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Woodson pinned Adam with his nut-withering gaze again. “Fine. We need to get this meeting finished before dealing with any…new business,” he said, looking Adam up and down with a gaze so sharp, Adam was surprised there was anything left of him by the time he was done. “Soyou, don’t be a nuisance. I’ll deal with you in a few minutes.”
Then he turned his attention back to the group waiting on him, and Adam released a long breath. He’d survived his first run-in with ol’ Quick Shot Woodson and was still breathing. Somewhat. He wouldn’t wager too much on his chances just yet. He wasn’t a complete fool. But…
Maybe he’d live to see retirement after all.
Though maybe that wasn’t a good thing. Because his plans for retirement had never included a wife.
Chapter Four
The sheriff turned to address the crowd around them. The ones who hadn’t been “lucky” enough to get hitched started grumbling, and the one at Nora’s side seemed ready to follow their example. Nora sighed. That was her cue to skedaddle. She’d figure out what to do with her new husband later.
While she hadn’t completely intended on going to the tavern to join in the mass marriage ceremony, she had thought she might at least check it out. The last thing she wanted was a husband, but it did solve a rather pressing problem she had. One she hadn’t wanted to burden any of her friends with. Adam being there at just the right time might be the first stroke of good luck she’d had in a while.
She turned to head back to her wagon, but Adam’s hand shot out and grabbed her arm. “You aren’t going anywhere until you explain what the hell is going on.”
The grumbling in the crowd had grown so loud that Adam had his mouth almost pressed against her ear to make himself heard. She pulled away so she could look at him. His eyes roved over her face, focusing on her lips long enough that her breath hitched ever so slightly.
She had quite a few male friends in town. Men who would drink or gamble with her, work with her, ride beside her, without hesitation. She was just “one of the boys” to them, and for the most part she liked it that way. Not one of them had ever looked at her with anything but friendship, or if they had, they were very good at hiding it. That look that flashed in Adam’s eyes as he gazed at her lips wasn’t one she’d ever seen in a man before. And it was gone so quickly, she couldn’t be sure she hadn’t imagined it.
She opened her mouth to answer him, but before she could, a gunshot went off, and they both ducked for cover. After a few seconds, it was obvious no more shots were coming, and she raised a cautious head to see who’d pulled a gun.
Jason Sunshine, the sheriff’s deputy, was putting his back in the holster while the poor sheriff scrubbed a hand over his face before looking out at the crowd. He was obviously about at the end of his limited patience. Nora could almost see him counting to ten in his head.
“I wonder if he’s even aware that his hands keep straying toward his empty gun holsters. Or if that’s just a nervous tic,” Mr. Brady said. “Whyarehis holsters empty?”
She ignored the question and focused on the implied insult. “Our sheriff doesnotget nervous.”
He held up his hands. “I meant no offense. I’m just glad I’m not in the line of fire. Yet,” he added on with a mumble.
“All right,” the sheriff thundered, holding his hands up to quiet everyone down again. “Enough discussion. If you didn’t get picked, you didn’t get picked. Get a job. It won’t kill you. But the rules stay the same. Thirty days to get a wife or a job or you’re out.”
“What does he mean, thirty days or you’re out? And job? What job?” Adam said, turning to her again. “What was that bit? Can I pick that option instead?”
Nora snorted and looked him up and down. “Are you qualified for any type of employment?”
He opened his mouth, probably to say of course he was, and then snapped it shut again with a grimace.
“Thought not.” Nora smiled and turned to walk away, but Adam stopped her again.
“What?” she said impatiently, pulling her arm from his grasp.
“Shouldn’t we talk for a minute?”
Her new husband was starting to grate on her nerves. “Don’t see why that’s necessary.” She shrugged and tried to push her way to the edge of the crowd, but there were too many people to get through. This town was growing altogether too crowded for her liking.
“Don’t see why…” he repeated, apparently flabbergasted at her statement. “Because apparently we just got hitched.”
“Right,” she said. “Didn’t we already cover this bit?”
He let out a choked cough. “Not really, no! We’ve got things to discuss.”
She pursed her lips. “Don’t see why. You wouldn’t have been my first choice by any stretch, but it’s done, so…” She gave him a lopsided shrug. “I suppose it doesn’t matter too much. You wanted to get hitched, and while I wasn’t planning on getting married today, it does solve a little problem I’ve been having, so I suppose you’ll do as well as any.”
“Except,” he said, keeping her from heading off again, “that’s where you’re wrong.Ididn’t want to get married.”
She stopped trying to push through the crowd and looked at him, eyebrows raised and stomach tied in knots.What?“Then what were you doing standing in among the fellows who did?”
Adam threw his hands up. “I didn’t know that’s what they were there for! I just got into town.”
