Page 131 of Just (Fake) Married
There he was, standing in the middle of the town square, wearing a formal black tuxedo and a pair of hand-tooled black leather cowboy boots with silver tips.
I’d never seen anyone look so handsome or so welcome in my life.
Beside him was a shorter bald man, in a pair of khaki pants, making his way through a basket of Chuck’s BBQ ribs. His eyes were round with delight as he took in everything. Behind him was Tag, with his arms crossed like he was going to catch the man if he made a run for it.
“Ethan,” I breathed. “You came back.”
More folks gathered around the gallows and I wasn’t sure what to do.
“Yeah,” Ida shouted. “And I want to know why you were gone in the first place! This was our big day.”
Ethan smiled at me, then spared a glance for Ida. “Yes, it is our big day. Everyone! Can I have your attention?” he called out, waving his arms to bring everyone milling around the square closer together. “I would like you all to meet Mr. Sosalski from the Wyoming Tourism Board.”
I went light-headed. Did he say Tourism Board? As in the Blue Ribbon Board?
Mr. Sosalski gave a small wave and a smile, then dug back into his ribs.
“I had to travel to Cheyenne to secure a face-to-face meeting with Mr. Sosalski but he’s here today to witness our festival and decide if Last Hope Gulch will win the Blue Ribbon again.”
The crowd cheered.
“I was promised an historic wedding,” Mr. Sosalski said, a smear of barbecue sauce on his cheek. Honestly, the guy looked so damn happy. “I do love a good love story.”
“And you will have it,” Ethan said. “Just wait right there.”
Ethan ran over to me and grabbed my hand.
“Hey!” Darryl J. protested. “I’m supposed to be marrying her today.”
“Seriously?” Darryl H. said, glaring at his husband.
“Sorry, Darryl,” Ethan said. “But I got this.”
“Ethan, what are you…?”
He pulled me around the gallows statue and together we took the steps up to the small platform.
“Now, Ethan,” Mayor Gallup protested. “You know we don’t let people actually stand on the platform. Not after that incident in ’08.”
“This is a special occasion, Mayor,” Ethan said. “And we’ll be very careful.”
There were dozens of people watching us and more coming from the games and food trucks. Amity, in her flapper dress, and Mac, in his sheriff’s outfit, were there, so were Bliss and Carter looking like they’d just stepped out of the 1940s. Mom watched us like she would throw her body across mine if it would protect me from more pain.
“Everyone, I can explain!” Ethan said, shouting so his voice could be heard.
“I don’t think I can believe anything they say,” Marion said, standing next to her mother.
“Give them a chance,” Sandra said, smiling up at us. “I have a good feeling about this.”
“All right,” Ethan said. “Let’s start at the beginning, shall we? The whole truth and nothing but the truth?”
“Yes!” the crowd demanded.
“Harmony and I did not fall in love in high school. We did not write to each other. The truth is, I got drunk at a party, we kissed, and she crashed into my face with her head.”
“That’s how you got that shiner?” Tag said, standing off to the side of the gallows. “You’ve got to be shitting me.”
“I shit you not,” Ethan said. Then he turned to me and I didn’t know where to look. I was fixated on the silver toes of his boots. I’d never seen him in cowboy boots. He cupped my cheek in his hand and lifted my face to his.
