Chapter Nine
Sky was ready the next morning when Jared knocked on her door.
She took a deep breath to try to steady her racing heart.
“Come in,” she yelled from the bathroom. She looked up when his body filled the bathroom doorway. “Are we still going into town for the marriage application?”
Jared’s eyes raked down her body. She’d left her hair down again to curl around her shoulders and stream down her back, just the way he liked it. She was wearing a dress similar to the one yesterday, but in a light blue color. He decided Sky was one of the most beautiful women he’d known.
He froze as something niggled in his brain. He turned abruptly and strode to the closet. Daniel had told him yesterday she’d only had a single suitcase and a light one at that. A thought took root in his head.
His eyes widened. The only things hanging were the dress she wore the day before and another one exactly like it in dark pink. She only seemed to own two pairs of shoes—the sandals she was wearing and the tennis shoes on the floor of the closet.
Sky gripped the bathroom doorjamb as she watched him walk from the closet to the dresser and start opening the drawers.
“What are you doing?”
Jared turned back to her. “Where are all your clothes?”
He looked angry for some reason, and she didn’t understand why.
“This is it,” she murmured.
He stood and placed his hands on his lean hips.
“You have three dresses, one pair of jeans, two t-shirts, and two pairs of shoes?”
Sky tightened her grip on the doorjamb until her knuckles whitened. “Yes. Why are you angry?”
“Do you have more being shipped?”
“No, my father threw all my other clothes away because they either didn’t fit or were old. He bought me the clothes I have now.”
Jared stared at her silently for a moment. “Do you know I sent him ten thousand dollars, so you could get everything you needed?”
Sky’s eyes widened in shock as she shook her head. Her heart dropped.
“He never told me. The only thing he did say was, it was only a drop in the bucket to what I owed him. I didn’t and still don’t understand what he meant.”
Jared’s mind was spinning. That bastard father of hers took his daughter’s money. Jared had already seen the effects abuse had on her and guessed her dad was the cause of that, too.
“Did your father give you a choice to come here?”
Sky bit her lip. Would the truth make him put her back on a bus? “No,” she whispered as tears burned the back of her eyelids.
He took careful steps toward her and pulled her into his arms. “I’m so sorry, Baby.”
She wrapped her arms around him and soaked up the affection and warmth he radiated. “It’s okay,” she whispered and patted his back.
He didn’t want to let her go, but it would make him the lowest kind of bastard to not give this woman a choice.
“If you want, I can give you money to go anywhere you choose.”
Sky’s arms tightened. Oh, God. She’d been afraid he’d do this. “You don’t want me here?” she murmured the question against his chest.
Jared used his fingers to tilt her head up. “No, that’s not what I’m saying. I just want it to be your choice to be here, and no one else’s.”
Sky’s gaze slid over his face, finding the truth of the words he spoke. “I’d like to stay here with you.”
A growl rumbled in his chest. Jesus, that woman was going to drive him crazy if he didn’t watch it. Everything about her appealed to him. There was nothing he’d change about her.
He dipped his head and took her mouth in a drugging kiss that left them both breathless. He cupped her cheek and stared into her eyes. “I’m very glad.”
Sky smiled. His heart stopped in his chest at the happiness on her face.
“I’m going to take you to the dining room to get some breakfast while I make a few calls.”
The edge in his tone caught her attention.
“Is everything all right?”
“It will be by the end of the day. Are you ready?”
Sky pulled away and turned off the lights before following him out of the bedroom.
Jared captured her hand. He was quiet as they made their way to the dining room. He sat her down and walked into the kitchen. She heard Jared and Abby whispering before he came back.
He bent and placed a kiss on her lips.
“I’ll be right back.”
She nodded but stayed silent.
“Here you go, Honey,” Abby said as she came through the doorway. “I’ve got you some orange juice, eggs, and toast. Can I get you some coffee?”
“Abby, I don’t want you to wait on me. I’m perfectly capable of getting my own coffee.”
Abby bent and hugged her shoulders. “I know that, but I enjoy taking care of you. Would you take away my happiness?”
Sky caught a bit of mischief in her expression before it was gone. “Well, no, I wouldn’t want to make you sad.” Sky paused. “Maybe you’d let me help you sometimes.”
“Absolutely. Do you cook at all?”
“Oh, yes. I love to cook and bake. Maybe you could teach me more, though.”
“Did your mom teach you?”
Sky’s smile fell before she turned away. “No, I didn’t have a mother, so I had to learn from books I got at the library.”
Tears burned Abby’s eyes at the desolate look on Sky’s face before she turned away. “I would love to teach you, and maybe you can teach me some recipes you have?”
Sky put the glass of juice down and nodded. “I’ll try to find ones I think you’ll like.”
Abby patted her shoulder. “I’m sure I’m going to like everything. Now I’ll be right back with your coffee.”
Sky smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”
A few minutes later, Jared came back and sat beside her.
“Did you make all your calls?”
“Yes, I did. After you finish, we’ll head into town.”
“I’m ready at any time. I’m going to run upstairs and get my sweater. I’ll be right back.”
***
Jared watched her go, then turned when Abby came through the door.
“Did you get Thompson to do it?” she asked as her hands gripped the back of one chair.
“Oh, yeah. He owed me. He’ll have the license at the courthouse, and then he said he’ll pull us into his chambers and marry us.”
“When are you going to tell her?”
“On the way there. You and Terry can head out after we leave, and we’ll meet there. I’m going to take her the long way.”
“I hope this doesn’t break her heart.”
“Why would it do that unless she didn’t want to marry me, and she already told me she does.”
Abby bit her lip to keep from chuckling at the nervous look on his face.
He was already falling for that sweet woman, and she couldn’t be more pleased.
“Some women dream about their wedding since childhood. If she’s one of them, a quickie wedding, and one she’s not the least bit prepared for, might just upset her. ”
“Right now, all I’m worried about is keeping her safe, and the only thing I can do is marry her. Then her father won’t have any leverage if he chooses to make trouble.”
“I agree, her safety comes first, but you’d better consider giving her a proper wedding later.”
“I’ll do whatever is necessary to keep her happy.”