Digitalis (47 page)

Breathing grew difficult. “Then don’t—”

“I have to.” He spun away, rolling his head side to side as he walked, the sand softly crunching beneath his feet. “Mickey needs me. My mother—I have to bury my father.”

Piper moved to him, placed a hand on his chest, and waited for him to fall quiet. “You interrupted me.” She waited for his expression to smooth out. “I was trying to say, don’t go back without me.”

He blinked. “I can’t see your face clearly.” In the way his eyes roved her face, his breathing shallow, she saw him trying to process her response, daring to hope she meant what she wasn’t saying.

“Don’t leave me, Colton” she whispered. “My heart has been yours since you first walked into the store and bought towels for your mother.”

His hands slipped up her arms.

“Yeshua brought us together, I believe, for more than to save this country.” She stood completely vulnerable before him. “I can’t believe He meant for us to do this fantastic thing, knitting our hearts together, only to tear us apart.” Braving his heart-stopping eyes, she smiled. “Just as I’m not a perfect person, I know you aren’t either. If you were, then once I’m added to your life, perfection is breached.” A swell of emotion rubbed against her throat. “I love you. Always have.”

“I want to be whole. For you. To give you the best—of me, of everything.” His head tipped toward her. “I love you, Piper. So much it’s making me crazy.” His hand slid around her neck and tugged her closer. His lips dusted hers, gentle and testing at first. Then he captured her mouth with his.

The force drawing her further into his embrace felt warm and exhilarating. His arms around her … his strong hand nudging her against his chest and tucked into his embrace.

Then he drew back. Cold air swept her as his large hands cupped her face. He squatted a bit so that they looked eye-to-eye. “And I disagree—God made you perfect. For me.” Another kiss, this one deeper, longer.

Piper melted into him, so relieved to have the past behind them. To start anew. To start together. She hooked her arms under his and slid her hands up his back, savoring the moment, afraid the waves would capture this dream-come-true and wash it away.

“Oy! What is this?”

At the sound of her father’s stern voice, Piper broke the kiss off and lowered her head, but Colton held her close, his breathing ragged.

“What is the meaning of this?” her father railed.

Colton straightened and shifted to the side, effectively forming a barrier between her and Baba. “Sir, I—”

“Come in here.” Baba glanced around the open beach, then back to the house, then them. “Now!”

Even shielded behind Colton, she saw her father’s dark scowl. “Baba, what—”

“Quiet, child!” He waved them into the house, then shut the door before turning on Colton. “What is the meaning of this, defiling my daughter in public?”

“Sir, I meant no—”

Piper whirled on her father. “Baba, stop. You know very well those are traditions old and abandoned. I love Colton. We are going to marry. There is no defiling.”

“This is true?” Her father’s bushy brows rose as he shifted to Colton. “You intend to marry my daughter?”

When Colton hesitated, his gaze wrought again as he surfed the circle of friends who surrounded them, including Dr. Golding, Piper worried she’d jumped to the wrong conclusion. But … he said he loved her. He didn’t want to leave her. Didn’t that mean marriage?

Colton’s arm came around her shoulder. “Yes, sir. I love your daughter. If you’ll grant me her hand, I’ll marry her as soon as we return to the States.”

“States?” Baba’s voice pitched. “You will do no such thing.”

Colton took a step forward. “Sir—”

“I said no, and that is it.” Her father stalked to the back room.

Panicked, Piper rushed after him. “Baba, please do not do this. We love each other; you yourself told me you could see that. I want to marry Colton. Allow me to go with him.”

He retrieved a bag he’d brought in earlier and started for the main room, his expression resolute.

“Baba, I beg you.”

Colton had followed. “Sir, I assure you I will guard her honor.”

“Guard her honor,” her father said with a chuckle. “Yes, indeed.” He pulled a tall cup out of the bag and a small box. He glanced at Dr. Golding. “You are ready, nachon?”

Golding retrieved a folded paper from his pocket. “Indeed.”

Only then did Piper see the mischief in her father’s eyes. And Dr. Golding’s.

Colton drew away, his shoulders squaring. He glanced to the side. “Max, what’s going on?”

She glanced at his friend, only to find him sniggering.

Smoothing out the paper, Dr. Golding straightened. He produced a small, thin book.

“Yes,” Baba said, poking his finger at Colton. “You will marry my daughter.”

Colton warily regarded her father. “I will?”

“And here is a minister to officiate the ceremony according to our mutual faith—you do believe in Yeshua as Savior, nachon?”

“I d—yes.” He darted a look to Piper, and she could already feel the flush filling her face probably matched the one in Colton’s

“Admes’s brother works in the marriage office. He has all that is needed. The marriage certificate has your names, and it is registered with Cyprus. All that is left is the ceremony, nachon?”

T
he world spun.

Colton blinked, trying to shake off the dizziness. This couldn’t be happening. He’d wanted time to think, to … to prepare for taking Piper as his …
wife
. Warmth splashed his gut. Wife. Dawg. “Look, I appreciate—”

“I’ll be best man.” Max slapped his shoulder, nearly knocking Colton to the floor from the pain.

“Here,” her father said, handing him a small black box. “This is a ring she can wear until he buys her a real one.”

Max popped it open. “Sweet.”

“Now listen here,” Colton said, an edge in his voice but he didn’t care. He had to stop them. But … who did he stop first? The father? Max?

Though he couldn’t quite see it, Colton was certain a challenge sparkled in her father’s eyes. “You love my Lily, nachon?”

“There he goes with the nachos again,” the Kid mumbled.

“He told me he did,” Midas said with a grin.

