Accidental Mail Order Bride by J. S. Cooper

Chapter Twenty-Six

“Hey, Mom!”Austin called out as we entered the kitchen.

“Yes, son?”

“Lucy and I would like to talk to you if you don’t mind.”

“Oh, I was just getting dinner ready. Can it wait until after dinner?”

“Actually, no.” Austin shook his head emphatically.

I looked at him in surprise. “It can wait till after dinner, Austin.”

“No, it can’t because we won’t be here for dinner.”

“We won’t?”

“You won’t?” Amelia said, her eyes curious as she gazed at us.

“No, we won’t. I have something planned.”

“You never told me that.”

“Well, it was a surprise,” he said with a grin. “Mom, please, can we speak to you? It’s important.”

“Well, okay,” she nodded. “I guess everything can wait for a few moments. Shall we go in the study?”

“Yes, please. You can tell Dad to come as well if he’s not busy.”

“Of course. It sounds serious.”

“It’s not serious. It’s just important.”

“Do you want Beau and Olivia to come? What about Wyatt or—”

“No, just the four of us,” Austin said. “That’s okay, right, Lucy?”

“Yes,” I said with a small nod, unable to look Amelia in the eyes.

“Okay, let me go and get Ranger. We’ll meet you in the study,” Amelia said as she walked off.

Austin turned to me and squeezed my hand. “It’s okay. Okay? I’m just going to explain to them that we have feelings for each other and even though it didn’t work out as my mom had wanted and even though she’s got the wedding dress and all that already out of the closet, it doesn’t mean anything. I mean, I’m grateful that my mom put the ad in the newspaper so that you could come here to marry Beau, but Beau is not the man for you.” He kissed me on the nose. “You’re mine, Lucy. And I’m not going to play games anymore. That’s why I went to the log cabin.”

“What do you mean?”

“I went to think. I went to think about what I thought was the right thing to do. And I had to do that without being around you. I needed to think, and well, I came to my decision.”

“And what was your decision?”

“My decision was I didn’t give a fuck what my parents or Beau thought.” He lowered his voice. “Not that I would say that in front of my mom,” he laughed. “But you’re important to me, and what we have is special, and I’m not just going to walk away from that, especially because I know that you feel the same way.”

“Well, you don’t—”

“Yes, Lucy. I’ve always known.” He grinned. “Maybe that’s narcissistic of me, or maybe I’m just too confident, but I know that you feel the same way. And I know what we have is special.”

“I know,” I admitted. “It’s just scary to feel this way about someone you haven’t known that long.”

“I know.” He kissed me on the lips this time. “But that doesn’t mean that it’s any less real or any less intense. Now, come on.”

He took my hand and led me into the study where we sat down on one of the leather couches. I looked around the room at the buck heads on the wall and the leather-bound books on the shelves. If I’d ever thought about what a study on a ranch should look like, it would have been this.

“Do you like it?” Austin asked. “It’s not too much with the stag heads?”

“No, it fits. I’m not really into hunting or anything, but I don’t mind it.”

“Maybe you’ll be into hunting someday. I’d love to take you.”

“I’d be willing to try. I might be scared, but I’d be willing to try.”

“That’s all I ask of you, sweetheart. I’m not going to push you out of your comfort zone. I know you weren’t brought up in this world. I know that you’re not a cowgirl at heart. But whatever you’re comfortable with, whatever you want to do, I support you, okay?”

“Thank you, Austin,” I whispered.

Then Amelia and Ranger walked into the room. Ranger shut the door behind him, and they sat on the couch opposite us.

“So what’s this, your mom says you want to talk to us?” He frowned as he stared at Austin.

“Yeah, Dad, Mom. I need to talk to you about something serious.”

“Okay. I hope nothing’s wrong.” He looked concerned. “What’s going on?”

“Well, Mom …”

“Yes, dear?” Amelia looked worried, too, now.

“I know when you wrote that ad for the newspaper, you were looking for a wife for Beau because you wanted grandkids and he’s your oldest.”

“Yes …”

“And Lucy responded to the ad and you liked her and you thought she’d be a good match for Beau.”

“That’s right.”

“And so you sent for her, and she came.”

“Yes, dear.”

“And you hoped that she would marry Beau and have a wonderful life together and lots of kids, and well, I’m just letting you know that’s not going to happen.”

“What do you mean?” Amelia looked at me. “I thought you were enjoying your time here.”

“Oh, I love it, Amelia. And I’m so grateful for you having me come and stay and—”

“Mom, Lucy and I are together.”

“What?” Amelia looked shocked and then her face broke into a smile. She looked over at her husband and gave him a knowing look. “You two are together?”

“Yes, Mom. I know you sent for Lucy so that she could be with Beau, but she and I have the connection, and we’re together, and you need to stop trying to push her and Beau together. You didn’t make a match for them, okay? I know you think that Lucy and Beau are falling in love and that they’re going to give you grandkids and all this stuff, but I’m telling you that there is no Lucy and Beau. And you’re just going to have to deal with it because she’s with me. I like her, she likes me, and—”

Ranger started laughing then, and then Austin frowned. “Dad, are you okay?”

“Oh, Amelia. I doubted you, but you were right,” Ranger chuckled.

“What?” Austin looked as confused as I felt. “What are you talking about?”

“Yeah, I’m confused as well,” I chimed in.

Amelia just sat there beaming. “Oh, my dear,” she grinned at Austin and then at me. “I am the best matchmaker in the world, aren’t I?” She looked at Ranger. “Didn’t I tell you that I knew what I was doing?”

“I guess you did, my love,” he said.

“What is going on here, Mom and Dad? Please tell me.” Austin shook his head, “I’m really confused.”

