Читать книгу The Lawman's Rebel Bride - Amanda Renee - Страница 9

Chapter Two

Belle didn’t like to wait. She hated it. Utterly despised it. Waiting meant something bad was about to happen. She’d waited for her mom to come back to the hotel room and she never had. She’d waited for Harlan in the church and he had never returned. Here she was, waiting once again on her wedding day. Granted she was there three hours early, but that was only at her grandmother’s insistence. Trudy may have forgotten many things, but every last detail of Belle and Harlan’s wedding remained fresh in her mind. A little too fresh. What made Belle think she could possibly go through with marrying Harlan? Any recollection of their first wedding left her stomach in knots.

“You look beautiful, Bubbe.” Her grandmother had been calling her Bubbe, short for bubbeleh, since the day she picked her up in Texas. It meant darling and was Trudy’s little term of endearment reserved solely for Belle. Something so simple and yet she knew she would miss it one day soon. Trudy would regress to a point where she no longer remembered her. Belle’s heart physically ached at the thought. “I loved that dress on you the moment we saw it in the store.”

Dress shopping with Trudy had been her favorite part of planning her original wedding. She’d tried on countless gowns while her grandmother waited patiently. The instant she stepped into the simple strapless A-line with delicate bodice beading, she knew it was the dress.

As beautiful as the gown was, Belle wanted to tear it off and burn it. She’d attempted to once, but her grandmother told her she would one day regret that decision. So she packed it away and stored it in a cold dark corner of the basement with the wedding rings. When she cleaned out Trudy’s house, she’d contemplated throwing the dress out. Thinking someone might have better luck with it, she opted to consign it. Six months later, the shop returned the dress to her when it hadn’t sold. It had been sitting in a storage unit with some of her grandmother’s belongings ever since. After Trudy had drilled her over its whereabouts first thing this morning, she’d spent an hour climbing around the storage unit until she found the blasted thing. She had hoped it wouldn’t still fit. Unlucky for her, it did.

“I can’t believe you wanted to wear a sundress today.”

“Grammy, it’s hot out. It was only a suggestion.” Belle flashed back to the morning of her first wedding. She’d been so happy and thrilled to begin a new life with Harlan.

Today brought a fresh start in a different way—a sense of closure. And she needed that to rid herself finally of the man she loved. Well, once loved. Her heart had slammed the door on that emotion long ago.

“You’re putting your hair up, right?” her grandmother asked.

“Yes.” Belle stared at her reflection in the mirror. She had to pull herself together and tamp down the desire to run for the nearest exit. If only she could draw the curtain on the disastrous movie of her first wedding that kept replaying in her head. Thankfully they weren’t doing this in the church again. Belle had her limits and that would have pushed them to the max. She inhaled deep, summoning the strength and courage to get through the day and make her grandmother happy. Grabbing a brush and bobby pins from her bag, she gathered her hair into a low ponytail. “I’m wearing it in a French twist.”

“I loved that style the best out of all the ones Matilda showed us. Too bad she came down with a cold this morning.”

Matilda had been her grandmother’s hairdresser since the beginning of time. She’d been the master of the updo, but had died three years earlier.

“That’s all right, I can manage.” Despite her nerves about facing Harlan again wearing the same dress, with the same hairstyle, holding the same rings and set to recite the same vows, she enjoyed these quiet moments with her grandmother. She didn’t know how many more they had left. As painful as reliving the past was, she wouldn’t trade it in for anything in the world. She’d always thought it was impossible to turn back the hands of time, but that wasn’t entirely true. Now if she could only figure out how to stop time, she’d be set.

Samantha had become an impromptu wedding planner, buzzing around the nursing home and getting all the ambulatory residents ready to attend the ceremony. She even found time to put together a lovely bridal bouquet of fresh cut flowers from the garden. A few times, Belle had to remind herself that none of it was real.

Samantha popped her head in the door. “Are you ready? Your groom is waiting.”

This was the day she wished Harlan hadn’t shown up.

“I’m ready,” she lied. No amount of primping would make her ready either. At least she looked the part. A nurse’s aide came in and helped Trudy into a wheelchair. The walk down the corridor to the garden seemed a mile long. Her stomach twisted as Myra opened the door. And that’s when she saw them.

“Who invited all those people?” She glared at Myra.

“We thought you did,” Myra whispered as the aide and Trudy passed them. “We’ll be right there,” she said to Trudy.

“I did no such thing.” Belle’s pulse quickened. “We wanted to keep this quiet.” But they knew. They all knew. Probably thanks to the county clerk, Harlan’s boss, most of the nurses and the residents at the facility. When you get married in a small town, everybody knows. “Close the door.” Belle collapsed against the corridor wall, gasping for air. “I can’t do this.”

