Spring Texas Bride (The Brides 0f Bliss Tx. Book 1) Read online

  But when he came to the fork in the road, instead of taking the left turn that led to Whispering Falls, he took the right turn.

  Spring immediately sat up. “Where are we going?” Before he could answer, they passed the land where Spring’s vintage trailer was parked. Or used to be parked. It was no longer there.

  “Where’s your trailer?” he asked. When she didn’t answer right away, he glanced over to see her staring out the window at the vacant lot.

  “Umm . . . I moved it.”

  “Where? I thought your Jeep was broken.”

  “It is. I had Dirk move it closer to his house. You were right. I was scared being all the way out here by myself.” She sent him a bright smile. “So where are we going on our picnic?”

  Waylon winked. “It’s a surprise.”

  Although it wasn’t much of a surprise. As soon as they pulled up to the corpse of trees, Spring knew where they were. “The little white chapel!” She jumped out and headed down the path that led through the trees. He got a blanket from the back and their bags of food, then hurried to catch up with her.

  “I figured you’d like my choice,” he said as he took her hand. “All women seem to love the little white chapel.”

  “Because it’s the place where dreams come true.”

  He chuckled. “You make it sound like the baseball field in the movie Field of Dreams.”

  “For women, it’s just like that. It’s the place where all the mail-order brides were married—the real ones and the fictional ones that Lucy Arrington wrote about in her Tender Heart series. A place filled with happily-ever-afters.” She tugged him into the clearing and released a gasp. “Oh my gosh. I’ve never seen it in the spring. It’s beautiful.”

  Waylon had to agree. The little white chapel had always been pretty with its pristine white siding, tall stately spire, and stained-glass windows. But in spring, it was breathtaking. The open field that surrounded the church was filled with vibrant bluish-purple bluebonnets. And maybe it wasn’t spring that made it breathtaking as much as Spring.

  She tugged him through the field of flowers, her dark hair and pretty pink dress fluttering in the breeze. She stopped right in front of the chapel and lifted her gaze to the tall spire, then closed her eyes.

  He didn’t need to ask what she was doing. All the girls in high school had whispered about the legend of the chapel. A legend that said if you made a wish on the chapel’s spire for true love, you’d find it.

  Waylon had always thought the legend was silly. But as he looked at Spring’s beautiful profile turned toward the clear blue sky, it didn’t seem silly at all. In fact, suddenly, he believed in magic. Suddenly, he believed that dreams could come true.

  With Spring’s hand tucked securely in his, he turned toward the church, closed his eyes, and made a wish.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Spring wasn’t just happy. She was downright giddy. She tried to blame the giddiness on sexual satisfaction. Waylon was an amazing lover. He was attentive, thorough, patient, and had figured out all her hot spots. He knew where to kiss her neck to make her tremble. How to caress her breasts to make her knees weak. And what angle to thrust to send her over the moon. Any woman would be giddy with sexual satisfaction after spending two weeks in Waylon’s bed.

  Every night, she parked in his garage and snuck into his house. Dirk thought she was staying in her trailer, but Spring thought Gracie knew better. There was a sparkle in her sister-in-law’s eyes whenever Spring made excuses for why she couldn’t come to dinner or stop by the house.

  Spring wanted to talk to Gracie. Maybe she could shed some light on the giddy feeling. But she worried that if the news of her affair with Waylon got out it would damage his reputation. He might act like he didn’t care, but deep down she knew that he did. He wasn’t as straight-laced as he used to be, but he still wanted to make his father and the townsfolk proud of him. Plus, she didn’t want him to lose his job. He loved being a sheriff. And the more he relaxed, the better sheriff he became.

  Although he still had his moments.

  “Miss Hadley!”

  She smiled as she got up and headed to his office. He sat behind his desk staring at the new screensaver she’d put on that morning when he was out on patrol. “Yes, Sheriff Kendall?” she asked innocently.

  He swiveled his chair and pointed to the screen. “What’s that?”

