A Mail-Order Wish (Miners to Millionaires Book 2) Page 8

  “We have more money than you could ever spend.” He kissed her nose.

  She chuckled. “No one has that much.”

  “We do. Now eat your breakfast, then we’ll set out,” he said as he walked out of the bedroom.

  More warmth filled her at his parting words. She didn’t care about the amount of money he had, that’s not the reason she’d married him. It was his use of ‘we’ that had her stomach fluttering. He may not realize it, but he thought of them as one, and she couldn’t be happier.

  She was wanted, needed here. If she’d done things she’d been a little uncomfortable with, it was worth it in the end to hear him refer to them as one.

  And call her his love.

  She shook her head. Stop this. She needed to focus on what needed to be done. If she only had a few days to prepare for this function, her mind needed to be on task. She couldn’t fail Ronan in this, not when he’d done everything to make sure this deal went through—including marrying her. If he was willing to go that far, then she would do everything in her power to help him.

  But Olivia knew he’d married her for more than just a business arrangement. He’d said so himself, hadn’t he? If she’d doubted it before, she didn’t any longer. No man that called her ‘love’ was just using her. He cared. And she was sure with a little time, caring could turn into loving.

  Following him into the main room, they ate their breakfast quickly, neither of them willing to waste time when there was so much to be done.

  Gathering her bonnet and gloves, she headed out the door with Ronan, happily taking his offered arm as they descended the stairs to the entrance. Ronan swiftly flagged down a carriage and instructed the driver to take them to a fashionable shop in town.

  She slid him a sideways glance as they bumped along the road. “How did you know which shop to tell them?”

  “I remember it being a favorite of my mother’s. I asked the clerk in the hotel earlier if it was still in business, and he informed me that it was.”

  “Oh.” Well, darn. She hadn’t expected that. She fully intended on teasing him about women’s garments, but then he’d spoken of his mother. What should I say? “I’m sure it’s lovely then.” She closed her eyes. Was that the best thing I could come up with?

  “It’s been a few years, but my mother had elegant clothes. I assume the shop has kept up its standards, but if we enter and find it lacking, I’m sure there are plenty others.”

  She was sure of that too, but she wanted to buy something from there. Something that would remind him of his mother, even just a little, when he looked at it. “What did she look like?” she asked softly. He hadn’t wanted to talk about his family before, so she tiptoed around it as best she could, and just hoped he would answer.

  A small, soft smile crested his lips. “She was beautiful, petite and blond.” He looked at Olivia. “You remind me of her, now that I think about it.” But as he said the words, his eyes lost some of their light.

  “I’m happy to hear that.” He nodded, but said nothing more. “And your father?” She was pushing her luck, but she asked anyway. “Do you favor him?” If his mother was blond, she assumed he got his dark looks from him.

  He looked out the window, his body stiff, but he said, “Many people used to say I was the image of him. I didn’t see it for a time, but they were right.”

  Her eyes traced his hard jawline and straight nose, and was grateful he’d shared such precious memories. “Thank you. For telling me,” she clarified when he looked at her with a quizzical expression.

  The carriage rolled to a stop and the driver called out their destination. And that was the end to her questions...for the moment. Ronan stepped out and offered his hand to assist her down.

  “Thank you,” she murmured before gawking at the store front. It seemed like forever since she’d seen dresses like those displayed in the windows. “We’re certainly not in Montana anymore.” She eyed the gray and pink striped gown being displayed prominently, and practically drooled.

  He chuckled and leaned closer to her ear, but her eyes were riveted on the treasures displayed in the window. “Do you see something you like?”

  “I see heaven.”

  He chuckled and the warmth of his breath tickled her ear. She shivered pleasantly before tearing her eyes away from the dresses and shooting him a look. “Are you sure about this, Ronan? Those gowns must be costly, and I’d hate to spend more than we absolutely needed to.” But her eyes trailed hopelessly back to the striped dress.

