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Chapter Twenty-Three

“ B ernadette, you’re alright!” Lucas brought his sister in for a long hug.

Bernadette hugged him back. She and Zeke thought they were going to have to ask for Lucas and Gail’s whereabouts at the front desk of the hotel, but she’d been fortunate to find them in the restaurant part of the building.

“We wanted to wait for you two,” Lucas continued, “but Blaze and Faye were insistent we make it to this town as soon as possible. Though to be fair to Blaze, he had the fullest confidence that Zeke would keep you safe.”

Bernadette’s stomach tightened in dread. Was that admiration for Blaze that she heard in Lucas’ voice, or was it just her imagination?

“We’re glad you two made it,” Gail added and gave Bernadette a hug.

“Zeke was very brave in getting me away from the Red Ghost,” Bernadette said. “Would you believe that beast took us all the way back to Granite Wash Pass? All of the men in that town were ready to come after me, but Zeke got me safely out of there.”

“He did?” Gail asked, not hiding her surprise.

Bernadette got ready to explain how Zeke had done it when a man with a sheriff’s badge approached them.

“Pardon the interruption,” the sheriff began, “but I couldn’t help noticing the badge.” He gestured to Zeke’s vest. “Are you a lawman from a nearby town?”

Zeke nodded. “I’m the deputy in Flagstaff. My name is Zeke Ritter.”

The sheriff seemed relieved as he shook Zeke’s hand. “I know Sheriff Walter, though it’s been years since we talked. I’m glad to see he found a deputy.”

“Sheriff Walter is my uncle.”

“In that case, I’m even more glad to see you. I’m Sheriff Hoff. I’m currently the only lawman in this town. I could use your help with something, if you don’t mind?” His gaze went to the others. “This is something I’d rather not discuss in public.”

Bernadette sensed Zeke’s reluctance to leave her since he knew she was nervous about telling her brother about the marriage, but if the sheriff needed a lawman’s help, it would be wrong for her to keep him here. “You should go,” she encouraged Zeke. “I’ll be fine.”

When Zeke’s gaze went to Lucas, Lucas said, “We’re in room eighteen. After we eat, we’re going back there.”

Zeke relaxed. “Alright. I’ll return as soon as I can.” He looked as if he wanted to kiss her but settled for giving her hand a light squeeze.

The action was so quick that Lucas and Gail missed it.

Gail waited until Zeke and the sheriff were gone before she urged Bernadette to sit. “I’ll ask the cook to make something for you. What would you like to eat?”

Bernadette took note of the beef and vegetable soup and slices of bread they were eating. “I’ll have the same thing you two are eating.”

Gail offered a nod and left.

Lucas gave her a smile and picked up his cup of coffee. “I’m glad you and Zeke made it. It looked like the Red Ghost took almost all of your things.”

“Yes, my boots and my horse were all I had left. Zeke had to buy me these clothes so I could wear something that hadn’t been soaked in sweat for days.

” She poked her foot out from under the table and showed him her moccasins.

“Zeke carried me some of the way back to where we were camping, but I had to walk some of it. I ended up with some blisters. My boots were making it worse, so he bought these for me, too. He also had some salve that he used on my feet to make them better. He took really good care of me. He was a gentleman the entire time.” When she realized she was rambling, she stopped.

She didn’t know if this was helping her case or making things worse.

Gail sat at the table and smiled at them. “Did I miss anything interesting?”

Bernadette paused. This would be a good moment to tell them about the marriage. But what was the best way to do it?

Lucas set his cup down then asked, “Do you still want out of the betrothal to Blaze?”

Bernadette’s eyes grew wide. She hadn’t expected her brother to come out and ask the question, but now she had no choice but to tell them about marrying Zeke.

She cleared her throat and slid her foot back under the table.

Hands clasped in her lap, she said, “I don’t want to marry Blaze, Lucas.

I know you had your heart set on it. At first, I thought Blaze and I would do well together.

However, the more time we spent coming here, the more I realized I like Zeke more. ”

She waited for the mutual gasps of surprise that were bound to come from Lucas and Gail, but neither one looked as if this news took them off guard.

Deciding to press her luck, she went on, “Zeke’s rather sweet once you get to know him.

And look at what he bought me.” When she made sure no one else in the restaurant was paying attention to them, she slid the necklace out from under her collar so they could see it.

“It’s a gemstone that’s been mined right here in Arizona.

He said it matches my eyes. He said it’s as if it was made especially for me.

” She hurried to tuck the necklace back under her collar.

“Anyway, that’s the nicest thing any man’s ever done for me, and I think it says a lot about his character. ”

Gail narrowed her eyes at her in a way that let her know Gail was quickly figuring out where Bernadette was going with all of this.

