For the Love of a Wounded Cowboy: A Historical Western Romance Book

by Cassidy Hanton

  “In between?” Oliver repeated absently. “It’s pretty.”

  “You think so?” she questioned in a whisper.

  Oliver continued to play with her hair. “I do. Very pretty.”

  He wasn’t usually like this. He felt like a boy all over again, but he couldn’t help himself. Everything was new with Amelia, and he loved every second of it.

  “No one has ever said that to me before,” she replied.

  His heart was thundering in his ears. What was he doing? This was crazy. Still, he continued. “I don’t know why. Only a fool wouldn’t see it.”

  “Thank you,” Amelia replied as her gaze left his. He couldn’t see clearly in the dim light, but he was sure if he could, he would find her cheeks red because of what he’d said. He noticed she blushed a lot when he was around. It was rather prideful to think, but he believed it had something to do with him, though she’d never said so.

  “Amelia?” he said as he gazed into her eyes.

  “Yes, Oliver?”

  Don’t say it.

  The words lingered on the tip of his tongue. He had feelings for Amelia, and he wanted to share them. However, he had no idea how they’d be reciprocated. He didn’t want problems. Oliver swallowed his words. He slowly dropped his hand from her hair. He got to his feet. “We better go.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Amelia’s hair hung over her shoulder and down to her ribs in large waves as she sat doing her work. Things were different since the rodeo. She didn’t know what to make of it. She never felt anything like it in her life, and it was both exhilarating and frightening. She didn’t know how to describe her feelings for Oliver. It was more than caring, but she couldn’t say it was love. What did love feel like?

  She was contemplating that thought when Oliver stomped into the living room as she was folding the laundry. She looked up at him as he tossed his gloves into the chair nearest him. She stopped what she was doing immediately.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked concerned. He didn’t usually act in such a way. In fact, it was the first time she’d ever seen him so flustered.

  Oliver huffed. “I lost a cow and her calf this morning,” he stated. “I tried all night and they still died,” he answered. He flopped down into the chair. He must have realized he’d sat on his gloves, as he pulled them out and laid them in his lap. He propped his elbows on his knees as he stared ahead of him.

  “I’m sorry,” Amelia apologized. There was nothing she could have done, but she still felt the need to say something to soothe him. She didn’t like seeing him that way.

  Oliver looked in her direction. He stared for several seconds before a smile slowly spread across his face. “It happens,” he replied. “I just hate when it does.”

  “I understand,” Amelia said with a nod. “No one would like that.”

  Oliver nodded in agreement. “Are you almost finished?” he asked as he sat up

  “Almost,” Amelia answered. She turned the pale blue shirt over on her lap and proceeded to fold the arms in.

  Oliver nodded. “Good. I’m going into town for a bit,” he informed her. “The fabric you ordered arrived and I need to get some nails and a few things from the general store,” he continued. He got to his feet. “Do you need anything else?”

  Amelia watched Oliver closely. Since the rodeo, she wasn’t sure what there was between them. Was she the only one feeling the way she was? Did he feel it too? What exactly was it?

  She thought of an incident several days before. She was plucking weeds from the vegetable patch when he came to assist her. They knelt beside each other in the dirt, their fingers lacing over it as they shifted through the soil and ripped the weeds up with their roots. She felt a closeness as they worked together, as their fingers touched again and again. Then there was the way he smiled at her. She couldn’t say how it was different from before, but it was. It was as if it was a smile just for her. She wanted to be around that smile more.

  Go with him.

  Amelia bit her lip as she considered asking Oliver if she could join him. Finally, her desire won out. “May I go with you?”

  Oliver’s eyes widened slightly, but a smile was on his face so Amelia ignored the strange look. “Of course you may,” he answered. “Are you sure? I know you have a lot to do around here. You said so this morning.”

  “I know what I said this morning, but things can change,” Amelia replied. “Unless of course, you don’t want me to come?” she asked. A small frown threatened her brow but Amelia did her best to hide it.

  Oliver shook his head. “Of course I do,” he replied. “I just thought you had other things that were more important.”

  She didn’t know why, but the fact that he wanted her with him filled her with joy. “No,” she replied. “I don’t have anything more important.”

  Oliver helped her with the remaining folding, and soon they were on the road to town. It was a cool, overcast day, and Amelia kept her eyes on the clouds.

  “It looks like it might rain,” she commented.

  Oliver looked up. “No,” he replied. “Those clouds aren’t gonna rain until later today. Maybe even tomorrow if they linger.”

  “How do you know?” Amelia questioned.

  He smiled. “Years of experience,” he replied. “I’ve been seeing clouds like that my entire life. After a while, you learn how to decipher one from another.”