  She bit back a smile. “It’s a shirtless cowboy straddling a fence. I thought you said you wanted something more masculine.”

  His lips twitched. “That’s not what I had in mind.”

  “Sorry, sir. Would you like the dancing pugs back?”

  “As a matter of fact, I would. Those pugs were pretty cute. In fact, I’ve been thinking about getting one. Sherlock could use a buddy. “

  “I think that’s a great idea,” she said. “Is there anything else, sir?”

  He got up and moved around his desk. “There are a couple things I want to discuss. Did you get on my personal laptop and cancel my subscription to the online dating site?”

  She held his gaze. “Yes.”

  His lips twitched again. “Good. I’ve been wanting to do it, but I’ve been extremely busy—what with my new demanding girlfriend.”

  “Demanding?”

  He leaned on the desk and crossed his arms. “The woman can’t seem to get enough. But I shouldn’t be talking about that with my assistant. Totally improper.”

  “Totally.” She lifted an eyebrow. “Is that all you needed, Sheriff?”

  “No. I need something else. Unfortunately, that would also be improper.” He glanced down at his desk. “But I think about it . . . a lot. And one day, I don’t think I’m going to be able to stop myself.”

  Talk about melting panties. Spring’s incinerated. She released a breathy moan that made Waylon’s eyes heat.

  He glanced at the clock on the wall. “Two hours and twenty-two minutes before we can go home. I’ll warn you now, Miss Hadley. You aren’t going to make it past the foyer.”

  Her grip tightened on the doorknob, and her voice hit a high note when she spoke. “I’ll look forward to it, sir.” She pulled the door closed behind her, then stood there for a moment with her forehead pressed against the lacquered wood. The front door opened, and she collected her tingling female parts and turned to find her two sisters standing just inside the door.

  She had missed them, but she didn’t realize how much until this moment. She didn’t hesitate to walk straight over and pull them into her arms. They didn’t say anything. They didn’t have to. Their communication had always run deeper than words. They stood with their arms linked and their dark heads touching. Spring felt like two of her body parts had reattached. She’d been happy before, but now she felt complete. Autumn and Summer must’ve felt the same way. When they lifted their heads, their eyes locked and identical smiles lit their faces.

  Then Summer had to ruin the connection by stepping back and opening her mouth. “Okay, office playtime is over. It’s time to get your butt back to the real world.”

  Autumn glared at her. “I told you to let me do the talking.”

  “I know what you told me, but I’ve never been good at taking orders. And you’ve never been good at communicating. You’d be happy to spend the rest of your life in a tower filled with books and never talk to a single soul ever again.”

  Autumn heaved a sigh and crossed her arms. “Say you’re sorry.”

  Summer turned to Spring. Her eyes were sincere. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lost my temper.”

  “And?” Autumn prodded.

  “And you’re not a ditz. Now go pack your stuff and let’s go home.” Summer paused. “Please.”

  This is what Spring had wanted. She’d wanted Summer to apologize and beg her to come back home. Suddenly, she realized how childish and irresponsible her behavior had been. She owned a portion of the business. If she wanted an apology, she should’ve stayed in Houston and stood up to her sister and demanded one. Instea
d, she’d run off like the spoiled youngest triplet she was. No wonder Summer thought she was a ditz. She’d acted like one. An immature, irresponsible ditz. And her time away from her sisters had helped her to see that. Granny had been right. As much as she missed her sisters, she’d needed time away from them to find herself. To grow up.

  “I’m sorry too,” she said.

  “You don’t need to apologize, Spring,” Autumn said. “Summer and I both know you didn’t mean to leave the back door unlocked.”

  Spring shook her head. “I’m not apologizing for leaving the door open. That was an accident. I’m apologizing for running off without a word. That was irresponsible and immature.”

  “You’re damn straight it was,” Summer said. “Now let’s go.”

  “I’m not leaving.”

  Summer scowled. “Stop being a—”

  Autumn cut her off. “She’s right. She can’t just walk out on her job. She’ll need to give the sheriff at least a week’s notice so he can find someone else.”