  “Let’s go in.” He took her hand and guided her into the shop.

  Lightly spiced air filled her nose as they entered. Luxurious velvets, silks, and satins lined the walls in so many patterns and colors it overwhelmed her.

  “Welcome!” A woman stepped forward to greet them. Her hair was graying, but it didn’t detract a bit from her curvy figure and fashionable clothing. She discretely took in Olivia’s gown, but she didn’t give any hint to her thoughts and simply smiled politely. “I’m Mrs. Wells. May I help you find something?”

  Ronan kissed Olivia’s hand. “My bride needs a complete new wardrobe.”

  Olivia gasped. “Ronan!”

  He gave her an innocent look. “I realize I didn’t allow you enough time prepare for such things, and I’m only rectifying the situation.” He gave Mrs. Wells his attention again. “I’m sure you’ll be able to accommodate us?” He asked it as a question, but there was a firm authority in his tone. “Spare no expense.”

  The sales woman smiled warmly. “You’re very generous, sir.” Olivia’s mouth gaped as Mrs. Wells took hold of Olivia. “Follow me and we’ll get your measurements. Do you want everything custom?”

  Olivia was about to answer when Ronan answered for her. “Almost everything, but we’re in need of a few items quickly. We’ll take the striped gown in the window, the blue dress, and also the green, along with all the necessary undergarments and accessories.”

  “Ronan!” Olivia’s cheeks flamed.

  Mrs. Wells smiled kindly. “You haven’t been married long have you, dear?”

  Olivia’s mouth opened and closed, unable to answer the question, but fortunately, the woman didn’t really need an answer. Olivia fretted over the conversation until she was measured, poked, prodded, dressed and undressed out of so many ready-made clothes she could hardly remember them all.

  Ronan approved and discarded at his leisure, and Olivia let him, because she wouldn’t have ordered nearly as much!

  Olivia was exhausted after the ordeal, and the dressmaker assured Ronan the ready-made dresses would be delivered to their hotel the next day after a few minor alterations, and the rest would follow shortly. With the amount Ronan had promised as a bonus if the garments were delivered quickly, she wasn’t surprised their order circumvented others.

  “I can’t believe we just did that.” Olivia walked out of the shop, still in a daze.

  “Believe it. Is there anything else you need?”

  Olivia could just imagine what he’d insist upon buying her if she mentioned a single thing. “No.” She shook her head firmly. “You bought more than I’ll ever need.”

  He took her hand and pulled her forward, before placing a soft kiss on her lips. “I enjoyed it.”

  Embarrassed, she glanced around, but noticed that no one paid them any attention, so she relaxed. “It was exhausting, but I did too. Thank you for all of it. It was so much more than I expected.”

  She lifted herself up on her toes and kissed him. And Ronan shook a little after the small gesture. “It’s a good thing you don’t need anything else.”

  “Why?” she asked when he grabbed her hand and signaled a carriage.

  “Because I need you back at the hotel.”

  She blushed. She didn’t need to ask what he needed her for. They might not have been married long, but she understood enough to know what he was referring to.

  Excitement sang though her veins. She couldn’t wait to be alone with him either. “I need you too
.”

  He jerked at her words and her lips twitched when he groaned. Perhaps she should admit to such things more often. “I think we should—”

  “James?”

  Ronan froze before turning to the man who’d paused on the sidewalk. “I’m sorry, I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

  The man looked like he’d seen a ghost. Olivia looked between Ronan and the man frozen next to her. “My husband’s name is Ronan, sir.”

  The man shook his head and looked at her before tipping his hat. “Pardon. It’s just that you look so much like someone I used to know.”

  “What was his name?” she asked, hoping to diffuse the situation.

  “James Havlin. He used to live nearby, but no one has seen him in years.” He looked back to Ronan. “You’re the spitting image.”

  Ronan smiled tightly and pulled Olivia closer to his side. “What a coincidence. I’m not that man, but I do hope you see him one day.” He gave his attention to Olivia when the carriage arrived. “Shall we?”