  Amelia nodded silently. There was so much that Oliver knew that she didn’t. She could learn a lot from him and she knew that. He was much wiser than she was, even though he was only three years older. She had already learned so much. He taught her about the soil and crop rotation. Amelia had done her best with what she knew back home, but now she was better equipped and understood what crops should follow which and when the land should be allowed to rest entirely. He even fertilized his land, something she had never done in Thinvale.

  Oliver looked at her. “Do you miss home?” he asked unexpectedly.

  Amelia’s eyes widened in surprise. “Miss home?” she repeated. It wasn’t something she’d thought about. Since coming to Rattleridge she’d had far too many pleasant experiences to think of what she’d left behind.

  “Yes, miss home?” he repeated. His brow wrinkled.

  She smirked. “Why would I miss there? There was nothing for me.”

  Oliver shrugged. “I don’t know. A few people were good to you there. Mrs. Puck. I think that was her name. I thought you might miss her at least.”

  Amelia considered what he was saying. “There were some,” she answered after a long pause. “Mrs. Puck, as you said, but there was also Mr. Van Dyke,” she elaborated. She met his gaze. “I write to them from time to time, but it’s easier to forget Thinvale than it is to constantly remind myself of that place. I had far too many bad times.”

  “I’m sorry life was so difficult for you there. If I’d known you before I wouldn’t have allowed any of that to happen. I would have protected you.”

  “Oliver…” Amelia said as misty eyes met his.

  “I mean it,” he interrupted gently. “None of it. I could never sit back and watch someone treat you the way your father did. I would have been there for you. Helped you around your place. Made it easier for you to live each day.”

  Amelia’s heart skipped a beat. She stared at him silently, her heart moved by his kind words.

  “I know you were hurt a lot in Thinvale,” Oliver stated. “Your daddy didn’t see what a good person you are. Your worth.”

  “My worth?”

  Amelia looked at Oliver in wonder. “What worth do I have?” she asked. She wasn’t some stunning, wealthy woman like Florence. Her friend was classically beautiful, with high cheekbones and elegant features. She was tall and voluptuous and everything that Amelia wasn’t. What comparison was there between them when such a woman existed? Florence was the kind of woman that men looked at. She and others like her.

  Not me.

  Oliver’s brow wrinkled slightly. “What worth?”
Oliver repeated. “You are one of the most amazing women I have ever met, Amelia Donnel. You don’t meet someone like you every day.”

  Amelia averted her eyes before he saw the questions behind them. She didn’t want to challenge him, but internally she did. She was no one special in her mind. What did he see that she did not?

  “You doubt me?” he asked

  “Of course not,” she replied quickly. Her attempt to avoid his gaze was defeated instantly. She met his eyes. “Why would I ever doubt you?”

  “Why would you believe me? You hardly know anything about me,” Oliver countered with a smile. “Though I know you do.”

  She took a deep breath. She didn’t know how to reply. Her brow furrowed as she looked down at her hands, trying to think of the right answer. It took her several seconds to realize what the truth was it. Amelia didn’t know how it had happened but it dawned on her gently as she sat there thinking about it. He was right, she did believe him.

  “I trust you, Oliver,” she said softly. She raised her eyes to his. “You are one of the few people I know I can trust.”

  His expression was blank at first, then a bright smile appeared that made Amelia’s heart warm.

  “That means a lot,” he replied. “I know it isn’t easy for you to trust people. I’m honored by that fact.”

  She laughed nervously as her cheeks grew hot. “It isn’t that big a deal.”

  “Yes, it is,” Oliver countered. “It is for me.”

  Why did anything about her matter to him? Oliver was a successful rancher. He was handsome, kind and hardworking. Why would he consider her at all?

  “Why?” The question slipped from her lips unbidden, but Amelia didn’t retract it. She wanted to know.

  “Because I care,” Oliver answered. “I care about you, Amelia. You live under my roof, under my protection. I want you to trust me, to know that you can depend on me. That I’m there for you.”

  “I care about you too, Oliver,” she replied. Her eyes fell to her lap. She began to fidget and pick at her nails. “You’re the first man who was ever this kind to me. You’ve given me so much and I haven’t given you anything. I just try to work hard and make sure that you’re happy with what I do. I just want to repay you somehow.”

  Oliver stopped the wagon. He turned his body more in her direction. “Do you think I need repayment for being kind to you?”

  Amelia was ashamed to answer.

  “Amelia?” Oliver questioned as he reached over and took hold of her hands. She stopped fidgeting instantly. “You don’t have to repay me. Kindness should be free, no matter where it’s coming from or going to. You’re a good worker, but it isn’t your work that makes me glad that you decided to stay at Glenore. It’s you. The person you are.”

  She folded her lips as her eyes began to sting. “I don’t know what to say,” she replied as her voice cracked. “I’ve come to know so much goodness and kindness since I met you. Once, I believed that most people were out for themselves. You changed that. You’ve made me see that people can be good, even when it seems out of nowhere. I never had that before. Not like this.”

