“That could have worked if it had rained, but the weatherman is calling for a beautiful day and the dogwoods are putting on their show out there. Let’s sneak out through the office door and see if the people are already here setting up chairs,” Clara suggested.

  Sophia took a detour before any of the early bird risers could stop them to chat, and in a few seconds she and Clara were standing in the courtyard, watching the cleaning staff power wash the concrete to a beautiful shine.

  “This makes it so real,” Clara whispered. She pinched herself to be sure she wasn’t dreaming. It smarted, so she was pretty sure that she and Trevor had survived their first major argument and were really getting married. In just a little while folks would be bustling about, setting up chairs and the archway down at the end of the courtyard. The dogwood trees were in full bloom and the cleaning crew had already washed the ornate back fence. Everything was coming together—just as Mama Lizzy had told them it would.

  “It will be even more real once we see everything all set up,” Sophia declared. “I’ve been thinking that we should offer our hotel as a wedding venue to other couples. How do you feel about that?”

  “That’s a great idea,” Clara agreed.

  “We’ll talk more about it later.” Sophia tugged on her arm and steered her back into the hotel. “Right now we should go on in and have some breakfast with everyone. Then we’ve got hairdressers, makeup folks, and a manicurist all arriving throughout the day.”

  “I’m glad Mama Lizzy has the conference room set up for us or we’d be tumbling all over each other,” Clara said as she and her sister headed back into the hotel office side by side.

  Lizzy looked up from behind her desk and grinned. “Well, well, well! Look at you two getting along with each other and not fighting.”

  “It’s a miracle, but remember what you said when we were kids?” Clara asked.

  “I said a lot, trying to get you two raised up,” Lizzy replied.

  “ ‘Miracles only happen in a moment,’ ” Clara reminded her.

  “ ‘And then they’re gone,’ ” Sophia finished the sentence for her sister.

  Lizzy stood up and rounded the desk. “Then I guess I’d better bask in the glory of the moment.”

  “Mama Lizzy, I want . . . to . . . say . . .” Clara stammered.

  “Don’t you dare cry or you’ll make me start, and you know it takes hours to get the red out of my eyes once I begin sobbing,” Sophia warned. “I swear, I’ll trip you as we walk down the aisle if you don’t suck it up.”

  “Thank you, Mama Lizzy, for everything,” Clara managed to get out past the lump in her throat. “For raising us when you didn’t have to, for being both mother and father to us, and for . . .” she swiped at the tears streaming down her cheeks, “for loving us when we weren’t so lovable.”

  “Well, crap.” Sophia grabbed the box of tissues from the desk and jerked out a fistful. “And for giving us the hotel when we don’t deserve it, and for settling all our arguments in the past, and for the times you’ll probably take care of us in the future. We could go on and on for the rest of this day and not even scratch the surface.”

  Clara swallowed several times, but the rock in her throat was still there. “But we want you to know that we love and appreciate everything, and we’re sorry for ever taking you for granted.”

  Lizzy took the box from Sophia, pulled out a few tissues for herself, and then passed it over to Clara. “I’m proud of both of you, and even with your bickering I wouldn’t trade a minute of the past for the promise of another hundred years of the future. You’ve made me a proud mother and I love both of you beyond words.” She gave them each a hug. “And I’m glad we’ve had this little emotional jag before the wedding. We all would have had red eyes if we’d waited until then to talk about this.”

  Clara wiped her cheeks and pasted on a smile. “We’re some lucky women to have one another.”

  “Amen to that,” Lizzy agreed.

  “Both past and future,” Sophia said with a nod.

  The words—past and future—stuck in Clara’s mind. The past had molded all of them into what they were today, and she was grateful for every minute and every experience as she looked forward to the future right here at Dogwood Inn.

