The Redhead (Romancing the Ponderosa Book 2)

Chapter 1

"You may kiss the bride." I watch Little Joe pull Hannah close and kiss her soundly. Those two have been impatiently waiting the past three months for this day. They would have gotten married sooner, but they had a few setbacks. First off they both had to heal from bullet wounds, which took longer than expected when Hannah got out of bed sooner than she should have. She made it as far as the second step before her not all of the way healed leg gave out, and she fell down the stairs. That fall put her back in bed for another three weeks. But now with her leg completely healed, I watch them take their vows here in the big room. "May I present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Francis Cartwright!"

Everybody stands, clapping as Joe and Hannah walk arm and arm down the makeshift aisle. Hannah wanted to have a small wedding here on the ranch with only a few close friends, so that's what we did. Only Roy Coffee, the preacher, a few of her widow friends, Hop Sing, Pa, Hoss and I are celebrating with them on their special day.

Pa offered them a plot of land here on the Ponderosa to build a house on, but they declined, saying they'd rather stay in the ranch house until they started a family. Of course none of us objected to this, yet I can't help thinking that newlyweds ought to have a little more privacy.

We all follow Joe and Hannah outside where the celebrating will begin. Hop Sing has spent the past two days preparing a feast, and Hannah, with Hoss's help, hung decorations from every spot that was possible. The Ponderosa has never been more spruced up.

Joe and Hannah stand with huge grins on their faces beside a table covered with a cake and full punch bowl. Everyone takes turns shaking Little Joe's hand and kissing Hannah's cheek, wishing them both the best of wishes. When my turn comes, I shake his hand and ask, "You don't mind if I kiss the bride, do you, Joe?"

"Of course not! Go right ahead." He laughs, clearly giddy with love and happiness.

I bend towards Hannah and press a kiss to her pinked up cheek. If I hadn't known better, I'd say she was wearing rouge, but I know it's just the happiness in her heart making them rosy. "Well, Hannah, we're officially brother and sister now. Welcome to the family!"

"Oh, thank you, Adam!" She throws her arms around my waist, the rest of her words muffled by my chest. "Any girl would be proud to have you as a brother! I'm so glad to finally be part of the Cartwright family!"

I laugh as she lets me go, glad that our relationship is starting on a good foot. When Joe first found her a little over three months ago, I had a hard time fighting my feelings for her. But when I saw how Little Joe took a liking to her and her to him, I had a battle raging inside me. That battle caused me to say things to Joe that I still regret to this day, even though he easily forgave me for them. I also acted a little hotheaded, but the state Cyl Lunberg had left Hannah in made me enraged to the point of blindness. I had wanted to kill Lunberg for what he did to her, but Hannah ended up firing the shots that took him down.

Hannah begins to pour cups of punch, passing them around as Hop Sing goes into the kitchen to bring out the food. He makes multiple trips, but the table is finally full. I can see Hoss licking his chops in anticipation for all the grub.

"Well, I'll bless the food." The preacher says. All of us bow our heads as we listen to his prayer. "Dear Lord, we pray that you bless this food and allow it to nourish our bodies. We also ask that you bless this new marriage between Joe and Hannah."

After echoing an amen, I grab a plate getting in line. Joe and Hannah go first since they're the special couple, while Hoss watches the food from where he stands towering behind the preacher. Everybody finds a place either standing or sitting to eat their platefuls of food. I can't help noticing that Little Joe and Hannah go off together slightly apart from everyone else. I want to tell everyone to hurry, knowing Little Joe wants to get on the road to Virginia City, where they plan on staying at the hotel for a week.

Pa told them to go someplace farther away than Virginia City for their honeymoon, but they insisted, saying they'd rather stay close to home in case they're needed on the ranch. They both have generous hearts, I'll give them that. I wouldn't want to spend my honeymoon in the bridal suite in Virginia City's hotel.

Once the cake is cut and eaten, everyone sends them on their way. Little Joe, with a look of relief, helps Hannah into our carriage. We shower them with rice as they ride away. Hannah, halfway standing, blows kisses while she waves at us. Waving back, I heard Pa chuckling beside me.

"That girl! She's the perfect match for Little Joe, enough spunk and will power to keep him reined in."

"She's got spunk all right." I look over at him. "But I think we oughta start cleaning up this mess before it gets dark on us in a few hours. Who knows how long it will take, Hannah practically decorated the whole thousand mile acre spread!"

"Not quite the whole thousand acres, but practically the whole front yard!" Shaking his head, he looks around at all of the decorations, a smile slowly spreading across his face. "Yet she deserved every steamer, candle, and ribbon."

"That she did, Pa." Hoss walks up beside us. "I could near about feel the pride seepin' outta her when she was talkin' to me about her and Little Joe's plans when we was hangin' up all this pretty stuff."

"Ben," Roy comes up behind us, "I'm sorry to have to leave you to clean up all this by yourself, but I've got to get back to town."

"Don't worry about it, Roy, the boys and I can clean up just fine." Pa says, giving him a friendly slap on the back before he leaves. Slowly the rest of the guests leave and soon it's just Pa, Hoss, Hop Sing, and I standing in the front yard. Pa begins to grab dirty plates off the table and carries them into the kitchen, calling over his shoulder, "Well, the decorations won't take themselves down. Get to work!"

Hoss and I start untying ribbons from off the posts under the porch roof. When Pa doesn't come back out of the kitchen, I figure he's helping Hop Sing with the dishes. Hoss looks over at me from where he stands, arms above his head untying a ribbon. "You know, he's hurtin' inside, but he just doesn't want us to see."

"I know, Hoss, in a way he just lost his youngest son today."

"Yeah, but he got himself a daughter."

"Yes, but things will never be like they used to be. Little Joe won't be his old self any longer, he won't be chasing girls in town anymore or going to the saloon with us to have a beer. He'll still be Little Joe, just tamer and different."

"Well, the way I figure it, he'll probably still go to the saloon with us, but just not as often. And if I find him chasin' any girls in town, I'll give him a whoopin' he'll never forget! Maybe now that he's married, he won't get himself beat up as much."

"We can only hope that's true!" I laugh.