By Proxy(3)

Her expression was positively glacial.

Sam cringed for her benefit, trying not to grin at her discomfiture. “Oh, come on! I’m just trying to lighten up the mood—”

She blinked at him and appeared about to say something, then must have decided against it because she turned sharply and opened the door in front of her. Again, he found himself trailing behind, not something he was used to.

She stood at the counter speaking to the secretary. “…for the Svenson-Nordstrom wedding. Umm, we’re late.” She glanced in annoyance at Sam and then back at the secretary meaningfully.

The secretary straightened her glasses to give Sam a cross look, then sighed loudly and gave Jenny a sympathetic nod. Sam rolled his eyes. Leave it to two women to gang up on the only guy in the room.

“Well, now. Well, now. That’s a problem.” The secretary squinted at the computer screen in front of her and typed on a few keys. A loud, angry beep answered back. “Yup. Just as I thought. Sorry, Miss. Judge Hanlon left at two forty-five sharp and won’t be back until Monday morning.”

Jenny’s hands clutched the counter between her and the secretary. “No! He can’t! No! We—we’re proxies for the Svenson-Nordstrom…they’re counting on us…” She looked at Sam, her face a mixture of anger and panic.

He cleared his throat and stepped up smoothly beside her. “Surely there must be an alternative.” Pushing aside his cashmere coat, he reached into his back pocket and took out an expensive crocodile wallet. “Perhaps we could call Judge Hanlon and explain the situation? I would make it worth his while to come back in. I’m more than happy to pay a surcharge.”

Jenny looked down sharply, staring at her shoes, the flush in her face spreading to her neck. He furrowed his brows, turning back to the secretary who glanced at Jenny and then stood up, directing her full attention to Sam.

“Put your wallet away,” she stated.

He grimaced at her tone then closed his wallet, realizing his blunder. Oh, no.

“I only wanted—”

“You only wanted to fix things by offering money to a public servant? Well, that’s just not our way, son.” She straightened up to her whole five feet and placed fleshy fingers on beefy hips, lowering her glasses to take a hard look at his face from across the counter. “I don’t think you’re from around here, so I’ll explain this as fair as I can. Judge Hanlon is gone for the weekend, deep into Yeller, and he’s only coming back in time for the nine-thirty Sunday morning service at All Saints in Big Sky. So if you two want to step in for your friends and make sure they get married, you’ll come back Monday morning on time and we’ll forget this silly wallet business even happened.” She nodded once and set her glasses back up on her nose.

Rarely had he felt so foolish and young in his adult life. His cheeks tingled with an uncomfortable flush.

The secretary plunked back down on her stool and returned her attention to the computer screen in front of her. “Monday. Ten twenty-five a.m. That’s the earliest I can do.”

Jenny nodded quickly beside him. “Yes. Thank you. Yes, ma’am. We’re grateful.”

Grateful? Monday? Is this a joke? Stuck here for the weekend? Oh man, are you going to owe me one, Kris! One look back at the secretary’s dour face made him swallow his thoughts.

“Yes, ma’am. Monday it is.”

The secretary glanced up again and pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes at Sam with disapproval. “Wouldn’t hurt you a bit to stick around for a day or so, son. I imagine it might even do you some good.”

Oh, enough of this, already. I was a little late. Geez, you’d think I killed someone! He smirked at her and mumbled, “I can’t wait.”

She handed Jenny the appointment card, and they turned to leave.

“On time!” boomed the secretary from her stool behind the counter.

They turned in unison and cowered. “Yes, ma’am,” they said, backing out of the room, shutting the door carefully behind them.

***

Jenny was not happy.

She click-clacked back down the corridor in her uncomfortable high-heeled shoes. What next? She thought of him taking out his expensive-looking wallet and shuddered in embarrassment at the high-handed way he’d treated that helpful secretary. Ugh! Big-city ways.

They reached the stairs leading to the lobby and she struggled into her parka. He took the shoulders of the coat to hold it for her and she paused for a beat, staring straight ahead, before she accepted his help wordlessly. His hands lifted her hair off her neck, where it was trapped under the collar.

“Hey!” She whipped around, surprised by such an intimate gesture.