There’d been a silly story going around Wiggieville about a teacher who had been caught kissing the father of one of her students in the schoolhouse in 1890, and had been fired immediately. The kids in town had always loved the story, and it seemed to have been embellished over the years. There were some versions that had the fired teacher walking out to the home of the man she’d been kissing and demanding that he marry her. Some people even said she’d been a mail-order bride who’d arrived late to find her groom already married to someone else with the same name. It had been a mail-order misfortune all around.
She took deep breaths. “In theory, it’s fine. People in this century have sex before marriage all the time, but I don’t. I’m a forty-six-year-old virgin, and I think everyone in town knows it. My reputation has always been impeccable. But I have students living on either side of my house, and there’s no way your truck wasn’t spotted in the driveway. And Alison walked in on us with me all but lying on top of you!” She’d been trying to get her phone, but whatever. She should have asked for it. What was she thinking?
“You’re really upset!” He had never seen her quite so worked up about anything.
“Of course I’m upset. This is a small town! Do you have any idea how many phones are ringing right now? I’m surprised the principal isn’t at the door!” She looked at the entrance out of the corner of her eye, half expecting to hear a knock.
“So we’ll get married today. It won’t hurt a thing.” He wanted to marry her anyway. Why not?
“Today? It’s Saturday! And Texas has a three-day waiting period.”
He shrugged. “We’ll drive across the border into Oklahoma, where there’s no waiting period. An old friend of mine is a minister there. I’m sure he’ll marry us!” He was warming up to the idea more and more, his mind racing to figure out how they could make it work.
“We can’t get a marriage license on a Saturday!”
“Why can’t we? My friend’s got connections. I’m calling him.”
She sighed, rubbing her hands over her face. “How far across the border are we talking?” Could they actually make it work? She’d already decided to tell him she was ready to move forward with their relationship because she didn’t like being separated even for a minute, so she wasn’t completely opposed to the idea. She’d never wanted a long engagement anyway.
“Not far. Twenty miles or so.”
“So two and a half hours each way? Really?” She shook her head. “Maybe we should just get a marriage license tomorrow and have the pastor here marry us later in the week.”
“Do you want to go to church tomorrow knowing everyone saw my truck in your driveway?” Jay wasn’t sure he’d ever convince her to marry him any other way. He was going to hold on to the idea of a quickie marriage for as long as he could.
Sally sighed. “No, I don’t. Fine. Let’s go get married in Oklahoma. Call your friend and see what he can do. I’ll find a dress. I’m not getting married without May, though!” She looked at the phone in her hand and dialed her niece’s number, knowing she’d wake her.
“Hello?” May’s voice was very sleepy, but Sally knew she would never be forgiven if she married without her niece present.
“May, I’m about to drive to Oklahoma to get married.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jay dial a number and walk into the next room to talk. “I need you there.”
“Um … today?” May was obviously too sleepy to comprehend what was happening.
“Today. Right now. I need you with me. You can bring Bob.” Not that May needed to be told to bring Bob. He was always welcome if May was.
May yawned loudly. “Bob. I’ll tell Bob.” She took a deep breath. “Okay, give me an hour to get dressed and into town. I can do this.”
“Thanks. Meet at my house.” Sally ended the call and looked at Jay.
He nodded and finished the call. “My pastor friend has a buddy at the county courthouse. Both will meet us there with the paperwork, and we’ll get it handled, and then my friend will marry us.” He looked down at his wrinkled clothes. Two flights and sleeping on a couch did not make for a neat appearance. “I’m going to go home, shower, and dress in something more weddingy.”
“Like your cowboy boots without the cow poop?” He was the only man she knew who determined if his boots were his good ones by the amount of manure present.
“Exactly. I’ll be back in an hour.” He hurried to her, leaning down to kiss her. “This isn’t how I wanted our marriage to happen, but I’ll be so happy being married to you that it just doesn’t matter.”
