Chapter Eight

Ben

We’re met at the back of the courthouse by Suzette Rawls, who works as a secretary to one of the judges. Her son, Darren, and I started riding bulls around the same time. She came to most of the rodeos, even if it meant driving all night to get there.

It’s been three and a half years since I last saw her, but it looks like she’s aged twenty years. The minute I see her, guilt hits me like a freight train. I always meant to visit, but life kept me busy. Mostly I didn’t want to think about Darren or how the last time I saw him he was getting carried out of the arena by paramedics.

She gives me a tired smile and hugs me. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

I introduce Suzette to Gracie.

“I knew that you had to be Jed Hopkins’ granddaughter. I remember when your sister won Miss San Felipe.”

Gracie gives a brittle nod. “Vivian’s working for Durham Modeling Agency now. I never see her anymore.”

Suzette nods. “I figured San Felipe’s too small for a girl like that.”

Grace takes a shaky breath. “I suppose so.”

I squeeze her hand. She’s pale and looks like she might burst into tears any minute. I’m a bastard for pushing her into this, but I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to her.

“You don’t look like Vivian, do you?” Suzette muses.

“No, ma’am. I don’t.” I can hear the edge to Grace’s voice.

I draw her closer, tuck her under my arm. “Gracie’s the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen. I wanted to marry her the first time I laid eyes on her.”

Suzette shakes her head and laughs softly. “Never thought I’d see the day you’d give up bull riding and finally settle down.”

“I’m ready. I’ve got the only woman I’ve ever wanted. The only one I ever imagined having babies with.”

Suzette gasps and flushes with a happy smile.

Gracie gasps too, but looks a little faint. If Suzette weren’t standing right here, I’d tease Gracie about last night. She might already be pregnant. I can’t wait to see her carrying our babies.

We follow Suzette through a warren of halls to a small office, lit by fluorescent lights. The paperwork has been fast-tracked thanks to Suzette’s behind-the-scenes work. I’m pretty sure she’s under the assumption that I’m all done with bulls. I’m not going tell her any different. I figure what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her or remind her of Darren’s love of bull riding.

The judge, dressed in her robes, steps into the office and tells us that she needs to hurry because court should have started ten minutes ago. Judge Thornton might be in a rush, but when she starts the ceremony, it seems as though time slows. I hold Gracie’s hands and look into her beautiful eyes. And suddenly it’s her being the strong one. I’m sure she’s keeping me steady.

My heart pounds in my chest. All I want is this woman. If we have a ranch, that’s fine. If we live in a tent that would be okay with me. I just need her by my side.

The best part of the ceremony? It’s when I pull a ring from my pocket, a diamond solitaire that slides onto her finger perfectly. Suzette, Judge Thornton, and best of all, Grace, all give small gasps of surprise.

When we’ve both said our “I do’s”, I lower to kiss her. It’s nothing indecent, of course, but the kiss, here in this dingy office, marks the first time I kiss my wife. I close my eyes and feel the touch of her lips and I know nothing will ever be the same. The woman I’ve lusted after, and maybe even plotted to seduce, is now mine to love and protect. A surge of triumph washes over me.

Looking into her eyes after the kiss, I know she felt the shift too. She’s wide-eyed, bites her lip and sways slightly. I smile, and she gives me an answering smile. It’s tentative, but I’ll take it.

“Mrs. Calhoun,” I whisper.

Her lips part with surprise. “Yes. That’s me.”

“Till death do us part.”

She nods, her eyes wide.

We drive home in a light, misting rain. Gracie stares at the ring with a look on her face that makes me happy. She’s awed.

“How did you know what ring size I wore?”

I might even be a little proud of my amateur investigating skills. San Felipe’s only jewelry shop keeps ring sizes of their graduating seniors. The shop owner was only too happy to look up the information when I told him my plan. His enthusiasm doubled when I told him what I wanted to spend.

“The jewelry shop told me the size. I picked out the ring.”

“When?”

“When I found out about the fencing. I decided I was tired of asking you out, and I’d just skip dating. And sweep you off your feet.”

“I bet you never imagined I’d wreck your truck.”

I shake my head. Slowing the truck, I turn onto the road that will take us home. A small car follows a few lengths behind. The road is desolate, making me wonder about if Grace’s sister is heading out to the ranch. It’s improbable, but who knows?

“And I bet you never imagined me coming to your room?” Grace says quietly.

“Of course, I did. I just didn’t think it would take you so long to knock on my door.”

She scoffs. “I showed up the second night.”

“Why not the first?”

“Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you? Cocky.”

She thinks I’m cocky? I don’t know if that’s true. Sometimes. Maybe. When I settle on a bull’s back, I’m sure of myself. If I didn’t feel one hundred percent confident that I could ride him, I’d never last eight seconds.

