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“Does your daddy own a shotgun?” Rome asked when they were standing on her front porch.
She grinned. “Now who’s nervous?”
Since the weather was so nasty, she wasn’t surprised to find Daddy and Mimi sitting in the living room watching Wheel of Fortune. She could hear her mother puttering around in the kitchen. No doubt making some kind of soup and homemade bread for dinner. Her mama always made soup and homemade bread on cold days.
“Well, it’s about time you got home, Clover Fields,” Mimi said when she saw her. “We’ve all been worried sick about you driving on these roads.”
“Speak for yourself, Mama,” Daddy said. “I wasn’t worried. I taught all my girls to drive on ice. It was you two nervous nellies who wouldn’t stop looking out the windows. And quit hovering in the door, Cloe. You’re letting all the warm air out.”
Cloe stepped in, and Rome followed closely behind her.
He pulled off his hat and smiled. “Hey, y’all.”
Mimi’s eyes narrowed. “Rome Remington. Well, this is a surprise.”
“And not a good one,” Daddy grumbled as he got to his feet.
“Hush, Hank.” Mama came out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a dish towel. “Thank goodness you’re back, Cloe. I was worried sick.” She smiled at Rome. “So nice to see you, Rome. Did you run into Cloe in town on her way back from College Station?”
Before Rome had to answer, Cloe spoke. “Actually, he went with me to College Station.” She cleared her throat, wondering how she should broach the subject. “Maybe we should sit down.”
“I’m not sittin’ down,” Daddy said as his eyes narrowed on Rome. “Just spit it out, Clover Fields.”
So much for trying to ease into things. She sighed. “Rome and I got married.”
Mama gasped. Daddy growled. And Mimi, for once, didn’t say a word. But there was a gloating gleam in her eyes.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Daddy said before he turned to Mimi. “This is all your fault, Mama. If you hadn’t put your harebrained scheme in her head, she wouldn’t now be wed to a Remington.” He looked at Rome. “And if you think I’m going to let my mama give you this ranch, you got another think coming.”
“Of course, I’m going to give him this ranch,” Mimi piped up. “A deal is a deal. I’m not a woman to go back on my word. But before I hand it over, I’ll need proof.”
“We have it.” Cloe reached in her purse and pulled out the marriage license, but Mimi shook her head.
“I’m not talking about that kind of proof. I mean I’m not signing anything until I’m sure this is a love match.”
Chapter Twelve
It was late by the time Rome and Cloe left the Holiday Ranch. Cloe’s mama had insisted they stay for supper. Rome felt awkward sitting at the table while Hank glared at him, but the food made up for it. If Cloe cooked anything like Darla Holiday, Rome was looking forward to the next few months.
Or possibly longer.
Mimi wasn’t planning on just signing the ranch over, even after Rome had told her she’d have the money to pay off the loan by Monday. He grinned. The old gal had what his Grandfather Remington had called moxie. Which was where Cloe had gotten it. Marrying him was the last thing she’d wanted to do, but she’d done it. She’d done it for her family.
Damn, he admired her for that.
Although it looked like deceiving her family had completely drained her. She sat in the passenger’s seat with her head resting on the headrest as she stared at the icy rain hitting the windshield. He figured she wasn’t just drained from having to tell their families about their marriage, but also about discovering Brandon had a girlfriend.
He wanted to reach across the console and take her hand, but he didn’t want to blur the lines of their business deal. Still, he couldn’t help feeling concerned.
“I guess you’re upset over Brandon.”
“Actually, I haven’t given him much thought.” She hesitated. “I’ve been too upset about lying to my family.”
“We didn’t lie. Your family knows exactly why we got married. I think my brother does too. Mimi made him the same offer as she made me. My daddy will figure it out as soon as Mimi signs over the ranch . . . if she signs over the ranch.”
“She’ll sign it over. She just wants to make sure we aren’t fooling her.” She sighed. “I hate deceiving her. She’s convinced she’s going to get grandchildren out of this.”
Like Cloe, he hated to deceive the older woman, but he couldn’t see any way around it. “She’s going to get grandchildren. I’m sure your sisters will have kids. And you too. It’s not like marrying me will stop you from finding the right man once we’re divorced.”
