Claiming the Enemy: Dustin (Porter Brothers Trilogy 3)

“Okay.” Standing, she went back to the dressing with Britt.

She went back and forth about buying it, but Britt ignored her. Jessie knew that, in her mind, the sale had already been made.

Dressed in her regular clothes, she went back to the others.

Rachel gave her a big hug. “It’s a lovely dress. You looked beautiful in it.”

“Yes, you did.” Holly hugged her, too.

Sutton went next when Holly released her. “If Tate and I renew our vows, I’m borrowing that dress.”

“If you’re all done jabbering,” Greer interrupted the sweet moment. “Here, Holly, take Rosie, and you all go outside and wait in the car. I’ll be out in a minute with the dress.”

Holly took Rosie from him, giving her husband a passionate kiss. “I love you, you know that?”

“What’s not to love?” he wisecracked, pulling his wife back for another kiss when they turned to leave. “Go on now. You’re distracting me. Britt and I have some figuring to work out.”

Jessie hesitated to leave, watching Greer and Britt sizing each other up like two adversaries on a football field.

Holly took her arm. “Let’s go. Greer’s got this.”

“I don’t want to watch the news to see Greer on TV, stealing the dress, and the newscaster asking for tips to identify him.”

“You don’t have a thing to worry about. All the business owners in Treepoint and Jamestown can identify Greer.”

“Why …?” she started to ask, then started laughing.

When Rosie’s daycare payment was due at the first of every week, Greer always stopped by to pay, even though Holly was the one who dropped her off. She always took bottles of Rolaids and Tylenol to get her through the rest of the day.

Jessie almost felt sorry for Britt and almost turned around to say she would take the mermaid dress again. Only one thing stopped her.

Grinning widely, she went through the door that Rachel had opened. In that amazing dress, she was going to look as pretty as a picture.

37

“Dustin, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

Dustin stared at the beautiful woman sitting beside him on the bed. “I do.”

He looked down at his hand as Jessie slid a gold ring on it.

He was unmanfully tearing up when he felt the hospital bed begin to shake as Ema tried to climb onto the bed next to him.

Cash started to pick his daughter up to keep her from climbing next to Dustin. “Ema, get down.”

“Want Dusty!” the little girl howled, clutching the rail as Cash tried to pry her loose. Rachel, who was on the other side of the bed, started to go around Holly to help Cash.

“Let her sit next to him. Cash, bring her to this side. I can sit on the side where his machines are.”

Dustin knew why he loved Jessie so much when she gave him a quick kiss before getting off the bed to let Cash set Ema down next to him.

The little girl cuddled next to him, putting her chubby hands on his face. “My Dusty.”

The whole room laughed at the little girl as Jessie maneuvered the machine that was administering his pain medication. Jessie carefully raised the IV tube so it was in front of them.

“Can I share him with you?” Jessie asked when Ema was situated.

“Okay.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it.”

“You welcome.” Ema snuggled against Dustin tighter, slipping her thumb into her mouth. Then she took it out when Rachel gave her a warning glance.

Pastor Dean cleared his throat. “As I was asking, Jessie, do you take this man to be—”

“I do.” Jessie didn’t give him time to finish the sentence.

Jessie wasn’t expecting a ring for herself. Rachel had told Dustin that they stopped at the jewelry store when they returned to town, and that Jessie had picked one up for him before returning to the hospital. She had brought a string the night before to make sure she picked the right size, telling him that she didn’t need a ring saying they would pick one out together when he was better. They had decided to get married the next afternoon, both of them knowing what Jessie was refusing to acknowledge was inevitable.

The room was filled to capacity. Several of their friends were allowed to watch from the other side of the glass wall.

She had asked if Holt and Asher could come. It hurt him to see the pain in her hazel eyes.

“Peanut, any hard feelings were gone the minute I found you on that mountain. We’re starting a new life, and while it’s not going to be a long one for me, we’re going to start it with a clean slate.” He could be magnanimous to her relatives. It wasn’t like he was going to have to put up with them for long.

His dire humor had him focusing back on the wedding.

“Greer, give Drake the ring.”