Devils on Horseback: Lee, Book 4 (12 page)

Lee closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers. “Are you sure?” he whispered against her cheek.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

Lee kissed the end of her nose. “Then I guess I’ll marry you.”

Sophie clapped her hands together and hooted. Genny laughed as he picked her up and swung her around. She’d never felt so happy, so loved, so blessed.

Chapter Eight

The mood in the wagon on the way to Tanger was much different than the last trip to town weeks earlier. Sophie wasn’t whining or complaining. In fact, she was singing songs under her breath as she perched on the seat between the two of them. Lee drove the wagon, holding the traces with his right hand while they were wrapped around the hook on his left.

Genny sat beside her daughter, happiness bubbling inside her like a spring. She held onto the feeling, savored how wonderful it felt. After many years of simply existing, Genny was finally living.

“Are we gonna go to the preacher today?” Sophie piped up.

Lee glanced over at Genny with a tiny smile. “Yeah, we’ll see him today, but we’ll have to wait until your mama gets a proper wedding dress before we get married.”

“Oh, Mama doesn’t care what she wears. That blue dress is good enough.”

Genny laughed. “Well it might be nice to have a new dress. I can get material from Mr. Marchison and make something in a few days.”

“I don’t want to wait that long. Can’t I be a Blackwood today?” Sophie crossed her arms and scowled at both of them.

Lee nudged her with his elbow. “Unofficially you are. In fact, you can tell people you’re Sophie Blackwood.”

“Yay!” she whooped, while Lee and Genny smiled at her.

Life was nearly perfect, even if the farm was in bad shape, they needed money and help, and there wasn’t enough food to last the winter. Genny didn’t care one whit about those things, at least for the next day or two. She was getting married and this time, she did the choosing and the asking.

It was nearly dinnertime and there were plenty of folks out on the streets in Tanger. Many of them nodded, waved or called out a greeting to Lee and Genny. For the first time, Genny felt welcome in town and she attributed it to the man she’d asked to marry her.

“Why don’t we stop at the restaurant and have dinner first?” Genny’s stomach was finally settled enough to have food. It had been twisted up for days and now she felt as free as a butterfly in search of a flower.

“The restaurant?” His voice sounded strained.

“Doesn’t your family own it? I thought Gabby told me you used to live there.” Genny couldn’t quite see his face with the black hat shading it.

“Yeah, I did.” He blew out a breath. “I should have told you why I left.”

Genny didn’t know if she should be nervous or not. Zeke had told her quite a bit about Lee, but obviously not everything. “Sophie, climb in the back so Lee and I can talk.”

“Do I have to?” she whined.

“Yes, now scoot.” Lee was already acting like her father. It warmed Genny’s heart to see how well the two of them had taken to each other. She’d had doubts they’d get along at all when Lee first arrived at the farm—now he had become the father Sophie so desperately needed. It would devastate both she and Sophie if Lee left their lives.

After the girl grudgingly climbed into the back, Genny moved next to Lee so their thighs were touching. “Now tell me.”

He slid a glance at her and she saw guilt in the depths of his brown eyes. “I rebuilt that restaurant with Zeke and my cousin Gideon. We own half of it together. The other half is owned by Cindy Cooley—she lives upstairs at the mill. Anyway, it burned down if you remember, and we rebuilt it, opened it and almost closed it within a month. None of us could cook worth a damn. We were lucky to convince Margaret Summers to be our cook.”

He swallowed and licked his lips. Obviously whatever he had to say was about Margaret. Her stomach tightened at the thought.

“I, uh, sort of asked her to marry me in the spring. She said no and I left the restaurant for Gideon to run alone.” He said it fast as if it was painful and he wanted it done quickly.

Genny wasn’t sure if she should be jealous, upset or angry. He’d asked this woman to be his wife. “Do you love her?”

Lee blew out a breath. “Margaret was the first woman to treat me like a man, not a cripple. I think I wanted it to be love.” He turned to look at her for the first time since he’d starting talking about Margaret. “It wasn’t.”

He was telling her he loved her without actually saying the words. She touched his cheek. “I love you too, Lee.” His eyes widened so she leaned forward and kissed him quick. “Now let’s go to the restaurant and have dinner. I want to meet the rest of your family.”

“Aw, stop kissing already. Ain’t you supposed to be married before you do all that?” Sophie stuck her head between them.

Genny kissed her daughter’s forehead and tugged one braid. “Mind your business, Sophie.”

