Wait in the Truck, page 7
True to his word, fifteen minutes later, we met in the living room again, both looking considerably more human than before. "Ready? Got your ID and everything?" Jericho asked, sticking a leather wallet in the back pocket of a pair of dark dress jeans.
"Yeah, I think I've got everything." I checked my purse for the third time making sure the wallet with my ID and a few bucks hadn't magically escaped since the last time I checked less than thirty seconds ago. When I looked up again, Jericho seemed frozen, his eyes roaming up and down my body. I looked down at myself and smoothed out some invisible wrinkles in my dress. "Did I get something on me already?" I shook my head at myself. "I knew white was a bad idea."
Jericho swallowed hard. There was that damn Adam's apple again, though this time he was completely clean-shaven. "Uh, no. You look, uh, nice."
Chewing on my bottom lip, I looked down at myself again. Claudia had talked me into this winter white slip dress overlaid with lace. The sleeves were long, but with the lace, weren't very warm. I'd also been talked into a short, woolen dress jacket so I didn't freeze. A pair of matching pumps finished the outfit. I had put my foot down over the silly hat with a tiny veil she'd also wanted me to add, though I had pulled my hair back into a French twist instead of my customary ponytail.
Under the weight of his penetrating gaze, I could feel my cheeks growing warm. He probably thought I was wearing a wedding dress, and it was freaking him out. It had freaked me out when Claudia had first made me try it on. Technically, I supposed it was a wedding dress, as I was getting married in it, but I had convinced myself it was a dress I could wear again. To some party or something. Should I ever have a fancy party to go to. Dammit!
"Uh, thanks. You look nice, too." Now he looked a bit uncomfortable, running a hand through his already naturally tousled locks. I thought that was fair. He did look fine, though. Along with the dark jeans and a shiny pair of boots I hadn't seen before, he wore a white button-down shirt and a navy blazer. I'd never seen him in anything but work clothes. He looked more than good in those, of course, but Jericho in dress clothes took things to a whole different level on the hotness meter. I never knew I was into men in navy blazers.
"Ready?" he finally said, and I nodded. In seconds, we were ensconced in the truck and on our way to get married.
I chewed a ragged cuticle on my thumb all the way to town. My knee bounced uncontrollably until Jericho's large, warm palm landed on it. "You're sure?" he asked again, his frown clear even in profile. I couldn't blame him for doubting my word. I must seem like a hot mess.
"I promise, I am. I'm sorry I'm so nervous. It's not the marrying you part that's the problem." His narrowed look clearly said he didn't believe me.
"No. I swear it's not." I heaved a huge sigh. "I've been having dreams about Dwayne or the police showing up at the courthouse and catching me before I can have my name changed. Just looking at my driver's license is giving me anxiety." I gave a frustrated snort. "It's stupid, I know. I just feel like I've got a big 'hiding from the law' sign on my back."
A muscle in Jericho's jaw popped. His hand returned to the steering wheel, and I felt like frost was overcoming the heat in the cab. "I'm sorry I've dragged you into this, Reece," he said, his voice no more than a grumble. "You shouldn't have to be hiding and marrying a virtual stranger. I made that happen. That's all on me."
My mouth dropped open in shock. He'd expressed this sentiment before, but I thought we'd gotten past it. "Don't be ridiculous, Jericho! My mind is just, just…being stupid!" No better explanation came to me in the heat of the moment. "You saved me! I'll never think anything else. You are my guardian angel, Jericho King, and don't you ever forget it!"
I could feel the blood rush to my face in righteous anger. I would not allow him to continue to think he was anything but a hero in my eyes. I had no doubt I'd be dead and buried in a pauper's grave somewhere if he had not come across me that night.
He pulled into a parking spot in front of the courthouse and turned to face me, an enigmatic smile tugging at his lips. We sat in silence for several long beats before he finally spoke. "Yes, ma'am," he said. "You ready to go get married?"