  Trevor’s granny was the first one in the crowd gathering in the hotel lobby to meet the three of them when they walked out of the office. “This is such a treat to get to stay here in the Dogwood Inn for a couple of nights. When I got married Wilbur and I spent our honeymoon right here and I felt like I was floating on air. We even got the same room we had back then. I don’t know if Clara did that on purpose or if it was just by chance, but thank you. I’m so glad that Clara and Sophia are going to manage the hotel and keep it just like it is. I told Wilbur last night that we’re going to start coming back here every single year on our anniversary to celebrate.”

  Several members of Trevor’s family gathered around, and Clara scanned the bunch of them for her intended. Then she remembered that he, his brothers, and his father were at the ranch, along with his nephews. Only his mother, sisters-in-law, and nieces had spent the night in the hotel.

  “Missing Trevor, aren’t you?” his mother asked.

  “Yes, I am,” Clara admitted and wished she had asked all the sisters-in-law to be bridemaids so the wedding pictures would be more balanced.

  Her grandmother’s eyes twinkled and she nudged Clara on the shoulder. “You could ask them right now. Sophia’s bridesmaids are carrying a single red rose and your matron of honor is carrying two daisies. There’s still time for the florist to whip up four more like that.”

  “But . . .” Clara started. She wondered if Mama Lizzy could read her mind.

  “I’ll do it,” Lizzy said.

  “What if they’re offended because I waited until the last minute?” Clara asked.

  “What color dresses have your sisters-in-law chosen to wear today?” Lizzy asked.

  “Granny picked out a yellow one when we were thinking the wedding would be in a barn with lots of sunflowers and daisies,” Molly, the oldest son’s wife, answered. “So we all chose that color to make a pretty family picture.”

  “That’s great!” Lizzy said. “I know it’s last minute and we already had the rehearsal and all, but would y’all please serve as bridesmaids? I got this brilliant idea that each of you could walk down the aisle with one of Sophia’s ladies. A yellow and a red to tie in the colors for the whole wedding, and the pictures will be gorgeous.”

  “We would be honored.” Daisy, another sister-in-law, beamed.

  “Thank you,” Clara said. “I should have thought of that before now.”

  “No worries,” Tiffany said.

  “We’d do anything for Clara. She’s our hero for putting up with Trevor,” Penelope added with a giggle. “Does that mean we get our hair and makeup done too?”

  “You bet it does,” Sophia answered.

  For the first time Clara felt like today was her special day as well as her sister’s.

  * * *

  Sophia eased the kitchen door out onto the patio open just enough to see Granny and Delia, her maid of honor, making their way slowly down the aisle toward the archway in front of the gates. Only a few of the chairs were empty. One side was decorated with bright yellow bows and the other with red. Later Lizzy told them the tables that had been pushed to the back would be scattered around the courtyard with the same chairs placed around them.

  “It’s perfect,” Sophia whispered. “Even the dogwoods have hung onto their blossoms just for us.”

  “Can you see Trevor? Does he look nervous?” Clara asked.

  Sophia held her bouquet with one hand and put the other one on her sister’s arm. “He looks a little nervous, but he’s smiling. Hunter looks like he’s the only rooster at a coyote convention,” Sophia said. “His whole family loves this hotel, which shocked him to no end. He thought they’d think it was hickish.”

  “ ‘Vintage’ is the word,” Lizzy informed her in a serious tone. “I like his folks and hope they come back to visit y’all real often. Clara, you need to remember that anytime you and Trevor need a night away from the ranch, your room is always available. Sounds like our music is starting.”

  “Mama He’s Crazy” by the Judds started playing.

  Sophia frowned. “That’s not the traditional wedding song.”

  “No, darlin’ girls, it’s not, but it sure seemed appropriate to me,” Lizzy said with a wide grin. “Sling those doors open and let’s get this show on the road.”

  “Is the rest of the music the same as we practiced last night?” Sophia whispered as the three of them took their places at the end of the aisle.

  “Yep, but I’ve chosen some special ones for the reception,” Lizzy answered. “Now put on your best smiles. This is a very special and wonderful day.”

  A soft spring breeze made the dogwood blossoms dance as she, Clara, and Mama Lizzy took the first step down the aisle. Hunter’s black suit fit him just right, and he’d chosen a red tie to go with her colors. The expression on his face, so full of love, put a smile on her own face that wasn’t forced or fake. Right at that moment the rest of the world disappeared except for them.

