Page 112 of My UnTrue Love
“For the sake of our new fraternal relationship, I’m gonna pretend you just told me ‘congratulations’.” Bill decided.
He was on his way to yet another job interview, this time at Buffalo Roam Ranch. He’d prefer to be playing guitar all day, but working on Buffalo Roam wouldn’t be a hardship. It was the prettiest piece of land he ever did see.
The ranch was a huge, private estate, owned by some old cattle baron. It was situated away from Red River Valley’s bustling center, near the open range. Trees grew everywhere, which must have cost a fortune to maintain in the desert climate, but Bill knew Clem would sure like them. She wanted a house with trees.
Just for a second, Bill pictured owning this property. The peacefulness of the ranch seeped into his bones, feeling righter than anything had before, except his claim on Clementine.
“Un-fucking-believable.” Hank wasn’t in the mood to bond. “She actuallymarriedyou? I swear to God, if I find out that you’re scamming my baby sister, just so you can get yourself a muse…”
“I’m not.” Bill interrupted, impatiently shaking off his fantasies of having a beautiful home for his beautiful wife. “I want Clem, because she’sClem.”
“You’d better be telling me the truth. Because if you intend to cause herone secondof unhappiness, you’ll be ending your days in a windowless cell underneath my damn house, chained to a wall, and crying for the pain to stop.”
Bill’s eyebrows rose at that graphic threat. “Well, I’m a fortunate man then, aren’t I? I don’t have to worry about your home-dungeon, since my only intention is to be happily married to Clementine for all of ever-after.”
Hank ignored that assurance. It sounded like he was rustling through papers. “I spent hours investigating you. I can’t find any kind of criminal record or outstanding warrants. You’re usually employed. Notnow, but usually. You pay your bills. No restraining orders from ex-girlfriends. No history of drinking or drugs. You seem clean enough.” He paused. “But I still don’t trust you.”
“Real shame you weren’t at the wedding, Sheriff. That could’ve been your best man’s speech.”
“Give me a single, solitary reason I should let my sister stay married to some broke, scheming, unemployed musician?”
“I have a lot of flaws.” Bill admitted, because he was an honest man by nature and because he respected Hank’s love for Clem. “But my commitment to Clementine ain’t one of them. You have my word that I will protect her to the very best of myability. I will make sure she has her medicine, and enough food, and a place to sleep. Even if I have to do without, I will make sureshehas it.”
Hank was silent, thinking that over.
“Clem is all that matters to me.” Bill went on. “I’m not her True Love, but that makes me all the more determined to keep her happy. I don’t want her to leave. I know she can do better than me and I know thereisno better than her. That’s the God’s honest truth.”
Hank sighed, like he believed that promise and wished he didn’t.
“I got no quarrel with you, Sheriff. You just give me a chance and I’ll show you I can be a Good mate to your sister. I swear it.”
“I should’ve locked you up, when I had the chance.” Hank muttered in resignation.
That sounded like “welcome to the family” to Bill.
“Look on the bright side,” he urged, his mood rising, “I’m a better choice for a brother-in-law than John Jacob Jingleheimer-Schmidt.”
“I could say the same about any man above ground.” Hank’s voice became less aggressive. “How the hell did you convince Clementine to marry you so fast, anyway?”
“It was all her idea, as a matter of fact. I was swept clean off my feet.”
Hank gave a skeptical scoff. “I suppose this terrible choice of hers is the reason she’s not answering my calls this morning. Is she hiding from me?”
“Nah, I accidentally broke her phone. I already picked her up a new one.”
He’d bought the nicest one in the general store. Maybe a gift would make her forget his small fight with the nightstand. Hopefully this job interview at the ranch went well, though. His financial stability was shakier by the day.
“You ‘accidentally’ broke Clem’s phone?” Hank repeated. “Funny, you don’t strike me as a man who has a lot of accidents. You seem very… intentional.”
“Well, I hung up on Johnny a mite harder than necessary.”
Hank snorted in reluctant amusement.
“In my defense, how receptive wouldyoube if your bride’s former beau called her on your wedding night and wanted to chat?”
“Alright. You have a point there. Although, as much as you hate Johnny, I believe he hates you more.”
“Not possible.”
