Just Her Luck (83 page)

“Thatcher? A caring, altruistic brother?” I pinched myself, making him laugh. “Nope, not dreaming. Hell must have froze over.”

“Hey!” he protested, chuckling.

He gave me an amused smile and a wink.

“I can be caring and altruistic, my love,
ahem
, when I feel like it.”

I shook my head sadly. “Did you at least bring a warm jacket?”

He jiggled me. “Shut up, woman, I’m not
that
bad.”

Rolling his eyes, he sighed exasperatedly.

“I do love them, ya know,” peeking down at me, brow raised, he gave me a stern look, “I’ll deny it if you ever say I said that, but I do.”

I played with the pocket on his shirt, kissing his chin, grinning.

“So you really don’t mind being the low man on the totem pole, then?”

“Not that I see it that way, but nope. I know you love me,” he gave my hip a love tap, “I don’t need to be the first to know I’m the best.”

And there’s my charming lothario.

I laughed and pecked him quickly on the lips, standing up.

He got up too, tapping my ass playfully.

I swatted his hand away.

“So…” he said slowly, holding out his hand, “you ready to go get married now?”

“Why, you offering?” I teased.

He snorted and went to go unlock the door, about to open it up and lead me out, but he stopped and came back.

Picking up my right hand, he kissed the knuckles.

“I’m reserving that for a later date, my love. Apparently I have to get in line.
However,
I would be honored if you’d wear my ring on your right hand, keeping my place until then.”

He pulled a very pretty gold filigree ring out of his pocket, tiny little diamonds clustered all together in the center, making a beautiful, intricate pattern, holding it up to me.

I love it,
I thought, in awe.

“Well, my little love muffin, you gonna make me a happy man or what? Might wanna hurry, though. You know Reeve’s gonna recover any minute now and come charging in here to claim his prize.”

“What are you waiting for, blondie?” I wiggled my finger at him, my eyes bright and shining with happiness. “Pop that puppy on.”

He whooped and gathered me up, sliding the ring on my finer, giving me a careful spin as he kissed me.

The door to the bedroom opened suddenly and Brayden poked his head in.

He popped it back out and hollered down the hall.

“She’s right here, boy! Now get your sorry ass in here and do things properly. I didn’t raise a fool!”

He waited until Reeve came breezing past him to grab his arm.

“Don’t make me regret helpin’ you out, son. I’ll beat your ass three ways to Sunday if I hear you’re fuckin’ shit up.”

“I won’t,” he said defensively, bristling.

Brayden pulled him in for a hug, released him and walked over to Thatcher, unlatched him from me and dragged him bodily from the room.

“What the hell, Daddy! Can’t you see we were having a moment here? Unhand me, fiend!” he hollered.

I laughed as Thatcher put on a show.

Brayden rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath, “I told you’re mama we shouldn’t have let you watch them day time programs with her. I said you was too young, it would warp your brain, but would she listen to me?
Noooo…”

Reeve closed the door and stormed up to me, staring down at me as I stared up at him.

He dropped to his knees in front of me suddenly and hugged my waist, lifting up my shirt to kiss my tummy.

He rested his forehead on my abdomen for a minute, pulling my hands from my sides to wrap them around him.

He cleared his throat and finally looked up at me, his heart in his eyes.

“Miss Genevieve Ferguson, I love you with all my heart. I’m a stubborn, old, grumpy jack ass with no common sense, a penchant for cussing and a thing for woman with foul mouths, prickly exteriors, inappropriate tattoos and piercings.”

I snorted, but let him continue, stroking his hair.

“I can’t promise that everything will be perfect between us or that I won’t piss you off,
‘cause I will,
but I can promise you that I’ll love you forever and I’ll always be there for you. You’re my life, gremlin.
I need you.
Will you put this pushy bastard out of his misery and make me the happiest man alive?”

I sniffled and tugged him up towards me.

“Can I have all of that in writing?” I whispered as my voice cracked, laughing when he pounced on me and his lips crashed down on mine.

“You can have whatever you want, my little hell cat, as long as you give me forever first. Is that a yes?”

“Yes!”

“Good,” he panted between kisses, nodding his head as he smiled, picking me up in his arms, groaning when I rubbed myself against his denims, teasing him unmercifully, “I’d hate to have to go kill Thatcher for horning in on my butt kissing, and we don’t have time for me to fuck a ‘yes’ out of you. It wouldn’t do well to have you screaming at me on our wedding day, but I have shot gun and mama’s already promised me she’d keep it trained on ya if that’s what it would take. How would we hear the vows being read if you’re caterwauling over everything?”

I pulled back and giggled at the tease in his voice.

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Pulling him towards me, I gave him a long hot smooch.

He sighed happily, pulling back.

“You know, I thought for sure at first the little asshole had taken off with you. I knew if he’d asked, Dad would have helped him run off with ya.
And
you’d looked madder than a cat in a bucket of suds a minute ago. Forget gut checking me, I thought you might have been off somewhere contemplating neutering me.”

I huffed, feigning offense.

“And you say Thatcher’s dramatic.”

“You gonna say you weren’t pissy a minute ago?” His lips twitched as he tried to keep a straight face.

I ignored him and asked a question of my own.

“Jep would have helped him?”

“Yep.”

“Really?”

“Uh-huh.” He laughed. “Don’t look so surprised, prison bait. Dad only tattled because he lost the bet with Daddy, Pa and Mama. If he thought he still had a chance to win, he’d have bowled me over in a heartbeat.”

