Wyoming Wedding (Culpepper Cowboys Book 1) Read online

  Karlan was stunned when his timid little bride grabbed him and kissed him. He was all for it, though. She tasted sweeter than honey to him, and he loved touching her. He turned toward her on the couch, his hands going to her waist to pull her even closer to him.

  Hope let out a small moan, her hands pushing his suit jacket off his shoulders before going to work on the knot of his tie. Ever since she’d seen him that day with no shirt on, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about his bare chest and wondering what the rest of him would look like with nothing covering him.

  Karlan deepened the kiss, his hand going around to cup her breast through the silky fabric of the dress she wore.

  The ringing of his phone startled him, and he sat up straight, pulling it out of his pocket. He looked at the number and cussed under his breath. “I don’t want to take this, but I have to.”

  Hope just nodded, her eyes glazed. After a minute she got up and went to her bathroom, slipping into the shower. If he was going to spend all night on the phone, she was going to get some work done.

  * * *

  Hope spent the next day at home, working on the books for Faith’s business as well as adding up the profit Culpepper Care was already bringing in. Karlan had told her he wasn’t going to draw a check from the ranch any longer, and they were going to have to live on his paycheck from the city, which was tiny.

  When she was certain she’d done all the bookkeeping she could, she went out to her car and climbed behind the wheel. She needed to make a trip into town for groceries for the week. She had a better idea of what the children would eat now, so she could choose more wisely. She wanted to only serve healthy meals for the kids, but they all seemed to prefer pizza and chicken nuggets. Most of their parents said to feed them what they’d eat, so that’s what she decided to do.

  * * *

  Karlan went home in the middle of the morning, claiming that he had forgotten his work gloves. They were in his saddlebag, right where they belonged, but what he really wanted was to spend a few minutes with his sweet wife. Had she been trying to tell him she was ready to make love the night before? It had seemed like it, and then he’d blown it by taking that call.

  He walked in and called her name. “Hope! Are you here?”

  When she didn’t answer, he went in search of her. She had done all the laundry and cleaned the bathrooms yesterday, as well as mopping all the surfaces. Now the whole house had a nice lemony scent. He first went into his office. He was shocked to see how well she’d settled in. There were little doll clothes everywhere, but no Hope.

  He walked into her room, but again no Hope. He started to leave, but he noticed her nightstand drawer opened and something caught his eye. He walked over and rummaged through the drawer, his jaw dropping in surprise.

  He picked up the vibrator from the drawer, turning it over in his hands. She wouldn’t make love to him, but she was willing to use a toy like that on herself? Well, no wonder she didn’t need him! He didn’t know if he should be angry or disgusted.

  He put the toy back in the drawer and slammed it closed. Wherever she was, she didn’t need him obviously. Why would she?

  * * *

  When Hope returned home from the store, she put the groceries away and sat down to write out menus for the week. She carefully wrote down what the children would eat for breakfast, snacks, and lunch every day, and then typed it into her laptop, printing it out.

  When she finished that, she started dinner before going back into the craft room to get back to work on the doll clothes. Soon, she’d be done with this project, and she’d be able to go back to making the regular clothes and the bodies for the dolls. And she’d have twenty-two different sets of outfits ready to be purchased. They’d already sold four sets of clothes on the website since yesterday morning when she put them up. They were going to make a serious profit off this idea.

  When Karlan came in at the end of the day, she kissed him like she always did, but she felt the need to step back quickly. If he was too busy for her, then she had to give the illusion she was too busy for him. She wasn’t going to leave her heart unguarded that way.

  As soon as he saw her, Karlan got annoyed. She was using sex toys and holding out on him. That was just rude as far as he was concerned.

  While they ate, she asked questions about his day, but she seemed colder to him. Maybe he’d imagined her affection before. She probably didn’t even know how to be affectionate.

