The Cowboy Takes a Bride Read online

  Hope.

  Meredith closed her eyes and tried to picture a new life. Would it be like her friend who married the Marine? Living all around the world. She didn’t want to romanticize the idea, but the thought of living in a small, quaint European town had become a fantasy she struggled not to cling to. How could any reality compare to that?

  She felt and found her phone on the top of the table and slid it toward her. It took three tries, but she finally dialed the number correctly.

  When Sabrina answered on the second ring, Meredith said, “Please help me, Sabrina.”

  “Of course, honey. Tell me what you need.” Sabrina’s voice had an immediate calming effect on Meredith. Perhaps it was because it reminded her of her mother’s or because there was a quiet confidence, a streak of strength that Sabrina embodied that told Meredith she was doing the right thing.

  “I need a new life. I want a new life. Help me.” Meredith was pleased to hear the quiver in her voice fade as she spoke.

  “Are you certain? I can help you get a new life, but I can’t help you go back to this one if you chicken out. You have to commit to what I'm offering.”

  No one would fault her for fibbing. “I’m beyond certain. I even know how I’m going to get away from the house.” Meredith shut her eyes, rested her forehead on the edge of the bed, and filled Sabrina in on the ruse she’d have to undergo to get away. “Can you make this happen in two days?”

  Chapter 5

  Standing outside her father’s home office, Meredith reviewed the plan for what had to be the millionth time. With each run through, a deeper calmness would wash over her. She had no doubt she was taking the correct course. For the first time in years, she was alive with excitement, and dare she think…hope?

  Meredith slipped the oversize sunglasses onto her nose and pushed them into place. Her hair, pulled back into a tight ponytail, was intended to show off the paleness of her completion, which she purposefully left devoid of makeup.

  She stepped into the doorway and cleared her throat. Experience had taught her that unless she demanded his attention, he would not grant it.

  “Yes?” He didn’t bother to look up from his newspaper, the front page of the business section exposed.

  “I’ll be gone for a few days, Father.” She didn’t lift the large, leather overnight bag that had been her mother’s to emphasize her point. Instead, she stood quietly and waited.

  He looked at her over the edge of his paper. “What is this?”

  “I have an appointment for a sleep study. I called Dr. Goodman, and he referred me. It’s time to get to the bottom of these headaches, and this is where we start.” Her biggest gamble would be if her father called Dr. Goodman to confirm, but she was banking on his trust for the old family friend to supersede his trust for her. “I called him after the other night and expressed how, errr, disruptive these headaches are. This is what he suggested.”

  He slapped the paper closed on the desk. “And I’m just hearing about it now?”

  Meredith’s stomach churned with anxiety. “I didn’t want to mention it yesterday because I was uncertain if I would get into the sleep study. He called late yesterday, while you were out, and confirmed. You came in so late I was unable to tell you until now.” She knew she had to play this carefully, keep a blank poker face. “You can call him if you’d like.” She straightened, locking her knees to keep them from shaking.

  Please, please, please don’t call she prayed.

  His gaze searched her up and down, his eyes lingering on her face. “You don’t look well.” Following a sigh, he said, “If Dr. Goodman says this is needed, then by all means. You’ll be home when?”

  “In a few days. Maybe sooner if the study goes well.”

  “There’s an auction coming up. Another charity for horses or refugee animals or some other nonsense, but some of the potential candidates for the governor’s position will be there. I need you to be in top form that night. Keep your ears open. There’s talk that one favored by the media really has an agenda not conducive to my business. You’ll need to ferret that out. I hear his wife is a chatty box if she has enough drinks.”

  “I’ll need a new gown,” she said to keep with her typical response to his request.

  “Of course.” He picked the paper up from the desk, his attention back on the news. She was forgotten.

