The Marriage with the Cowboy

Emma seems destined to be the perpetual bridesmaid. Especially when her one potential groom dumped her on her birthday a year ago.

Austin must fulfill his grandmother’s marriage stipulation in order to inherit his grandfather’s ranch. After a broken heart, he decided that love isn’t going to be a requirement for marriage anymore.

Both are at the mercy of every do-gooder matchmaker, so they concoct a plan. A fake marriage between the two of them would be beneficial for both.

What could go wrong?

When they fly to Austin’s Montana ranch, they’re optimistic that they’ve come up with the greatest arrangement.

When the relationship is fake, no feelings get hurt.

Until it’s no longer fake.

A fake marriage love story for the romantic in all of us.

Grab Marrying a Cowboy today!

Emma

The chapel bells chimed outside while Emma took in a deep breath
as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. The definitely-a-little-too pink
bridesmaid dress Shannon had picked out was way over the top. Why Shannon had
insisted on making them look like bubble gum mixed with Pepto-Bismol boggled
Emma’s mind. Even though this was the fifth wedding in their group, not one of
her friends had been able to request a semi-decent colored bridesmaid dress.

Emma sighed as she pulled at the tulle skirt that puffed out
around her like a cupcake. Yeesh. The dresses were starting to get ridiculous.
If she ever got married—

She shook her head. Nope. There was no way she was going to pull
at that thread today. She’d stayed up half the night coming up with excuses as
to why all of her friends had been able to find and secure husbands and yet,
she hadn’t. Apparently, I’m working on my career, was no longer a viable
excuse. All it got her were pity nods and pats on her shoulder.

She reached up and tucked an escaping curl back up into her bun.
The weight of her situation bore down on her. Even talking about her job felt
like a lie. How could she use her career as an excuse when right now, it was
just as abysmal as her love life? Especially when Clarissa, the new editor, had
picked a married intern over her even though Emma had been perfect for the
promotion. As if someone with roots was more likely to stay with the company.
Nothing like adding insult to injury. Why did everything in her life have to
revolve around her being married? Why couldn’t being single be good enough?

She gritted her teeth as she eyed the back door. If she ran fast
enough, maybe she could make it out of the church before anyone discovered that
she was here. After all, not showing up at all was better than showing up
alone. At Natalie’s wedding, she’d been forced to dance with the ten-year-old
ring bearer because the groomsman she was assigned to was too drunk. She closed
her eyes. There was no way she could do that again. Seizing her moment, she
turned but immediately halted when laughter carried from the open door.

Too late. The chance to escape had slipped from her grasp.

The laughter grew louder as Shannon walked into the room with her
wedding dress trailing behind her like strings from a kite. Emma straightened
and stepped away from the mirror. In mere moments, Shannon would be married.
Married friend number five. Abandoning Emma to a life of solitude. If she
didn’t love her friend so much, she just might hate her.

“Oh, Emma. You look amazing,” Shannon said, smiling over at her.

Emma pulled up some of the tulle and let it float back down.
“Seriously, Shannon? Are you trying to top Nat’s lime green dress disaster?”

Natalie, Rosalyn, Cara, and Anne walked into the room. Each were
wearing the same hot pink mess that Shannon had picked out—plus a diamond ring.
Emma swallowed as her gaze fell to her naked finger. It was hard not to feel
sorry for herself. Their group had been inseparable since high-school. Always
doing things together. This was the first time Emma ever felt alone. And the
last thing she wanted to be was the tag-along single friend. Only getting pity
invites that would dwindle down to nothing over time.

Emma pushed down the feelings that were bubbling up. None of this
was her friends’ fault. They’d all found Mr. Wonderful. Too bad that person
didn’t seem to exist for her. 

Natalie tucked a red curl behind her ear. “Are you talking about
me?” She asked as she smoothed out the tulle of her skirt.

“Just the ridiculous color you made us wear last year,” Emma said,
smiling over at her.

Natalie lifted her hands in surrender. “Hey, it’s not my fault
ya’ll don’t look good in green. It happens to be my color.”

“But you wore white,” Anne said as she picked up a flute of
champagne and took a sip.