  After dinner, he started making phone calls, refusing to be sucked into her drama, while she did the dishes and went back to her craft room to work. When he got tired, he just went to bed without a word. Did he really owe her anything else?

  Hope was sure her marriage would never work. Karlan was still keeping up appearances and pretending to have feelings for her, but he wasn’t even kissing her anymore. Did he wish he’d married Chastity?

  * * *

  Monday morning, Chastity seemed to be fixated on pregnancy. “Are you pregnant yet, Hope?” she asked.

  Hope shook her head. “How am I supposed to know yet? You know it’s not time for my cycle!” All of the Quinlan girls had been on the same cycle for as long as they could remember. Every month like clockwork, they’d all start craving chocolate three days before. When their father saw the chocolate start to disappear, he knew what it meant, and he usually tried to schedule a business trip for that week.

  “But do you think you are?” Chastity persisted.

  “I have no idea. Probably not. I don’t think I’m fortunate enough to get pregnant the first month.”

  Joy smiled, getting into the conversation. “You know, I think we should take pregnancy tests together every month. There’s one that’s accurate three days before your cycle is expected. We could all take that test together at nap time.”

  Hope hated the idea, but she didn’t want to be a party pooper. “Uh, sure. We can do that.” So far only she and Faith were married, but that would change soon. Joy was getting married that evening. Hope didn’t quite understand why her sister would want to marry on a weekday, and Joy hadn’t explained it in a way that made sense to anyone.

  “Mondays are kind of dreary days. I think a Monday wedding is a way to perk things up around here.”

  “Why are Mondays dreary?” Faith had asked.

  “I don’t know, but I intend to keep this one from suffering the usual Monday fate. I’m getting married.”

  No one had dared question her more. Joy got strange ideas into her head, and because they all loved her so much, they didn’t dare argue with her. Joy was the sister who really did live up to her name, spreading joy to all those with whom she came into contact.

  Faith shrugged. “I’m in for peeing on a stick together. Well, not together. I love you three, but I’m not peeing anywhere but a private room. Sorry.”

  Joy grinned. “No, peeing on a stick in private is the best way to do things, I’m sure.”

  “Are you excited about your wedding?” Hope asked. Joy was going to wear her wedding gown, because she hadn’t taken the time to buy another.

  “So excited! I can’t wait to move in with Kolby!” Joy glanced over at Chastity. “Although, I’m a little jealous of Chastity getting Linda all to herself for a while.”

  Chastity made a face. “I know as well as you do that you’re just saying that so I won’t feel bad about being the last to marry. Well, I don’t feel bad. I’m getting the best of the four guys, after all. I can’t wait ‘til I get him alone.”

  Hope smiled at her youngest sister. “I haven’t spent much time with Chris. Tell me about him.”

  Chastity smiled, staring off into space dreamily. “He’s really smart. I love him for his mind.”

  Hope burst out laughing. “I can believe he’s smart, but Chastity, you love him for his mind? Really? You care nothing about what’s in his pants?”

  “Oh, well, yeah. I’m sure I’m going to love little Chris as much as I love big Chris.”

  Linda walked into the room the
n, overhearing just the last part of the conversation. “Oh, you’re thinking of names for the kids already? I love the idea of you naming my grandson after Chris. You don’t even have to call him Christopher. You could call him Christian, and we’d all know he was named after Chris.”

  Chastity looked at Hope with wide eyes. Hope could see her sister wanted to correct Linda, but she was afraid to. Even Chastity knew not to talk about her future husband’s male anatomy with his mother standing right there. “You tell me about Chris, Linda. I haven’t really gotten to spend any time with him.”

  “Oh, Chris is definitely the smartest of the bunch. He does all the paperwork for the ranch, as well as the work he does teaching science. For a while I thought he was going to break tradition and become an astronaut, but instead he became a science teacher and helps his brothers on the weekend.”

