“I forgot to tell you Suzy got married while you were away,” Teagan said to Shea. He spoke softly, almost as though it was a private exchange, but she overheard him.
“Who did she marry? That was quick, don’t you think?” Shea looked surprised.
“Bill Roberts. He owns the livery.”
“I know him. She could have done better. Doesn’t he live above the livery?”
“Not anymore. He built a nice house on the property.”
Shea shrugged. “Good for her.”
Teagan chuckled. “Amy is married too. She moved to Austin and just had twins. Her mother loves to keep Gemma updated.”
Shea shook his head. “She told me she never wanted children. I couldn’t imagine a marriage like that.”
“She must have changed her mind.” Teagan stood and got himself a cup of coffee. “Anyone else need coffee?”
“Yes,” Phoebe answered, keeping her voice light and even. “I’d like a cup.”
Shea turned and smiled at her. His smile faded quickly as he studied her face. “Teagan is quite the gossip.” His Adam’s apple bobbed a few times as he swallowed hard.
Phoebe accepted the coffee. “Thank you, Teagan.” She shifted away and stared out the window. She couldn’t bear to hear about any other women Shea knew. It hurt. She couldn’t compare to a woman who could walk. She’d considered it before. But not now. Besides, he felt guilty about the bull. He put on a good act. He even had Mary fooled. A man didn’t speak to a woman about children unless they were close to being engaged. Why, oh, why hadn’t she just listened to herself instead of others? Now her heart was shattering, and she wanted to curl up into a ball and cry. She sighed, realizing she probably couldn’t even curl up in a ball anymore.
Well, she would just have to follow the original plan. She’d make sure the Kavanaghs never regretted having her at the ranch. She would work hard, exceedingly hard. She’d be so busy she wouldn’t have time to reflect about what might have been. Phoebe sipped her coffee, trying to act normal. Mary was getting dressed, so Phoebe had a few minutes to herself.
It probably hurt so much because of what her mother had said. Phoebe had pretended it didn’t even bother her, but it had. How could a mother have no love for her child? Why make the trip to Parsons to vilify her daughter? What was in it for her mother?
How did she not realize all these years? Her mother was never affectionate, but still.
A knock on the door disturbed her musings.
A Porter nodded to Teagan when he opened the door. “Mr. Kavanagh, we will arrive in less than thirty minutes.”
“Thank you.” Teagan went to a window. “It’s good to be on Texas soil.” He continued to the bedroom he shared with Shea.
“I need to get our things together,” Mary exclaimed from behind Phoebe.
“I can’t wait to introduce you to my family,” Shea told her in a gentle voice.
She nodded without glancing at him. “That will be very nice.” She didn’t even have to see him to know he was frowning. She gritted her teeth to keep her grief from coming out in a deep wail. It would do no good to cry.
They watched out the window in silence until the train slowed and pulled into the station.
Shea insisted on carrying her off the train. She watched a smile steal across his face as he saw a man who looked to be his brother.
“Rafferty!”
“You old man. What did you do? Here you are with your bride in your arms. Ma’am I’m Rafferty, the better brother.” Rafferty had a big grin on his face. She could see even more resemblance between Rafferty and Shea than she had noticed between Shea and Teagan.
“It’s Phoebe, and I’m no one’s bride. I’m just waiting for my wheelchair to be unloaded.” She swallowed painfully hard.
“You’re the one the bull ran over? I’m so sorry it happened,” Rafferty said gently.
“Yes.” She turned her head and peered over Shea’s shoulder. The silence was so awkward she needed to run away. It would do no good to wish for something that was impossible. She needed to remember to wish for things that she could actually do. In this case there was no running and there would be no running again.
This wasn’t how she pictured getting off the train. She had dreamed of happiness and love and excitement. She’d dreamed Shea would claim her. Instead, there was a chilling wind blowing fiercely. It was fitting, maybe it would make her so cold inside she wouldn’t notice her heart throbbing in agony.
