“Pushy, you mean.”
Miriam giggled. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he had fire ants in his pants.”
Megan laughed at the image. “You’re awful!”
She sobered. “I’m sorry.”
“No. I meant…Well, where I come from, it’s a term of endearment.”
“Where do you come from?”
Megan decided she could tell her the truth. “Indiana.”
“I haven’t been outside of Fargo. Do you miss your home?”
“Yes, I do.”
Miriam pulled out a chair as everyone got ready to eat. “I hope that you will find a home here, with us.”
Megan glanced around the barn and watched as the men and women assembled at the tables. Aaron joined Esther and pulled out her chair for her. As Megan began to pull out her chair, Esther tapped her hand.
“Let your husband do that for you,” Esther said. “It’s his duty.” Then she sat in her chair.
Megan sighed but waited for Ted to arrive. She didn’t know why, but it pleased her that she didn’t have to ask him to pull out the chair for her. Then he sat on her right. She insisted that Miriam sit to her left so she could offer suggestions on how they could get her and Jason to get together to dance.
As she ate, she couldn’t help but think of the work that waited for the women. The men would get to rest and talk while the women cleaned the mess everyone was making. It was hard to sit and eat, knowing all of this, and a glance in Charles’ direction only upset her all the more.
There was no doubt about it. That particular man was a creep. Not only that, but he was disgusting. He ate with his mouth open and burped. She cringed. He looked her way, and probably noticing her repulsion, he grinned and burped again.
She quickly turned her attention to Miriam. “Whatever you do, don’t pick Charles. I don’t care who else you choose, but that man won’t treat you right. You deserve someone who knows how to treat a woman with respect.”
Esther leaned across Miriam and smiled at Megan. “I’m glad to hear you talk this way, Megan. It is important to choose the right man, and the right one will show a woman proper respect.” She nodded. “You’ve come a long way in a short period of time.”
Recalling how everyone assumed she’d been a prostitute, Megan’s cheeks flushed. When would that insinuation die down?
Esther turned back to Aaron.
As if Miriam could read Megan’s mind, she offered an understanding smile. “Coming from Esther, that’s a compliment.”
“I gathered that much.”
“Try not to let it trouble you. You can’t do anything about the past. All you can do is focus on where you’re going.” She bit into her biscuit, swallowed and added, “It’s nice having you here. I feel as if we’ve been friends forever.”
Megan’s heart softened, for she felt the same way about Miriam. She couldn’t recall a time when she’d felt a stronger bond of friendship. Did she really want to go back to her own time? She shook the thought off. Of course, she did. She didn’t belong here. Who knew what stipulations were involved in time travel? She was trying not to change the future, but a part of her worried that she might inadvertently do something to screw things up.
Poking her potato with her fork, she forced that fear aside. She chewed the salty spud, barely tasting it. Her stomach twisted in crazy knots. Between Charles and the implications of time travel, her appetite had plummeted.
“Do you want a slice of pie?”
But Megan had more to think about than Charles, time traveling and eventually saying good-bye to Miriam. She thought of her mother and her friends. They missed her. She did miss them too, but probably not as much as she should.
“Megan.”
Blinking, she quickly swallowed the potato and looked over at Ted. “What?”
“Do you want a piece of pie?” He held out the round dish holding the apple pie. “I want to make sure you get a piece before the guys gobble it all up.”
She looked at the untouched fried chicken on her plate. She could hardly stomach another bite of anything. “No thanks.”
He nodded and set the dish on the table where several men grabbed their slices. “They can be real animals sometimes.”
She chuckled. Yes, they could. But she had to admit that most of them were good guys.
“It’s nice to see you laugh,” he said. “You’ve been looking glum. Is something wrong?”
Shrugging, she lied, “No. I’m just homesick.”
His smile faltered. “Right.”
Richie called out to him so their conversation ended.
Megan turned back to her plate and forced down the rest of the chicken.
After everyone finished eating, she stood up and did her part to help the women, gritting her teeth whenever she had to pass Charles and his snickering group of followers. Charles didn’t do it when Ted was nearby, but as soon as Ted was out of hearing range, Charles would “cheer” her on for working.
“It’s good to see a woman knowing her place,” he commented, leaning against the wall by the barn door. “Next thing I know, you’ll be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen.”
His cronies laughed under their breaths.
She stopped by the door, ready to slap him, when another tactic came to mind. She turned to him and smiled as sweetly as she could. “I notice you don’t have a woman by your side.” She glanced around the barn. “What a shame. I mean, there are some unattached women who are in your age range. And it’s hard to miss a man like you. Your dirty clothes, foul body odor, your crooked teeth…Gee, I can’t figure out why you came here by yourself.”
He frowned and straightened up. Narrowing his eyes at her, he said, “You’d better watch it.”
“Or what?” she challenged. “You’re going to threaten to breathe on me and knock me over with your bad breath?”
The blond and redhead attempted to cover up their laughter by coughing.
