The Rancher's Cinderella Bride Read online

  Old friends, pretend lovers—from USA TODAY bestselling author Sara Orwig!

  Meg Aldridge needs a fiancé. Her family’s demands that she marry have become unbearable. But a monthlong pretend engagement to her best friend, Gabe Callahan, should shut them right up. After all, they’ve been feuding with the Callahans for years.

  Gabe’s willing to give up the ladies temporarily and focus his attentions on Meg. She’s his best friend; there’s no danger of complications. But a made-over Meg is wearing sexy clothes and makeup...and stirring up new feelings. Will a month of being lovers for appearance’s sake become a lifetime of the real thing?

  The Rancher’s Cinderella Bride is part of the Callahan’s Clan series.

  “Now, how can you possibly know about my love life?”

  “Word gets around about you,” Meg replied, teasing.

  “Well, what do you know,” Gabe said with a smile. “You’ve been discussing me with others.”

  “Don’t flatter yourself—I may not be the one bringing up your name, you know.”

  He laughed. “I better back off right now. I know you well enough to know when my teasing is getting to you.”

  “You don’t know as much about me as you think you do. The last time you teased me I was fourteen years old.”

  He tilted her chin up. “We’re in a spotlight from the security light. Just in case anyone is observing us, let’s make this look like the real thing.”

  “No one in this neighborhood is paying attention to us.”

  Gabe slipped his arm around her waist. “You know, Meg, we’ve never kissed.”

  He leaned closer and her heart beat faster.

  When his mouth brushed hers, heat swept through her. His arms tightened around her, drawing her against his hard length as his mouth covered hers.

  Oh. She was in trouble.

  * * *

  The Rancher’s Cinderella Bride is part of the Callahan’s Clan series—

  A wealthy Texas family finds love under the Western skies!

  Dear Reader,

  Sometimes circumstances keep best friends in touch as they grow from children into adults. Even after long separations, best friends can still laugh together, still share secrets and, if necessary in a crisis, still be there for each other. While a close friendship is a relationship I haven’t written about often, it is a relationship I value. For a story, toss in that the best friends are male and female. In the case of the youngest Callahan brother, Gabe, and his childhood best friend, Meg Aldridge, it’s possible for a sizzle of attraction to develop into the raging flames of desire. When Meg talks Gabe into a one-month pretend engagement, their bond of friendship undergoes a subtle change that leads Gabe to teasing her into their first kiss, and both lives spin into a new, unwanted orbit.

  With lifestyles poles apart, neither wants to fall in love with the other. Quiet, conservative Meg does not like or approve of the Texas millionaire’s wild lifestyle. Raising rodeo bulls, loving bull riding, flying his own planes and driving fast sports cars are at the top of her list of things Gabe does that she dislikes. Also, Meg knows Gabe loves partying with beautiful women and she’s not his type. Meg has her own landscaping business. She’s into plants and being outside more than wearing fancy dresses and going to Saturday-night parties. Attraction sends Gabe and Meg’s friendship into a new dimension. See how this friendship weathers the storm! I hope you enjoy their story.

  Sara Orwig

  SARA ORWIG

  The Rancher’s Cinderella Bride

  Sara Orwig, from Oklahoma, loves family, friends, dogs, books, long walks, sunny beaches and palm trees. She is married to and in love with the guy she met in college. They have three children and six grandchildren. Sara’s 100th published novel was a July 2016 release. With a master’s degree in English, Sara has written historical romance, mainstream fiction and contemporary romance. Sara welcomes readers on Facebook or at saraorwig.com.

  Books by Sara Orwig

  Harlequin Desire

  Lone Star Legends

  The Texan’s Forbidden Fiancée

  A Texan in Her Bed

  At the Rancher’s Request

  Kissed by a Rancher

  The Rancher’s Secret Son

  That Night with the Rich Rancher

  Callahan’s Clan

  Expecting the Rancher’s Child

  The Rancher’s Baby Bargain

  The Rancher’s Cinderella Bride

  Visit her Author Profile page at Harlequin.com, or saraorwig.com, for more titles.

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  To my editor, Stacy Boyd, with many thanks for your friendship and editing.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Excerpt from The Magnate's Marriage Merger by Joanne Rock

  One

  July

  Gabe Callahan sat on the porch of his ranch house with his booted feet propped on a rail as he watched a red pickup race up the road and onto the circular drive in front of the house. Aldridge Landscape Design was in red letters on the side, against a white circle background. Having known the driver as far back in his life as he could remember, he couldn’t imagine what could have made her so desperate to call him, let alone to drive the two hours southwest from Dallas to his ranch. Unless she had been in Downly, the nearest town and only thirty minutes away from him. For Meg the drive would be longer.

  As the truck screeched to a stop, he winced and stood, walking to the top of the steps. He waited there till Megan Louise Aldridge popped out of the pickup and charged toward the porch.

