The Brides 0f Purple Heart Ranch Boxset, Bks 1-3

by Shanae Johnson

  It was a dream. She was in a dream. This all had to be some cruel, wonderful, sick, delightful, twisted dream.

  "But what about you?" she asked. "What if you live long, you'd be stuck with us."

  Fran shrugged. "It's been a good day, so far."

  But Eva didn't laugh, she couldn't.

  "I could make it another year, maybe two. If I go on living any longer, I wouldn't contest a divorce … if you wanted one."

  "I wouldn't … I mean, I wouldn't abandon you."

  "So, is that a yes?"

  Chapter Eleven

  Fran stood at the railing as he watched Sean help Rosalee mount Bailey, a gentle mare. He hadn't missed Rosalee's smile or the fact that Sean gave her his scarred side. Stevie, the nearly blind Rottweiler sat quietly in the field. None of Maggie's dogs had any fear of the horses.

  Star, the Pug with patches missing from her skin, trotted close to Carlos's heel as Carlos and Xavier led another horse out to pasture.

  The kids had fallen in with ranch life like they'd been born to it. They'd spent all day Saturday running about like wild creatures amongst the farm animals. They hadn't hesitated to lend a hand with any chore asked of them. At dinner last night, they’d attacked Maggie's grade-school fare of chicken nuggets and hot dogs with a gusto and then surprised all the adults by offering to do the dishes and take out the dogs.

  Eva had been mostly quiet through the whole affair. Fran had caught her sneaking glances at him every now and again. The moment his gaze met hers, she'd turn away.

  She still hadn't given him an answer to his proposal. He told himself to be patient, it had been less than forty-eight hours that he'd asked. About the same amount of time since he'd met her.

  She'd asked for time to think about it. And he'd given her her space. But he was aching for a bit of claustrophobia. She'd hung back with Maggie today. He itched to know what the two were talking about.

  Fran knew the plan of marriage was the best plan for all involved. He would not let them go back to that neighborhood or that dismal apartment. He'd heard their family motto of no charity.

  This wasn't charity. It was common sense. He just hoped she would put aside her pride and see it too.

  "What's crawled up your butt?" said Reed.

  "I asked Eva to marry me yesterday."

  Reed hadn't seemed surprised, likely because he already knew. Fran had told Dylan, and he was sure Dylan had told Maggie, or Eva had told Maggie. But that was all it took on the ranch. Once one person knew your business, everyone knew it. So there was no sense in hiding it.

  "She'll say yes," said Reed. "You think she'd pass up on all this." Reed spread his arms, his fleshy one as well as his prosthetic one, around the ranch.

  "She's not some gold digger."

  "This place isn't filled with gold, DeMonti. It was a joke."

  But Fran was too grumpy for humor. He just wanted to know she'd be safe.

  Reed stared at him. "You like this girl, don't you? Otherwise, I'd be able to make a comment about her without you jumping down my throat."

  "I just … want to help."

  Reed nodded. "Like you said the other day, she's a smart girl. She loves her family and will do what's best for them. So clearly, she'll pass you over and choose me. Kidding."

  Reed held up his hand when Fran glared at him. Fran's heart pounded in his chest at the thought of Eva and Reed, or Eva and anyone else. Which was selfish of him. He wouldn't be around forever, and she'd need to move on after he was gone. Still, the thought made his shoulders cave in. Fran gripped his chest at the shock of pain.

  "You good?" asked Reed coming over to him.

  "Yeah," Fran said taking a deep breath. "It's over now."

  Every once in a while, the shrapnel in his chest reminded him of its presence. Luckily, this time it was a reminder and not a last call. Fran wanted to make it official between him and Eva before his curtain came down. That way she'd be protected for the rest of her life.

  "Uncle Fran, look! I'm riding."

  Fran looked up at Rosalee on the horse. He plastered a smile on his face and waved at the girl. Both she and her brother had taken to calling all of the soldiers uncle. The sight of little Rosalee smiling made his heart ache a bit more. He wanted to teach her so many things, watch her grow in confidence. Even if Eva said no, he'd figure out a way to keep them all safe.