“Yes, you can.” Myra removed a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed Belle’s forehead. “Far be it from me to pry, but I think I’ve known you long enough to understand why you’re marrying the man you should have castrated years ago. You and Harlan both got caught up in the charade for Trudy’s sake. Despite the insanity of it, I admire the sacrifice you’re making for her.”

“Now we’re deceiving everyone.” Belle paced the small area. “This should have been a personal moment meant for my grandmother. One we’d quietly undo later. Do you realize how many people will be furious with us when we have this annulled? There better not be presents out there.”

Myra pocketed her handkerchief. “You can return them.” She opened the door again and smiled. “Now hide your crazy and get out there before Trudy wonders where you are.”

Belle blew out a breath along with a handful of expletives before squaring her shoulders. “Fine.”

The second her foot touched the garden’s stone pathway, a lone violin played Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March.” “What the—” Everyone turned to face her. There weren’t any chairs, so she had to walk through a throng of people before she reached Harlan, who appeared more dashing in a tuxedo this time around. Thank God she’d worn her gown. She would have looked out of place standing before him in her discount sundress.

She stood under the rose-covered arbor in front of many of their friends and neighbors. The same ones she stood in front of once before. Harlan reached for both of her hands and squeezed them tight. Fear reflected in his eyes. She’d seen that same fear eight years ago to the day. And this time she had it, too. She couldn’t tell if she was close to passing out or throwing up. Either way, she wasn’t sure she’d remain on her feet much longer.

“Are you okay?” Harlan asked.

“No, but let’s get this over with,” she whispered. Reverend Grady frowned at her comment, but she felt too ill to concern herself with his feelings.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony.”

Holy matrimony. Holy. Matrimony. The words sounded foreign and terrifying at the same time. She braved a glance at the crowd and immediately wished she hadn’t. Her grandmother looked beautiful in her purple dress. It was the same dress she’d worn to her wedding the first time. One of the nurses had taken great care in altering it to accommodate Trudy’s dramatic weight loss.

“I do,” Harlan said.

What?

“And do you, Belle Elizabeth Barnes, take this man to be your lawful husband...” Anything the reverend said after that sounded like the teacher’s voice on the Peanuts cartoon. Harlan gave her hand a gentle squeeze at her cue.

“I do.”

“May I please have the rings?” Reverend Grady asked.

Harlan’s eyes widened as he mouthed I forgot rings. Belle shook her head subtly to reassure him she hadn’t. Only because her grandmother wouldn’t let her forget.

Trudy handed the rings to the reverend and he blessed them.

“Harlan, please slide this ring on Belle’s finger and repeat after me. With this ring, I pledge my commitment.”

Harlan’s intense gaze met hers as the cold, hard band slid onto her finger. “With this ring, I pledge my commitment.” And she knew deep in her heart he meant those words. Eight years after the fact, but she truly believed he would commit to this marriage as long as her grandmother recognized it.

“Belle, please place this ring on Harlan’s finger and repeat after me. With this ring, I pledge my commitment.”

Belle opened her mouth to speak, but her words were silent. She inhaled deeply and tried again. Her fingers trembled as she slid on the gold band. “With this ring, I pledge my commitment.”

“By the authority vested in me by the State of Montana, witnessed by your friends and family, I have the pleasure of pronouncing you husband and wife. Harlan, you may kiss your bride.”

Kiss? What kiss?

Before she had a chance to even process what was happening, Harlan drew her to him and claimed her mouth. Her breath escaped her lungs as the raw power behind the traditional gesture overtook her. And in an instant, the past eight years never happened. The last time he had kissed her like that was the night before their wedding. The man could kiss. She’d forgotten how much she missed the touch of his lips against hers. She wound her arms around his neck in response, not wanting to let go. Not wanting to ever let go. The thunderous applause surrounding them jarred her back to the present. She broke their kiss as abruptly as he began it.

What had they done?

* * *

HARLAN HADN’T MEANT to kiss Belle. Well, he had—just not as intensely. He hated the cliché caught up in the moment excuse. He’d heard it numerous times on the job and it only made him slap the cuffs on faster. But damned if he didn’t understand the expression today.

“Toast, toast, toast,” their wedding guests chanted. Where did they come from? And the champagne and wedding cake. He hadn’t even planned on wearing a tuxedo until Samantha told him Belle looked beautiful in her wedding gown. He’d made a mad dash for the tuxedo rental place and prayed they’d have one. The fit wasn’t perfect, but he was presentable.

