for a pre-breakfast snack, he’d found Rachel’s mom June in the kitchen. She was pressing a graham cracker mixture into the bottom of several pie pans. She’d asked him how he wanted the wedding cake decorated. He’d asked her to surprise him. It wasn’t that he didn’t have a preference, but he knew she could come up with something better than he could ever imagine.

  Now, cuddled up against his future bride, he couldn’t have been happier. So when loud shouting seeped through the window that faced the front of the B & B, he grumbled and slipped out of bed. He opened the window and looked out to find Trevor bellowing that he wanted to see his wife.

  Wait, were they actually married?

  “We never got married, you two-bit sonofabitch. And thank God for that because now I don’t have to divorce your loser ass,” Vicki screamed as she streaked outside.

  Oh, shit.

  Hank jammed his legs into a pair of jeans and grabbed a jacket as he ran out of the room. After taking the stairs two at a time, he flew past Madison and onto the front porch, just in time to watch Vicki take a swing at Trevor. She caught him square in the jaw. He stumbled back and brought his hand to his face.

  “You hit me,” Trevor said in a disbelieving tone.

  “Damn right. How’s it feel, asshole?” Vicki hollered.

  Hank raced to her and grabbed her shoulders before she could hit him again. As much as his bear liked her ferociousness, he couldn’t condone violence—even if the bastard deserved it.

  “Vicki!” Hank said.

  “Let me go. I’m gonna git at him the way he got me all those years.”

  “You’re a crazy bitch,” Trevor snapped, still rubbing his jaw.

  “You should probably leave before I let her go,” Hank warned.

  “Screw you.”

  Hank’s bear stood at attention and clawed at his chest in an attempt to get free. Well, why not give him a big enough scare to get rid of him?

  After releasing Vicki’s shoulders, Hank dropped to all fours and shifted into his bear form. To his surprise, Vicki wasn’t fazed.

  “Dammit, bear. This is my fight, not yours,” she said.

  He chuffed, proud of her strong spirit.

  “You ever get near me again,” Vicki yelled at Trevor, “and I’ll cut your balls off.”

  Hank’s bear wanted to cross his legs in horror. He had no doubt she’d make good on her word.

  “You’re nothing without me,” Trevor screamed. “You’re just a lousy crack whore.”

  Roar!

  There was no way in hell Hank would let that lowlife talk to his future mother-in-law like that, especially on his ranch.

  Trevor’s wide eyes flashed to the bear. Vicki walked forward and slapped him across the face.

  “Go on, git.”

  Trevor turned and ran back to his truck, hopped in, and peeled out, kicking up snow in his wake.

  After shifting back to his bear form, Hank helped Vicki back into the house. Carol stood in the foyer with her hands on her hips.

  “What’s going on?” she demanded.

  “Your mom just scared the crap out of Trevor. I highly doubt he’s going to be a problem again,” Hank said.

  “And if he is, I’ll just punch him in the nose,” Vicki said.

  Carol frowned until Hank bent down to kiss her worries away.

  “Come on, honey,” Vicki said. “I need to get my daughter ready for her wedding.”

  Hank watched as Vicki led Carol up the stairs. Carol glanced over her shoulder and shrugged. So much for the morning sex he’d been craving. He’d have to wait until his wedding night. At least it was only a few hours away.

  ***

  As the sun set over the Curvy Bear Ranch B & B, the first strains of wedding music drifted up from the living room. Carol brushed her damp palms across the dress. She could hardly breathe from the nerves. A week ago, if someone had told her she’d be getting married on Christmas Eve, she would have laughed in their faces.

  “One more piece of baby’s-breath and you’ll be done,” her mom said.

  “She looks like a Christmas bride,” Madison said as she stepped back.

  Carol had been sitting in her bedroom, getting her hair and makeup done for the last two hours. She couldn’t wait to see what they’d done to her.

  “Finished,” her mom exclaimed.

  “Let’s go into my bedroom,” Madison said. “There’s a full-length mirror.”

  As they moved into the other bedroom, Carol caught the first glimpse of her reflection. She gasped. She really did look like a Christmas bride. They’d swept most of her hair into a very loose bun on top of her head, while leaving lots of ringlets to brush her shoulders. A crown of baby’s-breath and white roses sat in front of the bun. Madison had worked magic with some craft wire and the flowers.

