12. My Vows to You – Roman
Chapter 12
My Vows to You
PLAYLIST: “FOREVER AND EVER, AMEN” BY RANDY TRAVIS
ROMAN
My heart galloped in my chest like a runaway horse as I drove around Blackwell’s courthouse square the next morning, looking for a parking spot.
I drummed my fingers against the steering wheel, my gaze scanning for any signs of someone getting ready to back out of one of the parking spots.
Without saying a word, Zoe reached over and laid her hand on my thigh, the caress warm and reassuring.
Every muscle in my body relaxed at her touch and I breathed a little easier as the tension in my neck and shoulders released.
“You nervous?” Zoe’s voice was quiet, contemplative, and maybe a little bit guarded.
I took one hand off the steering wheel and reached down to take her hand in mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
“Not nervous, really… I just want everything to go right, you know what I mean? I know it’s only a courthouse wedding and less than what you deserve, but today’s a big day for us, and I don’t want anything screwing it up or going wrong.”
Zoe chewed on her bottom lip, a frown line appearing between her eyebrows. “You’re worried about the threat I got last night, aren’t you?”
I swallowed hard and nodded. “Among other things, yeah.”
Zoe raised my hand to her mouth, pressing her velvet-soft lips against my scarred, work-roughened knuckles in a lingering kiss that left my heart aching for all the years we could have had together while she was in Miami, running away from her responsibilities here in Montana… running from the pain of Missy’s death, running from the pain of losing her mom before that. I couldn’t remember a time when Zoe wasn’t running. My girl had always been a mustang at heart, and it seemed so strange now, to see her settled and sober instead of bucking and fighting and running like hell for the hills.
“Let’s not let that taint today for us, Rome,” Zoe whispered. “Today’s about you and me and the commitment we’re making to each other. Nothing else.”
“You’re right.” I nodded, spotting a truck about to back out at the corner ahead of us. Putting on my blinker, I pulled into the spot as soon as the other truck vacated it, and put my truck in park. “I just wish your daddy could be here for this. It doesn’t feel right to do this without him.”
“I know, baby, but we need to go ahead and do it, even though he can’t be here. We need to present a united front, especially with people coming at us and the ranch from all sides. Once Daddy is feeling better and this whole mess with David Michaelson and the investigation into Missy’s death being re-opened is behind us, we can have a big, beautiful ceremony at the ranch. And if, God forbid—” Zoe’s voice broke, and she sucked in a deep, shaky breath. “If something were to happen to Daddy or to me… we need to be married because I know you’d never let anything bad happen to the ranch. It’d be in good hands if you had it?—”
“Stop, Zo. I don’t want to think about that on our wedding day.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head, not hearing me. She was borderline hyperventilating, her words a runaway train. “No, Rome. Maybe Michael is right. I’ve spent the last ten years feeling like it’s my fault Missy is dead. I might not have been the one who killed her, but if I hadn’t been so hurt and angry and jealous… if I hadn’t said the things I said to her, she might still be alive right now?—”
“Hush, now. Michael Carter is not right about you. Never has been.” I cradled Zoe’s face in my hands, forcing her to meet my gaze as I pulled her to me and kissed her with all the ferocity that clawed its way out of my chest at her implication. I wrapped my arms around her, crushing her to me, and leaned my forehead against hers as I broke the kiss. “I will never let anything bad happen to you, do you understand me? Not ever. I won’t let anyone hurt you, I won’t let anyone send you to jail, and I won’t let David Michaelson get his hands on your father’s ranch. I’ll go to prison in your place if I have to, baby, and I’ll love you every single day for the rest of my life… every damn day until the day I die. Those are my vows to you, Zoe Brandt.”
Zoe flung herself against my chest with a broken sob, winding her arms around my neck and holding on tight. “I don’t deserver you, Roman. I never did.”
“I never asked if you deserved me, Zo. I just asked if you’ll marry me.” I reached up and stroked her hair, quietly shushing her and peppering her face with kisses until her tears subsided.
“Of course I will. I’d have to be a damned fool not to.” Zoe sat back and wiped the tears off her face. “Just give me a second to freshen up before we go inside. We might get some funny looks if I went in there all red-eyed and snot-nosed from a crying fit.”
“Even red-eyed and snot-nosed, you’re still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and I’m over the moon that we’re finally tying the knot after all these years. But mark my words, woman, we’re going to have a real, big ceremony at the ranch later on, after we’re on the other side of this shitstorm we’re caught in right now. You read me?”
Zoe rolled her eyes and gave me a stiff salute before a laugh burst out of her. I reached over and stroked her cheek. “There’s the smile I like to see. You ready for this, baby?”
Zoe smoothed a hand down the front of the simple ivory eyelet sundress she was wearing and nodded. “Let’s go make it official, Mr. York.”
My heart did a strange little flip-flopping sensation in my chest as she called me Mr. York, and the realization hit me like a freight train that I was finally about to make her Mrs. York... just like I’d wanted to for years now.
