Down & Dead In Dixie by Vicki Hinze

Author:Vicki Hinze
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Magnolia Leaf Press
Published: 2014-01-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

“WELL?” MR. PERINI seated a red newsboy cap on his head, then waited.

The lump in my throat felt huge. “I’ll go with whatever Mark decides.”

“After,” he said. “I want it, and Emily got you a dress and everything.”

“You two being hitched will make any legal case stronger on Jackson’s inheriting, too,” Lester said. “If Chris and Rachel should decide to dispute it.”

“Daisy, please.” Mark dropped his voice. “Don’t let them get away with taking everything I worked for, too.”

“All right.” I agreed, but I did it knowing this wasn’t just about that, it was about Mark having ties to something. To someone. To me.

“Thanks.”

“Thank you.” I smiled. For the first time, I felt truly special to someone other than Jackson and Lester. That it was a gorgeous man who was good and decent and so much more was the proverbial icing on the cake.

So okay, marrying Mark wasn’t exactly crazy but it by no means ranked anywhere near normal or traditional. Still, it made more sense than anything else that had happened in my life since I kissed the concrete in Biloxi and saw Edward get murdered—and I am crazy about Mark and about to die. Jackson would be cared for, too. He’d never lack for a thing. Mark knew, of course, that would seal this for me, but it also showed me how much Mark wanted this marriage. How much it meant to him. And that, I find quite charming and endearing.

Oh, all right. And a little sappy. I’m not blind, and I see it. I haven’t had a lot of experience with mushy stuff, but I am human and it does touch me. I can’t afford to let it go to my head. I mean, just think a minute. I’m in a bit of an unusual situation here, and I have one shot to marry a man I really care about before I’m lost and gone forever. My life might not seem like much to others, but it’s mine. I built it from nothing by myself. It’s all I’ve got, and it’s going away. I worked so hard to make Daisy Grant a good person, someone respectable and that I respected, and tonight she will cease to be. Marrying Mark is Daisy’s last hurrah. So blame me for taking it. I don’t care. I’ve done without and had less than I needed—forget what I wanted—my whole life. Not just my adult life, my whole life. I’m not complaining, but I’m not kicking this gift in the mouth, either. This is my last chance and my last shot, and I’m taking it. “All right. I’ll marry you, Mark.”

Emily squealed and ran for the dress.

He squeezed my upper arms and planted a hard fast kiss to my lips. “Go on and get ready. We’ll talk more afterward.”

I stepped even closer and dropped my voice so only he could hear. “You’re really sure you want to do this?”

“Yeah, I am.” He tilted his head. “My mom was always on me to find a good wife.

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