Sally rested her head against his shoulder. “We’ll make it work.”
He frowned, wishing she was as happy as he was about marrying. Realizing they were in a time crunch, he turned and yelled, “Alison, get out here!”
Alison walked out into the dining room, frowning. “What’s all the yelling about? I’m not the one who got caught making out.” She folded her arms across her chest like she was waiting for him to apologize.
“We weren’t making out.” He shook his head. “I don’t have to explain anything to you. I’m going home to get showered and changed, and we’re driving to Oklahoma to get married. You coming?”
Alison looked between Sally and Jay, her face lighting up. “You’re not pregnant, are you, Miss Jackson?”
“No, I’m not pregnant! I have done nothing that would make me pregnant!”
“Hey, I didn’t ask about your sex life!” Alison held up her hands to ward off more information and looked at her uncle. “I’ll go with you so I can get a decent dress to wear. And you need to wear your good cowboy boots.”
“Sally already told me! I do know not to have cow poop on my boots for a wedding—especially mine.” Jay strode toward the door. “You need to get ready fast!”
Alison hurried out before him, a little skip in her step. Sally watched them go and headed to the shower.
She spent ten minutes fixing her hair before digging through her closet. She decided on the mint green dress she’d worn for May’s wedding. It was nice and new, even if it wasn’t white. She was ready just as her niece got to her door.
May grabbed Sally in a huge hug. “I can’t believe you’re finally marrying Jay! I’m so happy for you!”
Sally sighed, briefly explaining what had happened the previous night and what it had led to.
May laughed. “No one is going to think any less of you if you don’t marry him! You’re forty-six!”
Sally shrugged. “I’m going to do it. I love him.”
“You always have. I’m glad you’re doing it, even if the timing is a bit off. I think you’ll be happier.”
“You always think people will be better off married. You’re a happily-ever-after kind of girl.”
May grinned. “There’s no other type of ending worth reading—or watching.”
“Where’s Bob?”
“He dropped me off and then went to get gas. The smell is bothering me since I’ve been carrying little Bobbette.” May patted her tummy with a grin.
Sally forced herself not to cringe at the name. “You don’t know if it’s a boy or girl yet, do you?” She was sure May wasn’t far enough along for that.
“No, I don’t. But Bob insists it has to be a boy because he’s in competition with Jesse, whose first is a boy. I want a girl. I’m not quite sure I’d know what to do with a boy, so I call it Bobbette.”
Sally started at the knock on her door, walking over to open it. Jay stood in front of her, dressed nicer than she’d seen him dress in a very long time. He wore a suit and his good boots. “Hi.”
“Hi.” He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple jumping. “Are you ready?”
Sally nodded. “We need to wait for Bob to come back. He went to get gas.”
“He pulled up right in front of me.”
“Okay, then. I’m ready.”
“I gave him directions, so he and May can follow.” He held his hand out to her, and she put hers into it. “Let’s get
this done.”
* * *
Three hours later, Jay and Sally were legally married. She looked down at the ring he’d slipped onto her finger during the ceremony, surprised he’d thought to bring it. They’d been in such a rush, she was certain he’d forget.
After Jay thanked his friend for performing the ceremony and making the paperwork easy, they left the church together. Alison was walking between May and Bob. Sally listened to her chattering. “I can’t believe I’m related to Bob and May Bodefeld now. It’s like all my dreams that I didn’t know I even had have come true.”
Sally grinned, looking at Jay, who seemed as if he was stifling a laugh. “She’s really excited. I’m glad.” She was excited about co-parenting—co-aunt and uncling?—with him. She knew they’d make a good team.
Jay nodded. “Me too. I’ve been worried about her being unhappy when we married.”
“When and not if?” He’d been more sure of her than she’d been of herself.
“I knew I’d eventually wear you down with my kisses and love letters.”
Sally’s face was serious when she nodded. “Of course. How could you not?”