  She nodded before smiling back at the stranger. “Good day to you, sir.”

  The man looked uncertainly back at Ronan, before tipping his hat to them and walking away.

  Ronan didn’t waste any time helping her into the carriage, and she couldn’t help but notice how upset he looked. As they were carried down the street, she stole a glance at her husband and asked, “Did you know him?”

  “No.”

  “Curious that you look so much like this James person.”

  “There are a lot of people in this world that resemble others.”

  Ronan brushed it off, but Olivia knew there was something wrong. She had no idea what to say or how to approach this person in front of her, who was now appearing a lot more like the lawless gambler she’d first met in Promise Creek. “What’s wrong, Ronan?”

  “Nothing. It’s been a long day.”

  He was lying. They’d been fine before that man had stopped them. There was something going on, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Instead of pushing him more, which she knew wouldn’t get her anywhere, she let the matter drop.

  She wondered if she would ever truly know this man—her husband.

  Chapter 11

  Olivia’s new ball gown arrived a few hours ahead of the party. Ronan had told her it would, but she knew things sometimes went wrong.

  Fortunately, the hotel maids had been trained to act as lady’s maids if ever there were a need, so Olivia was able to have excellent help with her hair.

  After what seemed like hours of sitting, ringlets were finally created around her temples in a fashionable style and they were finished. Olivia would go crazy if she ever had to sit and have someone do her hair like that each day.

  “You look beautiful, ma’am.” Jenny, the maid who’d helped her get ready, said. “You’ll be the life of the party.”

  Olivia’s cheeks were pink when Ronan walked back into their room, and he could only imagine what she was blushing over. She seemed to do that often, whenever she was embarrassed or uncomfortable, and he found that trait endearing. He hoped she never became jaded enough where she stopped.

  Noticing Ronan, Jenny bobbed a curtsy and left the room, softly closing the door of the suite behind her. Olivia rose and slowly turned in a circle for his pleasure. “What do you think?”

  He leaned against the door, feigning a composure he felt slipping. “I think I’d rather stay in here with you tonight, than go out.”

  That blush again. He knew from experience that her skin flushed all over, and just thinking of it made him curse the party all over again. He was so close to his goal, but he found the more time he spent with his bride, the less time he wanted to spend away from her.

  Away from their bed.

  He sighed. Perhaps someday his desire to be with her wouldn’t be as strong, but he couldn’t see it fading anytime soon. He’d just have to learn how to handle it better.

  He stepped toward her and said, “I have something for you.” He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.

  Olivia’s gaze dropped to his hand and she shook her head. “You’ve already given me too much.”

  “But this is something I got you well before all the others.”

  At her confused look, he placed it on the bed and let her unwrap the box. Soft fabric gave way to the necklace he’d held onto since that day at the blacksmith’s in Promise Creek when she purchased the gift of the teddy bear pendant for her friend.

  Her breath caught as she traced her fingers over the golden pink rose. Her eyes met his, unshed tears causing her eyes to glimmer. “You bought this for me?”

  He picked up the necklace, unable to wait to see it against her skin. “Turn around.”

  She obeyed quickly, looking in the mirror as he placed the gold rose around her neck and secured the fastener. She reached up and stroked it as he placed a lingering kiss against her bare shoulder.

  “How long have you had this?”

  “Since the day you saw it.”

  Confusion bloomed in her eyes. “Why then? There was nothing between us at that point, and you couldn’t seem to wait to get away from me.”

  He’d wondered the same thing at the time, but he decided he hadn’t cared for the reasons of why not, he’d just known he’d had to get it for her. “It belongs to you. The moment you saw it, it was yours. I’ve been waiting for the right time to give it to you.”

  She held onto it and turned in his arms. Her eyes shone, but he couldn’t quite read what it meant. “Thank you.”

