The Cowboy's Bride Read Online Free Page A

was still cancer, none the less. Chemo was
scheduled for the following Monday, and their wedding was scheduled
for the Saturday after.
    Jake knew that it was a bad idea to get
married right now, especially while she was going to be so sick. He
offered to marry her before the chemo, but Tess wanted everything
to be perfect, and he wanted that for her, too.
     
    The wedding plans were coming along nicely.
They were going to get married in a private family ceremony on the
small area that split both properties. Jake planned to build an
arch for them to get married under, and then after the wedding they
would live on Jake’s ranch with Jake and his mother, where five
generations of Anders had lived before.
    It was a good thought, knowing that he would
live in the same place as would his and Tessa’s children.
    Tessa got her period a few days after the
cancer diagnosis, which was a good thing. With the way Tessa’s life
had been going lately, Jake didn’t think she could take another
disappointment. Jake, however, was still disappointed. He couldn’t
help but mourn the child that never came to be. He wanted a family
with Tess, and couldn’t wait for the cancer to be gone, so they
could have that.
    Jake knew he was selfish, but he waited
twenty-nine years for Tess, and he didn’t want to wait a moment
longer. Sitting on his front porch steps, waiting for Tessa to come
home from dress shopping with her mother, Jake thought about how he
and Tess finally got together.
     
    “ Jake,” Mike, the bartender at Recluse,
called. Jake turned to the sound and grinned. He put one finger up,
singling his need for a beer. A tall one—no foam.
    “ Mike, what’s up?” Jake asked,
fist-bumping the bartender. He and Mike went to school together and
had been pals ever since.
    “ You meeting up with Tess?” Mike
asked.
    Jake turned his head to the left and then to
the right. “Why? Is she here?”
    “ In the back,” Mike said, motioning with
his chin. “She looks like she needs a stress relief.”
    “ You watch yourself,” Jake said,
half-jokingly/half-serious. “See you later.”
    “ See ya.”
    Jake walked toward the back of the bar and
noticed Tessa right away. She wore a pair of Levis like they were
made just for her. Tight, form fitting to each and every curve of
her hot body. She wore a peasant top in white, that came down to a
‘V’ a little lower than appropriate for work. Jake smiled. Tessa
looked up right away.
    “ Look what the cat drug in,” Tessa
remarked, bringing her Bud Light up to her lips. She took one small
swig, then placed it in front of her. Jake walked over to her booth
and sat down right beside her, bumping her thigh into his.
    “ Gees, leave a girl some room,” she said.
There was a tremble in her voice that showed Jake she was just as
affected by his presence as he was to hers.
    “ Don’t mind if I don’t,” Jake commented.
“So, slick, you drowning in your sorrows?”
    “ Eh, last day of school—thank
God.”
    Tessa was a third grade teacher at Benton
Elementary. She was well loved by everyone.
    “ I bet. Kids driving you nuts?”
    “ Not so much the kids, but Mr.
Radely.”
    “ Radely’s a dick. I’m glad you are rid of
him for the summer.”
    Radely was the school’s principal. He
graduated with Tessa and Jake and had tried to act like his shit
didn’t stink ever since. He was a pain in most people’s asses and
twice daily on the days that school was in session.
    “ Yeah, definitely. So, are you getting
ready for Round up?”
    “ Sure am. So’s your dad.”
    Nothing like small talk. How do you go about
asking a girl out that you’ve known your entire life?
    Tessa nodded then went to get up, forgetting
that Jake blocked the way, she touched his thigh with her left
hand. “Oh!” she squealed. “I’m…” her face went red.
    Jake’s did, too. “That’s okay, darlin’,
although, I’d think a lady would at least by a gentleman a beer
first.” Jake smiled at his joke, then