Free JakesWildBride by Lisa Alder Page B

away. When she saw Lilah, she took off at a fast waddle.
    Lilah rushed up to her friend and grabbed her arm. “Is everything okay? The baby? The kids?”
    “You’re here!” Peggy exclaimed. She ran her hands over Lilah’s hair as if reassuring herself that she was okay. “Thank God, you’re okay.”
    Peggy whipped around to the Sheriff.
    “He kidnapped my friend.” Peggy pointed straight at Jake. “Arrest him!”

EIGHT
    Kidnapped? Oh my. Lilah had never called Peggy. She must have been worried sick. But kidnapped?
    “Thank God you’re okay. I’ve been so worried about you.”
    “I’m so sorry.”
    “Everything is under control. I’ve got the dress out and all ready to go. Tom is on his way.” Peggy babbled.
    “Tom?” For a moment, Lilah was baffled. So much had happened since last night. Then, it hit her. Peggy didn’t know about Tom.
    “Tom. Your fiancé, who would like to know when his fiancée is kidnapped,” said Peggy.
    “Jake Forrest.” Sheriff Thompson narrowed his eyes and ambled toward Jake.
    “No!” Lilah flew over to stand in front of Jake, spreading her arms out wide. “He didn’t do anything.”
    “Technically, that’s not true,” Jake whispered in her ear. But she could hear the amusement in his voice. “Lilah are you protecting me?”
    “Are you protecting him?” Peggy’s face was aghast.
    “Yes. I am.”
    Lilah watched with horror as the sheriff extended his hand. Jake’s arm came out around her body, and he reached out to the sheriff.
    “Don’t--"
    "Shake hands?” There was outright laughter in Jake’s voice now as he clasped the older man’s hand with his. “Sheriff.”
    “Son.” The sheriff nodded. “Looks like you got yourself a pretty little protector there.”
    Jake released Sheriff Thompson’s hand. “Seems that way.”
    “Someone you might want to hang onto if you’re fixing to stay in town.”
    “No need to fish, Sheriff,” Jake said easily. “I’ll be in town a few weeks.”
    “Welcome home.” The sheriff nodded toward the three of them, then sauntered over to his car.
    “Wait a minute,” Peggy cried. “Aren’t you going to do...something.”
    “Peggy, calm down. This can’t be good for the baby,” Lilah said.
    The Sheriff sighed. “Miz Mason were you with Mr. Forrest of your own free will?”
    “Of course.”
    “Well then, there you have it. Case solved.”
    A car screeched to a halt next to the sheriff’s car. Tom jumped out and yelled, “Wait. Stop. I can explain.”
    “Christ, this is like the three stooges, all we need is--"
    Marion hopped out of the other side of the car. “It’s my fault.”
    The sheriff’s bushy eyebrows went up into the brim of his official looking hat.
    “Sheriff, I insist you take my statement,” Tom said desperately. “I asked Jake to take care of Lilah last night.”
    “Why would you ask him to take care of your fiancée?” Peggy shouted.
    “Calm down, Peggy,” Lilah said.
    “Because she isn’t his fiancée anymore,” Marion said.
    “You’re not getting married?” Peggy’s eyes were wild. Lilah thought Peggy might be more upset than she was. Which was funny in a strange sort of way.
    “What happened?” The sheriff asked, clearly intrigued.
    All eyes turned toward Lilah. This was what she’d been trying to avoid. The public scrutiny, the censure of doing the wrong thing, the wild thing. But she hadn’t done anything wrong. Tom had.
    Jake moved in closer to Lilah, his chest nearly pressed up against her back. The warmth from his body soothed her, and instinctively she reached down her hand to thread her fingers with his.
    Lilah thought about Tom’s standing in the community. “Tom and I decided not to get married.”
    “What?” Peggy screeched.
    Tom ignored Peggy. “Lilah, that’s not true.”
    “Oh, this is all my fault,” wailed Marion, waving the paper. The Times-Picayune if Lilah wasn’t mistaken.
    “It’s not your fault. It’s mine.” Tom turned toward Marion, and