All That Matters (5 page)

When Friday finally rolled around, Buddy Lee swore every
 
‘gator in Louisiana had come across the state line looking for him.

“D
early beloved, we are gathered here ...”

The minister’s voice droned on in a tedious monotone that made it easy for Buddy Lee’s own thoughts to wander.

Late afternoon shadows played against the walls of the living room in the modestly-furnished parsonage. Even with Faith’s detailed plans, the necessary arrangements for their wedding had taken longer to complete than they had expected.

Now they stood in front of a very young minister who’d been kind enough to agree to perform the ceremony in his home. The minister’s wife stood as witness to the vows they were about to take, along with a hastily recruited neighbor named Otis something-or-other. Faith had objected to using the services of a Justice of the Peace, and since she’d given up her fancy wedding, Buddy Lee didn’t argue with her.

He still wasn’t certain how Faith had managed to find the reverend. How many other surprises was she going to spring on him? No doubt, more than he was prepared for.

He stared, ashamed, at the meager bunch of flowers clutched in her hands. Tied with narrow, white satin ribbon, they were colorful but common as roadside wildflowers. Like him. She deserved better. He’d had to swallow his pride when she paid for the expense of the license and ceremony. That really stuck in his craw. He was short of cash, as usual.

That morning, he’d barely had time to do more than flip the “Closed” sign on his shop window and get his one-and-only good pair of pants on before Faith started pulling him out the door. Since the Texas
Truckin
’ T-shirt he usually wore didn’t seem appropriate, he hoped his plaid shirt was okay. At least, it was clean.

He stifled a yawn. The past two nights he’d sprawled on the sofa-from-Hell, tossing restlessly until dawn streaked the sky.
 
Thinking. Wondering what the future held and trying to convince himself it didn’t matter if Faith wasn’t marrying him for love.
 
He was pretty sure he had enough for them both. He couldn’t quite decide how he felt about being a daddy yet, but he would soon. Well, as soon as he figured out what a good father really was. What if he turned out like his old man? It wasn’t like Boyd Walker had been a role model of decency. Neither was Faith’s daddy, for that matter. Come to think of it, he and the woman about to become his wife had both missed out on that score.

The minister’s wife coughed politely, and Buddy Lee forced his attention back to the ceremony and Faith, sweet Faith.

The last thirty dollars stuffed in his wallet for his Mustang fund had gone to buy the simple bouquet she had chosen.
 
The florist’s raised eyebrows and
tsk-tsks
had embarrassed him something awful, but Faith had acted like it was the most elegant arrangement in the shop. When she’d picked out a tiny yellow rosebud and pinned it on his collar, his face had burned flash-fire hot, along with other portions of his anatomy. Did roses really go with plaid shirts?

He shifted his gaze from the plain bouquet to Faith’s glowing face. His heart was smiling. He could feel it, even though marrying her was the last thing he ever thought would happen in his lifetime. Yep, his ol’ ticker was grinning with every excited thump it made, and he couldn’t help feeling like the luckiest person alive. Now, if that luck would just hold out when they told her daddy what they’d gone and done.

Just then, a corner of Faith’s mouth curved upwards. She tilted her face, and Buddy Lee recognized the slow smile she used to give him when they were kids. The same one that had captured his heart and held it all these years.

A wave of tenderness swept through him and his eyes grew damp. Just allergies, he thought, because Buddy Lee Walker never cried.

As small and fragile as she was, Faith had always been bigger than life to him. Maybe it was because she’d always treated him as an equal, even though she came from the privileged side of town and his home had been a tiny, three-room tract-house. She never referred to him as
Boyd’s boy
, either, like the rest of the town was inclined to do.

He remembered when she’d graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in social services or something like that.
 
He’d been the only one in town who wasn’t surprised when she moved away from home. Everyone else expected her to stay in Liberty, get married and settle down. Some folks said her daddy blew a gasket and threatened to cut off her money if she moved.
 
