Joline's Redemption (37 page)

Jo tilted her head up to receive his lips, and he pressed them against hers in a kiss so precious she would always remember it.

Baron held her as close as possible with Jamie in between. His breathing and his kiss deepened. Jo found herself lost in his embrace. She'd never felt so safe except for the night she'd cried out to God.

Jamie squawked and pushed at her chest. Jo stepped back, laughing. “We must be squashing him.”

Smiling, Baron ran his hand over Jamie's head. “The poor little guy has had a rough morning.”

“Him and me both.”

“We should get you two home.”

He ran his knuckles down Jo's cheek, his look making Jo feel cherished—special.

“I was so afraid I'd never see you again.”

Her chin wobbled as she pressed her hand to his chest. “I know.”

“This isn't the greatest place and probably a terrible time to ask, but will you marry me, Jo? I can't stand the thought of life without you by my side. I'm so sorry for my stubbornness and not chasing after you the other day.”

She blinked, stunned by his question, but her heart sang. This was what she truly wanted. Marriage to a good man—a kindhearted man who served God and respected others. A man who loved her son. A man who loved her in spite of all she'd done. But she had to be fair to him. “You do understand that Ernie Slaughter might not be the only man who will recognize me from Badger's place, especially if we stay in Guthrie.”

He nodded, reaching for her hand. “I do. I've thought about that a lot, and if that does occur, we can close the store and go somewhere else. All that matters is that you, me, and Jamie are together.”

“What about Sarah?”

“She's welcome to live with us, too, if that's what you want. Even with my parents at the house, it's plenty big—” He stopped and stared at her, his mouth partly open. “I … uh … would you want to return to the house you shared with … um … Mark?”

She hadn't considered that. Could she return to the house that held so many bad memories? In that moment, she knew she could. The house didn't matter. It was the people who lived in it. But the house did boast many of Mark's particular likes. “Could we make some changes? Make it ours?”

He smiled. “Of course. That's a grand idea.”

She longed to say yes, but there was one more thing she had to know. “You understand about my past?”

He nodded.

Her cheeks warmed at the idea of voicing her thoughts, but she was nervous about performing her marital duties. What if she couldn't after all she'd been through? “I … it might … um …”

He squeezed her hand. “We'll take things as slow as you need them to be. I know your past was hard on you, sweetheart, but I'm not like Mark.” He cleared his throat. “Or those others you've … been with.”

“I certainly know that.” She smiled, hoping her expression conveyed how much she cared for him. Baron's neck and ears were as red as the cardinal that just landed in the tree behind him. He was such a good man—and he deserved to be with a woman who'd never been with a man before. But God
had
changed her. She wasn't the woman she used to be. The Bible said that she had been made as pure as snow. It was a hard concept to comprehend, and she desperately longed for it to be true.

“I just wanted you to know that your past doesn't matter to me, but I do understand there may be issues we'll have to face in the future because of it.”

Jo's eyes burned. “You're so much more than I deserve.”

His smile widened. “Is that your roundabout way of saying yes to my proposal?”

Jo laughed—and it felt so good to be truly happy. “Yes, Baron. I'd love to marry you.”

A
s Jo rode back into the ranch yard, she couldn't believe all the changes that had occurred in a few short hours. Her life had completely changed. And she was getting married!

She couldn't stop smiling.

But she still had to face Badger again—and doing so in Baron's presence would be awkward. Perhaps she'd get lucky, and he would be gone. How could sweet Sarah be his daughter? It wasn't until she knew the truth of their relationship that she could see Badger in the shape of Sarah's eyes and her rounded chin.

She glanced over to check on Jamie, who'd fallen asleep in Baron's arms on the ride home. It warmed her heart that he was so comfortable with Baron, especially after the traumatizing day he'd had. Baron would be a wonderful father and a great example for him.

Gabe and Lara's wagon crested the hill on the other side of the yard.
My, oh my, do I have some stories to tell them at dinner.
She hoped the roast that was still in the oven wasn't burned to a crisp.

The door of the house opened, and Sarah rushed out. When she locked eyes with Jo, a joyous smile spread across her pretty face. Jo realized then that she'd come to love Sarah like a sister in the short time they'd been together.

“Whoa …” Gabe pulled the wagon to a stop in front of the house and helped Lara down, casting curious glances at them. The cowboys who'd gone to church with them reined their horses toward the barn.

Lara hurried around the wagon and made a beeline for Jo. “Did you go for a ride?”

Jo chuckled. “You could say that.”

Lara frowned and looked at Baron and then Jo. “Did something happen?”

“Many things have happened. Let me get Jamie into bed, and I'll explain. And sorry about dinner.”

“What about it?”

Jo slid off her horse. She walked over to her sister. “I'm so sorry for all of the trouble I've caused you.”

Lara's eyebrows popped up. “Oh my. Now I've got to know what happened.”

Gabe strode toward them with Michael on his heels. His gaze shot past her to Baron. “Why are you riding my horse?”

“It's a long story. Could you take the boy?”