  “Good morning, Meg,” he said, addressing her the way he had since she had been in preschool and he had been in the first grade. He nodded toward the pickup. “When are you going to learn to drive?”

  She didn’t laugh or even smile at his usual teasing, so whatever the problem was, it was big.

  “Let’s go inside,” he said quietly, realizing something was really wrong. That alone was startling because Meg was usually cheerful. At least the Meg he remembered. He hadn’t seen much of her the past few years.

  “Let’s sit in the library,” he directed as he motioned her into the house.

  As she walked beside him, he caught a whiff of the familiar lilac perfume she had worn since middle school. He gave her a sidelong glance. She hadn’t changed much. Though she was taller now, her long pale brown hair was still held back from her forehead by a blue headband—the same style hairdo she’d worn since preschool. Her hair had always been either caught by a headband or braided in pigtails. And once again, she wore no makeup. Frank, honest, sweet—that was exactly how he’d describe the Meg he remembered. And exactly how she looked right now.

  Though these days they kept in touch mainly through social media and through the grapevine, back in the day Meg had been a great friend—and in the earliest years, his best friend. As kids, she had been there for him during the bad times and he had been there for her. All that despite a family feud that had put a wedge between the Callahans and the Aldridges.
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  Sometime after his high school graduation, they’d begun to drift apart, seeing each other less, and to his relief, as far as he knew, neither one of them had had as many problems as they’d had growing up. At least not until now. Something was definitely wrong in her life to send her to his ranch looking as worried as she did.

  He closed the double library doors, glancing around a room that had three walls covered with shelves of books that he loved. From the day he moved in, this room had been his sanctuary. Crossing the room, he placed his hands on her slender shoulders. “It’s been a long time since we’ve really talked, Meg. It’s good to see you again.”

  “It’s good to see you, too,” she said, giving him a tight smile.

  “I appreciated you coming to the memorial service for my brother and sister-in-law.”

  “I was sorry about Nathan and Lydia.”

  “Thanks. We’ve both lost brothers,” he stated. “That isn’t why you’re here. I get the feeling something’s wrong.” He searched her eyes. “What is it? Do you need something from me?”

  She looked directly into his eyes, and her expression was firm yet unreadable. Then she nodded. “Yes, Gabe, I need something. I need us to get engaged.”

  The laugh burst out of him like a popped balloon. “Nice one.” He wasn’t used to Meg being the jokester in the relationship, but he enjoyed a good laugh as much as anyone.

  But Meg didn’t laugh, or even smile. She merely stared at him and then said bluntly, “I want to get engaged to you for about a month. I want you to propose marriage.”

  So she wasn’t kidding?

  Not knowing what to think, he wiped away his grin and looked down at the floor while he pulled himself together. Then, frowning, he met her gaze once again. He could only manage one word. “Why?”

  “To get my family off my back.”

  The explanation may have made perfect sense to her, but he felt as if he’d come in on the second act. He had no idea what she was talking about.

  Before he could ask her to explain, she went on.

  “Of course, it wouldn’t be for real or for long. Just long enough to get my family to back off, settle down and let me live my life.” Now her eyes went wide and he saw the emotion in them once again. She was deeply troubled. “They want me to marry and I don’t want to get married. But they don’t seem to care. Mom and Dad are pushing me even when they know I don’t want this.”

  “But everyone in these parts knows we’ve never been in love or even dated. Why me?”

  “Because you’re my friend. I know we’re not as close as we were, but in a lot of ways, Gabe, you’re still my best friend. Who else would I turn to?”

  “Meg, you’re my best female friend—” He paused and studied her. “In fact, you may be my best friend except for my brothers, and I’ve told you secrets I haven’t told them.” What was he saying? Instead of strolling down memory lane with her, he needed to talk some sense into her. He took her by the hands and led her over to two chairs. “Let’s sit and talk.”

  Clamping her lips together, she sat. Leaning back in his chair with one foot on his knee, he gazed at her. She looked about the same as she had the last time he had seen her, over a year ago. She had on a baggy gray sweatshirt, worn, faded jeans and scuffed, dusty boots. From what he’d heard through the grapevine, her landscape design business in Dallas was growing and successful.

  It felt good to see her again, to talk to her again. They’d always discussed their problems, but he had to admit, this one was a doozy. “Talk to me, Meg. What’s the deal? You have a nice family.”

  “Not about this,” she said, frowning, worry filling her big, thickly lashed dark brown eyes. Really pretty eyes. That thought surprised him because he had never been physically attracted to Meg. She wasn’t his type of woman.

  “I need your help,” she said, leaning forward and taking his hands in her dainty ones that were as cold as ice.

  “You’re freezing,” he said, covering her hands with his. “Calm down. I’ll help you. Any way I can.”

  “I hope you mean that,” she said in a low, intense voice. “Because I really need you to ask me to marry you.”

  He pulled his hands back, but she grasped them tighter. “It’s temporary, very temporary,” she said quickly. “I think one month should do it. And it wouldn’t be a real engagement, of course.” She leaned closer and her voice took on a more earnest tone. “I need your help, Gabe. Please,” she begged, as if he had threatened to toss her out of his house.

