Loving a Lawman (15 page)

She hadn't used the thing until now and she was a little nervous as the phone rang on the other end.

“Jessie?” He sounded happy to hear from her.

“Tell me again how everything's going to be okay.”

“Is my mother driving you crazy?”

“Tell me.”

“Everything is going to be okay. What's she got you worried about?”

“Chase.”

Once again his name hung between them. How could they go on with his brother constantly hovering around?

“Chase is a big boy, and he'll get over it.”

“Do you really believe that?” she asked.

“He made his choices.” Seth's voice came across the phone lines like the growl of a bear.

“Let's just run to the justice of the peace and get married,” she suggested. “This wedding planning is nerve-racking.”

Seth chuckled. “You know Mama is not going to let us get away with that.”

She pulled at a loose thread on her jeans and glanced at the dresses hanging next to her in the stall. “I know.”

“Just hang in there. Just two more weeks and it'll all be over.”

“Jessie? Are you in here?” Evelyn called from the hall between the dressing rooms.

“I gotta go.” She jumped to her feet as if she'd been caught with her hand in the proverbial cookie jar.

“Jessie,” he protested but she hung up without answering.

“Just a minute,” she hollered toward the sound of Evelyn's voice. But she needed more than a minute. A lot more.

*   *   *

I
n the end, Jessie bought the most beautiful dress she had ever owned. Creamy white silk and lace with pearl buttons and tiny little hooks and eyes that she was certain she wouldn't be able to fasten before she walked down the aisle toward the altar and Seth. The purchase put quite a dent in her dwindling savings, but she couldn't allow Seth's mother to buy her dress.

But Evelyn had drawn the line at the boot store and paid for the navy blue Tony Lamas with the cream-colored inlaid roses with tan stitching.

“Consider it your something blue, my dear,” Seth's mother said as she whipped out her American Express and handed it to the man behind the counter.

Before Jessie could utter a second protest, the boots were hers and they were whisking out the door once again.

“Now,” Evelyn said, turning on her blinker and changing lanes. “We need a cake, flowers, invitations . . .”

“That seems like a lot,” Jessie protested weakly.

“And your hair.” Evelyn cast her a quick glance, then turned back to face the San Angelo rush-hour traffic. “Who's going to do your hair?”

She reached up a tentative hand and lightly fingered her messy curls. Her hair did what it wanted when it wanted to do it. “No one's doing my hair.”

Evelyn sighed. “Jessica, this is your wedding day. Now's not the time to be worried about money and such. I know this isn't something you and Seth planned, but you still deserve to be the most beautiful bride Cattle Creek has ever seen.”

Jessie blinked back tears. Stupid hormones. They had her crying like a baby at the drop of a hat. Or maybe it was the overwhelming situation she found herself in. Or maybe it was simply time to take back some control over her life.

She pushed herself up a little straighter in the truck seat and faced her future mother-in-law head-on. “I don't want to have anyone do my hair. I think a simple bun is just fine for an afternoon at-home wedding. As far as the cake goes, I would like Grandma Esther to make it. She makes the best cakes in three counties as it is. I don't need it to be fancy, but I would like it to taste good. And for napkins and that sort of thing, let's run by the Dollar Tree and see what they have. I think it's ridiculous to spend ten dollars a package for something that people are going to wipe their mouth on and then throw away.”

Evelyn reached the next stoplight and turned to face her as they idled waiting for it to turn green once again. “If that's how you feel about it,” she said quietly.

Jessie nodded, the spinning in her head stopping for the first time in days. “It is.” She nodded to add emphasis.

Evelyn checked the light and put the truck into motion once again. “Then Dollar Tree, here we come.”

*   *   *

J
essie eyed the front door of the ranch house, unable to deny the charm of the old place. She had come out here a couple of times with Seth and the other Langston boys as they visited with their grandma Duvall, but Jessie had forgotten how quaint the little house was.

“What if there are spiders?” she asked. That would be just what she needed to completely blow the sweet fantasy of ranch life now blooming in her head.

Seth chuckled from behind her and moved to unlock the door. “Oh, there are spiders. I can promise you that.”

Jessie shook her head. “I'm not going in. Not unless you fumigate and have it inspected.” She shuddered. “I don't do spiders.”

Seth held open the door and Jessie could see even from the distance where she was standing that dust and cobwebs liberally accented the old rooms. No, thank you.