  “Sounds like a nice man.” Hope smiled at Chastity, hoping her sister didn’t feel like she was getting the runt of the litter. She couldn’t imagine being married to anyone but Karlan, even if things weren’t perfect between them.

  The doorbell rang then, and the kids started coming in. After that, it was full-scale chaos until naptime.

  Hope went home to change after work, putting on the same dress she’d worn to Faith’s wedding. They hadn’t brought a lot of clothes with them, knowing Grace and Honor would ship anything they left behind.

  She was already dressed for the wedding when Karlan walked into the house, hurrying to shower and change. She waited patiently, wondering what she could do to alleviate the tension between them.

  When he came out of his bedroom, he was straightening his tie, and looking everywhere but at her. “Are you ready?”

  “Yeah, I’m ready. Joy is really excited about marrying Kolby.”

  “Good. Kolby’s excited too.” He said nothing else, just opened the door for her so they could walk.

  Hope waited for Karlan to take her hand, but he didn’t until they were just outside the back door of his mother’s house. “You haven’t told anyone we’re not sleeping together, have you?”

  Hope shook her head. “I promised I wouldn’t, so I won’t. I’m always true to my word.”

  “Promises are interesting things, aren’t they?”

  Hope stopped walking and looked at him. “Have I done something to upset you?”

  He laughed, and the sound was harsh. “Why would I be upset? I got just what I wanted, right?” He opened the back door, walking in before her.

  Hope had no idea what was going through her husband’s head, but she was tired of being treated like a leper. When they got home, she was going to confront him. There had to be a reason for his behavior. Whether it was logical or not remained to be seen.

  Once the wedding was over, and they’d all had the supper Linda made, Karlan and Hope walked home together. “Brother Anthony was in fine form tonight,” Hope said, wishing she could draw him out before they got home.

  “He always is.” Karlan stared straight ahead. If she wanted to spend her time with her vibrator, then she could, but she could have conversations with the stupid thing too.

  When they got home, Karlan turned toward his room. Hope grabbed his arm. “We need to talk.”

  “About what?” he asked, his voice angry.

  “About what’s wrong. I don’t know what you think I’ve done, but I’ve spent every ounce of energy I have taking care of your house, serving you meals, and trying to help the ranch out of the financial hole your cousin is determined to put it in. I want to understand what about that upsets you.”

  “None of that upsets me,” he said calmly. “It’s your little machine that upsets me.”

  “My machine?” Hope racked her brain, trying to think of what machine she had that would upset him. Her sewing machine? “If you’re jealous of my machine, you have issues.”

  He stared at her in shock. She didn’t even look embarrassed about having the thing! “I’m not jealous of it. I’m pissed that you’d choose it over me!”

  “I’m yours anytime you want me. You’re the one who’s been shutting me out, not the other way around.” She took a step closer to him. “Your phone calls are so much more interesting than talking to me or even kissing me. Obviously, you’re the one choosing something over me.”

  He shook his head at her. “You really believe that, don’t you?”

  “I really do! When was the last time we had an actual conversation? Our marriage is never going to work if you don’t talk to me.”

  He shrugged. “I signed papers saying I’d marry you within a month of your arrival and not try to separate for at least a year. That gives us eleven and a half months to go. I can make it. Can you?”

  Hope took a step back, surprised at his words. “Are you giving up on our marriage already?” She couldn’t believe it. She’d already started to fall—she shook her head, refusing to even finish the thought. No, she wasn’t falling for him. He wasn’t worth it.

  She turned away from him and walked to her bedroom, closing the door softly behind her. She wanted to slam it, but she wouldn’t give him the pleasure of knowing how much he’d upset her.

  Undressing quickly, she put on her nightgown and got into bed. Staring at the wall in the dark, she tucked one arm under her. Why had this seemed like the ideal situation and the right thing to do?

  Marrying Karlan Culpepper had to be the dumbest thing she’d ever done. At least her sisters were happy. Maybe knowing the situation had worked out well for them would help fill the emptiness she felt inside.

