Page 30 of Sweet Beginnings

The bathroom door squeaked open and Sarah strolled out wearing Pepto Bismol pink sweatpants and a turquoise sweatshirt. She reminded him of a popular bottle of sunscreen and had to bite back a smile.

“I get cold easily.” Moving quickly, she dropped the bag and her clothes into the suitcase and hurried to the bed, pausing at the sight of the blanket. Her head turned to face him and a smile seemed to tease the corners of her mouth. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Yanking the covers back, she quickly crawled into her side of the bed and glanced at the clock on the end table.

Fully clothed, he sat on his side of the bed and picked up the remote control. A few clicks and he scrolled onto a movie channel. “Have you seen the newTop Gunmovie?”

Pillows propped behind her, she shook her head. “I wanted to, but never got around to it.”

He nodded. “Tom Cruise it is.”

Another few minutes and they were both settled in, a bowl of popcorn between them and Tom Cruise up to his same cocky antics. Sarah cracked up laughing as often as she buried her face in her hands. More than once he’d been tempted to inch closer and curl her into his side—not a good idea. By the end of the movie, they’d settled into an old comedy with Elvis Presley and a dancer whose name he didn’t recognize. By the end of that movie, Sarah had fallen asleep, snuggled under the covers. Flipping channels, he opted for the most boring movie he could find. Maybe, if there was a God in heaven, he could drift off to sleep and not notice he was in bed with a beautiful woman. And maybe some day soon, pigs would fly.

Chapter Eleven

Preston pulled up to the ranch house and threw the car into park. Last night, after Sarah had fallen asleep, even though he was still wide awake, he slipped under the covers and turned off the television. After an hour of flipping back and forth and punching his pillow, he finally gave up and turned the television back on. He had no idea when he fell asleep, but he woke up with a warm, soft woman tucked into his side and resisted the urge to kiss her awake. Instead, he slid out of bed and took a long, cool shower. For the last hour of the drive, he’d quietly repeated to himself that this whole crazy idea wasn’t a mistake. Too bad he didn’t believe it, but here they were. “Are you ready?”

Closing her eyes a moment, Sarah nodded and looked over at him. “Do you think they’ll believe us?”

“We have the license to prove it. My concern is they’re going to kill us for not including them long before the bank ever hands over the money.”

“Yeah.” She blew out a deep sigh. “Guess I’m as ready as I can be.”

“Wait here a second.” He hurried around the front of the vehicle and opened her door. Leaning in, he couldn’t help himself and gave her a brief kiss on the lips. “For luck. And in case anyone’s watching.”

Before Sarah had fully descended, tail wagging, Brady came rushing up to them. “Hi there, handsome.” Sarah leaned over to scratch the dog’s ears. “You sure know how to make a girl feel welcome.”

The dog leaned back on his haunches and Preston would have wagered the ranch that the animal had smiled at her. Did German Shepherds smile? Ever?

As she straightened, the front door opened and his mother appeared in the doorway. She’d come a long way from the bloody and bruised woman of just a couple of weeks ago, but the sadness in her eyes still grabbed him by the throat. Day after day she’d thrown out impossible ideas of how to save the ranch. Of course, none would make a dent in the debt. This was why he and Sarah had to fool his mother, it was the only way to help her. The only way. Not a mistake.

Carefully holding Sarah’s hand, he gave a gentle squeeze and with his free hand waved at his mother. Her gaze immediately dropped to their clasped hands as they crossed the gravel drive and stepped onto the porch. “Hi, Mom.”

Alice Sweet smiled at her son. “How’d the trip go?”

“Very well.” Even though there was no reason, he could feel heat taking over his face. Stepping forward, he kissed his mom on the cheek and then quickly retreating to Sarah’s side, took hold of her hand again.

The sparkle that had been missing from his mother’s eyes seemed to be flickering faintly. “It’s nice to see you again, Sarah Sue.”

Now or never. He sucked in a deep breath. “As of last night, that would be Mrs. Sarah Sue Sweet.”

His mother’s eyes rounded, exposing a swath of white around dark blue eyes that resembled his. Her gaze darted from him to Sarah Sue and back. “You wouldn’t tease an old lady, would you?”

“You are not old.” He rolled his eyes and then, realizing his mother was anxiously waiting, he shook his head and grabbing hold of Sarah’s wrist, held up her left hand.

Before he could react, his mother flung herself at Sarah Sue, her arms folding around his new bride’s petite frame. “I knew it. Deep down I’ve always known it.” Still strangling Sarah Sue, his mom grinned like the Cheshire cat. “I just wasn’t so sure y’all would ever figure it out.”

Caught in a tight bear hug, Sarah glanced over her mother-in-law’s shoulder and flashed a stiff smile at Preston. This was not the reaction he’d expected. Not that he was sure what he actually expected, but total delight and acceptance was not anywhere on the list, never mind at the top.

“Y’all going to come inside or are you planning on growing roots out there?” In a pair of mud splattered jeans and a button-down shirt with sleeves rolled up, his sister Rachel stood grinning from the front porch.

His mom sprang back and rubbing her hands together, spun about to Preston and pulled him into a tight squeeze, and up on her tippy toes, whispered, “I’m so very happy for you.”

Shaking off his confusion, he held on to his mother. “I love you, Mom.”

“If someone doesn’t hurry up and get in here,” Carson now stood beside their sister, “I’m going to fix lunch.”

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