Page 36 of The Drifter's Bride
When everyone had congratulated them, Lukas removed his boots and sat on the bed next to Addison. Opening his arms, he draped them around her; pulling her close and being careful not to knock her injured arm.
“I love you, sweetheart,” he murmured against her hair.
“I love you. I’m so tired.”
“Then rest. I’ve got you.”
Addy nodded against his chest and allowed the sound of the rain to lull her to sleep.
Epilogue
One year later
Lukas woke up to the sound of rocks hitting tin. He laid in bed, listening to the steady drum of pellets hitting the roof and then sliding down to the ground below. The air was scorching and muggy when he went to bed, but the temperature had dropped.
Leaning over to make sure Addy was still asleep, he gently slid from underneath the covers. His wife mumbled in her sleep and let out a delicate snore before flipping over and grabbing his pillow and pulling it closer.
He let out a low chuckle. She was consistent in the year since they’ve been married. His wife was a cover thief and a pillow grabber. He didn’t mind being without a blanket, as there was always another at the foot of the bed. His pillow, however, he had to get creative untangling it from her grip if he returned home after she had already gone to bed.
But he wouldn’t have it any other way.
He padded barefoot underneath the quilt they still used as a bedroom door and into the main room of the cabin. The house shook as whatever was striking the roof picked up momentum. As Lukas opened the cabin door, the sky cracked with a loud boom and a fork of lightning lit up the sky.
A thunderstorm.
Icy rocks bounced on the porch and hit his feet. Lukas kicked his foot to knock the pellets off. Hail. He hadn’t seen a hailstorm like this in a while. He wondered how Ranger, Slim and the rest of the cowboys were faring out in the weather. He knew the hailstorm would pass as quickly as it came, and it wasn’t his night to watch the field.
“Lukas?”
Closing the door softly, he padded back to the bedroom and lifted the curtain. Addy was still sprawled on the bed, her hair strewn across the pillow. He wasn’t sure if she was even awake.
“Did you call me sweetheart?” he asked, moving closer to the bed.
“Checkumdababee.”
“What?”
Addison rubbed her nose and flipped over, taking the covers with her. “Check on the baby, please. I thought I heard it crying.”
He sat down on the edge of the bed and reached out to rub her back. “Sweetheart, you are dreaming. We don’t have a baby.”
The sky crackled once more, and Addison sat straight up in bed. “What was that?”
“Just a storm.”
“Where are you, Lukas?” Her voice sounded frightened.
“I’m right here, sweetheart.” Lukas reached his arms out and gathered her in them. He laid backwards on the bed, pulling her close to his chest. “How’s your arm?” His hand gently rubbed up and down where she had been shot.
“It still twinges on nights like this, but I’ll be alright. What happened?” She brushed her nose against his chest and moved to get more comfortable.
Lukas thought about everything that happened since Addison was shot. Lolly was found guilty of attempted murder and prostitution and sentenced to ten years at the House of the Good Shepard, which was part of the Indiana Women’s Prison.
Sam asked the judge for clemency until Lolly’s baby was born before serving her sentence. The marshal knew of a woman who wanted to adopt the child. The judge agreed.
Lukas knew that wasn’t what Addy was asking though. He pulled his wife closer.
“You were just having a dream.”
