by Heidi Betts
She didn't bother holding back her tears now, and they ran past her temples and into her hair. Wade's own eyes were deceptively bright, and she leaned over to press a light kiss to his lips.
"If things were different, you're just the sort of wife I'd look forward to spending the rest of my life with. But we both know I can't promise you anything, Callie. Not happiness or forever or even my being around much longer. There's a good chance I'll be caught and sent back to prison. But if that happens, at least I'll know you and Matthew will be taken care of. At least I'll have a couple of really nice memories to think back on whenever things get too tough and I don't think I can stand one more day of being locked up in that hellhole."
His teeth ground together, and Callie ran her fingers through the hair at his nape, trying to draw his attention away from such dark, discouraging thoughts.
"I think I love you, too,” she all but whispered. “And if you're sure, then the answer is yes, I'll marry you."
His eyes closed and his face went out of focus as he closed in to kiss her. She savored the heat of his mouth, along with all the emotions his lips and tongue conveyed. And in return, she tried to show just how much she cared for him.
The kiss was long and slow but intense, and full of passion and joy. Callie couldn't remember anything ever feeling so right.
When he lifted his head, he was grinning like a greenhorn who'd just broken his first bronco. She couldn't help but smile in return.
"I want to get this done as soon as possible. Make sure things are in order for you and Matthew."
In case something happens to me. The words went unspoken, but she heard them clear as cut crystal. She swallowed, not wanting to think about the danger Wade was still in, what could happen to him if the posse managed to track him down.
"We can sneak into town and have the priest you left Matthew with perform the ceremony,” he continued.
And then he cupped her face, caressing her cheeks with the sides of his thumbs. “I'm sorry I can't give you more, Callie. A woman's wedding should be the most special day of her life, with a beautiful dress, and flowers, and friends and family at her side. Not some clandestine event.” His mouth turned down in a frown. “You deserve better."
She didn't know what to say to that. True, she'd always dreamed of a lovely, romantic wedding. A long, lace-edged gown for the bride, a dark suit for the groom. A church decorated with flowers and ribbon, pews filled with smiling faces.
But she'd never imagined walking down the aisle toward a man like Wade. He was caring and kind and made her feel more special than anyone ever had before.
"It doesn't matter,” she said, and meant it,
"It does matter. I've got to be crazy to even ask this of you. Even so, I can't find it in me to try to change your mind.
"But know this, Callie: if something happens to me, I want you to many again. Find someone worthy of your devotion. And use the money from the mine to do it, to buy and do anything you want."
Keeping her tone upbeat, even as sadness and worry clutched at her chest, she said, “We're not even married, and already you're trying to get rid of me."
His fingers feathered through the long strands of her hair. “Never. Never, Callie. If there's any way for me to clear my name, to come back and spend the rest of my life with you, I will. But that's not something we can hang our hopes on. We have to be realistic. I'm going to stay with you and Matthew for as long as I can, Callie, but I won't put either of you in danger.
"We'll go into town and get hitched, hope the padre doesn't get suspicious,” he added with a weak half-smile, “and then I'll sign over everything I still own to you. That way, no matter what happens, you and Matthew will be set."
Keeping her eyes locked with his, she wished he would tell her again that he loved her. Or thought he did, at any rate. She didn't want to think about him being caught and sent back to prison. She didn't want to think about him rotting away in that penitentiary in Huntsville. She only wanted him to love her, and to love him in return. For him to stay here with her and Matthew, and for them to build a life together.
Of course, none of that was possible as long as his face still adorned WANTED posters all over the south of Texas.
"Let's not think or talk about any of that right now. Let's just . . . be happy. For as long as we have together."
"For as long as we have together.” He rested his forehead against hers and nodded solemnly. “I wouldn't have it any other way."
Early the next evening, Callie dressed in a pure white shirtwaist and a royal blue skirt, then bundled up Matthew while Wade changed into one of Nathan's Sunday suits.
Butterflies flew around in her stomach. She was really doing this. She was getting married.
Nathan would skin her alive if he knew. Not only for agreeing to marry a convicted felon, but for not warning or at least alerting him of her plans.
But she didn't have time to send a message all the way to California, let alone wait for her brother's response. She'd already made her decision. She believed in Wade and was willing to put her name, her reputation, her life on the line for him.
The plan, as they'd ironed it out, was for Callie and Matthew to walk into town while Wade did the same, making only a small detour past the Circle M to retrieve the deed to the gold mine.
That was the part that frightened Callie the most. She didn't want Wade setting foot on the Circle M. She was afraid that if Brady or any of his men caught him there, they would kill him, or frame him for another crime he hadn't committed. And she couldn't let that happen.
Carrying Matthew into the sitting room, she lifted the lid of her sewing basket and took out the Colt revolver Nathan had left with her for protection.