"Absolutely!" I assured him, a true smile lighting on my face.
No ghosts followed us up the steps and no one tried to stop us as we signed in and presented the license that we had obtained exactly seventy-two hours ago. In little more than five minutes, we were sitting in blue vinyl molded chairs waiting for our turn with the judge.
15
Blessings
Jericho
The entire ceremony took less than five minutes. I couldn't have told anyone what the judge actually said to save my life but, apparently, we said the 'I dos' in the correct places as the next thing I knew, we were standing out on the courthouse steps with a marriage license in hand.
We stared at each other, the mutual astonishment painted clearly across our faces. "Well," I said finally.
"Well," she answered. More staring continued.
Abruptly, we both broke into peals of laughter. Other couples coming out of the courthouse behind us gave us a wide berth. They surely thought we were insane. I had to entertain the possibility that they were right.
"Ohhh, it's not funny! Why are we laughing?" Reece asked, wiping at the tears running down her cheeks.
I tried valiantly to reign in the hysterics, but a few chuckles continued to escape between gulps of air. "I don't know." I waved the marriage certificate in front of our faces. "This is not funny at all. It's very serious."
"It is," Reece's face took on a serious cast for about five seconds before she broke into snickers again. "We have to stop! I can't breathe!"
Another couple exited the courthouse and gave us disparaging looks. I took Reece's hand in mine and placed a quick kiss on the back. "We'd better get out of here before the bailiffs come throw us off the courthouse steps."
Reece found this hilarious as well. Her deep, throaty laughter did something to my insides. It might have been the sexiest sound I'd ever heard. I pulled her toward the truck before we got thrown off the steps for a completely different reason.
When we had gotten to the truck and caught our breaths, we decided to have brunch at a local bed and breakfast, followed by a drive through the country. We'd been working long hours at the ranch and hadn't gotten much time to explore the area. We discovered that there wasn't much to see other than the wind farm. Everything was mostly brown and covered in scrub brush in the winter, but it didn't matter. I enjoyed simply spending the time together and getting to know each other more.
Before we knew it, the winter sun was dipping behind the horizon, and it was time to head back home. As I pulled up and parked in my usual spot, flickering light shone from the cabin windows. A brief flame of panic lit in my chest when I first saw it, thinking something was on fire, but when I jumped out of the truck and ran up the steps, I could see candles glowing through the open drapery.
"What is it?" Reece had picked up on my fleeting panic and followed me up the steps at a jog.
I pointed through the window with a grin. "I think Claudia has struck again."
Reece peered through the glass, the flickering candlelight dancing across her hair. "It's so pretty."
"We should probably go in and see it first hand. Besides, it's freezing out here." I gave a fake shudder as I dug the keys out of my pocket and opened the door.
"Oh, my!" Reece exclaimed as she stuttered to a stop just inside the door.
Claudia had outdone herself. Even though she was well aware this was a marriage of practicality, not love, she'd made the cabin look like a honeymoon suite. Candles lit every surface and two silver cloches sat on the small breakfast table that we rarely used. A white tablecloth and roses created an even more elegant scene. Finally, a bottle of champagne in a silver ice bucket on a stand next to the table completed the romantic setting.
"So that was what that text was about," Reece murmured.
"What text?" I couldn't put together what a text had to do with all of this.
"Claudia texted me about half an hour ago checking on us." A wry smile crossed her face. "I thought she was just being a mother hen and worrying about where we were, but she was obviously timing all of this." Her arm spread out indicating the room.
"I thought you said she knew, well, everything?" I was still confused over this display created for us.
"She does. She knows it's not a real marriage." Reece shrugged. "Maybe she's just a closet romantic and this gave her an excuse to plan something beautiful."
"The woman is an enigma, that's for sure." I shucked out of my sport coat and lay it over the armchair.
"May I take your coat, m'lady?" I asked in my best British accent, which, honestly, was completely dreadful.
Reece giggled, the sound low and breathy. "Yes, please, fine sir."
