Clove faced Drake. “I want to be honest. I don’t want to start our lives together with a lie.”
He traced his fingers over her lips. “I agree. Even if it means I’m in here for Christmas.”
Clove’s eyes softened and if he could, he would have kissed her for hours because of that one look.
“We’re not married,” she announced.
The whole Nicholas ’ clan blinked in unison, shocked that she’d blurted it out right there in front of Rory.
“What are you doing?” hissed Jack.
Clove stood taller. “We didn’t run away to get married.” She turned and winked at Drake. “But we want to.”
For a beat, no one moved. Then Pax started to laugh. “I think she beat you to the punch, little brother.” Everyone else joined in the laughter.
Drake drank in the love and the trust and the hope in Clove’s words. “Whoa!” he held up a hand, unable to resist a chance to tease her a little. “Are you asking me to marry you?”
She blushed, her eyes sparkling. That was all the answer he needed. He put his arm through the bar and brought their bodies as flush as possible in their current situation. “Don’t tease me, Clove,” he whispered.
Forest cupped his hand around his mouth and whispered loudly, “Bro, you should hold out for a ring.” Mitzi elbowed him hard enough that he rubbed the spot. “Have I ever told you that you have sharp elbows?”
“Me?” Mitzi batted her eyelashes.
Drake wished Clove was in the cell with him so he could have this conversation without his family butting in. “Seriously?” he asked quietly. “What are you saying?”
Instead of answering him, she looked at Rory. “Do we need a license or anything?”
Drake’s body practically floated off the ground. This incredible woman wanted to marry him. “Yes,” he said, loud enough for everyone to hear. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
That earned him another round of laughter from his brothers.
“It’s Christmas Eve!” Mom exclaimed, flapping her hand. “Where are we going to get a marriage license on Christmas Eve?”
Caleb and Jack did that weird twin mind-meld thing that they sometimes did, and then the two of them ran out of the jail. “On it!” Caleb called over his shoulder.
Mom put her hand on her hip. “Those two! It’s not like the Pastor is available on Christmas Eve. He has a whole service to prepare for tonight.”
Forest handed Aspen to Mitzi and started for the door, grabbing Pax on the way. “Come on. We need to encourage the pastor to make a visit to the jailhouse.”
“No kidnapping!” Rory yelled after them.
Pax turned white. “I would never!” Forest shoved him out the door.
“No offense to the rest of you, but out of all you Nicholas boys, I think Pax would be the least likely to kidnap anyone.” Rory sat down at his desk.
“I’m offended,” Drake said.
Clove’s mouth fell open, and then she closed it and giggled. “Good thing he doesn’t know about your sordid past of kidnapping old ladies.”
He tickled her side. “Grandma Hannah came willingly.”
Clove brushed her hand down his face, and he rubbed her arm. He couldn't get enough of her.
“No offense taken.” Dad sat on the edge of the desk. “You ever had a wedding here before?”
Drake tuned them out as Mom and her daughters-in-law talked about wedding details. It sounded like they wanted to weave fabric through the cell bars for decoration.
He didn’t care about any of that, though. He only cared about one thing—making Clove his wife before Christmas.