  Oliver squeezed her hand gently. “You should. You are a good person, Amelia Donnel. Don’t you ever doubt that. You are amazing and you inspire me.”

  “I inspire you? Who would be inspired by me?” she questioned skeptically.

  “Me,” Oliver replied with a chuckle. “You inspire me every day,” he assured her. “Amelia, I see you putting your all into everything you do. I see how hard you work and how good you are at what you put your hands to do. You work on the ranch as if it were your own and not a job. Do you know what that means to me? Most people only do things for the money, but I can tell you do it for something more. That your heart is truly in it. I appreciate that. You’ve proven to me that sometimes you have to let people in and not judge others by the events of the past.”

  Amelia felt as if her face was near a fireplace. She wanted to look away, but she couldn’t. Oliver’s eyes were pulling her in, his words seeping into her heart and confusing her more with the feelings that they were producing inside her.

  “Oliver?” she whispered. She wanted to say something. She wanted to tell him how she felt, but she couldn’t. She was too afraid to spoil what she’d found under his roof and on his ranch. She had comfort for the first time in her life and she wasn’t willing to risk it for feelings she wasn’t yet sure of.

  Oliver’s gaze lingered on her for several seconds more before he looked away. He took up the reins once more and clicked his tongue. The wagon lurched forward. “We better get going. We have a lot to do in town and we don’t want to spend the entire day there. If we get back early enough we can still get through a few more chores before the day’s end.”

  They left the wagon at the blacksmith. Oliver paid him five cents for the use of the space. He tried to protest but Oliver insisted. The man had six children and a sick wife. Amelia understood why Oliver wanted to help.

  They walked down the main street toward the general store. She was silent beside Oliver. Butterflies were bouncing around inside of her stomach. She glanced at him several times.

  She couldn’t stop feeling that way. Whenever she looked at him, she couldn’t help but smile. Her face was getting hot. Her heart was feeling as if it would rush from her chest.

  The more I’m around him the more it’s going to show. And I do have feelings for him. There is no questioning that anymore.

  “Oliver?” she said finally. “Do you want to go get the things you came for? I’ll be fine on my own. I can meet you back at the wagon.”

  He shook his head. “I’ll go with you.”

  They walked toward the general store and fell into casual conversation together. She really enjoyed his company. The more time they spent together the more she wanted to be near him.

  I could be happy with just this. Just being near him could be enough for me.

  Amelia looked in Oliver’s direction once more. Her eyes lowered to the hand near her. She still didn’t know what caused his scars.

  It must have hurt him so much. He must have endured a lot if he refuses to speak of it now—it had to be worse than what happened to me. Thank God he had Melvin to be there for him. If I had known him, I would have been there. Cared for him. I wasn’t then but I can do that now.

  Her thoughts were shattered by the sound of loud voices coming from the saloon. Oliver stopped immediately, his hand stretching out in front of her protectively as a body flew through the doors of the establishment, and a man fell to the walkway ahead of them. The two sides flapped independent of each other, but they didn’t have a chance to stop, as a tall man, dressed in a long tan-colored duster coat emerged from inside preventing their closure. His hat was pulled low over his eyes, but Amelia could see his lips. A grim smile painted them. Something in Amelia’s stomach knotted uncomfortably. She stepped closer to Oliver automatically.

  The man stepped forward ignoring them entirely. “You best remember the next time you try to cheat me,” he said coldly. “You need more sense than you have to get by me. If not, you might have an accident.”

  Oliver’s hand reached for hers. Amelia laced her fingers in his tightly.

  The man noticed the action and turned to face them. Amelia stared up at him.

  He had small obsidian eyes that glared back at her. His face was long and his features chiseled, a thick mustache hung over his top lip and bushy sideburns traveled down his cheeks to meet it. His nose was crooked in more than one place as if it had been broken several times and never healed properly. He made Amelia’s blood run cold as the smell of the alcohol on his breath stung her nose. The man at his feet took the opportunity of his distraction to scramble away. He didn’t look back.

  Amelia squeezed Oliver’s hand involuntarily. She wanted to leave and turned to him, but he wasn’t looking at her. Oliver’s eyes were fixed on the man before them, his lips were pursed into a thin line and the muscles of his jaw twitched.

&
nbsp; “What have we here?” the man guffawed. “Husband and wife out for a stroll?”

  Amelia didn’t answer. She stared at the stranger suspiciously. Her every nerve told her not to turn her back on him. He was dangerous. She could feel it. She didn’t want to spend another second around him.

  “That’s none of your business,” Oliver replied coldly. He tugged on her hand as he stepped aside. “Let’s go.”

  Amelia followed him eagerly, but there was no escape. The man stepped in front of Oliver, blocking their path. “Wait a minute,” he said. “Where’re you going so fast? Don’t you want to introduce me?”