  “I’m not giving him notice,” she said. “I took this job and I’m staying until Gail comes back. I couldn’t leave Waylon without an assistant.”

  Summer released an exasperated huff. “You’re just being hardheaded, Spring. I’m sure you’re not that indispensable to the sheriff.”

  “Stop it, Summer,” Autumn said. “I think it’s admirable that Spring wants to stay until the sheriff’s assistant gets back.”

  “But we need her at the store. We can’t lose any more customers.”

  “Sales are still down?” Spring asked.

  “Way down,” Autumn replied. “If they don’t come up by the end of this quarter, we’ll have to close.”

  Spring was ready to let the store go. It had never been her dream. And she wasn’t so sure it was Autumn’s either. They both had been bulldozed by Summer. But Spring couldn’t let herself be bulldozed any more.

  “I’m sorry that the store isn’t doing well, but I’m not going back to Houston.”

  “What do you mean you’re not coming back?” Summer said.

  Her answer came easily. “I mean I don’t want to live in Houston. I want to live here in Bliss.”

  Summer stared at her for only a second before she turned at Autumn. “I told you something was going on with her and the sheriff. All he did at lunch was sing her praises about what an honest, dependable, hardworking woman she was.” She looked back at Spring. “Please don’t tell me you’re in love.”

  Spring started to deny it, but before the denial could get past her throat, the truth dawned. She wasn’t giddy because she was sexually satisfied. She was giddy because she was in love. In love with Sheriff Waylon Kendall.

  Autumn eyes widened as she watched Spring. “I was trying to put my finger on what’s different about you. But that’s it, isn’t it? You’ve fallen in love.”

  Before Spring could reply, the front door opened and Mrs. Miller stepped in. She was carrying a little gray kitten in the crook of her arm. She glanced at Spring’s sisters.

  “Goodness gracious, you three are as identical as your nieces. Although I’ve watched the babies enough to be able to tell them apart.” She looked at Spring and smiled. “Which is why I’m here. Dirk and Gracie spread the word about what a good job I’ve done watching the triplets, and this Granny Nanny is booked until after Memorial Day with babysitting jobs.”

  “Oh my gosh!” Spring gave Mrs. Miller a hug, careful not to squash the cute little kitten. “That’s wonderful news.”

  “I have you to thank for it.”

  “I didn’t do anything, Mrs. Miller. All I did was make a suggestion to Gracie. She’s thrilled to have the help.”

  Tears came into Mrs. Miller’s eyes. “You did much more than that, young lady. You gave a lonely woman something to worry about besides her cats. You gave me a new lease on life.” She held out the kitten. “And I wanted you to have the pick of Mirabelle’s litter. Of course, she won’t be ready to leave her mama for another couple weeks.”

  “Aww,” she took the kitten and cuddled it close. “Aren’t you the cutest little thing ever?” While Spring was making a fuss over the cat, Jonas came in.

  “There’s a no animals rule in the office,” he said. A grin spread over his face. “But I guess I can let it slide this time.”

  Spring glanced at the clock. “You’re early for your shift. Is something wrong?”

  His smile got bigger. “Actually, everything’s right. I came to work early because I wanted to tell you that I’ve decided to retire and move to Fort Worth where my son and his family live.” He stood a little taller. “I got a job teaching classes at the sheriff’s training academy there. It’s just part time, but I figure between it and my grandkids I should be kept pretty busy.”

  “I’m so happy for you.” Jonas had made it perfectly clear that he wasn’t a hugger, but she couldn’t help giving him one.

  He even gave her a little squeeze back before he cleared his throat. “Well, I better go take a nap so I’ll be ready for the nightshift.” He tipped his hat at her sisters and Mrs. Miller, who blushed the prettiest shade of pink.