“That’s terrible! You’re his son too!”

He shrugged.

“So are the others, still wouldn’t have stopped him. He doesn’t like to lose.”

“What is it with you guys and bets?” I really wanted to know, “You’re all horrible! No more bets!”

I gave him a good glare.

He chuckled and kissed me sweetly.

“Yes, ma’am.”

I wiggled until he set me down, opening the door.

“You got a ring, moonshine?”

“Yup.”

I nodded at his outfit.

“Is this what you’re going to wear?”

“Yup.”

“Then let’s get this over with,” I said haughtily and dragged him down the hall.

“Gee, prison bait, you sound so excited,” he rumbled sarcastically, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you aren’t real fond of weddings.”

He was going for surly, but I knew he wasn’t bothered one bit.

“I’m more of a honey moon kinda gal…” I murmured huskily.

We turned the corner, and he growled, ready to drag me back down the hall when we bumped into Jep and Barb.

“Damn! I thought he’d made a break for it!” Jep sounded so put out I just stared at him.

He glared at Reeve like it was all his fault.

“Nice to see you too, Dad,” Reeve greeted, smirk firmly in place.

Jep sighed heavily and rolled his shoulders.

“You better not fuck it up, Reeve. I lost a hundred dollars to your Daddy because of you.” He huffed and grabbed his son up in a big hug. “Couldn’t you have told
me
you had a thing for her, huh? I mean, give a dad a break, will ya? You had to go and tell the almighty assho…”

“Jepson Harrison!” Barb growled, sounding like a pissed off Chihuahua from beside him.

“Yes, my little Barbie doll?” Jep kept his expression and tone perfectly innocent, giving her big bambi sized doe eyes.

Slugging him, she marched past him, motioning for me to follow.

“Oh, honey, I hope you know how to use a rolled up newspaper! Men are impossible! And once they get to fightin’! Oh,
weeellll
, let me tell you…”

“We don’t get the paper,” I told her, following right behind.

I was fucking with her, but she didn’t catch on.

“Then I’ll order you a subscription!” she insisted, “Consider it my gift to you!”

I smothered a laugh, pausing at the doorway.

“I have a rug beater,” I offered, “is that good enough?”

“It’s perfect! They’ll scatter like cock roaches at the first sign!”

I burst out laughing, unable to contain it.

I looked back at Reeve curiously.

“You think it wise to leave me alone with her when she’s like this?” I asked pointedly.

I pointed into the room she’d just disappeared into.

Jep and Reeve grinned.

Barb popped her head out and yanked me into the room.

I yelped, toppling in.

“I take it back, forget the rug beater or the newspaper, I’m getting you a set of muzzles! That’ll shut them up! I’m ordering some too!”

“Sounds kinda kinky…” I snickered.

My voice carried out down the hall and Jep turned thoughtful.

I peeked out the door when I heard them talking again amongst each other, ease dropping unabashedly as they headed for the backyard.

“That might actually be kinda fun….” Jep mused.

Reeve shuddered visibly. “Dad, I don’t think…”

“No, really, though, this one time your mama…”

“GAH!” Reeve cringed and hurried ahead, calling down the hall, “Hey, Pa! You need help with the barbequing?”

I burst out laughing as Reeve ran down the hall.

“What did I say?” Jep shouted after his son.

He turned around, sensing me behind him, and winked.

“Works every time,” he chuckled devilishly.

He sauntered down the hall after that, laughing quietly to himself.

I could hear when he’d reached the patio.

“Hey, Reeve! Wait! I didn’t even tell you the best part yet!” he shouted.

Do You Take This Ass…

“Will this even be legal? Let me see that paper! They don’t just give licenses to anyone!”

Ruthie handed it over to me and raised a brow, wearing a white high collared dress with a black sweater over it.

The book that had been in her lap earlier was a bible, the papers, my marriage license, and a license purchased via the internet, stating that she had been ordained as a minister and therefore was capable of performing the ceremony.

My life is a circus, minus the snow cones and peanuts…

I flapped the paper at her.

“How do you even know this is real?”

“Because I looked into it first and it is. Brayden helped me.” She sniffed at me, thumbing her nose up.

“And how did you get the marriage license if I wasn’t there to go apply for it, hmm? Don’t I have to be present to pick it up or something?”

“Eustice’s daddy helped us out, he works at the county clerk’s office.”

“
This
still can’t be legal.” I flapped the ordination papers again.

“It is,” Phin added helpfully, “we made sure. It’s not considered legal in some states, but they’re recognized here. You’re alright, sweetheart. Go marry your man.”

I turned to Reeve, letting him take my hands in his, laughing as Ruthie proceeded to marry us, her face beaming proudly, adding her own take on the wedding vows, along with what she’s supposed to say.

By the time we were half way through, everyone was in stitches.

“Yes, I promise not to permanently maim or alter Reeve in any… you know what, I am
not
promising that, continue…”

Reeve grinned while everyone chuckled.

“No more add-libbing, Ruthie, get to the good part,” Reeve said impatiently.

“Can’t blame a gal for trying to make things interesting,” she muttered. She cleared her throat and straightened in her seat, reading the rest without incident.

****

“And now you may kiss the bride!”

With that announcement, Reeve pulled me close, his hand going into my hair, tangling in all the painstaking curls his mom had just done.