Shotgun Bride (7 page)

Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]

by Lauri Robinson

them. Or we can see the good that could come out of it, and focus on that."

"The good?" Tiny lines laced across her forehead again.

"Yes, the good." He poured more coffee into their cups, watching the changes her face made as her mind contemplated his words.

She added milk to hers, but didn't take a drink right away. Her eyes fluttered around the room, and her top teeth bit down on her bottom lip. Tiny fingers tapped the side of her cup.

Kid waited for her to speak. When his cup was half empty, he couldn't wait any longer. "What are you thinking so hard about?"

Her face took on a sad, almost painful look. "Well, whwhat does the good all entitle?" Kid couldn't help but tease her a bit. With a mocked serious look, he said, "That we get to know each other." Her eyes went to her cup. "H-how well?" He had to laugh, couldn't hold it in, and reached over to pat her hand. "Jessie, you'll never have a reason to fear me. I promise. We'll get to know each other as friends. Not as husband and wife. I don't have time for a wife right now." He really didn't have time for a friend either, not one that needed as much as she apparently did, but it was too late to dwell on that now.

"You don't have time for a wife?" She pulled her fingers out from beneath his and wrapped them around the cup, using both hands to lift it to her lips. "I'd have thought you'd 62

Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]

by Lauri Robinson

want a wife to help you. This is a big house to take care of, besides all of your ranching."

"I don't use much of the house except the kitchen and my bedroom, so the upkeep isn't much. And I pay Stephanie to come and give it a good cleaning every once in awhile."

"Why do you call your mother Stephanie?"

"Because she's not my mother. My mother died when I was five." Kid pushed away from the table, needing something to occupy his hands, they itched to touch hers again. "Are you hungry?"

"N-no, I'm fine. The coffee is good."

"Well, I am." He moved around the kitchen, placing a pan on the stove, and gathering eggs from the basket on the other end of the counter. He didn't mind sharing the story of his life and talked while he worked.

"We lived in St. Louis. She and the baby died. I don't really know what happened, since no one ever talked about it. One day she was there, the next she wasn't." He cracked a few eggs into the pan. "One day, my dad was gone too. I lived with an aunt and uncle until I was ten. Then out of the blue, my father showed up and brought me out here. That's when I met my new stepmother and brother. Skeeter wasn't much more than a baby, two or so, and Stephanie was pregnant with Snake."

It had been a long time since he'd thought about his younger days. Kid flipped the eggs and listened to them sizzle for a minute. "There's some bread and jam in that cupboard if you'd like some with your eggs."

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Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]

by Lauri Robinson

"Oh, oh, I'm sorry." Jessie jumped from the table and scurried to the cupboard.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. I just thought you might like some," Kid said. She moved about quickly, gathering the bread and jam while he piled the fried eggs on two plates. A smile formed, sharing a meal with someone was nice.

"It was like that with my parents too. Like you said, one day they were there, the next they were gone." She found silverware and glasses and carried them to the table.

"How did they die?" Kid set the plates on the table.

"Cholera."

"Heard of that. Bad news." He motioned for her to sit.

"How old were you?"

She smoothed the worn material over her knees after taking a seat. "Eight when they died, it was ten years ago," she said, a lonely little sigh escaping her lips after the words. Kid sat, picked up his fork, and began to eat. That would make her eighteen, older than he thought. He'd have guessed sixteen at the most.

Looking between him and the food, she asked, "There's something I hope you don't mind my asking about." It must be serious. Kid laid his fork down and nodded. "Of course I don't mind. Ask whatever you want."

"Well, it's about your—your brother's names." Her face puckered into that painful look again. "There a little, um, odd?"

Kid laughed. "Yeah, they are. Our dad did that."

"Named you?"

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"Well, gave us all nicknames. My name is Kendell, but Dad always called me the kid. He said Skeeter was as pesky as a mosquito. His real name is Steven. Snake-as sneaky as a Snake, is Scott. Hog, 'cause he grunts like one is Howard, and Bug, because he was as cute as a bug in a rug, is Brett."

"Oh. Kendell?"