  Spring was struck by what a cute couple they made. But before she could do a little matchmaking, the phone rang. For the next fifteen minutes, she had to deal with a flood of phone calls about the traffic light on Main Street being broken. In between calls, she radioed Tucker and sent him to direct traffic. Then she called Doug Hansen, who had fixed the troublesome light before. When she had finally finished dealing with the light problem, she turned to her sisters who had taken seats in the reception area. They were both staring at her as if they didn’t recognize her.

  “What?” she asked.

  Autumn smiled. “Granny Bon was right.”

  “That’s why we didn’t come to Bliss sooner,” Summer said. “Granny Bon made us promise to stop suffocating you. She was convinced you needed time away from us so you could grow up.” Granny Bon was the only person Summer listened to. Or sort of listened to.

  “So that’s why you tried to get Waylon to talk me into coming home,” Spring said. “That way you could keep your promise to Granny, but still get me to come back.”

  “It didn’t work. Waylon refused to help me.” Summer studied her. “And now I know why. Not only is he daffy in love with you, but you’re damned good at your job.”

  The unexpected praise brought tears to Spring’s eyes. Or maybe it was the combination of her sister’s praise and the thought of Waylon loving her. She wished with all her heart that it was true. But he hadn’t said a word about love. And maybe he was just waiting for her to say the words first.

  “Come on, Summer.” Autumn got to her feet. “Let’s let Spring get back to work and go see our nieces.”

  Summer stood and studied Spring. “You’re really not coming back?”

  More tears filled her eyes as she shook her head. “I’m happy here, Summer.”

  Summer nodded before she pulled Spring in for a tight, bone-crushing hug. “I love you, Spring Leigh Hadley. I might’ve been harder on you than Dirk or Autumn, but that’s only because I didn’t think you were living up to your potential. You are an amazing woman. I’m sorry if I kept you from finding that out sooner.”

  Tears dripped down Spring’s face. “Oh, Summer. I’m going to miss you and Autumn so much.”

  Autumn placed her arms around her sisters and joined the hug. “No one is going to miss anyone. It’s not like we live in Timbuktu. Houston is only a couple hours away. Now that we don’t have to worry about our promise to Granny Bon, we can visit all we want.”

  Summer pulled back. “She’s right. We’ll see each other a lot. In fact, this summer, let’s take a camping trip together in your little ham can.”

  “That’s if Daddy ever brings it back.” The words just popped out, but Spring was glad they did. She was tired of hiding the truth.

  Summer’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t tell me you loaned Daddy your camper, Spring.”

  “Not loa
ned exactly. He took it without my permission, but he promised to bring it and my Jeep back.”

  Summer groaned and shook her head. “You might’ve become responsible, but you’re still gullible. Daddy isn’t going to bring them back. Especially when he’s running from the law.”

  Chapter Twenty

  “You probably used a bad picture,” Waylon’s mother said. “That’s the only explanation for why online dating didn’t work for you. You’re a handsome, intelligent man with a great job and beautiful home. What woman wouldn’t want to date you?”

  Waylon smiled and adjusted the phone to his ear. “Thanks, Mom.”

  “You’re welcome, but don’t be getting a big head. You’re also stubborn and single-minded like your father. But hopefully the women won’t figure that out until after you hook them with your charm. When you come for Easter I’ll have your father take another photograph of you. He’s become quite good at photography now that he’s retired.”

  Waylon was surprised. When he was growing up, his dad hadn’t known one end of a camera from the other. “I don’t need Dad to take another picture, Mom. I no longer belong to the online dating site.”

  “But you didn’t even give it a good college try before you quit.”

  “I tried it, Mom. And it might work for some people, but it didn’t work for me.” He could feel her disappointment seeping through the receiver. Since he never liked to disappoint his mother, he got to the reason he’d called her in the first place. “There’s someone I’m bringing with me when I come for Easter.”

  “Did you get another dog? I’ve always thought that Sherlock needed a friend to perk him up. That has to be the laziest dog I’ve ever seen in my life.”

  “He’s not lazy. He just enjoys sleeping better than exercising. And I’m not talking about a dog.”