  He did what he did best. He tried to lighten the mood. “Hey, remember, you’re talking to me—best friends since forever.”

  “I’m serious, Gabe, and I’m desperate.”

  “I believe you,” he said, getting more worried.

  She took a deep breath and looked as if she faced a firing squad.

  “All of them—my parents and both sets of grandparents—want an heir. And they all want a grandchild.”

  He shrugged. “Tell them that will happen in due time.”

  “Time is part of the problem. They’re all getting older. You know Todd, my oldest brother, is career military and he’s in Afghanistan now and isn’t getting married anytime soon. Caleb, my married brother, has a good part in a Broadway play alongside his wife, Nora. They don’t want children to interfere with their careers,” she said, rattling off her reasons and sounding more panicky with each one. “And Hank is gone,” she said, a wistful note of sadness in her voice that made him want to offer sympathy again over her brother who was killed in a crash when he was flying his small plane. “My family is desperate for a baby and I’m the prime candidate.”

  He managed to extricate his hands and sat back. “I get that, but—”

  “There’s more. Someone wants to marry me and my family knows it,” she said, looking distraught and sounding as if she were caught in a huge calamity.

  “Who wants to marry you?”

  “Justin Whelton—fourth generation of successful Dallas lawyers.”

  “I know Justin,” Gabe said, frowning and thinking he could see why she had no interest in marrying him. Gabe had known Justin as long as Meg had known him. Their parents moved in the same social circles and now that he and Justin and Meg were grown, they crossed paths at social events. Gabe didn’t like Justin and suspected he had done some underhanded things to win cases.

  “Justin and I dated in high school. It meant nothing to each of us except convenience. It’s the same now, but the minute we went out a few times this past year both sets of parents came up with the idea that we should marry. Justin’s folks want him to marry because he has big political ambitions and they think being married would give him stability and better voter approval. And I’m the perfect candidate to be his wife as far as his parents and mine are concerned. I’ve told mine I don’t love him but they think we would fall in love because we’re apparently so compatible and we’ve known each other all our lives. My mistake was ever going out with him, just because he was a friend. There never has been any romance between the two of us, no more than there was any between you and me. We’re friends. Period. I don’t like to kiss him and we rarely have. How do you marry someone you don’t like to kiss?”

  He couldn’t help it. Despite her seriousness, he chuckled.

  “Gabe, don’t you dare laugh at me. It isn’t funny.”

  “I’m not laughing,” he said, trying not to, “but I’m surprised Justin wants this if you won’t kiss him. If you and I get pretend engaged, will you kiss me?”

  “I’m serious here,” she said, anger flaring in her big eyes.

  He had to bite back another laugh and realized he shouldn’t tease her now. She was too upset to see humor in it.

  “Yes, I’ll kiss you,” she said through gritted teeth and her cheeks turned red.

  He couldn’t hold the
grin that came that time.

  “Gabe, so help me—”

  Impulsively, he hugged her. “I’m teasing, Meg, and you know it. You just get so riled up that I can’t resist.” He released her, but not before he noticed she was soft to hug and far different from when she was a skinny middle school kid.

  “His dad and grandfathers have offered him so many financial incentives—you can’t imagine.”

  “That’s no incentive if the lady doesn’t like you. I’d think your family would listen if you firmly tell them you don’t want to marry him.”

  “They’re not listening, Gabe. That’s the problem. They’re all pushing, including Justin, who thinks this would help his career. He’s laying the groundwork to run for the Texas legislature, but he wants to be in Washington and he thinks I would make—to quote him—‘the right kind of wife.’ What a reason to marry!” She grabbed Gabe’s hands again. “You can’t imagine the pressure my family is putting on me. Please, just think about a pretend engagement,” she begged.

  He kept telling himself this was ridiculous, she was exaggerating and he wanted no part of it. But as she held his hands in hers, he looked down into imploring brown eyes and felt himself sinking into quicksand.

  “I’m friends with Justin’s secretary, Gretchen,” she went on. “She told me Justin is planning to propose at the big anniversary dance this month at the country club. If I turn him down in front of all those people and our families, it’ll be dreadful.”

  Gabe pulled back and stood up. “Dammit, Meg. Justin isn’t planning that because he loves you and wants a fun memory for you. He’s doing it to get attention for himself.”

  “I know that.” Her eyes went watery and he was afraid she’d start to cry. “You’re not going to have to go through with marrying me. Just a pretend engagement for a month and then you can tell all your lady friends that it was a sham. I’ll tell them if you want.”

  Shaking his head, he gave her a brief crooked smile. “Geez, Meg, I don’t have a harem. You don’t have to reassure anyone that I’m available.” He ran a hand through his hair. “You’ve never been dishonest or hidden things from your folks in all your life. How are you going to look them in the eye and tell them we’re engaged?”