love you so much, Johnny!”
He lifted a dark brow. The corner of his mouth ticked up. “I am a dashing fellow. All the ladies say so.”
She gently swatted his arm with the Ladies’ Home Journal and Practical Housekeeper. “And such a tease.”
“I love you, too, Laura Lee.” He kissed her on the mouth, right there in the middle of the street for all to see.
Well, in a few more minutes it would no longer be improper.
“Say—” he leaned in, his whisper tickling the hair near her ear “—let’s go up to your room... We can get a head start on being married.”
“We’ve already kept the minister waiting.”
“Won’t take long, I promise. Then we can come back here and have the whole day and night just the two of us, fine and married.”
“We see the minister first, then we spend the whole day and night just the two of us.”
“Ah, come on, Laura Lee, I’m really aching for you. It’s been two weeks since I came for you in Tanners Ridge and we’ve hardly had a private hour.”
That wasn’t quite true. They had spent several nights under the stars when they traveled between towns. In town, she had naturally wanted her own hotel room.
But what an impetuous fellow he was. His impatience only showed how much he loved her. Ever since they had run off to get married, he’d wanted to take liberties.
Truth to tell, she wouldn’t mind giving him what he wanted, but right was right and wrong was wrong. She would not begin their future on the wrong side of the bed.
“Don’t you love me?” His dark brow lifted. He kissed her again.
“With all my heart. You know that.”
Close by, a window slammed. She heard the young men who came out of the hotel laugh heartily.
“Come on, Hell Dog! Finish kissing your girl goodbye and let’s get outta here.”
Johnny dropped his arms from about her. “Shut your trap, Hoodoo. I’ll be along when I’m ready.”
Laura Lee turned to give the men on the porch a closer look. She could not imagine why Johnny would have even answered the fellow who had spoken.
“Who are they?” She stepped closer to Johnny because the men looked disreputable. Like they had been carousing all night, with their clothes rumpled and their hair in disarray.
They were nothing like her Johnny. He was always dashing and dapper, with his hair neatly groomed and his clothing in order. It was a lucky thing he was completely devoted to her because she could not count the times she’d noticed other women’s gazes lingering upon him.
Three more men came out of the hotel and stood with the carousers.
“Who is Hell Dog?” she murmured. The name could describe anyone of the men on the porch. Still, it did not escape her that the only man doing any kissing was Johnny. “I don’t care for the way those men are looking at us.”
“Don’t pay them any mind. Those are just the Underwood brothers.”
“Why are they talking to you?”
A smile crept across Johnny’s face. His back straightened and his chest puffed out. “Because I’m Hell Dog.”
“That’s not a bit funny!” She slapped his arm with the magazine, not playfully this time. She didn’t like feeling so riled at her intended, but they were late for their appointment with the minister. “Tell them goodbye and let’s be on our way.”
“You going to let that little hen peck at you?” the one named Hoodoo called.
If Hoodoo was an odd name, the man was more so. He was tall, rail thin, with posture as curved as a fishhook. His long nose and his sharp black beard both pointed toward the ground.
Even though the morning was cool, sweat dampened Laura Lee’s neck. Something was very wrong. In a million years, she could not imagine Johnny taking up with the likes of those men.
“What have you been doing all night, Johnny?” While she had been sewing the lace ruffle on the hem of her gown, restless and dreaming of her one true love, what had kept him restless?
“Made me some friends.”
“Of the wrong kind, if you ask me.” All five of them looked like they were about to erupt into misdoing.
“Not that I did ask you.” An expression crossed his face that she’d never seen before. She’d known him for a nearly a year...been in love with him for four and a half months, and she had never seen a hint of bully on that handsome face. He’d always been the soul of congeniality.
For the first time, she doubted her decision to go away with him. It cleaved her heart in half, wondering if she had made a mistake. That he might not be who she knew him to be.
“Don’t look sad.” He took her by the shoulders. “I’m sorry, really sorry. That sounded harsh. And just ignore those fools. They aren’t such a bad sort when you get to know them.”
“I don’t intend on getting to know them. I intend on marrying you and settling down. Someday getting our own little house and raising lots of babies. You haven’t changed your mind about that, have you?”
“Of course I haven’t!” He squeezed her to him.
All of a sudden, life felt right again. He was her Johnny, not Hell Dog...whoever that might be. No doubt the name came from a misguided night with that bunch.
But in the end, one night did not hurt what she and Johnny were to each other.
“Let’s go get married, Johnny.” She looked up into his deep brown eyes, her excitement over their future restored. She tugged on his sleeve, half dancing her joy.
“Hold up a minute.” He set his boots firmly in the dirt. “I’ve got a wedding present for you.”
“We’re losing time here, Hell Dog.” The speaker was short and round. His head was topped by an unruly bush of black hair, his long beard a wild match.
“You go on, Ivan,” Johnny called while reaching into his pocket. “I’ll be along.”
“What do you mean, you’ll be along?” she said.
“Just you wait and see!” He unfolded the paper he had taken from his pocket, looking as pleased as she’d ever seen him. “Here’s your dream come true, Laura Lee.” He smoothed open the crisp sheet of paper and held it in front of her face to read.
“A deed? To a house?” Carefully, as though the dream might crumble under the pressure of her fingertips, she took the document from him.
“Your house, baby doll. I was up all night getting it for you. It’s why I was late.”
“I