“The wagon is close if you wanted to get Phoebe settled. I’ll stick around for Teagan,” Rafferty suggested.
As Shea walked, she shifted, so she saw right in front of her. When she noticed all the smiles, she dropped her gaze to her lap. A few shouted congratulations, and she stiffened. The blood drained from her face, and she felt lightheaded. For once she wasn’t turning beet red.
“I’m sorry Rafferty jumped to the wrong conclusion.” Shea set her on the wagon bed and suddenly jumped in. He lifted her again until she was in the front corner. “I bought extra blankets to place under you. It can be bumpy. I’ll sit back here with you and Mary.”
“Thank you.”
“What do you think of Fort Worth?”
“I was expecting an actual fort with enormous stone walls.” She glanced around at what she could glimpse. “This is one busy town.”
“Yes, it’s a dangerous place for a woman alone. Too many unsavory men. Many come
back from a trail drive and spend their earnings in the saloon.”
“Oh. None from your ranch?” she asked quietly.
“No. We don’t put up with that type of cowboy. I can’t wait for you to meet everyone.” But he didn’t appear to be eager or happy about it, even.
She didn’t know what to say, so she kept looking around them.
“Phoebe, about the other women, Teagan just has a big mouth. I’m sorry you heard all that.”
“Friends, right?” she asked.
He didn’t look thrilled. “Yes, friends.”
* * *
It was the trip that never seemed to end. He’d expected to tell Phoebe about each family member, but that hadn’t happened. In fact, no one talked except for Teagan and Rafferty, though he couldn’t hear but every other word. He helped Phoebe to lie down with blankets under her and over her. Then he tried to motion to Mary, asking what was amiss. Mary simply shrugged both shoulders, though she wore a sad expression.
They still had a bit of a ride to the ranch. When they got there, he would get it all sorted. Whatever was wrong, he would get it fixed, and everything would be fine again. He glanced at the descending dusk. It would soon be dark, but since they were so close, they pushed ahead.
“Oh my, look at all those houses!” Mary exclaimed.
Phoebe stirred, and they both helped her to sit up. Mary handed her a hairbrush. “There are more houses than I imagined. Oh look! They have two barns. And horses, I can see horses.”
“I knew you’d both like it. You’ll both be living at the main house with Teagan, Gemma, their children, and of course Dolly.”
Phoebe turned and stared at him. “I understood you were going to live there too…” Was that hurt in her voice?
He studied her as best he could in the darkness. “I’ll stay if you prefer me to. I want to stay, but you haven’t been acting as though you wanted me anywhere close to you.” He held his breath. Had he said too much? Pushed too hard?
“I’d feel much better if you were there too. What are friends for?” Her voice trembled.
He moved closer to her and gave her a quick hug. “Then I will stay.”
“There’s enough room?” she asked.
“There’s always room. When I left for the cattle drive, Teagan was planning an expansion. It looks as though the house is twice as big.” It looked amazing with a wrap-around porch littered with a few different seating groups. Next to the stairs they’d built a ramp. His family was truly generous. The house was wider, and he would bet it was deeper.
&
nbsp; The door opened and two women came running out. Gemma stopped and hugged her husband while Dolly hurried to the back of the wagon.
“I’m so happy to have you all here!” Dolly enthused. “Shea, introduce me to these beautiful women.”
Shea chuckled. “This is Mary and Phoebe.”
Rafferty stepped to the back and helped Mary down, who was promptly hugged by Dolly.
Shea lifted Phoebe, and this time she clung to him. He handed her down to Rafferty and then he jumped to the ground. He quickly took Phoebe back into his arms. “This is Phoebe,” he stated proudly.
“I’m so happy to meet you. I’ll hug you when we get inside. Rafferty bring the chair, and Teagan get the luggage.”
Shea’s lips twitched. Some things never changed. Dolly had practically raised them, and she was still in charge of the house and all the brothers, it seemed.
“I think I’m going to really like Dolly,” Phoebe whispered.
“You’ll be fast friends for sure.”