Gabe reached up, and Baron passed Jamie to him.

Jo glanced at Baron, feeling suddenly shy—something she wasn't sure she'd ever felt before. She looped arms with her sister. “Have I got a tale to tell!”

Jo crawled into bed beside Sarah, completely exhausted after the day's events, but she doubted she'd fall asleep for a while. Sarah was still awake, with McGuffey's Second Reader in her lap. “Crazy day, wasn't it?”

“Yes. I am glad Badg—my father—did not stay to see you again.”

“Me, too. His presence would have been extremely awkward.” She wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders. “But I'm so grateful to God things turned out so well. I never could have dreamed they would.”

“Nor I.”

“Have you always known Badger was your father?”

Sarah nodded. “He came to visit my mother and me every few years. When he bring me home with him, he told me not to tell you and the other ladies back at—you know. He think you not treat me nice.”

Jo thought Badger had probably been more embarrassed to admit that he was her father than he was worried about his daughter. The ladies lived a rough life, but they weren't cruel. “I wish he had told us, but then, if I'd known the truth, I doubt I would have encouraged you to leave him.”

Sarah turned and looked up at her. “I am glad you did. I learn much here.”

Jo smiled. “I'm glad, too. You're like a second sister to me.”

Sarah ducked her head. “I not know what big family is like before coming here.”

“I don't think I did, either. Remember, I ran away from this.”

“Why?”

Jo leaned her head against the wall. “I was young, dumb, and thought I knew what was best for me. Kind of like when you told your father that you wanted to stay here. Only I made bad choices where you made a good one.”

Jo hoped that Sarah would make another good choice. She longed for her to find God like she had. “You know when we left here and you got so sick?”

Sarah nodded. “I remember most of that time.”

“I was so worried about you. I knew we had to get away, but I was afraid you might die if I didn't get help. I cried out to God and told Him I didn't know what to do.”

“He help—and He change you.”

Jo sucked in a sharp breath. “You can tell?”

“Yes. You are much different. More at peace. More happy.”

Jo smiled. “You know, you're right. Even with the awful events of today, I felt more at peace than I can remember. God certainly was with us today.”

“I think so, too. I also want God's peace.”

Jo's heart leaped. “You do?”

“Yes.” Sarah ducked her head. “But I don't know how to get it.”

Jo slid off the bed, retrieved the Bible Lara had given her, and returned to the bed. “Lara gave me a list of verses to look up. I haven't read them all, but two of them will help you.”

She thumbed through the pages until she found Romans 6:23. “‘For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.'” Then she flipped to Romans 10:9. “‘That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.'”

“This is same Jesus the man at church talks of?”

“Yes.”

“I want to be able to read God's book for myself.”

Jo hugged her. “You will.”

“I will give heart to God after you read some more.”

Jo smiled. “You and your father have made peace, and soon your heart will be washed clean like God did with mine, and then you'll be at peace with our heavenly Father. I'd say you've had a big day, too.”

Sarah nodded, her serious expression remaining. “That is true. Now read more.”

Guthrie, Oklahoma Territory
July 2, 1893

Jo stared at herself in the bedroom mirror of the house that Baron's parents had rented in Guthrie. At Baron's request, she'd chosen a light blue dress to get married in. He'd want a shade that matched her eyes, a darker blue, but she couldn't yet bring herself to wear anything close to a sapphire shade.

“You look lovely.” Lara tugged on a turned-under place at the hem of Jo's skirt. “Baron won't be able to take his eyes off you, not that he has the past few months.”

“Blue is definitely your color,” Cora Sommers said.

Jo worked hard not to wince at the same words Mark had once told her. “Thank you.” She liked Cora, who had come for a visit at Jack's request. She suspected another wedding was soon on the horizon for her family.

“It's about time for the wedding to start.” Lara glanced out the window. “It was nice of Mr. and Mrs. Hillborne to let you use their house to dress in since it's so close to the church.”

“Yes, it was.” Jo smiled. After she'd agreed to marry him, Baron had ridden out to the ranch as often as he could during the months he courted her and had brought his parents out on Sundays after church. She'd finally agreed to tell them the whole story about Mark and all that happened, with the exception of her time at the bordello. She smiled at the memory of how overjoyed Mr. and Mrs. Hillborne had been when Baron told them they had a grandson. They'd decided to stay in Guthrie, at least for now, and had rented this house so Baron and she could have privacy in their own home.

Something banged against the side of the house, and Michael peered in the window of the bedroom. “Pa says it's time for the weddin' to start. Y'all c'mon.”

Sarah crossed the room and handed Jo the bouquet she had made from the flowers they'd picked earlier. Her black eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “I am very happy for you, but I will miss seeing you every day.”

Jo took the bouquet, handed it to Lara, and then pulled Sarah into her arms. “I love you as if you were my own blood. No matter where you live or I live, you will forever be my little sister.”

“I am not little. Beth is little.”

Chuckles filled the room.

“You are, too,” Michael hollered through the window. “I'm nine and almost as tall as you, even though you're already twelve.”