Which is where his wife should be already.
Leah backed away from the darkened window and tried the main door’s knob, then turned with a frown.
He closed his eyes for a second as he crossed the last few feet to City Hall. What reason had he given her this morning about leaving early? He couldn’t afford to mix up his stories.
“Oh, there you are!” Leah’s beautiful face practically shone when she caught sight of him.
He returned the smile as best he could and held out his arms. She rushed to his side and snuggled in.
He leaned down to kiss her brow. Hopefully, he could keep her from asking where he’d been. “I told you I’d be at church before you finished your scales.” He brought up her hand to kiss the long graceful fingers that played the piano so well she transformed an entire congregation’s inability to sing into a pretty sound every Sunday.
“I know, but after overhearing the pastor talking to Jacob, I couldn’t contain myself.” She shimmied her shoulders, the movement making her seem younger than forty-two. “I thought you told me he was only thinking about getting married. I didn’t realize the wedding would be today!”
He stiffened, but she didn’t seem to notice since she was practically floating.
“I figured you were getting the license ready, so I came over to find out who the lucky bride is.”
He repressed a sigh. Yesterday, Jake had dropped in to ask about getting a marriage license, but he’d come in right before one of McGill’s lackeys was supposed to arrive.
He’d told Jake it would be easy enough to take care of before church and had practically pushed his friend out the door.
It was just as well. McGill had been particularly difficult yesterday. How long until Jake grew suspicious at the escalating tension between them—if he wasn’t already?
But it would all be over in a matter of weeks, and then life could return to normal, for him anyway. He wasn’t the one marrying a stranger. “Uh, if Jake didn’t mention who he’s marrying, maybe he wants to keep it a secret.”
He’d have to slip out of church during the sermon and fill in the license as best he could to keep Jake from asking why he’d not met with him this morning. He hadn’t expected some lowlife to accost him on his way to the privy last night, demanding he pay something on what he owed unless he wanted his bookmaker’s henchman to break every bone in his body.
As long as Leah didn’t dig through their youngest daughter’s hope chest any time soon, he’d be all right. Her great-grandmother’s opal ring was acting as collateral, but he’d have it back within the week.
“Oh, pooh, it’ll only be an hour and a half before everyone knows who she is, though I bet I can figure it out beforehand. Since we don’t have many visitors, a new woman would likely be the one, but if it’s someone we already know...” Her eyes lit up. “Do we already know her?”
Considering he was the worst of friends and hadn’t been able to talk to Jake about this wedding—or rather talk him out of it—he didn’t even have to bluff. “I can’t tell you, but I’m sure you’ll have fun guessing.”
“I’m not supposed to be having fun guessing. I’m supposed to be paying attention to the sermon.”
He smiled stiffly. He’d been pretending to pay attention to the pastor for about a year now. Some days he could’ve sworn the man knew what he was up to and had fashioned his sermon especially for him. But Pastor Lawrence didn’t know a thing, so he’d tuned him out to keep from feeling worse than he already did. “Admit it, if I told you who she was, you’d still have a hard time paying attention.”
“Yes.” She heaved a sigh. “Isn’t it romantic?” Her eyes turned dreamy.
Though they’d been married nineteen years, that look always took his breath away. He leaned down to kiss her well, savoring her sweetness.
When they’d first married, he’d thought he’d deserved such bliss, but now he knew how unworthy he was of it.
He broke away and kissed her forehead instead.
She laced her fingers into his and pulled him toward church again. “Come. If you refuse to tell me, I’ll want to figure it out before service starts or I’ll flub up every hymn.”
He chuckled as if enjoying the thought of the game and sped up to match her happy pace. “If you figure out who she is before the service starts, help me get Jake to reconsider by convincing this woman that they need to think this through for longer than a second.”
She slowed and furrowed her brow. “Why would I do that?”
