Engaging Brooke

Jameson set his hat down. “Yes. Wes sold his parcel of land to her. What could she be up to?”

“I don’t know. But there is one thing I do know, and that is if I don’t get married the entire ranch goes to Mitch, and I’m afraid he’ll sell.”

This changed everything. At first when she’d talked about getting married, he’d thought it was a joke. A mockery. Did she really think he would marry her? Hell, he didn’t even feel like dating. He wasn’t ready to think of marriage, let alone marrying the little sister of the woman who left him. Besides, it didn’t make sense. Brooke could easily get any man she wanted and probably a host of those she didn’t. When he’d first seen her today, it wasn’t her mane of wild curls or her hazel eyes that caught his eye; it was her shy smile.

As strikingly beautiful as she was, a man would expect a coy or sexy expression, not something shy and unassuming, almost sweet. Few things in his life were sweet, but Brooke Palmer’s grin definitely was. It stirred something in him. When he had turned to look at her, he had been surprised to see her, and he was a little glad, too, although he didn’t know why. He’d always liked her. As a child she seemed to appear at the strangest times, when he was roping or returning the cattle to the pen, and always with her little sketch pad. He didn’t mind her presence; she was never a bother or in his way.

He wanted to help her, but he didn’t want to marry her. He didn’t plan to marry anyone. His focus was on BWB, but based on what she’d told him he understood her desperation. He didn’t want her to lose her land. Those facts united them in a way he hadn’t imagined. She understood what was at stake.

Brooke stood. “I’m sorry for disturbing you.”

Jameson stopped her. At first he’d thought her idea ridiculous, but he suddenly realized that her request wasn’t about romance or other fleeting emotions. This was a business deal. This was about saving history, their heritage. She understood it as much as he did. He met her startled hazel gaze. She really had grown into a beautiful woman. For a moment she made him think of the Calliope hummingbird—swift and bright. It was common to Montana and its name came from the Greek word meaning “little star.” With a woman like Brooke he could accomplish his goal. He was tired of outsiders messing with his town and interfering with the privacy they’d been able to maintain for generations. She wanted to use him, and he could use her. It would make them equals. A team.

“Brooke,” he said. “You’ve got yourself a groom.” He extended his hand to her. She took it and quickly let go.

* * *

Brooke wanted to hug him, kiss him, dance, maybe even laugh, but instead she rocked on her heels and hugged herself. “Great. We can go to the justice of the peace or just elope.”

Jameson shook his head. “If we’re going to do this, we’ll do it big.”

Her arms fell to her sides. “Big?”

“Yes, the bigger the better. Our wedding is going to be one this town will remember. We need to make a symbolic statement and show everyone that the families of Granger stick together.” His eyes were serious and probing. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Brooke met his dark stare. He was giving her a chance to turn back and retain her dignity. He was offering her a warning that he wouldn’t be an easy man to marry, that his heart belonged to the BWB. Not her. But, instead of being uneasy, her resolve grew. Even if their marriage would just be for show, it would be a dream come true for her to walk down the aisle toward Jameson Broward. She knew she was taking a big gamble, but she didn’t care.

“Brooke?” Jameson repeated. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

She smiled. “With all my heart.” She was sure.

Chapter 4

Jameson was sure his mother hadn’t blinked for a full minute. His father just stared at him and then finally said, “You’re doing what?”

The three of them sat in the Great Room, where only yesterday they’d been discussing Wes’s property sale. “I’m getting married,” Jameson said.

“To Brooke Palmer?” Gwendolyn repeated, just to make sure she’d heard her son correctly the first time.

He nodded. “Yes. We’re getting married this month.”

“But you can’t be serious,” Gwendolyn said.

“I am. You know I don’t joke.”

“But Brooke is—”

“I know who she is,” he cut in, not wanting his mother to elaborate. “How I feel about her shocked me, too, but I can’t help it. We’ve been seeing each other for some time.”

“How long?”

“Long enough for me to know I want to marry her.”

“But it’s so sudden,” Steven said. “Why not wait?”

“I don’t want to wait. I asked and she accepted and that’s all there is to it.”

“Really?” Steven said, doubtful.

Gwendolyn frowned. “You know how this will look?”

Jameson couldn’t help a grin. “I plan to make it look spectacular, and I need your help. Brooke has no one to help her so I said I’d take care of everything, but since I don’t know much about weddings...” He let his words fade away and sent his mother a look of hope.

“You want me to organize everything,” Gwendolyn finished.

“With no expense spared.”

And he meant every word. So Gwendolyn went into “planning” mode, and before he knew it, a lavish wedding was quickly set into motion. She had their wedding invitations designed. She also put together a list of dignitaries and guests she knew absolutely had to be there and other lesser-known ones, just so that they didn’t feel snubbed. A wedding planner was hired to assist with the overall organization and all related events including interviewing a number of caterers. Brooke thought she would be able to get to do some things on her own, like select her dress, but Gwendolyn insisted on helping her select her wedding gown.

“No daughter-in-law of mine is going to wear an off-the-rack dress.” And she was good to her word. She flew Brooke, along with Laney, in a private plane to Atlanta, Georgia, where Gwendolyn had made an appointment with a top fashion designer to make a custom wedding dress for Brooke. It was stunning. It had a bare back that plunged just enough to be both revealing and modest, with transparent, off-the-shoulder sleeves that extended into beaded gloves and a cinched, gathered waist, with a long train and a full billowy embroidered silk skirt that accentuated Brooke’s drop-dead figure.

News of Brooke and Jameson’s engagement spread through Granger overnight, like wildfire. But, the closer they came to the actual date, the more concerned his family became. Although his mother no longer expressed her doubts and his grandfather kept whatever thoughts he had to himself, his father was more to the point. One late afternoon, Steven visited his son as Jameson went over some paperwork in his study.

“You sure you know what you’re doing marrying this woman?” Steven asked.

Jameson sniffed, more amused than offended by the question. “I always know what I’m doing.”

His father sat. “That’s what worries me.”

“Why?”

“Because I feel as if you’re up to something. You can try to fool the rest of the family with your story about having a clandestine relationship, but I know you too well. I also know when I see a man in love and from what I’ve seen, that isn’t you.”

Jameson pushed his paperwork aside and rested his arms on the desk, prepared for a fight he planned to win. “I care about her.”

“You ‘care’ about your cattle, but when it comes to loving a woman, you need to feel a little bit more than that.” Steven folded his arms. “I know she loves you.” He smiled when he saw Jameson flinch. “Why does that surprise you?”

Because you’re wrong, Jameson wanted to say. He had to admire Brooke. She was playing her role as his fiancée better than he’d expected. “I didn’t say it did.”

“A look passed your face. If you don’t plan on accepting her love how can you give it back?”

“I’ll take good care of her.”

“There’s that word again. Care. Don’t shame me and Ray Palmer, but most of all, don’t shame her. If this is your idea of some sort of twisted revenge against Meredith, I want you to stop it.”

“It’s not. That happened more than ten years ago. I’m over it.”

“Are you?”