Chapter Five

Previously:

Heath wanted to press Nick to tell him what was going on…and there was something going on. He had known that the minute Nick inquired about Jarrod instead of Theresa. However, with Jedediah-who loved to talk almost as much as anyone Heath knew, the blonde-haired cowboy decided against it. He would simply have to wait, only though, he couldn't help but think 'So much for having a wedding tomorrow. I bet you ten to one that's one event that's being postponed.'

Nick, who had been carried up to his room and was now propped up on his bed, looked at his fiancée who stood alongside Victoria. The two women were standing to the side of the bed. Jarrod stood off to the side of the door. Heath had left the room, saying he had a few things to finish up. Audra remained downstairs. "I'm sorry. Hope you'll still marry me in six weeks-and don't tell me I won't be laid up that long. That's how long I was laid up when I broke the other leg a few years back."

"What were you doing out by Jedediah's ranch in the first place?" Victoria couldn't figure that one out. It was a good four miles on the other side of Stockton.

"What I was doing had nothing to do with Jedediah or his ranch, and it is something that doesn't need to be discussed at the moment. If it helps, I promise I wasn't doing anything illegal." That statement earned him an eyeroll from both women. With an answer like that, Victoria and Theresa figured the Barkley matriarch had to be right…Nick was working on a surprise for his bride to be.

"We could still get married tomorrow." Theresa spoke slowly. "Just us and the family. A second ceremony could be done once your leg is healed." She quickly apologized if she sounded more than impatient. "It's just that the reverend has stated his schedule is very busy."

"No," Nick replied before his mother could agree…which he could see she was thinking of doing. "When we do marry, I want to be standing on my own two feet-not laying in this bed like some invalid. I'll make the wait worth it." He then suggested that; if Theresa would like, she and Audra could go to San Francesco for a week. "The two of you were saying you hadn't had enough time to get everything you'd like. Why not take advantage of the unexpected time that's become available due to this." Nick tapped the side of his leg.

"Humph," Theresa didn't hesitate to show her displeasure at the thought of her marriage being put off. Though, she couldn't fault Nick in any way for wanting his leg free of any restraints on the day they married either.

Victoria, who didn't blame Theresa for being upset, spoke up. "I can go with you. We can send the bill to Nick." That statement made Theresa and Jarrod laugh while Nick feigned some displeasure when it came to the idea of how much of his money the three women would spend.

"Do as Mother says. When you get back, and I'm able to walk around on my own, I'll make the delay worth it." Nick lifted his hand and took a hold of Theresa's fingers. "I promise."

"And... you're a man of your word." Theresa relaxed and smiled.

"You bet I am." Nick let go of her hand. After a few more minutes of discussing the issue, the two women left the room talking excitedly about the unexpected trip. Only when they had left and shut the door behind them did Jarrod speak up. "What's going on? And don't tell me nothing. If there wasn't, you wouldn't have made a point of asking about me before you ever mentioned your bride to be." Heath had made a point of pulling Jarrod aside and telling him quietly about their brother's inquiry.

Nick readjusted himself as he thought of the real reason he'd left town so suddenly and the private conversation he'd had with his unexpected visitor. Once he was comfortable, he shocked Jarrod when he lowered his voice enough to ensure his loud voice would not be heard outside the room-which he'd been told had actually happened in the past and said, "You know, having splints on very good leg is a lousy way to delay a wedding – only you didn't hear me say that."

"What?" Jarrod's eyes widened as he quickly closed the gap between himself and Nick. "Why would you fake an injury?" Even as he asked the question, he was telling himself that the men at the party hadn't guessed wrong after all. "Why not just break off the engagement if you don't want to get married?"

Nick sighed. "I don't want to call off the wedding if there's no need to." He then continued shocking his brother as he said, "You can subpoena witnesses and force them to court. You can even keep them out of the court room until the very moment you need them. I don't suppose there's a way we could, basically, do the same thing when it comes to getting people to come to a wedding."

Jarrod felt a headache coming on. It was the same as if he and Nick were back in grade school. Back then, Nick would throw out a bunch of off the wall comments after coming to Jarrod for help with a problem he had in one of his classes. Jarrod had had to get Nick to slow down, stop throwing out unnecessary statements-or confusing ones- in order to get to the point.

"I think, dear brother," Jarrod walked over to the side of the room and moved a chair over to the side of Nick's bed. "You best tell me everything…start at the beginning and stick with the facts."