The Runaway Bride
“WILL YOU TAKE THIS MAN…” The only husband Lorelei Wilkins ever wanted was Sean O’Brien, but she’s wasted too long waiting for him to love her back. When another man proposes, she accepts—until she stands at the altar…and realizes she can’t marry without love. Bolting out of town toward a fresh start, she never suspected her parents would send Sheriff O’Brien to bring her home!After an innocent mistake leaves Lorelei and her reluctant rescuer with compromised reputations, marriage is their only option. But first they must triumph over suspicious locals, shady characters, an inconvenient groom and the bride’s own stubborn heart. Will it take their lives on the line for Sean and Lorelei to realize that only love can conquer all?
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âWill you take this man...â
The only husband Lorelei Wilkins ever wanted was Sean OâBrien, but sheâs wasted too long waiting for him to love her back. When another man proposes, she acceptsâuntil she stands at the altarâ¦and realizes she canât marry without love. Bolting out of town toward a fresh start, she never suspected her parents would send Sheriff OâBrien to bring her home!
After an innocent mistake leaves Lorelei and her reluctant rescuer with compromised reputations, marriage is their only option. But first they must triumph over suspicious locals, shady characters, an inconvenient groom and the brideâs own stubborn heart. Will it take their lives on the line for Sean and Lorelei to realize that only love can conquer all?
âI donât want this any more than you do, but it looks like there is no choice.â
For him to be thatâ¦fatalistic about even the thought of marrying her hurt more than sheâd ever admit. Lorelei shook her head. âWith a proposal like that, how can I say no?â
She forced herself to calm her rapid breathing as she tried to make sense of what was happening. Sean was agreeing to marry her. For so many years, sheâd longed for a moment like this between themânow she deplored it. It didnât mean that he loved her. It simply meant that he was doing his duty. Logically, it was the best option. Emotionallyâit just felt plain awful.
At least she didnât love him anymore. That would have sealed the hopelessness of her fate.
A wry smile touched his lips. âYou look like youâve been assigned a fate worse than death.â
She nodded slowly. He seemed to think so. Why shouldnât she? âMaybe I have.â
NOELLE MARCHAND
Her love of literature began as a child when she would spend hours reading beneath the covers long after she was supposed to be asleep. Over the years, God began prompting her to write. Eventually, those stories became like âfire shut up in her bonesâ leading her to complete her first novel by her sixteenth birthday.
Noelle is a Houston native who is currently a senior, double majoring in mass communication with a focus in journalism and speech communication. Though life as a college student keeps her busy, God continues to use her talent for writing as a way to deepen her spiritual life and draw her closer to Him.
Bear with each other and forgive one another
if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
âColossians 3:13â14
Dedicated with love to my sister by blood,
Ashley Marchand, and my sisters in spirit, Cynthia Rouhana and Erika Gutierrez. Also, to my mother, Juanita Marchand, for her continued encouragement.
Contents
Chapter One
Peppin, Texas
August 1887
âLorelei Wilkins, will you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to live together after Godâs ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health: forsaking all others, keeping only unto him so long as you both shall live?â
Loreleiâs eyes widened as she stared silently at Reverend Sparks. Did he have any idea how formidable those words sounded? If she was making a mistake, it would be irreversible. Yet, he stood there waiting. Waitingâjust like the man beside her whoâd gone through the trouble of slicking back his hair, shining his boots and donning a fancy shirt. She glanced at her groom. Lawson Williams swallowed nervously.
âIâ¦â Her gaze slipped to Lawsonâs best man. Sean OâBrienâs green eyes watched her carefully. He was probably wondering if she was going to prove that his suspicion about her had been right all along. Hadnât he secretly warned Lawson not to court her? Some secret. Sheâd heard the words he hadnât intended for her ears two years ago, and they reverberated in her thoughts even now.
âYouâre making a mistake. Lorelei isnât the kind of girl you can count on. Sheâs always been flighty and insincere. If you arenât careful, youâll end up with a broken heart.â
She turned back to Reverend Sparks. âWill you repeat the second question?â
Nervous laughter spread through the church behind her, but she listened carefully as he repeated. âWill you loveââ
He continued, but that one word was all she needed to hear. Would she love Lawson, as a wife should love her husband, for as long as the two of them lived? She couldnât do this to herself, and she certainly couldnât do it to Lawsonâ¦because the answer was no.
Shaking her head, she took a halting step backward. Gasps tore through the air as she lifted her white skirt and ran down the aisle sheâd just marched up. The doors of the church burst open with a bang, and light flooded the sanctuary as she tripped quickly down the stairs onto the lawn. Gasping in quick hard breaths, she only escaped a few feet before she heard footsteps behind her.