“Are you sure?” Lee was asking more than one question and Genny knew it.

“Never been more sure of anything in my life.”

* * * * *

With a heart lighter than he’d felt in his life, Lee pulled the wagon up behind the restaurant. She loved him. Holy Christ, she loved him. Nothing else mattered. Nothing.

While he released Ned from the traces, Genny helped Sophie down and straightened them both out. The girl popped up beside him and took hold of the horse’s bit.

“I can bring him to the stable. It’s important to take care of your horse so he can take care of you.” She blinked up innocently as Lee stared down at her.

Lee wondered if the girl would ever stop surprising him. She recited word for word what he’d told her the first day they’d been together. Perhaps things were finally working out and God would gift him with what He’d withheld for so long.

After getting Ned settled they went into the restaurant. Margaret was nowhere to be seen, but at least half the tables were full. A young girl with dark brown hair Lee didn’t recognize was serving plates of hot food. He nodded to a few folks as he made his way to the kitchen, Genny and Sophie behind him.

He pushed open the door to find Margaret slicing meatloaf at the table. Her apron was smeared with flour and gravy, and her hair had the same frizzy halo it always did. Lee had wondered what he’d feel when he saw her again, if he would be angry or hurt, but he didn’t feel either of those things. He felt relief.

She glanced up and stopped slicing. “Lee. I didn’t expect you.” Her gaze moved behind him. “Hello.”

Genny walked around him and held out her hand. “Hello. I’m Genevieve Blanchard. I’m happy to meet you.”

Margaret set down the knife and shook Genny’s proffered hand. “Hello, I’m Margaret. Welcome to Elmer’s Restaurant.”

Sophie looked up at him. “You’d better not change your mind and want to marry her. She’s too pretty for you.”

Lee was surprised when he barked out a laugh. “Meet Sophie. She’s, ah, a girl who likes to speak her mind.”

Genny swooped her up in a hug. “You have got to stop doing that, girl.” Sophie squealed in her mother’s arms.

Margaret smiled at Lee. “What’s going on?”

Gideon’s voice came from behind them. “I’d like to know the same thing.”

Lee turned to his cousin. “Let’s sit down for dinner. I’ve got a lot to tell you.”

After introductions were done, they sat in the corner away from most diners and dug into the meatloaf and potatoes. Sophie didn’t say much, but she ate every bite on her plate. Lee didn’t remember eating beef when he was at the farm. Most times Genny served salted meat like ham and bacon, likely traded for flour or perhaps vegetables from the garden.

He made a vow to himself that this little girl who wanted him to be her pa would never go hungry. She was too precious to not know what meatloaf tasted like.

Gideon sipped coffee as he watched them eat. Lee knew his cousin was brimming with questions, but he was polite enough to keep them to himself until they finished dinner. Even if he should feel nervous, he didn’t. Even if Genny wasn’t perfect, she was perfect for him.

Gideon leaned over to Sophie. “I’ll bet if you go in the kitchen, Miss Margaret might have apple pie.”

The girl’s head snapped up from just about licking the gravy from her plate. She looked at her mother. “Mama, can I?”

“Yes, but stay in the kitchen and don’t bother Miss Margaret. She’s got lots of folks to feed.” Genny smiled at Gideon as Sophie scampered off her chair and headed to the kitchen, braids flying behind her.

“She’s a sweet girl.” Gideon glanced between them. “Can I speak freely?”

Lee looked at Genny and she nodded. “Yes.”

“Tell me what’s going on. Zeke came by and said you were out working at a farm for the harvest. You haven’t stepped foot in the restaurant for six months and now you appear with a family in tow and a smile on your face.” Gideon leaned forward. “Lee, I haven’t seen you smile in years.”

Lee couldn’t help but smile again. “I went out there to help Genny. Somehow in all the piles of horse shit and repairs, we sort of found each other.”

Gideon’s brows went up. “Found each other?”

Genny chimed in. “Mr. Blackwood, I don’t know if you knew Henry Blanchard. He was not a good husband or father. When your cousin came to the farm, he showed me what it means to be cared for. I asked him to marry me.”

“What?” Gideon blinked, his blue eyes wider than the plate on the table.

“She did.” Lee shook his head. “I said yes.”

This time it was Gideon’s turn to smile. “You’re getting married?”

“You’re the first to know, but I need to tell Zeke next. Then we’ve got to see Gregory at the church.”

Gideon whooped and picked Lee up into a bear hug, and this time, Lee didn’t shy away. He embraced his cousin and absorbed the love he could finally accept.