  Carol loved the soft glow Madison had managed to create with the makeup. Her skin had never looked this amazing before and she vowed to find out all of Madison’s makeup secrets.

  Kate walked into the room and gasped.

  “You look amazing! You’re just missing one thing,” she said.

  “What?” Madison asked as she stepped back to survey her handiwork.

  “Something borrowed,” Kate replied as she opened her hand to reveal a sparkling diamond necklace.

  “Oh, I couldn’t,” Carol said.

  “You’re just borrowing it,” Kate replied as she secured it around Carol’s neck.

  “Am I too late?” Rachel asked as she walked into the room.

  “No, you’re just on time,” Kate replied.

  “I brought you something blue.” Rachel held up a blue and white lace garter belt. “It’s also something new, so we have that covered.”

  “And the necklace is something old,” Kate said.

  As Carol looked around the room, she fought back tears.

  “I don’t know how to thank you,” she said.

  “Oh, we’ll find a way,” Madison said playfully.

  “We’re going to be sisters,” Rachel said. “You don’t need to thank us for anything.”

  “Yep,” Kate said. “We’re family now. Well, almost. The boys are getting restless, so we’d better get going.”

  As the first strains of the wedding march carried up the stairs, Mack walked up to hand her a bouquet of pink and white roses.

  “Don’t ask where they came from,” he said with a grin. “It will ruin the mystique of my flower superpowers.”

  “Thank you.” Carol smiled as she took the bouquet.

  “Ready?” Mack asked.

  “Ready.” She turned to her mom, looped an arm through hers, and together, they walked down the stairs.

  They stopped at the end of the aisle, allowing everyone to quickly take their places. While she waited, Carol gazed into Hank’s eyes. He stared at her with so much joy that her bear did somersaults in her stomach.

  Calm down, bear.

  She took her time traveling the short length of the aisle so she could look at the faces of everyone gathered to celebrate their love. She never wanted to forget their expressions of joy and happiness.

  When she reached the front, her mom gave her a kiss on the cheek before turning to sit next to Rachel’s mom. They’d known each other less than twenty-four hours, but they were already forging a friendship.

  As Hank took her hand, he gave her a smile warm enough to heal her soul. She knew he’d never abandon her and that he’d love her for the rest of his life. It was more than she ever wanted.

  Someone turned dow
n the lights so that the Christmas tree could sparkle behind them as the ceremony began. The low light cast a romantic Christmas glow over the guests. She was so overwhelmed with happiness that she hardly heard the minister as he talked about family, hope, joy, and the power of Christmas. But as Hank began his vows, she didn’t miss a single word.

  “I love you, Carol. We’ve been through some hard times already, so I have no doubt that we can get through anything together. I’ll never leave you. I promise to be the best husband I can be. I’ll take care of you and love you for as long as I live. My love for you is stronger than the bonds of life, so when we end up in Heaven together, I’ll still love you.” Hank slid the ring onto her trembling finger.

  She wanted to fling her arms around his neck and kiss him immediately, but she needed to say her vows first. She gazed into Hank’s eyes.

  “You’ve already given me more than I could have ever hoped for. From now on, every day will be the happiest day of my life because I’ll be with you. I promise to love you for all eternity,” she said as she slipped his ring on his finger.

  “Then by the power vested in me by God and the state of Montana, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

  Hank wasted no time pulling her into his arms and planting a kiss on her lips that was so scorching hot, that had they been in a church, it might have caught fire. When he finally broke the kiss, she used every ounce of willpower to suppress a moan of pleasure. She didn’t want to wait for her wedding night, but it would be rude to leave now. She walked hand in hand with her husband down the aisle as they tossed handfuls of tinsel over their heads.

  Hours later after they’d cut the cake and she’d tossed the bouquet to her mom, Hank scooped her up and carried her upstairs to their bedroom. In a slow, sensual seduction, he undressed her, planting kisses over every inch of flesh as soon as he’d exposed it. By the time she stood naked before him, she trembled with need.

  Whatever patience she would have had was gone by the time he reached for the buttons on his vest. She pushed up against him and frantically tore at the buttons until he grabbed her hands.