“I need to talk to your dad.”

She wraps her arms around her waist. “What? You’re telling on me? He knows I was at the bar.”

I clench my teeth. “I need to talk to your dad.”

As soon as I get the words out, Pastor Blake opens the door. “Is everything okay?”

Janie stomps up the stairs. “Yeah, Dad. I’m going to bed. Carter needs to talk to you.”

Pastor Blake waves me into the living room. “Have a seat, son.”

I sit down but then pop right back up. I pace along the carpet and stop suddenly. “I’ve tried to be a good man.”

He nods, and I continue. “I know I’ve messed up. I know I have, but I’m trying to be a better man.”

He still doesn’t say anything, but at least he doesn’t look mad. He’s lying back in his recliner, watching me as I pace back and forth. “Okay, well, what I need to talk to you about is... well, I’d like to marry your daughter.”

Pastor Blake sits up higher in his chair. “You want to marry my daughter. You want to marry Janie,” he says, as if to clarify.

I nod. “Yes, I know she deserves better than me. I know that I can’t give her everything she deserves, but I’m going to live every day trying to be a better man, a man that she deserves and that one day she loves.”

He tilts his head to the side, and I can tell he’s thinking. He’s always been a patient man, and I wait for the question that I can see brewing in his head. “What the rush?”

I sit down on the chair across from him and lean forward. “Because I can’t go one more day and not know she’s mine. She brings me so much peace of mind, she makes me laugh, hell—I mean heck, sorry—she makes me happy. I can’t imagine not being with her, sir.”

He crosses his arms over his chest. “Well, that’s all well and good, son. But do you love her?”

I put my hand to my chest and give him an honest and heartfelt answer. All I can do is hope he approves.

12

Janie

I have my head tucked against my pillow, trying to quiet the sobbing tears. I should have made Carter talk to me, but I didn’t. So here I am, crying and sobbing because I did what I said I wouldn’t do. I fell in love with him. He told me, he made it perfectly clear what I could expect from him, and I done screwed it up.

Knock. Knock.

“Go away, Dad. I’m fine. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”

The door opens, and I roll onto my side away from the door. My dad worries about me anyway; he doesn’t need to see me like this. “I said I’m fine.”

“I’m not leaving until I talk to you, Janie.”

I gasp and jump up to a sitting position on my bed. “Carter! What are you doing in here?”

He kneels down on the floor next to my bed. His hands go to my thighs. Just that simple touch has my body tingling.

He touches my chin and brings it up to look at my face. He wipes the tears from my eyes and searches my face. “We’re getting married.”

I rear back. There’s nothing he could have said that would have shocked me more. “Married?”

He nods. “Yes, we’re getting married on Sunday. I already talked to your dad, and he gave us his blessing and agreed to perform the ceremony.”

I shake my head. It’s like a dream come true, but almost in the same thought, my stomach plummets. I know why he’s doing this. He’s trying to save my reputation... or maybe his, I don’t know. I push myself up and stand by the open door. “I’m sorry, Carter. But I can’t marry you.”

He jumps to his feet, his eyes flashing and jaw clenching. “You’re going to marry me, Janie Bradshaw.”

I cross my arms over my chest protectively. I would give anything to say yes. Anything at all, but watching him, he’s not happy about this. It’s obvious he’s doing this because he has to. “I’m sorry, Carter. I can’t marry you.”

He pulls me to him, pushing his lips against mine. His kiss is ravaging, and I know I should save myself and push him away, but I can’t. I love the feel of him against me. I’ve never felt safer and even more loved than I do right now... but that couldn’t be further from the truth. He doesn’t love me.

I pull away, panting. “You can keep kissing me, but I’m not going to marry you, Carter.”

He stomps his foot and grips my shoulders. “You said it yourself, Janie. You said that the town hates me for breaking your heart. I won’t be able to show my face here again. How can I start my own ranch in a town where people don’t trust me? Now listen, I know I got us into this, and I know that you can do better than me, but I need you to marry me, Janie.”

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