Read Not Looking for Love: A Cowboy Romance Online
Authors: Mae Martini
Not Looking for Love: A Cowboy Romance (28 page)
Three months later…
The front few pews of both sides of the aisle in the little church were full with family and friends of Richie, even the crew from Fredericksburg was there. Kara’s only family were in the bridal party. Her mother had passed a few years ago. Kara was grateful she resumed a relationship with her before she did. Her brother had told her to invite their father, but she adamantly refused. The last time she saw her father, he showed up at her home a week after that picture of her and Richie was snapped at that auto auction in Pebble Beach. And he had asked her if her
boyfriend
would front him a loan for a gambling debt he owed, a sizable loan. She had no idea he knew where she even lived.
Jon Storm had ceased being a father to her when he remarried and started another family, and when she was in need of some financial help he refused her, saying ‘It’s for your own good. How else will you learn to be responsible’? She was eighteen years old and struggling to pay the rent. She had mentioned it to Richie in the past and he had told her if she wanted to help her father out he would give him the money. God, she loved this man. He had been so good to her over the years, wanting to please her and give her anything she wanted. She truly felt so loved by him. She had never taken advantage of him and she was damn sure she wouldn’t allow anyone else to either. Eric did maintain a relationship with their father and told Kara that he always asked how she was doing.
Victoria Madison and her sons were present as well as Kara’s colleagues and assistants from work. Even Richie’s cousin, Will, was present along with Will’s estranged wife and twin girls. Bridgette had caught him in bed with her best friend and threw him out. Will’s family stood by Bridgette and the girls and Will did a stint in rehab for two months. They were taking it day by day, but Bridgette lost a best friend.
A month prior to the wedding day, Will asked Richie for a chance to meet with him and Kara to apologize for his transgressions. Kara had agreed. How could she say no? He was working his way through the twelve step program, and Richie had told her stories of how close they were while growing up, along with the fact that he beat the shit out of him for her that night at the hotel.
When Richie and Kara began planning their wedding, Richie told her it was up to her where she wanted to get married. He offered to fly her family to Aruba if that was an option. Only a moment was spent on thinking about that destination. Kara had brought up a good point. That choice would cause chaos if and when the news got out that Richard Warren III was going to marry there.
They had discussed getting married in California. His parents had offered their home, but Kara was uncomfortable being there, and Richie understood. He even mentioned New York City or New Jersey, but it didn’t seem right. One place had no meaning for them and the other, bad memories. Kara had asked to keep it low key so as not to draw attention, but that was only after Richie said he’d be all for a simple, elegant ceremony and reception. In fact he was grateful she wanted it. In the end they agreed on marrying right there in Wimberley, in the little church down the road. And given the fact that Richie didn’t want to wait it would be easy to plan something on short notice. He just wanted to settle down with her already.
“Oh, Heath,” Logan said, shaking his head and laughing. Only Richie heard him. They were watching Heath, Kara’s nephew Max, and Max’s sister, Emily walk down the aisle on the white runner as they stood by the altar.
“You’re gonna have your hands full there, Logan. That kid knows how to work it.”
“Hah! Yeah, I know.”
Heath and Max were walking on either side of Emily, and Heath kept trying to put his arm around her while she scooped up red rose petals from her basket and dropped them on the runner in large clumps. Her brother kept shoving Heath’s arm away from her. Once they made it all the way up to the altar, Bella got up and ushered Max and Emily to the seats next to her and her husband as Heath threw his arms around Richie. Richie bent his head and hugged him as Heath kissed his cheek.
“Good luck, Uncle Richie.” Yeah, he had said Richie’s name right. The kid was growing up.
“Yeah, I’m gonna need it, right? Marrying a girl and all.”
“Don’t worry, Uncle Richie, we’ll still have our guys only weekends.”
Richie nodded. “Always.”
“And when Uncle Richie has a son, he could join us, Heath,” Logan said.
Heath smiled. “Yeah, when he’s out of diapers so we don’t have to smell him.”
They laughed as Richie hugged him one last time then he and Logan watched as he walked over to Melanie and took a seat next to her, in the front pew.
The choir director, on the loft above, at the back of the church, took to the mic and began singing an a cappella version of Randy Travis’ ‘Forever and Ever, Amen’. His soft voice, soothing through the speakers hanging along the walls of the church, courtesy of a donation from Richie a few years back, as Lauren began to walk down the aisle in a sleeveless, midnight blue, lace gown. She looked pretty with her hair swept up and wearing the diamond drop earrings that Richie and Kara presented to her the night before. Richie looked to her but he was more focused on the movement behind her. He caught a glimpse of Kara’s brother and part of Kara’s gown.
“You all right?” Logan noticed Richie’s twitching leg.
