The Sheriff's Runaway Bride

The reverend looked to Kylie, saying, “I’ll speak to Erin. Make sure she doesn’t schedule you to work during your assigned hours.”

Kylie swallowed a sigh and nodded.

“I’ll tell Martha to expect you for training this Wednesday after prayer meeting then.” With that, West slid his hands into his pants pockets and strolled off in another direction, whistling complacently.

Backing up a step, Zach sent Kylie a loaded look and said, “Remind me to watch my step around him from now on.”

“You and me both.”

“He’s slicker than suntan oil. Glad he’s on the good side.”

“There is that,” she agreed with less enthusiasm than she probably should have displayed.

“Well, I’m working,” Zach said after a moment, shooting a glance at her parents. “Best get back out there.” He walked away with a nod and a wave.

Kylie let out her sigh in one long, tired breath and turned to face her parents, who had watched the whole thing from the comfort of their lawn chairs, bottles of cold iced tea in their hands. Seeing the look of consternation on her face, they both burst out laughing. After a moment, Kylie joined them. For more than a year she’d avoided Reverend West’s enlistment campaigns, and now, in the blink of an eye, she’d been caught. Her gaze drifted across the green until it settled on Zach Clayton’s broad shoulders. At least she had company in the trap.

Kylie sat down on the grass next to her parents. Over the next hour or so, they watched a steady stream of mostly women trek to and from the church. Finally, her mother rose from her chair. “Keep Dad company while I check the supplies in the bathrooms, will you? We don’t want to be poor hosts, and things need to be stocked for Sunday.”

Kylie pushed up to her feet and waved her mother back down. “No, I’ll take care of it.”

“You sure?” Lynette asked even as she sat again.

Nodding, Kylie started toward the church. She knew how hard both of her parents worked. She could do this one small thing for her mom.

“The extra supplies are in the closet behind the sanctuary,” her father called. Kylie flapped a hand in acknowledgment and moved away. “It’s open,” he went on, “but you’ll have to go into the building from the front.”

She climbed the front steps and went into the building.

Crossing the small foyer, she passed through a door on the left. A quick check showed that the paper products were, indeed, running low. Kylie went out again and pushed through the double doors that closed off the darkened sanctuary. She could barely see, but she didn’t turn on the overhead lights. Instead, she went around the edge of the large, pew-lined room and out again through a door behind the piano. She did turn on a light in the back room and propped the door open with a cloth-covered brick, placed there for that purpose, while she went to the far corner of the cluttered space.

Her father had often complained of the lack of a light inside the closet, but it hadn’t been wired for electricity. Kylie unbolted the rarely opened back door and pushed it wide to let in as much light as possible before going into the closet to gather supplies. She carried them back to the vestibule and stocked the restroom, then returned to lock up and turn off lights. Just as she passed through the door behind the piano and into the storage area again, a hand clamped down on her wrist.

She knew at once who held her. Fear rose in her throat, and she instantly reached out to God with mind and soul.

Chapter Four

Gasping, Kylie wrenched away.

“Now, now,” Vincent crooned, crowding her into a stack of padded chairs. “I just want to talk. After all, we were supposed to be on our honeymoon right now.”

“I have nothing to say to you.”

“Kylie, baby, listen. I made a mistake, but it’s not Sherilyn I want.” He dipped his head as if to kiss her.

“I made a mistake, too, Vincent,” she ground out, placing both hands against his chest and shoving. It was like trying to move a brick wall. “I made the mistake of thinking I could be happy with you. Now please let me go!”

“I’ve been letting you go for months,” Vincent grunted, yanking down her hands. “Maybe that’s the problem.”

“Let me go!”

“Don’t push me, Kylie. I don’t want to do something we’ll both regret.”

“Very wise,” said another voice.

Kylie sagged with relief.

Vincent spun to face his cousin. “This is none of your business, Zach!”

“You want to be alone with him, Kylie?”

“No.”

“Then it’s my business,” he said.

Vincent turned a fulminous glare over one shoulder. “You’re going to regret that.”

“Leave her alone, Vincent.”

Suddenly, Vincent launched himself at Zach. The next instant he reeled across the room, bumping into a table crowded with seasonal artificial flower arrangements. Zach followed, pushing aside a flimsy lectern with one foot. Vincent came up swinging, but Zach caught his fist in one hand and stepped close.

“I’m armed, Vincent, and entitled to defend myself. Think about that.”

Jerking away, Vincent stumbled backward. He fell against the corner of the closet and careened right out the back door, somehow managing to get down the steep stairs on his feet. Kylie moved forward without even realizing it until she stood crammed in the doorway shoulder-to-shoulder with Zach. Weaving and huffing, Vincent lifted a hand, pointing at them. Just then, Sherilyn came around the corner of the building.

“Vincent? What’s happening?” She hurried over and tried to steady him. “You okay?”

Vincent shoved her away. Sherilyn reeled but didn’t fall. Sparing not so much as a glance for her, he jabbed his finger at the doorway. “You two have embarrassed me for the last time!”

“You’re embarrassing yourself, Vincent,” Kylie said quietly.

He glared at her, but what she’d said seemed to sink in finally. Whirling around, he stalked off. Sherilyn ran after him. He could be heard growling, “Get away from me!” as Zach pulled the door closed.

Kylie shoved the bolt home and turned to put her back to the door, sighing. “Thank God you came when you did. Again.”

“I saw him follow you inside,” Zach explained. “By the time I could get over here …” He shook his head. “It was all I could do not to run, but I didn’t want to attract attention. I won’t hesitate next time.”

Glad for that, Kylie nodded. Reaching out, he pushed the closet door closed. Kylie opened it again and twisted the lock in the center of the knob before closing it once more.

“What now?” Zach asked.

She pretended not to understand the question. “Now, we watch some fireworks.”

“Okay,” Zach said on a sigh. “Pressing charges against Vincent would do no good and probably make matters worse. Besides, no real harm occurred. I’ll let it go. This time.”

“I think that’s best,” she said, moving swiftly toward the sanctuary.

When she heard the clumps of Zach’s boots on the floor behind her, she switched off the light and stepped out into the larger room. The darkness had deepened just in those few minutes since she’d crossed the space earlier. She groped her way past the piano then found herself slightly disoriented. A touch on her arm startled her, then his hand slid down and found hers. He tugged her forward. She followed gratefully, breaking the contact only when they reached the foyer.