His Montana Bride

Finally.

He caught sight of his little sister Julie and her fiancé, Ryan Travers. His sister’s auburn curls framed her face. And even though this event was supposedly evening dress, or the Jasper Gulch version of evening attire, Julie wore a long sweater made with her wool, leggings, boots and a scarf around her neck. He shook his head and refocused on Dr. Jeff, who was still talking about his practice.

“Oh, Gwen wants you to meet her sister.” Dr. Jeff took a break to indicate his fiancée and the woman she was dragging toward them.

The woman didn’t look at all like Gwen Archer. The sister was tall, with brilliant red hair held in a clasp at the back of her head. A few stray curls had come loose and framed her face. A porcelain-doll face was his first thought. One of his sisters had collected those dolls and she’d had one with a perky nose, high cheekbones and creamy skin. But then he realized the sister of Gwen Archer had somewhat more defined features than those dolls. She was the exact opposite of her dark-haired, petite sister. Rose Red and Snow White came to mind as he looked at the Archers.

The bride’s sister wore a black dress with a flimsy black sweater that shouldn’t even have been called a sweater in his opinion. She said something to her sister and then she looked up, smiling at him, her green eyes flashing a warning. She had No Trespassing written all over her face. This was not a woman wanting to be fixed up, introduced or paired off.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

“Cord Shaw, this is my sister, Katie Archer.” Gwen held her sister’s arm and he noticed the firm set of the younger woman’s back. With her green eyes she could have been a cat about to scratch someone.

“Pleased to meet you, Miss Archer.” He held out a hand, forcing her to make the next move even if she didn’t want to. She hesitated and he felt a little bit guilty for forcing her hand, so to speak.

After the moment of hesitation, she reached and he took her hand in his. His attention focused on the jangle of silver bracelets around her wrist. When he looked up, she was watching him, her smile soft but genuine.

“Mr. Shaw, I believe we were already introduced.”

Had they been? He tried to remember but couldn’t. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” But the look in her eyes bothered him. Something about that look said she expected to be forgotten. And Cord couldn’t imagine anyone forgetting this woman. Even a confirmed bachelor like himself wasn’t immune to a beautiful woman. He just knew to avoid them for all he was worth.

Gwen Archer had an arm around her sister’s waist, but her dark eyes were on him. It would have been a good time to walk away, but curiosity kept him standing in front of them.

“I’m afraid Jeff and I are going to have to leave tonight. We were planning to stay at the ranch until Monday or Tuesday, but Jeffrey got a call and they need him in Missoula. I have to ride back with him so I can be at work Wednesday. I’m a resident at the same hospital. Your parents would have given Katie a ride, but their truck is full. Your dad said to see if you could give her a ride.”

Yes, that was the moment he should have seen coming. With all this romance in the air, people were going to get crazy and start expecting everyone to want to join in the fun. His dad had already been on the matchmaking crusade with his sisters. Cord managed an easy smile and opened his mouth to object.

“I can go home with you, Gwen. I don’t think I need to be here. I’m just the bridesmaid.” Katie shot him an apologetic look and he realized they were definitely kindred spirits.

Gwen’s eyes narrowed. She looked at Dr. Jeff, then at Cord and finally back to her sister. “You have to stay. They’re going to start planning the wedding procession, picking flowers and even cakes. If I can’t get back here in time, I’ll need you here to stand in for me. You, more than anyone, will know what I want. You probably know better than me.”

Katie blushed and her green eyes glistened. Cord was taken by surprise. She had the appearance of a woman who could handle almost any situation. Maybe it was the determined look in her eyes or the way she carried herself. He used to watch John Wayne movies with his dad. Katie reminded him of the actress Maureen O’Hara, the redheaded heroine who was often in those movies. Maureen O’Hara had never backed down, or at least he didn’t remember her backing down.

“Gwen, this is your wedding.”

“And you’re my sister. I have my residency and I know this is bad timing...”

“But I can’t stay here without you and expect everyone to haul me around.”

“I need you here,” Gwen continued. Next to her, Dr. Jeff looked at his watch. Cord glanced from the doctor to Katie and saw a woman who was probably used to caving in when it came to her sister.

“I’d be honored to give you a lift over to the ranch, Miss Archer.” He nearly groaned as the words slipped out. Thinking she looked like the redheaded Irish actress Maureen O’Hara didn’t mean he had to start talking and acting like John Wayne.

