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Chapter 21




The evening’s dinner had been a subdued affair. Although Lex hadn’t told anyone else of her father’s illness, the family seemed to have sensed that something was wrong and acted quite somber. Travis was actually civil to his son-in-law, and Charlie and Martha sat next to each other silently as well. Amanda had finally livened up the group by telling Rawson the story of Janna’s bull, and how Lex had a new admirer of the bovine persuasion.

The rodeo rider had looked at his daughter with pride, although he shook his head at her questionable bravery. "I don’t know if I would have been quite that calm, Lexington. I’ve seen what those beasts can do to a body." He reached for his glass of water and chuckled. "I reckon I’d be coming back to the house and cleaning out my britches, at the very least."

Lex laughed. "I was anything but calm, Dad. I just didn’t know what else to do." She winked at her lover. "When Amanda came charging out of that jeep waving a shovel, I didn’t know whether to be proud of her, or scared to death for her."

Rawson studied the blonde with a thoughtful eye. "Just what did you think you were gonna do?" he asked her.

"Ah, well…I don’t really know. I wasn’t thinking," Amanda admitted. "I only knew that I couldn’t just stand by and let him hurt Lex." Trying to change the subject, she looked over at Martha and Charlie. "What do you two have your heads together about? Should we be worried?"

The sheriff chuckled and shook his head. "We had come to a decision, and were trying to figure out the best well to tell everyone." He nodded at his fiancee. "Do you want to do the honors, honey?"

"I might as well, since you’ve teased everyone about it," the housekeeper replied. She met the gazes from around the table. "As you all know, the date for the wedding is coming up next week. But, with all the excitement we’ve had lately," she smiled lovingly at Lex, then Amanda, "Charlie and I have decided to postpone the whole affair for a while."

"What?" Lex’s head snapped around and she pinned Martha with a distressed look. "For how long?"

Martha shrugged her shoulders. "Long enough, I suppose. It’s not that big of a deal."

Rawson frowned. "Wedding?" He had thought the housekeeper incapable of those kinds of feelings, since she had outright refused his pitiful attempts at romancing her years before.

Victoria had been gone for over a year, and the rancher saw how capable the young housekeeper was with his children. He had come in from the barns late one evening, and was pleasantly surprised that she had kept a plate warm for him.

"You’d best clean up and have some dinner, Mr. Walters. The children are already tucked in nicely, and it’s getting late." She gently pushed him to the kitchen sink and draped a small towel over his shoulder.

He looked over his shoulder at the housekeeper. "Uh, thanks, Martha. I reckon I am a bit hungry at that." Rawson quickly washed up and sat down at the table. "Have you already eaten?"

The young woman shook her head. "Not yet. Thought you might like a bit of company. Don’t know of many people who like to eat alone." She stopped before she sat down with him. "Unless you’d rather I…?"

"No, no. Sit down." He smiled as she joined him. As she began to eat, Rawson studied her covertly. She’s not bad to look at, and she sure can cook. I reckon she’s got her eye on me, but is afraid to say anything. Well, I could do worse. With his mouth partially full of food, he attempted conversation. "This is pretty good, Martha. What do you call it?"

She almost laughed. "Um, meatloaf. I’m glad that you like it." What is going on in that head of his?

Rawson nodded. "Yeah, I do." He stopped eating for a moment and looked across the table. "Are you happy here, Martha?"

The question caught her off guard. "Yes, of course I am. Is there something the matter?" She was worried that maybe he was going to replace her. "Don’t you like the job I’ve been doing?"

"Oh, well, umm…yeah. You’re doing a fine job. I was just worried about you being so far away from town. You must get mighty tired of being out here away from everyone." This wasn’t going at all like he thought it should. "Not much chance of you meeting someone to settle down with."

Where on earth did THAT come from? "Mr. Walters, I’m not in the market for a husband, if that’s what worries you. I really don’t want that sort of complication in my life." Martha set her fork down and looked him in the eyes. "What exactly are you getting at?"

The rancher had the decency to blush. "Umm…well…I just thought that maybe you were lonely, that’s all." He dropped his gaze to the half-eaten food on his plate. "You’ve just been so nice to me lately, I figured that you and me, well…maybe we could…"

"You and me?" Suddenly, It all made sense. "As much as you honor me thinking like that, Mr. Walters, I’m afraid I don’t have those sorts of feelings for you," Martha explained gently.

"We get along okay. The kids seem to like you, and lord knows I don’t think the house would survive without you here." He couldn’t see what the problem was. He was in good health, and she did seem to love his kids.

Martha shook her head. "But there’s no love, Mr. Walters. And, if I ever do decide to get married, I would have to be in love. Don’t you see that?"

He looked up into her brown eyes and shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. Just thought I’d offer." Rawson dismissed the conversation with a shrug as he turned his attention back to the plate in front of him. Oh, well. Can’t say I didn’t try. He refused to bring up the subject again. As the years passed and he saw his two younger children treat the housekeeper more like a mother, the conversation came back to haunt him. In his eyes, he wasn’t good enough for her, but his kids were.

"That’s right, I forgot to tell you. Martha finally said yes to Charlie’s proposal." Lex smiled broadly at the couple across the table.

"Proposal?" Rawson was still awestruck at the news. "How long has this been going on?" he asked the sheriff. Right under my own nose, maybe? That’s why I wasn’t good enough for her; she’d rather have a professional man. Women. Never did understand them.

Charlie blushed. "For as long as I can remember, to tell you the truth." He smiled at his fiancee and shook his head. "I’ve been after her for years, but she didn’t want to leave the ranch."

Lex laughed. "More like she thought I needed a babysitter," she joked.

"And what’s so funny about that, young lady?" Martha countered. "Do I need to remind you of some of the trouble you’ve been in?"

Rawson turned to look at his daughter. "Trouble?" For some reason he couldn’t seem to form any coherent sentences.

"It’s not as bad as she says," Lex assured him.

Amanda laughed. "No, it’s probably worse!" She grinned at Martha. "Wanna tell us some stories?"

The housekeeper chuckled. "Sounds like a good idea," she agreed, ignoring the outraged look she received from Lex.

**************

After dinner, Rawson reminded Lex that he would feel more comfortable staying at the bunkhouse, so he packed up his meager belongings and was about to leave when she came upstairs and tried to stop him.

"C’mon, Dad. If you won’t stay here at the house, at least let me give you a ride up there. It’s cold, and the sun’s already gone down for the evening."

