The Musical Cowgirl (Bear Creek Rodeo) Read online

  “Olivia says no, Jessica. Olivia is the boss of me.”

  Olivia giggled at Brittany’s words, and Brittany and Jessica disappeared back into the changing room.

  The second dress felt a lot better to Brittany and, from what she could see and feel, would need no alterations at all. She may have to choose that dress, simply because it fit so well. She liked it, but she wasn’t in love with it. When she showed Olivia, the little girl said, “Better, but try the last one.”

  As soon as the last one was slipped over her head, Brittany knew it was the right dress. She looked in the mirror and saw herself, with no glasses on, and she felt like she looked like one of Olivia’s fairy tale princesses. Brittany stepped out and carefully watched Olivia’s face.

  “That’s it! That’s the dress, Brittany!”

  Brittany nodded. “I thought so, but I needed you to agree.”

  “You do need a couple of small alterations, but they can be done tomorrow, and you could even pick up tomorrow afternoon if you’d like.”

  “That would be perfect.” Brittany glanced at the price tag for the first time, and she had a minor heart attack. With the recent shows and now Vegas, she knew they could afford it, though. “We’ll take this and the flower girl dress we found for Olivia.”

  “Is Olivia your daughter?” Jessica asked as she put a couple of pins in the dress to mark where it would need to be adjusted.

  “She’s my fiancés niece. She’s going to live with us, and we’re all going to live happily ever after. Right, Olivia?”

  “Right!” Olivia grinned, holding up her arm. “I broke my arm when I fell off my pony, Buttercup.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry you’re hurt,” Jessica said. “Buttercup is a very nice name for a pony, though.”

  “I think so, too.” Olivia returned to her game, now that her injury had been acknowledged.

  Twenty minutes later, they left the shop, and Brittany called to cancel the other appointments she’d made. “I think we need to go to lunch to celebrate. Where should we go?”

  “McDonalds? I want to play in the play area.”

  Brittany frowned, wrinkling her nose. “How about Chick Fil A. They have a play area, too!”

  “I would like that a lot,” Olivia said. “They have the best nuggets in all of Texas.”

  “I think so, too! And their lemonade is to die for!”

  “Please don’t die, Brittany. I need you.”

  “I won’t. And I need you, too, baby girl.”

  There was no rehearsal that evening, and when Matt came in at the end of the day, Olivia was actually excited to see him. She was becoming more and more outgoing the more time she spent with Brittany. Even if he hadn’t been in love with the woman, he’d have married her just so he could watch Olivia come out of her shell.

  “I got a dress today, and it’s pink and sparkly. I’m wearing it for your wedding. You’ll like it.” Olivia took his hand and pulled him toward the stairs. “You need to come to my room and see it.”

  Matt didn’t bother to greet Brittany, but he knew she’d understand. His niece was actually excited to see him and show him something, which meant he needed to see it and be excited about it.

  When they got to her room, the dress was hanging on the doorknob of her closet. She pointed to it, and he smiled. It looked like he’d expected from her. “It’s a beautiful dress.”

  “I love it!”

  They went back downstairs, and he greeted Brittany with a kiss. “Did you find a dress half as beautiful as Olivia’s?” he asked.

  “I found one that’s just perfect for me. I can pick it up tomorrow after three. The alterations will be done by then.”

  “That’s wonderful. So what else do we need to do?”

  “Well, the housekeeper is going to take care of food for the small reception here. You already have a pastor and a church. That means I need to get a few flowers going, and we’ll be ready to go.”

  “Wow. You’ve been working fast.”

  “I didn’t have a choice. Someone needed to get married on Friday! So I think Olivia and I will go get my dress tomorrow afternoon, and we’ll have a lunch with my sisters. I’m going to keep her in town with me tomorrow night, so we can get ready for the wedding in my apartment. You can’t see me before the wedding, of course.”

  “Well, of course not.” He grinned. “I can’t believe it’s really happening.”

  “Neither can I. I’ve been working toward it, but it still seems like it’s just a dream.”