  She kissed him softly, and something shifted inside him. He’d never wanted to do things for another. He’d never cared. But just hearing the pleasure in her voice, seeing how much this small gift meant to her, made him want to give her the world.

  “Are you ready?”

  She nodded, then kissed him once more, and he had to recall the reason they were leaving this room.

  Lawrence.

  Ronan kept repeating his old friend’s name in his mind as they rode across town to an enormous sprawling mansion.

  Olivia gaped out the window at the imposing structure. “This is where he lives? He must be very wealthy.”

  Ronan nodded but didn’t verbally say anything. He was well-acquainted with the Adams Plantation. He’d spent too much time there to ever forget it. But it was all for show now. The wealth, the parties... He knew Lawrence was broke, and Ronan was there to drive the last nail into the other man’s coffin.

  Stepping out of the carriage, Olivia muttered, “Maybe we should move back to Georgia.”

  Ronan snorted. “We can build any house you’d like. But I’d prefer we stay in Montana.”

  Lawrence didn’t have a formal receiving line, so his guests funneled into the ballroom where an orchestra and dancers were already in full swing.

  “Would you like something to eat?” With the noise-level from the amount of guests in attendance, Ronan had to lean down and place his mouth directly at Olivia’s ear to ask so she could hear him.

  She nodded and he led her over to a table laden with sliced roast beef, delicate chicken cuts, fruits, salads, cheeses, and desserts of all types. The word extravagant didn’t come near to describing the party Lawrence hosted.

  Fool!

  As he prepared a plate for his wife, he monitored the room, watching and waiting for a glimpse of Lawrence. He was around here somewhere. And the moment Ronan found him, he wouldn’t be leaving Ronan’s sight.

  He only had to wait a moment more, before a flurry of activity erupted near an adjacent door. That had to be him. Ronan led Olivia to a nearby table and pulled out her chair, then pushed her closer to the table, before taking a seat where he could freely view the room.

  “This is delicious,” Olivia said. “Although, I probably shouldn’t eat too much. My corset is laced a bit tight.”

  Ronan’s eyes fell on her and softened. “Don’t make yourself sick. I fully intend to dance with my wife.”

  Her
eyes sparkled. “I hope you will.”

  Lawrence made his way closer to them, quickly welcoming people as he passed. His path was unmistakable, and it only took Ronan a moment to realize that Lawrence was headed directly toward them. “It seems our host is headed this way to welcome us.”

  Olivia’s eyes widened and she swallowed hard, before smiling and turning to their host.

  Ronan stood when Lawrence stretched out his hand in greeting. “Mr. And Mrs. Briggs,” he shook Ronan’s hand and nodded to Olivia. “I’m so glad you could join us this evening.”

  “The pleasure is ours,” Ronan said smoothly.

  The years had been kind to Lawrence. He looked well-kept and healthy, but there was just a hint of strain around his blue eyes and a few streaks of gray in his light hair. He hid the depths of his ruin well.

  Lawrence waved away the two men trailing him. Were they bodyguards? He’d have to look into that.

  “Thank you for indulging me. I know it’s odd to travel at a buyer’s request, but I’m sure you can understand my caution. The mine is, after all, a lot of money.”

  “The sale is well worth the initial expense. I have no doubt that you’ll be more than pleased.”

  “Of course.” Lawrence smiled hard at the two of them. “I do hope you’ll enjoy yourselves tonight.” He looked more pointedly at Ronan. “I’ll see you Monday morning to finalize the details.”

  “I look forward to it.” Oh, how those words didn’t do his feelings justice.

  As Lawrence walked away, basking in the good wishes of his guests, Ronan could hardly wait for the moment when he’d take the traitor down.

  “Ronan?”

  “Hmm?” At Olivia’s questioning look, he realized he’d missed something she’d said. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

  “I said that Mr. Adams seems like a nice man. Do you think we’ll socialize with him after tonight?”

  Something heavy settled in his gut. “I don’t want you to get close to him, Liv. I don’t trust him.”