The Lawman (The Willow Creek Series #1) by Lily Graison Page A

enough to get the town talking and it had. He just wished someone had told him about it.
    He eyed Holden as he lowered his feet to the floor. His brother was dressed in his Sunday best, his boots shined up and his dress hat on. He’d even put on a string tie. He looked quite spiffy. Every bit the well off rancher he was. Standing, Morgan glanced out the window, his eyes widening when he saw Alex in the buckboard sitting beside his pa. “How’d you get him out of the house?”
    “I didn’t. Not really. I told him me and Alex was coming to town to see you get hitched and that far-off look usually in his eyes cleared. He stood, walked to his room and came back out with his boots and hat on.”
    “He dressed himself?”
    Holden laughed. “No. He was still in his drawers but I saw fit to find his clothes for him.”
    Rounding the desk, Morgan walked to the door, opened it and looked out at his pa. The man hadn’t been right in the head since their mother died. They weren’t sure what happened to him exactly but it was like a switch had been flipped and he lived in a world of his own making. He talked to himself most of the time, carried on complete conversations with people who weren’t there, and seemed a million miles away. The fact he heard Holden and understood what was happening was a miracle.
    “Time’s a wasting, Morgan. Are you going to change your clothes or not?”
    Morgan turned his attention back to Holden. “Who planned all this because I sure as hell didn’t.”
    Holden shrugged his shoulder. “Don’t know. Bert Pierce rode out a few hours ago and told me to be here right after lunch. Said you and Abigail were getting married.”
    “Abigail…” Morgan sighed. Damn. She was serious then. He’d let himself believe she’d been teasing him about marrying her and now she’s gone and involved the whole damn town in it. He didn’t know whether to ring her neck or just laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. He had no one but himself to blame. He did say he’d marry her after all.
    Shaking his head, he walked outside, looking back at Holden once on the sidewalk. “I have to talk to Abigail. Where’s this all happening at?”
    “In the grove out behind the mercantile.”
    Nodding his head, Morgan started across town. The streets were deserted, he noticed. Everyone must be in the grove waiting to see him get hitched. He rolled his eyes. He’d let his mouth get away with him one time too many and this just proved it. Marrying Abigail wasn’t a completely horrible thought but he would have at least liked the time to warm up to the idea. Or talk her out of it.
    A bead of sweat trickled down his back as he walked between the buildings. For some reason, he felt as if he was walking to the gallows. Married. Him. He almost laughed but seeing the crowd of people gathered in the small grassy copse of trees, a sudden, irrational fear forced the humor away.
    The feeling grew when he saw Abigail standing with a group of women by a table filled with food. She turned to look at him and his breath caught. She was the prettiest thing he’d seen in ages and he was about to toss her away. Stupid didn’t even begin to describe how he felt at that moment.
     

Chapter Seven
     
    Abigail excused herself from the conversation happening around her and made her way toward Morgan. He was still dressed as he was this morning, his denim trousers and plain chambray shirt and dusty boots. He hadn’t cleaned up for their wedding which told her he wasn’t there to say, “I do.” When she stopped in front of him, she blurted, “I didn’t do this. I swear it.”
    Morgan looked over her shoulder to the women gathered around the table. “I can only guess who did.”
    “Edna.”
    He huffed out a harsh breath. “Figures. That old bat can’t leave well enough alone.” He turned his attention back to her and smiled as he took in her dress and hair. “You look real pretty, Abigail.”
    She blushed and knew she wasn’t too