“Mikki Gray,” Red said. “She told me her name was Mikki Gray.” He smiled and said, “Ain’t that right, darlin’?”
“Oh, for crying out loud,” she said under her breath.
“Do you, Pete Foster, take Mikki Gray to be your wife?”
“Don’t you dare answer him,” Mikki said through clenched teeth.
“Yes.”
“You gotta say I do,” said a man from the crowd. “Ain’t that right, fellows?”
“Yep, you gotta say I do,” several agreed.
“I do,” Pete said.
“And do you, Mikki Gray, take Pete Foster to be your husband?”
“No.”
Red grinned and hitched his pants up, then tucked his thumbs in his belt loops. “That’s what I thought.” He took a step toward her.
“Yes . . . I mean yes . . . I mean I do,” she stammered, stepping closer to Pete.
“You can give her a ring if you have one,” Buck said.
Pete shook his head. “I don’t.”
“Here, use this,” said a man on Pete’s right. He picked up a beer tab off the bar.
Pete took the tab, lifted Mikki’s hand, and slid it onto her finger. The corner of his mouth twitched when she rolled her eyes.
“I now pronounce you two married.”
“Kiss her,” shouted the oily haired man.
“Yeah, kiss her,” others shouted.
All the men began to hoot and clap when Pete pulled her to him and pressed his lips against hers. They laughed harder when she shoved him away.
“This calls for a celebration,” the lady with the tattoos said.
“You go right ahead. I think we’re going to start our honeymoon,” Pete said. He took Mikki’s hand and started toward the door.
She pulled away and folded her arms across her chest. “I’m not going anywhere with you. This whole thing is ludicrous.” She glared at him and said, “We are not going on a honeymoon.”
Without warning, he tossed her over his shoulder and carried her toward the door, feet kicking and hair slapping against his hip as they left the building. The bar erupted into yells of celebration.
Chapter 39
Pete stood Mikki on her feet next to her car. She brushed her hair away from her face and straightened her clothes. “How dare you! Don’t ever manhandle me like that again!”
“What the hell are you doing here? Do you have any idea what could happen to a woman in a place like this?” He looked at his watch and said, “Why aren’t you home getting ready for work?”
“It’s none of your business, but I took the night off. I’ve been to a bachelorette party, and I stopped here to find the jerk on the bike that just splashed me.”
“Go home. I mean it, Mikki. Go, and don’t stop anywhere until you get to Oak Springs. Do you hear me?”
“But look what he did to my car!” She pointed to the mud and dirt along the driver’s side of her yellow convertible.
The door of the bar opened, and Red stepped onto the wooden porch, along with several other men.
“Need some help with the little woman?” one of the men yelled. Red took a long drink of beer. His eyes never left Pete’s face.
“Get out of here and don’t look back,” Pete said under his breath. He raised his voice loud enough for the others to hear. “Let’s go someplace where we don’t have a damn audience.” There were cheers from the porch. Pete opened her car door, and she huffed before sliding behind the wheel. He leaned over and started to kiss her. “Go home, Mikki. Don’t say another word, just get the hell out of here, and fast.” His lips touched hers, and his hand held her wrist to keep her from slapping him.
When Pete stood, he said, “I’ll be right behind you.”
Mikki narrowed her eyes and brushed a few wayward strands of hair behind her ear. Without speaking, she threw the car in reverse and spun around. When she turned onto the highway, her tires sent gravel toward everyone watching.
There was a roar of laughter when Pete coughed and fanned the air as he rushed to his truck. He heard the hoots and cheers grow louder when he pulled out behind her.
A few miles down the road he was still trying to catch her. The closest he had come was to spot her brake lights a time or two, but she was driving too fast for him to safely reach her. Pete punched the redial button on his phone and listened to it ring. When her voicemail answered, he said, “Damn, slow down, Mikki, before you kill yourself or someone else.” He waited another minute then hung up and dropped the phone in the seat.
The yellow Mustang disappeared around a curve at the same time Pete heard the roar of an engine. In the rearview mirror, he saw a truck approaching.
Pete eased off the accelerator to allow them to pass. The bright lights grew closer as the truck rushed up behind him.
He watched his mirrors as he continued to slow down. The bright lights of the truck almost blinded him as the vehicle stayed on his tail. He lowered his window and motioned for the loud pickup to pass. Instead of going around, the truck backed off. Pete released a sigh but continued to watch his mirrors while at the same time looking for Mikki.
For the next few miles, the truck repeatedly charged Pete’s back bumper then eased off. Once again, Pete waved for the vehicle to pass. The black grille guard mounted on the front appeared to snarl as the truck rushed up behind him once again. Instead of going around him, it rammed his truck.
As his own pickup lunged forward, Pete fought for control. “Hey, watch it!” he yelled. The vehicle rammed him again.
Pete struggled to keep his truck on the road with one hand while reaching for his phone with the other. His body jerked when his vehicle was hit for the third time. The phone slid off the seat and fell to the floor.