  “I can understand that.” He shook his head. “Do you know if dinner’s ready?”

  “So you’re happy to talk about the preparations I’ve made for our wedding as long as you’re not hungry? Is that it?”

  “Oh, we can talk while I’m hungry, but it would probably be best if I was also shoving food in my mouth. I do have a tendency toward hangry.”

  Brittany shook her head. “Emily is that way. She makes me crazy sometimes.”

  “I’ll probably make you crazy, too, then.”

  She walked close to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Maybe a kiss would take your mind off your stomach. I know it would take my mind off your stomach.”

  He grinned, lowering his head and kissing her softly. “Yeah, that worked.”

  Brittany felt something against her leg, and she looked down.

  Olivia was standing there, leaning against her. “Are you guys going to be kissing a lot?”

  Brittany laughed. “We are. Does that bother you?”

  Olivia shook her head. “My mommy and daddy kissed all the time. I liked it.”

  “Why did you like it?” Brittany asked, wondering what the girl was thinking.

  “I don’t know. It made me feel safe, I guess. Like my mommy and daddy would always love each other and love me.” Olivia shrugged.

  “Well, that makes a lot of sense to me,” Brittany said. “I’m glad it makes you feel secure. So will me kissing your uncle make you feel the same?”

  Olivia nodded emphatically. “Yes, I think it will.”

  “We’ll make sure to kiss lots and lots, then. I’ll stock up on Chapstick.”

  “I like Chapstick.” Olivia gave her approval.

  Matt laughed. “I’m going to check on dinner. It’s probably ready, and you two are lollygagging and wasting my time when I’m hungry.” He walked off.

  “Well, he’s crabby, isn’t he?” Brittany asked Olivia as soon as he was out of the room.

  Olivia sighed. “Men are always crabby. It’s the burden we women have to bear.”

  Brittany laughed hysterically. “Who told you that?”

  “My mommy told me that.”

  “Well, your mommy was brilliant, then.” Brittany reached out and hugged the little girl to her. “I think you’re pretty awesome.”

  “You are, too. I can’t wait ’til you’re my real aunt. Can I call you Aunt Brittany?”

  “Whenever you’re ready to start calling me Aunt Brittany, I’m ready to start hearing it.”

  Matt walked out of the kitchen. “Five more minutes and dinner will be ready. She gave me a piece of bread to tide me over. I’m on bread and water rations for five more minutes!”

  “You’re being just a bit melodramatic, don’t you think?”

  Matt shrugged. “I’m good at it.”

  “You’re good at a lot of things.” Brittany shook her head at him. “Olivia is excited to be able to call me Aunt Brittany.”

  “Olivia is a smart girl. I can’t wait to call you my wife.” He kissed her again, and Olivia sighed happily.

  “You guys are going to love each other forever. I just know it.”

  Brittany frowned, realizing they hadn’t used the l word with each other yet. That was all right, though. She loved both of them, and that’s what mattered most to her. She knew that Matt needed her to help with Olivia, but that was all right. As long as she was still able to perform with her sisters and not have to teach music lessons any longer, she didn’t see her
self being too bothered by things.

  She did want his love, though. Something inside her knew she needed it. Badly.

  Nine

  The morning of the wedding, Brittany woke early and knocked on Stephanie’s door. Stephanie was the one who did their hair and makeup for concerts, so she wanted her to do it for her wedding.

  Stephanie came out, yawning. “Shower and wash your hair, and I’ll be ready to fix your hair and do your makeup when you’re done.”

  Brittany nodded, hurrying into the bathroom. She quickly showered and went into the living room wearing a robe. Normally she made sure she was at least in pajamas in the living room, because she had been raised to be modest, even with the two women who looked identical to her. This time, though, she wanted to be able to remove the robe without messing up her hair.

  Her hair was blow-dried and Stephanie was going after it with a straightener when Emily came out. “I’m going to run and get us something for breakfast,” Emily said. “It’s our last breakfast together as single ladies.”