“If you don't want to help me clean this up, I suppose you're okay with moving into Nita's garage apartment with me?”

“Unfair, Seth,” Jessie said as she loped up the steps and into the house.

The heels of her boots
thunked
against the heavy-planked floor. Although a layer of dust covered the wood, Jessie could see that it was a rich, dark brown. She had a vision of it cleaned and glowing, vibrant rugs scattered throughout.

“Jake said he'd have the power turned on by tomorrow afternoon. And I've arranged for all the appliances to arrive later in the week.” Seth walked across the front room and poked his head through the doorway leading to the kitchen. “We've got four bedrooms—three of which are really small—a dining room, and this room here, but we can add on if need be.”

“It's perfect just the way it is.” She spun around in a circle, trying to take it all in. Suddenly the spiders weren't such a concern.

Between the two of them, they had enough furniture to fill the place. It just needed a good scrubbing, maybe some curtains.

He motioned for her to follow him. He took the entryway opposite the one that led to the kitchen. She sneezed as she trailed behind him down a narrow hallway.

“Bless you,” he said as he stepped into a large airy room nearly the size of the front room. A large bay window jutted out from the house with two more flanking it. “This is the master room. Our room.”

She could well imagine the polished floors, sheer, gauzy curtains, and her wrought-iron bed pushed up close to the windows that would let in the morning light from an eastern sun.

“I hired Johnny Garcia and his crew to paint. You'll need to pick out the colors and get that to him as soon as
possible. The quicker he has that, the quicker he can get started.”

“You've thought of everything,” she whispered.

He shrugged, but she noticed a faint flush of red creeping into his cheeks. He turned and motioned for her to follow him once again. Back up the hallway to the door they had passed earlier.

The door creaked as he pushed it open. “And this will be the nursery.”

The room was tiny, perfect for the new addition they were expecting. Jessie could imagine the crib pushed next to the window, dancing beams of sun stealing into the room. A swing, a changing table, and tons of stuffed animals to fill the space.

She turned to Seth tears blurring her vision. “Thank you,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around him.

A beautiful sense of peace stole over her as he wrapped her in his arms. His heart thumped under her ear, its rhythm steady and comforting.

“Don't thank me yet.” A chuckle rumbled up from his chest. “We still have a lot of work to do.”

A lot of work or not, she knew that somehow, some way, everything was going to be just fine.

E
verything is going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay,
Jessie chanted as she took one last look in the mirror. Her sense of ease from the day she'd stood in the ranch house, wrapped in Seth's strong embrace, had long since vanished.

They had turned Evelyn's office into a makeshift dressing area for her. And though she had managed to secure some time to herself, this was one of those occasions when she could have used a mother's or sister's advice.

This morning it had hit her smack in the face. She was marrying Seth Langston. Tonight he would drive them over to the ranch house and they would spend their wedding night in the tiny four-bedroom where they had decided to raise their family.

She took a deep breath and pressed a trembling hand to her fluttering stomach. It was way too early for the baby to be moving, which meant nerves were responsible for its current upheaval.

Maybe she would feel better if they had gotten in touch
with Chase. Everyone had tried to call him, including Evelyn, but it seemed that Chase had more important matters to attend. Jessie couldn't help wondering if she was a brunette or a blonde.

Still, she wished she'd had the chance to explain things to him, to bring full closure to their relationship. Most of what was between them must have been in her head, but Jessie would feel better if she told him what was happening before it actually happened. Knowing Chase, he'd call tonight after they had all gone home and be pissed that no one had bothered to tell him.

Home. Tonight she and Seth would go back to their new place and pretend to be happily married. They had been acting like a real couple for the last two weeks, picking out paint colors and baby furniture, checking on the progress of the house. He had resigned her from her job to help get the place ready, then forbade her to do any actual work. He didn't want her painting or moving furniture. She supposed that was for the best, yet she felt a little like a diva, instructing others in what to do while she stood off to one side and supervised.

But she hadn't protested. She told herself that was because she had too much work to do at the house to argue every little point with Seth, but the truth was she was scared. Of Seth and how he made her feel. Of the town and the rumors she knew had to be flying around like crazed bats. Were people talking more about her, Seth, and the baby or the fact that the staid and true sheriff was marrying Cattle Creek's resident wild child? She didn't want to know. So she had holed up in the old ranch house and pretended that paint colors and furniture polish were the most pressing matters she had.