  "Hey, Uncle Reed." Carlos came up to them. He extended his hand and gave Reed a complicated handshake that the two of them made up at some point yesterday.

  Neither of the kids balked at the injuries each of the soldiers faced. They didn't know what Fran's injury was, just that he had one. But they hadn't asked, and Fran wasn't inclined to tell them. He didn't want to scare them.

  "Uncle Fran, can I go with Uncle Xavier down to the pond? He said I needed to ask your permission."

  Fran hesitated. He should consult Eva about this. Yeah, … he should consult Eva about this. He should go and find her and make sure it was fine with her.

  "You go on," said Fran. "I'll let your sister know where you are. But mind everything Xavier tells you, do I have your word?"

  "You have my word." Carlos loved giving his word. His chest puffed out every time one of the soldiers asked him for it. Then the kid strove to do all he could to keep that word.

  Fran knew he'd grow into a fine young man. He'd give the kid all the time he could to help him on that trajectory. But for now, he'd go and talk with his sister about their immediate future.

  Chapter Twelve

  "You married him within a week of knowing him?"

  Maggie nodded. Her eyes getting that glazed faraway look of someone deeply in love. The two women sat at Eva's kitchen table.

  Well, no. It was Fran's kitchen table. Though serving Maggie a glass of lemonade made Eva feel like the mistress of the house.

  She'd found things easily in the cupboards. She'd likely have to attribute that to Fran. His organization system made sense. Cups over the sink. Plates over the stove. Silverware in the drawer next to the stove.

  When Maggie had asked to come over after dinner the other night, Eva had cut up fresh lemons and put them in filtered water with some sugar. She'd rarely had fresh lemonade. The fresh lemons themselves were usually more expensive than the cheap bottled, store-brand gallons. Fran even had some mint that she tossed in the mixture.

  He'd given her free reign of the kitchen and the fridge. That morning before he and the kids left, she'd made a huge breakfast. Pancakes, eggs, sausage, and a fresh fruit salad. She hadn't eaten like that since her parents had still been with them.

  She'd worried it had been too much. The look on Fran's face when he'd seen the fare told her it was perfect. He vocalized his appreciation around mouthfuls of food as he chatted with her siblings about their plans for the day. Eva had begged off, telling them she had some thinking to do.

  Fran had given her a meaningful look when she'd said that. She still hadn't given him an answer to his marriage proposal. She wasn't sure what held her back? Nothing did. She only knew that something should.

  "So, it was love at first sight?" she asked Maggie.

  "It was something at first sight. I don't know if I'd call it love, but love came quickly. The first time I saw Dylan, I knew he was someone I could trust, someone who'd keep me and my dogs safe."

  Eva had felt the same way about Fran. She'd felt safe in his arms. She'd known he would keep her and her siblings safe. The thought of a lifetime of safety sounded good to her.

  "You know, he's … not in the best of health?" said Maggie.

  There was that. "Is it as dire as he says? There's no hope?"

  Maggie shrugged. "After the month I've had, I believe in miracles. What I do know for sure is that Fran is one of the best of them. All these guys are. I saw the way he looks at you."

  That piqued Eva's attention. Fran had been looking at her? She'd felt something between them, but she had such little experience with men she wasn't sure if she was reading it right. />
  "I haven't known him long, but I saw that same look in Dylan's eyes when he proposed to me."

  "You don't think it's crazy that I'm even considering this? Well, of course, you don't. You married quickly. The funny thing is we met at the church while I was giving a talk about preparing for the future."

  "Let me guess," said Maggie. "Pastor Patel asked you to speak?"

  "Yes, he did. Do you know him?"

  "I know him, all right." Maggie grinned, her gaze softening once more. But it was how Eva used to look at her father.

  "Right, Fran said he works here with the soldiers."

  "Hmmm." Maggie's eyes reflected the light of mischief. "You could call it that."

  "I want to get married. I want my education too. But getting married for a place to live, I don't know?"