Charles pointed his finger at her. “There’s something odd about you. You’re not right. I know it.”
Ted hurried over to them. “Is there something wrong?”
Charles immediately put his hand down and shrugged. “No, nothing’s wrong. She was just asking us which way to the kitchen.”
She could play along. “And that is where you’ll find the outhouse.” She motioned to the small wooden building. “That way, you don’t have to keep going behind the bushes like an animal.”
He scowled at her, but she smiled back. It was just like her father always said, ‘Never let them see you sweat.’
Ted sighed. “Leave her alone, Charles.”
Now Charles turned his piercing green eyes on Ted. “I suggest you keep her in line. She has no business meddling with the way things are.”
Ted stepped between her and Charles, and though she couldn’t see his expression, his shoulders were tense. “Is that a threat?”
“It’s a warning. We don’t want the likes of her dictating her beliefs on proper women folk.”
“Meaning what, exactly?”
“You know what I mean.”
“Maybe. But I want to hear you say it before I punch you out.”
Ray let out a loud whistle. “Who’s ready to dance?”
Despite the fact that several people had watched the exchange between Charles and Ted, they dutifully turned to Ray and clapped their hands in agreement.
“Good,” Ray called out from the center of the room. “Men, gather your ladies and let’s have a good time. And remember, no fighting on my property.” He looked directly at Ted and Charles. “I don’t want to clean the blood.”
A couple of people laughed and Megan felt the mounting tension ease.
Ted turned to her. “Do you want to dance?”
She agreed, not bothering to look back at Charles who’d just stay there with his creepy friends. It wasn’t like he was going to dance with anyone, so all he could do was watch. That fact did provide a sense of satisfaction. Okay. So it was childis
h to be smug about having a date when Charles didn’t. Still, the women in this town were much better off avoiding him altogether. She could only imagine what a brute he’d be as a husband.
The thought made her shudder. Talk about having to serve a man from sunup to sundown…and then in bed. Ick. With his grimy, smelly body in the bed with her. She thanked the Lord that such a fate was not hers. At least Ted was clean and nice. Not that theirs was a real marriage. As soon as they got back home, their lives would return to normal.
Bringing her thoughts back to the dance, she accepted his hand and went to the center of the barn where couples gathered to square dance.
Ted was enjoying the dance more than he should, especially considering the fact that he had two left feet and occasionally stepped on Megan’s toes. But he liked holding her. She was warm and soft, and more often than not, she’d take the lead and show him how to move his feet. After a couple of dances, he went to get something for the two of them to drink. Dancing, he learned, made a person thirsty.
Richie sat next to Abe near the table where people got their refreshments.
“Why aren’t you dancing?” Ted asked them.
“We’re watching people,” Richie replied.
“Oh yeah? Anything interesting?” Ted scanned the pitchers of punch, coffee and water. He wondered what Megan wanted. He hadn’t thought to ask. He glanced over his shoulder and saw her talking to Miriam and Esther. Aaron stood next to his wife, looking bored.
“Actually, there is something funny,” Richie said.
Curious, Ted turned to his friend. “What’s that?”
“Charles is going around and asking the men if he stinks.”
Ted laughed. “Why is he doing that?”
Abe shrugged, chuckling. “We don’t know but it’s hilarious. All the men are steering clear of him.”
Ted didn’t blame them. Something wasn’t right with a man wanting other men to sniff him. He turned his attention back to the table and decided to get punch. Taking the ladle, he scooped up a good portion of the pink liquid and poured it into a glass cup.
“Ted, you should be careful,” Richie said.
“Afraid I’ll spill punch all over the table?”
“No, not that. It’s your wife.”
He arched an eyebrow and looked at his concerned friend. “What about her?”
Richie let out a long sigh and paused, as if carefully weighing his words. “She seems to be a little too friendly.”
“How so?” he demanded, his voice tense.
“She talks to other men.”
“And usually gets in trouble. In case you haven’t noticed, she’s riled up Charles and his friends.”
“I’m not talking about her odd views on how men and women should be. I’m talking about how she goes out of her way to talk to Jason.”
“Jason Hensley?”
“Is there another?”
Ted looked back and saw that Megan, Miriam, Esther and Aaron were talking to Jason. But it appeared as if Megan was introducing him to Miriam. He waved his hand. “Oh that. Megan’s trying to get Miriam a husband.”
Richie frowned and tipped back his hat. “Miriam’s looking to get married?”
“You know how women are. They like to play matchmaker. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Abe nudged Richie in the side. “You better make your move before Jason snatches her away.”
Richie shook his head and settled his hands on his knees. “He’s not interested in Miriam.”
Concerned, Ted took another look at the group huddled by the side of the dance floor. Jason appeared to be leaning toward Megan, but then, in the next instance, he took Miriam by the arm and led her to a group of people getting ready to square dance. Relieved, Ted smiled at the men he worked with. “There you go. He’s whisked Miriam onto the dance floor.”
“I told you that you should’ve asked Miriam to accompany you tonight,” Abe said.
