A Kiss for Cade (32 page)

His eyes turned grave. “I can’t believe you’re actually going through with this nonsense.”

“It’s the only solution. Please try to understand.”

“If you’re intent on this madness, I’ll stand by you. I’m aware that this marriage is nothing but a sham. Once Cade leaves, I’ll help you have the matter discreetly disposed of.”

She couldn’t believe his suggestion. She knew the marriage wouldn’t be real, not in the physical sense, but he made it sound so sordid, almost cheap. Once, she would have thought the same thing. Vows taken between a man and woman in the sight of God were not to be taken lightly, and Cade would ride away and never come back. But that wouldn’t make her devotion to him or the children any less sincere.

She glanced toward the jail. “We’ll have to talk about this later. I have to get the children, and—”

As if she hadn’t said a word, he went on. “Those children will be grown and gone in a few years. You’ll need companionship. It’s no secret how I feel about you.”

The conversation grated on her nerves. Perry was a confidant and friend, but it was becoming increasingly clear that he only wanted her, not the children.

“There’s something you need to understand, Perry. I will
always
have those children. Even when they grow up and marry, they will still be mine. Their children will be my grandchildren.”

“Of course, my dear. I didn’t mean to imply that you should forget them. I meant that we could have a nice life together once they’re grown, just you and me. I’ve always wanted to travel. We could go back East.”

Zoe shook her head and walked away from him briskly, finding the irony of the situation almost laughable. Yesterday she had no prospect of a husband. Today two men were ready to up and marry her. It was almost funny, except there was only one man she wanted. The one she couldn’t keep.

“We’ll talk later,” Perry called as she ran up the front steps to the store entrance.

“Kids!” She hurried past the counter and down the canned goods aisle. “Get cleaned up and into your best clothes.” She scanned the kitchen table. Holly, Missy, and Will sat there, long faced. “What’s wrong?”

Will’s bottom lip jutted out. “Brody’s runnin’ away and I want to leave too, but he took all the biscuits.”

“Running away? What’s this all about?”

Holly got up and looped her arms around Zoe’s waist, leaning into her. “Brody wrapped Glori-Lee’s leftover biscuits in a napkin and said he was running away to California.”

Zoe gave Holly a consoling pat. “Where is your big brother?”

Missy pointed to the bedroom. “He’s puttin’ his clothes in a tow sack.”

“Biscuits too,” Will added. “He took Glori-Lee’s napkin. I told him he’d get in trouble, runnin’ away with Glori-Lee’s napkin, but he said he didn’t have time to listen to a six-year-old whiner.” He teared up. “I ain’t a whiner. She said he could have the biscuits, nothing about keepin’ the napkin.”

“Okay, Will, that’s enough. I’ll wash the napkin, and Brody can return it to Glori-Lee.”

Will rose and clung to her opposite hip. “Brody won’t let me go with him.”

Zoe squeezed the two children tightly against her. “No one is going anywhere.”

Missy laid her head down and began to weep. “We don’t want to go with Aunt Waticia.”

Holly turned dark eyes on Zoe, eyes far more mature than her eight years. “Please don’t make us go with her.”

“Is that what all the running away is about?” Relief flooded her when all three nodded. “Well, I have good news for you. Your Uncle Cade and I are getting married. That means no one is going anywhere. You’re going to live with me.”

The spontaneous squealing and leaping was so loud, Zoe had to cover her ears. “Children, please!”

Brody appeared in the bedroom doorway, a sack over his shoulder, munching on a biscuit. “You really going to be our ma?”

Zoe held out her arms, and all four children came to her. “Your ma will always be your ma, but you’ll be my very own children now. We’ll be a real family.” She blinked back tears of joy. “I’ll be the best mama I can be.”

“Is Uncle Cade ouw pa now?” Missy asked, her innocent blue eyes twinkling up at Zoe.

Zoe nodded. The children looked so happy, she couldn’t tell them Cade wouldn’t be staying. She wouldn’t spoil their day—her day. Her and Cade’s wedding day.

“I’m going to call him Uncle Pa,” Will announced, his tone serious.

Missy giggled. “Me too.”

Zoe laughed. “Get cleaned up while I press my blue dress.” She glanced at Brody. “I hope you didn’t crumple your Sunday clothes into that bag, Mr. Wiseman. I don’t have time to iron them. Your Uncle Pa is waiting for us at the jail.”

Missy hopped up and down. “We’we going to get mawwied, we’we going to get mawwied!”

Chapter Forty-One

S
awyer stuffed a chunk of chew into his jaw and called to Susan and Judy, who were trying to peek in the jail window “Go on now. Git. Cade is gettin’ married, and Zoe ain’t goin’ to take kindly to you hangin’ ’round gawkin’ at him.”

The young girls grumbled but stepped off the cement block and melted back into the crowd.

“Make a path, everyone,” Sawyer instructed. “The bride-to-be and her brood’s comin’ through. Did you hear me, Sam? I said step aside.”

“Close yore dadburned yap, Sawyer. I’m movin’ fast as I can. I got the gout, you know.”

Zoe felt proud as a peacock as she and the kids marched into the jail. Lilith handed her a nosegay of black-eyed Susans she had picked from her garden.

Pop had donned a clean shirt for his role as best man, and Zoe had never seen Gracie, her matron of honor, look prettier.

Gracie patted her pale green dress. “I’m as nervous as a June bug in a henhouse.”

Zoe flashed her a grin and then quickly wiped Will’s nose and straightened Brody’s shirt collar. The children were a sight to behold. Her heart beat with anticipation. They would soon belong to her. Her and Cade.

