with lots of appreciative females.”
He was so smug and so full of himself that Seton wanted to ignore him. She couldn’t do that. There was a higher issue to deal with than what she thought of Sam. “You’re not really worried that your brother would fall for one of those women.”
“Look. Jonas is a weird bird. He gave up his successful practice in Dallas to come here and molder like month-old bread. He stayed busy around the ranch, and I’m pretty sure he had a thing for your sister. I don’t know that for a fact, but I live by my hunches and I’m usually not too far off.” He glanced over to see if Seton was listening. When he realized he had her complete attention, he continued. “Not to be telling tales on my bro, but when she left, it was like all the air went out of him. Who knows what he might do next? It’s Jonas. That’s all I can say.”
Seton closed her eyes for a moment, then looked out the passenger window. “Sam, I don’t think it will work.”
“What won’t?”
“I don’t think Sabrina would come back to Diablo for an engagement party.”
“She doesn’t want to see Jonas that badly?”
“I didn’t say that,” Seton said carefully. “I just think it would take a more serious reason to bring her back.” Yet Seton knew Sabrina really had to come to Diablo.
“Could you tell her your aunt needs her?”
“I could, but she’d just wonder why I couldn’t handle whatever it was. And I’m not going to lie and tell her Aunt Corinne is sick, because then she’d come home and know I’d lied.”
“It’s almost a straight shot to Las Vegas,” Sam said cheerfully. “Just about nine hours, as the crow flies.”
Seton took a deep breath. “A quickie marriage would defeat the purpose of getting Sabrina home, wouldn’t it?”
“True. We’d have to get married at Rancho Diablo for it to work. And sooner rather than later, I suppose.”
Seton glanced at Sam. “Are you proposing again?”
He laughed. “It would solve my situation, get your sister home to Jonas before he’s snagged by an overeager female—and in his current state, that could happen—and it would get you off the egg timer.”
“I’m fine. Thanks.”
What if she said yes? Could it work?
Would they later on regret getting married?
She didn’t have time to find out. “I guess it might be worth a try.”
Sam reached over and patted her leg again. “You’re an excitable female, I can tell.”
Seton shook her head. “When are we doing this?”
“Takes three days to get a marriage license, I bet. Blood work, find a priest…oh, shoot.”
“What?” Seton’s gaze snapped to him.
“Aunt Fiona and Uncle Burke will want to be here for the wedding.”
“Were they at Rancho Diablo for Rafe’s and Julie’s?”
“No,” Sam said, “and that’s why I don’t think they’ll miss another one. Bode’s lying low, and life is quite different from when they left. We’ve got to give them enough time to book flights, and that’ll be just enough time for you to get cold feet.” Sam glanced her way. “I don’t think I can risk it.”
“Trust me,” Seton said grimly, “I will not back out of marrying you.”
“Really?” he asked. “Finally realize my offer is a winner?”
She moved his hand off her leg. “That’s right, cowboy.”
“Works for me,” Sam said. “I don’t care how I get you there, just so long as I do. You find a dress, and I’ll take care of everything else.”
“Lovely,” Seton said, and felt a secret shiver that the cowboy she’d always wanted was finally going to be hers.
At least for a little while.
Chapter Five
“So I’d love for you to be my maid of honor,” Seton told Sabrina the next day. “Would you?”
“Oh, Seton,” she replied. “I’m so happy that you’re getting married. I always knew you had a thing for Sam, but—”
Seton jumped in before her sister could say no. “Who else would I want to be my maid of honor but you?”
“All right,” Sabrina said. “Of course
He was so smug and so full of himself that Seton wanted to ignore him. She couldn’t do that. There was a higher issue to deal with than what she thought of Sam. “You’re not really worried that your brother would fall for one of those women.”
“Look. Jonas is a weird bird. He gave up his successful practice in Dallas to come here and molder like month-old bread. He stayed busy around the ranch, and I’m pretty sure he had a thing for your sister. I don’t know that for a fact, but I live by my hunches and I’m usually not too far off.” He glanced over to see if Seton was listening. When he realized he had her complete attention, he continued. “Not to be telling tales on my bro, but when she left, it was like all the air went out of him. Who knows what he might do next? It’s Jonas. That’s all I can say.”
Seton closed her eyes for a moment, then looked out the passenger window. “Sam, I don’t think it will work.”
“What won’t?”
“I don’t think Sabrina would come back to Diablo for an engagement party.”
“She doesn’t want to see Jonas that badly?”
“I didn’t say that,” Seton said carefully. “I just think it would take a more serious reason to bring her back.” Yet Seton knew Sabrina really had to come to Diablo.
“Could you tell her your aunt needs her?”
“I could, but she’d just wonder why I couldn’t handle whatever it was. And I’m not going to lie and tell her Aunt Corinne is sick, because then she’d come home and know I’d lied.”
“It’s almost a straight shot to Las Vegas,” Sam said cheerfully. “Just about nine hours, as the crow flies.”
Seton took a deep breath. “A quickie marriage would defeat the purpose of getting Sabrina home, wouldn’t it?”
“True. We’d have to get married at Rancho Diablo for it to work. And sooner rather than later, I suppose.”
Seton glanced at Sam. “Are you proposing again?”
He laughed. “It would solve my situation, get your sister home to Jonas before he’s snagged by an overeager female—and in his current state, that could happen—and it would get you off the egg timer.”
“I’m fine. Thanks.”
What if she said yes? Could it work?
Would they later on regret getting married?
She didn’t have time to find out. “I guess it might be worth a try.”
Sam reached over and patted her leg again. “You’re an excitable female, I can tell.”
Seton shook her head. “When are we doing this?”
“Takes three days to get a marriage license, I bet. Blood work, find a priest…oh, shoot.”
“What?” Seton’s gaze snapped to him.
“Aunt Fiona and Uncle Burke will want to be here for the wedding.”
“Were they at Rancho Diablo for Rafe’s and Julie’s?”
“No,” Sam said, “and that’s why I don’t think they’ll miss another one. Bode’s lying low, and life is quite different from when they left. We’ve got to give them enough time to book flights, and that’ll be just enough time for you to get cold feet.” Sam glanced her way. “I don’t think I can risk it.”
“Trust me,” Seton said grimly, “I will not back out of marrying you.”
“Really?” he asked. “Finally realize my offer is a winner?”
She moved his hand off her leg. “That’s right, cowboy.”
“Works for me,” Sam said. “I don’t care how I get you there, just so long as I do. You find a dress, and I’ll take care of everything else.”
“Lovely,” Seton said, and felt a secret shiver that the cowboy she’d always wanted was finally going to be hers.
At least for a little while.
Chapter Five
“So I’d love for you to be my maid of honor,” Seton told Sabrina the next day. “Would you?”
“Oh, Seton,” she replied. “I’m so happy that you’re getting married. I always knew you had a thing for Sam, but—”
Seton jumped in before her sister could say no. “Who else would I want to be my maid of honor but you?”
“All right,” Sabrina said. “Of course
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