"Yes, after my mother's father."

"And Steven, Scott, Howard and Brett."

"Yup, the Quinter boys," he said.

"Jessie is a nickname too," she admitted.

"Oh? What's your real name?" he asked.

"Jessica," she said.

He didn't reply because a knock sounded on the door and made him realize how late in the morning it already was.

"Come in, Joe." Kid waved his hand at the man peeking in the window of the back door while scooping up the last of his eggs with his fork.

"Mornin', Kid."

Jessie turned to the sound behind her. A tall, thin, older man closed the door behind him. He turned her way and his feet froze mid-step.

"Ah, um, oh, well..."

"Grab a cup of coffee, Joe." Kid mopped a piece of bread across his plate.

"I can get him one," Jessie said, somewhat anxious to move out of the newcomer's shocked stare. She put a hand on the table to rise.

Kid covered it with one of his. "No, finish your breakfast." 65

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"I did." A warm flush filled her cheeks at how she'd gobbled the eggs and bread.

"Then finish your coffee."

"I did."

"Joe, bring the pot to the table, will ya?"

"Sure," the man said. His gaze kept bouncing to her, and he almost slopped the coffee on Kid when he attempted to refill the cups on the table.

Kid took the pot and refilled his and her cups while the other man sat down across the table from her. "Joe, this is Jessie. Jessie, this is Joe. He's the foreman here at the ranch."

"Ma'am." Joe touched the brim of his hat. Then his cheeks turned pink, and he took the head covering off and laid it on the floor by his feet.

"Hello." Jessie had no idea what to say. Or do. She folded her hands in her lap.

"Jessie and I were married last night." Kid nonchalantly lifted his cup to his lips. As if he'd just said the sun was shining today.

Jessie gasped and before she could turn to stare at Kid, coffee shot out of Joe's mouth. It spewed across the table as he started coughing.

Kid rose to pound the other man on the back. "Not what you expected?" Kid asked when Joe's coughing ended. Jessie retrieved two dishtowels near the sink. She handed one to Joe and used the other to wipe the table. Her gaze went to Kid. He grinned from ear to ear. It made her want to smile, and she wasn't quite sure why.

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"That wasn't very nice," she whispered, glancing to see if Joe was all right.

Kid laughed aloud.

Joe, with a frown between his brows, looked between her and Kid. "Oh, so it's a joke. You really caught me off guard." He refilled his cup and lifted it to his mouth again.

"No, it's not a joke. We really did get married last night," Kid said.

This time Joe swallowed before he started to cough. He set the cup down and glanced at Jessie.

Kid stepped over to stand beside her. His arm circled her shoulders, and he smiled down at her. She didn't know what to think of the grin, nor the arm. Her heart began thumping.

"Really?" Joe asked. His stare stuck on her. Hoping her face didn't show the confusion she felt, she attempted a smile and nodded.

"Holy shit!" Joe's face turned beet red. "Oh, sorry, I mean, excuse me, Ma'am."

Kid's hand slipped away and needing something to do, Jessie leaned over to remove their breakfast clutter from the table. Forcing her fingers not to tremble, she picked up her used silverware, setting it upon the empty plate.

"Did you spend the night with the herd?" Kid sat down and poured another cup of coffee.

"Yeah," Joe said. "Are you really married?"

"Yeah." Kid smiled at her as she picked up his plate, and then glanced back to Joe. "How'd the herd weather the storm?"

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Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]

by Lauri Robinson

She twisted and walked toward the sink with the dishes. The feeling wafting every inch of her body wasn't what she'd call embarrassment, and it certainly couldn't be called happiness. Taking a deep breath, she quit trying to analyze unexplainable emotions and listened instead.

"Fine," Joe said. "When, where, how?"

"At my mother's—about four or so this morning. No stampedes with all the lightning?"

Jessie snuck a peek their way.

"No." Joe shook his head. "Was it planned?"

"No." Kid took another swallow of coffee. "Any strikes near?"

"No. A few way off, nothing close." Joe's pause was slight.

"How?"

"The regular way, with a preacher. Are the rest of the boys still out there?"

