Happy Is The Bride (7 page)

Had she lost her mind? Mason knew her innermost
thoughts; she didn't have to impress him. He'd been her rock through good times and bad, and she didn't
have to put up a front for him. Though she wanted
him to be proud of her, he'd always accepted her as he found her.

Except, now she knew he loved her.

That changed every
thing.

****

Mason helped his cousin up from the floor. "Sorry,
Beau, shouldn't have lost my temper, but you know I get riled when folks talk against Beth."

"Damn, you haven't hit me since we were kids."
Beau rubbed his jaw.

Mr. Whittaker shook his head. "Mason, how many
times have I told you to control that temper? That's
what got you injured years ago. Dammit, you're a smart man. I'd think you would have learned from
that horrible experience."

Mason examined his knuckles and his cousin's jaw.
"I know, Papa, I tried. Counted to ten, like you said I
should. Even counted a second time. I swung before
I could stop myself."

"Son, this is a serious problem. A married man
can't be brawling like you and that Rasmussen boy did
the day you were hurt so bad." Mr. Whittaker pounded his fist into the other hand. "That's what
comes of losing control of your temper."

"Don't you think I remember that every day of my
life?" Mason looked down at his crooked leg. "I wish
I'd never heard of Alfred Rasmussen. You can be
damn sure Alfred wishes to hell he'd never heard of

me.

Beau rubbed at his jaw. "He moved to Galveston,
didn't he?"

Beau rubbed his jaw and stared at Mason. "You
know, I remember now why you lit into him. He called
Beth a bad name. Tore her new dress trying to kiss
her. She ran crying to you with him chasing her."

"I-I don't remember that part." But he did. Lord, he'd never forget the sight of twelve-year-old Beth
holding her torn dress up as she tore across the
school yard after school with that bully Alfred run
ning after her. Mason had sent her straight home
while he tackled Alfred.

Mason had never told anyone what started the
fight, but he'd forgotten his cousin and others would
have seen. Mason hadn't wanted Beth associated with
that awful memory. She represented everything good
to him. He didn't want her tainted by the accident
that destroyed a part of his life.

"Damn. Think this calls for another drink." Beau
headed for the bar.

Mason pushed the acrid memories away. He
grabbed Beau's arm and steered him toward the
kitchen. "Food will be better. You need to keep up
your strength for the wedding." He'd bring back some
food for his grandfather, who looked as if he were
sinking in his chair with each drink. The old man could hold a lot of liquor, though, so probably he
wouldn't even show the effects of the alcohol when he
walked or talked.

“
You're going through with it, then." Mr. Whittaker followed Mason and Beau.

"No reason not to. She's the one I've always
wanted."

"Hell, son, why didn't you ask her, then? Why let
her get mixed up with those three worthless no ac
counts instead of speaking up?"

Mason wished he could explain it. He couldn't admit to his father that he didn't feel worthy of a
woman like Beth. "She always said I was her best
friend and like a brother. What can a man say to
that?"

Mr. Whittaker shook his head. "Being friends is a
good start, but thinking of you as a brother? Damn,
that's hard to fight, but you sure as hell should have
tried."

Beau pouted. "What about me, Aunt Millie?"

Mrs. Whittaker patted Beau's shoulder. "You're
drunk, Beau, but when you're sober you're a won
derful man. Now, eat something and drink your
coffee before your folks arrive and see you in this
sorry state." She peered at his face. "What happened
to your jaw?"

Mason looked at the floor.

Beau smiled innocently. "I fell down."

She patted his shoulder. "No wonder, dear, you've
had far too much to drink." Mrs. Whittaker turned
and shook her finger at her husband and son. "Don't
let him have any more liquor."

Mr. Whittaker filled his plate. "Son, you'd better
look after your grandfather. He's already three sheets to the wind."

"You sit down and eat, Mason." Mrs. Whittaker
threw her dishtowel on the table. "Lawsy, I'll be glad
to have a daughter-in-law. I'm tired of being stuck with
a house full of men and no women but Josephina and
me to show a lick of sense." She bustled out of the
room.

Beau looked at Mason and burped. "Reckon when Beth's feelings toward you changed?"

Mason wondered the same thing. He'd known all
these years that he loved Beth. When had she realized
she loved him as a man and not merely as a friend?
Whenever it was, he was damn glad she had because
now his dreams were coming true. His own ranch, a
new house and barn, and the woman of his dreams to
live there with him. What could be better?

"Yeow!" He rushed for the water dipper and slung water on his britches where the coffee had spattered.
When he turned around, the others in the room
stared.

Josephina crossed herself.
"Madre deDios,
it is true.
Señorita Beth brings a curse."

"Nonsense, Josephina." The cold water had taken
the heat from the coffee if not from the cook's words, and Mason set to cleaning up the spill. "We make our
own luck, and Beth Pendleton is not jinxed. In fact,
marrying her will be lucky for me."

"I beg your pardon, Señor Mason. Of course, you
are right. She is a lovely young lady." Josephina took the towel from him. "Please, I will make more coffee
and clean the floor. You must see to your burn."

Mason looked at his hand, then down at his soaked
britches. "Reckon Mama will want to douse me with
that awful-smelling goo if she sees me. I'll change and
be back to eat."

When he returned, Beau appeared somewhat re
stored by his food and strong coffee. Mason's
grandfather also sat at the table and didn't look as if
he'd had a drink in days.

Mason fished out the gold band he'd bought Beth
in Medina. He opened the box and looked at it.

'That hers?" Beau peered at it, and his breath near
knocked Mason over. His cousin needed a lot more sobering up before the ceremony.

Mason took a step to the side, not wanting to hurt
his cousin's feelings, but hoping to distance himself. "Yep. Got it in Medina. Didn't have a chance to ride
to San Antonio or Austin like I wanted. Guess it'll do
for a while until she can pick one out." But Mason
had it inscribed in case Beth wanted this one.

Mr. Whittaker picked it up and moved it back and
forth in an attempt to focus the inscription. "What's it
say inside?"

Mason felt his face heat. "Says the date and 'Love
Forever' and my initials."

Instead of ribbing him as Mason expected, his fa
ther merely nodded. "Nice." Mr. Whittaker slid it back
into the box. "She'll like having words inside. Women
are crazy for things like that."

“
That's the idea." Mason snapped the lid shut.

His father stroked his chin. "Wish I'd thought of
that when I married your mama. Reckon I could have
something else engraved for her birthday. Maybe a
locket."