Page 50 of Honoring Freedom
After he popped the question, she thought about it and one night after a few drinks, she said yes. They went to a nearby county and got married at the courthouse. It wasn't her dream wedding, but the time with Keller was special. Plus, she did what Daddy wanted. She was back in the will. And with his help, she bought two new sires and planned to continue her breeding business. She also had a trainer working with Requiem to make him a racer.
“They never have to find out. Daddy knows and that is all that is needed.” He stiffened and she lowered her hands. “Keller…”
The only sign of emotion was that one corner of his mouth dipped into a frown. “I get it.”
They’d been through this a few times. “The secrecy isn’t just for my benefit. It’s for yours too.”
He took a wider step back. “True, because every man wants to feel like his wife is embarrassed to be married to him.”
And there it was. The lid was off. “Look at Cave and Wyler.”
“What about them? Do you think they care that the hands are jealous? It’s not very comfortable to be hanging out with my brothers-in-law and listening to them discuss their wives and I must stay silent.”
She closed the gap between them and laid her hand on his arm, feeling the muscle flex under fingers. “This ranch, my family, are like a barbed wire fence. We’re always in the spotlight.”
“How much longer are we going to do this? Sneaking around in barns and haystacks. Who is it that you’re really hiding me from? Your family or someone else?”
“What?”
“Everyone sees you flirting with Jinx. You don’t think I see it?”
She gave a chuckle at the ridiculousness of the statement. “You have to be kidding right now.” When he didn’t crack the slightest smile, she sighed. She remembered that Liberty had accused Freedom of flirting with Jinx too. “Jinx and I are friends. I have no desire to be anything but friends with him.”
His shoulders lowered some and he blew out a long exhale. “Look, I know you don’t. It just got to me that you were openly speaking to him in front of everyone and you won’t be caught twenty feet near me.”
His words dug a hole through her. She laid her hand against his warm cheek. “I haven’t done a very good job of protecting your feelings have I?”
He shook his head and something flickered across his expression—dangerous and feral. “It’s not your job to protect me. I volunteered for this marriage of convenience. Sometimes a man just needed to remind himself of facts.”
She lowered her fingertips to the neckline of his shirt. “I’m not ashamed of this marriage.”
“But?”
“When we divorce, no one will be the wiser.”
His frown deepened. “Free…” He couldn’t seem to finish his words.
“Keller, what do you want?”
He blinked. “Not this.”
She raised a brow. “Really?”
“Let me explain. I don’t want to keep sneaking around. We’re not doing anything we should be ashamed of. You’re my wife, at least right now,” he sighed. “I can’t stay long. I’m helping at the game stations.”
“Will you meet me at the scarecrow contest?”
“Why?” He seemed agitated.
“You heard me. Please meet me there.”
Chapter Nineteen
Folks assembled around the pasture, making a wide circle to watch the scarecrow contest.
The air hummed with excitement and the golden reeds swayed as the contestants gathered.
Keller searched for Freedom and finally found her. She was heading in his direction, adjusting her floppy, straw hat. She smiled at him, and he felt the universe stop a minute. She had no clue that he’d fallen in love with her—again.