“Is that a ramp?”
“Yes, they must have built it for you when they discovered I was bringing you home.”
“That is one of the nicest things anyone has ever done.” She hid her face in his shoulder.
Emotions swelled within him. He needed to get things straightened out with her. He wanted to marry her. He didn’t want this friend thing.
He set her down on the settee and took in the changes. There was now a table that would fit all of them. It took up a sizeable portion of the length of the house. He smiled. Family was extremely important. He didn’t even ask; he knew there was enough room for them.
“Happy to be home?” Teagan asked.
“Very. I’ve been gone for too long, but if I hadn’t been away, I never would have met Phoebe.”
“Listen, I didn’t mean any harm—”
“I know. You always have my back. I might need some help to convince a certain young lady that she’s mine.”
“Your rooms are on the first floor. I expected it would be better that way,” Dolly explained. “Let me show you.”
“Mary, could you help me into my chair?” Phoebe asked.
He wanted to step in and carry her, but he needed to give her a bit of room. They were friends, not engaged—at least for now. He followed them to the new rooms and stared in awe at all the extra space. How many rooms had they added?
“This room, I’d hoped would be perfect for you, Phoebe,” Dolly explained. “It is bigger than the others, and I realized you might need extra room for your chair.”
“It’s beautiful!” Phoebe enthused, her face lit with joy.
Shea looked the room over. It was nice and very yellow. Everything matched, including the quilt and the curtains. The pine furniture was new and shiny, remarkably well made.
“If the bed is too high, we can saw the legs a bit,” Dolly said. “That door leads to the porch. I thought you might like to watch the sun rise. The fireplace is bigger, so you will always be warm. Now I’ll show you Mary’s room.”
They were just as excited when they saw Mary’s room. It had a rose theme. He supposed it was nice, and it did seem to suit Mary. He followed as they left the room and continued to yet another room.
“This is your room, Shea,” Dolly said proudly.
The colors were dark blue and green without any fussiness. Instantly, Shea felt as though he’d stepped into the comfort of the woods, and he sighed.
“I figured you’d still be able to hear Phoebe if she needs anything. There are ramps at all the doors leading outside. I’m so happy about how it all turned out.”
“You got a new room for yourself, didn’t you?” Shea asked.
“I didn’t want one. My room is full of memories of you boys. I even have the quilt I came here with. I display every present you all have ever given me in there. It suits me. They pushed me to have a bigger room, but I dug my heels in.”
Phoebe gazed at Dolly with tears in her eyes. “I don’t know how to thank you. The rooms are beautiful, and I want to be of a help here. I’ll need to learn how to do things while sitting in this chair, of course, but…”
“You’ll have enough people helping you to learn,” Dolly said with a soft chuckle. “They might try to do everything for you at first. You must be patient; the wives mean well. Now, is anyone hungry or would you rather just get into bed?”
Phoebe exchanged glances with Mary. “I think I’ll get ready for bed. The trip was lovely yet exhausting. Plus…” A smile lit her face. “I don’t want to miss the sun rise.”
“I always have coffee ready before then,” said Dolly, nodding. “You come find me in the kitchen, and I’ll bring it out to the porch for you. Oh, it will be rather chilly so dress warmly. I’m not going to bed for a while yet, so if you or Mary need anything, let me know.” Dolly leaned down and hugged Phoebe, and then she hugged Mary. “Goodnight.”
Chapter Sixteen
Phoebe had never seen such a vast family. Coffee this morning on the porch had been nice and quiet. She’d spoken to God for about an hour. She had so many blessings.
She now sat in a big common room with children running and screaming everywhere. That was the best part, all the children. And watching them was a pure joy. It was creating small talk with the adults that took a toll on her.
She met Teagan and Gemma, Quinn and his wife Heaven. Then Brogan and his wife Ciara came with Ciara’s sister, Orla. Orla was someone she wanted to get to know better. Sullivan and Sheila greeted her, followed by Donnell and Clarissa. Fitzpatrick and Breena, Angus and Julian, and finally Rafferty and Mae entered. There was another brother, Murphy, who, she had been told, planned to move back to the ranch with his wife Brooke.