“Because Jake’s got some notion that she’s the one, though you and I both know he’d attempt to ranch a rock-strewn desert if it meant he’d be out from under McGill’s thumb.”
She just gave him a silly shake of her head and went back to tugging him forward. “Jake’s not that foolhardy; otherwise, he’d have bought a place already. Besides, I knew you and I would end up together the day we met.”
“Yes, but you had the sense to wait more than a week to get hitched.”
She twirled her arm around his and laid her head against his shoulder for a brief hug. “But we hadn’t any pressing business to attend to once the war was over. We had no reason to skip the fun of courting.”
He sighed and pulled her closer. If only adult matters weren’t weighing so heavily upon him now, he’d be carefree enough to recreate some of that courting fun.
Just a few more months and all would return to normal. She’d been a peach while he’d been stressed lately, leaving him alone when asked, treating him as if everything was fine though he was gone more than usual and testier than he ought to be. She deserved a few nights out lying under the stars, or a fancy supper at the hotel, or—
“So where were you this morning?” Her voice stayed light, but sounded breathless against his side. “I saw you coming from Second Street ... and I can’t come up with a reason you’d be coming from that direction.”
He forced his hand to keep rubbing her arm as if the question hadn’t just catapulted his heartbeat up into his throat. He should have encouraged her to keep guessing about Jacob’s bride. “Oh, I ... heard of someone who needed money. Lots of people are facing higher taxes this year.”
Both sentences true, though they had little to do with each other. “I figured I could help the man out.”
“You’re so good.” She looked up at him, wearing the grin that meant she was waiting for him to kiss her breathless.
He pretended to stumble instead, then nodded toward the church. “Let’s get you to the piano before Sister Elspeth decides to take your place. If the congregation is glaring at you all through service because you allowed Elspeth to murder their ears, you won’t have much fun trying to figure out who Jake’s bride is.”
He glanced up at the sky.
I know you’re likely not listening to me at the moment, but if Jake’s going to do this fool thing, bless him with a good woman. He deserves one more than I do.
The sermon was halfway over when Annie tucked her trembling arm around Spencer. The boy had dozed off against her side, so he was oblivious to how tightly she was squeezing.
But each bump and jostle from her other side, where Jacob’s warm arm kept rubbing against her as he took notes, was sending sizzling rivulets of awareness through her skin.
Miss McGill, across the aisle and two pews up, was doing her best to douse that fire with the cold glare she kept sending their way.
The young blonde wasn’t the only congregant interested in Jacob’s new choice of seating. Leah Whitsett smiled at them from behind the piano between each new hymn, and an older woman up front kept looking between the three women as if trying to discern what Annie had done to earn such opposite reactions from the other two.
Jacob’s attention never wandered from his Bible or the preacher.
Despite the evil thoughts Miss McGill surely directed her way, Annie couldn’t help but smile a little.
The self-assured, young lady would soon learn that Jacob was in no danger of being trapped by her
daintily-gloved, feminine hands, but Mr. Grayson or the other bachelors in town?
Heaven help them.
Annie shook her head and tried to focus on what Pastor Lawrence was saying, but it hardly did any good.
Soon, the first chord of the final hymn sounded. The congregation rose, and Annie had to extricate herself from Spencer, who was limp as a dishrag. Celia didn’t bother to stand, just continued writing in the journal she’d brought along.
Annie held her breath and forced herself to face forward instead of glaring at her daughter. She’d not get into a tussle on her wedding day.
Jacob held his hymnal between them and his rumbly bass voice, which she’d only ever heard from afar, reverberated in her chest. The last verse brought her shudders back in full force.
Once the building was empty, the pastor would hold the ceremony.
Jacob had requested that Pastor Lawrence not invite the church members to stay, though they did need witnesses. But Jacob was sure the Whitsetts would agree, and she was too. It was well-known that Jacob could be found at their place if not at his office. Would they still invite him over with a full-formed family in his wake?
