he were an older brother, and the children adore him. He's really a very nice man, Mr. Harding. And he literally swept me off my feet. I had no idea he returned my feelings like that. I do love him, Mr. Harding, and I wish you wouldn't hurt him too much."
Tyler liked the sound of that, even if it were a pack of Evie's usual lies. He propped himself up on his elbows again and grinned at Kyle's discomfort. "Yeah, Mr. Harding, don't hurt me too much, or I'll not be any use at all to my wife."
Kyle almost erupted again, and Evie kicked Tyler with her little shoe. Giving a surprised "oomph," he caught his bruised rib, sat up, and glared at Evie. "Kick a man while he's down, will you? You'll pay for that later, woman."
Kyle bristled and clenched his fists again, but Evie smiled sweetly and held out her hand to her dusty husband. "We'll be late for church. I want to hear you singing this time instead of grumbling in my ear."
Laughter tittered through the crowd as the handsome gambler eyed his wife and stood up without the aid of her helping hand. Ignoring Evie's triumphant expression, Tyler dusted himself off and met Kyle's furious gaze.
"Don't know that I can say the best man won, but it's not as if I forced her." Tyler groaned inwardly at the sound of his own words. He was becoming as much a liar as Evie.
Before he could correct himself, Evie took his arm and smiled pleasantly at her erstwhile suitor. "Why don't you come to dinner after church, Mr. Harding? We'd be happy to have you. I'd hate to think I'd come between two friends."
Kyle growled, "He ain't no friend of mine," but he walked by Evie's side as they headed toward the church.
Not until Jace joined them did Tyler realize the big man was in the crowd. Thanking the heavens above that the brawl had been settled amicably before Jace could join in, Tyler expressed his gratitude by consenting to join in the hymn singing. He wasn't certain it was good for his soul, but it could very well be good for preventing aching ribs.
It had been a long time since he had raised his voice in song and he was a bit rusty, but the notes came back to him with a little practice. So engrossed did he become in remembering the harmony that he didn't notice Evie's curious glances, nor the startled looks on the faces of the children around them. He just felt better for having conquered one more ghost from his past.
It wasn't until they were leaving church and well-wishers came up offering both congratulations on their marriage and comments on Tyler's singing that he realized what he had done. Jace pounded him on the back and grinning, dragged Kyle away after making polite excuses about dinner. After swallowing one more compliment than he could handle, Tyler caught Evie's arm and hauled her from the crowd.
Evie had the pensive look on her face that Tyler had cause to remember too well, and he attempted to forestall her next leap of imagination. "Don't even say it, Evie," he warned.
She gave him a thoughtful look from behind long lashes. "Did all your family sing as well as you?"
He should have known he couldn't stop her. Tugging uncomfortably at his tie, he answered evasively, "My father wasn't much good at it."
"But the rest of you did: your mother, and your older brothers."
"Yeah." Tyler refused to say more. He wasn't stirring any more old memories than was necessary. His family had lived too far up the river to attend church regularly, but they had often spent Sunday morning around the piano, singing hymns to his mother's accompaniment. And at Christmastime, they were often called upon by the neighbors to do the carols that became second nature to them. His mother sang at weddings, and singing was a form of entertainment at any number of other social occasions. Just thinking about those times brought painful tears to his eyes. That had all been before the war, of course.
Evie respected Tyler's silence. It didn't take her imagination to know what was in his mind right now. Children were just naturally jubilant and loved to sing. She had a better understanding of his reaction to the Rodriguez children. It was a wonder Tyler hadn't taken to his heels and never turned back when they'd met him at the door with that