A Kiss for Cade (43 page)

“Yes’sa.” Abraham grinned. “Miz Laticia be real proud ta know I’s usin’ my learnin’ ta write. Might make up for her having them red spots. Oh, lordy, Sheriff. The wrath o’ the devil hisself descended on the house when she come down wid da fever. Blamin’ that ‘no-good Cade Kolby.’” Abraham chuckled and hammered the last nail into the makeshift coffin. “Yes’sa, that ‘no good Cade Kolby.’ May he rest in peace.”

Pop put his hat on. “We’ll bury McGill in a whiskey barrel. He ought ta like that. And Abraham? This is between me and you and the town. As far as anyone knows, Cade Kolby and Hart McGill killed each other in a shoot-out.”

“Yes’sa. This ol’ black man don’t know nuthin’ ’bout nuthin’.”

Pop adjusted his crutches under his arm. “Things should settle down around here now for a spell. I got a wire this mornin’ from the sheriff of Wizard County. Seems the Nelson gang is behind bars. They won’t be causing no more trouble and McGill’s dead.” Pop took a deep breath. “All in all, I’d say it’s been a right good day.”

Chapter Fifty-Five

T
he rain cleared by late afternoon. Reverend Munson stood before an open grave. “It is, indeed, a sad occasion that brings us together.”

Zoe wept beneath an umbrella, holding the kids close beside her as she surreptitiously searched the crowd. Where was Cade? She wouldn’t be surprised to see him standing nearby, witnessing his own funeral. Her body convulsed with happiness and she swallowed, trying to maintain a somber demeanor. When she saw him, she was going to kill him herself, with love.

She lifted her eyes and stared straight ahead. The whole town was present, weeping, crying, carrying on. Her gaze suddenly focused on a tall figure standing near the back, dressed in a black poncho, hat pulled low over his face.

The man crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue at her.

Her mouth dropped open, and she quickly looked away. Cade! He was here. The man who’d never arrived in time for a funeral in his whole life!

The makeshift coffin stood beside the open grave as the reverend read from the Bible, intoning, “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”

Gracie and Lilith fell upon each other’s shoulders, sobbing.

“Gracie, did you eat onions for dinner?” Lilith hissed.

“Quiet down, Lilith. I wasn’t sure I could cry on cue, so I got an onion hidden in my hanky.” Gracie raised her hankerchief to her face until fresh tears welled.

“I’d do anything for Zoe, even attend a funeral service for a man who isn’t dead, but I can cry on my own, thank you very much, and I have no intention of smelling like a stew pot!”

Reverend Munson closed his Bible and Missy stepped forward, holding Bud’s jar close to the wooden box. “Bud wants to say goodbye, Uncle Cade.” She laid her baby face against the coffin. “Bet you wish Bud could stay with you, huh, Uncle Cade?” She flashed a missing tooth grin.

Several hours later, a knock sounded at Zoe’s back door. She raced to answer it and threw herself into Cade’s arms. “I was so worried about you.”

“Shoot. I’m fine. Exceptionally fine for a dead man.” He shrugged out of the poncho and kicked the door shut with his boot, and then he kissed her long and hard and with the assurance that nothing would separate them again.

“Where have you been?”

“Lying low on the outskirts of town. I sneaked in the back way so I wouldn’t be seen.”

“Oh, Cade, do you think what the town is trying to do will work?”

He pulled back just enough to look at her. “At first I didn’t, but I’m willing to try anything, Red, in order for us to be together. I’ll have to stay out of sight for a few weeks. Then my so-called cousin will arrive from the Arizona Territory to help my grieving widow and my kids. He’ll fall in love with you, a given, and we should be able to live a normal life.”

She had to laugh at the absurdity. “Are you willing to give up so much for me and the children, even to the point of becoming someone else?”

His features sobered. “I’d give up anything for you and the kids, even though it won’t be easy. It’s not easy now, faking my own death.”

“Tell me what you’d give up for me?”

“I’d give up my life for you. My reputation. Bounty-hunting, for sure. My identity. Good grief, woman, you’ve brought me to my knees.”

“Repeat the part about bringing you to your knees. That idea makes me very happy.”

His eyes shone with such love, the sight stole her breath away. “You win. Is that what you want to hear?”

“It was never a game between us. But yes, that’s what I wanted to hear.”

“I thought so.” He kissed her again. And again. “I suppose you also want a decent proposal?”

“That would be nice.”

His eyes softened. “You know I’ve never stopped loving you.”

“I prayed that you didn’t. Lord forgive me, even when I was married to Jim. He was such a good man, and I loved him for that goodness, but it was always you in my heart.”

He drew her closer. “Will you marry me?”

“Who’s speaking?”

“Shoot.” He thought for a minute. “Tray somebody.”

She cocked her head with a warning look. “I need you to be a little more specific.”