He was thirty-four and the last thing he needed was to get caught in this family drama. He especially didn’t like the look on Julie’s face as she headed his way. Now that she’d fallen in love, she seemed to want everyone to have a happy ending. Cord’s happy ending included him sitting by his lake with a fishing pole, his best dog and a thermos of coffee. Like their dad, Julie would have to realize that everyone was fair game in the matchmaking business but him.

“Really, I don’t see...” Katie tried to reject his offer. Julie was steps away from making contact with them.

Gwen’s hand was on her arm. “I’ll be back by the end of next week. I know I’m leaving sooner than we expected, but please, can you stay for me?”

“You know I’ll do it, Gwen.”

“Maybe you can help out with some of the other plans.” Gwen looped an arm through her sister’s and smiled up at her. “You’ll be bored and that will give you something to do while I’m gone.”

He could have sworn Katie mumbled something about not having her own life, but she smiled and told her sister of course she would help.

And then Julie was at his side, smiling her bright smile. “With your fashion background maybe you can help with the dresses!”

“The brides aren’t supplying their own dresses?” Katie looked at him for the answer, not Julie.

“We have a few companies willing to loan vintage dresses for the women who don’t have a vintage dress of their own. Wedding apparel is a little out of my comfort zone.”

“I thought you had a wedding coordinator?” Katie was now interested.

“We do have a wedding coordinator—Helen Avery—but she’s had a difficult time showing up. When I do see her, I want to know what we need so that we don’t have to just rely on her for the arrangements.”

“I see.” Katie glanced at her sister, a fresh wave of pain settling in those green eyes of hers. She flashed another smile, though. “I think my sister plans on wearing our great-grandmother’s dress. I believe you want the dresses to be from the early twentieth century, between 1900 and 1920.”

“I think so,” Cord hedged, glanced at his watch and started to think of excuses for escaping.

As much as he wanted to escape, Katie seemed just as in need. Her sister was talking, discussing the dress with seed pearls, handmade lace from Bavaria and silk so soft it might possibly fall apart if washed.

“I never wanted the dress,” Gwen Archer smiled at him and then reached for her fiancé’s hand. “But then this wedding came up and we both want this. We want to be married here, in a ceremony that means something to this community.”

He shook his head and bit back the reply that almost slipped out. Special? A ceremony with forty-nine other couples. He wouldn’t exactly put that under the heading of special, sentimental or anything else with meaning. It was his dad’s idea. It was another way to put Jasper Gulch on the map. If Cord had his way, he’d call the whole thing off, tell these couples to go home and plan a sweet ceremony in their local church with people they care about in attendance rather than eight guests per couple and half the town of Jasper Gulch.

But none of that mattered because Katie lifted her hand to flick away a tear that rolled down her cheek. All while her sister continued to talk about that dress she hadn’t really wanted to wear.

Okay, he was a rescuer by nature. He’d hoped to keep that part of himself tamped down, locked up and out of sight. But the glisten of tears in Katie’s eyes, the way she managed to smile and agree with her sister about how perfect this would be, couldn’t be ignored.

“Let me give you a ride to the ranch, Miss Archer. I’m about done in with wedding planning and I’d imagine you’ve had a long day.”

“I have had a long day,” she agreed and her gaze met his, silently thanking him. For the first time in a long time he was happy to be a rescuer.

Gwen shot her a look and then stepped closer to Dr. Jeff. “Then I guess we’ll head back to Missoula. Are you sure you’ll be okay here, Katie?”

Katie smiled, nodded and told her sister she’d be just fine and she’d make notes about the ceremony. And Gwen needed to make sure she got the dress fitted. It would be long for her and probably too big around the waist.

Gwen hugged her sister. “I know you always wanted to wear it, Katie. But it will be perfect for this ceremony and I’ll make sure they take it up but don’t cut it. We can always let it out for you when you get married.”

Katie smiled. “Of course we can.”

Cord offered Katie his arm, knowing he’d regret it, knowing there were plenty of people watching who would talk later, make up stories and have him married off to the redhead from Missoula. He shook off regret and waited, looking down at her as she made the decision to take his arm. He gave her an encouraging smile. She nodded and her hand settled on his sleeve.

“Thank you, Mr. Shaw.”

“Cord.”