Hopefully. Annie closed her eyes to stanch the warmth behind them. She hadn’t enjoyed friendship with another woman in a long while. She was going to need someone to talk to as she navigated the choppy waters of being married to a man she hardly knew.
The song’s last notes faded and the congregation came to life as they shuffled out of pews and called to friends.
“I’ll be out front.” Jacob squeezed her hand and left for the foyer where he usually stood with the pastor on Sundays, exchanging small talk with those exiting and helping elderly widows down the steps.
After pretending not to see the frown Miss McGill directed at her and exchanging pleasantries with the women who engaged her in small talk, Annie sat down to wait, smoothing her son’s hair against his furrowed forehead. Surely he wasn’t having a bad dream; he’d been so happy with her decision to marry Jacob.
Celia drew in her journal, sighing every few minutes.
Annie worked to keep her legs still.
The noise in the sanctuary lessened, and Spencer’s head jerked forward. He blinked with exaggeration. “Mama, why didn’t you wake me up?”
He rubbed the side of his jaw where the imprint of the curve of the pew’s seat dented his cheek. “My face hurts.”
Smiling, Annie pulled him close. “We weren’t ready yet, so I decided to let you sleep.”
Miss McGill’s tinkling laughter caught her attention. Shouldn’t the young lady have left already?
Turning, Annie craned her neck to see into the foyer. Gwendolyn was tapping Jacob with a gloved finger, but his face remained blank.
Twisting back around to stare at the Bible in her lap, Annie fiddled with the worn ribbon marker. If she had set her cap for Jacob when she was nineteen or twenty—as Miss McGill obviously had—only to find out someone of lesser means and beauty had captured him, the heartache wouldn’t have been small.
Lord, help her get over her disappointment quickly. Help me to stay humble, for nothing I did won him over.
The foyer emptied save for Jacob, Bryant, Leah, and the pastor. Annie swallowed a deep gulp of air and stood up. “It’s time, children.”
Spencer popped up from his seat like a disturbed sage chicken flying from the brush, and Annie grabbed his hand before he flew pell-mell down the aisle.
Celia sighed before rising to shuffle after them.
She’d intended for the children to stand up with her during the wedding, but until this moment, she’d not thought about the ceremonial kiss. How would they react to that? Her insides quivered. How would she? Surely Jacob would give her nothing more than a peck on the lips—if the pastor even included it in the ceremony.
Moving toward her intended, she took in his heavy brow and smooth-shaven jaw. Even a small kiss from such a handsome man would likely make a woman fall to pieces.
Leah smiled brightly at Annie and the children as they moved toward the foyer.
She put on a matching smile and straightened her shoulders.
Everything would be all right, kiss or no.
Bryant grabbed a fistful of Jacob’s suit coat and shook his head. “Not her, Jake.” His voice was a low, quiet growl, but still loud enough that she could hear it. “You can’t marry her.”
Annie stopped mid-step and forced herself not to run for the back exit.
Seemed as if worrying about whether or not Jacob would kiss her was all for naught.
Not marry her? Jacob frowned at Bryant’s furrowed brow and erratic jaw movements.
Behind Bryant and a frozen Leah, Annie had jerked to a stop in the church aisle and pulled Spencer to her side.
What did Bryant have against her? Jacob’s lips twitched at the fierce glare Celia was directing at his best friend. The look he’d given Bryant a second ago probably hadn’t been much nicer.
Whatever Bryant’s reasons, he didn’t have to speak so vehemently against Annie within her hearing.
Jacob tipped his head toward the exit. “Let’s go outside.”
He gave Annie a reassuring smile, but it didn’t seem to work. She looked away, her bottom lip tucked under her top teeth.
After stepping out onto the sunny church steps, Jacob waited for the door to shut behind Bryant before gobbling up the sidewalk with long strides, heading straight for his house next door. He clomped up the porch steps, leaned against the railing, and set his jaw.
