Page 72 of Wyoming True

“You’re concerned,” Tolbert guessed when they were sitting in his office at the church.

“Yes,” Jake confessed. He was perched on the edge of the chair, his elbows resting on his knees as he leaned forward. “I guess most bachelors get cold feet just before the ceremony.”

“Every one,” Tolbert said with a smile. “Women, too. I expect your Ida is pacing the floor herself.”

He hadn’t thought of that. But it made sense.

“Listen,” Tolbert said gently, “you and Ida are very suited. She’s beautiful and rich and talented. Yes, she has physical problems, but she can afford any rehab she needs to keep going. Women with hip replacements can have kids, you know,” he added and noted Jake’s surprise. “We have two women in our congregation who had babies, and they had complaints at least as bad as Ida’s.”

“Well!” Jake said, brightening. He sobered. “But it’s not going to be that sort of marriage,” he added quickly. “Just friends.”

“Certainly,” Tolbert agreed easily. “Just friends.” But he was hiding a smile.

IDAJUMPEDWHENJake tapped on her bedroom door. She opened it, looking as harassed and worried as he’d felt before he had the talk with the minister.

“Come out and drink coffee and we’ll talk about cold feet and the future,” he said with pursed lips and an amused smile.

She burst out laughing. “Look who reads minds,” she teased, her blue eyes sparkling with humor.

She was incredibly beautiful, he thought, staring down at her. He smiled, hiding his reaction to her. He didn’t want her any more nervous than she already was.

She walked beside him, without her cane.

“Feeling okay today?”

She nodded. “I’m taking the ibuprofen. I can take it until Sunday.” She made a face. “Then it’s off for ten days.” She looked up at him. “I’ll never be the same again as I was,” she said. “Is it all right? I may not be able to keep up with you if the weather’s bad and the joint gets inflamed...”

“If you can’t keep up with me, I’ll carry you,” he said softly.

She went red as a beet. It was the last thing she’d expected him to say. “Oh.”

He chuckled. He liked her reactions to him. She had little conventional knowledge of men. Both her marriages had been out of the mainstream, and the second one had turned her into a broken version of herself. But broken people could be fixed, he assured himself. He was going to make sure that Ida had a good life, that she was safe from her maniacal ex-husband, whatever it took. If he had to, he’d borrow Mina’s band of mercs and set them up around the house. Let Trent and his thugs try anything then! He smiled to himself.

“You look smug,” she pointed out, wondering why.

He chuckled. “I was thinking about Mina’s group of mercenaries.”

She lowered her eyes and felt her heart sink. “I see.” He was still tied to Mina. He loved her in a way he’d never be able to love another woman. Why did that thought hurt so much?

“Your ex-husband and his thugs would think they’d hit a brick wall if he ran into them,” he pointed out.

Her lips parted on a quick breath. He was being protective. Maybe he cared, just a little. He had to care, she told herself. He’d taken her in, protected her, saved her cat, done everything in his power to ease her worries. If that didn’t add up to at least affection, nothing would. She felt better. There was a little warm glow inside her that grew as she looked up and smiled at him.

He felt that smile to the soles of his feet. Her eyes were soft and curious, almost...loving. He felt his breath catch as he looked down at her. The tension grew exponentially. He moved a step closer and his big hand went to lie against her soft cheek.

“Tomorrow,” he said softly, “we’ll be married.”

“Yes,” she replied.

“No more cold feet.”

She smiled. “Okay.”

He smiled back. The tension was making him very uncomfortable. He turned away. “How about some coffee and pie? I’ll bet Maude’s concealing both in the kitchen.”

“Concealing them?” she asked and laughed.

He shrugged. His pale silver eyes twinkled. “Bad choice of words.”

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