Chapter Twenty-five
When Wade came down the steps and walked into the parlor, he found Callie standing in the middle of the room, one hand balancing Matthew on her hip, the other holding a pistol pointed directly at his belly.
"You weren't planning on making yourself a widow before you even became a bride, were you?"
She jumped as his voice filled the silent room.
"This is for you,” she said, ignoring his teasing question altogether and marching forward.
With the gun barrel pointed at the floor, she held it out to him. “I want you to take it with you when you go back to the Circle M. For protection in case you run across someone who wants to do you harm."
"Like the posse?” he asked, taking the revolver, checking to see that it was loaded, and tucking it into the waistband of his pants, where it would be covered by the overlapping sides of his suit jacket.
"If it comes to that, though I was thinking more of Brady Young or any of his hired men."
"I don't expect trouble, Callie. No one knows where I hid the papers to the mine."
"There's a posse on your trail and Brady Young has not only been working your land as though it's his own but has offered a reward for your capture—dead or alive. I'd say you have plenty to be cautious of. Do what you have to on the way to the church, but be careful."
He caught the alarmed edge in her tone and took a step forward to put a hand on her arm. “Are you having second thoughts, Callie? Because if you are, I'll understand."
"About marrying you? No.” Her head moved back and forth vehemently. “About letting you go exactly where the law and Young both expect you to go and your possibly getting killed in the process? Definitely."
"I'm doing this for you, Callie. For you and Matthew. Without the proof of ownership to that gold mine, I won't know the two of you are taken care of."
"You don't understand, Wade. We don't want your money or possession of your mine. We've been fine up until now and will continue to do well, no matter what happens. What we want is for you to be safe."
A lump formed in his throat, and it took a minute to dissipate so he could speak.
"Thank you.” The words came out hushed and intense. “You don't know what that means to me. Really. But I need to do this. L
et me do this so that if the worst comes to pass, I will know I left you at least a bit better off than I found you. All right?"
She remained silent for a moment, her mouth set in a thin, flat line. And then she nodded. “If you feel this is what you have to do, then do it. Just know that it doesn't matter to me. It isn't necessary."
"Agreed,” he said, shooting her a quick, reassuring half-smile. “Can we go get married now? I've got a hankering to hurry through the formalities and hightail it back here for the honeymoon."
As he'd hoped they would, Callie's lips lifted. Matthew blew happy little spit bubbles, as though he followed what was going on around him and found their adult problems highly amusing.
"I'll see you there,” he said, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek.
Callie left the house through the front door, carrying Matthew, while Wade sneaked out the other way. She'd made the trip into town numerous times before, but that didn't keep him from worrying for her and the baby's safety. Especially when it came to meeting up with him at the mission.
If anyone saw him . . . if anyone saw them together, both she and Matthew could be in danger. His hand ran over the shape of the pistol in his belt, and he was suddenly glad she'd thought to give him the gun. He hoped he wouldn't need to use it, of course, but it eased his mind at least partially about his ability to protect Callie and Matthew if anything untoward occurred.
Making his way into the woods a short distance from the house, he moved as fast as he could toward his old homestead.
When he'd discovered the deed to his ranch missing, he'd known instinctively who'd taken it and why. He'd also known that Neville Young didn't really want his land, but the mine rumored to be hidden somewhere nearby.
Just as he'd explained to Callie, the ranch and the mine were actually two different properties, with two separate sets of ownership papers. That didn't mean Brady Young wouldn't work the mine if he discovered its location, thinking it was all part of the land his father had stolen from Wade. But Wade was the full legal owner. At any time, he—or Callie, once they were man and wife—could come forward and take possession of the mine back from Young.
All he had to do was retrieve the deed.
After finding the other documents missing, and before he'd stormed over to Neville Young's to confront the man about the theft, he'd moved the rest of his important legal papers from the previously locked storage box in his office to the hollow of a loose stone in the well behind his house.
It was risky to go even that far onto the Circle M, but not quite as dangerous as if he had to actually go inside the house.
Making himself as small as possible to remain unseen, he crouched at the edge of the tree line on the east end of the Circle M.
As far as he could see, no one milled about behind the buildings. No cowboys rode watch along the fence lines. He hoped any hired hands still working would stick to the area around the barn out front so he could slip around back, collect what he needed, and escape again into the woods without being spotted.
When he felt the situation was as safe as it was likely to get, he cut across the pasture at a run, heading straight for the round stone well. It took him barely a minute to find the secret stone, remove the battered tin hidden behind it, tuck the mine papers into the inside pocket of his jacket, and return to the protection of the trees.
Now all that was left was for him to get to the church and make Callie Quinn his wife.
Twisting her hands together at her waist, Callie paced back and forth behind the two rows of polished wooden benches in the vestibule of the Purgatory mission. Seated at the end of a nearby pew, Father Ignacio bounced baby Matthew on his knee, playing with the child and casting sidelong glances in her direction.
