Page 24 of A Soft Kiss in Summer
Josiah watched as Edwin fumbled in his coat pocket, producing a folded piece of paper a moment later.He smoothed it out before producing a pen and handing it to Reverend Peele.“You sign first,” he said.
The Reverend signed the paper before handing it over to him.Josiah took the time to read it.It was a simple marriage contract with a place for them to sign at the bottom, already dated.
Had Edwin planned on his own name being on this piece of paper?
Seeing the hatred in the mans eyes now, and the fact he even had the document in his possession, he thought maybe he had.
Signing this would complicate things.It wouldn’t be so easy to just—walk away.Even if they didn’t consummate the marriage, this piece of paper would make it harder to just un-do everything.
“What’s wrong?”Edwin said.“Having second thoughts?”
Josiah lifted his eyes and met the man’s gaze.Something in his expression looked—smug, and he hated it.“I’m just wondering why this is necessary.”
“You want it to be legal, don’t you?”
“It would be legal without this piece of paper.”
“Maybe, but no one can dispute it with this.”
No one would have been able to disputeEdwin’smarriage to Violet, is what he meant.
Josiah snatched the pen from him and laid the paper against the porch railing and signed his name, then handed it to Violet.All this did was complicate things.It was still fixable.He’d just go to Elkin and get the marriage annulled, and that would be that.
When the marriage license was signed, Reverend Peele left without a word.They watched him go, the old man muttering to himself as he headed down the sidewalk.
He’d hoped the two of them would ride out the first chance they got but if they were staying the night at the boarding house, it looked as if he and Violet had to play their parts, at least for tonight, which meant, Violet needed to come home with him.
He wasn’t sure why, but he’d thought once they’d left the creek, this entire thing would be over with.They’d come up with some lie, or fake a fight, and that would be the end of it, but if Edwin wasn’t leaving, then they couldn’t go their separate ways.
Was that why Violet looked so tense?Because she’d already figured that out?
He was so lost in his thoughts, he hadn’t heard any of Edwin and Violet’s conversation and never moved until he saw Edwin walk away.
When they were alone, Violet said, “What a mess.”She ran a hand over her face and stilled when a group of men and women came toward them.
“You’ve walked her to the wrong door, Marshal!”
Josiah wasn’t sure who said it, but the laughter that followed only brought more comments.Thanks to the moonshine, the jokes about their wedding night turned downright salacious before he and Violet both were ushered away from the Campbell house and down the street, the merriment not stopping until they stood by the door to the little room behind the jail.
“All right,” he said, laughing to keep up appearances.“Get on home.”
“Not until you’ve carried her over the threshold.It's tradition.”
Violet gave him the slightest nod before he reached down and picked her up.Her arm went around his neck and he was suddenly drowning in her scent.It was the same as the day she’d leaned over him in the jail and he inhaled deeply, taking it into his lungs and forcing himself not to get lost in it.
She weighed next to nothing and felt so right in his arms.For a brief moment, he thought maybe he should keep her.
Common sense returned a moment later when someone had opened the door for him.He carried her up the two steps and walked inside, turning to the onlookers.“Thanks for seeing us home,” he said.“Now, goodnight.”
He didn’t wait for a reply and stuck out his foot to push the door closed.When it banged shut, and the voices and laugher of those outside faded away, he reluctantly set Violet on her feet.
The silence that followed was awkward.Neither of them moved as they stood staring at the door until someone outside on the street yelled something he didn’t quite hear, and the riot of laughter increased.
He let out a breath and glanced at Violet.She was still staring at the door.She must have felt him watching her and looked up.
“Don’t say it,” she groaned.
“Say what?”