  "It's more than a place to live. It's a family. This land belongs to Dylan now. It'll take him some time to get the zoning changed so anyone can live here. In the meantime, no matter what, or when, you'd have a place here. You and your family would have people who have your back here, whether you wanted us to or not."

  The tone of Maggie’s voice sounded as if she was trying to sound threatening but failed. Her words sounded like heaven to Eva. A knock sounded at the back door. When they turned, Fran poked his head in.

  "You don't have to knock on your own door," said Eva.

  "I didn't want to interrupt," he said coming inside. His gaze fastened on her, and she felt her cheeks heat.

  "I was just about to head out," said Maggie. She gave Eva a squeeze. "See you at dinner in the hall tonight, okay?"

  Eva let go of Maggie's friendly embrace and turned to Fran. They were alone. Though he stood apart from her, she felt the heat from him. Just being close to him made her body settle like feet sinking into the sand, or better yet, a seed settling into rich soil.

  "I'm not here to pressure you about that question I asked you the other day," he said.

  Was that disappointment she felt sinking in her chest?

  "You can take your time on that," he said.

  "I thought we didn't have much time."

  "We'll make time. It's a big decision, and I want you to be sure. I just came to tell you that Carlos …"

  Whatever Fran said afterward trailed off like the volume slowly being turned down on a television set. Eva watched his lips move. The hum of his deep voice felt good as it traveled through her eardrums and into her head. For someone so level-headed, Fran made her feel dizzy.

  She snapped back to attention when silence filled the room. He was waiting for her response. Patient as always. Like a tree that had been there for centuries, strong and solid.

  "Yes," she said.

  "So, it's okay that Carlos goes fishing at the pond?"

  "What?"

  "Carlos. I told him it was okay, but I wanted to double check with you. If it's not okay, I'll go get him."

  "It's fine. I trust you and all of the guys here. That's not what I was saying yes to."

  She heard his breath catch. Fran's gaze locked on her. She felt like a target, and he was a heat-seeking missile.

  He took a step toward her. "What were you saying yes to?"

  Eva swallowed. She was certain, but that hadn't stopped her hands from shaking and her heart from going a mile a minute.

  "Yes," she repeated. "Yes, I'll marry you."

  They stood, gazing at each other from across the room. Eva wanted to run to him, to envelope herself in his arms and stay. But she held still, unsure of exactly what to do.

  "I'll take care of everything," he said.

  Eva was pretty sure that those were the sexiest words a man could ever say to a woman. "I trust you."

  His grin spread as though those were the sexiest words a woman could ever say to a man.

  "Of course, our marriage will be platonic."

  Eva blinked. She cocked her head to the side to shake the words into a comprehensible order. No matter the arrangement, the meaning came out the same.

  "I wouldn't ask that of you."

  "Right," she said in a halfhearted, tepid tone. "Of course not."

  The thought of sex hadn't entered her mind. But she doubted it was far from her mind. Hearing that it was off the table? Well, it hadn't exactly thrilled her.

  She supposed it made sense. They'd just met. And he was dying. And this was a marriage of convenience. They weren't in love.

  Still, her heart thumped an erratic rhythm at what she would not be offered on the plate.

  Chapter Thirteen

  "Was it love at first sight?" asked Rosalee.

  Fran looked down at his bride's little sister. Rosalee stood at the gazebo with Fran in the late afternoon sun. She was dressed in a new dress that he'd bought for her.

  Fran had seen the girl eyeing the dress that morning as they went to grab a few essentials for the ceremony. Eva had turned over the price tag and pinched her lips together. Fran hadn't even looked at the tag, but grabbed the dress from the rack and put it in the cart.

  Before Eva could protest, he'd said the words that had shut her mouth when he'd purchased their rings and a small bouquet of flowers. "We're family now."

  And just like that, the words stopped her protest. He realized he could get away with a lot with those three words. But they didn't suffice in answer to the kids' questions.

  "Are you gonna be, like, my dad now?" asked Carlos. He hadn't asked for any new clothes, but Fran had still purchased him a white collared shirt to wear with his jeans. The kid fidgeted in the stiff clothes.