Bryant took his time, waving at church-goers on the street driving home.
McGill’s carriage horse bolted out from around the corner of the church. Unfortunately, Gwen winked at him from where she sat on the other side of her father, and Jacob looked away.
Bryant had often asked if he intended to marry Gwen, a flirtatious, spoiled rich girl nearly half his age, yet Bryant insulted a woman of real depth and character? Practically to her face?
Jacob heaved a sigh to calm himself. Over the years, Bryant had said he trusted Jacob’s instincts, so the man must have something heavy against Annie to have said what he had.
Shaking his head, he ran his fingers through his hair. He should’ve gone to Bryant’s house early this morning or waited longer for him to show up at City Hall, but Bryant had said there’d be no problem drawing up the license quick and he’d not stayed around to question him since Bryant had been swamped.
If he hadn’t dropped in while the man was so busy yesterday, this wouldn’t have happened.
His friend’s gaze darted up and down the street before he finally walked up the porch steps.
For a man so adamant that he call off this wedding, Bryant sure didn’t seem eager to tell him why.
Bryant stopped several feet in front of him and strangled his hat. “You can’t marry her, Jake.”
“You’ve already said that. In front of Annie.” His voice rang out loud enough he needed to rein in his temper lest the whole town hear them. He swallowed and tried again. “But your say-so doesn’t mean I’ll call things off. I need reasons.”
His friend’s Adam’s apple moved slowly with a big swallow. “Well, you hardly know the woman.”
Jacob uncrossed his arms and put his hands on the railing, squeezing the rough wood. That was it? “Do you have something personal against Annie?”
“It’s more that...” He twirled his hat in his hands. “Would you be happy with her if she didn’t have all that land?” Bryant sniffed and scratched his head. “I mean, you are just marrying her for the land, right?”
Had Bryant not listened to him the other day? Did he think him so desperate as to marry for land alone? Sure, Annie’s ranch was the initial enticement, but the woman and her family pulled at his heart too.
During the last few months, his and Bryant’s relationship had been strained, but not so much he’d believe Bryant would think so badly of him. “Of course her property figured into my decision, but I’m confident the marriage will be
satisfying ... in time.”
“You want Annie for herself?” The disbelief in Bryant’s voice stung.
He tensed his jaw. “She may not be as attractive as your wife, but she displays the same worthy characteristics—strength, maturity, respectability.”
Bryant’s face reddened, his lips as tight as a steel-jawed bear trap.
Jacob wanted to whack the tension from the man’s face and give it a flush of a different sort. Instead, he glanced toward the church, then closed his eyes and envisioned his intended. The only woman in town who wasn’t shorter than his chest pocket. A lady who took on a man’s job without complaining during the worst time of her life. The quiet but assured demeanor that stirred something more than compassion in his chest. Life with her should be enjoyable once they got to know each other.
Jacob rolled his neck and turned to fasten his gaze on Bryant. “You said days ago I should only consider marrying for land if the woman attached to it wouldn’t make me miserable. Can you speak ill of her?”
Frowning, Bryant stared at their feet.
“Maybe we can’t speak of love at the moment, but I can’t fathom why there wouldn’t be that in our future.”
“But I’m concerned.” Bryant pulled so hard on his hat Jacob feared he’d rip it in two. “For you.”
Jacob sighed. “If you have no concrete reasons, you’re going to have to trust me. If you have a problem standing up as witness, I can find someone else. Annie’s waiting, and with your ill-timed advice, who knows how much she’s panicking.” He jerked his head toward the church. “Are you coming?”
Bryant’s breath shuddered, but his gaze remained pinned to the ground.
“Yes or no?”
Chapter Nine
From her pew, Annie stared at the pulpit—where no one stood. The pastor had told her to fetch him from his office when they were ready to proceed.
With slumped shoulders, Leah slid onto the pew beside Spencer, who was snuggled up against Annie’s side.
Romancing the Bride Page 7