My heart kept skipping beats as I walked around the truck and opened Zoe’s door for her. She beamed up at me, shaking her head, her green eyes crinkling at the corners with that warm, familiar glint.
“What was that look for?” I arched an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth as she looped her arm through mine. Together, we climbed the front steps of the courthouse.
“Nothing…” She shrugged, chewing on her bottom lip. “I just thought it was cute, you opening the door for me and all. After living in Miami for ten years, it’s nice to be reminded that chivalry isn’t dead, after all.”
“Baby… you forget. I visited Miami twice a year to check up on you, make sure you were doing all right. I remember the way you’d present yourself there—don’t try to deny it. I’m pretty sure that if any man had opened a car door for you, you’d have bitten his head off for undermining your badass, ‘I can handle my own shit’ businesswoman image. Including opening your own damn car door, thank you very much.”
Zoe barked out a startled laugh, her cheeks turning a deep shade of pink as she cut a sideways glance at me and tried her best to look tough. “I hate that you’re right.”
I chuckled, leaning down to press a quick kiss to her pouty lips. “You’re still a badass businesswoman who can handle her own shit, baby, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be chivalrous and treat you like a lady deserves to be treated. Now come on, or we’ll be late for our appointment with the probate judge.”
She took my hand in hers, lacing our fingers together, and didn’t argue when I opened the courthouse door for her, too. Once we were inside, a quiet nervousness settled over us both as we made our way to the judge’s office. My heart was hammering in my chest, but as soon as we stepped into Judge Milligan’s office and took our places, a kind of calm washed over me.
The judge smiled warmly, nodding for us to begin. I turned to Zoe, the love of my life, and let the words I’d prepared tumble from my heart.
“Zoe, I never thought I’d find someone who understands me like you do. You’re fierce, loyal, and every bit as stubborn as I am. I promise to stand by your side, no matter what storms come our way, to respect you, and to love you fiercely—every single day.”
Zoe’s hand trembled just a little as she took a breath and began her own vows. “Roman, you’ve been my rock, even when I didn’t think I needed one. You’ve been there when it mattered, and you never gave up on me. I promise to trust you, to love you, and to build this life with you. No matter what comes our way, I’m yours, in every way, always.”
Judge Milligan smiled, glancing between us. “By the power vested in me by the State of Montana, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
I didn’t need to be told twice. I pulled Zoe into my arms and kissed her, sealing a promise we’d both been waiting too long to make.
* * *
The ride home from the courthouse was quiet and serene in a way I couldn’t ever remember feeling before in my life. Zoe sat in the middle of the bench seat, tucked up against my side, and I drove with my arm wrapped around her shoulders, the biggest, most impossible to wipe off smile on my face as we drove out of downtown Blackwell and back toward Twisted Creek.
Zoe’s expression darkened for a moment as we passed Tanner’s Hollow Farm, where we’d rescued the abused colt from. “You don’t think the cops are going to let David Michaelson take the colt back, do you?”
I shook my head and snorted. “I’d like to see him fucking try. That check we wrote the asshole for the colt has already been cashed, not that the ranch could really afford an expense like that right now, but we’ll figure all that mess out later on, I guess. I just couldn’t leave the horse there.”
“I don’t blame you at all.” Zoe’s whisper was hoarse, but full of fierce conviction. “You did the right thing. And don’t you worry about the money. We’ll get all of that straightened out just as soon as we get properly settled in at the big house and we get dad home from the hospital.”
I pressed a quick kiss against her temple, making sure to keep my eyes on the road as I did. “I’m glad you’re home, baby. It finally feels like something might start going right around this place, now that you’re here again.”
We pulled through the arched gates of Twisted Creek Ranch just as those words left my mouth, and I spotted an unfamiliar sedan parked in front of the big house. I frowned and shot a sideways glance at Zoe.
“Do you know who that car belongs to?”
Zoe shrugged. “Not a clue.”
I pulled to a stop next to the little maroon sedan and put my pickup in park, staring at the presumptuous woman sitting in one of the rocking chairs on the front porch. She was rail thin, with long, dark, curly hair and something about her seemed strangely familiar, like maybe I should have recognized her, but I didn’t know the woman from Adam’s house cat.
Putting on my best polite face, I clambered out of the truck and forced a stiff smile. “Can I help you, ma’am?”
The woman stood up and brushed off her ankle-length denim skirt. “Yes, I’m here to see Roman York.”
My gut tied itself in a cold, hard knot for some reason I couldn’t define as I held her gaze and hooked my thumbs in my belt loops, trying to look at ease as I leaned a shoulder against one of the porch posts. “Well, you came to the right place. I’m Roman York, and you’re here to see me regarding what, exactly?”
The woman offered me a tentative smile and took a half-step toward me, her hand stretched out for a handshake. “I was just wondering if I could talk to you for a few minutes. My name is Sarah... Sarah York... and I’m your mother.”