Page 1 of Colorado Bride

ChapterOne

Saturday, February 6, 1875

Golden City, Colorado Territory

Ben Logan, wearing his best black suit, stood at the front of the church, his best man, Nathan Ravenclaw, at his side.He looked out at all of his friends, filling the pews, who just minutes ago had been smiling and were now wearing looks of concern on their faces.

“She’s just running a little late,” he said to Nathan.“Melissa will be here shortly.She does like to make an entrance.”

Nathan Ravenclaw was his best friend.The fact that he was half Arapaho Indian didn’t matter to Ben.The fact that every woman in town thought Nathan the most handsome of men didn’t matter either.Fortunately Nathan’s wife Ella, took the stares at her handsome husband in stride.Ella was a beauty herself.She had a long scar on her face but she was still a very beautiful woman.Together, she and Nathan made a striking couple.

Nathan put his hand on Ben’s shoulder and in a low tone, said, “If you say so, but she’s already more than a half hour late.I think you’ll have to call this as she stood you up.You can set another date when you find out what has happened to her.”

Ben nodded, angry and embarrassed.Melissa had used him for the last time.

“You’re right.”

He looked out at all the people filling the church.All his friends, family and business associates, some from when he was a boy growing up at the ranch outside Golden, he’d known most of his life.All of them had come to wish him well on this, his wedding day.

“I’m sorry to have kept you so long.Something must have happened to Melissa.We’ll reschedule and let you all know.Thanks for coming.”

The buzz of whispers and the shocked reaction of some people could be heard as the church slowly emptied.Several people came up and clapped him on the back.

“Sorry Ben,” said Caleb Black.

His wife Maggie, owner of the matchmaking service Matchmaker & Co.was at his side.

“I’m sorry, Ben.There’ll be another time.”

Ben’s anger and embarrassment grew with each attempt to calm him.By the time the last person had left the church, he was about to boil over.

“Don’t worry, son.Melissa will come around and you can reschedule this.”

“No, Mother.”Ben looked at his mother, her steel gray hair done up in a high knot on her head, wearing her best dress.Doris looked better than he’d seen her in a long time.She’d always liked Melissa.Knowing his mother she figured Melissa would be easy to manipulate.

“That won’t happen.Melissa can just find another sucker to marry.She’s taken advantage of my good nature for the last time.”

Ben stalked away from his mother and out of the church.

He walked to Melissa’s house, pounded on the door and when there was no answer, he turned the knob.It was unlocked.Ben stomped through the door making as much noise as possible.

“Melissa!Melissa!”

He found a note on the kitchen table with his name on it.

Ben,

I’m sorry.I can’t marry an ignorant, uneducated man such as you after all.I can’t live in the country, and roll in the dirt.I am a city girl and I’ve fallen in love with a professional man, someone who can actually make me happy.His name is Richard Deveraux and we’ve gone to get married.We’re headed to San Francisco where Richard has a business associate.

I wish you a good life.

Melissa

Ben would never be put in this position again.He vowed to never love anyone.Never be vulnerable to be hurt again like this.

Ben wadded the note into a ball with his fist and threw it on the floor.Then he walked out of the house and never looked back.He buried himself in his work on the ranch and tried to forget about Melissa.Only in moments like when he was at his sister’s spread and saw how happy Jane was with her family, did he long for a wife and children of his own.

Five months after she’d left, Melissa returned to Golden sans husband.Ben had heard she never got married and that her ‘fiancé’ had run off in the middle of the night.