Natalie shrugged as she walked over to the mirror and pulled out a
tube of lipstick from her purse.

Shannon glanced over at Emma. Change the subject? She
mouthed.

Emma nodded. Not only was she the single friend, she was also the
fix-it girl. Always smoothing everyone’s ruffled feathers. Natalie didn’t make
things easy since she’d married the mayor’s son and felt that gave her a right
to weigh in on every choice.

Any other day, being the problem solver wouldn’t have been an
issue. But today, Emma was having a hard time pushing down her own feelings of
frustration. Especially since no one seemed to notice that she was struggling.
That she was drowning in her career and her utter lack of guidance. Something
her mother reminded her of every chance that she got.

“Is everyone set?” Emma asked, clapping her hands like a school
teacher. It was time to get this over with. All five friends turned to look at
her, and she smiled. “Great.” 

They began to move around the room, adjusting their dresses or
makeup. Shannon leaned over to her. “Thanks for that. I know I can always depend
on you.”

Emma nodded. “Of course. What are friends for?”

Shannon patted her arm and then turned her attention back to the
mirror. “I forgot to tell you that Dale dropped out. Apparently, he had some
family issue and had to fly home this morning.”

Emma plastered on a fake smile. Oh, no. She couldn’t walk down the
aisle alone. Not today. “Really?” She squeaked.

Shannon leaned toward the mirror and blotted the skin under her
eyes. “But don’t worry. Thomas’s old friend was able to step in.” She glanced back
at Emma. “The one from Montana, Austin. He came to the retreat a few years ago.
Had that girlfriend, Georgia something. I’m just thankful he’s proportional to
the other groomsmen. Plus, he was available last minute. You’re okay with that,
right?”

Emma swallowed. She remembered Austin alright. He’d been rude and
standoffish and the girl he had brought matched him perfectly. But, she
couldn’t bring that up now. Not when this was supposed to be Shannon’s day.
She’d just take comfort in the fact that she wasn’t going to have to walk down
the aisle alone. He could stand and had a pulse and that was all that mattered.
So, she plastered on a smile and said, “Sounds great.”

The wedding planner stepped into the room and announced that it
was time to line up. Emma helped adjust Shannon’s veil and then found her spot
behind Natalie. The wedding planner made them prove that they could count to
ten before she handed over their bouquets. It was the exact amount of time they
needed to wait before they followed the person in front of them down the aisle.

“. . . nine, ten,” Emma said as the wedding planner nodded in
unison.

She extended the bouquet to her and then paused. “You can count.
Now, put your words into action.”

For a woman only five-feet-zero, she could strike fear into
anyone’s heart. All Emma could say was, “Yes, ma’am.”

The wedding planner nodded and then shooed her from the room. “Go
find your groomsmen,” she said, waving toward the lobby.

Emma stumbled on the heels that Shannon had insisted she wear.
Just as she righted herself, a hand reached out and grabbed her elbow.

“You okay?”

The rescuer’s deep, smooth voice sent shivers down her spine.
Scared she was having a physical reaction to one of Shannon’s overly friendly
uncles, she whipped around to see a pair of dark green eyes peering into hers.

“Um. . .” She moved her gaze from his eyes, down his perfect nose,
to his crooked half-smile. His hair was dark and tousled in a purposeful way.
Austin. “I think so,” she squeaked out and then cursed herself for sounding so
stupid.

Warmth spread across her skin as his hand lingered on her elbow.
He nodded and then his gaze made its way over to her arm where he pulled his
hand back as if he’d suddenly realized that they were still touching. Emma
tried to ignore how his tux seemed to hug him in all the right places. His
shoulders were broad and the material couldn’t quite hide the muscles
underneath. Why hadn’t he gotten fat since the last time she’d seen him? Why
was fate so mean to her?

He straightened and extended his hand. “Austin Maverick.”

Emma stared at him. “I know who you are.” Once Shannon got home
from her honeymoon, Emma was going to let her have it. Why did Dale, the
forty-five-year-old patent attorney, have to drop out? He was better than this
arrogant cowboy.

He nodded. “You know me?”