He shook his head. "I’m perfectly capable of walking, girl. I got this far, didn’t I?" Rawson snapped. Seeing the hurt expression on her face, he softened his tone. "I’m not dead yet, Lexington. There’s no need to pamper me."

Lex swallowed the lump in her throat. "I realize that, you ornery old man. But I’d really feel better if you’d let me do this one little thing for you." She reached for the pack that he had placed on the guest bed. "I like to show up down there at odd times, anyway. Keeps ‘em on their toes."

"All right," he sighed. "But I don’t want them knowing about me being sick, you got that?" Rawson pulled on his heavy coat and allowed Lex to carry his bag from the room. "The last thing I want from anybody is sympathy."

"No problem. You might want to let Lester know, at least. He’s damned good at keeping secrets." Lex wasn’t about to tell her father of the old man’s friendship with Travis. No sense in upsetting him any further. They had walked down the stairs in silence, and she stopped momentarily at the den door. "Let me just tell Amanda where I’m going."

Rawson shook his head. "You’ve got it pretty bad, don’t you?" he teased. Seeing her blue eyes flash with anger, he raised one hand. "Hold on there, girl. I didn’t mean anything by it." He smiled. "I think I’ll go on outside and wait in the Jeep."

Lex smiled back and nodded. "Okay." She tossed him a set of keys. "Go ahead and get it started, if you don’t mind. The heater works pretty well." Watching as her father left the house, she then took a deep breath and shook her head as she stepped into the den. "Stubborn old man."

"Hi, honey!" Amanda greeted from the bed. She hated lying down so much, but her leg was beginning to ache and the pain medication always made her fall asleep. "Did I hear your father?"

"Yep. He’s bound and determined to stay at the bunkhouse with the men," Lex sighed as she walked over to the bed and sat down. "So I talked him into letting me drive him up there."

Amanda chuckled. "I bet that went well," she teased. "He’s almost as stubborn as a certain rancher I know."

Lex picked up her lover’s hand and brought it to her lips, placing a soft kiss on the knuckles. "Oh, really? Do I know this person?"

"Uh-huh." Amanda nodded, and began to squirm slightly when she felt Lex nibble on her fingers. "Oooh…God, Lex! You’d better stop that, before I…"

"Before you what?" the dark-haired woman asked ingenuously, turning the hand over and kissing the inside of Amanda’s wrist.

The younger woman sighed. "Hmm?" Amanda shook her head and pulled her hand away. "Be good."

One dark eyebrow quirked. "I thought I was," Lex murmured. She grinned and stood up. "But, I’ve got to get going, before Dad takes off walking." She looked at her partner, who had reclined comfortably against the headboard. "Is there anything I can get you before I leave?"

Amanda shook her head. "Nope. I’ve got the phone right here. Martha, Charlie, and your grandfather have gone to her house – I think Grandpa Travis is trying to make them set a new wedding date."

"I don’t think I like leaving you here all alone." Lex ran one hand through her hair as she thought for a moment. "I know!" She quickly walked into the adjacent office, coming back out with two items in her hands. She handed Amanda one of the handheld radios. "Keep this by the bed."

"That’s really not necessary, honey," Amanda objected, but accepted the offering anyway. "You’re not going to be gone that long."

Lex shook her head. "Humor me, will you? I’d feel a lot better if I could keep in contact with you."

"Oh, all right. I’d really like to keep tabs on you, too," the blonde admitted. "No telling what kind of trouble you can get into."

"Brat." Lex leaned over and gave Amanda a long kiss. "Keep the bed warm for me, okay? I’ll be back in a flash."

***************

Bright eyes glittering with insanity watched from the nearby trees as the Jeep left the ranch house, and a tiny giggle escaped from the figure dressed in solid black. "Perfect! Looks like everyone has gone for the night." She had seen Amanda’s Mustang parked at the Cauble’s house in town, so she assumed that her daughter was spending the night at her grandparents. She had no way of knowing that Anna Leigh had driven the car back a few days before, so that they could store it in their garage while Amanda recuperated.

Walking stealthily back through the trees, Elizabeth went back to pick up her car. She had parked it in a clearing nearby to keep it from being seen from the road.I’ll take away that bitch’s house, so Amanda will HAVE to come home with me! She stopped momentarily when the black knit hat she was wearing became hung up on a low branch. "Dammit!" she squawked, as she wrestled with the tree, "Let go of me!" Finally breaking free, the angry woman dusted off her dark clothes and continued to the clearing. Maybe I’ll burn the trees, too! That would teach them!

Elizabeth continued to ramble to herself as she climbed into her rental car. Once there’s no pretty house to live in, Amanda will want to come home. I just wish that…woman…would be inside when it burns. Unnatural bitch – seducing my poor innocent little Amanda like that.

She drove down the dirt road slowly, trying to navigate without her headlights. Such a barbaric place, this is. No theater, no museums, and not one decent tea service to be found within a hundred miles! "How do they survive?" she asked the empty car. A heavy rut in the road nearly threw her into the steering wheel.And these roads – abominable! "It won’t be long, my dear. I’ll have you home in no time!"

***************

"Look, about what happened back there," Rawson started, unsure of why he was trying to apologize.

Lex waved him off. "Don’t worry about it, Dad. I’m just a little sensitive where Amanda’s concerned." She grimaced as the Jeep bounced roughly. "I’m sorry."

He sighed. "I know I’ve never quite figured you out, Lexington. Why you like women, I mean." The older man looked back through the side window, not wanting to see the hurt on his daughter’s face. "I figured I must have done something wrong, raising you around all those men."

"No, it doesn’t have anything to do with how I was raised, Dad." Lex rubbed at her tired eyes. "I was born gay. Just like you were born the way you are."Whoever thought that I’d be having THIS conversation, now? God…I wish Amanda were here. She’s so much better with this kind of thing. "I just don’t want Amanda to be hurt by your attitude towards me, that’s all."

"She’s got spunk, that one does," he chuckled. "Came right out and threatened me earlier today." Rawson looked back at his daughter. The dashboard lights highlighted Lex’s strong profile, and the bruising around her eyes was slowly fading away. "I’ll say one thing for you, girl."

"What’s that?"

"You’ve got damned fine taste in women," he admitted. "You’d better take good care of her."

Lex smiled broadly. "I plan on it, Dad." She fought to keep the old Jeep on the road as they slid up to the bunkhouse in the mud. "Piece of cake," she bragged.

Rawson shook his head. "Crazy kid." He stepped out of the Jeep, then poked his head back inside. "Thanks for the ride, Lexington."