“Belle and Harlan.” His uncle Jax raised a glass in the air. “It’s anyone’s guess when you two got back together, but I’m glad you did. Here’s to a lifetime of health and happiness.”

Harlan clinked his glass against Belle’s. He wasn’t sure if she was in a state of shock, overheating in her dress or was about to toss her cookies on his shoes. Regardless, the deer-in-the-headlights look didn’t suit her.

Belle had looked stunning as she walked down the makeshift aisle. Never in a million years did he imagine she would still have the dress and the rings. She was even more beautiful than she had been during their first wedding. They both had matured since then. If they had waited to get married instead of allowing their teenage hormones to make all their decisions, they probably would have had a chance at something real and lasting.

“What did that man mean when he said he didn’t know when you two got back together?” Trudy asked.

Harlan squatted beside her wheelchair. “That’s my uncle Jax. He has a lot going on at his guest ranch, so I guess he got a little confused.”

“I never liked that man. Where is Ryder? Isn’t he supposed to be your best man? And where are your parents?”

Trudy’s questions caught Belle’s attention. She set her untouched glass of champagne on the table behind them.

“Grammy, why don’t we go inside?” Belle turned Trudy’s wheelchair toward the door. “It’s too hot out here for you in the sun.”

“All right, Bubbe. I’m a little tired.”

“I’ll take her in,” a nurse’s aide said. “Enjoy your wedding and congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Belle faced Harlan. “I’m sorry. She doesn’t remember.”

Harlan shrugged. “It’s okay.” He made a mental note to drive out to see Ryder at the state penitentiary in Deer Lodge soon. It had been a few months, but the three-and-a-half-hour drive wasn’t exactly next door. He missed his brother every day. They’d been best friends until the night Ryder killed their father. The decimation of his family had been instant. His mother had moved to California shortly afterward and he and his four brothers rarely spoke anymore except for him and Dylan. He missed the family they once were. “I understand. Did you expect this many people?”

“Absolutely not.” Belle scanned the crowd. “And I can’t wait to hear the gossip once we have this annulled. I’ll be pitied. You’ll be vilified. They’ll wonder what’s so wrong with me that you ditched me twice. It will be a regular Saddle Ridge free-for-all. Happy days ahead.” She frowned. “They still whisper about our last wedding debacle. This was the last thing I wanted.”

Harlan sighed. He’d been responsible for every ounce of gossip. She’d always been an awkward social butterfly because of the past her mother bestowed upon her, but she had been an active part of the community. She had organized parties for friends and had even been on the church’s social committee alongside her grandmother. All of that ended eight years ago to the day when he left her at the altar. And then her life burst in flames once more when he married Molly. Belle had become a rebel who’d rather spend her time with animals than people. The rumors rolled off his back, but she shouldn’t have to endure them. Not again.

“Then we stay married.” Harlan said the words without thinking twice. He owed her. “I’m not saying we have to stay together forever.” Although he’d willingly spend the rest of his life seeking redemption. “But a few months longer than we had intended. Then we can say we gave it a shot and it didn’t work. I’ll take the blame.”

“I want to argue with you, but I can’t think of a better solution right now.” Her shoulders slumped in defeat despite the smile she wore for their guests’ sake. “I am grateful to you and for all of this, but I should get home. I’ve already been gone longer than I had anticipated.”

“Is someone waiting for you?” An uneasiness swept over him. Okay, maybe there was a twinge of jealousy in there, too. But why? He had no claim to Belle, except for the fact he was legally her husband.

“Time for cake,” Samantha interrupted before Belle answered him. “I realize it’s not big and multitiered, but when the kitchen learned you didn’t have a cake, they insisted on making one.”

If that didn’t amp up the guilt factor, Harlan didn’t know what else would. He vowed to make an anonymous donation to the nursing home to cover all the expenses for the event. The least he could do was pay for one of his weddings to Belle.

After they cut the cake, Belle fed it to him with a bit too much enthusiasm. Her uninhibited laughter more than made up for his face full of frosting. He had missed that laugh as much as he had missed her.

His phone vibrated in his pocket. He’d set an alarm for two o’clock so he’d be home when Ivy got off the bus. Their neighbor across the street watched her after school, but he didn’t want to chance her hearing what happened today from somebody else. He hadn’t expected news of their wedding to become public knowledge or else he would have told Ivy last night...if he had found the words. How was he going to explain to a seven-year-old he’d pretend-married the woman he once jilted? He was about to find out.

