Colt looked back at his father, resting peacefully now. He leaned over the man and kissed his clammy forehead. “Goodbye, Father.” He paused and then added, “When you see Mother in Heaven, tell her I miss her.”
He stood and walked in a daze out of the room. Doctor Hamilton followed.
“Mr. Masterson? Will you let me look at your cut?” His gaze moved to Colt’s forehead. “You might need stitches.”
Colt looked at Blaze. All he wanted to do right now was be with her as they comforted each other over his father’s passing. “What do you think? Does it look that bad?”
She moved closer and lifted a lock of his blood-soaked hair, studying his injury. Closing his eyes, he inhaled her sweet fragrance. He’d never forget that smell as long as he lived.
“Doctor Hamilton?” she said.
Colt opened his eyes to gaze at her loveliness again, but her attention was on the doctor.
“What do you think, Miss Murphy?”
“I don’t think he’ll need stitches. I can bandage him if you don’t mind.”
“Go right ahead.”
Taking Colt’s hand, Blaze led him to her bedroom and her bed. He sat on the edge of the mattress, watching her find the bandages and cream she needed to tend to his wound.
“Where is your husband?” he asked softly.
She moved to the door and closed it before turning back to look at him. “I didn’t get married. Your father collapsed before he could walk me down the aisle.”
Relief flooded through Colt, making him want to cry again. When tears swam in his eyes, he blinked. “Oh, my love. I’m so sorry.”
Keeping her shoulders stiff, she moved to him and stopped. Her attention was on his head, and he wished she would meet his gaze.
“What happened to you?” she asked.
“Kent knocked me out and tied me up.” Her focus dropped to his eyes, so he continued. “He knew I was in love with you, and he didn’t want anything stopping him from winning the bet.”
She gasped. “You knew about the bet?”
“Not until he told me before leaving for the church.” He shook his head. “The rotten man tied me up and left me in his room at the hotel. It was by sheer luck that someone came to help me.” A lump formed in his throat. “I feared I was too late to stop your wedding. I was half-mad out of my mind trying to find you.”
Her pretty face relaxed, and she tenderly cupped his chin. “I was half out of my mind thinking you’d left town because you didn’t want to marry me.”
“Where is the fool, anyway?”
“I don’t know, and I don’t care.” She smiled. “If I see him again, it’ll be too soon.”
“Well, I plan on seeing him again just so that I can punch him in the face.”
“Now that, I’d love to watch.”
Colt loved the way her eyes lit up when she smiled. “Would you have married Kent if my father hadn’t collapsed?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t want to, and my heart fought my mind the whole time. I wanted a miracle to happen that would stop the wedding.” She frowned. “I’m sorry the miracle had to be your father’s death.”
“I don’t think he wanted you to marry Kent.”
“He didn’t.” She chuckled. “He wanted me to marry you.”
Colt took her hand and brought it to his mouth as he kissed her fingers. “And you shall, my love. As soon as we can bury my father, I will marry you and make you mine. Forever.”
She leaned down and kissed him briefly on the mouth. “That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day.”