“Amelia, do you want to tell them?” Ranger said.

“I think I should,” she laughed. “So as you know, I want grandkids.”

“We all know that, Mom,” Austin nodded. “Now, hurry up with the story, please?”

“Austin, don’t talk to your mom that way!” I frowned at him.

“Sorry, Mom.”

“That’s okay. And thank you, Lucy,” she grinned at me. “I appreciate you speaking up for me.”

“No worries, Amelia. I know how Austin can be.”

“Oh, yes, dear. You know. Well, as I was saying, I wanted grandkids in the house, and I have seven tall, strapping sons, and I just need at least one of them to get married.”

“Yes, Mom,” Austin said as he rolled his eyes. “Let’s hurry it up, please.”

“Oh, Austin, you have so little patience. He’s got such a hard head, you know?” she looked at me. “And that’s why I did it.”

“Did what?”

“Put the ad in the newspaper,” she replied. “But I wasn’t looking necessarily for Beau. I was just looking for a match for one of my sons.”

“Okay, and?”

“And Lucy responded. And well, she was a breath of fresh air. She sent me such beautiful emails, and then we spoke on the phone, and I realized that she was a perfect match.”

“She’s not a perfect match. I already told you that, Mom,” Austin cleared his throat. “She and Beau are not—”

“I never said for Beau, dear,” she said. “Beau was never the one I had in mind for Lucy.”

“You what?” Austin’s eyes narrowed. “I’m confused.”

“I knew all along that Lucy was perfect for you, son.” She looked at her husband. “Didn’t I tell you that, Ranger? Didn’t I say I’m talking to a woman that I think would be absolutely perfect for Austin?”

“Yes, you did, my dear. Yes, you did.”

“You knew that Austin and I would be a great match?” I said in surprise. “Seriously?”

“But I know my hard-headed, stubborn son. If I were to tell him that I had sent for a bride from New York to marry him, he would have said, hell no! And no matter how much he was attracted to you or how much he would have wanted to be with you, he would have said no because that’s just his personality. He’s obstinate and hard-headed and—”

“We get it, Mom. You think I’m hard-headed.” Austin chuckled. “So you thought Lucy and I would get along?”

“Yes. But I knew that if you thought she was here for you, then it would never work. So we told everyone that she was here for Beau.”

“Wait, what? You lied to me? Does Beau know?”

“Of course he knows. I couldn’t have Beau falling in love with Lucy as well.”

I was in shock. “So you actually thought that Austin and I would get on?”

“Yes. I knew it. A match made in heaven.” She looked over at Ranger, “And I told Ranger. I said, I have the perfect woman for Austin. And Ranger said, Austin will never accept you messing around in his love life. And I said, well, Austin will not know. And here we are.”

“So you planned for Lucy and me to get together, but you didn’t want me to know that Lucy and I were meant to be together.”

“Yep,” she grinned. “I may be your mother, but I do have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

“So then you’re not mad?” I said happily.

“Mad about what, dear?”

“I thought you’d be upset that Beau and I aren’t together.”

“Of course not I’m not mad. I never thought you and Beau were made for each other.”

“But I overheard you in the kitchen saying that you thought we were falling in love and that—”

She laughed. “I was talking about you and Austin. Not you and Beau.” She paused. “Though, I do think that your friend Olivia might be the one for him.”

“Mom, you’re not going to matchmake. Oh my God,” Austin shook his head. “Really?”

“I don’t have to matchmake, dear. I let fate take care of the matching. Don’t I, Ranger?”

“Yes, my dear.” He kissed her on the cheek and took her hand. “Though, I think fate had a little help from you.”

“So you’re okay with us being together?” I said. I knew she was but I just wanted the reassurance.

“Oh, I’m more than okay. I’m absolutely ecstatic. You two are the perfect couple, and I’m so glad that finally you admitted it to each other and come and admitted it to us. We’ll have to celebrate at dinner.”

“I already told you, Mom, we have plans.”

“What are these plans?” Amelia frowned.

“It’s a surprise for Lucy, Mom. And I’m not going to ruin the surprise by telling you.”

“Fine,” she said. “I hope it’s something romantic?”

“Yes. At least I think so.” He looked at me. “I hope you enjoy the evening, Lucy.”

“I’m pretty sure I will. I enjoy everything with you.”

“Oh, aren’t they such a wonderful couple?” Amelia beamed. “You two make my heart so happy.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear that, Mom,” Austin looked like he wasn’t sure whether he wanted to cry, shout, scream, or laugh. He looked at me. “My mom is a mastermind, and I know I should be mad, but I can’t be. Not when I have you, my beautiful, beautiful Lucy.”

“Well, obviously, I’m not mad at all because you’re wonderful, and I’m so happy to be here.”

“Well, isn’t this just great?” Amelia beamed as she stood up and walked over to me and gave me a big hug. “Welcome to the family, Lucy. I’m so happy that you and Austin have found each other, and I’m so happy that I could be a catalyst to your love.”

“Mom, really?” Austin rolled his eyes.

“What, Austin? If it wasn’t for me—”

“I know. I know. I never would’ve met her. Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Dad.”

“Well, don’t thank me.” Ranger shook his head. “I thought it was a very bad idea, but obviously your mom knew better than me.”

“I certainly did.” Amelia looked smug. “Please remember that.”

“I will,” he groaned. He then walked over to me and gave me a hug as well, his blue eyes sparkling. “Welcome to the family, Lucy. It’s a pleasure to have you. And I know that you and Austin are a perfect match.” He choked up.

I gave him a tight hug in response. “Thank you,” I said. “I’m so, so happy to be here.”