Read Online How a Cowboy Stole Her Heart by Donna Alward - Free Book Online

She’d overlooked Meg’s stilted responses and Meg loved her for it. “Thank you, Lil,” she replied, relaxing a little. “It takes some getting used to.”
    â€œI think you should leave it that way. Now, what about the dress?” She shook the hanger in her hands, making the fabric shimmer.
    â€œIt’s lovely, but I’m not sure strapless is my thing. I was hoping for something a little more…subdued.”
    Lily’s eyebrows puckered in the middle. “Hmm. We might need some help,” she mused. “Hold this.” She shoved a dress into Meg’s hands and headed straight to the door.
    â€œWhere are you going?” Meg called after her.
    â€œReinforcements!” Lily called back. Thirty seconds later she was back with Jen in tow.
    â€œNever fear! The fashion police are here!”
    Jen rushed down the aisle to greet Meg while Lily locked up the store behind her. Meg felt her heart contract. Jen wasn’t showing much, but her tummy was slightly bubbled out in pregnancy and her skin glowed. Meg loved her friends but felt at an immediate disadvantage. They were so beautiful, secure in their marriages, planning families. Meg had none of those things. She felt like a complete ugly duckling.
    Worse, she felt the stirrings of jealousy. She knew it was completely unfair of her. There had been no question of doing chemo and radiation. They’d been necessary tokeep her alive. But looking at Jen, expecting a baby and so utterly happy…Meg was fully aware of all the side effects of cancer treatment, immediate and down the road. Even if she could conceive, it could be very, very difficult. Another river for her to cross.
    Jen gave Meg a quick hug and Meg pushed her melancholy thoughts aside. She would not begrudge Jen an iota of happiness. It wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. It was just the way things were.
    â€œWhat are you two up to?” Meg looked from Jen to Lily and back again.
    â€œI’m closing up so we can find you the perfect dress.”
    â€œBut…but…”
    Jen looked at Lily. “She’s lost some weight. My dresses won’t fit her, even if I’m not using them at the moment.” She put her hand on her swelling tummy. “Yours might.”
    Lily shook her head. “No, I’m too hippy. Besides, Meg deserves something new, don’t you think?”
    Meg felt completely bulldozed and slightly invisible. This hadn’t been part of the plan! While it was wonderful to see her friends and to know that they hadn’t changed over the past months, she knew they had a tendency to get carried away and Meg didn’t want to get carried right with them. “Hello, I’m right here.”
    â€œOf course you are, isn’t this fun?”
    Shopping for dresses was not what Meg normally classified as fun. She had never had much for hips and now her curves above the waist were…well, under renovation was probably the politest way she could explain it. “I appreciate it, you two, but really. A simple dress for Stacy’s wedding is all I need,” she insisted. “Nothing over the top.”
    â€œHoney.” Jen and Lily each took one of her hands. Jen’s eyes suddenly welled up with unshed tears. “Youwouldn’t let us do anything for you when you got sick. As stubborn, independent women ourselves, we understood it and accepted it. But please, Meg. Let us help you now. We’re so glad you’re home. It’s so good to have the three of us together again. If only Lucy were here, it would be like old times.”
    The tears threatened to spill over. “After what you’ve been through, don’t you think you deserve this?” Jen asked.
    Meg was incredibly touched and her earlier thoughts evaporated. She was so blessed to have friends like Jen and Lily, and yet she was scared to open herself up too much. She wasn’t used to voluntarily