The pickup backed off, and Pete braced himself for another attack. Instead, it pulled up beside him then veered into his lane. A cloud of dirt and debris filled the air as Pete’s truck left the highway. As it rolled down the embankment, glass showered him, and the sound of crushing metal echoed in his ears.
Chapter 40
Mikki slammed the door behind her when she stormed into her house. She looked into the living room and saw Austin on the floor playing a game on his phone. Lisa and Chloe were on the couch watching a movie. All three of them looked at her when she threw her purse on the table and started to carry her bag down the hall.
“I would ask you how the party went, but I’m afraid to,” said Lisa. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, what happened to you?” Austin asked.
Mikki stopped and looked at Pete’s family. “Men!” she growled before stomping to her room.
A few minutes later she returned wearing plush zebra-striped pajama pants and a black T-shirt. Fuzzy pink slippers covered her feet. Her windblown hair was pulled into a wild ponytail on top of her head. “I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s been a crazy day.”
Lisa stepped over Austin and followed Mikki to the kitchen. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“I can’t. He’s your brother, and you like him.”
“Most of the time. What did he do?”
“He just threw me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.”
“I thought you went to a bachelorette party. What was Pete doing there?”
Mikki filled a glass with ice. “No, he wasn’t at the party. This was at the biker bar.”
“You and Pete went to a biker bar?”
Mikki took a drink. “We didn’t go together. I guess he was there when I arrived. He just appeared out of nowhere when this guy started groping me.”
“You were groped? Are you okay?”
“Yes, Pete managed to get me away from the oaf.”
Lisa poured herself a glass of water. “Good for him. How did he do that?�
�
Mikki held her glass out for a refill. “He married me.”
Lisa’s mouth fell open. “He did what?”
“He let Buck, the bartender, marry us.” She put the glass down, leaned against the counter, and folded her arms across her chest.
“Who’s married?” Chloe said from the doorway.
“I think Mikki just said she and your uncle got married,” Lisa said.
“You and Uncle Pete are married? Cool!” Austin walked into the kitchen, took a bag of popcorn out of the cabinet, and stuck it in the microwave.
“No, we aren’t married, not really. Pete agreed to go through with the sham wedding to prove I was his woman.”
“Oh, how romantic,” Chloe said.
“She’s right. That’s so sweet,” Lisa said.
“No,” Mikki groaned. “It’s not sweet, and it’s not romantic. It’s barbaric. He was like some caveman. Do you know after he tossed me over his shoulder he told those idiots we were going on our honeymoon?”
“So, where is he?” Chloe asked.
“I don’t know, and I don’t care. I told him to stay away from me.” Mikki sipped some of her water and said, “I’m so mad at him right now I don’t care if I ever see Pete Foster again!” She grabbed a carton of ice cream from the freezer and headed down the hall.
Mikki went to her room, nestled between the pillows on her bed, and turned on an old movie. Three hours later she was still sitting cross-legged under her comforter when her phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Mikki, this is Deanna.”
“Hey Deanna, what’s up?” Mikki looked at the clock on her nightstand. “Please don’t tell me you guys are short-handed and need me to come in. I took the weekend off. Brad is filling in for me. Isn’t he there?”
“Yes, he is, but that’s not why I’m calling. I’m looking for Sheriff Foster’s sister.”
“She’s staying at my house this weekend. Why do you need Lisa?”
“She is listed as the next of kin on his information.”
Chapter 41
Mikki hit the mute button on the remote. Her hand squeezed the phone. “What happened, Deanna?” Her voice shook as she asked, “Why do you need Pete’s next of kin?”
“He’s in the ER. Don’t worry, he’s okay. He rolled his truck and is pretty banged up, but he’s going to be fine. As a matter of fact, the doctor’s going to release him in a few minutes. He insists he can take care of himself, but he has a concussion, and you know that means he can’t be alone. That’s why I’m looking for his sister. Someone will have to come and pick him up.”
Mikki walked down the hall, still gripping the phone, and looked into the living room. The TV reflected off three sleeping faces. Austin’s soft snores drifted through the air.
“Thanks, Deanna, I’ll take care of it. Someone will be right there.” She scribbled a quick note for Lisa then grabbed her purse and ran out the door.
Ten minutes later she rushed into the ER. Several people looked at her and smiled. She saw Deanna at the same time another nurse spotted her. The woman waved her back. “He’s in room three.”
They went around the corner, and Mikki pulled the curtain back to the exam room. Pete was sitting on the narrow bed, his bare feet hanging over the side. A uniformed deputy stood in front of him with a notebook in his hand. Both men looked at her.
Her eyes went to the monitor over Pete’s left shoulder. She read the numbers then concentrated on the man on the bed.
Pete’s left arm was in a sling. A row of fresh staples held a small gash together on the side of his head. His neck had a burn from the seatbelt, and a bruise was developing on his swollen left shoulder. Several EKG leads were scattered across his bare chest. His eyes went from her feet to her hair, and he smiled. “Well, if it isn’t my little wife.”
Mikki rolled her eyes.
Deanna grinned at both of them. “Your wife? Hey, congratulations. I didn’t know.”
“No, we aren’t married,” Mikki said, giving Pete a stern look.
