Nora frowned, her instincts humming. “Me too.”
“Well, this is fucking ugly.” Lynne glanced down at the hospital gown. “Fugly, if you will.”
Nora tilted her head. “Lynnie—”
“No.” Color suffused Lynne’s face. “No silliness, no protest, no self-protection. I want this, and you promised.” Her voice slurred on the end.
Nora shook her head. “Want what?”
“You. Safe and protected.” Lynne gasped for air. “It’s all I want.”
Oh, man. The fever was taking her brilliant friend away. Nora nodded. “I’m safe, Lynne. I can protect myself.”
Lynne snorted, the sound tinny over the line. “Bullshit. With what’s coming, with disaster, you can’t protect yourself. He’s stronger than you. Meaner. A survivor.” Her eyelids fluttered. The monitors beeped.
“Lynne!” Nora clapped her hands.
“What?” Lynne groused, opening her eyes again. “Oh yeah. Marry him so I can die in peace. I need to know you’re protected.”
Nora’s head jerked back. Her stomach dropped. “Marry him?” Where had her friend’s head gone? She was perfectly capable of protecting herself. Wasn’t she?
“Yes.” Lynne sighed.
The door opened, and Deke stalked in, his gun at his hip and a frown on his face. Behind him loped a gray-haired pastor in full robes.
Her heart jumped hard, and her abdomen warmed. Harsh lines cut into the sides of his mouth, and his green eyes held anger. But damn, it was good to see him. Then Lynne’s words hit her. “Oh, hell no,” Nora swore.
Amusement lightened Deke’s green eyes to the color of a spring river. She gaped, not having seen the expression on him for nearly a month.
He nodded at Lynne. “I take it you made your deathbed request?”
Nora turned and punched him in the arm. Hard. “She’s not on her deathbed.”
Deke shot her a warning glance and rubbed his bicep, leaning over to speak in the mic. “I’m not sure about marrying this wild woman, Lynne. She just hit me.”
Lynne coughed out air, and a tremor shook her body. The blue heart shone bright from beneath the covers. “You promised, McDougall.”
“Aye, I did.” He turned and looked down at Nora before grabbing her hands in his big ones. “Start the vows, Pastor.”
Nora shook her head and tried to jerk free. Without success. “You set this up,” she accused Deke.
“No,” Lynne said weakly. “I talked to him this morning. Asked him. Please, Nora. I want to hear the words before I go.”
Nora gaped, looking from Lynne to Deke. This couldn’t be happening; the fever was seriously screwing with Lynne’s brain. “This is crazy, Deacan,” Nora whispered.
He lifted a massive shoulder. “I always figured on marrying you again, and why not make your friend happy? Give her some peace.”
“Please,” Lynne groaned.
On all that was holy. Fine. Bloody Deacan McDougall had no problem taking advantage of the situation, now did he? Nora could grant a deathbed wish, if the vows would give Lynne peace. Then she’d march her ass down to the courthouse and annul the damn thing. Nobody was going to force her into marriage. She showed her teeth to Deke, and his chin lifted.
Nora pushed out air. “If I marry him, you have to promise to live, Lynne. Promise me.”
Lynne nodded. “It’s a deal.”
Nora glanced back at Deke. “Fine.”
The pastor was fast and kept the vows simple. Within five minutes, Nora found herself married to Deacan once again. When he slipped on her wedding band, the same one from before, she gasped.