A shiver of awareness ran up my spine as I peeled the white wool from her shoulders and arms and revealed the delicate lace underneath. I tried to shake off the feeling as I lay her coat on top of mine and turned my attention back to the table. "Let's see what Rowdy has in store for us."
I pulled out her chair and she sat daintily on the edge of the seat. "How do you know Rowdy made whatever it is?"
"Because Ted told me Claudia, for all her skills, can't cook a lick. And I'm pretty positive Rowdy would be insulted if she brought someone else's food to the ranch. Other than pizza or burgers or something like that," I amended.
"On the count of three?" she asked, placing her fingers on the silver handle at the top of her cloche.
I nodded. "One, two, three." We both lifted the silver lids to reveal perfectly browned Cornish game hens, roasted vegetables, and the fluffiest mashed potatoes I'd ever seen.
"Mmmm…it smells divine," Reece announced, leaning over her plate and taking a large whiff. "I've never seen such tiny chickens before, though."
I stifled a laugh, shaking out a white napkin and placing it on my lap. "They're Cornish game hens, Sugar. That's as big as they get. But, they're basically little chickens." My lips tipped up in a grin.
A light blush shone on her cheeks in the candlelight. "Oh, well, hmmm. I've never heard of those, but they sure smell delicious."
"That they do. Let's dig in."
We ate in companionable silence for a while, the only sounds the tinkling of metal against china. Eventually, I had to cry uncle and leaned back in my chair. "Don't worry about me, I'll just be here digesting for the next twelve hours or so."
Her napkin did nothing to cover her smile as she wiped her mouth. How was that simple motion so erotic? I was definitely losing it.
"I'll be right here with you. I can't believe this dress hasn't popped like a sausage casing yet." She rubbed her non-existent belly and closed her eyes in contentment.
I smiled at her happiness. Honestly, she was still too thin, but the bones of her face had more flesh on them now than they had when I had picked her up. Her ghostly pale skin had turned a golden bronze from working most of the day outside in the sunshine. And, most of the time, her eyes had lost that haunted quality. They sparkled in the candlelight like the sun on the ocean.
As I was enjoying exploring her face with my eyes, her brow furrowed the slightest bit. "What's that under your plate?"
"Huh?" I asked, dragged from my enjoyment of simply looking at her. "Where?"
She reached across the small space and pulled a white envelope out from under the edge of my plate. 'Jericho & Reece' was written in flowing script across the front. Her eyebrows raised in question.
"Go ahead, Sugar. Open it." I couldn't imagine what else Claudia could have in store for us.
Reece ran a finger under the flap of the envelope and carefully removed a cream-colored notecard with roses across the top. Flipping it open, she read:
Reece glanced up with unshed tears sparkling in her eyes. "They are amazing people, aren't they? I can't believe how blessed I've been the last few weeks."
"They really are. And you deserve every blessing you receive from now on." I extended my hand toward her on the table, palm up. After a moment's hesitation, she slid her slim-fingered hand into mine, the simple white gold band on her ring finger shining in the glow of the candles. "Happy wedding day, Mrs. King."
A fragile smile lit her face. "Happy wedding day to you, too, Mr. King."
16
Away
Reece
The weeks flew by and, soon, I was not only comfortable with my new job, I looked forward to getting to the barn every day. I'd taken Declan's advice and carried pieces of apple or sugar cubes in my pockets and the horses nuzzled me as I stroked their velvety noses over the stalls every morning before we started their daily grooming. Each had a distinct personality, and I'd come to think of them as friends versus simply animals I was charged with taking care of. Declan had even given me a few riding lessons when we had finished early, and Ted didn't need him for something else.
I had started my morning grooming one of my favorite Freisians, Mac Dhubh. His name meant son of the black one which was appropriate I guessed as his sire was obviously black as well. The Gaelic name made it a little more interesting. I stopped brushing when Ted exited his big, white F2500 followed by several men who obviously weren't ranchers. He normally didn't come check on the horses until the evening so I was curious. He raised a hand in greeting to me as he led the group toward the fence line.