She took one last look in the mirror to check her makeup and smoothed her hands down the front of her dress. She must have lost a couple of pounds in the last two weeks, since it fit a little bigger today than it had when
she bought it. She hadn't had any morning sickness, so she knew her nerves were the culprit.

A knock sounded on the door and she whirled around as Seth eased inside.

“Are you ready?”

She shook her head. “I mean, yes.”

He beamed an indulgent smile at her. “Everyone's waiting on us.”

She looked down at herself, one last double check to make sure she was ready.

“Mama said you might need this.” He handed her a penny, a small frown on his brow. “For your thoughts?” he asked.

“From the poem. Something old, something new; something borrowed, something blue.” She had a new dress, her old bracelet, borrowed pearls, and blue boots. She slipped the coin down the shaft of the left one. “Put a penny in your shoe.”

Seth smiled as he watched her. “They need to rewrite that for cowgirls,” he teased, then held his arm for her to take. She lifted her small white rose bouquet from its box and hooked her arm through his.

They had agreed to walk down the aisle together. It had been Seth's idea and Jessie had jumped at the plan. Jake was the only male who might possibly stand in and walk her down the aisle, since neither of them had a father, but Seth had said they were in this together, starting with their first walk to the altar together. It only seemed right.

Pastor Stanley from the Methodist church waited next to the fireplace. Jessie used all her energy to walk next to Seth without tripping and all her willpower to remain upright and conscious. Were all brides this nervous? Or just pregnant ones who were mismatched to handsome cowboy sheriffs? He smiled at them and Jessie wondered if he knew their secret. How many people in Cattle Creek knew that Seth was marrying her because they were having a baby?
And of those, how many were betting that the baby actually belonged to Chase? The thought made her nauseous.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today . . . ,” Pastor Stanley started as a loud hum began to ring in Jessie's ears. This was really happening.

How many constituted “dearly beloved”? Only Evelyn, Grandma Esther, Jake, and Wesley were there to witness the event, yet the man talked as if there were two hundred guests crammed into the Langston ranch house.

Jessie mentally shook her head to clear her thoughts and did her best to concentrate on what the preacher was saying.

“Repeat after me. I, Jessica Elizabeth McAllen, take thee, Seth Daniel Langston, to be my lawfully wedded husband.”

She trembled.

Seth gently squeezed her fingers, spurring her into speech.

Her voice sounded squeaky and high-pitched as she repeated her vows to love, honor, and cherish him until death. Seth's voice rang with confidence and affection as he made his promises to her.

Was he really planning on staying married to her forever? Could they make it with everything stacked against them? Did she want them to?

Wesley stepped up next to her and tugged on her dress. Jessie turned as the young girl flashed her snaggletooth smile and handed her a plain gold band.

Jessie took it, shooting her own trembling smile to Wesley and turned to Seth. “With this ring, I thee wed,” she said as she slid it on his finger.

Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a matching band and pledged the same to her.

“I now pronounce you man and wife. Seth, you may kiss your bride.”

He stepped closer to her and tilted her chin with one hand.

Jessie's eyes fluttered closed as his lips met hers only briefly. Still, the touch was explosive, like every other kiss they had shared. Yet this one held a promise of more, of a lifetime, of the child nestled between them.

He lifted his head, his fiery green eyes blazing into hers. For the first time in the two weeks since they had been planning this wedding, she thought about tonight. She and Seth all alone in the house they had planned to share. Alone in her full-size bed. It was the only one in the house as of yet. A couple couldn't sleep in a bed that size without brushing against each other with every breath. And if Seth meant to make a real go of their marriage, then . . .

She continued to stare at him, his eyes promising the world, a world she so desperately wanted for her own.

“Well, well, well.”

The moment was broken.

Jessie turned, only vaguely aware that everyone else did the same.

Chase stood just inside the great room, his duffel bag in one hand, the other wrapped in a blue cast from fingertip to wrist. A yapping puppy danced around his feet, his pink tongue lolling out one side of his mouth. The poor pooch was completely unaware of the rising tensions in the room.

The bag hit the floor with a thud. The puppy danced backward, then let out a shrill bark.

“What have we here?” Chase drawled looking from her to his brother.

Seth took a step forward. “We tried to call you. Several times, in fact.”

Chase shrugged. “Had to get a new number. Crazy girl,” he said, his gaze landing on Jessie. “You know how it is.”

Jessie trembled under his scrutiny.

“Would someone like to tell me what's going on or am I just supposed to guess why my brother is marrying my girl?”

