Chapter 18

Daxton

“Well, I have good news for you,” Doc Morgan told Daxton at his office, looking at his bullet wound. “It looks like you’re going to live.”

Daxton laughed. “I already knew that.”

“The bullet didn’t hit any bones, but it wouldn’t have hurt you at all if it had hit that thick skull of yours.”

“Hey! Wait a minute!” Daxton smiled, taking Doc Morgan’s ribbing in good stride. “Could you check out Josey before we leave, too?”

Doc Morgan smiled. “I was planning on it. Now, you can wait in the lobby, and I’ll be right in here if you need anything.”

Daxton nodded, sitting up. “Thanks, Doc, but I’ll be fine. Just take care of my girl.” Josey’s eyes were filled with worry. He gently took her hand as she passed, and then pulled her over to him and said in a low voice, “Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be fine.”

She gave him a slight smile, nodding. “It is now... thanks to you.” She placed a hand gently on his cheek as she gazed into his eyes, sending shivers over his body.

“Well, we’d better get going,” Doc Morgan hinted. He was usually a patient man, but Daxton guessed that he wanted to make sure that Josey was all right after the ordeal.

Daxton stood, slipping on his cowboy hat with his good hand. His other arm was in a sling. “I’ll be in the lobby if you need me.” He smiled at Josey reassuringly as he walked out and closed the door behind him. He slowly headed over to the windows and watched the sun start to sink lazily into the horizon, as shoots of orange, red, and yellow pierced the darkening blue sky as snow-capped mountains sparkled in the distance. It was truly God’s country, and he was glad to be a part of it.

As he watched the sun slowly fade in the distance, he thought of Josey, hoping that the baby was unharmed. At that moment, he realized that he already thought of the baby as his, dangerous for his heart. He just hoped that Josey would accept him as her husband. As he waited, thoughts of her invaded his mind of her piddling around the house, cleaning and cooking... her teaching the children how to play Poker, of all things... her fishing with him and his son. Whether she knew it or not, she had already become a part of the family. She had unwittingly ingrained herself into their lives and onto his heart.

“Well!” Doc Morgan came out of the back room, drying his hands on a hand towel, grinning from ear to ear. “I’ll leave you two alone for a moment.” Then he leaned over to Josey and smiled. “I think you two have something to discuss.”

“How much do I owe you, Doc?” Daxton asked.

“We can talk about it later...” Then he smiled at Josey. “But I wouldn’t say no to a good homecooked meal.”

Josey laughed. “Of course! It’s the least I could do!” It was the first time that Daxton had seen her smile in a while. “How about next Sunday after church?”

“Next Sunday, it is!” Then Doc Morgan’s broad smile suddenly turned serious. “But if you don’t feel up to it—”

“Nope! I feel just fine.” She smiled. “I’ll have plenty of time to rest before then.”

“Then, I’ll be there!” Doc Morgan smiled as he headed to the back room, leaving them alone to talk, as promised.

Daxton crossed the room in a few strides and took her hand as he looked into her eyes. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, revealing nothing. “I’m fine.”

Daxton was almost afraid to ask, but he had to know. “And the baby?” He held his breath, fearing the answer, the split second becoming an eternity.

“The baby is fine, too.” But she wasn’t smiling. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”

Daxton looked into her eyes. A smile lit his lips as he reached for her hand, his heart swelling with love. “Josey, you don’t have to do this alone.”

“But the baby—”

“Is mine,” he finished. “No one has to know anything else.”

Tears welled up in her eyes. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Absolutely,” he replied, pulling her into his arms. “There’s only one thing I want more.”

Josey’s eyebrows rose in concern. “Oh?”

“And that is for you to be my wife.” He paused, awaiting her answer.

One corner of her lips curled into a smile. “Well, that’s the worst marriage proposal I’ve ever heard, but I accept.”

Elation filled his chest as he pulled her to him and crushed his lips to hers. His lips moved with hers in perfect unison and she fit the contours of his body like a glove. As if they had been made for each other.

She pulled back a moment later, breathless. “So, when would you like to have this blessed event?”

“Now.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Seriously?”

Daxton smiled. “How about this Sunday after service? I’ll talk to Preacher Henley and see if he can do it on such short notice.”

“I’m sure he can.”

Then he brushed a strand of her hair back away from her face, edging it behind her head. “I have only one request.”

She straightened, her eyes filled with conviction. “Anything.”

He pulled her to him, their eyes only an inch apart. “The baby is mine. No one knows... not even him.” He bit his upper lip and then released it, wanting to say it correctly. “I want him to have a fair chance at a good life. I don’t want any clouds held over his head. We owe him that much.”

A broad grin spread across Josey’s face. “Is that what you want?”

“Yes, it is,” Daxton replied. “So, what do you say?”

One corner of her lips curled into a smile. “I say ‘Congratulations... Pa.”

Pure joy coursed through his entire body as he picked her up and swung her around. “I’m going to be a father!”

“Shh! Don’t say that too loudly until after we’re married.” But Josey was smiling, too. “I love you, Sheriff Clark.”

“I love you, too... Mrs. Clark.”

“Not so fast,” she corrected as he released her. “Not until after you say those two magic words.”

A crease formed between his eyes as he cocked his head to the side... and then it dawned on him. “I do.”