Free Randall Wedding by Judy Christenberry Page A

adopting Angel?”
    “I thought I’d pick up a form today, if they have one. No sense in delaying as long as we’re in agreement. That puts both you and Angel under my protection.”
    “I don’t want you to be hurt. My father can be…brutal if it suits his purposes.”
    “Quit worrying about me. My family will stand beside me. He’ll be the outsider if he comes here. And if he doesn’t come here, he won’t be a bother.”
    “I hope not.”
    “What do you think he can do?”
    “He’ll get his lawyers to trick us, or harass us, or…”
    “And you’re thinking Nick is just a country attorney who won’t know what to do?”
    “There is a difference in practicing law in Rawhide and New York City,” Isabella pointed out.
    “Nick practiced corporate law with one of the most important law firms in Denver. So he’s not entirely inexperienced.”
    “Okay.”
    But she didn’t seem completely reassured.
    After lunch they returned to the office where the marriage licenses were acquired. Isabella was a little embarrassed, but Russ wasn’t. After they got the marriage license, he asked about the form to fill out to apply for adoption. The woman handed it over with instructions.
    Then they were on their way back to Rawhide.
    “I hope Sarah didn’t have any difficulties with Angel,” Isabella said, worrying her bottom lip.
    “Angel? I’m sure she was perfect.”
    Isabella laughed. “I think I took advantage of your innocence.”
    He smiled at her, showing no worry. “No, I know babies can be a problem. I’ve even heard Rich and I were a handful. Once, when we were about four years old, all our folks went to Hawaii, leaving us in the care of Red and his wife Mildred and Uncle Griffin and Aunt Camille before they got married. There were five of us little ones, and Toby was in elementary school. One of us came down with chicken pox and quickly spread it around. In the meantime, Red and Mildred had an emergency and left before they knew about the pox. That left Camille to cope, with Griffin’s help. Until he got chicken pox, too.”
    “Oh, my, that’s dangerous. That poor woman. How did she manage?”
    “Doc helped, and she hired some ladies to come clean up after us. Once the parents got wind of it, they all came home. So, see, my family knows about hard times.”
    “I guess they do.”
    When they stopped at Nick and Sarah’s, Angel was sleeping soundly.
    “Oh, she was wonderful, Isabella. If you need me to keep her while you’re on your honeymoon, I can,” Sarah offered.
    Isabella looked as if Sarah had slapped her. “Honeymoon?”
    “We’ll postpone that for a while, Sarah,” Russ said quickly. “With her great-aunt having just died and the move from New York to here, Isabella’s got enough adjusting to do.”
    “That’s true. I only had to move across the street and it wasn’t easy.”
    “But…but the general store is across the street,” Isabella said. “You lived there?”
    “Yes. That’s my family’s store. I ran it when my father died, and my sister and I lived on the second floor. Now my manager lives there.”
    “Oh. That worked out well.”
    Sarah looked at her husband, laughing. “Yes, it did.”
    “Don’t let her fool you,” Nick said. “She had her doubts.”
    Isabella nodded, an understanding look in her eyes.
    Russ grinned. “The important thing is you gave it a try, Sarah. Now, we’re on our way to the ranch. Isabella and Angel are going to stay there until the wedding.”
    “We will be invited, won’t we?” Sarah asked. “I guess it will be small, but we are family.”
    “Oh, I doubt we’ll have any guests, Sarah. We’ll just find a justice of the peace to marry us.” Isabella looked at Russ to agree with her description of their coming wedding.
    Russ laughed, enjoying her confusion. “Shehasn’t encountered the Randall women as a whole. Nor does she know how much they can accomplish in three days. I’m sure you’ll be invited.”
    Isabella waited until