  She took one last look around. This memory would be the only keepsake she would have of him. In her bag, tucked between her undergarments, was her favorite picture with her mother. Meredith wanted to take the entire photo album, but she feared it would be noticed since it was kept in the study on the shelf next to the TV. Meredith had also taken the pearl necklace and earring set her mother and grandmother had worn on their wedding days. Not because she wanted to carry on with the tradition. Marrying an utter stranger was surely not what her mother had envisioned when she showed Meredith the pearls all the years ago, but because her mother had said they were good luck and had made of point of wearing them on significant days, such as Meredith’s birth. If she were going to gamble away the only life she knew, she was going to need all the luck she could get her hands on. It was anyone's guess as to what she would be walking into?

  That thought alone gave her pause, and she stared a moment longer at her father, thinking perhaps she should say something kind for him to remember her by. But before she could think of anything to say, he gave her something to remember him by.

  “Try to keep the budget on this dress down, Meredith. No shoes. For crying out loud, who knew I would have such a frivolous twit of a daughter?”

  Meredith was glad for the large sunglasses that masked her expression and the unexpected sting of moisture to her eyes. With his parting words, she turned on her heel and walked away. There was nothing left to be said.

  Chapter 6

  Escaping to Sabrina’s was far easier than Meredith expected. She simply gave her father’s driver the address for a medical office building known for sleep studies, to which he promptly delivered her, watching until she entered the building before pulling back into the heavy Dallas traffic. She then walked in the front door, across the lobby, and out a side door Sabrina had told her to look for. Not using cell phones gave the entire endeavor a clandestine air. She found it absolutely thrilling. Though Meredith trembled the entire drive to the building and as she walked out the side door to a waiting Sabrina, there was a taste of something so glorious, a freedom, that made breathing easier and her vision clear and crisp. The world around her exploded with energy. Colors were brighter; the faces of those walking by came alive and were more interesting. This vibrant world is what independence looked like when the person doing the looking had previously been told what to see. It was heady and intoxicating, and she giggled aloud as she dashed across to Sabrina. Her large high-end SUV spoke about the woman’s personality. Meredith knew the discreet dark windows were also an indication of her privacy.

  She slid into the passenger seat, holding her bag on her lap, and laughed again. It took a tremendous amount of self-control to not clasp her hands together with childlike delight so she tucked them under her bag instead.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” Sabrina asked.

  Panic replaced elation instantly. Meredith turned to face Sabrina, fear squeezing her chest. “Are you having second thoughts?” The woman was going to have to kick Meredith out of the car if she’d changed her mind. Meredith had a plan, and it all hinged on Sabrina.

  “No, sugar. I only want to be certain you understand what you’re getting into. Going back will be very difficult. You can't—”

  “I have no intention of coming back. There's nothing for me here.”

  “Not even your father?” Sabrina sat sideways in her seat looking relaxed. Her SUV idled quietly.

  Meredith wanted to scream at her to drive. This lack of motion was frustrating. Could they not get on with it already? It was like having the billion-dollar winning lottery ticket just a breath away, and her fingers c
ould not stretch any farther to reach it.

  “He stopped being my father years ago. He reminded me of that the other night when my health was not as important to him as networking and making deals. I’m not a daughter to him. I’m a tool. Something to use to further his business, and I’m tired of it.” Meredith wanted to slide her leg across the center console and stomp on the gas.

  “Did you do as I said?” Sabrina asked.

  “I left my cell phone there. Did a factory reset. I called you from the house line anyway. I deleted the redials. But it’s like I told you. He won’t call the police. It would be too embarrassing. He’ll hire a private detective first.”

  “Which is why there can’t be any way to track you. My one holdup is the marriage license. When that gets filed... Well, we’ll cross that bridge then.”

  At the word marriage, Meredith’s energy deflated much like a balloon. Quick and with lots of noise.

  “Meredith, there is no need for such a distraught sigh. You are not leaving one situation for a worse one. I would not do that to you.”

