Page 50 of Montana Groom of Convenience
They both sobered. Something sweet and eternal blossomed deep inside even as she tried to resist it. Yes, he was her husband, but not in the real sense. Not in a way that included mutual fondness. Both of them had been clear that this would be strictly business.
Business could be pleasant and sweet, she reasoned like honey to the soul.
She sat on the outside chair where Father had been sitting and indicated the chair beside her.
Sawyer sat.
Neither spoke. The air between them was heavy with unspoken words.
Sawyer broke the silence. “I want to thank you.”
She jerked about to face him. “For what?”
“For how you are with Jill.” He grinned. “For being a better cook than me.” His smile shifted into a considering look. “For everything.”
She tried to think, but her brain was stuck, frozen by the way his eyes shifted from one shade of blue-green to another as he spoke. As if they responded tosomething inside. If only she could know for certain what it was. She guessed it was surprise, even pleasure, at how well their first few days of marriage had gone. His gratitude left her dry-mouthed. Finally, she was able to get some words out. “I’ve only been doing what we agreed upon.” She hoped he had accepted that she would be doing ranch work because she didn’t want to upset this sense of accord by having to make it clear to him.
Sawyer saton the wagon seat with Carly at his side. Father Morrison and Jill sat behind. He smiled inwardly. This would be his first appearance in public with a wife. He studied her out of the corner of his eyes. She wore a dark blue dress and had her hair done up in a loose roll about her head. It peeked out from under her Sunday bonnet.
His wife. It still felt strange to say that.
They arrived in Bella Creek and stopped at the church.
Annie ran out to greet Carly. “I still can’t believe you’re married.”
Grandfather Marshall nodded from the step as Father Morrison hobbled toward him. The rest of the Marshall family waved a greeting as they entered the church. A murmur followed them as Carly led them down the aisle after her father. Jill sat beside him, leaving Carly and Sawyer to sit together. As well they should, he supposed as man and wife.
Preacher Hugh welcomed the congregation. “I havea special announcement today. I’d like to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer Gallagher. Would you please stand?”
Carly frowned, then jerked to her feet. Sawyer stood as well. Carly’s smile looked as plastered on as his. “Thank you,” he murmured to the applause. He noticed many surprised looks.
Carly sat down and jerked his hand to sit as well.
He felt like the world moved through a dense fog. The preacher’s words echoed. The songs the congregation sang seemed distant and he heard barely a word of the sermon. Their marriage was public knowledge now. Somehow, that changed things, people would have expectations of them as a couple. Could he live up to those expectations? It didn’t seem likely, seeing as their marriage was a fraud.
But then, the only people who needed to be concerned about that were he and Carly and they had agreed on the matter.
What did it matter what others thought? He’d long ago decided not to let such things bother him.
He relaxed and sat back. So far, he had no reason to complain about the arrangement between himself and Carly. In fact, he’d enjoyed many parts of it.
He didn’t realize he sat grinning to himself until the preacher said amen, and Carly whispered, “What’s so amusing?”
“Later,” he whispered back, then realized he couldn’t tell Carly why he smiled. “Nothing.”
Conner and Kate hurried toward them after the service. “Come to the ranch. We’re all going to be there.” They included Sawyer and Carly in their invitation.
He waited for Carly to choose.
She turned her face to him. “It’s up to you. What do you want to do?”
His heart glowed that she’d consulted him. “What would you do if I wasn’t here?”
She gave a little shrug. “I used to always go to their place after church. But that kind of ended when Annie got married.”
Annie crowded to her side. “Hugh and I are going, too. It will be like old times.”
Carly continued to look at Sawyer, waiting for his answer. “I don’t mind going if that’s what you’d like,” he said.