She'd arrived at the church more than half an hour earlier and had been nervously awaiting Wade ever since. Chances were, he was fine. But the possibility existed that he had been hurt or captured, and she didn't think her heart would stop pounding until he arrived safe and sound.
"You are agitated, child,” Father Ignacio finally commented. “What is it we are waiting for?"
She shook her head, not answering that particular question. “I need a favor, Father. You'll understand soon enough. We just have to wait . . . wait for something."
Instead of pressing for further details, the padre returned his attention to Matthew, addressing her over the baby's shoulder. “You know I will help you in any way I can. I only wish you would confide in me about what has you so upset."
She jerked her head again in denial, then spun around at a sound from the front of the church. Entering through a lesser-used door at the side of the building, Wade stalked up the aisle toward them.
Callie met him halfway, wrapping her arms around his waist and reaching up to press her cheek against his own. The hard metal outline of the Colt she'd given him dug into her torso through the layers of their clothes, reminding her of just what a dangerous mission he'd been on.
"Are you all right?” she asked. “How did it go?"
"Fine. Everything's fine.” His glance skimmed past her to Father Ignacio. “Does he know what we want? Will he perform the service?"
"No. I didn't want to tell him too much, in case something went wrong. I'm sure he'll agree, though."
His fingers linked with hers, he hooked her arm over his elbow and led her toward the priest.
Father Ignacio rose at their approach, lifting Matthew from his lap to his chest.
"Father, this is Wade Mason,” Callie began. “He's asked me to marry him, and I was hoping you'd perform the ceremony for us."
The priest considered Wade, sizing him up, Callie saw.
A gentleman down to his toes, Wade offered his hand to the holy man. “Padre,” he murmured politely.
Father Ignacio's gaze moved from Wade to her. “Callie. Child. I have never heard you mention a male suitor before. You are sure about this?"
"Very sure, Father. Wade is a wonderful man."
She almost told him, too, about Wade being Matthew's father, but was afraid he might have somehow heard that the man who impregnated Lily had also been sent to prison for murder. She didn't want him to realize Wade was on the run from the law.
"He and Nathan are friends. And he loves Matthew. He'll make an excellent father,” she added for good measure, giving Wade's hand a squeeze to keep him from correcting her.
"You love him, then?” the father asked pointedly.
Callie felt a little flutter in her stomach and lifted her head to look at Wade. Their eyes met and his warm coffee-brown gaze washed over her.
Oh, yes, I am sure. She might have her doubts about some parts of this plan, about what their future would hold, but she had no qualms about loving this man and wanting to spend the rest of her life with him, God willing.
"I do,” she told the priest, her gaze still locked with Wade's.
"And you, young man,” he addressed Wade.
"Your intentions toward this woman are honorable?"
"Absolutely,” Wade answered without hesitation.
After another lengthy pause, the padre inclined his head. “Very well, then. I will marry you. We will need a witness, however. I will get one of the sisters."
He handed Matthew back to Callie and bustled off toward one of the doorways leading to the orphanage attached to the church.
When he returned, a petite young nun in tow, Callie and Wade were waiting for him at the pulpit. They smiled appreciatively and thanked the sister for taking the time to witness their wedding, then waited while the father gathered his Bible and special vestments.
"Before he comes over here,” Wade said, leaning close so that only Callie would hear, “I want to tell you where the mine is located on the Circle M."
In a whispered voice, he described what the overgrown area would look like, and how to count paces from the southwest corner of the house. Callie hoped she'd remember his instructions when the time came.
Better yet, she hoped she would never need to
go looking for the mine on her own. She prayed Wade's name would be cleared and he would be free to mine his land himself.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the deed to that particular portion of land. “Here, take this. Keep it somewhere safe."
Carefully folding the parchment, she balanced Matthew's weight on her chest and forearm and slipped the papers into her reticule just as Father Ignacio came to stand before them.
"Are we ready to start?” he asked.
"Yes,” both Wade and Callie responded at the same time, moving closer together. Their arms brushed, and the heat of Wade's body seeped into hers.
The priest began to speak, intoning the merits of faithfulness and the importance of keeping promised vows. To love, honor, obey, and cherish.
Well, maybe not obey, Callie thought, but she was pretty sure Wade knew that already. She hadn't exactly been the most agreeable in his short stay with her. And now he got to put up with her through all eternity.
"Do you, Callie, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
Her pulse sped up at those words. For a second, she couldn't speak, too caught up in the fact that she was actually getting married, that Wade would be her husband from this day forward, and she would soon be Matthew's mother both by choice and by law.
It was almost all she'd ever wanted. Certainly her main goal since Wade's arrival had been to secure her place in Matthew's life. And now she would never need to use the adoption certificate she'd been in such a lather to have Father Ignacio sign for her. A fact for which she was almost pathetically grateful.
The only thing better than knowing Matthew would never be taken from her was to be married to Matthew's father.