Lucas, on the other hand, wasn’t so quick. “I don’t understand why you would accept such an expensive gift from him. That thing must have cost a lot.”

“It did,” Bernadette admitted. “I noticed it while we were buying supplies at the mercantile in Prescott. I wanted to buy it, but I didn’t because I only had so much money with me.

Anyway, I didn’t ask Zeke to buy it. I didn’t even know he purchased it until he bought me these clothes.

” That last part, she added for Gail’s benefit since Gail had missed that part of the conversation.

Lucas glanced at Gail. “I suppose we can pay Zeke back for the clothes and the necklace.”

Gail arched an eyebrow as if to ask why they would want to deprive a man the right to buy something for the woman he married, but she held her tongue.

Bernadette realized that Gail was waiting for Bernadette to come out and tell Lucas herself.

Bernadette took a deep breath. Lucas seemed fine with the fact that she no longer wanted to marry Blaze.

Half the battle was already won. Now, she had to convince him to give his blessing to her marriage with Zeke.

Bernadette shook her head and gave a slight giggle. She inwardly cringed. It was just like her to giggle around Lucas when she was nervous about something. “Actually, there’s no need to pay Zeke back. He wants to take care of me.”

“It’s nice he wants to take care of you, but we can’t ask him to buy you things, especially expensive things.” His gaze went to the collar that hid the necklace.

Gail watched Bernadette, still patiently waiting for Bernadette to tell Lucas what had happened.

“He wants to take care of me, Lucas,” she repeated. “He doesn’t just want to take care of me during this trip. He wants to take care of me forever.” When her brother still didn’t seem to understand what she was getting at, she added, “And I agreed to let him.”

Lucas gasped, but it wasn’t for the reason she expected.

“If you don’t want to marry Blaze, that’s fine,” he whispered.

“But I’m not going to have my little sister taken advantage of, even if this is an uncivilized place.

You better not tell me Zeke took your innocence because if you do, there’s going to be one less deputy in Arizona. ”

“Lucas,” Gail interrupted, not hiding her shock, “I don’t think you understand what’s going on.”

“You don’t,” Bernadette hurried to add. “Zeke and I married yesterday.”

Lucas paused for a long moment then asked, “If that’s true, then why are you so nervous?”

“I’m nervous because I’m not sure if you’ll approve of the marriage,” Bernadette replied. “I didn’t ask you for permission first.”

Lucas hesitated again. “There’s not a preacher in the desert. Where did you get married?”

“We married while we were at Desert Station.” When he seemed reluctant to believe her, she added, “There was a preacher there who agreed to marry us. His wife was the witness. They asked Zeke and me to stay and have dinner with them afterward. Zeke has the official paper with him. He can show it when he returns.”

Gail laughed. “Oh, that’s not necessary. We believe you.”

“Speak for yourself,” Lucas argued. “I’d like to see the marriage certificate.”

“You don’t believe her?” Gail asked.

“I’d like to, but it’d be nice to have proof. It wasn’t like we were there to witness the wedding.”

“But she married Zeke,” Gail pointed out in a tone that indicated a woman would have to be daft to do so. “Why would she lie about that?”

Bernadette knew Gail thought Zeke wasn’t the kind of husband a woman should aspire to have—and when they had started looking for Lee and Wilson, Bernadette would have agreed with her—but it stung that Gail was willing to point it out in this moment.

“Zeke appreciates me,” Bernadette spoke up.

“He’s kind and considerate. After you get to know him, you realize he’s charming, too.

He puts my needs first. He even ran off to protect me without even thinking about it.

I know he loves me, and I’m not ashamed to say I love him back.

When we’re finished with Lee and Wilson, I’m going to go to Flagstaff with him.

I’m not going to Hardyville, and I’m not going to Philadelphia. ”

Bernadette expected Lucas to argue with her, to insist that she couldn’t make this kind of decision without him.

He was older than her, and it had been his custom to tell her what to do.

It was a custom she had been fine with since it was common for the ladies to do as their guardians wanted.

But she would have to fight Lucas this time. Her future with Zeke was too important.

After a moment, Lucas said, “Alright. You can go to Flagstaff with Zeke. I don’t have anything against him.

He’s a good man. Gail might have reservations about him, but I don’t.

That all being said, though, I’m still going to have to see the marriage certificate to make sure you two are really married. ”

Glad he was willing to let her stay with Zeke, she offered him a nod. “When I see Zeke, I’ll let him know you need to see the certificate.”

Lucas frowned. “You will be with me and Gail until this business with Lee and Wilson is done. So when you see Zeke, I’ll be right there beside you.”

She supposed he was right. It was best that they stick together until the outlaws were safely out of the way.

A woman who worked in the restaurant brought her soup and bread. It was good that they’d had the awkward discussion before the food came. Now she could relax enough to enjoy the meal.