COLLEEN: A Sweet Western Historical Romance by Ashley Merrick Page B
Authors: Ashley Merrick
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wanted to see the ring and hear it from her. He'd heard the news, of course, the day before, as his sister had seen all the Donovans and Colleen at church and stopped by his house on the way home to let him know. She’d been matter-of-fact but also sympathetic.
"I know you really liked her and she would have made a wonderful mayor's wife, assuming you managed to actually win," she teased him. "But you dodged a bullet as she clearly wasn't in love with you."
"She could have grown to love me. We could have grown to love each other," he’d sulked.
"See, you weren't in love with her, either. Things have a way of working out."
"I don't know about that. It's not like there are any other eligible women in Bozeman."
"Have faith. There's someone out there for you."
"Easy for you to say. You're happily married." Barbara and Tom married as soon as they’d both finished school. They'd been great friends first and with their three children seemed to be the perfect, happy family. Ricky had always liked Tom. He and Barbara were well suited and he was happy for both of them.
"It will happen for you, too."
The bar was almost empty as he slid into a chair at the far end. Billy came right over and asked if he wanted his usual, and a moment later set a beer in front of him. The restaurant was always quiet at this time of day, when the lunch rush was over and the dinner crowd had yet to come in. Colleen walked out of the kitchen, and immediately saw him and walked over.
"I hear congratulations are in order," he couldn't help saying as she reached him. She blushed and looked away uncomfortably, and while she did he took a good look at her ring. David had done well for himself.
"I'm sorry," she began and he interrupted before she could say anything else.
"I suppose I might have had a better chance if I'd had a ring for you? I was just caught up in the moment. It was really poor planning, now that I think of it." He joked a bit, hoping to lighten the moment. He didn't want to make her feel bad. She'd made her choice and he had to respect that.
"No, it wasn't that at all. I was honored that you asked me."
"I just wasn't the right guy, was I?" he said softly. He didn't wait for an answer before adding, "I wish the both of you a lifetime of happiness, I really do. David is a good guy."
Colleen was silent for a moment and then just said, "Thank you. I really do appreciate that."
"I won't keep you. I know you're probably ready to leave for the day." He saw Julia with her coat on as the kitchen door opened for a quick moment.
"Yes, it's that time again."
"Goodbye, Colleen." Ricky smiled sadly as Colleen reached in and impulsively gave him a hug.
"Thank you, Ricky. I really had fun with you."
"That's one thing you can always count on with me, is a good time," he said with a chuckle and then watched as she walked away. He finished his beer a few minutes later, threw some money down and then headed down the road to the saloon. He knew there would be more people there and right now he wanted to be around people. Even though he wasn't heart-broken and understood the wisdom of what his sister had said, he still hated losing. It burned him that she would rather be with David than with him.
Ricky settled in at the bar, ordered another beer and the daily special, which was a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich and a mug of chicken soup. He'd finished eating and had just ordered another beer when that pretty new saloon girl was suddenly by his side.
"Nice to see you again," she said warmly and looked like she really meant it. At least he needed to believe that she did.
"Great to see you again, too. Sarah, right?" He was always good about remembering women's names.
She smiled in surprise. "Yes, it's Sarah. I'm impressed that you remembered."
"How could I forget the name of such a beautiful woman?" he said with a smile. It felt good to pour on the charm, to flirt and to get some kind of appreciation back.
"I hope your week is off to a
"I know you really liked her and she would have made a wonderful mayor's wife, assuming you managed to actually win," she teased him. "But you dodged a bullet as she clearly wasn't in love with you."
"She could have grown to love me. We could have grown to love each other," he’d sulked.
"See, you weren't in love with her, either. Things have a way of working out."
"I don't know about that. It's not like there are any other eligible women in Bozeman."
"Have faith. There's someone out there for you."
"Easy for you to say. You're happily married." Barbara and Tom married as soon as they’d both finished school. They'd been great friends first and with their three children seemed to be the perfect, happy family. Ricky had always liked Tom. He and Barbara were well suited and he was happy for both of them.
"It will happen for you, too."
The bar was almost empty as he slid into a chair at the far end. Billy came right over and asked if he wanted his usual, and a moment later set a beer in front of him. The restaurant was always quiet at this time of day, when the lunch rush was over and the dinner crowd had yet to come in. Colleen walked out of the kitchen, and immediately saw him and walked over.
"I hear congratulations are in order," he couldn't help saying as she reached him. She blushed and looked away uncomfortably, and while she did he took a good look at her ring. David had done well for himself.
"I'm sorry," she began and he interrupted before she could say anything else.
"I suppose I might have had a better chance if I'd had a ring for you? I was just caught up in the moment. It was really poor planning, now that I think of it." He joked a bit, hoping to lighten the moment. He didn't want to make her feel bad. She'd made her choice and he had to respect that.
"No, it wasn't that at all. I was honored that you asked me."
"I just wasn't the right guy, was I?" he said softly. He didn't wait for an answer before adding, "I wish the both of you a lifetime of happiness, I really do. David is a good guy."
Colleen was silent for a moment and then just said, "Thank you. I really do appreciate that."
"I won't keep you. I know you're probably ready to leave for the day." He saw Julia with her coat on as the kitchen door opened for a quick moment.
"Yes, it's that time again."
"Goodbye, Colleen." Ricky smiled sadly as Colleen reached in and impulsively gave him a hug.
"Thank you, Ricky. I really had fun with you."
"That's one thing you can always count on with me, is a good time," he said with a chuckle and then watched as she walked away. He finished his beer a few minutes later, threw some money down and then headed down the road to the saloon. He knew there would be more people there and right now he wanted to be around people. Even though he wasn't heart-broken and understood the wisdom of what his sister had said, he still hated losing. It burned him that she would rather be with David than with him.
Ricky settled in at the bar, ordered another beer and the daily special, which was a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich and a mug of chicken soup. He'd finished eating and had just ordered another beer when that pretty new saloon girl was suddenly by his side.
"Nice to see you again," she said warmly and looked like she really meant it. At least he needed to believe that she did.
"Great to see you again, too. Sarah, right?" He was always good about remembering women's names.
She smiled in surprise. "Yes, it's Sarah. I'm impressed that you remembered."
"How could I forget the name of such a beautiful woman?" he said with a smile. It felt good to pour on the charm, to flirt and to get some kind of appreciation back.
"I hope your week is off to a
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