The big shocker came when she told him to go ahead and do it.
 
That sent her mama to bed for a week. Last he’d heard, Faith was working in Granite City for some kind of community service organization. ‘Course, she’d always been a nurturer and champion of the less fortunate. Shoot, hadn’t she befriended him—white trash to the highest power?

“Do you, Buddy Lee Walker, take Faith Nicole Morgan...”

The monotone voice was a little stronger and firmer now, and Buddy Lee figured he’d best pay attention to this part.

Faith stood close enough for him to breathe in the scent of her shampoo—the familiar sweet fragrance that tangled his senses and messed with his mind. She leaned against him, her arm touching his in a closeness that shattered what was left of his composure. The warmth of her touch heated his arm right through his shirtsleeve, and his instant arousal embarrassed him. Then she nudged him in the ribs, hard, and that took care of that.

The minister cleared his throat. Faith nudged him again.

Buddy Lee squared his shoulders and flashed a wide smile. “I do.”

“Do you, Faith Nicole Morgan, take Buddy Lee Walker...”

Faith looked at the man standing beside her and knew she was making the right decision.

She’d run straight into Buddy Lee’s arms Monday night, looking for safety but finding a great deal more. The shock of unexpected longing that swept through her still held her in awe.
 
She hadn’t known she was capable of such intense feelings.
 
Certainly hadn’t expected to experience them with Buddy Lee. She wasn’t quite certain how to deal with them, either.

During her college years, she’d had casual, non-committal dates. None caused any great sexual thrill or spurred any deep need to explore them further. She’d met Royce when he joined the staff of her daddy’s bank. Impressed by the new employee, Lionel Morgan was soon grooming Royce for promotion and introducing him to his daughter.

Instantly attracted to Royce’s good looks and likeable personality, Faith was flattered by his amorous attentions and easily persuaded to accept his proposal. She’d been so sure what she felt was love. But she’d been wrong. The sensations she’d experienced then were lukewarm compared to the heat stirring inside her now. Nothing could have surprised her more than the flash of raw passion Buddy Lee’s touch had created.

Remembering how frightened she’d been of Royce, she let her gaze rest on Buddy Lee’s stalwart features and absorbed his quiet strength. He made her feel so warm and secure, not afraid.
 
Funny, they’d been good friends as kids, nothing more. He’d been her protector and defender, taking the blame for her silly pranks when she should’ve owned up to them. She’d thought it hilarious at the time. Then their lives had taken different paths. She’d never expected him to be more than a casual friend.
 
And now, here they were, getting married. She thought about the baby she carried. Life was good at throwing curves.

She squeezed his hand and he squeezed hers back in a way that warmed her all over. He really was her dearest friend. That was all these feelings of hers could possibly mean.

“...until death parts you from this union?”

“Of course, I do,” came Faith’s confident answer.

Buddy Lee grinned at her then and reached into his pocket.
 
When he pulled out his big, heavy class ring and put it on her finger, she had to make a fist to keep it from sliding off, but she didn’t care. Thanks to him, she’d never have to become Mrs. Royce Webb. And her baby would be safe.

“You may kiss your bride.” The minister nodded to Buddy Lee with a wide smile.

Buddy Lee didn’t move.

After only a second’s hesitation, Faith nudged him. She lifted her face to her new husband and felt a little zip of electricity race beneath the surface of her skin.

Then the zip exploded into a full-fledged shock as he angled his head and touched his lips to hers.

A
t precisely three minutes after two, Buddy Lee swung his truck into the arc of the circular drive gracing the front of the Morgan mansion and cut the engine. He stared long and hard at the imposing two-story Victorian structure belonging to his wife’s parents. The unsuspecting pair inside had no clue they’d just become his in-laws.
This
oughta
’ be a real show-stopper.

Sweat popped out on his upper lip, even though the truck’s air-conditioning kept the interior at a cool seventy-two degrees. He took a couple of deep breaths to still his jangled nerves. Didn’t help much.