"You want me to come in with you for a minute?" she asked, reaching for her seatbelt.

"Nah. I’m a big boy. Think I can find a bunk without any help from a snot-nosed kid." His tone was light, and a large smile covered the older man’s face. "I’ll be back up at the house sometime tomorrow, if that’s okay with you. Maybe help you with the stock again?"

She returned his smile. "That sounds great, Dad. Get there early, and you can have breakfast with us."

He nodded. "I just might do that, girl. Now get on back to the house and take care of that little lady." Rawson slammed the Jeep door before Lex could send back a retort.

"Ornery old man," she muttered, backing the Jeep up and turning it around.

***************

She parked the car behind the house to stay out of the dim light that shone from the side lamppost. It took a few minutes more, but she was able to back it in so that she could leave quickly. Excellent. It’s still nice and quiet around here. Elizabeth got out of the car and closed the door gently. This shouldn’t take too long. It’s an old house. She walked to the back of the car and unlocked the trunk, pulling out one of the canisters filled with gasoline. "These are much heavier than they look," she muttered. Her nose wrinkled with disgust. "And good God, the smell!"

The small woman wrestled the gas container as she began to splash the contents against the sides of the house. I hope Amanda appreciates all the trouble I’m going through for her. Perhaps I should have paid someone to do this for me. She giggled. No…I’m having too much fun.

She had two containers left by the time she made it to the front of the still-dark house. This rickety old porch will burn nicely. I can’t wait to see the look on that pervert’s face when she comes back to see her precious house in ashes. Elizabeth poured one out over the porch, the wooden railing, and the swing.Now, how am I going to light this, and keep myself clear? She giggled again and picked up the final canister. I’ll leave myself a nice little trail.

After she had poured a trail of gasoline from the house to the driveway, Elizabeth reached into her pockets for the book of matches she had brought from the hotel. "Where did I put those?" she asked herself quietly, patting down all of her pockets. "I know I brought them with me." Shaking her head in dismay, she quickly jogged back to the rental car. "Must have left them in here," she muttered, opening the door and looking on the seats. "Aha! There they are!" She picked up the errant matches and looked at them closely. "Shame on you, hiding from Mother that way. We’ve got work to do!"

As she closed the car door, headlights appeared at the driveway. "NO! Not when I’m so close!" she screamed, racing for the front of the house with the matches in hand.

Lex pulled into the driveway and parked the Jeep near the front. When she stepped out of the vehicle, she sniffed. "Gasoline? Don’t tell me this thing’s got a leak." She reached into the back seat and grabbed her flashlight, then opened up the hood and peered inside. "The smell is really strong," she mumbled, leaning down to check the hoses.

"You bitch!" Elizabeth screamed, racing to the Jeep and slamming the hood onto the unsuspecting woman’s head. "You’re going to mess up my plans! Can’t you do anything right?" She slammed the hood again, happy when the tall woman collapsed against the vehicle. Lex’s limp body fell to the ground, landing in the puddle of gasoline that Elizabeth had left behind.

Amanda’s mother dusted her hands off and laughed. "That will show you who’s in charge around here!" She stopped laughing and suddenly looked around, panicked. "My matches! Where are my matches?" The crazy woman turned around and began to crawl around on the ground, searching for the small book in the dim light. "Where are you, my babies? Mother needs you," she whimpered, her hands patting the ground all around her.

Inside the house, Amanda woke from a fitful doze. "Lex?" she murmured, looking around the house. It was still dark and quiet, and she couldn’t figure out what had caused her to wake up. What time is it? She looked over at the clock on the nightstand and frowned. She should be back by now. Worried, Amanda picked up the small radio and clicked the key on the side. "Lex, can you hear me?"

When she didn’t receive an answer, she picked up the phone. "No, I’m not going to bother everyone at Martha’s, just because Lex is running a little late." Amanda yawned and dropped her head back down onto her pillow. I’ll give her a few more minutes, she decided.

"Damn…what hit me?" Lex groaned, rolling slowly over onto her back. And why is there such a strong gasoline smell here? She blinked a few times to clear her head. The last thing I remember is checking under the hood.

Elizabeth tore her gloves from her hands and continued to search the ground by feel. The rocks and sticks were cutting into her delicate skin, but she was beyond caring. "Come to Mother, sweetheart," she cajoled, still trying to find the matches. A moan nearby reminded her of the rancher’s presence. "She’s going to ruin everything!" Her hands skidded around frantically on the frozen ground.

Lex sniffed her coat and frowned. The gasoline’s on the ground? She reached her fingers into the nearby pool and pulled them back up to her nose. "What in the hell is going on here?" Her mind was still foggy from the blow she had taken to the back of her head. The manic mumbling of the woman close by caught her attention. Elizabeth Cauble? What’s she doing…? Oh, shit! Lex struggled to climb to her feet, unsuccessfully. "Damn!" She collapsed back to her knees. "Have you lost your mind, woman?" she yelled, trying to get the other woman’s attention.

She’s awake? I thought that deviant would take a longer nap than that. Elizabeth’s hands finally landed upon the errant book of matches. "Yes!" She snatched them from the damp ground and wiped the residue on her dark slacks. Standing up, the crazed woman raised them so that Lex could see. "Stay back! You’re not going to ruin my plans this time, you pervert!"

"Mrs. Cauble, please." Lex leaned against the Jeep and tried in vain to get her legs to support her. "You don’t want to do this. Amanda’s inside!"

"Do you really think I’ll believe that? Just how stupid do you think I am?" Elizabeth stepped closer to the house. "I saw her car in town – she’s staying at those whining idiot grandparents of hers."

The rancher shook her head. "No, Elizabeth. She’s here, I swear it! They took her car so that it could be stored in a garage while her leg heals." Lex slowly pulled herself up on the Jeep. "Please, don’t do this!"

Elizabeth laughed. "You’ll say anything to protect your precious house, won’t you?" She held the matches out in front of her. Not realizing she was standing in a puddle of the volatile liquid, the ranting woman struck a match and tossed it to the ground.

"NOO!!" Lex screamed, stumbling towards Amanda’s mother.

"YES! Now my daughter will come back to me!" Elizabeth cackled. "Burn in hell, you deviant whore of Satan!" she yelled, as the flames rushed towards the petroleum doused home. The ground beneath her erupted into flames, and she screamed in fear as the heat began to lick at her clothing. "NOOOOO!" She began to dance around wildly, beating at her body in fear. "Help me!!"

