Forbidden Cowboy (Rocky Ridge Creek #1)

Chapter Fifteen

HOPE

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“I’M MORE NERVOUS than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.” I fix the flower arrangement on the table between Bucky and Kiwi’s bar — again.

Levi lifts my hands away from the white hydrangeas. He smoothes his rough palms down my bare arms. “You’re shivering.”

It has nothing to do with the air conditioning and my spaghetti strap white lace dress. “When they discover we’ve tricked them —” I take a deep breath.

“From what you’ve told me, your mom is already on our side and your father would do anything for you.”

“It’s his opinion of you that scares the death out of me.”

Levi chuckles. “Imagine standing on my side. I wouldn’t put it past your father to punch me.”

“My papa wouldn’t hurt a fly. He’s actually the biggest teddy bear ever.”

“You do remember he punched my pa square in the jaw, right?”

“He’s really protective of his girls.”

“I rest my case.” He hooks a finger under his chin and turns his head sideways. “Take a good look darlin’ cause it might be the last time I look this pretty.”

I sink my face into my hands and groan through my fingers. “Maybe this is a bad idea.”

“This is the best idea you two have come up with.” Faye positions a wine and water glass at the six place settings.

“Buckle down. Stick to your decision. At your age, it’s about damn time you made the right one.” Wilma fusses over the linen wrapped cutlery.

The twins have gone all out to make tonight perfectly special. In the short time since our phone call, they’d managed to rope Bucky and Kiwi into pushing together a couple tables in their feuding hole. Three settings on Bucky’s for the Wildes and three settings on Kiwi’s for the Foxes. The table is decked with a burlap runner stretched over an ivory tablecloth. Fancy plates sit on floral placemats. I’m sure the entire getup is from the sisters’ bed and breakfast, Quilt House B&B.

“There’s no way in hell we’re backing out.” Levi cups my face and plants a long kiss on my forehead before pressing his forehead on the exact spot. “Right?” His whisper is only for me, but I’m sure the sisters are hanging onto every word.

“Right.” I run my hands along the stubble of his jaw.

“You ready?”

I nod against his head. “Yes.”

He softly brushed his lips over mine.

“It’s time.” Faye scoots away from the window. Wilma follows her to a booth tucked away but within hearing distance.

I slip over to Kiwi’s side of the bar. While Bucky has a rustic country vibe to his bar, Kiwi’s bottle-green walls, bronze pipes and bamboo to create privacy booths has a more earthy tone.

“This is a bad idea.” Kiwi chops a tomato. The halves roll on either side of the knife. “We’re about to have a come-to-Jesus meetin’.”

“Hush now.” I take a deep breath as the door opens. I rush straight into my mama’s open arms.

“I see your weekend went good,” she whispers in my ear.

“It did.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” She kisses the side of my head and steps back in-line with my papa. “Henry, hug your daughter.”

My papa eyes me under his grey bushy eyebrows. “You come to your senses?” He’s referring to his hope that I ditched Levi in Louisiana.

“My senses have never been clearer.”

His eyes soften and light up for the first time in weeks. I only wish it was for my happiness and not his own selfishness. He wraps his massive arms around me and I pray this isn’t the last time. I pray we all walk out of here on good terms.

“What the hell is he doing here?” My papa growls over my shoulder.

“Henry, behave. I told you—”

He wrenches out of my grasp and storms around me. “You never told me nothing about no Wilde.” He points at Levi. “You think you can kidnap my daughter and do whatever the hell you want with her!”

“Papa!” I have to run to get in front of his long strides. “Stop!” I shove his chest and he nearly slams into me Levi.

“I dare you to put a hand on my son, Fox.” I’m thankful a table separates my papa from Mr. and Mrs. Wilde.

“Mr. Fox, I would never disrespect your daughter.”

“Horseshit. The rumours going around are plenty dis-fucking-respectful.”

“Papa, he didn’t start those rumours. Your feud with his family did.”

“Henry, you agreed to sit down and eat with Hope, so let’s take a seat.”

“I ain’t eating with no Wilde.”

“I ain’t eating with no Fox.”

“Sit down, Calvin.” Levi’s mother points to a chair and Mr. Wilde grumbles into the seat.

“You too.” My mama takes the upper hand and I’m grateful when my papa sits down.

Levi pulls out a chair for me before he takes his. We sit on each end of the table, smack dab in the middle of both bars. In the middle of our family’s feud.

The table is dead silent. Our fathers rage a scowling war. Our mothers share half smiles.

“On the menu tonight is barbecue pulled pork accompanied by my famous hush puppies,” Wilma interrupts the sparring match, joined by Faye carrying plates of steaming meals.

