Colorado Cowboy. C.C. Coburn

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СКАЧАТЬ the department store for the cab to take them to the airport. It was the first time she’d spoken to him since the ceremony.

      Luke looked at her, puzzled.

      “Thank you for giving my son a chance.” For once she wasn’t looking at him with barely disguised hatred in her eyes. “He’s our son,” he’d said. “We will make this work—together.” And then he’d spotted the jeweler’s window, turned to Matt and said, “Can we meet you back here in fifteen minutes?” He took Megan’s elbow and led her to the window. This might be a marriage of convenience and Megan might hate his guts—although Luke was at a loss to understand why—but a ring was symbolic and, right now, that was all this marriage had going for it.

      “Choose a ring,” he’d said.

      “Luke, this isn’t necessary. We’ve been through the motions. I think that’s all Cody really wanted.” She smiled tightly. “In fact, I think he’s as shocked as we are.”

      Luke couldn’t help grinning. “He is, isn’t he? Maybe we should surprise him every so often by agreeing to some outrageous idea.”

      “Careful,” she warned. “He’s got an active imagination.”

      Luke hadn’t let go of her elbow and he gave it a little squeeze, needing to impart a sense of mutual purpose. “I’m sure at heart he’s a good kid, Megan. We can do this.”

      She nodded as though resigned to their situation. “I’m determined to.”

      Luke had followed her into the jewelry store. An assistant showed them the wedding rings, and Megan selected a plain gold band for Luke. “The girls will like this,” he said. “Okay, let’s get something special for you.”

      “I’d completely forgotten about your little girls. How are they going to feel about this? You coming home with a wife and a son. It’s going to be an awful shock for them.”

      “They’ll probably insist we get married all over again for their benefit.”

      Megan bit her lip. Luke didn’t want to find it endearing, but it reminded him of her so long ago….

      “Never fear, we have our very own judge in the family. Becky will rise to the occasion with a far more romantic event than our first wedding. If that’s what you’d like.”

      Megan blushed and looked back at the rings, and Luke drew his cell phone out of his pocket. “You keep doing that. I’m just going to call my girls and let them know what’s going on.”

      Luke had turned away from Megan to make his call in private. Fortunately, he got hold of Matt’s wife, Beth, rather than one of his daughters. Matt had apparently called Beth already and explained the situation. “Congratulations, Luke! I don’t know anyone who’s gained both a son and a wife in one day before.”

      “Very funny,” he said. “Can you put one of the girls on, please? I feel I need to warn them.”

      “Lucky for you, Sash isn’t home at the moment. But Daisy’s here. I’ll put her on.”

      Luke grimaced as he waited for Daisy. Beth was right, Sash probably wasn’t going to be happy at the news of his marriage. She was full of teenage angst and hormones, and these days it was more likely she’d be in a bad mood than a good one.

      “Hi, Daddy!”

      “Hey, squirt,” he greeted his middle daughter, Daisy.

      “When are you comin’ home?”

      “Tonight, honey, but first I need to tell you something.”

      THE CALL COMPLETED, Luke had closed his phone and turned to Megan. He hoped he hadn’t said anything on his end to give any indication that things mightn’t be rosy back at the ranch at the news of their marriage.

      “How about that one?” she asked.

      He shook his head. “Too plain. Hey, that’s nice.” He pointed to a diamond-encrusted gold band.

      “It looks like an engagement ring,” Megan said.

      “No, madam,” the assistant remarked. “It’s a special design that incorporates the engagement and wedding rings in one design.”

      “I like it,” Luke said. “It suits us. We got engaged and married at the same time.”

      When Megan had looked up at him and blinked, Luke experienced a rush of protectiveness toward her. She seemed as full of wide-eyed innocence now as she had nearly fifteen years ago. If only he’d realized back then how much their actions would change their lives…

      “I guess you’re right. Okay,” she said.

      The assistant had removed the ring and passed it to Luke, who raised Megan’s hand and placed it on her finger, holding his breath and hoping it fit. It really was a beautiful ring and symbolic of their hasty engagement and marriage. “Perfect,” he said when it fit. He looked into her eyes, trying to see what was hidden there.

      She’d blushed and pulled her hand away. “We’d better get back. They’ll be wondering what’s happened to us.”

      Luke nodded. There’d been something in her eyes, something strange and unreadable. He planned to get answers when they were alone at the ranch—starting with why she’d kept Cody’s existence a secret.

      He’d quickly paid for the rings and, as they didn’t need wrapping, headed outside to find Matt and Cody still waiting, only now Cody was wearing headphones attached to a handheld gaming device he was absorbed in playing.

      “Cody! Where did you get that?” Megan cried, as though fearing he’d stolen them.

      “Relax.” Matt placed a restraining hand on her arm before she pulled the headphones off and repeated her question. “Cody suggested we pop back into the store. Somehow I got talked into buying him that.”

      “I’m so sorry, Matt,” Megan said. “I…I’ll pay you back as soon as I can.”

      “Megan, he’s my nephew and I owe him a bunch of birthday and Christmas presents. Besides, it’s a long trip back to Denver and this is a small price to pay for some peace and quiet. He hasn’t uttered a single curse since he put them on.”

      “Really?” Megan’s frown turned into a smile, lighting up her face. Luke liked the effect.

      Luke hailed a cab, which whisked them to the airport. Since it was a Friday, the flight was full, but fortunately there were seats available in first class. Luke purchased them without batting an eye.

      Cody had seemed impressed and set about devouring every item of food offered to him. He’d then downed a couple of sodas and fallen asleep.

      Luke glanced across the aisle at his sleeping son and felt a pull of recognition. He was an O’Malley all right. In spite of the hair and the piercing, he resembled the O’Malley males. He was already pushing six feet and would no doubt end up at least as tall as Matt, who at six-four was the tallest of the five brothers and two inches taller than Luke. Matt, too, was sleeping. How alike his son and his brother looked. Cody had the square, sometimes stubbornly set jaw СКАЧАТЬ