Lex charged forward and slammed the smaller woman to the ground, rolling her clear of the fire. Her own coat quickly caught on fire, and she fought to rip it from her body.

"Get off of me, you pervert!" Elizabeth yelled, slapping at Lex and hampering her efforts to free herself from the burning coat.

"Stop it, dammit!" Lex finally yanked the smoldering jacket from her body. "Shut the hell up, you crazy old broad!" She punched the screaming woman full in the face. Leaning over the unconscious woman and breathing heavily, Lex turned her head towards the house. "Amanda!" she screamed. She jumped to her feet and stared for a moment at the front porch, which was completely engulfed in flames. "NO!"

Amanda tried to roll over in her sleep, which caused her to wake up again. "Ow! I’ve got to learn not to do that," she mumbled. A strange noise could be heard from outside the house. "What’s going on?"

The sound of the side window breaking caused her to scream. She could now see a flickering brightness outside as a heavy smoke began to fill the room. "LEX!"

Lex grabbed her hat from the under the hood of the jeep and tucked her hair beneath it. Grabbing the shovel from the back of the vehicle she raced to the side of the house, using it to break through one of the den’s windows. "Hang on, Amanda!" she yelled, as she backed away to get a running start. "I’m coming, sweetheart!"

The blonde sat helplessly on the bed, her wheelchair just out of reach. The heavy smoke was starting to get to her, and Amanda began to cough as she heard Lex’s cry. "Hurry! It’s…" she coughed again, leaning forward on the bed and covering her mouth with the quilt.

A heavy body burst through the broken window, landing a few feet from the bed. Lex stood up and coughed, reaching forward and wrapping Amanda up in the quilt. "Hold on, baby." She struggled to carry the smaller woman to the window, the heavy cast hampering her efforts. "Shit." The flames were already around the window.

"What?" Amanda asked, her voice muffled by the thick quilt. "Oh, no."

"This is gonna hurt, sweetheart. I’m sorry." Lex leaned over and kissed her lover between the eyes. "I’ll have to just throw you through the window. When you hit the ground, roll out of the quilt, and away from the house."

Fear filled Amanda’s eyes. "What about you? I’m not going…"

Lex shook her head. "I’ll be right behind you, I promise." She stood as close to the window as she dared. "Are you ready?"

Amanda pulled the quilt away from her face and grabbed the tall woman around the neck, pulling her in for a demanding kiss. "Now I am," she rasped. She allowed Lex to bundle her back up, and braced herself for the throw.

With all her strength, Lex threw Amanda as far as she possibly could, praying silently that it would be far enough. She fell to the floor spent, and looked up as she heard the ceiling begin to creak ominously.

"Dear merciful God!" Martha screamed, as she raced up to the main house. She had happened to look out her front window, and saw the flames reaching up into the nighttime sky. She stayed behind and called the fire department, while Travis and Charlie went ahead to see what they could do.

Charlie started to go around to the front of the house, when he saw a bundle fly from the side window. Moving in closer to investigate, he almost screamed as the wad of cloth rolled towards him. A blonde head poked from the smoking mass, and he grinned. "Amanda!" he quickly dragged her further away from the inferno as gently as he could. "How did you…?"

"LEX!" Amanda screamed at the house, fighting to free herself from the quilt. She cursed her broken leg, which seemed none the worse for wear. "Dammit! We’ve got to help Lex!"

"Calm down, honey," the sheriff tried to placate her. He looked up at Travis, who dropped to his knees beside the frantic young woman.

"She’s still in there!"

Charlie paled. "God, no." He shook his head at the totally engulfed house. "Travis…"

The older man nodded. "I’ll take care of Amanda. You go see about my granddaughter," he begged. Keep her safe, dear God. He looked up to the sky.Melanie, my love, if you have any pull with the Man upstairs, use it now.

Martha dropped down beside him and pulled a crying Amanda into her arms. "Hush, now," she murmured, "Everything’s going to be all right." She began to gently hum, as she rocked the sobbing woman on the cold ground.

The fire had almost overrun the second floor of the house, and because of the heat, Charlie couldn’t get close enough to see inside. He felt tears of loss trail down his face, as he looked up at the bright flames. The French doors to the master suite burst open, and a mattress flew from the opening and to the ground below. "Jesus." The lawman stood frozen for a long moment, then regained his wits and bolted for the smoldering bedding. A body lay spread-eagle on the mattress, not moving.

"Ugh." Lex rolled over onto her back and looked up into the smoky sky. "Damn, that hurt," she wheezed, rubbing her chest where the breath was knocked from her. She tried to sit up, but was held down by a firm hand. "Hey!"

"You just lie still for a minute, you crazy kid!" Charlie half-laughed, half-cried. "You could be seriously injured." He looked up at the road when he heard sirens approach. "Here comes the fire department," he announced unnecessarily.

Lex coughed and tried to catch her breath. "Amanda?" she questioned in a hoarse wheeze.

He nodded. "She’s just fine, honey. Martha and Travis are with her now."

"Please," Lex gasped out between coughs, "I’ve got to see her." She tried to sit up again, and this time Charlie helped her.

"You are one stubborn woman, Lex Walters." He held her in a sitting position for a long moment and couldn’t help but notice how she continued to hold her chest. "Did you hurt yourself, honey?"

She shook her head. "Nah. Just knocked the breath out of me." Lex reached up for him. "Gimme a hand, will you? I really want to go check on Amanda."

Charlie pulled her to her feet and shook his head. He reached up and yanked the black cowboy hat off of Lex. "How on earth did you keep this old thing on?"

"I’m probably related to Roy Rogers," Lex joked, as the older man put a steadying arm around her waist. "Didn’t you ever see any of his movies? I have…" she looked to the house, which was still burning brightly. "I had them all." She stumbled over to where the others sat and dropped to the ground next to her lover.

Amanda practically crawled into Lex’s arms, crying. "Oh God, Lex. I thought…"

Lex pulled the younger woman into her arms, as she watched the firemen try to get the blaze under control. "Sshh. It’s okay, sweetheart. We’re both fine." She looked up at Charlie when she finally acknowledged something. "Elizabeth Cauble started this whole mess," she told him. "I left her on the front lawn."

Amanda pulled back and looked into Lex’s face. "Is she…?"

"Unconscious. I…umm…had to punch her in the face," the rancher related quietly. "Her clothes caught on fire, and I couldn’t get her to calm down enough to put them out. I think she’ll be okay." Lex gave the sheriff a serious look. "You might want to be real careful with her. I think she’s gone off the deep end."

