Page 10 of May I Kiss the Bride

IF SOMEONE HAD TOLD REY a couple of hours ago that he’d be dodging a fistfight with Billy, then hauling him to jail, then dancing with Viola Delany, he would have laughed until his gut hurt.

But holding the real live, breathing Viola in his arms while they danced was no laughing matter.

It might be a smiling matter, but it was also a nerve-racking event.

Mostly because she was a much better dancer than he was, and also because she smelled like the peach pies she’d baked for the barn dance.

Oh, and her cheeks were definitely flushed, which only made her gray eyes sparkle and the color of her lips seem redder.

Viola was a beautiful, vivacious, and commanding woman. He’d seen that in her actions after Billy stumbled into the pie table. But Rey had to tell his brain that the woman was not a permanent resident of Mayfair. She’d be leaving at the end of the summer, and that would be that.

Still, dancing with her was something he couldn’t very well turn down since Elsie had insisted on it.

“I know she’s only a visitor, Papa,” Elsie had said when he’d returned to the barn that night. “But I chose Viola for you to dance with. I already told her too.”

This had certainly caught his attention. “Oh, and what did she say when you told her?”

“She said you and she were friends, but I don’t think that means you can’t dance.”

“It sure doesn’t,” Rey had answered.

So here he was. Taking a turn about the room with Viola as the fiddler played a slow melody. Rey could practically feel every single person’s eyes upon him, but he decided not to care. He could dance with a woman and not make front-page headlines in the weekly Mayfair Chronicle , right?

“You seem to be deep in thought,” Viola commented. “Did everything go well with Billy, or did he take another swing at you?”

Rey gazed into Viola’s upturned face. “Oh, he was quite repentant. Most men get that way when they’re facing jail time.”

“Hmm.” Viola looked away for a moment. “Well, thank you for attempting to throw him out, even though things went awry.”

Rey chuckled. “You’re welcome.” He paused. “Did you think I was hovering over you like Billy accused?”

“Hmm,” Viola said again.

Rey was beginning to think that maybe she was trying to torture him with all those mysterious hmms . “You can be honest with me, Viola. I’ll take it like a man.”

Her brows arched. “I’ve always been honest with you, but that doesn’t mean I have to tell you all my thoughts and opinions.

But if you really want to know, I can understand how Billy, or others, might have viewed their sheriff as hovering over the new lady in town.

Or maybe it was just the pie table—I assume you’re fond of pies like most people. ”

“I am fond of pies, but I was also enjoying my chat with you.” Rey pulled her a half inch closer. “Is there something wrong with a little conversation?”

She lifted her chin a bit higher. “Nothing wrong with it at all. I just find it funny that we were both determined not to dance tonight, yet here we are.”

“Here we are …” He knew he was smiling like a fool, but he found he didn’t care. His little matchmaker daughter was probably going to read into this dance far more than she should, but again, Rey didn’t care at the moment.

He thought about how wonderful it would be if everyone could leave the barn dance so that he could be alone with Viola. Why? He wasn’t ready to put that into words, but there were too many potential interruptions. He felt like a giant clock was counting down, one tick at a time.

Viola’s smaller hand was encased in his while her other hand rested on his shoulder. This brought him a measure of comfort that he’d forgotten about. How a woman’s touch could bring him so much contentment.

“I’ll bet word of this will reach my aunt before I return to her place,” she said, “and then I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Which will be?”

When her brow creased, he added, “What will your aunt pester you about?”

“Oh, she’ll tell me what a fine man you are.

She’ll bemoan her arthritis and how she can’t trust the other shopgirls as much as me.

Then she’ll finally add that you’re the type of man who’d let me pursue my dreams. The type of man I could marry, have a family with, but still enjoy things outside the home. ”

“Am I that type of man?”

“Are you going to go back on your word, Reynold Christensen?”

“I’ve never gone back on my word, and I don’t aim to now.”