"Hey there, Reece." He patted Mac Dhubh affectionately on the flank. "These guys are from Texas Equine magazine. They're going to be taking some pictures and talking to me and Declan about our beauties here. Just pretend they're not here and go about your normal day."
"Yes, sir." I picked up the curry comb and resumed my ministrations of Mac Dhubh. He stepped and snorted a bit not liking the strangers coming up behind him. I watched them to make sure they didn't get close enough to get kicked and snuck the agitated horse a piece of apple, stroking his neck to calm him down.
"They just want to take your picture, pretty boy. Pose like the champion you are," I murmured as he headbutted my pocket searching for another treat almost knocking me over. I laughed and gave in before I started combing him again.
I stiffened slightly when I heard rapid clicking behind me. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw one of the men with a large, complicated looking camera held to his eye. Mac Dhubh was one of the best-looking horses in the stable in my opinion. I hoped they'd get some shots of him in the pasture later after he was fully groomed and prancing with his tail high and his mane flowing in the wind. I smiled at the thought. He really was magnificent.
The horses gave me a sense of peace I'd never thought I'd have again. The rhythm of brushing and combing them, rubbing their velvety noses, and even talking to them was like meditation and therapy all rolled into one. You could tell a horse anything without judgment. No matter what you'd done, they'd love you just the same as long as you treated them right. Every day I felt the shackles from my past loosening.
I apparently still had nightmares as evidenced by Jericho waking up in my bed with too frequent regularity. They rarely woke me in a panic attack anymore, however. Something about the presence of Jericho's large, warm body set even my unconscious mind at ease. I knew this was a habit I had to break sooner rather than later, though.
Waking up in his arms was getting way too comfortable and I was having to fight harder and harder not to brush my mouth against his skin or run my hands down his back. One morning, I even woke to his thigh pressed tightly into the V of my legs causing all kinds of tingling and aching that I did not want to be having. Correction—I definitely wanted it, but knew I couldn't have it. He was my angel, yes, and now my friend and that was all he could be. My savings were building up faster than I expected as, other than clothes and toiletries, I really had no expenses. Jericho wouldn't let me pay for anything else. Before long, I'd be able to move out on my own and let Jericho have the solitude and peace he'd told me he'd always dreamed of. I sighed and returned to the barn for another horse.
I was mucking stalls that afternoon when I heard footsteps coming down the center aisle of the barn. "Austin? You're late. Couldn't break away from your girlfriend?"
Austin had become like the little brother I'd never have. He'd confided there was a girl named Tiffany at school he had a crush on and I couldn't resist teasing him a bit. I loved watching his pale coloring turn as bright red as his hair when he was embarrassed. He got me back though. The boy was a master prankster.
When he didn't respond with something sarcastic, I peeked out of the stall. The man striding toward me wasn't my young friend. It was one of the ranch hands. I'd seen him before but didn't know his name. I had very little interaction with the cowboys. Jericho warned me not to be alone with them.
"Most of them are good guys," he'd told me. "Just a little rough around the edges. But there are a couple of them I don't trust and I don't like the way they look at you—even from a distance. It's better if you hang out at the horse barn with Declan unless you really need me for something."
Strange men made me nervous anyway, so I'd had no trouble heeding his advice. I'd never been alone with any of the hands and, if I needed something near the cow pastures or barns, I always went with Declan.
My hands tightened on my shovel as I straightened to face the man coming toward me. He had a smirk on his face I didn't like and there was something in his eyes that was hard and predatory. I could feel the sweat break out on my forehead that had nothing to do with the exertion of mucking stalls.
"Declan went with Ted to the big house. I'm not sure when he'll be back." As I spoke, I stepped out of the stall, so I wasn't trapped within the wooden enclosure. Every nerve in my body was on high alert though he'd done nothing threatening to me. Yet.