  "Well, she's your sister," said Fran, choosing to answer the easier of the two questions launched at him. "So, that would make us brothers."

  Carlos grinned at that idea. His head bobbed in a nod as his shoulders straightened.

  "When did you realize you loved Eva?" Rosalee pressed.

  "Obviously, in the last couple of days, Rosie," Carlos said. "Otherwise why would he be marrying her. That's why people get married, right? Because they're in love."

  "Or because the girl got pregnant," said Rosalee.

  Carlos turned shocked, mutinous eyes on Fran. Pride filled Fran's chest as he watched the young boy's hackles rise to think anyone would take advantage of his older sister.

  "Eva's not pregnant," Fran assured him. Turning to Rosalee, he tried an academic argument. "Marriage isn't just about love. It's about protection, property, financial stability. It establishes rights and obligations that the government will recognize."

  Both kids frowned at him as though they were sitting in the back of the class, and he was droning on at the lectern.

  "I liked your sister from the first moment I saw her. Just like I liked you all when we first met. I wanted to be a part of your family, and I wanted you to be my family."

  "You could've adopted us," said Rosalee. She was a smart kid.

  "True," Fran said.

  "You don't have to marry Eva for that."

  "I want to marry Eva." That came out a bit more vehemently than Fran had planned.

  She didn't say it, but he saw the question why in the sparkle of Rosalee's eyes. Eyes so like her sister's. Thankfully, he didn't have to answer that question as he saw movement in the distance.

  Two golf carts pulled up. The first contained Reed, Sean, Xavier, and Dr. Patel who would be officiating the ceremony. In the second golf cart was Dylan, Maggie, and Eva.

  Fran's eyes caught and held on the second golf cart. He couldn't see what Eva was wearing. She was sitting in the back seat. But he could see her face.

  Her face was tilted up to the sun, as though drinking it in. Her nostrils flared, and her shoulders lifted as she took a deep breath. Was she nervous? Was she having second thoughts?

  Fran felt his heart give a kick. He wanted to run to her, to grab hold of her and do what it took to convince her that this was the right decision. The thought of her going back to that apartment. The thought of not seeing her inside his home, having her close to protect. The thought of her not frowning up at hi
m as he threw down his credit card to buy her and her siblings whatever their hearts demanded. Well, he did not like any of those thoughts.

  As though she’d heard him, Eva's face tilted down. Her eyes opened, and her gaze found his.

  A twinge went through Fran's heart. A twisting ache that rattled his teeth. He battled through the pain, not allowing it to show on his face. Even if the shrapnel chose that moment to take his life, he would make sure Eva saw him smiling at her.

  Thankfully, the twinge died down by the time everyone was in place, and Eva walked toward him at the gazebo. He was sure there was music, as he saw Reed with speakers. He was sure words were said to him, as he was vaguely aware of Dr. Patel's lips moving. But Fran's eyes held rapt to Eva.

  She wore a simple dress; one she insisted on buying with her own money. It was little more than a white sundress, made of cotton with a lace trim. It sat on her strong shoulders, the lace making those shoulders look delicate. The dress grabbed at her bodice making Fran's palms itch to do the same. And then it flowed down around her torso, touching the tops of her knees. Strappy sandals completed the look.

  She was a vision. He knew that when the metal finally took him and his life was flashing before his eyes, that vision would hold for long moments before he turned into the light.

  "You look beautiful." It was the first words he'd said to her. He realized those words weren't said at the proper time as Dr. Patel cleared his throat with a smile, and the audience gathered sent up a chuckle.

  Fran shut his mouth, but he hadn't apologized for telling the truth. Eva did look beautiful. He wanted to hand over his credit card to her to buy more dresses just like that one so that he could gaze at her loveliness every day, instead of seeing her in ill-fitting jeans and T-shirts. He wanted to look down and see her painted toenails instead of scuffed sneakers and well-worn, black flats.

  He would do that, he silently promised her. He knew if he said it out loud, well, he'd interrupt the ceremony again. But he also knew that she would refuse. Anything he gave her would have to be done in stealth mode. At least until she realized that everything he had was all her due.