Okay, if he survived the upcoming confrontation with Faith’s parents, he figured he could pretty well survive anything. Right now, with his heart
kabooming
and his pulse jumping, he doubted his survival skills could help him fight his way out of a
Piggly
-Wiggly shopping bag. He swallowed around the prickly lump in his throat and snuck a glance at Faith.

She sat next to him, stiff as a fence post and just as silent, not like herself at all, which bothered him some. Was she thinking about the kiss? He sure as hell was. He should have just given her a little peck on the cheek, friendly like. After all, they hadn’t agreed to anything more. He’d kept the kiss chaste...almost. God, he’d wanted to kiss her thoroughly and taste her sweetness. It had taken every bit of his wavering self-control not to give in.

He hadn’t missed the way she’d been keeping her hands locked together on the drive over, or the way she occasionally rubbed the rough surface of the heavy gold ring on her third finger, left hand. Well, he’d already apologized for the substitute wedding ring. He wasn’t going to apologize for the kiss,
dammit
.

He reached for the door handle, slid out.
Here goes nothing.
As he rounded the front of the pickup to open Faith’s door, his heart started bouncing back and forth between his throat and the pit of his stomach like it was lost. He offered a shaky hand to his wife.
His wife?
Oh, man, what had they done?

“Come on, Buddy Lee.” With her hand tucked in his, Faith approached the front door with only minor twitches in her pulse. She wasn’t afraid of her daddy. Four and a half years at the university had helped her realize that she did, indeed, have a backbone and not just a talent for being irresponsible. Not that her current dilemma was any proof of that.
 
She’d gotten herself into a fine mess this time, dragging Buddy Lee along with her.

Defying her daddy wasn’t the only bad thing she’d done, either. She’d made her best friend an accomplice to the lie she was about to tell her family. And probably put him in danger, if Royce ever discovered the truth. Or if the truth was ever discovered about Royce. That was what frightened her. What
was
the truth about Royce? How could she have been so wrong?

Well, keeping the two men apart, no matter what, was imperative. She sighed. How could she have ever believed she was in love with Royce Webb? Especially after the strangely exciting way Buddy Lee’s single kiss had made her toes curl.

Buddy Lee barely had time to punch the doorbell before the door swung open and Lionel Morgan loomed in front of them, his florid face distorted in a scowl.

“Where have you been, girl?” He reached out and grabbed at his daughter’s arm. His eyes widened in surprise when she shrugged free and met his glare with a flash of boldness, calmly smoothing her sleeve where her father’s hand had twisted it.

“Hello, Daddy. You remember Buddy Lee Walker, don’t you? We’d like to come in and talk to you and Mama.” There was no mistaking the saccharine sweetness of her words or the strength behind them.

Lionel looked Buddy Lee up and down. “Boyd’s boy, aren’t you?” His voice was as rough as his face was ugly.

Buddy Lee ground his teeth, stretching his lips into a tight smile. The man knew damned well who he was. He’d been the one to approve the loan for the auto shop. But if Faith insisted on playing the sugar-sweet part, so would he. For a while, anyway.

“Some folks call me that,
yessir
.” He stuck out his hand, mentally daring Lionel to shake it. When the older man ignored the gesture, Buddy Lee shoved his hand back in his pocket with an unconcerned shrug and a mental, not-so-nice suggestion for the banker.

Faith moved closer to her new husband, their sides touching. “We need to talk to you now, Daddy.” Her voice grew stronger, and Buddy Lee detected a stiffening in her spine, so he squared his shoulders. He slid a protective arm around his wife, damned proud of how she managed to keep her cool.

“What you need to do is get yourself upstairs, young lady," Lionel roared.
 
"Your mama’s been sick with worry. You were supposed to be here this morning. Did you forget the rehearsal is at five o’clock? And you,” Faith’s daddy pinned a steely glare on Buddy Lee, “you get the hell off my property before I have you arrested for...for...” The more he sputtered, the redder his face got.