Page 45 of Falling for the Cowgirl
Jericho’s blue eyes swirled with frustration. But she ignored it and twisted at her bodice still hugging her shoulders where he’d draped it.
Flynn and Wyatt were both quiet for several heartbeats. Wyatt finally broke the silence. “You best think long and hard about what you’re saying, Jericho. If you ain’t willing to—can’t—do the right thing for you and Ivy, then it’s best for you to move on out and get a job someplace else where you won’t be near Ivy and tempted again to use her.”
Protest rose swiftly within Ivy. She might be mad at Jericho, but she didn’t want him getting into trouble on account of her.
Jericho released a tense breath. “You’re right. I’ll move out tonight.”
Wyatt nodded. “Reckon that’d be for the best—”
“Nope.” Flynn took a menacing step toward Jericho, his fingers resting on his revolver. “Reckon the best thing is if we hog-tie Jericho, track down Father Zieber, and have us a wedding right now.”
“Hush up, Flynn.” Ivy stepped in front of Jericho. No matter how he’d hurt her, she wasn’t letting her brother punch him again. “You really think I’m aimin’ to get hitched to a man who has to be forced to the altar at gunpoint?”
As Flynn took her in, he had the decency to look chagrinned. “We’re just trying to watch out for you, Ivy. That’s all.”
“You’ve watched out for me real well, Flynn.” She swallowed the sudden lump that clogged her throat. “But now I gotta figure out my future for myself.”
Flynn’s expression remained stormy. And Ivy guessed she wasn’t gonna be able to convince him of his need to cut her loose, at least not today.
“Now if you all will excuse me, I’ll get myself decent.” She cocked her head toward the door. Jericho was the first to aim for it. His footsteps echoed heavily, and he didn’t glance back at her as he opened it and walked out. Somehow that single act of negligence pierced her more than his words had.
Left alone with Flynn and Wyatt, she was suddenly overcome by the need to weep. Hot tears stung the backs of hereyes, and she was afraid that at any second she’d break down and bawl.
“Ivy,” Wyatt started.
She shook her head. “Please, I need a few minutes by myself.”
Wyatt nodded, grabbed Flynn’s arm, and the two started toward the door. Once there, they both glanced at her over their shoulders as if she were a different breed of animal they’d never come across.
As the door shut behind them, she sank onto the closest bench and buried her face in her hands. An instant later, her palms were damp with her silent tears. How had things gone bad so rapidly?
One minute she was on the brink of heaven in Jericho’s arms, kissing him and basking in the attention she’d only dreamed about him giving her. In the next, he was telling everyone he didn’t like her enough to consider marriage—not now or anytime soon.
Why had he dismissed her so easily? What was wrong with her?
No doubt she was a mess-up. Even Flynn had said so. He’d tried mighty hard to raise her up to be a good and decent woman. But somehow she was always falling short.
A better woman wouldn’t have been caught smooching with a man in a church. A better woman wouldn’t have been half-dressed with a man she wasn’t married to. A better woman wouldn’t have let someone else take the blame for her problems.
None of this was Jericho’s fault. He hadn’t used her. In fact, he hadn’t done anything to harm her. He’d simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. But by her silence,she was letting her brothers think the worst about him.
They’d fired him and kicked him off the ranch because of her.
“Oh, Lord Almighty, what have I done?” She’d driven a wedge between Jericho and her family because of her selfishness, because she hadn’t wanted him to tell anyone about her competitions so she could keep saving up for her own ranch.
The main door of the church opened, then closed softly. Footsteps padded down the aisle toward the front pew where she sat. The steps were too light to belong to Jericho. After their parting, she doubted she’d see him again anyway. Not after how selfish she’d been.
If only everything inside wasn’t aching for the need to be with him. Holy Saint Peter. What she wouldn’t have given to marry him today. But never in her dreaming had she imagined forcing him into marriage.
Someone sat beside her and laid a gentle hand on her arm.
Ivy didn’t have to look to know who it was. The protruding belly and the extra huff of breathing told her Greta had been the one Flynn and Wyatt had designated to come inside and talk some sense into her. From the voices filtering in, she knew everyone else—even all the young’uns—were waiting close-by.
Greta patted Ivy’s arm and sat quietly with her. She appreciated Greta’s patience. The sweet woman had always made her feel welcome, like she was wanted and loved and accepted.
But it hadn’t mattered how widely Greta and Wyatt had opened their home—a piece of Ivy had been missing that they hadn’t been able to replace. It was a piece she wasn’tsure she’d ever be able to replace, but she’d hoped having her own home would give her a measure of satisfaction that she’d missed all these years.
Yet, how could she move forward with earning money from any more competitions knowing her dishonesty and duplicity had hurt Jericho? She didn’t want him to take the blame for everything that had happened. She had to come clean, no matter the consequences for herself and her future.