“Chase, I—” Jessie started forward, but Seth stepped in front of her.

“This is our wedding day,” he stated, his voice steady and deep. “We can talk about this later.”

Chase shot his brother that trademark grin of his, but it didn't reach his eyes. “I think we need to talk about this now.”

Everyone opened their mouth to explain, but it was as if no one knew exactly what to say. Or maybe it was where to start.

Finally Jake took a couple of steps toward his brother. “Seth and Jessie are going to have a baby in a few months. Getting married is the natural thing for them to do.”

For a moment she thought she saw pain flash in Chase's eyes, but it was gone almost as quickly as it came.

“I see.” His gaze flicked over her, then landed on Seth. “There's no accounting for taste, I guess.”

“Watch yourself,” Seth snarled.

Jessie had never heard him use that tone of voice before. Ever-cool, levelheaded Seth sounded as if he had been pushed to the edge.

“What?” Chase asked, his stance belligerent. “Is it my fault one Langston wasn't enough for her?”

Like a flash Seth moved toward his brother. Jessie didn't have time to utter more than a strangled cry as Seth grabbed Chase by the collar and forced him back against the nearest wall. Pictures rattled as Seth slammed Chase's head against the wood. Evelyn cried out.

“Take it back.” Seth's voice was low and dangerous. Jessie was rooted to the spot, as was everyone else in the family. Wesley moved behind her nana as Jake sprang into action.

He pushed between his brothers, doing his best to keep the situation from escalating beyond control.

Jessie clamped a hand over her own mouth to keep her cries at bay. She was the cause of this. Her and her impulsive ways. She would never do anything to upset anyone in the Langston family, and yet in one afternoon she had
managed to hurt them all, a lasting, bone-deep wound that might not ever heal.

“Let him go, Seth,” Jake said. “It's not worth it.”

“Yeah, Seth,” Chase snarled. “She's not worth it.” He pulled away, yet remained close enough for a brawl.

Seth started after his brother once again, but Jake blocked his path.

“Get out, Chase,” Jake said, not bothering to look at his youngest sibling.

Chase wiped his uninjured hand across his mouth, the action leaving a telltale trail of blood. Somehow in the scuffle his lip had been busted. “Yeah,” he said with an angry sniff. “I think I will.”

He stopped long enough to scoop up his duffel bag and headed for the door, his legs stiff.

A few heartbeats later the front door slammed behind him.

“I'll just . . . ,” Evelyn started, then turned and ran after Chase.

Jessie wanted nothing more than to crumple to the floor in a sobbing heap of regret. What had she done? How could any of them ever forgive her?

Instead she stiffened her spine and blinked away her tears. All of her life had been building to this moment. Her grandmother was right. She was no better than her mother—in fact, she might be worse. But she was going to do everything in her power to make it right.

*   *   *

S
eth took the plate of cake from his mother, who insisted that the two of them follow as many wedding traditions as possible. He had thought about this moment a couple of times in the last two weeks. He was supposed to feed his bride a bite of cake and she was supposed to do the same for him. He had imagined smashing it on her face and then
kissing away the frosting, not caring that his family was keeping a watchful eye.

But since Chase had walked in the door, the mood had been ruined. Seth wasn't up for silly cake play. He wanted to whisk Jessie home and show her, in ways that Chase never had, how much he loved her and how he couldn't live without her. But even that was now impossible. He couldn't bring himself to brand her to him until she loved him in return. It might be naive of him, but he wanted that in return. Needed it. She was his, damn it, whether she knew it or not.

He jumped as a door slammed somewhere in the house, but he still managed to feed Jessie a bite of their wedding cake without incident.

After Chase had stormed out, their mother went after him and convinced him to stay. Seth supposed that it probably took some convincing. Chase never did like to be told what to do. He'd come back in, but he was prowling through the room like a caged animal.

Seth was more than ready to go home.

He accepted the bite of cake that Jessie fed him. It seemed as if she wasn't in for playful feedings either.

His mother clapped as if cake eating was the most spectacular thing, then called for Jake to start the music.

Seth turned to Jessie. “Do you want me to tell her that we can't do this right now?”

She bit her lip and shook her head. He wasn't sure if she wanted that first dance with her husband or if she wasn't willing to battle his mother over the lost tradition.

He gave her a quick nod and led her from behind the table to the small patch of floor that had been cleared of furniture for this one occasion.