Page 20 of A Soft Kiss in Summer
“A preacher.”The words seemed to pull the air from Violet’s lungs.She gaped at Edwin before turning wide eyes to him.
Edwin’s grin widened as he turned to look over the crowd.The old man he’d brought with him was looking their way and when Edwin threw his hand up and waved him over, a hush fell over the crowd.
“This is Reverend Peele,” Edwin said when the old man stopped beside him.“He’s a good friend of the family.”His attention came back to him and Violet.“If not having a preacher in town is the only reason you’re waiting, then today is your lucky day.Reverend Peele would be delighted to perform the ceremony for you.”
His pulse started to race.Violet stuttered, her eyes wide as she tried to think of something to say.When she looked at him, fear shining in her eyes, he said the first thing that popped into his head.“That little room behind the jail I live in isn’t a proper home.Violet deserves more than a tiny space like that, so that’s another reason we haven’t set a date yet.”
Was he now actively participating in this debacle?
Why, yes.Yes, he was.
“The marshal's position came with a cabin.”
Josiah wasn’t sure who spoke, but several people nodded their heads.He vaguely remembered being told about a cabin when he took the job.It was rundown, he’d been told, and since it was just him, he’d not bothered with it, settling into the room behind the jail instead.
“There,” Edwin said.“Problem solved.”
His smug grin was getting irritating and the desire to knock it off his face was growing by the second.
“Reverend Peele?”Edwin said.“You’ll marry these two, won’t you?”
ChapterSix
If the ground opened up and swallowed her whole, she’d not lift a finger to dig her way out.
Violet sighed while staring at Reverend Peele.She had no doubt the only reason Edwin brought the man today was to force her to do something.Either marry Josiah or him.The fact he backed her into a corner made her mad enough to want to just hit him.She’d never been a violent person, but that look on his face was changing her mind about it real quick.
“What’s it going to be, Violet?”
How could a man look so smug and satisfied while making someone else so uncomfortable?
She glanced at Josiah.He’d helped her with the lie by mentioning his living arrangement, but despite his help, the look on his face told her he was angry.She just wasn’t sure who he was angry at.Her, Edwin, or this entire situation.
If she had to guess, she’d say it was all three.
“Can I have a word with you?”
Violet blinked up at Josiah as he took her arm and turned from the crowd, walking away from everyone before stopping at the creek bank.
“I’m so sorry, Josiah.This has turned into a complete mess.”
“You don’t say.”
“What are we going to do?”
“We?”
She scowled at him.“You said you’d help me with all this.”
“That was before I realized it was going to cause so much havoc.”
She watched the water babble over the rocks in the creek while so many thoughts ran through her head.She wasn’t even sure where to start fixing the mess she’d made.
Josiah blew out a deep breath beside her.She should have never dragged him into this.Her drama had nothing to do with him but she’d made it his business by being a coward and hiding behind someone else when what she should have done was put her foot down and tell Edwin she wasn’t going to marry him and been done with it.
But you did do that, and he refused to listen.Or leave.
Josiah shifted his weight on his feet.“Look, I think the worst thing you could do is give him what he wants, and he wants to force your hand.To make you do what he wants and nothing more.Just tell him it's not going to happen today and be done with it.”