“I’m sorry, Belle. I have to leave,” Harlan whispered in her ear as their guests mingled. “I need to have a little talk with Ivy.”

“I’m sure that won’t be easy.” Belle twisted the ring on her finger. “I shouldn’t have gotten you into this mess.”

“I talked you into marrying me, remember?” He covered her hands with his own. The warmth of her skin caused his heart to still. In that briefest of moments, everyone around them faded away. Their wedding should have been spectacular. They should be sharing their first dance and celebrating the rest of their lives. Instead the woman he’d never stopped loving had been forced to settle for a charade of a marriage. “It will be okay. We’ll get through it...together.”

She lifted her gaze to his as happiness dissolved into reality. “Sure, okay.” She withdrew from his grasp and gathered up her skirt, rebuilding the wall between them. “I’ll walk out with you. I want to bring my grandmother a piece of cake before I leave.”

The two of them managed to sneak away and head down the hallway to Trudy’s room unnoticed. She was already asleep and Belle told him to go on ahead. She wanted to stay a little while longer. He sat beside her and took her hand in his as they watched Trudy in silence. Pretend marriage or not, Harlan had meant his vows. In sickness and in health was the reason they were together again, for however long. He wouldn’t leave Belle. Not with a garden full of wedding guests and not when she needed him most.

* * *

IT WAS CLOSE to five o’clock by the time he picked up Ivy. He’d called his neighbor and filled her in on some of the details. Between her chiding tsks, he persuaded her to keep Ivy inside and away from any of her friends until he arrived home. He’d run into some of her playmates’ parents at the wedding and by now they were aware Ivy’s father had remarried.

“Hey, pumpkin.” Harlan scooped his daughter into his arms and swung her around in a big hug. “How was school today?”

“It was good. Why are you all dressed up? Did somebody die?”

Mental note: he needed to take his daughter to more events where people wore something other than jeans and cowboy boots. “Daddy went to a wedding.” He set Ivy down and grabbed her backpack. “Let’s head home and I’ll tell you all about it.”

After he changed out of his tuxedo and made dinner, he asked his daughter to join him in the living room. “You might hear things from your friends and I want you to know the truth in case someone tells you a bunch of made-up stories.” Ivy’s eyes grew wide in fear.

“Relax, honey. It’s nothing bad. The wedding I went to today was my own.”

“You got married? Without me?” She pouted. “Daddy, why?”

“It’s not a happy-ever-after wedding like in your fairy tales.” Even though that’s what Belle had deserved. “My friend’s grandmother is sick and she doesn’t remember that Belle and I had dated and broke up years ago. We got married today so her grandmother would feel better. But it isn’t a real marriage.”

“Is it legal?” Ivy asked. “You always tell me I have to obey the law.”

“Oh, it’s legal, all right.” Now that the wedding was over and he was home with his daughter, the day’s events seemed like a distant dream. If it hadn’t been for the rented tuxedo hanging by the door, he might’ve doubted his own sense of reality. He’d been all for it this morning when he woke up, but he hadn’t realized how much he wanted to marry Belle. Or how deeply invested he’d become in their marriage. Outside of raising his daughter and becoming a deputy sheriff, nothing else had felt more right to him.

“Is her grandma dying?”

“Yes, she is.”

“Then you did the right thing.” Ivy climbed onto his lap and threw her arms around him.

“Thank you, sweetheart. In a month or so, Belle and I will get what’s called an annulment and the marriage will be like it never happened.”

“Is Belle moving in?”

It certainly hadn’t been part of their original plan, then again, neither was a very public wedding. Harlan wasn’t sure he was open to Belle moving in with them, regardless of how much he owed her for the past.

“We haven’t discussed it.” Ivy sighed and flopped against the back of the couch. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“I thought you getting married would mean I’d get a mommy.”

Harlan covered his mouth. As much as he hated what he did to Belle, and as much as he despised Molly for walking out on their daughter without a second thought, he’d never resent or regret their relationship. If the series of events hadn’t happened, he wouldn’t have his daughter. She was the best thing that ever happened to him. He wished he could give Ivy what she wanted. His relationship with Belle was only temporary and he hadn’t dated since Molly left. Not that he didn’t want to, he just hadn’t found a woman he wanted to spend time with or introduce into his daughter’s life.

“Why do you look so sad, Daddy?”

Before he could answer, his phone rang. He looked at the display. It was one of the other deputy sheriffs. “Hey, Bryan, what’s up?”

“Harlan, you need to come down to the station right away.”

He stood and motioned for Ivy to grab her shoes. “Why, what’s going on?”

“Well, we arrested your wife. And she’s not alone.”