Charlie cocked his head. "How do you know?"

"She was talking to a book of matches." Lex shook her head. "I told her that Amanda was in the house, but she didn’t believe me." She looked down into the sad green eyes. "I’m sorry, love. I didn’t want to hurt her."

The younger woman pointed to what was left of the house. "Don’t you dare apologize! Look what my mother’s done! She’s destroyed your house!"

"She burned OUR house, sweetheart. And it can be rebuilt. Just like WE want it to be." Lex reached over and caressed Amanda’s cheek. We’re together. That’s all that matters."

Chapter 22

"You know, that coat hanger isn’t gonna help much," Lex offered helpfully over her shoulder. She was standing at the bedroom dresser, and watched in amusement as her lover tried in vain to relieve herself from the constant itch of her leg cast. Amanda had been put in a walking cast, so at least she could get around more easily. "Just try not to think about it." Lex had stopped brushing her hair and was now looking at herself critically in the mirror.

Amanda glared at her, but continued trying to reach a distant itch inside the plaster. "Easy for you to say," she grumbled from her position on the bed. It had been over three weeks since the fire, and for the time being they were staying in the guestroom at Martha’s house. Lex had wanted to get a hotel room in town, but the housekeeper wouldn’t hear of it. Amanda looked up at her friend, who was busy studying her forehead in the mirror. A thin red line was all that was left of her injury from the automobile accident, and the doctor had promised her that would eventually fade completely as well. "It’s not even noticeable," she commented.

Lex turned around and smiled. "It isn’t, huh?" She walked over and sat down on the bed. "I feel like Frankenstein’s monster," she admitted ruefully.

"Nope, not even close." Amanda closed her eyes and leaned into the gentle touch of her lover, as long fingers began to stroke her cheek. "Mmm…that feels good."

"I bet I could make you feel even better," the rancher growled, pushing the smaller woman onto her back and nibbling lightly on her neck. She had almost tugged Amanda’s shirt free from her body when a loud knock at the bedroom door interrupted them. "This had better be good," Lex grumbled, pulling the shirt down and rolling onto her back. "Come in," she ordered loudly.

Martha stood in the doorway. "Don’t you two ever get enough?" she teased, enjoying the blush on the two women’s faces.

"Never," Lex grinned, being the first to recover from her embarrassment. She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "What’s up?"

"Amanda’s grandmother is on the phone for her," the housekeeper related. "Do you want me to tell her you’re busy, honey?"

The blonde rolled to the far side of the bed and stood up. "NO!" She used her fingers to comb through her hair. "I mean, umm…no thank you, Martha. I’ll go talk to her." She shook her head as she limped from the room.

Lex patted the bed beside her. "Why don’t you come over and have a seat? You look like something’s on your mind."

"Do I?" Martha asked, but sat down next to the younger woman anyway. She studied Lex’s face for a long moment.

"Mada? Is something wrong?"

With a shake of her head, the housekeeper dismissed the dark thoughts from her mind. She’s a grown woman, and she’s going to be just fine. "No sweetie. I was just thinking."

"About what?" Lex took the older woman’s hands in her own. "Are you nervous about this afternoon?"

"Good heavens, no!" Martha exclaimed. "Well, maybe just a touch." She looked down at their joined hands and smiled a bit sadly. "This will change things, you know."

The rancher nodded. "Yeah," she agreed quietly,. "it will. But for the better, I think." Lex reached up with one hand and gently forced Martha to look into her eyes. "Do you know how proud you’re making me today? It’s like I’m getting the best parts of my family together, finally." She fought down the lump that was quickly growing in her throat. "And while you’re gone, I promise to take better care of your house than I did my own," she teased, trying to lighten the moment.

Martha half-laughed, half-cried. "You’d better, child!" She wiped a stray tear from Lex’s cheek. "Don’t you be going all mushy on me now, you hear? I’ll fall apart for sure!"

"Nothing to worry about there, Mada. I’m not the mushy type."

"Right. And I’m the Queen of England," the housekeeper joked. "I’m a little concerned, leaving you right now, though."

Lex raised one eyebrow. "You are? Why? It’s only for a few weeks."

With a heartfelt sigh, Martha brushed the hair out of the younger woman’s eyes. "Because I know how much trouble you can get into in just a few hours, Lexie. And to leave you alone for three weeks? I shudder to think about the possibilities."

"I won’t be alone," Lex argued. "Amanda will be here with me."

"That thought scares me even more, honey. The two of you together are a perfect trouble magnet!" She stood up and brushed off her apron. "Well, I guess I’d better get changed. We need to leave here shortly."

The rancher stood up. "Don’t worry, Mada. Everything is going to be just fine. I’m sure Amanda and Anna Leigh are working out the details right now," she joked, putting her arm around the smaller woman. "Although when those two put their heads together, you should be very afraid."

***************

The afternoon was clear and unseasonably warm, almost perfect for the first Saturday in February. Lex had been relegated to chauffeur and pulled Martha’s Ford Explorer into the parking lot at the First Methodist Church of Somerville. The small church was in a quiet residential neighborhood and was just perfect for the small ceremony that both Charlie and Martha had requested. Lex had intended to have it at the house, but had the location moved after the fire. She jumped from the vehicle and helped Martha and Amanda from their seats. "If you ladies want to go on inside, I’ve got something to check into."

"What is it?" Amanda asked, after Martha had headed for the church. "Is something the matter?"

"I think I see Hubert’s car," Lex sighed. "I swear, if he tries to mess this up for them, I’ll throttle him where he stands." She looked her partner over. Amanda was wearing a lilac blouse with a knee-length black skirt. "You look absolutely beautiful, Amanda."

The blonde smiled. Amanda felt ridiculous wearing her outfit with the walking cast, but one look from Lex and she forgot all about it. "You’re changing the subject, but thank you." She looked around and noticed the shiny BMW in the back corner of the parking lot. "I wonder what he’s doing here?"

Lex shook her head. "I don’t know, but I intend to find out." She turned around to leave when Amanda grabbed her arm.

"Please don’t start any fights, Lex. Not today."

"Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll be good." Lex kissed her lover lightly on the lips. "Why don’t you go on inside and see if everything is going smoothly? I’m going to go have a chat with my dear brother."