May turned to Sally, a grin on her face. “We were wondering if we could borrow Alison tonight. She wants to learn about writing romance novels, so I thought this would be a good time.”
Alison rolled her eyes. “They know you’re trying to get me out of the way for the wedding night. Just tell them the truth.”
Sally blushed, but nodded. “Please take her. I’ve had enough of her this week.” She winked at Alison so she’d know she was kidding.
Alison hurried over and hugged Sally. “Thanks for being my new aunt. I think you’re going to make Uncle Jay very happy!”
“Have fun with May and Bob, and we’ll see you tomorrow afternoon. Don’t forget that you have an essay due first period on Monday!”
“I’ll have May help me. She’s a writer!”
May wrinkled her nose. “We’ll see how that works out for you, kiddo. I write fiction!”
Alison looked at Jay and buried her face against his shoulder. “I’m glad you’re going to be happy now.” She wrapped her arms around him and held tight.
Jay stroked his hand over her hair. “Thanks. I love you.” Suddenly he wasn’t worried about saying it to her. The words were right, and she needed to hear them.
Alison looked at him, tears in her eyes. “I love you too, but don’t let it go to your head!”
She hurried off with May and Bob. “You’ll need clothes!” Sally called as she got into Bob’s car.
May turned. “Does she still have some at your house?”
“Yeah. In your old room.”
“We’ll stop and get them. I still have a key.” They got in the car and drove off, leaving Jay and Sally staring after them.
“You’d think it was their wedding night, the way they’re rushing off,” Jay said, grinning at her.
Sally refused to talk about the wedding night because she was starving. “I’m hungry—you need to feed me. I haven’t eaten a bite all day.”
“Do you want to look for something close to here? Or get on the highway and see what we see?” He wanted to forget about heading back to Texas and find a hotel room instead, but he didn’t say that.
“I think if you don’t feed me soon, I’m going to go off into hangry land, and you won’t like me when I’m hangry.”
Once they were in his truck, he drove through the streets of the small town until he spotted a diner. “Looks like a little mom-and-pop place. Food in those is usually good. Does that work?”
She nodded. “Seriously, right now they could give me a box of crackers, and it would make me happy.”
He pulled into the tiny parking lot. “I can’t starve my bride to death.”
“I’m glad we’re married,” she said softly.
Jay leaned over and brushed his lips over hers. “I am too.” He stroked her cheek gently. “Are we okay?” He didn’t want there to be lingering problems between them as they started their marriage together.
She nodded slowly. “We’re okay.”
“I was worried you’d be upset that I stayed longer in Alaska than I was supposed to, but I couldn’t help it.”
“I was watching the weather. When I saw the storm, I knew you’d be delayed. Not quite as long as you were, but it was fine.” She bit her lip. “Are you upset that I didn’t tell you about the cancer?”
He shrugged. “I was hurt at first. I couldn’t imagine why you wouldn’t tell me, but if it really is a non-issue now, that makes sense.” He put a forefinger under her chin and tilted it up, looking at her neck. “I can see the scar now that I know it’s there. It’s really light, though.”
“Yeah, my doctor did a great job on it.” Her hand went to touch it, though she wasn’t sure why. Every time she thought about it or heard the word “cancer,” her fingers were there, touching the scar.
They went into the diner hand in hand. After they were seated and had made a decision about food, Jay set his menu down. “Are you going to sell your house?”
She shrugged. “I hadn’t really thought about it yet. I guess I will. That’s what makes sense.” They certainly wouldn’t all fit in her tiny place.
“You could also rent it out, if that appeals to you.”
“Do you have an opinion? We’re married now, and we’re supposed to make decisions together.” As she looked at him, she realized how right it felt to say that. She had married the love of her life, Jay Graber. “Wow. I just realized I’m going to have to have all my students call me Mrs. Graber now. I like it.”
He smiled, bringing her hand to his lips. “Do you really? You trust me now?”
She nodded. “I do. I realized from those love letters you wrote that I really do mean a lot to you.”