The rest of the day was a blur of congratulations and smiles. They never made it to the church to talk to the preacher. Gregory would be there the next day so they decided to gather at the mill for supper. Gabby insisted on cooking for everyone and Genny helped her along with Naomi. Lee stood outside with Jake, Zeke and Gideon as the night creatures serenaded them.

“Married?” Zeke whistled. “I have to say I thought it might happen given the way you were falling for her, but I didn’t expect you to show up a short time later and tell me you were getting married.”

“She proposed to him, did he tell you that?” Gideon teased.

“She did?” Zeke hooted and slapped Lee on the back of the head. “What’s wrong with you? Why didn’t you ask her?”

Lee pushed his brother away, tolerant for the teasing but not willing to get beat on for it. “She asked me first. Besides, I’m getting the better part of this deal. That woman is stronger and braver than me. She’s put me to shame with the steel in that spine of hers.”

The men sobered instantly.

“Things were that bad with Henry?” Jake frowned. “I met him a few times and never liked him. Genny was always silent and Sophie was a shadow behind her.”

“Not just Henry, but a lot of her life.” Lee wasn’t going to reveal what Genny had told him. It wasn’t his right and he didn’t want to betray her confidence. “I never met someone who took on so much shit head-on and didn’t flinch.”

“Then she’s perfect for you because all you do is shovel shit.” Zeke grinned and stepped out of reach when Lee tried to punch him.

“Well, she’s at least chosen the right Devil. She’s too much woman for Gid.” This time Lee did the teasing.

All of them howled with laughter except Gideon. He pointed at Lee. “You’d better watch it, Cornelius. I’ll bet you haven’t even told her about your real name.”

Lee’s blood froze. “You wouldn’t.”

“Oh yes I would!” Gideon ran for the door with Lee hot on his heels. Zeke and Jake tried to trip him, but ended up falling in the door behind him.

Genny heard a commotion by the front of the house, but didn’t pay much attention. The men were outside drinking whiskey and talking. Naomi made her feel as if she were already her sister-in-law. The blonde woman was so beautiful, it made Genny’s eyes hurt to look at her for too long.

While Genny mashed the potatoes, Naomi set the table and Gabby sliced the roast. Beef twice in one day was almost sinful, but Genny wasn’t about to refuse.

With a gigantic crash, the four men tumbled into the kitchen like a pack of puppies, punching, laughing and hollering at each other. She couldn’t figure out what was so funny about acting foolish, but Gabby smiled while Naomi shook her head.

“What are you doing? Get up off my floor.” Gabby waggled her finger at them. “You’re tracking in mud, and God knows I don’t want to clean it up.”

“It’s his fault, Gabby.” Jake pointed at Lee. “He went after Gid and dragged me and Zeke into it.”

“Why you redheaded liar! I did no such thing. Gid was going to tell Genny and I—” He stopped and stared at her, mouth open.

Genny raised her brows, waiting for him to explain exactly what they were doing and why he wanted to stop Gideon. “I’m all ears, Misters Blackwood.”

“That leaves me out.” Jake climbed to his feet, shaking off Lee’s hold on his ankle.

Lee frowned up at Jake, then turned to push Zeke’s legs off his. “Get off me.” He looked guilty when he glanced at Genny. “It’s nothing, really.”

Zeke got to his feet and helped Gideon up off the floor. Both of them watched Lee with identical smirks.

“Is that right?” Gideon brushed off the front of his trousers. “Then you tell her.”

Genny didn’t know what to expect, but apparently the rest of them did. It couldn’t be that bad, could it?

“Yeah, go ahead and tell her.” Zeke smiled at Naomi. “You’d be surprised at how sexy your name can sound when it’s whispered in the dark.”

Naomi blushed and winked at her husband. Now Genny was really intrigued. What was Lee hiding?

He took her elbow and led her out to the mill where the machines were blessedly still for the night. She was starting to get nervous when he paced back and forth in front of the huge wheel while he ran his hand down his face.

“Just tell me, dammit.”

He let out a huge sigh. “My real name isn’t Lee.”

“Is that all? That’s the big secret that had you tussling on the ground like a five-year-old?” Relief washed over her. “Is it something horrible?”

“It’s a big deal to me and Zeke. You see, our father wanted us to be pious men so he gave us Biblical names. We hated them and thought of short versions to use.” Lee shrugged. “It became a game of sorts, make each other loco by using the real ones. I guess I kind of got lost in the memory of it.”