Page 30 of Accidentally Kidnapping the Cowboy

When he asks her to go back to the roadhouse, and the choice she made then to cross state lines, she doesn’t hesitate before saying that it was an easy decision to make in that moment to save my life. Even knowing it would get her into more trouble, and then hoping that she could ask him for leniency if she managed to get us to jackpot and secure a marriage license. He listened to her until she finished with this morning, and how we told each other that we love each other, and how poignant it was, given everything that had happened.

Finally, the judge looks at me. “Son, you don't need to be a part of this, even if her heart was in the right place.”

I interrupt him.

It's probably bad for him to interrupt a judge, but I don't care.

“Your Honor, I love this woman. I cannot imagine the rest of my life without her. Yes, I've only known her for two days, but in that time, she has taught me so much about just believing in the goodness of other people, and I hope that I have, in turn, shown her the righteousness of defending our own. Because her family was never kind to her. They abused her and took advantage of her, and I willneverdo that. I will build a loving family with her. Hell, I’ve already got our kids’ names picked out!”

“You do?” Daisy blinks at me in surprise.

“Of course I do,” I mutter. “I was dreaming of them while you were kidnapping me, angel.”

“Oh, Zane.” She wipes her eyes. “But don’t sayhellin front of the judge.”

I scuff my toe and nod. “Sorry, Your Honor. So if that’s not clear enough, let me say this: I don't need to be relieved of my commitment here. Nothing would make me happier than if you today, right now, could make me Daisy's husband legally, as I already am in my heart.”

He glances past us to my brothers, and then to his clerk, and then to the sheriff's deputy who arrested us only yesterday. “Is there anyone here who would object if I performed this marriage service?”

No one says a word, which is good, because I would hate to have to wrestle one of my brothers to the ground if they did.

The judge rises from the bench and comes around to stand with Daisy and I.

“Do you have the license on you?”

“Yes, sir.” I hand it over, and he passes it to his clerk.

“Do you have rings?”

“No, Your Honor,” Daisy says.

But she’s wrong. “Actually, we do.” I clear my throat and pull them from my pocket. They’re just simple gold bands, the best the lawyer could find me overnight, but that’s all we need. “No promises they fit.”

“Zane, they’re…” Her eyes go big. “I love them.”

“You deserve diamonds, Daisy.”

She shakes her head. “I don’t want that. I only want you.”

“Well, then.” The judge wipes a tear from his eye. “I can’t think of a better way to start a wedding ceremony than that. Folks, we’re gathered here today because Fate decided to intervene on an otherwise ordinary night. Zane Andrew Lowryand Daisy Marie Vincent, do you bring yourselves freely to this moment?”

“I do,” Daisy says.

“I do,” I say, and my voice catches.

Daisy finds my gaze and holds it, beaming at me as the judge continues, talking about the commitment of marriage and what it will mean to be spouses for life.

“Do you, Zane, take Daisy to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

“I do.”

“Do you, Daisy, take Zane to be your lawfully wedding husband?”

“I do.”

He presses the smaller ring into my hand. “Repeat after me.”

My pulse pounds, but my heart feels like it’s flying as I recite the words. “With this ring, I thee wed.”

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