The men all resembled each other like the brothers they were, but the women were so different from each other. Witnessing the love they all felt for one another, though, certainly expanded her heart. Maybe they’d feel the same about her and Mary someday. It sure would be something to be a part of them all.
The laughter was constant. There wasn’t one sniping remark or odd look between them all. Dolly smiled with her eyes shining of her love for her family.
They all stopped by for a quick visit and more than an hour later they were all gone.
“Do you need some headache powder?” Dolly asked her with a grin.
“No, I just— I’d never even been to many gatherings. It’ll take a while to learn all their names. And oh, the children, what a treasure you have, Dolly.”
“They all turned out pretty good,” Dolly said as a rosy blush crept over her cheeks. “I’m glad they welcomed you and Mary with open arms. But I must confess, I never had any doubts. That’s just how they are.”
Shea grabbed his hat and kissed Phoebe on the forehead before he left. His kiss warmed her all the way to her toes.
The front door opened, and Sheila walked in. After she made the rounds, saying hello to the rest of the family, she drew up a chair next to Phoebe. “Hello, I’ve been hoping to speak with you,” she said as she sat. “I’m familiar with doctoring if you ever need anything. But I was curious about your injury. Have you regained any feeling in your legs or feet?”
“No, and I wasn’t expecting to. The doctors were pretty clear about that. I do have one personal concern. If I ever married, do you think I’ll be able to have children? It’s been weighing on my mind lately, and I’d value your opinion.” She braced herself for the bad news.
“I don’t see why not. You’re healthy otherwise, aren’t you?” Sheila asked.
“Yes, I am. I still have my monthly.” Heat shot through Phoebe’s face.
Shelia patted her arm as she stood. “I’m sure one day you’ll have the children you long for. In the meantime, I need to get back to mine. Remember me if you need anything healing. I’ll see you tonight.”
Sheila was out of the door before Phoebe could thank her.
“Everyone is invited to supper,” Mary told her. “If you’re not up to the excitement, I’m sure they’
ll understand.”
“I’ll be fine,” she murmured. “This is Shea’s family, and I want to know them.”
Mary smiled. “You’ve truly come to care for him, haven’t you?”
“I have, and I’m so afraid he’ll break my heart.” Phoebe was appalled at how much her voice shook. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “We agreed to be good friends.”
Mary chuckled. “Do all your friends kiss you every chance they get?”
“It’s not real kisses. He quickly presses his lips to my forehead as though I was a child.”
“I don’t think he sees you as a child. It wouldn’t be proper for him to kiss your lips… yet.”
Phoebe gave Mary a playful slap to her arm. “I hope you’re right, but I will not count on it.”
* * *
Shea hardly heard a word at supper, and there were many words he wanted to say. Phoebe enchanted him. She played with the children and held many on her lap. She looked so exquisite. Now she was joining in on whatever the discussion at the table was. Her cheeks were rosy, and happiness radiated from her.
“Right, Shea?” Donnell elbowed him in the ribs. “I agree she’s pretty, but your stare is intense.”
Shea smiled at him. “I remember you staring at Clarissa before you were married.”
“I still do,” Donnell said with a big grin on his face.
“I hear you’re going walking with Cookie tonight, Mary,” Fitzpatrick announced.
Mary’s mouth opened and suddenly closed. She jutted her chin. “I am. His name is Howard, by the way.”
“Cookie’s name isn’t Cookie?” Rafferty asked, shaking his head. “He’s been holding out on us.”
“Maybe I’ll see you out there,” Shea commented. “I’m hoping Phoebe will accompany me on a walk too.”
The wives all gave each other knowing glances.
“What?” Shea asked, glancing around the room.
“A week,” Dolly commented. “I just need a week.”
Shea: Cowboy Chance: The Kavanagh Brothers Book 10 Page 9