Amanda watched her go. The tall woman looked especially nice in her new black slacks, and a gray cotton shirt, and her shiny black boots creaked softly as she walked around to the front of the church. Once Lex was out of sight, Amanda shook her head and slipped through the side door. She stood for a moment until her eyes adjusted to the light, then walked to where Anna Leigh was supervising the arranging of flowers. "Hi, Gramma!"

"Hello, honey! You’re certainly getting around a lot better these days," Anna Leigh commented, as Amanda wrapped her in a fierce hug.

"Thanks. I’m feeling a lot more useful now." Amanda stepped back and looked around the small chapel. The ‘small’ wedding that the couple had requested had quickly escalated into a larger affair because of the number of people that wanted to attend. "You’ve really done a wonderful job with the flowers, Gramma. It looks great in here."

Anna Leigh smiled. "Thank you, dear. I hope that Martha didn’t mind – I really want this day to be special for her." She looked at the door where Amanda had come in. "Where’s Lexington?"

"She’s trying to circumvent a potential problem," the younger woman explained. "Where’s Grandpa?" Amanda asked, allowing her grandmother to lead her to a pew and gently sit her down.

"He and Travis are helping Charlie stay calm. I think they’re in one of the left vestibules, telling marriage horror stories."

The front door to the chapel opened, and a harried woman rushed in. "Oh, goodness! We’ve got to get someone out in the main hall – they’re going to kill each other!" she exclaimed, waving her hands about. "Where’s the sheriff?"

"Calm down, Myra." Anna Leigh reached out and grabbed the hysterical woman by the arm. Myra Norman was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary, of which Martha was a proud member. Quite a few of the ladies would be attending the wedding while others worked to set up the reception at the hall. "Who are you talking about?"

"I think I have a pretty good idea," Amanda muttered, standing up. "I’ll go check it out." She began hobbling down the main aisle, grumbling under her breath. "Dammit, Lex, you promised!"

Once she stepped out of the chapel, Amanda stopped and looked around. She heard noises coming from behind a swinging door to the right of her, so she quickly limped towards the door.

"Goddamn it! Let me go!"

"Take it back, you worthless bastard! Or I swear I’ll throw your sorry ass through that window!" Lex had her brother pinned to the wall, his feet barely touching the ground. She shoved him harder. "I said, take it back!"

"Screw you! She’s nothing but a domestic whore!" he growled, fighting to pull Lex’s hands off his chest. His nose and mouth were bleeding, and one eye was beginning to close.

"LEX!" Amanda screamed from the doorway. "What are you doing?"

The furious rancher turned her head towards the sound of Amanda’s voice, giving Hubert the opening he needed. "I…" She doubled over in pain as he broke free and his knee connected with her stomach.

Hubert laughed and swung his leg into Lex again, causing her to fall to the floor. "Teach you to fuck with me, little sister!" He pulled his foot back again, but was stopped as a heavy object slammed into his back with force. "Aaah!" The big man fell forward and slid down the wall, gasping for breath.

"I’ve had about enough of you!" Amanda growled. Her leg ached where she had used it as a battering ram, but she felt extremely satisfied to see Hubert lying on the ground, moaning. She knelt down as best she could next to Lex. "God, honey…I’m so sorry! Are you all right?"

Lex rolled into a sitting position. "Yeah, I’m fine. Just had the breath knocked out of me." She saw her brother lying a few feet away. "Good lord, Amanda. What did you hit him with?" She saw the tiny lines around the younger woman’s mouth, which meant that she was in pain. "You didn’t."

"I did." Amanda smiled slightly. "And I’d do it again, too. What was…"

Two sheriff’s deputies burst into the hallway and stopped. "Umm…we were told there was a disturbance in here," the first one said, looking around. "Lex? Are you all right?"

"Yeah." The dark-haired woman struggled to her feet, pulling Amanda up with her.

"I want to press charges," Hubert whined, trying to wipe his bleeding nose with a handkerchief. He pointed at Amanda. "That little bitch nearly killed me!"

Lex took a step towards the man. "Watch your mouth, asshole!" She was pulled back by Amanda.

"It’s okay, honey. Let it go. He’s not worth the trouble." She smiled and moved closer to Hubert, who scooted away from her.

"Keep her away from me!" he screamed, holding one arm in front of his face. "I want police protection!"

One of the deputies looked at Amanda, then at the large man still sprawled out in the floor. "Do you expect me to believe that this sweet looking woman hurt you?" He looked at Lex. The only injuries on her that he could see were her skinned knuckles. "Do you want to file assault charges, Lex?"

Hubert finally stood up. "HER? That’s total bullshit! Look at me!" The blood had begun to dry on his chin, but still dripped sluggishly from his nose. He rushed at Lex, tangling his hands in her pressed shirt and slamming her back into the wall. "You fucking bitch! I'm so glad they messed you and your whore up in that accident. It would have been worth every penny if only they'd killed you like I paid them to." Not realizing why Lex was smiling, he shoved her harder. "What the fuck are you grinning about?"

The two deputies quickly pulled Hubert off his sister and cuffed his hands behind his back. "I think we’ve heard about enough, Mr. Walters. Why don’t you come with us?" One of the lawmen began to inform Hubert of his rights as he led the screaming man away.

"This isn’t over yet! I’ll see you and your little whore dead, do you hear me?" Hubert threatened as he was pulled through the swinging door.

Amanda wrapped one arm around Lex’s waist and shook her head. "I can’t believe that Hubert would try and have his own sister killed," she murmured quietly.

"I can," a sad voice spoke up from behind them. Travis stood at the other end of the hallway. He had come searching for Lex in Martha’s behalf, and had witnessed the final confrontation between the siblings. "God help me, I’ve known for years how much that boy hated you. I never would have thought that he’d have stooped to that level, though." He joined the two women and escorted them back to the chapel. "I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I feel like I could have prevented all of this by doing something years ago."

"Don’t apologize, Grandpa. Hubert’s shortcomings are no one’s fault but his own." Lex put her arm around the older man and pulled him close. "Let’s keep this little scuffle between us for now, okay? I don’t want to ruin Martha and Charlie’s wedding."

Travis nodded. "I agree. We can tell them about it later." He stopped and turned to face the two women. "I almost forgot! Martha asked to see you, Lexie. She didn’t say why, though."

Shrugging her shoulders, Lex smiled. "Who knows? Probably some last minute instructions on how to behave myself," she joked. "Guess I’d better go see what she wants." She turned to look at her partner. "Do you want to…?"

"I think I’ll let Grandpa Travis escort me to my seat, so I don’t have to fight the crowd." Amanda struggled to her tiptoes and kissed Lex on the cheek. "Go take care of Martha. I’ll see you in a little while," she whispered in the tall woman’s ear.

