Ella felt frozen in place. Could she truly do this? Was it the right choice?
Oh, Lord, am I making a big mistake?
“Hey.”
The warmth of Cody’s hand surrounded hers. Looking up, she met his blue eyes. He used the same voice he’d used in the alley. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”
Even with the preacher before them, he gave her the choice to change her mind. The contrast between him and Howard yawned like the Grand Canyon. She bit her lip, remembering Howard’s last words to her.
You will marry me, and that’s final! I don’t care what it takes to make that happen!
Cody regarded her with a calm look. Her panic dissipated. She kept her hand in his and moved closer. “I’m not going to change my mind.”
He gave her a half smile, then turned to the preacher. “We’re ready.”
Ella barely heard the words of the ceremony. Her mind whirled as she spoke vows to a man she’d now be tethered to forever. When it came time to exchange rings, Travis stepped forward with two bands. Ella briefly wondered where they came from before Cody slid one onto her finger.
“With this ring, I thee wed.”
The words jolted her out of her reverie. She lifted her head to look at him. He gazed back, solemnity written all over his handsome face.
Handsome?She blushed, trying to banish the thought.
Addie babbled something, patting his cheek. His eyes broke from Ella’s for a moment, giving her time to breathe. She took the ring Travis offered her and placed it on Cody’s finger.
The preacher smiled. “I now pronounce you man and wife.”
And just like that, they were married.
CHAPTER 6
Cody stole glances at Ella throughout their silent drive to the farm. She sat ramrod straight on her seat, Addie held secure against her chest. This woman—hiswife—possessed a curious ability to get through to his children. She’d been the one to carry Isaiah from the guest room to the buggy after their wedding, and Cody noticed the little boy snuggle closer to her even in his sleep. Jonah and Addie both fell asleep on her. It seemed they already trusted their new mother in some capacity. Time would tell if it continued.
His gaze grazed the golden band on his finger. The preacher had a stash of wedding rings for cases just like these. Apparently, he’d done more than a few last-minute weddings here in the west. The ring felt foreign on Cody’s hand. It might take some getting used to—just as it would take time getting used to being married.
Frigid wind blew over the land. Ella shivered, her cheeks red. Cody placed the reins on the seat beside him, holding them in place with his thigh, and lifted the blanket from his lap. Without a word, he wrapped it around Ella and Addie. His new wife clasped her hand around it, holding it firm against Addie’s back. “Th-thank you.”
He nodded in response, taking up the reins again.
“Won’t you be cold without it?”
Cody’s legs already tingled, but his first priority was making sure she and the children were warm. “I’ll be fine. It’s only a few more miles.”
After another couple minutes of silence, Ella spoke again. “Why are there dead cows everywhere?”
“It’s been a harsh winter. Lots of ranchers ran out of cattle food near the end of the year. Then in January, we got a nasty blizzard that wiped out a lot of livestock. There wasn’t enough food to go around. Most of us are struggling.”
She tilted her head, studying him. “Including you?”
“Yeah.” He snapped the reins, urging the horses to pick up their pace. “Things might be tight, but I like to be prepared. My cattle fared better because I had plenty of food stored up.”
“And now?”
“Now…I pray we have a plentiful crop of alfalfa this season.”
Ella fell quiet. That suited him just fine. He didn’t know what else to say to her, anyway.
They crossed onto his land and rumbled toward the house. He pulled Preston to a halt. After jumping down, he rounded the wagon to help Ella out. She stood, letting the blanket fall in a heap, and eyed the descent. With a baby in her arms, it wouldn’t be easy. Cody reached for her. His hands encircled her waist as he lifted her and set her on the ground. Her wide eyes blinked up at him. Once again, he felt her shiver. Only then did he realize he still had his hands around her waist. He let go and turned his attention to getting the boys.