Nearly everyone in town turned out for the event. Zoe noticed for the first time that something wasn’t quite right. She didn’t think so much about Pop’s wearing a gun and holster, but some of the women looked downright strange with a derringer tucked into the waistbands of their skirts. Zoe turned, her gaze scanning the assembled crowd. Half the onlookers were toting weapons. She frowned. Did they think Cade would back out, and they had brought the means to make him change his mind?

“Should the kids be near me?” Cade asked.

She felt his forehead. He was much cooler, and she noticed a couple of red dots on his cheek. “I think the crisis is over. You’re breaking out.”

Doc stepped over to examine the red marks. “Yep. Should start feeling better now.”

The children stood between her and Cade, joining hands. Missy wore a permanent grin on her face and couldn’t take her eyes off Uncle Pa. “Awe you glad we’we mawwying you, Uncle Pa?”

Zoe’s heart swelled when she saw the love shining in Cade’s eyes. He tightened his hold on the little girl’s hand and winked at her.

They were family. Even if it was for a short time, they were family. She fussed with the sky blue sash on her dress, aware of the way Cade’s eyes lingered on her. Pulling her to one side, he put his mouth close to her ear.

“You look pretty,” he whispered, and then he lifted her locket to his lips to press a kiss against the small golden bauble.

“So do you—not pretty,” she amended, cheeks warming. “Hand-some.” She took the locket from his fingers and kissed it too.

Cade patted Zoe’s backside as he stepped around her to take his place. She discreetly grabbed his impudent hand and bent his thumb back.

Though she knew the terms of the marriage, she couldn’t help her building excitement. Mrs. Cade Kolby, mother to the Wiseman children. Mother. It had a nice ring to it. Ring!

She quickly turned to Cade. “We don’t have a ring.”

Cade looked blank for a moment, and then he turned to Pop. “No ring.”

Pop motioned for Ben Pointer and whispered in his ear. Ben nodded and then hurried out the door. He was back shortly with a token he’d fashioned out of copper. Zoe had never felt so much pride in the towns-people as she did today. Judging by the looks on their faces, they were thrilled to be here. Little did they know that it was nothing more than a marriage of convenience.

But why all the guns? She had never seen Ben Pointer carry a rifle, and his boys had those shotguns over their shoulders. At a wedding, no less!

She watched Brody pull a biscuit from his shirt pocket and hand it to Cade, smiling up at his uncle. Cade grinned, waving the child’s offering aside.

Reverend Munson arrived at the jail, and the crowd surrounded him, all smiling and nodding.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered together in this house of—” he paused, clearing his throat, “—in this place, to witness the joining of Cade Kolby and Zoe Bradshaw in holy matrimony—”

“Git on with it, Preacher,” Roy Baker yelled, “before he changes his mind.”

Reverend Munson cleared his throat again and then recited the vows.

Reaching for Zoe’s hand, Cade gazed deeply into her eyes. She swallowed, her eyes locked with his. Her stomach twisted into knots as he spoke his vows with firm conviction. She was grateful for his compassion. No one would guess by the sincerity in his voice that he was marrying her for any other reason than love.

Her vows were given with the same depth of feeling. Moments later Reverend Munson closed his Bible and pronounced, “You are man and wife.”

Everyone expressed their good wishes. All but the measles victims showered kisses on the children and bride, who dutifully returned kiss for kiss.

Cade lifted Zoe’s hand and raised it to his lips. “May I kiss the bride?”

Touched by the gesture, she raised his hand to her mouth. “Only if I’m permitted to kiss the groom.”

Smiling, he pulled her to him. “You want the measles?”

“You kissed me earlier. I’ve already been exposed.”

“Kiss her, Uncle Pa,” Will urged.

Missy giggled, and Holly’s face flooded with color.

Brody finished off his last biscuit. “I ain’t never gonna kiss a girl,” he declared.

Cade grinned at Zoe. “You’ll change your mind one of these days, son. Girls can be real nice to kiss.”

His tone was soft and persuasive. Zoe instantly leaned into him, welcoming his embrace. Rockets went off in her head. Stars exploded. The day she’d dreamed of most of her life had arrived.

Their lips barely brushed together when a clamor came from outside the jail.

“Step aside! I’m coming through!” The swish of Laticia Wiseman’s cane whipping the air caused the townspeople to quickly move back and give her the right-of-way.

Laticia’s glare pinned Zoe to the wall. “What do you think you are doing?”

Missy stepped forward, wrinkled her nose, and stepped back. “We got mawwied, Aunt Waticia.”

“Married!”

Cade pulled Zoe closer. “Laticia, Zoe and I were just married.” He smiled. “She’s family now.”

“Why wasn’t I told of this?”

“It was decided rather quickly…” Zoe ventured.

“Abraham!”

“Yes’m?”

Laticia jabbed the air with her walking stick. “You knew about this?”

“I jist got wind’a it,” he said, coming up behind her. “’Bout ta come tell ya, but got a spell with my belly—”

“You and your belly. We’re finally going home where we can get something decent to eat.” She whirled and poked Cade in the stomach with the tip of her cane. “I don’t know what you’re up to, but if I hear that these children are living with anyone but you and Zoe, I’ll have your hide hung from the tallest hickory. You hear me?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Cade said. He glanced at the children and winked. “Better not get too close. Wouldn’t want you coming down with the measles.”

“Piddleposh. Never been sick a day in my life. Don’t intend to start now.” She bent to Holly, who shrank back when her aunt came face-to-face with her. “You children ever need anything, you let your Aunt Laticia know.”

They nodded, eyes bulging.

“Abraham! Hitch the buggy. We’ve worn out our welcome.”