***************

A quiet knock on the office door caused Martha to stop fussing with her bouquet and turn around. "Come in." She smiled broadly at the young woman who entered. I always figured that I’d be the one giving her away, not the other way around. She’s certainly grown into a beautiful young woman. "Hi there, honey. What have you been up to? Your shirt is wrinkled."

"Umm…" Lex stood silently as Martha fussed over her clothes, allowing the older woman to tuck the front of her shirt back into her pants. "Just taking care of some garbage," she muttered.

"Uh-huh." Martha stopped her fussing and looked up into the blue eyes. "You never could lie to me, Lexie. But I’ll let it go this time." Grabbing Lex by the hand, she led her over to a brightly cushioned sofa and sat down. "You know, I never thought I’d be doing this."

Lex smiled. "Nervous?"

The flowers in Martha’s hands shook slightly and her voice was uncharacteristically quiet. "No…yes. Well, not really. I guess I’m more worried about what happens next."

"C’mon, Mada. Don’t tell me you and Charlie…" Lex didn’t expect the light slap on her leg.

"That’s not what I meant, young lady! I swear, your mind is in the gutter more often than not." The housekeeper rubbed the strong thigh where she had slapped it and turned slightly so that she could look Lex directly in the eyes. "I’m not sure where this puts us, my getting married and all. You know I want to continue taking care of the house for you. At least, once you get another one built," she joked. "But, I’ll also have a husband to look out for."

The rancher grabbed Martha’s free hand and squeezed it. "All I want is for you to be happy. If that means you staying in your house and taking care of Charlie, then I’m all for it. It’s time you lived your life for yourself, not for me." Lex used her spare hand to reach up and touch the older woman’s cheek. "You are the mother of my heart, Mada." Her voice cracked on the last sentence. "That’s not going to change just because you’re finally taking some happiness for your own."

Martha nodded. "I couldn’t be more proud of who you’ve become if I had given birth to you myself, Lexington Marie. You’ve really grown into a wonderful woman." She almost lost her composure when Lex leaned over and placed a tender kiss on her brow. "Now, are you ready to give me away? I think it’s about time I make an honest man out of Charlie."

"Yeah," Lex sniffled. "Let’s go get you hitched." She pulled Martha up by their joined hands and led her from the room.

***************

Lex almost stumbled when all eyes turned to her and Martha as they entered the chapel. A squeeze on her arm gave her the strength she needed to continue down the aisle towards a decidedly nervous Charlie. "Sorry about that," she murmured to the woman next to her.

"You’re doing just fine, Lexie," Martha answered over the beautiful organ music that was playing. "Just try not to step on my feet, or we’ll both end up on the floor."

The laugh that escaped Lex was loud, and she blushed as her eyes met Amanda’s. I’m not ever gonna hear the end of this one, I’ll bet. She stopped in front of the minister and the sweating sheriff. Charlie was wearing a very nice looking dark suit, and Martha looked beautiful in a crème colored silk dress that fell just past her knees.

"Who gives this woman on this happy occasion?" the white-haired cleric asked. The usually long and boring ceremony had been altered slightly by the couple, because they didn’t want it to be too formal. He waited patiently for the dark-haired woman to answer, as did the several dozens of people attending.

The rancher stood quietly for a long moment, then blinked. "Oh! Umm…I guess I do." She smiled at Charlie and gently gave him Martha’s arm. "Take good care of her, Uncle Charlie." Lex placed a soft kiss on the older woman’s cheek. "I love you, Mada."

He nodded solemnly and held Martha’s hand in his. "You know I will, honey." The couple turned to face the minister as Lex walked back over to her seat next to Amanda.

"That was real smooth, Slim," the blonde teased quietly. She giggled at the blush on her lover’s face. "You’re not going to be like that at our ceremony, are you?"

Lex paled. Lord! I didn’t even think about that! "Shhh! Martha’s probably got a wooden spoon in her pocket with my name on it," she whispered.

Before they realized it, the ceremony was over, and Charlie kissed Martha soundly on the mouth. They turned and waved at the crowd, which had begun to applaud wildly. The newly joined couple walked down the aisle together, stopping every so often to accept congratulations from well wishers. Lex and Amanda followed behind them, the tall woman trying to wipe her eyes casually.

"That was lovely, wasn’t it, girls?" Anna Leigh asked them as they followed the crowd outside. "I’ve never seen Martha look so beautiful."

"She certainly is," Lex agreed, smiling broadly as the couple pulled up short beside Charlie’s official car. Colorful crepe paper covered the brown sedan, and the windows had been decorated with white shoe polish. "Well. Will you look at that?" She laughed as the sheriff shrugged his shoulders with a good-natured laugh and helped Martha into the front seat. "I wonder who…?"

Travis walked up behind Lex and put his hands on her shoulders. "Shameful, isn’t it?"

"Oh, yeah," Amanda giggled, noticing the white specks on the older man’s shoes. "Who would do something like that?"

"It’s just not safe to leave your car anywhere, anymore," Jacob agreed. He had walked up with Travis, and was holding what was left of the roll of crepe. "Hooligans, I’m sure. There’s no other explanation for it." A playful swat from his wife told him that he had not been believed. "What?"

Anna Leigh shook her head. "You two are worse than a couple of teenagers," she sighed. Grabbing her husband’s arm, she began to pull him away. "Darling, what am I going to do with you?" she asked.

"What’s your excuse?" Lex asked her grandfather. She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped a foot. "Well? I’m waiting."

"Well…I…" Travis looked at Amanda. "I could use some help here."

She shook her head. "Oh, no. You leave me out of this."

Lex wrapped the older man in a hug and laughed. "I should have known it would be a bad idea to let you stay with the Caubles. Jacob’s a bad influence, isn’t he?" She winced as Amanda slapped her on the arm.

"Hey! That’s my grandfather you’re talking about!"

"The nut never falls far from the tree, does it, Grandpa?" Lex asked, ducking to keep from receiving another blow. "Oooh! You missed!" she teased Amanda, jumping away.

The small blonde waved a finger at Lex, who was backing away from her. "You’ve got to sleep sometime, Slim. And Martha won’t be around to protect you." She continued walking to the parking lot, smiling to herself as she passed the sputtering rancher.

"That’s not fair! I didn’t do anything to you!" Lex jogged to catch up to her lover. "Amanda! C’mon!" She ignored her grandfather’s laughter behind her.