  “How can you be sure?” This was her one fear. Her large—no, more like ginormous— fear. By nature, she was not a gambler, and yet here she was taking a huge risk. “How do you know this man won’t be abusive or a closet something or other or—”

  “It’s like I told you on the phone, and I will tell you as many times as you need—I do an extensive background search on anyone who applies. This includes hiring a private investigator to go through your personal life and talk to everyone they can. This helps tease out issues. As you’ll see in a little bit, you’ll also have to undergo an extensive questionnaire, speak at length to a spiritual advisor, a sex therapist, a psychologist. The match underwent the same rigorous evaluation. Of course, we are rushing things because of your circumstances but—and I’ve never done this before—my instincts tell me this is going to work out fabulously, and they have rarely led me wrong.” She pulled into traffic and drove in the direction opposite of Meredith’s childhood home, away from the city and Victors Club. As the miles passed, the suburbs slipping away in the rearview mirror, the open landscape extended before her as if waiting with open arms, and the weight on Meredith’s chest decreased until only the anxiety from the unknown remained.

  It was only after they pulled into a long driveway that wove through several trees and opened up to a large, sprawling ranch that Meredith thought of something other than her own situation. She relaxed her grip on her overnight bag.

  “This is where you live?” It was the loveliest home Meredith had ever seen and she, an addict to home and garden shows, had seen several. A large porch with several rockers ran the length of the white house. Black shutters gave it a classic vibe. It screamed “home,” and Meredith’s heart ached to have such a place. Once, when her mother was alive, they'd lived in a house like this, one that spoke of family and laughter and warmth. Back then, even her father's rough edges had been softened by her mother and the life she created for them.

  “This is where I live. And this is where you will live for the next day or so until we can get you sorted out. Come on, I’ll take you inside. We don’t have much time, so the sooner we get started the better off we are.”

  Meredith followed Sabrina from the car to the porch. Although the ranch looked to be one of the working types, the place was quiet. Meredith scanned the lands around her.

  “The barn and stables are about a quarter mile north. That gives me the privacy I need.” Sabrina swung open the door and gestured for Meredith to proceed her. Inside was just as beautiful as outside. It was French country with touches of Texas—saddles on pedestals, a large Lone Star over a fireplace, and a moose and deer head hanging from the wall. Not too many to be macabre, but enough to let the visitor know the people who lived here were hunters.

  Sabrina pointed to a large twelve-point buck. “Daddy shot that a week before he died. He’d been so excited. Waited all his life to get a buck with so many points.” A wistful expression swept cross Sabrina’s face, only to be quickly replaced by a curious one. “Things like that don’t bother you, do they? Not everyone likes hunting.”

  Meredith shook her head. “Did your dad eat the meat or do it more for sport? Maybe I’m skewed, but my granddaddy was a hunter, my momma’s father. He used to let me go out and scout with him. He taught me the importance of making good use of all the meat.” It felt like a lifetime ago, as if the memory didn’t belong to her, but was something she’d seen in a dream or on TV. Meredith swung her gaze from the animal to Sabrina. “I don’t know if you recall or not, but they, my grandparents, died in the same accident with my mother.”

  Sabrina said nothing, but reached out, took Meredith’s hand, and gave it a light squeeze. “Well, hun, I don’t mean to rush you, but like I said, we’ve lots to do today. I have my book club coming in an hour, and I need to get you out of sight. Come with me.”

  Sabrina led her down a long hallway and up a short flight of stairs. At the top, they went through another door. When Meredith crossed the threshold, she knew she’d come into the office portion of the house. Though the room was set up like a cozy living space, the personality of the other portion of the house was missing. This was more…lackluster, or perhaps corporate. As corporate as it could get being on the same property. The only items of intimacy were the large 11x18 pictures on the wall, each framed with oversize, colorful mats that drew the eye toward the picture. Meredith quickly scanned each of them. Many were of different families, laughing or smiling for the camera. Some were on horses, lounging on a beach, or building a snowman.