Max snapped the ring box closed with a wicked grin. “And everyone can tell.”

Colton’s heart chugged through the unyielding support of the team. “Now look, I don’t need help from y’all.”

“Actually,” Max said, patting his arm. “I think you do. If it were up to you, this wouldn’t happen for a looong time. You’d think about it, pray about it, think about it more, do some recon on it—”

“There ain’t nothing wrong with praying about this.”

“Except when you’re hiding behind it.”

“Baba.” Piper tugged at her father’s arm. “It’s not right to force this.”

Lips pursed, her father stepped toward Colton. “Do you not?”

It felt like he’d taken an RPG to the chest. “Yes. I love her, but—”

“And you asked to take her back to America—and you realize, she is my only child, the only family I have left. Yet you expect to steal her from her homeland, from her own father, without a true and honest commitment?”

Colton scowled at the man. “I didn’t say that.” He ran a hand through his short crop and hissed as his fingers tracked over the bandage. “Listen, I just … I need time … to prepare. Think.” Why did he feel sick to his stomach?

When his gaze caught Piper’s, even with the still-damaged vision, the hurt was obvious and glossed her eyes. He couldn’t move. Couldn’t talk. She was misunderstanding, thinking he didn’t love her, didn’t want her as his bride. He did. But this whole situation felt like horses rushing out of the gate at a race.

Stepping forward, Legend murmured, “Gut it up, Cowboy.”

“You think too much,” the Kid said.

“This is obscene,” Max said. “You’ve lined up the shot, now
take
the shot.”

Marry her? Now? Colton looked at her again. The panic was unfounded. The most wonderful thing that ever happened to him stood before him right this instant. Why should he wait? Slowly, he held out his hand.

She sniffled, and he squinted. Was she crying?

Colton left the huddle of friends prodding him. Took both her hands. “I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to hurt you. I do want to marry you.” He glanced back at the others, who grinned like banshees. “Just don’t like being ambushed.” Sliding a hand along her jaw, he felt the tears. He smoothed a thumb over her cheek. “Your father has a point.” Wow, was he really going to do this thing? “Will you marry me?”

A sob shook her willowy form. She squeezed her eyes tight, crying harder and shaking her head.

Colton pulled her into his arms. Kissed the top of her head. “I love you, Piper. I’m ready to marry you, even though rushing it scares me.”

Her arms snaked around his waist. “I love you, too.” She drew back. “But I don’t want to marry you, not like this, not if it scares you.”

The grin was sheepish and small; he felt it. “The Kid’s right—I think too much.”

“D’ya hear that? He said I’m right!”

“Shut up,” Max said as he popped the Kid upside the head.

Colton rolled his eyes, and Piper laughed. He bobbed his head toward her father. “Ready?”

She nodded through her tears, and together they stood before Dr. Golding, who officiated the short, simple ceremony. Colton marveled at the way God had dragged his reluctant carcass out of self-pity and loathing to bring him to this beautiful place of surrender.

As he slid the gold ring inscribed with Hebrew lettering on her finger, he couldn’t help but think of his father smiling down on him now. Mickey would be thrilled; she’d long said Piper would be her mom. The picture she’d drawn flashed in front of his memory of them—him, Piper, Mickey, and two other children.

Just not soon, Lord
. He wanted time with her, time to get to know each other, live without having to fight for their lives. Regular husband and wife.

“I thought it would help.”

With a nod, Colton acknowledged Piper’s words but could not tear his attention from the building where she’d stopped the taxi. Pieces of that terrible day flickered through his internal movie screen. His muscles buzzed. Fear of another flashback plucked at him. And yet his mind no longer felt stranded in the past. They’d married nearly five days ago, and with the peace and happiness that flooded his life, his vision slowly returned. Almost perfect save a few fuzzy edges. But not enough distortion to ruin this moment.

“It is my hope,” Piper said, her voice soft, alluring—though she probably didn’t intend it that way, “that my homeland will hold good memories for you. That it won’t be painful anymore to think of Israel.”

Another nod. “My sister loved this country.” He drew off the sunglasses and squinted against the blinding sun. “She wanted to walk where Jesus walked.”

Piper smiled at him. “I am biased, of course, but Israel holds many miracles.”

Colton grabbed the handle and opened the door. He climbed out and stepped onto the sidewalk. Hands on his belt, he wished for a Cattle Baron or Stetson to block the sun that tugged at the back of his corneas, a leftover from the concussion. Mingled with the noise of traffic and the city, the thud of the car door reached his ears. Soon, Piper stood beside him. Hands stuffed in his pockets, he ambled around the gutted building.

“I don’t get it,” he mumbled as he kicked a stone out of the way.

“What?”

“Every time I’ve thought of Emelie—the memories alone are enough to toss me into the past.” He shrugged. “But I’m standing here … staring at it, and though I remember, I don’t feel like I’m back there.” He turned to her. “I should be panicked or freaking out right now.”

Piper smiled. “Should you?”

He glanced around, disbelieving his clear mind. “You don’t understand ….”

“Perhaps it is you who does not understand. Have you not prayed for healing?”

“Of course, but I’ve prayed for years. Never been healed.” He shifted and pointed indiscriminately to the side. “I flipped out the morning of the mission. Couldn’t tell friend from foe. It’s why … it’s why Scar died instead of me. I left the roof.”

“And you went back. Then, despite unimaginable odds, you took out the messenger. You saved Israel, my home.” She offered another sweet smile. “Colton, I don’t know why God hasn’t granted you complete healing of your mind, but I think now that you’ve faced this place, maybe it will help.”