***************

"I think the ladies outdid themselves, don’t you?" Michael Cauble asked Lex, who was sitting in a corner sipping on some punch. He could see his daughter talking to the bride, and was curious as to why the tall woman was on this side of the room by herself.

The rancher nodded. "Yeah. They did really well, especially considering the short notice I gave them." She pointed to a nearby chair. "Why don’t you take a load off?"

He smiled and sat down. "Thanks, I believe I will. Are you okay?"

"I’m fine." Lex took another drink of her punch. "Is something on your mind, Michael?"

"Actually, there is." He looked at the tablecloth, then back up into the startling blue eyes across from him. "I went and saw Elizabeth at the hospital yesterday." His wife was still being treated for the burns she received several weeks earlier. Although Lex had managed to extinguish the flames from her clothes fairly quickly, she had still gotten second-degree burns on her legs and hands.

Lex nodded. "I see. How’s she doing?"

Michael shook his head. "Physically, she’s going to be just fine. I don’t know if I would have had the presence of mind to do what you did. I probably would have let the bitch burn."

"Unfortunately, I didn’t really think about it, or I might have done the same."

"I don’t think so. You’re too decent. It took me a long time to figure that out, but it’s true. You could no more let her burn, than if it had been someone you loved." He sighed. "They’re going to be transporting her to the state hospital in Austin sometime next week. At least the family won’t have to be subjected to a trial."

She leaned back in her chair slightly, causing the front legs to raise from the floor. "I just hope they have the good sense to keep her there. I don’t want Amanda to have to go through any more grief because of that woman – I’d kill Elizabeth first."

He nodded. "I understand. Lex, I’m so sorry about what happened to your house. If I can do anything at all to help…"

"It’s okay. I was thinking about remodeling again, anyway." Lex smiled as Amanda walked up to the table. "How’s it going?" She stood up and helped the younger woman to a chair. "You really need to stay off that leg right now, Karate Kid."

Amanda blushed, but took the offered seat. "Um, thanks." She turned her attention to her father. "Hi, Daddy. I was wondering if you were going to come over and say hello, or if you were going to be working all day." Her father had been placed on retainer by Lex to take the wedding pictures. He had refused payment, but was enjoying showing off his new camera equipment.

"Yes, well. I wanted to make sure I did a good job. The boss I have is tough," Michael teased, winking at Lex. He leaned over and whispered loudly, "Although I hear that HER boss is even worse!"

"Daddy!" Amanda shook her head, laughing. "Did Gramma find you yet?"

Michael shook his head. "No…was it something important?"

"Knowing the women in your family, Michael…I’d say everything is important, at least to them," Lex added wryly. She flinched as Amanda lightly slapped her leg. "See what I mean?"

"I’m not going to get myself into that mess," he countered. "I think I hear my mother calling me." Michael jumped to his feet and left the table, patting his daughter on the head as he walked away.

Amanda watched his retreat with a happy smile. "So, what were you two talking about so seriously before I came over here?" she asked Lex. "Did I interrupt something?"

"No, not really." Lex reached over and grasped Amanda’s hand. "He was telling me about his hospital visit yesterday. They’re going to transport your mother to Austin next week."

"Oh. I guess I should go by and see her, shouldn’t I?" The younger woman looked down at the tablecloth. She felt her hand being squeezed and looked into her lover’s eyes.

"Only if you want to, sweetheart." Lex ran her free hand through her hair. "I’ll, umm…be glad to go with you, if you want." The last place she wanted to be was anywhere near Elizabeth Cauble, but Lex didn’t want Amanda to think that she’d have to go on her own. "Your dad said that her burns were going to heal okay, but he didn’t mention how she was, otherwise."

The younger woman shook her head. "I really don’t want to. But I think I should." Amanda took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in her throat. "Can we go after the reception? I’d like to get it over with, if you don’t mind."

Lex nodded. "Sure, love. Whatever you want." She looked across the room and stood up. "Looks like the happy couple is about to leave. Shall we?"

"Sure. Let’s." Amanda allowed Lex to pull her up and escort her to where everyone had gathered.

Martha stood up on a chair, so that everyone could see her. "Attention, everyone! Charlie’s telling me that we have a flight to catch, so I’ve got to make this quick." She motioned for Lex and Amanda to stand beside her, and waited until they were in place. "I know that the tradition says I’m supposed to toss my bouquet over my shoulder. But since it’s my wedding, and my bouquet, I say to heck with tradition!" The large group laughed with her. "I want to give this to someone who could really use it, especially since most of you ladies are already taken." The housekeeper looked down at Lex, who shook her head slightly and frowned. "Don’t worry, child. I wouldn’t dream of doing that to you." She stepped down from the chair and handed the bouquet to Amanda, enveloping the younger woman in a hug. "Take care of my baby for me, Amanda. She’s still the most important thing in the world to me," she whispered.

"You can count on it, Mada," Amanda whispered back, kissing the older woman’s cheek. "Have a safe trip," she finished loud enough for everyone to her. "I’ll try and make some use of these flowers while you’re gone."

"You see that you do, young lady." Martha crooked her finger at Lex. "C’mere, Lexie."

The rancher stepped forward slightly. "Yes, ma’am?" She was surprised when Martha wrapped both arms around her and squeezed her tight. "You behave yourself while I’m gone, you hear? I don’t want to have to commandeer that cruise ship and row it back to Texas."

"Yes, Mada." Lex grinned at the attempted scowl on the older woman’s face. "I love you, too." She kissed the slightly wrinkled cheek and stepped back. "Now get going, before Charlie has a fit." She had noticed how the sheriff kept looking at his watch.

The newly married couple quickly said their good-byes and hurried through the door, stopping suddenly. "What the…?" Charlie looked at Martha, then back at Lex, who was standing at the doorway with a large grin on her face. "You little sneak!"

A large white limousine was parked in front of the Ladies Auxiliary Hall, with the words, ‘Just Married’ written across the back window in large letters. The driver stood beside the door, waiting to help the couple inside.

"Don’t blame me," Lex raised her hands defensively. "It’s not my car." She pointed at Travis, who was standing close by. "Talk to him."

Charlie walked over to Travis and looked up into the taller man’s face. "I don’t know what to say, Travis. This is just too much."

"Nonsense, my friend. You wouldn’t let me pay for the wedding, at least let me get you to the airport in style." The older man smiled and placed a hand on the sheriff’s shoulder. "You’ve helped take care of my granddaughter when I couldn’t – at le


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