They weren’t dancing anymore. They were simply standing in the middle of the floor, in each other’s embrace, their words whispered between them.

“I’ve decided to do it,” Viola suddenly said. “I don’t know how my parents will react, but when I return home, I’m going to visit the nursing school in San Francisco and inquire about enrolling. If they won’t have me, I’ll look around at other cities.”

Something twisted in Rey’s heart, but he grinned. “Excellent. You’re a natural, you know. Even tonight, with Billy being as rotten as he was, you still took care of his broken nose. And you didn’t faint at all that blood.”

“First of all, he wasn’t you with a gunshot wound. Second, he deserved the broken nose for the way he acted. I guess seeing him face down on the ground showed that he was human after all.”

Rey was very satisfied with her answer. Without a word, they both began to move again to the melody of the dance music.

“I’m proud of you, Viola,” Rey murmured, ignoring his aching heart. “Making such a decision about nursing school must be hard. Especially when your parents might not support you.”

Viola’s hand seemed to tighten in his. “Knowing that not everyone believes as my parents do has made me see things differently and given me hope. Thank you, Rey. Between you and my aunt, I feel like I can follow my dream.”

Rey had to ignore his own feelings about Viola’s potential schooling three states away.

“You’ll be an excellent nurse, and maybe one day you’ll want a family,” he said, not knowing exactly where all of this advice was coming from.

“In a small town like Mayfair, you could do both. Doc could use someone to help out once in a while. Especially during times when he has to go on calls at one of the farms.”

Viola tilted her head and studied him. He certainly hoped she couldn’t read minds.

“Next thing you’ll tell me is that there’s a nursing school in Cheyenne.”

“I think there is,” Rey said with a wink. “But don’t let me talk you into anything.”

He was teasing, sort of, but what Viola did next would have leveled him if he hadn’t been standing on firm ground.

“The dance is over, Sheriff.” She rose up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks for asking me despite it being Elsie’s idea.”

Then Viola released him and walked away before he could tell her that even if Elsie hadn’t been the instigator, he would have asked her to dance.

But Viola was a half dozen feet away by the time his head stopped spinning.

Now, why had she gone and kissed him on the cheek?

Was that how things were done in the Delany family, or did it mean something more?

Something that he didn’t dare let his mind indulge in.

Because every single person in the whole town would be talking about this before the hour was up.

Rey didn’t speak directly to Viola the rest of the night.

It was quite impossible since everyone seemed to want their dessert at the same time.

The pie table remained populated while Viola cheerfully served up slice after slice.

Rey guessed she’d been asked a few more times to dance, gauging by the men standing before her, hat in hand.

But she never did dance again, and Rey took a bit of pride in that.

“Papa,” Elsie said, appearing at his side while he was talking himself out of approaching the pie table and doing some of that “hovering.” “Can I spend the night at Lucy’s house?”

Rey looked down at his daughter. “How about another night? I’ve missed you too much to let you out of my sight.”

Elsie giggled at this, and miraculously, she leaned against him. “All right, Papa. When you don’t miss me so much, then can I spend the night?”

Rey bent and kissed the top of her head. “I think that can be negotiated.”

“Sheriff, there’s a couple of boys joyriding in one of the wagons outside. Folks are afraid someone will get hurt.”

Rey turned to look at Phil. “Thanks for letting me know.” Thatcher had remained at the jail, so Rey headed outside. It didn’t take long to put the fear of the good Lord into the two teen boys.

When he returned to the barn, Old Jennings was packing up his fiddle, several townsfolk were putting away tables and chairs, and there was some negotiating over who was taking home the leftover pies.

Rey wondered if Viola would accept a ride home in his cart, but she was walking arm in arm with Della toward the entrance. He received a smile and a nod and then she was gone.

“Papa, are we staying here all night?” Elsie said, tugging at his arm, right before she gave a giant yawn.

“Nope. Heading out now.” He grasped her hand. By the time they exited the barn, Viola Delany was nowhere in sight.