“Okay. Tray Williams. Picture me twenty pounds heavier, with a beard.”

Her fingers lightly brushed his cheeks. “I think you would look very handsome in a beard.”

“You didn’t the day I rode in.”

She grinned. “You weren’t Tray Williams the day you rode in.”

He caught her hand, stilling it. Looking deep into her eyes, he whispered, “Red, will you marry me and make me the happiest man on earth?”

Touching her mouth lightly to his, she luxuriated in the warmth of his love. “Of course I’ll marry you. What took you so long to ask?”

“Reverend Munson doesn’t need to be here to make it official first, does he?”

“I don’t think so. We’ve taken vows once, whatever your name is.”

Gazing into her eyes, he whispered, “I, Tray Williams, take you, Zoe Kolby, to be my lawfully wedded wife. To have and to hold, in my arms and in my heart for as long as I live. I promise to love you more each day, and I promise never to leave you, or God, again.”

Zoe laughed and wiped tears with her sleeve. “I, Zoe Kolby, take you, Tray Williams, to be my lawfully wedded husband. I promise to let you hold me in your arms and in your heart from this day forward, ’til the day I die.”

He smiled. “There’s one more thing.”

She knew what she’d left out, what she hadn’t told him, what was in her heart.

“If you don’t say the words, I’ll make you.”

She grinned. “How? By kissing me to death?”

His hold tightened. “If that’s what it takes.”

The passion in his gaze made her weak in the knees. “All right. My love will be only for you and our children.”

“Not quite there, but closer.” He grinned. “I don’t want Perry Drake hanging around, trying to…”

“Pay my debts?” She eyed him knowingly. “You paid off that note, didn’t you?”

“Me? Why would you think that?”

“Wipe that grin off your face. I put two and two together last night. If Perry was inclined to do such a thing, he would have told me up front. You, on the other hand, are sneaky, conniving, under-handed—”

He touched her lips with his finger. “Say it.”

“I said it just before you left to face McGill.”

“I want to hear it again.” His eyes darkened. “Now that I’m not so rushed.”

“All right. All right! I love you. I’ve always loved you, and I always—”

His kiss stopped her, and she was lost in a sea of delight. Nothing had ever felt more right, more welcome. For the first time, she found security in his embrace.

Gently, sweetly he ended the kiss. Her head swam with a million things she wanted to say, questions she wanted to ask, prayers, deep grateful prayers she wanted to say, but for the time being, resting in his love was enough.

Then he put an arm beneath her knees and picked her up like the bride she was.

“Cade! Your wound—”

“Forget the wound. The pain is worth holding you in my arms.”

He turned toward the bedroom, but she stopped him, saying, “Wait. First we need to wake the children and let them see you.”

“They’re sound asleep. We’ll tell them in the morning. What’s our name again?”

“Williams,” she said, resting her head on his chest.

“Uncle Cade!” Missy suddenly latched onto Cade’s thigh. “You’we home!”

He lowered Zoe’s feet to the floor, but he caught her arm and pulled her close as though she might get away.

Brody shoved his way in front of Will. “I cried real hard at your funeral, Uncle Cade. I pinched my arm so I could make real tears.”

“He pinched my arm too,” Will said, sulking. “Made me cry out loud. Then Holly thumped me on the head.”

“You were making a scene,” Holly said primly.

Cade smiled and drew the family into his embrace. “You all did well. Even I was convinced I was in that big box.” He bent and kissed each one. “You kids listen to me. We’re family now, and we always will be, but Cade Kolby is dead and buried. I’m Tray Williams, and when I come back in a few weeks, we’ll all get married again. We’ll be the Williams family.”

Missy ran from the room and returned in seconds, thrusting Bud’s jar in Cade’s face. “Bud, this is Tway. He looks like Uncle Cade, but his name is Tway Williams. He’s going to be youw daddy.”

Zoe laughed out loud.

“Tway Williams, tell Bud you love him.”

Cade stared into the jar. Beady eyes stared back. He cleared his throat and shifted, turning to Zoe for help. She nodded his compliance. Taking a deep breath, he muttered, “I…I love you, Bud.”

Zoe said, “I think it’s time everyone kissed Tray good night. He’s had a very trying day.”

After smothering Cade with enthusiastic hugs and kisses, the children scampered to their beds. Cade pulled Zoe into the store, shut the connecting door, and then took her in his arms. In the dark quiet he said, “I can’t believe I just told a tarantula that I loved him.”

“I thought it was very touching. Cade would have never been so sentimental, but Tray…I think I’m really going to like that man.”

His mouth found hers, gentle but possessive. The future lay before them, uncertain, exciting, with the promise of God, family, and love. As his lips wandered to nuzzle her neck, Zoe tilted her head back, gazed upward, and whispered, “Thank you, Addy.”

It could have been her imagination, but she could have sworn she heard Addy say, “You’re welcome. What are friends for?”