The Bartender’s Mail Order Bride(54)

“I don’t see why you did, Sam. I don’t see how there is much to talk about.” Her heart tugged at the dark circles under his eyes. He did look as if he hadn’t slept and she was pretty confident she looked the same.

“I haven’t said much since you left—”

“Since you made me leave,” Meg interrupted, heat rising in her cheeks at the memory.

Sam held up his hands. “Fair enough. Since I made you leave. But it’s been brought to my attention that maybe that wasn’t the best decision I’ve ever made.”

“Oh?” Meg raised her eyebrows.

“Yes. And I can finally see what a fool I’ve been. I felt so badly that I’d gotten you into such a ridiculous mess that I couldn’t see the forest for the trees.”

“Oh?” Meg’s heart leapt as she had an inkling where this might be going. She could almost take pity on him, his eyes were so dark and sad, but she thought she may as well get back at him a little.

“Please, help me here, Meg.”

“Help you what?”

Sam stood and turned toward the garden and paced several times, his brows furrowed.

Meg sat straight, her hands in her lap as she did her best to stifle a smile.

He stopped with his hands on his hips, his head hung. He cleared his throat and turned to her. “All right. I deserve this, but I’m just going to say it. Just hear me out.”

Meg remained silent, one eyebrow cocked and her head turned to the side.

“You can be aggravating, you know that, woman?”

Meg smiled demurely and said, “Can I?”

Sam let out a big sigh as he saw her smile, and she didn’t think she’d ever seen a look of relief like this on anyone before. He laughed and sat back down, his elbows on his knees as he leaned toward Meg.

“All right. I see how it is. I’ll just get it out.” He rubbed his chin then took Meg’s hand. “Do you remember when you told me that you’d wished I had courted you, before the mail order shenanigans?”

“I will never forget,” she said, maintaining her reserve when all she wanted to do was hug him.

“And you believed I hadn’t noticed you? Meg, that’s not the case at all. I did notice you. In fact, I even sounded your brother out about it, and he said that your father would have my hide. That he was nowhere near ready. But I had no idea that you’d felt that way, too.”

Meg’s heart raced as Sam stood and held out his hand for her. She knew she’d been right. That there had been a spark, somewhere deep down.

She thought her heart would burst as he pulled her toward him, his hand under her chin. She closed her eyes, hoping to feel his lips on hers, something she’d been wanting for a long time.

Meg opened her eyes as not only did she not feel Sam’s lips on hers, but he pulled his hand away.

“Meg, will you sit down for a moment?”

She sat slowly, wondering how he planned to torture her next. Her hand flew to her chest as he bent down before her on one knee and took a velvet box from his pocket.

“Meg Allen—er, Archer—um, Allen, this is a ring that belonged to my grandmother. My mother gave it to me this morning, specifically for you when she pointed out that I was behaving like an idiot, and letting the woman I love get away.”

“Oh, Sam—”

He held up a finger. “Please, let me finish. I’m hoping to be able to sleep and eat again soon, but I have to know. Meg, I’ve asked your father for your hand in marriage, and I’d be the happiest man on Earth if you’d do me the honor of—well, staying my wife.”

Tears pricked her eyes at the hopeful smile he wore, and she thought she might not be able to get the words out as she’d almost lost her breath.

“Oh, Sam, I’d be honored to—remain your wife.” She laughed and stood, pulling him to his feet with her as he placed the ring on her finger.

She knew she would have seen it sparkle if she hadn’t closed her eyes, the sensation of the ring on her finger and her hand in his was more than she could bear. She felt his hand on her chin as he pulled it up, and she finally got what she’d been wanting for so long—his soft, warm lips on hers.





Chapter 30





Meg could hardly believe that she was heading to the Occidental to have dinner with her husband—her real husband—and her mother-in-law. If someone had told her when she wrote the letter to Sam asking to be his mail order bride that things would have turned out like this, she wouldn’t have believed it.

Meg shook her head in amazement as she looked at the lovely lady beside her—lovely both inside and out. Although no one could ever replace her beloved mother, she felt quite lucky that she’d grown to love someone as special as Mrs. Allen—Mother Allen as she now called her.