Read Online His Heartbroken Bride (The Brides of Paradise Ranch - Spicy Version Book 4) by Merry Farmer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Merry Farmer
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he went on. “There’s just a feeling in my gut that something is undone right now. It’s like—”
His analogy was cut short as the door at the back of the church flew open. The chill, November wind banged it against the wall, causing everyone in the church to jump. Mason leapt to his feet, but only because Libby stood in the doorway.
“Thank God.” The tightness in his chest eased up. He hadn’t known how anxious he’d been for her, how desperately he had wanted her to show up and go through with things, until he saw her standing there, framed in the bright light of morning pouring in through the door.
Her face was pink, and her chest rose and fell in deep pants—as if she’d run to the church. Her eyes were large and round. Panic radiated from her.
Mason’s heart turned to steel in his chest. He balled his hands into fists and marched to the back of the church, ready to defend Libby to the death if someone had so much as said boo to her.
“Sorry.” Libby took a few steps toward him, reaching out. She turned her head to repeat to the cluster of her family, “Sorry. The wind blew the door. I didn’t mean to frighten anyone.” She stepped over to hug each of her boys.
And yet, she was deeply frightened herself. As soon as she stepped away from Petey and Matthew, Mason took her hands and pulled her close.
“We were beginning to think we’d have to go back to the house to get you,” Josephine laughed.
“Yeah,” little Petey seconded. “Matthew thought you decided to go back home to Oregon without us.”
Libby had been about to lean against Mason’s side, but at her son’s words, she leapt toward him. “No, sweetheart, never.” She hugged Petey, then reached for Matthew and drew him into the embrace as well. Voice shaking, she went on with, “I will never leave you, and I’ll never go back there. You don’t have to worry about that.”
Mason exchanged a concerned glance with Pete Evans over Libby’s head. It looked as though Pete had caught the odd sound of Libby’s promise too. He looked as fierce as any father who suspected his daughter was in trouble. Knowing he wasn’t alone in his assessment of things hardened Mason’s resolve to get to the bottom of Libby’s troubles as soon as possible. But first things first.
“Rev. Pickering, are you ready?” he called up to the front of the church.
“Yes, whenever you are,” the young reverend replied.
Libby straightened from hugging her boys and stepped across to Mason. Mason took her arm and escorted her down the aisle, her family and his brothers and friends following behind.
“You didn’t change your mind?” he whispered so that only Libby could hear.
She shook her head tightly. As answers went, it wasn’t reassuring.
“Libby, you’re certain you want to go through with this?” he asked again, more serious.
“Yes,” she breathed as they reached the front of the church and paused to face each other. “Yes, I want to marry you. As soon as possible. Right away.”
The fear in her eyes doubled. It was enough to leave Mason with the sensation of crawling out of his skin. What was he supposed to do? He loved this woman. Under the circumstances, he was ready to admit that and all that it meant. He loved her enough to marry her that instant, knowing she was hiding things. But Lord above, he wished she’d tell him what it was so that he could help her.
Well, for the moment, the best way he could help her was to do what she wanted and marry her as quickly as Rev. Pickering could get through the sermon.
“We’re doing the right thing,” he told Libby as they quickly signed the marriage certificate, then stepped into place.
She managed to smile as she glanced up at him, though her lashes were damp with tears. “I know.”
It was too soon to kiss her the way he wanted, so Mason raised one of her hands to his lips and kissed that instead. He then turned to Rev. Pickering and nodded.
Rev. Pickering nodded in return, then
His analogy was cut short as the door at the back of the church flew open. The chill, November wind banged it against the wall, causing everyone in the church to jump. Mason leapt to his feet, but only because Libby stood in the doorway.
“Thank God.” The tightness in his chest eased up. He hadn’t known how anxious he’d been for her, how desperately he had wanted her to show up and go through with things, until he saw her standing there, framed in the bright light of morning pouring in through the door.
Her face was pink, and her chest rose and fell in deep pants—as if she’d run to the church. Her eyes were large and round. Panic radiated from her.
Mason’s heart turned to steel in his chest. He balled his hands into fists and marched to the back of the church, ready to defend Libby to the death if someone had so much as said boo to her.
“Sorry.” Libby took a few steps toward him, reaching out. She turned her head to repeat to the cluster of her family, “Sorry. The wind blew the door. I didn’t mean to frighten anyone.” She stepped over to hug each of her boys.
And yet, she was deeply frightened herself. As soon as she stepped away from Petey and Matthew, Mason took her hands and pulled her close.
“We were beginning to think we’d have to go back to the house to get you,” Josephine laughed.
“Yeah,” little Petey seconded. “Matthew thought you decided to go back home to Oregon without us.”
Libby had been about to lean against Mason’s side, but at her son’s words, she leapt toward him. “No, sweetheart, never.” She hugged Petey, then reached for Matthew and drew him into the embrace as well. Voice shaking, she went on with, “I will never leave you, and I’ll never go back there. You don’t have to worry about that.”
Mason exchanged a concerned glance with Pete Evans over Libby’s head. It looked as though Pete had caught the odd sound of Libby’s promise too. He looked as fierce as any father who suspected his daughter was in trouble. Knowing he wasn’t alone in his assessment of things hardened Mason’s resolve to get to the bottom of Libby’s troubles as soon as possible. But first things first.
“Rev. Pickering, are you ready?” he called up to the front of the church.
“Yes, whenever you are,” the young reverend replied.
Libby straightened from hugging her boys and stepped across to Mason. Mason took her arm and escorted her down the aisle, her family and his brothers and friends following behind.
“You didn’t change your mind?” he whispered so that only Libby could hear.
She shook her head tightly. As answers went, it wasn’t reassuring.
“Libby, you’re certain you want to go through with this?” he asked again, more serious.
“Yes,” she breathed as they reached the front of the church and paused to face each other. “Yes, I want to marry you. As soon as possible. Right away.”
The fear in her eyes doubled. It was enough to leave Mason with the sensation of crawling out of his skin. What was he supposed to do? He loved this woman. Under the circumstances, he was ready to admit that and all that it meant. He loved her enough to marry her that instant, knowing she was hiding things. But Lord above, he wished she’d tell him what it was so that he could help her.
Well, for the moment, the best way he could help her was to do what she wanted and marry her as quickly as Rev. Pickering could get through the sermon.
“We’re doing the right thing,” he told Libby as they quickly signed the marriage certificate, then stepped into place.
She managed to smile as she glanced up at him, though her lashes were damp with tears. “I know.”
It was too soon to kiss her the way he wanted, so Mason raised one of her hands to his lips and kissed that instead. He then turned to Rev. Pickering and nodded.
Rev. Pickering nodded in return, then
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