Page 68 of The Honorable Texan
Violet was staring at her blankly.
Officer Hall cleared her throat.“Somebody spiked the punch.Harden and Evan Tremayne drank it before they realized.One of the local cattlemen also drank some and made a very loud, unpleasant remark about lunatics who raised organic cattle just as Cy Parks walked in with J.D.Langley.”
Cash cleared his throat.“Judd and I had to, sort of, shut down your wedding reception and lock up a few of your guests.But we saved your cake.There was some punch, too, but Officer Palmer there—” he noted a tall, handsome blond officer with odd-colored highlights in his hair “—is wearing it.”
Blake burst out laughing.Only in Jacobsville, he was thinking.
“Anyway, you’re leaving right away on your honeymoon, right?”Judd asked them.“So you can get all the sandwiches and punch you want where you’re going.”
“Your jail is full, I guess?”Violet teased.
“Uh, yes it is, and he—” Cash indicated Blake “—represents Cy Parks and the Tremaynes.They want him to come down and get them out.”
“That explains the cake,” Blake told Violet.
She grinned at him.“We can detour through townon the way to the airport, can’t we?After all, Mr.Parks did give me away.”
“Good point.”He sighed.“Okay, tell them I’m on the way.And thanks for the cake.”
“And the punch,” Violet said with a glance at Palmer, who grinned back.
The police force got into its cars and left.Violet put the cake in the freezer.The house was quiet without Mee and Yow, who were being boarded for the honeymoon.Mrs.Hardy was staying at her house with a nurse.
“Would you like your wedding present now?”Blake asked as they were turning off the lights.
She turned and looked at him.“What is it?”she asked, surprised.
He pulled her close and kissed her.“Janet Collins cut a deal with the San Antonio D.A.She pled guilty for a reduced sentence, so there won’t be a trial.You and your mother won’t have the stress of a court trial.”
“Oh, Blake!”She kissed him hungrily.“You had something to do with that, didn’t you?”
He nodded, smiling.“I’ve been working on it for two weeks.It came through yesterday.I saved the news for today.”
“Thank you,” she said, and meant it fervently.She’d dreaded the idea of dredging the painful episode in public.
“I have to take care of my best girl,” he whispered.“And the mother of my child.”His big hand rested softly on her slightly swollen belly.“You were the most beautiful bride who ever walked down an aisle.”
“And you were the handsomest groom.”She kissedhim back.“Well, shall we go and rescue some prominent local citizens on our way out of town?”
“Works for me,” he chuckled.
They walked to the car hand in hand.
“Today is the first day of the rest of our lives,” Blake mused.
“The rest of those days will be wonderful,” she said softly.
They were.
* * * * *