“I go after what I want. That’s all.”

I turn off the road and glance at my rearview mirror. The car that had been behind us drives past and disappears around a bend in the road. I’m not sure if I’m relieved or not. I’ll bet Vivian will be as mad as a wet hen, but part of me wants to get that showdown over and done with. I soon discover, Vivian wants to as well.

I insist on carrying Grace over the threshold. The sound of her cell phone ringing fills the quiet of the house. She pouts. I put her down and stalk through the house, following her. It’s our wedding day. And it might be before noon, but I don’t see any reason not to go right back to bed.

Grace ignores the call and scrolls through the messages. The expression on her face tells me all I need to know. Vivian has done a little digging. I wanted to tell Gracie some of the things from my family’s past, but didn’t want to tell her until I made her mine.

When she finishes, she sets the phone aside and lifts her eyes to mine.

“Where do you want me to start?” I fold my arms and lean against the doorframe.

“Your brother and your father are in prison?”

Her voice shakes. The blood has drained from her face. The expression on her face is a mixture of fear and disbelief.

“My father died a couple of years ago. In prison.”

She gives a slight shake of her head.

“He went to jail for armed robbery, and died in a prison brawl.”

“And your brother?”

“Jimmy’s my half-brother. My father walked out on my mother and me when I was three. My mother and I never saw him again. He had a kid a few years later. I’ve never met him. He’s serving a life term.”

“I see.”

But she doesn’t see at all. She’s shocked and wondering how she can undo our vows. Or maybe how she can get away from me. As fast as possible.

“What about your mother?”

Now it’s my turn to be surprised. I would have guessed she’d want to know what Jimmy did, not ask about my mother. I can half-imagine my mother shaking her head, a smile playing on her mouth.

A fine mess you’ve gotten yourself into now…

“My mother passed away when I was seventeen. Suddenly. Of an aneurysm.”

I should ask about her parents, or I should have before this, but then I’d have to pretend I don’t know. I’d have to act because in between rodeos, I’ve found out everything I could about Grace Hopkins.

“She raised you?”

I nod. “She did. By herself. My father never gave her a dime. She was a nurse and worked extra night-shifts to make ends meet. Not once did she try to get child support. She always said she’d do whatever she needed to do to keep me from having to spend time with him.”

Grace straightens. “And you?”

“What about me?”

“You never spent time in prison?”

“Never. I walked the straight and narrow. Graduated from high school in the top ten percent. I had offers to play football from a few big schools, but then…”

Her eyes light with understanding. “Your mom must have died right around then.”

“That’s right. And I rode my first bull. Everything changed then.”

Her phone rings again. She glances at it furtively and squeezes her eyes shut. They fly open as I cross the room, and widen when I pick up the phone and answer it.

“Hello, Vivian.”

There’s a shocked silence followed by a demand. “Put my sister on the phone.”

Gracie stares at me. Her chest rises and falls with quick shallow breaths. I cup her jaw and rub my thumb over her lips.

“I can let you talk to Grace.”

There’s a huff of shock on the other end. “You’re not going to let me do anything!”

“I’ll hand her the phone after you answer a question.”

She’s thinking it over. I can hear a man’s voice in the background. She shushes him.

“Fine,” Vivian huffs. “What do you want?”

I hold Grace’s gaze and talk softly. “I want to know how much you want for your fifty acres.”

The line is quiet. For a moment, I wonder if I’ve lost the call, but then she replies. “It’s worth a lot. Concept Solutions just announced they’re bringing their service center to San Felipe. If I got the land to be zoned commercial, I could get-”

“I’m offering you twelve grand an acre. Right now. Take it or leave it.”

She sputters. She’s probably shocked at the price and my demand that she answer right now.

“You’re not going to give me some time to think about it?”

“I’ll give you a little time, Vivian.”

“How long?” She sounds panicked.

I smile at Gracie and lower to kiss her. She’s too astonished to kiss me back. I growl softly. “Eight seconds, Vivian.”

More indignation. Gracie shakes her head in disbelief.

“Clock’s ticking, Viv. I’d hate to lose the call.”

I switch the phone to speaker. Vivian’s screech fills the quiet of the farmhouse kitchen. “You’re a bastard. You know that?”

“You have no idea,” I mutter. I wink at Grace. “I’m…” I let my words trail off, and after a small pause, I add, “Losing… call.”

Grace shakes her head. A dozen emotions flit through her eyes. Fear. Dismay. Outrage and worst of all, doubt. She thinks I pushed because I want the ranch. I did want the ranch, but Vivian raised the stakes when she started talking about marriage. I just struck when the iron was good and hot.

“Three seconds, Vivian.”

“Fine!” she shrieks. “I’ll take it!”