  “You can stow your bag in here, unless you want me to show you to your room. You won’t be able to access it while my book club is here as your room is in the main part of the house. Most people feel better keeping their stuff with them in the beginning. Through here is the restroom.” She opened a door on the east wall to show a lavish lavatory. The butter yellow color on the walls was homey and inviting. A large soaker tub and a vanity made from barn wood made Meredith coo. Like her mother, Meredith had once enjoyed bubble baths and a good book. The room was a stark contrast to the sterile and cold house her father had moved them into with nary a tub to be had.

  “Over here is a small kitchenette. Please help yourself.” Sabrina walked across the space and opened an identical door to show another well-appointed space. “Let’s get you started. You want something to drink?” Sabrina walked to a large wall cabinet and swung open the wood door. She withdrew a thin laptop, and while closing the cabinet door with her shoulder, flipped the laptop open.

  “I’d love a tea.” Meredith looked around and tried to relax. For a brief moment, she could pretend she was staying with a friend. Had her life gone differently, it might be exactly what she’d be doing. But Sabrina’s all-business attitude, though not unfriendly or abrasive, clearly showcased that sooner rather than later Meredith would be legally bound to a stranger, and all because her father turned into a crazy person after her mother’s death.

  “You want sweet or unsweet? Have a seat, hon. Get comfy. Kick off your shoes. You have a lot to do. Help yourself to whatever.” Sabrina handed her the laptop. The screen was a pretty sky blue and white banner with the words HOPE across it.

  “Sweet, please.” Meredith sunk into an overstuffed butter-yellow chenille chaise lounge and pulled the laptop close.

  “Click on the word HOPE. It will start the questionnaire that has two hundred questions. Answer the best you can. Go with your gut. You can mark any of the questions you are uncertain about with a star, and then you can go back later and answer. There is no right or wrong. It’s about you and what you want and how you see your life. It usually takes an hour or so. Dr. Williams will be here shortly, and when you’re done, you will meet with him. He’ll pass you along to Dr. Fleming, she’s our sex therapist, and by the time you are done with them, I should be done with my book club.” Sabrina delivered the information as she moved around the room, opening blinds and making Meredith a
drink. She placed a large glass of iced tea along with a plate of assorted mini sandwiches and petit fours on the table. “There’s more in the kitchen and other stuff if this doesn’t suit. OK?”

  Meredith nodded.

  “I’ll leave you to it. Should you have a question, you can call me on that phone.” She pointed to the old-school rotary phone sitting on the desk. “Dial one, and it will ring to where I am.”

  Again, Meredith nodded.

  “If you want to back out, now is the time.”

  “I don’t want to back out.” But even to Meredith, her voice sounded small. “Honest,” she said with more conviction. "But what if I don't like him or find him attractive?”

  Sabrina shook her head. “If I showed you a picture, you would make a lot of conclusions based on that one image. You begin this with preconceived ideas. I like to keep those to a minimum. That's why I don't show pictures.” Sabrina tapped the computer. “Once we go through with this, we will fly to your new home, and you’ll be married right away.”

  Meredith swallowed. “I know. I have to stay at least a year or pay the fees.” Which were more than Meredith had saved when planning her great escape. The amount was staggering.

  “I take this very seriously. You are looking for a new life, and so are these men. They are just as lonely. Of course, they would never admit that.” Sabrina chuckled. “Their circumstances make matching and finding a wife the ‘typical way’ more difficult, or they would’ve been successful in that endeavor. They trust me to be diligent and careful in my selection, just as you are trusting me to keep you safe.”

  “I take it seriously as well. I always thought I’d marry once. Maybe that was a young girl’s fantasy born from too many movies about princesses and dreams coming true, but when I look at how my life is now, the only thing I see changing is me getting older. Or my father trying to pawn me off on someone that would make a good business match for him. Like Lyle Brady.”