  “Don’t forget to grab something for Olivia, too,” Brittany said, flinching a little as Stephanie moved the straightener toward her face.

  “I’m not going to burn you! How many times have I done this to your hair? Stop freaking out!” Stephanie shook her head as she continued working on her sister’s hair, getting it to look perfect for her wedding day.

  They took a break between hair and makeup to eat, so Brittany went into her bedroom and woke Olivia, who had been overjoyed to sleep in the same bed as her future aunt. “It’s time for breakfast. Are you hungry?”

  Olivia nodded, and Brittany helped her use the restroom. She still had trouble with only one arm.

  Then they went out to the dining room and had pancakes and bacon with her sisters. “I just went to Whataburger and got all of us pancakes and bacon. I hope you’re okay with that, Olivia.”

  “I don’t mind.” She waited as Brittany fixed her pancake with butter and syrup and cut it into little pieces for her.

  They were halfway through breakfast when Olivia seemed to spot Brittany for the first time all day. “Your hair looks beautiful, Aunt Brittany!”

  Brittany smiled. “My sister Stephanie is great with hair and makeup.”

  Olivia looked at Stephanie. Somehow she’d figured out how to tell them all apart immediately. “You could do my hair if you wanted.”

  Stephanie grinned. “I would love to do your hair.”

  “Thank you.”

  Brittany hid a grin. She wondered if Stephanie realized she’d just been conned into doing the hair and makeup of a five-year-old. “I think that’s a great plan.”

  By the time it was time to head for the church, they were all ready. When Brittany stepped out of her room in her wedding dress, her hair ready and her face done up, Emily grinned widely. “I hope I look half as beautiful on my wedding day as you do right now,” she said softly.

  The three sisters hugged tightly, with Olivia squirming her way to the middle of the hug. Brittany looked down at her and laughed. “You’re going to be mine forever, won’t you?”

  Olivia nodded emphatically. “I will!”

  They took two separate cars to the church, and Brittany and Olivia snuck in the back and hid in a room designated for brides there.

  When it was time, it was Emily knocking on the door to tell her.

  “Did Mom and Dad show?” Brittany asked.

  “Yeah, Dad is waiting to walk you down the aisle.”

  Brittany breathed a sigh of relief. After her discussion with her mother earlier, she hadn’t been sure if they would come.

  “I’m going to the front of the church for bridesmaid duties. Mom is going to tell Olivia when to walk, and you.”

  “Sounds good.” Brittany wasn’t sure she would have felt married if her parents hadn’t been there with her.

  She walked out and saw her father, who spoke with a hoarse voice. “You look beautiful, Brit. That dress is just amazing.”

  “Thank you.” Brittany hugged her father and took his arm, ready to walk.

  She had Olivia ready, her good hand clutching a bouquet of wildflowers. She would have had bluebonnets, if it had been earlier in the season, but in the summer, wildflowers would have to do.

  Brittany’s mother smiled at her and nodded. “You really do look beautiful. I can’t believe one of my babies is actually marrying. It seems so strange to me.”

  “Mom, this is Olivia. She’s being raised by her uncle Matt . . . the man I’m marrying.” Brittany could see on her mother’s face that she had just realized this girl would count as her first granddaughter.

  “I’m going to be your grandma!”

  Olivia smiled. “I never had a grandma. I’ll like this.”

  Her mother indicated when it was time for Olivia to walk down the aisle, and the little girl did great. There weren’t a ton of people in the church but definitely more than Brittany had anticipated on such short notice.

  “It’s your turn, baby girl.” Her mother stood with tears in her eyes looking at Brittany.

  Brittany and her father walked slowly down the aisle toward Matt, who stood at the front of the church with a big smile on his face. He couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her, which Brittany thought was probably a good sign for the future.

  When she reached the front, her father kissed her cheek and disappeared to sit in one of the front rows.

  Throughout the ceremony, Brittany paid as close attention as her flittering mind would allow. Matt was about to be her husband, and she was going to spend the rest of her life with him. Who could ask for more?

