Mary Lou and Jared arrived at the Christmas Eve social about a half hour before it was scheduled to begin.
She found it hard to believe it had been over a month since they’d settled the ownership of the Pine Haven Record. The afternoon she’d found the second will, the sheriff had come by the paper and told them that Judge Sawyer had missed the train. It seemed the conductor had been more concerned about his schedule than an unhappy judge. The delay had allowed Judge Sawyer to amend his decree. He’d met them at the land office and ensured the new deed was drawn up to reflect their joint ownership.
Jared left Mary Lou just inside the door and went to interview Mr. Willis, the owner of the barn, for the article they would write about the social.
She made notes about the decorations Peggy Dismuke and a group of ladies from the church had used to turn the Circle W barn into a festive setting for the town to celebrate Christmas.
Large wreaths of green adorned with red bows hung over the doors at the front and back of the barn. The children of Pine Haven had made paper chains and cut out stars that hung between the beams that supported the loft. Lanterns lit the interior with a soft, warm glow. Pinecones and berries were nestled in lush greenery on the serving tables.
Jasmine Willis stood at the bottom of a ladder and handed Doc Willis a sprig of mistletoe tied with ribbon. He hung it on a nail on the beam that crossed the center of the barn.
Mary Lou stood by the punch table and swayed to the cheerful music as the band practiced one final time before the guests would arrive. She jumped when Jared came up behind her and whispered in her ear, “You look lovely tonight, Miss Ellison.”
“You really shouldn’t startle me like that, Jared.”
“Well, the only way I know for you to stop being startled is for you to get used to having me near.”
He led her to a chair. “I’d like to talk to you about something important.”
“You would?” She strained to look up at him. “Then why don’t you come down here where we’ll be eye to eye.”
He nodded. “I think I can manage that.” He knelt on one knee in front of her. The music slowed and faded to silence as the musicians saw what he was doing. The few workers who were putting the finishing touches on the decor turned to watch.
Mary Lou couldn’t breathe. He took her left hand in his and held up a beautiful ring with an oval emerald at its peak pinched between the thumb and forefinger of his other hand.
“Mary Lou, would you like to wear this?” He slid it on her finger. “For the rest of our lives?”
She wrapped him in a hug. “Yes! Yes!” She didn’t loosen her grip when he stood and lifted her to her feet.
Andrew arrived just in time to witness the moment and called out from the doorway of the barn. “It’s about time you kept your promise to take care of her!”
Everyone laughed and resumed their work as the band played a lively tune.
Mary Lou relaxed her arms enough to look into Jared’s face, but she didn’t release him.
He winked at her. “Were you surprised?”
“You have my permission to surprise me anytime you want to, Mr. Ivy.”
He got punch for both of them and they sat close, talking for ages about the best time for a wedding. He kept saying New Year’s Eve, while she extoled the romance of a Valentine wedding.
She had every intention of letting him have his way. But she wouldn’t tell him just yet.
Several people stopped by during the course of the evening to congratulate Jared and offer her their best wishes.
Darkness had fallen outside and Mary Lou checked her watch for the time. She was about to close the cover when Jared reached for it. “May I?”
“What is it? You’ve seen this watch every day since you moved to Pine Haven.”
“Where did you get it?” He ran his finger across the carving on the outside of the pendant where it hung at shoulder height, pinned to her cape.
“Your grandfather gave it to me on my twenty-first birthday.”
Jared smiled that smile that told her he was discovering something deeper than a surface story. “Is it engraved?”
She was puzzled now. “Yes.”
He pulled his watch from his pocket and opened it. “My mother gave this to me when she was dying. She said Grump had sent it for my twenty-first birthday but she’d hidden it.” He held it out for her to see. “Does yours have the same inscription as mine?”
She almost cried when she read, A broken heart is an open heart.
Unable to speak, she nodded.
“So when I said Grump knew we needed to be together, I think he knew our hearts would be broken in the process.”
“He must have.” She was amazed at how God had taken her on a journey from being a young girl no one wanted to the happiest of women with a heart that had to be broken so it could expand enough to hold all the love that would come into her life.
“Would you care to dance, Miss Ellison?” He could still make her blush with his charm.
“I would like that very much.”
As they twirled around the barn floor on the Circle W Ranch with almost everyone in Pine Haven, Mary Lou felt wrapped up in a world all her own. Jared led them to the center of the floor and looked up at the mistletoe. She followed his gaze and at her smile he dropped a tender kiss on her lips.
He looked into her eyes, with one hand on her waist and the other holding her hand aloft. “We got off to such a rocky start. When did you decide you might be able to like me?”
“You may not believe it.” She let him spin her and came back into his arms.
“Try me.”
“When I saw you weeping at Mr. Ivy’s grave. I knew then what a caring man you are.”
“It was so hard to come here and find that he was gone. I wanted to know him and share his legacy with him.”
Mary Lou smiled up at Jared. “His legacy is in good hands.”
* * * * *
If you enjoyed THE RIGHTFUL HEIR, look for these other Love Inspired Historical titles by Angel Moore.
CONVENIENTLY WED
THE MARRIAGE BARGAIN
Find more great reads at www.LoveInspired.com
Keep reading for an excerpt from MONTANA COWBOY DADDY by Linda Ford.
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