  * * *

  Clara scanned the crowd of family and friends for a second or two as she slowly made her way toward the archway with the setting sun behind it. Everything was beyond what she ever could have imagined. She felt like Cinderella at the royal ball, and there was her prince waiting for her in his shined black boots and his cowboy hat set just right on his head. She had it better than the fairytale princess, though, because she and her cowboy would ride off together later that night.

  When they reached the right spot the preacher asked, “Who gives these women to be married to these men?”

  “No one,” Lizzy said. “I will never give my girls away to anyone, but I will share Sophia with Hunter, and Clara with Trevor. Be good to them, but don’t always let them have their way. Love them above and beyond just saying the words. Prove your love to them in all the little ways every single day.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Trevor and Hunter said at the same time.

  Lizzy kissed each of her granddaughters on the cheek and then said, “And the same goes for you two.”

  A few snickers were heard in the crowd, but most of the folks were nodding in agreement as she stepped back and took her seat in the first row of chairs.

  “I feel like Lizzy should be doing this service,” the preacher said, and then went on with a purely traditional ceremony.

  Clara looked into Trevor’s eyes as the preacher talked, and she heard the words he said, not with her ears as much as with her heart. When she promised to love him and respect him until death parted them and said her own personal vows, she meant them with all her soul.

  After Sophia and Hunter exchanged vows the preacher pronounced them husbands and wives, “And now you grooms may kiss your beautiful brides.”

  “When I Found You,” by Jasmine Rae played as the two newly wedded couples walked down the aisle. Clara and Trevor first, with Sophia and Hunter following behind. When they reached the office door Trevor took Clara in his arms and began a slow country waltz right there. “This song says it all, Mrs. Richmond.”

  “For the first time in my life I don’t have to share my last name with Sophia,” she whispered.

  “I heard that and, sister, I’m just as happy about that as you are,” Sophia said as she wrapped her arms around Hunter’s neck and pulled his mouth to hers for another kiss.

  “I agree with my new brother-in-law—this song does say it all,” Hunter said as he began to dance with Sophia and sing along with the lyrics.

  “Amen,” Sophia and Clara said at the same time.

  COWBOY TRUE

  Stacy Finz

  Chapter One

  Jace Dalton’s job as Mill County sheriff didn’t ordinarily entail chasing hundreds of goats off the road. But here he was, running across a two-lane highway, waving his hat in the air, herding livestock as traffic came to a standstill.

  Rush hour in Dry Creek.

  It would’ve been funny if he wasn’t in a hurry. He was already ten minutes late for a state-of-the-ranch meeting with his two cousins and his cousin-in-law at the coffee shop for breakfast.

  A pickup truck pulled past the line of stopped vehicles. Jace feared the driver was about to speed through the bottleneck. Goats be damned. But then the pickup veered over to the shoulder and a kid of about nineteen bounded out of the truck.

  “Sorry, Sheriff,” he called as he joined Jace in chasing the goats off the road. “They must’ve gotten loose.”

  Ya think?

  “We had them over at the Lloyd place, clearing brush. They probably got through an opening in the fence.”

  The Lloyds’ fencing was sketchy at best.

  “I hope you’ve got someone over there fixing it. Otherwise, they’ll just get out again.” The kid didn’t seem like the sharpest tool in the shed.

  “My dad’s there now. And my brothers are on the way.”

  Just then, another pickup with a livestock trailer slid in next to the kid’s and two beefy-looking fellows lumbered out with a pair of Australian shepherds. Between the four of them and the dogs, they got the goats safely back to the Lloyds’ property, which was less than a quarter mile away.

  “Thanks, Sheriff.” One of the beefy guys shook Jace’s hand. “It won’t happen again, sir.”

  Jace hoofed it back to his truck, saw that traffic was flowing smoothly again, and headed into town. By the time he got to the coffee shop, Cash, Sawyer, and Tuff were mopping up the last of their eggs with Jimmy Ray’s homemade biscuits.