Emma snorted. How could he have forgotten? “The lake retreat?
Three years ago? You spilled your beer down my dress.” She nodded toward her
elbow which she’d brought up waiting for him to link his arm through hers.

He studied her and then a forced look of recognition passed across
his face. “Right? How’ve you been?”

Emma stared at him. He couldn’t be serious. “You don’t remember me
do you?” Her cheeks heated from her statement. Why did she even care? It had to
be this wedding. It couldn’t be the the fact that he forgot who she was which
strengthened her realization that perhaps, she really wasn’t anything special.
She clenched her jaw muscles to ground herself. This wasn’t about her. It was
about him.

“I remember you,” he scoffed.

Emma motioned toward her elbow. “Right. Come on, let’s get this
over with.”

“I guess I just didn’t picture you when Thomas told me I’d be
paired with Shannon’s only single friend,” he said, linking arms with her.

Turning, she glanced over at him. “What does that mean?”

“What does what mean?” he asked as the wedding planner emerged
from the room with Shannon in tow.

Before Emma could explain, they were ushered into a line. She
tried to ignore how tall Austin was when he stood next to her. She felt tiny in
his shadow and she hated it. When they started to make their way toward the
chapel doors, she caught a whiff of his cologne and butterflies erupted in her
stomach. Then she pushed those feelings down. She was having a mental
breakdown, that had to be it.

They waited as Anne, Rosalyn, and Natalie lined up in front of
them. The wedding planner seemed so hell-bent on whipping the wedding party
into shape that Emma feared what would happen if she was caught talking to
Austin. But she couldn’t help but wonder what he meant earlier and why him
forgetting who she was really bothered her so much. She leaned in closer to
him, braving the wrath of the wedding planner.

“What did you mean when you said you didn’t picture me when Thomas
told you you’d be paired up with Shannon’s only single friend? Obviously, you
didn’t remember me?”

Austin’s gaze shifted over to her as she kept her face forward.
Thankfully, the wedding planner was too engrossed with mouthing the counts as
she released Anne down the aisle to see.

Austin shrugged as he turned his attention forward as well. “I
don’t know.”

Emma paused. She wasn’t sure how she felt about anything anymore.
“How can you not know?” Man, she was agitated. She didn’t realize that being
the last girl standing would bother her this much. But she’d gone this far, she
might as well continue. So, she turned and met Austin head on.

He looked a bit startled as he glanced down at her. “I didn’t mean
to offend you.”

Emma scoffed, but before she could continue, a firm hand was
placed on her arm and she was whipped around.

“Miss, you need to stay in line,” the wedding planner scolded her.

Emma’s cheeks heated as she faced forward. Keeping her voice low,
she leaned toward Austin so he caught every word. “Either you thought only an
ugly person could be single at my age and if that’s the truth, shame on you.”
The wedding planner nodded toward Rosalyn who started down the aisle. One more
to go and it would be their turn. “Or, Thomas told you that I wasn’t ugly and
you were shocked to find out that indeed, I am.”

She heard Austin sputter next to her. “I’m—”

“Either way, Mr. Maverick, your thought process is a bit
Neanderthal for me.”

Natalie was released, leaving them to stand together at the start
of the aisle.

“Emma, I didn’t—”

Before he could continue, the wedding planner nodded and Emma took
a step forward. There was no way she wanted to stay hooked to this man for a
moment longer. She didn’t need him to tell her that she was beautiful and that
a man would be interested in her someday. And she definitely didn’t need him to
tell her that she was ugly and perhaps, she should just settle for an apartment
full of cats and a crocheting hobby.

Vincent had broken her heart already, no need to open up old
wounds. As she made her way down the aisle—practically dragging Austin with
her—she attempted to ignore all the pity glances that were aimed in her
direction. Frustration boiled back up inside of her. Why was being a single
person so bad? Why did the world expect her to get married? She dropped
Austin’s arm and made her way over to stand behind Natalie.

After Cara found her place behind Emma, the wedding march started
and Shannon made her way down the aisle. Emma swallowed as she realized the
answer to her questions. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she wanted to
get married. She did want to find that perfect guy. But, if she let her heart
win out over her head, she’d be hurt again. And right now, she wasn’t sure
she’d survive another heartbreak.