Page 43 of A Soft Kiss in Summer
“We?”Violet asked.
“The townsfolk.Well, some of ‘em.”He turned, saying, “Be quick about it,” before walking away.Josiah glanced at her over his shoulder.“Think he’ll come back if we don’t go meet him out front?”
She laughed and tossed the blankets back.“Worse.He’ll drag us there by the ear, even if we’re still in our nightclothes.”
They both dressed, Josiah turning his back to her when she slipped out of his nightshirt, and she wanted to stall long enough he’d turn around and see her, but didn’t want to keep her grandfather waiting too long.
When they were ready, they headed toward the jail together, surprised to see so many people waiting for them.Her grandfather and Daisy were both there.As were Clay, Levi, Rufus, and Tanner.Rufus headed toward the jail.“I’ll keep an eye on everything while you’re gone, Marshal.”
Josiah acknowledged him with a nod and a quiet, “Thanks, Rufus.”
“All right,” her grandfather said, clapping his hands.“Let’s get this party moving.We’re burning daylight.”
ChapterThirteen
The only upside to this little excursion was Violet being nestled against him as they rode Jake to the cabin the town provided for the resident lawman.He’d never seen it, even though he knew it existed.They’d offered it to him when he moved to town, but he didn’t have any use for it.The little room behind the jail suited his needs just fine.
Ewan insisted Violet ride out with him even though there was room in the wagon with him and Daisy.The look the old man gave him told him he was purposely making sure they rode together.Hell, showing them the cabin this morning was probably the old man’s doing, too.After the talk they’d had two nights ago, he’d bet money on it.
He’d started home after their talk, wondering if Violet would show up and hated to admit how hard his heart had thumped when he saw Ewan escorting her down the front steps of their house and marching her down the street.The man was determined their fake marriage was going to be as real as it could be, even if he had to force the issue, which he was doing this morning.
The little cabin came into view not far from town.As many times as he’d been up and down this road, he’d never seen it.Trees lined the road in front of it and it was so grown up around it with grass and bushes, he’d be surprised if it was even worth living in.
They made their way through the trees and overgrown bushes to the front of the house.Violet and Daisy led the way once he helped her from the horse, both women smiling and talking softly amongst themselves.
Violet stepped up onto the porch and turned back to them.“Is it safe to go inside?”
“Yes,” Tanner said.“I was in there yesterday making sure there weren’t any leaks or anything.It’s still sturdy.It just needs cleaning.”
“We’ll clear out all the weeds and bushes,” Clay said.“And cut the trees by the road.It won’t take long to have it livable.”
Clay being there made more sense now.He was the town go-to guy when you needed something done.It made sense that he’d tagged along.
He followed Violet and Daisy inside.Their smiles were bigger now as they hurried through the house.It wasn’t anywhere near as large as the Campbell’s place, but there was a living space, a kitchen and two bedrooms.A small horse shelter was out back and an outhouse that looked to be leaning to one side.
The backyard was just as overgrown as the front, but here, wildflowers grew in large clusters as if someone had planted them, the soft pink and purple flowers immediately catching Violet’s eye when she stepped out the back door.
“How beautiful!”She rushed to the first cluster and picked a few, Daisy right behind her, doing the same.
He turned to Ewan when the man stepped up beside him.“Why’d you do this, Ewan?You’re only going to make it harder now if she gets attached to this place.”
“Make what harder?Setting my granddaughter aside when you’re done with her?”
He blew out a breath.“You know it isn’t going to happen like that.We both agreed to have the marriage annulled.”
“So.”Ewan shrugged his shoulders.“Just because ye agreed to something doesn’t mean ye can’t change yer mind.”He pulled on the waist of his kilt, adjusting it and his sword.“I wasn’t lying about her making ye a good wife.All ye have to do is give her a chance.”
The other men walked out onto the porch with them and neither said another word about the marriage.As far as he knew, there were only two people that knew it wasn’t real and he’d like to keep it that way.He didn’t need the whole town knowing his business.
Violet turned to look at him, her smile wide and infectious.She had a big bouquet of wildflowers in her hand, the blooms making her look soft and feminine, and for half a second, he considered what Ewan said.
Changing his mind about the marriage would be easy and heaven knew he’d thought about consummating it daily.
His ugly past screamed through his head the next instant, and he knew he couldn’t let that happen.He’d not put Violet in danger like that.He refused to.
Turning away, he headed back into the house and right out the front door.The town could do what they wanted with this little house because he had no intentions of making it a home.
The silly notion Josiah would see her in this house and start to think about a future with her vanished the moment he went back inside and out the front door.