  When the pastor invited him to kiss his bride, Matt turned to Brittany and pulled her into his arms, kissing her sweetly. He wished he could carry her off and make her his wife in reality right then, but he didn’t think her parents or any of their other guests would appreciate that. He’d be able to make love to her soon enough.

  Finally, much later that day, after the short reception and the concert in town, they were able to get ready for bed. Brittany tucked Olivia in and kissed her cheek. “Now you’re my niece for real!”

  Olivia smiled. “You’re the best aunt in the whole wide world. I can already tell!”

  Brittany laughed. “I will do my very best!” She left the room and closed the door softly, heading down the hall to the master bedroom. Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like a drum was trying to beat its way out of her chest.

  She wanted to make love with Matt, and she’d had to stop herself from letting him make love with her before the wedding, but now that it was the time, she was nervous. What if she was terrible at it? It’s not like she’d had any experience.

  When she walked into the bedroom, Matt was nowhere to be found, which relieved her mind a great deal. Emily had given her a tiny little teddy to wear for her wedding night, and she quickly slipped it on, then dove under the covers. She wished she had the courage to just stand there and let him see her, but she didn’t.

  When Matt walked into the room a few minutes later, he saw her huddled under the covers and smiled. “Just know that I’m taking those covers off of you as soon as I get over there.”

  Brittany couldn’t help but grin. “Is that so?”

  “Yup. I’m going to be looking at every inch of you as I touch you.”

  “And I get to do the same?” she asked.

  “Of course.” He quickly stripped and walked over to the opposite side of the bed from where she had buried herself.

  He slid under the covers beside her and moved close to her, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her softly. His hand roamed down over her, grazing the side of her breast.

  She gasped at how good that felt. Never had she been touched there by another person, and it felt fabulous. “I have no idea what I’m doing,” she said softly.

  “That’s okay. I’ll teach you.”

  An hour later, she lay with her head on his shoulder, panting slightly. “I think I like doing that with y
ou.”

  He chuckled. “Well, I know I like it. So plan to do it often.”

  “All right.” She pulled the covers up over her and sighed contentedly. “I was worried I’d mess up and you’d never want to do me again.”

  “Oh, trust me. I’ll want to do you hourly. That’s just how it works when you’re married to the most beautiful woman in all of Texas.”

  “When you’re married to one of the three identical most beautiful women?”

  “I see you as your own person. And you are the most beautiful, Brittany Sullivan.”

  She had a smile on her face as she drifted off to sleep, still held close to him in his arms.

  Because she had no obligations over the weekend, Matt suggested the three of them drive down to Galveston to spend time on the beach. Brittany nodded, liking the idea, but she wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to take Olivia. “How would you feel if I had Stephanie watch Olivia for the weekend? They get along great, and I’m worried she won’t have fun, because she’ll get sand up her cast, and it just won’t be the kind of experience she wants.”

  “Would Stephanie mind?” he asked. He hadn’t thought of actually leaving Olivia with anyone.

  “Let me call her and ask her before we make any concrete plans.” She quickly grabbed her cellphone and made the phone call, still wrapped in covers from the night before. Matt had no qualms about running around nude in front of her, but she just didn’t feel comfortable doing the same.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Steph. This is your favorite sister, asking for a huge favor.”

  “What’s the favor?” Stephanie sounded a little wary.

  “I was hoping you’d stay here this weekend and watch Olivia, so we can go to Galveston. If that doesn’t work for you, then I understand.”

  There was a slight pause. “You know what? I can do that. I have a deadline Monday, but if you guys are back by even two Monday morning, I can still hit it. Do you want me to start driving out there?”

  “That would be wonderful. Thank you so much!” Brittany looked at Matt and nodded. “She’s on her way.”

  They showered together before dressing. Once they were ready, they both went to talk to Olivia, but as usual, Matt let Brittany lead the conversation. She had a way with Olivia that really surprised him with as little time as they’d known one another.