“These yummy golden fritters are made from a thick cornmeal-based batter.” Wilma serves the Wilde side.

“Thank you,” I say when Faye sets a plate in front of me.

“The batter is fried until crisp outsides and chewy tender insides—”

“We all know what hush puppies are.” Mr. Wilde pops a whole one in his mouth.

“They look delicious,” Levi tells Wilma.

She plants her hand on her hips. “They sure are. They win first place at the fair every year.”

The main course is eaten in silence. Our fathers ignore each other or cut off any conversation our mothers try to start up.

I regret sitting so far away from Levi. The space between us feels stretched out by every minute that ticks by and we’re no closer to our fathers even pretending to smile at one another.

When the ladies take away our plates with promise of pecan pie, my papa tosses his napkin on the table. “Let’s cut to the chase and y’all can tell us what we’re doing here.”

“We all know what we’re doing here.” Levi’s father sticks a toothpick in his mouth. “These two are shacking up.”

Levi’s elbows dig into the table. “Pa—”

“Am I wrong?”

Levi laces his fingers together.

“No.” I stand up. “But it’s more than shacking up and I think you already know that.”

Levi comes to my side and slips his hand in mine. “We gathered you here to—”

“Nope.” My papa’s chair legs scrape over the floor.

My mama clamps a hand on his shoulder to keep him from standing. “You’re not leaving until you’ve heard our daughter out.”

“I don’t need to hear her out. The answer is no.”

“You would argue with a fencepost,” my mama snarls.

“At the least the fencepost isn’t disrespectful.” His gaze lands on mine and my heart sinks.

“With all due respect sir, I love your daughter. I’ve loved her from the first time I saw her pigtails bouncing on the other side of the fence.”

“I told you we should’ve built a solid fence along the Wilde line,” my papa grunts at my mama.

“Hush now, and let the boy speak.”

“She’s sunlight on a cloudy day. I don’t believe in a Fox luring a Wilde, but I was captivated by Hope. Even at the young age of six. Through her eyes, the world was her adventurous land to explore. Her wholehearted laughter sounded for miles.” Levi faces me with glossy eyes. “I admire your strength, the kindness of your words, your patience and understanding.” He kneels to the ground.

My heart swells. My breathing hitches. My legs buckle and I sit down in the chair. I knew he’d planned on marrying me, I just had no idea he’d be proposing today. Here. Now.

“Hope Fox, you complete me. I didn’t understand just how much until you weren’t catching lightning bugs with me, or hiking up the ridge or swimming in the creek.”

“The ridge?” My papa interrupts. “You took my daughter hiking up the ridge?”

Mr. Wilde curses under his breath.

My mama’s hand slides over my papa’s arm. “Henry, calm down.”

“Did you take my daughter hiking on the ridge?” He breaks down every syllable.

“Yes, sir.”

I don’t even know who moved first, but in seconds my dad has Levi backed up against the unfinished wall. His arm is across his throat. “You son of a bitch.”

“Papa!” I grab his arm.

“Get your hands off my son!” Mr. Wilde grabs my father’s shoulders and pulls him off Levi. They both stagger backward into the table. Glasses fall over and plates smash on the ground.

“I see where he gets his disrespect from.” My father narrows a hostile glare. “Always pushing boundaries, never following rules, putting other people’s lives in risk for his own selfishness.”

“I never put her life at risk,” growls Mr. Wilde.

My head snaps to meet Levi. He’d been right about more history than we knew.

“Don’t you fucking dare talk about her.” My papa’s aggressiveness is rare.

“Who is her?” I ask.

“No one,” both men grumble. They look away with guilt ridden faces.

“Wait a minute, so you two aren’t fighting because of the feud between the Foxes and the Wildes?” My finger waggles between them.

“We absolutely are.”

“Of course we are.”

I shake my head. “No, no, no. Who is she? Who are you talking about? Mama?” I look at my mother. She shakes her head and then it hits me.

“Naomi?”

Every face turns pale as a ghost, including my mama’s.

All except Levi. “Who’s Naomi?” he asks.

“My aunt. She died when she was fifteen or sixteen—”

“We’re not here to talk about your aunt.” My papa fists his hands at his side.

“It seems like we should talk about her. Or at the very least, you two should talk about her. It’s obvious something happened and you two are still pretty angry about it.”

“Something didn’t just happen, Hope.” My father’s hands land on the table and the dinnerware rattles. “She died. She died because of this son of a bitch you’re making me share a table with.”

“Naomi didn’t die because of me.”

“Don’t you fucking say her name!” My father’s fist slams down and shatters a plate.

“You can’t blame me for her death.” Mr. Wilde sounds broken and I realize they really deceived the town.

“Mr. Wilde, were you secretly dating my Aunt Naomi?”