  “Where you been?” Cash pulled out the chair next to him.

  Jace plopped down. “It’s a long story. Hand me the coffee, would you?”

  Sawyer reached over to the coffee station, snagged the pot off the warmer, and poured Jace a cup. They’d been coming to the coffee shop their whole lives and made themselves at home here. Laney was busy waiting on another table anyway. She and Jimmy Ray owned the restaurant and were as good as family.

  “I presume you started the meeting without me.” Jace took a sip from his mug. He had a feeling he was going to need the whole pot before the morning was over. Besides the goat fiasco, Grady had missed the bus this morning and Jace had to drive him to school. That was after his eldest, Travis, who was home from college, had woken up covered in poison oak. At least Charlie, Jace’s wife, was handling that situation.

  “We’re solid,” Sawyer said. “Cash went over the books, and it looks like this year Dry Creek Village is on the road to profitability.”

  “No kidding.” The first good news of Jace’s day.

  When Jace and his cousins inherited Dry Creek Ranch from their late grandfather, it had been a flailing 500-acre, cow-calf operation with back taxes the size of California. To save the ranch from foreclosure, the four of them had taken a portion of the land and turned it into an agricultural-themed shopping center, including a florist, Tuff’s saddlery, a specialty food market, a farmhouse furniture store called Refind, and a steak house run by Sawyer’s wife, celebrity chef Gina DeRose.

  They hoped that if they built it, they’d come. Except for a while it seemed as if they’d miscalculated because the village wasn’t taking off the way they’d hoped. But with perseverance and the Gina DeRose name, business picked up and it had been going gangbusters ever since.

  “According to my estimation, we’ll be able to pay off the last of the back taxes, each get a decent draw, and put some money in the bank for lean times,” Cash said.

  “What about the cattle part of the equation?” Tuff asked, and three pairs of eyes turned to Jace.

  “We’re a little ahead. Beef prices are up this year. But don’t go buying any big-ticket items just yet. Let’s see how we do at market first.”

  Jace waved Laney over from across the room. “What does a guy have to do to get some breakfast around here?” He winked, then gave her a hug.

  “It’s about time you made an appearance. These boys have been waiting on you. You want your regular?”

  “Yes, ma’am. But add a side of grits. I’m starved.”

  “You got it.” She kissed Jace on the cheek and went off to put in the order.

  Done with business, the four of them turned to other conversation, including Cash’s cases as investigator for the Bureau of Livestock Identification. Unfortunately, cattle rustling was still alive and well in California’s Sierra Foothills. Sawyer’s next article for whatever fancy magazine he was writing for these days. And Tuff’s latest leather project. Angie’s husband was regarded as one of the top saddle makers in the country.

  “How’s Charlie doing?” Cash asked, addressing the elephant in the room. Everyone, Jace most of all, was on edge about her pregnancy. She was high risk, having had two previous miscarriages. The first one, a late-stage miscarriage, was at the hands of an abusive boyfriend, who Jace had put behind bars.

  “So far so good. We’re just taking it one day at a time.”

  “We’re all pulling for her.” Cash pushed away from the table. “As much as I’d like to sit around shooting the breeze, I’ve got cow cop duties. See you all Sunday night.” It was spring, which meant they took turns hosting a weekly barbecue. Because they all lived on the ranch, no one had to travel far.

  Tuff, who had to open his saddlery shop, followed Cash out, leaving just Jace and Sawyer.

  “I’ll sit with you while you eat.”

  Laney brought Jace’s breakfast to the table. “Here you go, Sheriff Hot Stuff.”

  Sawyer let out a bark of laughter. “Hot stuff?”

  Jace pinned Sawyer with a scowl. “I wouldn’t talk if I were you. You look like hell these days.”

  Sawyer smirked. “You’ll feel my pain soon enough.”

  “What are you talking about? I’m still feeling your pain. You think teenage boys are any easier than a baby girl? If you do, you’re crazy.”