“Yeah, I’m good. I can’t wait to see her. Can’t her sister walk any faster?”
Logan smiled and offered to go and grab her hand and pull her along just as she neared the steps.
Richie didn’t take his eyes off of the back of the church, no expression on his face, as a guitar strummed the music to ‘I Cross My Heart’ by George Strait, but when Kara came into view they locked eyes and his face lit up with a smile that reached his eyes. He couldn’t wait for her to see and hear the surprise he had for her.
She looked beautiful in the ivory colored custom made strapless Pronovias gown. It had a sweetheart bodice with a lace bolero jacket. The rest of the trumpet gown was full of lace. Her simple two tier veil with diamonds sporadically placed was attached to a diamond headband, and she opted to not have the veil over her face.
The singer had a smooth powerful voice that sounded just like George Strait. As Kara walked down the aisle she turned her head and looked up to see who was singing. She tripped over her gown when she realized it was George Strait himself singing, but her brother held her steady. She turned back around to see Richie grinning and nodding.
Richie walked down the two steps separating the altar from the aisle and waited for her. After Eric gave her a kiss he turned to Richie. “Congratulations, Richie,” he said as he held out his hand.
“Thank you, brother,” Richie said, glancing his way as he shook it. He whispered in Kara’s ear as Eric went to sit down by his children. “Turn around.”
Kara turned around to see the King waving to them as he finished his song. She and Richie, along with everyone else who were turned toward him, started clapping. Kara waved as Richie whispered again in her ear. “He needs to leave. He just stopped in to do me a favor.”
She was still floored and turned to Richie. “You said you had no preference which song I picked. I should have known something was up when I mentioned this one and you quickly agreed. It was like a light bulb went off in your head. Thank you.”
He chuckled as he leaned down to kiss her. “Did I tell you how beautiful you look?” he said by mouth.
She shook her head.
“You’re stunning. I’ve never seen a bride look as beautiful as you.”
“Thank you, Richie. You’re looking GQish as always.” She winked. He wore a Brooks Brothers tuxedo with patent leather lace-ups.
He let out a little rumble of laughter. He had caught her and her sister talking and referring to him as GQ two nights ago, and she confessed she’d been calling him that when she spoke with Lauren ever since they first met. He hadn’t stopped teasing her about it since.
“Let’s get married,” he said, and they turned and focused on the priest.
After honeymooning for two weeks, lounging in the South of France, Richie and Kara came home and settled into the new home he ordered built on a picturesque part of the cattle ranch he owned. She had full rein of the interior design and he was pleased she chose an understated elegant motif throughout.
Kara surprised him with a Border Collie puppy that Logan helped keep a secret at his home until they got back. And Richie surprised her with a new red BMW 435i x Drive Gran Coup.
Two months later, the night after they went to Logan and Melanie’s wedding, they were sitting on the back porch watching the sun set. They marveled at the pink and yellow hues in the blue sky dotted with clouds as Richie drank a beer and she rested her head on his shoulder.
“I can never tire of these Texas sunsets,” Richie said.
“Mmmm, they are stunning.” She reached for his hand and guided it to her stomach. “I’ve been dying to tell you something,” she said to him.
He tore his eyes away from the sky to look at her as she picked her head up.
“I went to see Dr. Wright on Thursday.”
“Why? Everything okay?”
She sensed his anxiety and smiled, knowing she needed to reassure her doting husband she was fine. “Yes, everything is good. In fact, it couldn’t be better.” She bit her bottom lip and with her hand on his, she slowly circled her stomach.
He sucked in a breath. “Are you…” He tilted his head to the side.
She nodded. “We’re going to be parents.”
The corners of his lips curled up as he shifted his eyes from hers to her stomach and caressed her belly. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“That why you didn’t drink last night?”
She nodded. She only took a small sip of champagne when they first toasted Logan and Melainie.
“Wow! I’m gonna be a father.”
She nodded.
He kissed her long and hard and when he broke the kiss he started in. “Do you need anything? What can I get you? I don’t want you lifting anything heavy. I’ll tell Victoria she needs to cut back on your work schedule. I’ll—”
“Richie?
“—pitch in more here to ease your load. If you—”
“Richie.”
“—need me for anything while I’m out working the ranch you just call—”
“Richie!” She rose up and straddled his lap as she brought her lips to his. “Take a breath… then make love to me.”
He grinned, knowing he was overreacting then brought his lips to hers as he rose up. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her into the house.
THE END
Thank you for reading my story. If you enjoyed it, please share it. And please take a moment to leave a review on Amazon.
Thank you,
Mae Martini
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The Mobster and the Cowboy (a companion book to Not Looking for Love)
Texas Hill Country Romance Series:
Loving You – Book 1
Wanting You – Book 2
Needing You – Book 3