Jessie set the dishes on the counter, her mind weary from trying to follow their conversation. Goose bumps rose on her arms, wondering what else Kid would say about their marriage. She twisted toward the table, rubbing at the cold tingles, and waited.

"Yes, the rest of the boys are still out there. I rode in to see where you were. You're over an hour late. We thought something might have happened." Joe set his cup down and looked at Jessie. "I guess something did."

"Yes, something did." Kid also looked her way. Both men were silent, their gazes floating over her. Self conscious, her hands went to her hair. She must look a mess. Between the wind and the rain, the unruly mass probably 68

Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]

by Lauri Robinson

looked like a bird's nest. Her fingers caught on long, snarled strands. Embarrassed, she flipped around and covered her face with both hands.

"I'll meet you outside in a few minutes, Joe," Kid said. Within seconds, the sound of a door closing echoed in the room and large hands fell on her shoulders. The heat of his fingers penetrated through the material of her dress as they gently massaged her tight muscles. "Are you all right?" he asked.

She nodded.

The pressure on her shoulders increased and forced her to turn toward him. "You must be tired. Let me show you to one of the rooms upstairs."

"No, if I go to sleep now, I may sleep all day." She glanced around, trying to find something to focus on, anything except his face.

His hands touched her cheeks, making her look at him.

"And what would be wrong with that?"

"Well, well, I can't sleep the day away. There must be chores around here for me to do."

"Not really."

"The dishes, I could do the dishes, and sweep the floors, and you must have laundry..."

Kid's arm was around her shoulder again. The feeling was so gentle, so kind, she had to swallow a sob forming in her throat.

With slight pressure, he forced her to walk across the kitchen beside him. "Maybe tomorrow you'll feel up to doing 69

Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]

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some of those chores. But for today, I think a good sleep is in order."

"I couldn't sleep right now."

"I think you could, and I think you will." Kid stopped every protest she tried to make as he led her through the house and up the stairs. He pushed open a door, and the beauty of the room made her gasp again, her tired mind incapable of taking in much more.

Kid patted her upper arm. "You are not allowed downstairs until after you've rested. Understand?" Part of her wondered what would happen if she disobeyed. Would she see the wrath the sheriff talked about and his brothers feared? The other part of her was too exhausted to think any longer. "Y-yes," she murmured, and when he left the room, thankfully fell onto the bed covered with a flower print quilt.

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Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]

by Lauri Robinson

Hours later, Kid pulled the hat from his head and let it fall to the ground. Cupping his hands, he splashed a few handfuls of water from the horse trough on his face. It was lukewarm, but refreshing nonetheless. One cheek stung, he ignored it and wiped the water from his face, pushing the droplets back to mingle with the sweat in his hair then bent to retrieve his hat. He forced the dust from the rim by slapping it against his knee before pushing it onto his wet hair. Faint light from the setting sun bounced off the glass panes of the ranch house. Joe said Jessie was still in there, had only ventured outside a couple times during the day. He'd asked the foreman to work at the homestead today, assuring she wouldn't be alone in case his brothers came sneaking around. He was pretty sure they wouldn't, but didn't know about Russell. The man's inability to care for his little sister really irritated him. After seeing the sod shanty she'd been living in, he was even more annoyed.

This morning after telling Joe to stay about the house, he'd gone out and helped the cowboys separate the livestock. Once the task was completed, he'd instructed the boys where to drive each group then rode over to gather some of Jessie's belongings, knowing she'd need a few things. What he'd found was disheartening. No one could possibly live in that soddy. He'd heard the hissing of snakes before dismounting Jack.

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Luckily, they were only bull snakes. The storm had sent a dozen or so into the shack. And it hadn't been the first time. Holes along the base of the entire structure showed the reptiles had used it as a shelter for some time. The inside, though neat as possible, had puddles deep enough for frogs to live in and the storm had ripped the weathered shutters from the one window. Rain had completely soaked the worn quilt of the only bed. He'd searched high and low for clothes and personal belongings, but found nothing other than the silver handle hair brush in his back pocket.