  She wanted to scream and rage at herself. Why, just when she knew she’d lost him forever, did she realize she was in love with the jerk? Why couldn’t her heart be logical?

  She buried her face in the pillow and allowed the tears to fall. He wasn’t worth them, but that didn’t stop them from coming.

  9

  Two weeks later, nothing had changed between Hope and Karlan. They were barely roommates, not really speaking to one another unless absolutely necessary.

  Hope was angry enough with him over his attitude about her sewing machine, she no longer had anything to say. Well, her brain didn’t anyway. Her heart wanted her to throw herself at his feet and beg his forgiveness. Why couldn’t he accept her as she was?

  Their third Monday of marriage, she started dinner in the crock pot like she did most mornings, and fixed breakfast. “I have a council meeting tonight,” he told her, the first words he’d spoken to her that day.

  “All right.” What did she care what he did?

  After breakfast, she got up and did the dishes while he finished eating, bringing his bowl to her. He stopped at the door and turned to her as if to say something, but then he grabbed his hat and clapped it against his leg, leaving without another word.

  Hope felt one lone tear slip down her cheek, and brushed it away angrily. He wanted to end their marriage as soon as he could. He didn’t deserve her tears.

  She got her craft bag ready, so she could work that day before leaving. Faith was back in full swing, and she only went to the big house if Hope called her begging for help. Joy and Chastity helped around their crafts, but mostly the work with the children was done by her and Linda.

  Joy had made a huge castle for Barbie Dolls, and she was meticulously making the furniture for it. She planned to put it up on Etsy that evening.

  Joy met her at the back door, her face glowing. “I got the tests at the store yesterday,” she whispered.

  “What tests?”

  “The pregnancy tests! Today’s the day we all take them together.”

  Hope’s face fell. “Oh, yeah. Right. At lunch time?”

  “I can’t wait to see if some of us are pregnant. I know you’ll probably go first, like you do with everything, but I hope I am too. I’m walking on air just thinking about it.”

  For once, Joy’s overwhelming positivity was about to drive Hope crazy. “I hope you are too.” Hope smiled at her sister, wishing she could hide her sense of doom. They’d a
lways be sisters, of course, but when Karlan divorced her, they wouldn’t have the same kind of bond. Would her sisters be torn between loyalty to her and loyalty to their husbands?

  Hope was quiet through most of the morning, saying only what she needed to say to keep the children on task. Once the whole herd was down for their nap, she met her sisters in Linda’s bathroom.

  “This seems weird,” Hope protested. “We’re all just going to pee on the stick and line up the stupid tests?”

  Joy nodded. “I’m so excited! I’ll go first!”

  Ten minutes later there were four pregnancy tests lined up on the counter, and Hope knew hers was negative. You had to actually have sex to be pregnant, after all.

  All of Hope’s dreams were right there in her negative pregnancy test. Her sisters would have babies and she wouldn’t. She wanted to run from the house screaming, but that would be telling. No, she would pretend everything was fine until Karlan kicked her out. She’d promised, and she didn’t break her promises.

  When she got home that night, she decided she was taking the night off. She felt like the opposite of her name. She was hopeless, and it felt terrible.

  She ate her dinner alone, sitting at the table in the dining room. She was happy that there would be babies and the terms of the will were fulfilled, but she was sad for herself. She didn’t want to be alone.

  She sat in front of the television and watched more of the show Karlan had shown her on one of her first nights there. Something called Friends. She laughed at the antics of the characters on the screen, thankful something could make her laugh with the way she was feeling.

  When Karlan came in after nine, she turned to look at him. He looked dead on his feet, and her natural compassion took over. “Are you hungry? I made some Swiss steak.”

  He nodded. “I’m going to shower really quick, and then I’ll nuke some.” He walked back to his room, and she jumped to her feet, microwaving the steak and the baked potato she’d made for him.