How to Rope a McCoy (Hell Yeah!) Read Online Free

Yes, the man who attacked her might be pathetic and
sick, but the one who saved her gave Cato hope that there were more people like
him in the world.
    And
one day, she was going to meet them.
       
 
    Heath – Wedding Bell Blues
               
    “This
collar is choking me,” Heath managed to whisper to Philip, who stood to his
right.
    “If
you think that’s uncomfortable, wait till the noose of matrimony tightens
around your neck.”
    Heath
rolled his eyes at his brother. “Just wait till you fall in love, you have no
idea.” The preacher gave them the evil eye and they sobered up, hands folded
below their waist.
    “Where’s
your bride, Heath?” Jaxson checked his watch. “She’s late.”
    Heath
shook his head, trying to make his brothers be quiet. He kept his eyes trained
on those stained glass doors at the back. Any moment, the love of his life was
going to walk through them and give him her sweetest smile. Heath sighed, he
couldn’t wait. The most beautiful woman in the world had consented to be his
bride and he was the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.  
    “Would
you be in a hurry to marry this big ox?” Tennessee chuckled.
    Raising
one eyebrow, he quelled his brother’s tomfoolery. This just wasn’t the time. A
church wedding was supposed to be a sacred occurrence. Looking out into the
audience, Heath noticed his father looked tired. The nurse who took care of him
seemed a bit concerned. She was watching him like a hawk. His sisters sat
beside him, dressed in wedding finery. They would be hostesses at the
reception. Their eyes were on their father also.
    A
few random coughs drew his attention and Heath finally realized how much time
had passed. The organist was looking worried. Even he could tell she was
repeating the songs. Glancing over at Amy’s mother, he could see her whispering
to a woman who sat next to her. Their expressions worried him the most.
    The
preacher cleared his throat loudly and Heath looked over his shoulder to see if
he was choking or trying to get his attention. It was the latter. “Any clue to
what’s going on?”
    Heath
didn’t, but if the sinking feeling in his stomach was any indication, it wasn’t
good. “Cold feet?”
    A
murmur stole Heath’s attention and when he looked up, Amy’s mother was headed
down the aisle. He watched her exit through those doors he’d been staring at,
waiting and hoping.
    “You
all right?” This came from Philip.
    “No,
would you be?” By this time, everyone was talking, looking at him and
whispering.
    Finally,
the doors opened and for a moment, Heath thought everything was going to be
okay. After all, Amy was perfect for him. They were happy. They had so much in
common. Their marriage was meant to be.
    He
held on to that notion until Jack Arness , who’d been
appointed to walk Amy down the aisle appeared and shook his head. “She’s not
coming. Amy changed her mind.”
    A
barrage of murmurs and titters rose through the congregation. A spear of pain
shot through Heath’s heart. He thought he was about to be sick. He lurched off
the step he was standing on and Philip made a grab for him, but he managed to
stay on his feet. “I’m okay.”
    It
was easy to say, but Heath had never told a bigger fib in his life.
    “Heath,
man, let’s get you out of here.”
    “No,
I want to see her. There has to be some mistake.” He started down the white
satin carpet, knocking over a basket of gladiolas as he went. An unyielding
hand stopped his progress.
    “Wait…”
It was Tennessee.
    But
Heath wouldn’t be stopped. He had to know what had happened. What had he done
wrong? If she’d just tell him what to fix, he would fix it. Gladly.
    Was
there someone else?
    The
thought stole his breath. He blindly walked to the room where Amy and the
bridesmaids had dressed. Throwing open the door, he expected to come face to
face with his fiancée and her mother. Instead, he found only the maid of honor
standing by the dressing table,