The Boss Lady's Man

{Chapter} 14

{Chapter 14}

“Do you, Toni Curtis, take Erik McBride to be your lawfully wedded husband until the date appointed on this here marriage certificate? For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honor and… Er, just love and honor, until midnight of December 31st?” Judge Griffin stared blankly at them both, acting as though he didn’t mind reciting such strange marriage vows.

“I reckon I do” Toni said, twitching in the awkward dress Katie had made her wear.

Judge Griffin recited the same words to Erik, replacing his name with hers.

“I do” Erik said.

“Then I pronounce you temporarily man and wife” the judge banged his gavel down on the desktop and handed them the marriage certificate. A few words had been penciled in here and there, and a few marked out, but nonetheless, Erik and Toni were married until midnight on New Year’s Eve.

The judge shooed them out soon after, and Erik waited while Toni changed into her everyday clothes and they prepared to ride out of town. Toni wadded up the calico dress and stuffed it into her saddlebag, glad to be rid of the thing.

“You ready?” Erik swung up onto Cooper.

Toni nodded and mounted Storm, ignoring the judgmental look of a male passerby. She glanced over at Erik to see him leveling the man with a threatening glower. Though she had got used to the looks people gave her, it felt nice for someone to stand up for her for a change.

The ride home was silent at first, but soon Erik pulled out his guitar out from under his saddle blanket.

“Got something you wanna hear?” he smiled.

Toni relaxed at the ease of the tension. She thought a moment.

“Do you know ‘buffalo gals’?” she asked, remembering the song that she remembered her father humming.

“Sure do” Erik looked up at the sky a moment, as if trying to remember the words. Then, his fingers settled comfortably on the strings.

“As I was walking down the street

Down the street, down the street

A pretty girl I chanced to meet

And we danced by the light of the moon

“Buffalo gals won't you come out tonight

Come out tonight come out tonight

Buffalo gals won't you come out tonight

And we'll dance by the light of the moon.”

Toni smiled as all the memories flooding back to her of her father. Good, happy memories. She hadn’t made any new ones in a long time.

Maybe, just maybe, it was time for that to change. Releasing every once of pride in her, she sang along with Erik’s deep, soothing voice.

“I danced with a gal with a hole in her stocking

And her knees was a-knockin' and her shoes was a'rockin'

I danced with a gal with a hole in her stocking

And we danced by the light of the moon

“Buffalo gals won't you come out tonight

Come out tonight come out tonight

Buffalo gals won't you come out tonight

And we'll dance by the light of the moon.”