The Right Kind of Trouble (43 page)
Read The Right Kind of Trouble Online
Authors: Shiloh Walker
“Yes. At the courthouse. I've got clothes in the other room and so do you.”
“Clothes⦔ he said slowly.
“Yes. I'm not waiting any longer. I want to get married
today
.”
Gideon blinked at her. “Mac, your brother and sister are getting married Sunday. Don't you want to ⦠hell. Don't you want some big, fancy thing, too?”
“I don't need it.” She kissed him again. “I need you. Just you. But ⦠if you want to wait⦔
“No.” Slowly, he shook his head. “If you're certain ⦠I think we've waited long enough. Considering we made our plans twenty years ago.”
Her smile all but stopped his heart.
“Here,” she said softly, lifting his hand and turning it upward. She brushed her fingertip over the ring.
He saw it then. The inscription.
It was the one inside her locket.
My Greatest Treasure
Slowly, he tugged the golden band off. Inside it, he could see the rest of the words.
Lies Here
The
i
was dotted with a small stone of green.
“I love it,” he said quietly.
“I'm glad.” She kissed him. But when he tried to deepen the kiss, she pulled back.
“Mac⦔ He groaned.
She laughed. “Pizza. Then courthouse. I actually bribed a judge, so don't dawdle.”
“You⦔ Gideon closed his eyes. “I didn't hear that.”
“Oh, hush. I just asked that he please make sure this stayed quiet until Sunday. He actually promised that the news wouldn't go anywhere, as long as he could be the one to break the news.”
“Won't that kinda be upstaging Hannah and Neve?” He frowned.
“Since when is Neve ever upstaged?” Moira laughed. “Besides, it was Ella Sue's idea and I know my sister, I know Hannah. I'd be happy for them if the tables were turned. They'll be happy for me. It's family, Gideon.”
“Yeah.” He realized that he was smiling. “Family.”
For the past twenty something years, he'd considered the McKays his unofficial family.
That was about to become very
official
very soon.
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“I'd like to propose a toast⦔
Neve couldn't even look away from Ian as the judge stood up, tapping his spoon against the silver flute. It seemed almost the entire town had turned out for the wedding.
Hannah sat in her chair with Brannon holding her hand and wished she could find a more comfortable position. Her back was killing her. She wanted to be enjoying her wedding and then she wanted to go and enjoy her husbandâin bed.
But her back â¦
“⦠now that the best man has offered his toast.” Judge Steele spoke with a deep, kindly voice as he looked toward the McKays. They weren't blood cousins, but the connection between the Steeles and the McKays was a tight one, one that went just as deep as blood.
He winked at Gideon and then nodded to Ian and Neve before looking at Hannah and Brannon. “I hope to see yet another generation of McKays running wild through this town. It's been a pleasure knowing all of you, Hannah, Neve, Brannon ⦠and Ian, I hope to get to know you better.”
“As long as it's not in the courtroom, Your Honor!” Ian flashed him a broad grin and raised his glass.
Judge Steele grinned and then looked down the table. Neve hadn't gone with the traditional seating arrangement for the bridal table. Hannah had told her she was placing all the arrangements in her capable hands and Neve had run with it. Moira and Gideon sat side by side and now, with the judge looking at them, people in the crowd starting to call out. “You're next, guys!”
“Actually ⦠they were first.” Judge Steele grinned broadly as a gasp rippled through the room. “I had the honor of marrying Gideon Marshall and Moira McKay this Friday in my chambers. If I may present⦔
The crowd erupted.
Neve gaped.
Ian and Brannon started to laugh.
But Hannah gasped. Then, as pain twisted through her, she made a low sound that really had no words to it.
It came during one of those odd pauses so everybody in the room heard.
As multiple eyes swung her way, Hannah looked down at her pretty wedding dress and closed her eyes. She could feel all reason and logic leaving her. Maybe it was to be expected, she supposed. She'd gotten married not even an hour ago.
And sometime very soon, she'd be having a baby.
“Well ⦠this just takes the cake.”
All the McKaysâand the Campbells and Marshallsâswung their eyes to look at her. Moira looked a little uneasy as Hannah tried to smile. She was feeling a little put-out, though. She'd wanted her wedding night. Some cake. Dancing.
Some cake. She'd
really
wanted some cake.
Forcing a smile, she looked over at her new husband. “We're going to have to cut this short.”
“She's in a hurry,” somebody out in the crowd hooted. “Wants to get on to the fun stuff.”
“Yeah.” She eased back from the table. “Labor. These damn impatient McKays ⦠I really wanted my wedding night.”
Brannon reached over, rubbing a hand down her back even as a dull red flush crept up his neck. He was as bawdy as all get-out when it was them, but even
imply
sex in public â¦
And he'd missed the important part of her statement, too.
Men.
Easing upright, trying to maintain some dignity with her dress damp around her, she looked down at Moira and Gideon and smiled. “Congrats. You two should have done it ages ago.” Then she looked at Brannon. The direct approach was the only way to go here. “Okay, Brannon. It's time.”
“We haven't cut the cake,” he said, crooking a grin at her.
“We can't.”
A few others had caught on to what she'd saidâshe could tell by the buzz in the air.
Ian and Neve were the next twoâand Gideon was already murmuring in Moira's earâyep, they'd figured it out, too.
Brannon stood, frowning a little. “Is it your back?” he asked, leaning in.
“No.” Huffing out a breath and tugging on her damp dress, she looked at him. “My water just broke.”
Now whoops and cheers broke out for a different reason entirely
Brannon sank back into his chair, staring dumbly at his wife.
“What?” he said, looking dazed. “Oh, shit.”
“Man up, mate!” Ian shouted, punching him on the arm. “You've got a wife to take care of!”
“Oh, shit.”
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Headed for Trouble
The Trouble with Temptation
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Shiloh Walker
has been writing since she was a kid. She loves reading and writing anything paranormal, anything fantasy, and nearly every kind of romance. Once upon a time she worked as a nurse, but now she writes full time and lives with her family in the Midwest. She has authored dozens of works of romantic suspense, contemporary and paranormal romance, and urban fantasy under the name J.C. Daniels. Visit her on the Web at
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CONTENTS