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Since he was still feeling blindsided, he latched on to the excuse. “Yeah . . . uhh . . . Melba. Since she’s a friend of Mimi’s, I figured her seeing us kissing would help convince your grandmother our marriage is real.”
She pressed her lips together and nodded. “Of course. And speaking of our marriage, we should probably decide when and where. I was thinking next week in College Station. The mother of one of my students works at the courthouse and I’m sure she can get us a license and also make an appointment with a judge.”
It was amazing how calm she was. Like they were making a date for lunch. He didn’t feel calm. Not after that kiss. But he tried to act like he was. “Sounds good. Just let me know what time. You can text me.”
She hesitated as if she wanted to say something, but then she only lifted a hand before she got in her car.
He was standing there watching her pull away when Melba stepped up.
Melba worked at the sheriff office with Decker. She managed the office and dealt with all the incoming calls and decided who actually needed law enforcement and who was just calling to complain. She also fostered animals she was always trying to pawn off on him.
Tonight was no different.
She opened the purse she had slung across her body and drew out a tiny tiger-striped kitten. “I wanted to introduce you to Taylor Swift.” Melba named all the animals she fostered after country singers. Which made it that much harder for the people of Wilder to refuse them. Rome included.
“Sorry, Mel, but Tammy, Waylon, Reba, Blake, and George Jones don’t need another friend. And just so you know, Taylor hasn’t sung country for years.”
Melba lifted her chin haughtily. “Once country always country.” She glanced at the empty spot where Cloe’s car had been parked. “And that doesn’t just apply to singers. Cloe Holiday is a country girl who belongs right here in Wilder.” She winked at him. “And there’s nothing like a handsome cowboy to make her realize that.”
Rome winked back. “Then maybe I’ll just have to marry the girl.”
Chapter Eleven
A March winter storm hit on Cloe’s wedding day. She had picked out her nicest dress to wear, but it seemed impractical with the frigid temperature and icy rain. So when she arrived at the Remington Ranch, she was bundled up in her warmest coat, a knit hat, a turtleneck sweater, jeans, and her furry boots.
Being that she was so early, she thought she’d have to knock on the door. But Rome was waiting for her on the porch with his black Stetson pulled low and the collar of his sheepskin jacket flipped up around his clean-shaven jaw.
He didn’t waste time helping her out of the car and into his truck. Once he was in the driver’s side, he took off his hat and set it on the console. She thought he would look as nervous as she felt. She should have known better. Rome wasn’t the nervous type. Of course, she didn’t think he’d look so happy either. His smile was bright and his eyes twinkled with humor.
“Perfect day for a wedding.”
She shivered. “If you’re a polar bear.”
He reached over and pushed her glasses up before he tapped the end of her cold nose with his warm finger. “I promise I’ll buy you some hot chocolate after, Lucky.”
She thought the drive to College Station would be awkward, but they talked the entire way about people they remembered from school and the latest gossip going around town. Before she knew it they were parking at the courthouse.
“Did you bring the wedding license?” he asked.
She nodded and pulled it out of her purse, along with the prenuptial agreement he had given her and she had signed. She didn’t blame him for wanting to make sure she didn’t get any part of his family’s ranch after they divorced. He was already more than generous by bailing her family out of debt and allowing them to keep their home.
The judge who married them was a solemn woman who didn’t waste any time on pleasantries.
“You can hang your coats on the rack right over there in the corner and then we’ll get started.”
Rome helped Cloe off with her coat and hung it on the rack before he took off his. To her embarrassment, underneath his sheepskin coat he wore a nice jacket, dress shirt, and tie. She wished she hadn’t been so practical and had worn the dress she picked out. She also wished she had skipped the knit hat. Static electricity crackled when she pulled it off and she knew her hair stood on end. She quickly tried to smooth it and caught Rome watching her.
“You left it down.”
She tried to bring some order to the wild curls. “I probably shouldn’t have.”
He shook his head. “No. I like it down. You have pretty hair.”
Before she could get over the compliment, he took her hand and led her over to where the judge and her assistant were waiting.
The ceremony was short, but it felt like it lasted a lifetime. Her hand Rome held was sweating like a cold glass of iced tea in late August and her heart was thumping out of control. By the time it was her turn to speak, she reverted back to her stuttering.
“I d-d-do.”