“Isn’t she cute?” Pete said. “I always did like those striped pajamas.”
“Ignore him,” Mikki said to the deputy. “It’s the drugs talking, and apparently, he’s had a double dose.”
The deputy said, “I’ll talk to you later, Sheriff.” He tipped his hat at the nurse and Mikki then left the exam room.
Pete grinned. “I like those fuzzy slippers, too.”
Mikki looked at her feet and groaned. “I was ready for bed when they called.” She turned to the nurse and asked, “How is he?”
“I’m fine,” Pete said.
“His left shoulder was dislocated, but we were able to reset it. The doctor wants him to wear the sling to keep it in place. He has a couple of cracked ribs, a few staples in his head, and there are some cuts and abrasions. He also has a little road burn here and there. And then the concussion I mentioned earlier.”
A man in a lab coat with a stethoscope around his neck walked into the room. “Hello, Mikki. Is the sheriff a friend of yours?” He began to write on the clipboard he was carrying.
“Hello, Dr. Lawrence.”
“Yeah, Mikki’s my wife,” Pete said.
The doctor looked up and smiled. “I didn’t know, congratulations.”
“No, we aren’t married.” She looked at Pete and said, “Will you stop telling people that. We are not married.”
Pete winked. “Not the way I remember it.”
Mikki turned away from him and faced the doctor. “Are you going to release him?”
“Yes, as long as he has someone to keep an eye on him. There is a pretty good knot on his head, but the CT was clear. Just watch him for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. You know the procedure. Use ice for swelling. It was pretty hard to get the shoulder reset. I had to give him a little extra for pain while I was working on it.”
“That explains it.”
The doctor smiled and made another notation on the form. When he ripped it off, he handed it to her and said, “That should wear off in an hour or so. The pharmacy is sending up a prescription. He’s going to feel pretty sore for the next couple of days.”
“I don’t need any painkillers,” Pete said. “I told you I’m fine.”
The doctor looked at Mikki. “I suggest he stays home to give his body time to recover.” He turned to Pete and said, “Keep that sling on and take it easy.”
“Oh, don’t worry about me,” Pete said. He hopped off the bed and staggered. Mikki and Deana caught him before he fell.
“Oh yeah, you look just fine,” Mikki said. “Come on, let’s get you out of here. Sit down, and I’ll help you put your shoes on.” She pushed him back on the bed and began to shove his foot into his boot.
Just as she helped him slip his arm in his shirt sleeve and drape the other one over his injured shoulder, his prescription was delivered. Pete signed the release papers then threw his good arm around Mikki and said, “Take me home, wife.”
“You have to wait for the wheelchair. It’s procedure. And stop calling me wife.”
Before Pete could answer, the nurse returned with the chair. Pete insisted he could walk just fine, but Mikki noticed the soft gasp of pain when he eased himself into the seat. As they left the hospital she asked, “Is there anything you need from your house tonight?”
“Yes, my bed.” She helped him into her car and secured his seatbelt. “No, you’re going to my place.” When he grinned, she said, “Knock it off. Don’t forget, your sister and her kids are there.” She hurried to the driver’s side and started the engine. “I guess I can wake Lisa and have her take you to your place and stay with you, but she usually heads home pretty early, and someone will need to watch you through the night.” She continued to discuss the options out loud
until she heard Pete’s steady breathing next to her. She let him sleep until they reached her house.
Mikki woke Pete and helped him out of the car. Once they were inside, she led him down the hall. The living room was empty, and the TV was off. They had just reached her bedroom door when Lisa stepped out of the guest room she was sharing with Chloe. “What’s going on? I saw your note about going to get Pete.” When she saw her brother, she said, “What happened?” She ran to his side and saw the sling on his arm. “Pete, are you okay?”
“Hi, sis. Yeah, I’m fine.” He groaned when she touched his arm.
“He’s okay, just a little banged up. Apparently, he wrecked his truck.” Mikki helped him sit on the bed. “A friend of mine at the hospital called and said they couldn’t send him home unless he had someone to watch him. I hope you aren’t mad that I didn’t wake you, but it was late, and you guys were all asleep. They assured me he was okay. I swear I would have told you if they had said it was more serious.” She looked at Pete and said, “Lie down. I’ll be back to check on you in a few minutes.”
Lisa said, “I understand, but I could have helped you with him.” She kissed Pete on the head. “Get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning before we leave.” She turned to Mikki. “If you need me, don’t hesitate to wake me up.”
Mikki nodded. “I promise, but I’m sure he’ll be fine. I just have to keep an eye on him every couple of hours. It’s standard procedure when there’s a concussion.”
“Don’t worry, sis. You can go back to bed.” Pete smiled at Mikki and said, “I’m in good hands.”
After Lisa left the room, Pete looked at Mikki and wiggled his eyebrows. “Want to help me get undressed?”
“Sure.” She flipped the shirt off his injured shoulder and grabbed one of the EKG leads stuck to his chest and yanked.
Pete screamed and rubbed his chest. “What the hell did you do that for?”
Arrested Romance (Oak Spring Series Book 2) Page 12