me.”
“I can’t blame her on that one,” Tom quipped. “But even if
she’s getting the bad end of the deal, she’s wil ing to make
the sacrifice.”
Joel glared at Tom. “Rick, wil you please step outside for a
moment?”
“Why?” Rick asked.
“Because I don’t need a judge to witness what I’m about to
do to my brother,” Joel replied, not taking his eyes off of
Tom who didn’t seem the least bit bothered by the threat.
Rick opened the book, and Joel realized the piece of paper
he inserted into it was a marriage certificate which hadn’t
been signed yet. Rick tucked the paper between two other
pages in the book and motioned for April to join them.
“We’l get this ceremony started.”
Though April appeared hesitant, she joined them and
clasped her hands in front of her, so Rick began performing
the ceremony.
“I can’t believe this,” Joel muttered as Sep raised the rifle.
Exactly where did Sep think Joel was going to go? He
might be able to get away from Tom or Rick, but he wasn’t
stupid enough to believe he could tackle both of them,
especial y since they were older than him. Letting out a loud
groan, he lifted his eyes to heaven and wondered what
awful thing he did to deserve this fate. Rick went on and on
about something that had to do with this disaster, but Joel
refused to pay attention. Why would he care to listen to the
words that sealed his doom?
Beside him, April said “I do” in a tone that indicated she’d
rather not but had no choice.
Joel rol ed his eyes. That was just great. His bride showed
as much enthusiasm for this marriage as she did for the
dust she wiped up when she cleaned. Oh yes. This
marriage was going to be just the thing he needed to
complete his life. When it was his turn to say “I do,” Tom
nudged him in the side and pointed to Rick.
Narrowing his eyes at Tom, he refused to speak the
dreaded words.
“Come on, Joel,” Rick said in a gentle voice. “It’s not as
bad as you’re making it out to be.”
“How would you know?” Joel snapped.
“Because I’ve been there. Wel , not with a gun and a judge
like this, but I didn’t think I’d fal in love with your sister when
we first met. And look at us now. I can’t imagine my life
without Sal y. Sometimes love takes a while to develop.”
Joel shook his head, but Tom nudged him again. “Say it,
Joel. Let’s complete this wonderful event.”
A gun clicked from across the room where Sep stood, and
Joel made sure to groan before he muttered the words that
sealed his future for the worst. “I do.” He winced and
blinked back tears. He used to be a happy man, and now…
Rick let out an exasperated breath and asked, “I don’t
suppose you’d like to kiss the bride?”
“No!” Both Joel and April shrieked at the same time.
“But that’s the best part,” Tom said.
Joel scowled at him, but Tom’s lips curled up into an
amused smirk. “You need a heart, Tom.”
Sep lowered the gun and relaxed. “It’s done, right Judge
Johnson?”
Rick nodded and placed the marriage certificate on the
table. “Al I need are your signatures, but it’s a done deal.”
“Oh good!” Tom rubbed his hands together and hurried
over to the table where Rick handed him the fountain pen
that was tucked inside his suit jacket. “I’ve been waiting for
this day for years! I can’t wait to tel everyone Joel’s a
married man.”
“You live to torture me, don’t you?” Joel cal ed out, unable to
believe Tom went so far as to give a little leap before he
signed the certificate.
“I’l notify Doctor Adams of the marriage, and Sal y and I wil
bring your things out tomorrow. Sal y wil want to meet you,
April,” Rick said.
Joel glowered at his brother-in-law. “Doesn’t Sal y have
anything better to do than to stick her nose in everyone’s
business?”
“She’l want to welcome April into the family,” Rick clarified.
“Which is another way of saying
“I can’t blame her on that one,” Tom quipped. “But even if
she’s getting the bad end of the deal, she’s wil ing to make
the sacrifice.”
Joel glared at Tom. “Rick, wil you please step outside for a
moment?”
“Why?” Rick asked.
“Because I don’t need a judge to witness what I’m about to
do to my brother,” Joel replied, not taking his eyes off of
Tom who didn’t seem the least bit bothered by the threat.
Rick opened the book, and Joel realized the piece of paper
he inserted into it was a marriage certificate which hadn’t
been signed yet. Rick tucked the paper between two other
pages in the book and motioned for April to join them.
“We’l get this ceremony started.”
Though April appeared hesitant, she joined them and
clasped her hands in front of her, so Rick began performing
the ceremony.
“I can’t believe this,” Joel muttered as Sep raised the rifle.
Exactly where did Sep think Joel was going to go? He
might be able to get away from Tom or Rick, but he wasn’t
stupid enough to believe he could tackle both of them,
especial y since they were older than him. Letting out a loud
groan, he lifted his eyes to heaven and wondered what
awful thing he did to deserve this fate. Rick went on and on
about something that had to do with this disaster, but Joel
refused to pay attention. Why would he care to listen to the
words that sealed his doom?
Beside him, April said “I do” in a tone that indicated she’d
rather not but had no choice.
Joel rol ed his eyes. That was just great. His bride showed
as much enthusiasm for this marriage as she did for the
dust she wiped up when she cleaned. Oh yes. This
marriage was going to be just the thing he needed to
complete his life. When it was his turn to say “I do,” Tom
nudged him in the side and pointed to Rick.
Narrowing his eyes at Tom, he refused to speak the
dreaded words.
“Come on, Joel,” Rick said in a gentle voice. “It’s not as
bad as you’re making it out to be.”
“How would you know?” Joel snapped.
“Because I’ve been there. Wel , not with a gun and a judge
like this, but I didn’t think I’d fal in love with your sister when
we first met. And look at us now. I can’t imagine my life
without Sal y. Sometimes love takes a while to develop.”
Joel shook his head, but Tom nudged him again. “Say it,
Joel. Let’s complete this wonderful event.”
A gun clicked from across the room where Sep stood, and
Joel made sure to groan before he muttered the words that
sealed his future for the worst. “I do.” He winced and
blinked back tears. He used to be a happy man, and now…
Rick let out an exasperated breath and asked, “I don’t
suppose you’d like to kiss the bride?”
“No!” Both Joel and April shrieked at the same time.
“But that’s the best part,” Tom said.
Joel scowled at him, but Tom’s lips curled up into an
amused smirk. “You need a heart, Tom.”
Sep lowered the gun and relaxed. “It’s done, right Judge
Johnson?”
Rick nodded and placed the marriage certificate on the
table. “Al I need are your signatures, but it’s a done deal.”
“Oh good!” Tom rubbed his hands together and hurried
over to the table where Rick handed him the fountain pen
that was tucked inside his suit jacket. “I’ve been waiting for
this day for years! I can’t wait to tel everyone Joel’s a
married man.”
“You live to torture me, don’t you?” Joel cal ed out, unable to
believe Tom went so far as to give a little leap before he
signed the certificate.
“I’l notify Doctor Adams of the marriage, and Sal y and I wil
bring your things out tomorrow. Sal y wil want to meet you,
April,” Rick said.
Joel glowered at his brother-in-law. “Doesn’t Sal y have
anything better to do than to stick her nose in everyone’s
business?”
“She’l want to welcome April into the family,” Rick clarified.
“Which is another way of saying
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