Keep My Heart

Chapter 14

“I’ve…come to a decision,” she said.

“And that is?”

“That I will willingly let you turn yourself in on one condition,” Millie said.

Trey patted the seat beside him and Millie sat down close to him.

“That condition would be…?” he questioned.

“One week. That’s all I ask. One week as your wife and then I will go with you into Casden and to… Sheriff Avery” Millie said, hoping he complied with her wishes.

“Okay” Trey said.

“Okay?” she hadn’t thought it would be that easy.

“I’ll agree. I was kind of thinking along the same lines,” Trey said, wrapping his arm around her and rubbing her shoulder.

“What are we gonna do… after? How long do you think…?” Millie couldn’t finish her sentence.

“I don’t know, but I do know that whatever happens, God’s already there. It’s not our place to worry” Trey said slowly.

“I’m scared of losing you Trey. For good” Millie admitted.

There was no reply.

*****

“Okay, so you know when he eats and where his favorite toys are. Don’t let him eat the books and make sure you keep a good eye on him when he goes outside and be sure to keep him in the sun. Make sure he’s in bed by seven and please make sure he’s tucked in tight. Don’t leave the window open and…”

“Millie, are you quite finished?” Trey butted in on Millie’s lecture to Jess. “Daylight is wasting and if you want to get to Sunnydale by sundown we’d best be hurrying.”

Millie looked at him and nodded. “I’m coming. Just give me a moment.”

She kissed Quinn on the head and gave Jess a hug. “Take care of him,” she whispered.

“Mariah and Clayton are all ready to go, sweetheart,” Trey said.

Millie put a hand on her hat and ran down the stairs to where Trey was waiting by the door. They had decided to get married in a town closer to them and where Trey wouldn’t be recognized. Though an average courthouse wedding wasn’t all that Millie had dreamed of, all she wanted was to be married by the time the day was out and on her way back home in the morning. It was Trey’s idea to have Mariah and Clayton along as chaperones, and Millie had agreed completely.

“Ready now?” Trey asked.

Millie nodded and exited the door without giving into her impulse to glance back at Quinn.

What if something happened?

What if one of them got hurt and she wasn’t there?”

“Stop worrying, honey bunch. They’ll be fine” Trey said as he gave her a leg up.

It seemed as if the man knew her every thought. It was kind of scary.

The ride started off silent and somewhat boring, but the more they rode, the more they started talking.

“I think an acre per horse is more than enough space for my lethargic horses” Trey said.

“No, horses need space to run” Clayton drew out the last word.

“My horses don’t run unless they know it’s time to eat” Trey smiled.

Millie looked over at Mariah, who was sandwiched between her and Clayton. Mariah smiled and shook her head at her husband, but Millie saw the sparkle in her eyes that had been present since before she was married. If only she could be as happy as Mariah a week from now. If only Trey hadn’t been an outlaw…