“How did they tell you that?” He knew they’d been ridiculously bad, but he’d done his best to pour his heart out to her. Well, maybe toward the end, it had been fun to see just how bad he could make them, but he’d never tell her that.
Sally grinned. “Because you cared enough to do something so sweet for me, even though you knew you weren’t good at it.”
He shook his head. “‘Weren’t good’ meaning, abominably awful?”
“You got your point across. Your letters were real, and they were a connection to you that I needed. Thank you for writing them. They really did mean a lot to me.”
Jay smiled. “I’m just glad they did something other than tickle your funny bone!”
“I do know everything isn’t always going to be perfect between us, but I want you to know we’re starting this marriage with a clean slate. I won’t bring up you leaving again. It’s over.”
“I’m glad. I’ve wanted to be married to you for so long. All those years in Alaska helped me to be a stronger, better man for you. I hope you don’t resent them.” On one level, he did wish he’d never left, but on another, he knew he hadn’t been ready for marriage then. He was now.
She shook her head. “I don’t, because I became a stronger, better woman for you.”
“Let’s make sure we keep concentrating on the good we’ve been through together instead of the bad.”
“That’s easy. Really, we’ve only ever had one serious argument. I love you, Jay, and though I wasn’t planning to marry you today, I was going to let you know that I was ready to move forward with our relationship as soon as we had some time alone.”
“Well, I’m glad it worked out like it did because I don’t have to agonize over waiting for you anymore. Now we can move on with our lives like we could have twenty years ago if I hadn’t misunderstood you.” He shrugged, not worried about it anymore. She was his. Finally.
Sally shook her head. “That’s behind us. From now on, we’re only going to think of our future. And how good it will be.”
Epilogue
May leaned against the counter in Sally’s kitchen, watching as Sally peeled a small mountain of potatoes. Alison stood beside S
ally, arranging apples onto a pie crust. “Thanks for letting me make apple pie using my mom’s recipe, Aunt Sally. I hate the idea of having a frozen apple pie on Thanksgiving.”
May shook her head. “We may be cousins now, but you really worry me, Alison. The point of Thanksgiving is to let everyone else do the cooking so you don’t have to.”
Sally glared at May. “Just for that, you can go get a stick of butter from the fridge and smear butter on top of all the dinner rolls.”
“All right!” May frowned, but did as she was told.
“How was your trip to Wyoming? Did Bob enjoy the grand opening of the Burger Barn?”
May rolled her eyes. “You know he ate it up. There’s a place called Bob’s Burger Barn in this world, and he got a chance to be part of the grand opening? The man is obsessed with ‘Bob Power’ these days. What on earth is Bob Power?”
Sally shrugged. “Don’t ask me. You married him!” She put the potatoes on the stove to cook and pulled the turkey from the oven. She slipped the pan of dressing she’d made into the oven where the turkey had been and poured the drippings from the pan into another so she could make gravy. “Did you like Wyoming?”
“We liked it a lot. And actually, we decided to move there.” May said the words quickly, as if she was worried about the reaction she’d get.
“Wait. You and Bob are moving to Wyoming?”
May nodded. “To Culpepper, where Valerie and Jesse have their ranch. It’s a beautiful little town, and we love the people there.”
Sally frowned. “I know you can work anywhere, but Bob needs to be here.”
“We’ll be here for three weeks, and then in Wyoming for a week. We’ll stay there when he has breaks from filming. We bought a little ranch that had been neglected. Bob has big plans for it.”
“Bob’s going to ranch?”
May laughed. “Of course not. The man looks good in his cowboy boots and hat, but can you imagine him really roping a cow? No, he’s hired someone to run it. He’s planning a treehouse for Bobbette.”
Sally grinned at the mention of the baby. “I’m glad you’ll still be here several weeks every month. Then I can get my hands on that baby of yours.”
Lost Love (Lazy Love Book 4) Page 10