“And what good would that have done? She’d have said no.”
“Are you sure?”
“She’s not interested in me.”
Ted picked up the cups and examined his crestfallen friend. “I didn’t know you liked Miriam that way.”
Richie shrugged as he studied his hands which were folded in his lap. “I didn’t either until I saw her the last time she came here.”
“Then go over there and dance with her,” Abe pressed, motioning to the square dances. “Join in the next set.”
“With who? Jason’s already dancing with her.”
“Go with Megan,” Ted said.
“I don’t know,” Richie slowly stated, his gaze shifting between Ted and Megan. “You should go over to her before she dances with someone else.”
“She didn’t want to come tonight. She just did it as a favor to me.”
“Favor?” Abe asked. “What for?”
“Never mind that.” Like he’d tell them he wore a skirt! Hell had a better chance of freezing over before that ever happened. “Anyway, I should go back to her. Come and dance if you want. Otherwise, you run the risk of ending up like Charles.”
“That’s true,” Abe added, laughing. “Then you’ll be the one going around and asking men if women won’t go near you because you stink.”
“Alright, alright. I’ll go.” Richie stood up.
Ted led him to Megan who sat in a chair on the outskirts of the dance floor. Ted sat next to her and motioned for Richie to sit next to him, which his friend did.
“Meg,” Ted began as he handed her a cup, “will you dance with Richie when the next square dance starts?”
Richie’s face turned red. “I could ask her, thank you very much.”
“Does it really matter?” Ted asked. Without waiting for a response, he turned back to Megan. “What do you think?”
A slight grimace crossed her face, and fortunately, Richie was too busy watching Miriam to notice it. Ted breathed a sigh of relief. Though Megan hadn’t voiced a single complaint about Richie, Richie might take her grimace the wrong way.
“My feet are sore,” she whispered so Richie wouldn’t overhear.
“I’m sorry.” He knew that much was true. He’d stepped on them enough.
“Can’t he find someone else to dance with?”
“No.”
She sighed and leaned back in her chair. She took a sip of punch and set the cup in her lap. “A square dance?”
He nodded.
“Okay. But I am sore, Ted. As fun as it is to dance with you, I’m tired. It’s been a long day.”
He hid his disappointment. He’d hoped to dance with her again but realized that wasn’t going to happen. “We’ll leave after you dance with Richie,” he whispered.
The man at the front of the barn stopped playing his fiddle and the people stopped dancing. They clapped and asked for another round of square dancing.
Megan stood up and approached Richie. “Do you want to dance with me?”
Though he blushed, he agreed and they joined the square where Miriam and Jason waited for the music to start.
Ted watched them as they danced, noting with a twinge of envy that Richie danced much better than he did, and he was able to lead Megan in the instructions as they moved through the square and switched couples. When it came time for Jason to dance with Megan, Ted’s eyebrows furrowed. Something in the way Jason smiled at her made him uneasy. And wasn’t she enjoying it a little too much? He couldn’t tell for sure, but what if Richie was right? What if Jason was more interested in Megan than he was in Miriam? What if Megan liked him too?
He shifted in his chair, resisting the urge to pull her out of the square. She wanted to go back to the future. Surely, she wouldn’t be entertaining romantic thoughts about a man in this time if she continued to go to the train in hopes of time traveling again. But she hadn’t met Jason until tonight.
Jason touched the small of her back, and Ted bolted to his feet. He couldn’t sit idly by and let another man hit on his wife, even if their ma
rriage wasn’t real. He stormed toward their square and was halfway there when they switched partners again. He stopped, his heart still pounding fiercely in his chest, but he was relieved that she danced with one of the other men who didn’t seem to overstep his bounds. Ted stepped back, suddenly feeling self-conscious about standing in the middle of the dancing area and waited for the dance to be done. As soon as it was, he marched over to Megan.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked her.
She brushed the bangs from her eyes. “Did you want to dance one last dance? We can dance in this square.” Her faced was flushed from the exertion of dancing…or from being close to Jason. Perhaps, she wanted to linger because of him.
He glanced at Jason who watched them. There was no doubt about it. The snake was making a move into Ted’s territory, and he didn’t like it one bit.
He swept her up in his arms. “We need to get you off your feet, honey,” he said in a suggestive tone. Ignoring the way she stiffened against him, he turned to the group. “I’m sorry to leave so abruptly, but I promised her I’d take real good care of her tonight.”
Jason’s eyebrows rose.
That’s right, Jason. Assume I’m going to take her home and make made passionate love to her. Satisfied, he carried her out of the barn. There. That ought to set the snake slithering far away from Megan!
Chapter Eleven
Cole opened his eyes and noticed the shaft of sunlight that streamed through the curtains in the window and fell across the small one room cabin. There was a bed, a cookstove, a small table, two chairs, and a closed trunk. Where was he? He lifted his head, noting the stiff muscles in his neck. Groaning, he rubbed the back of his neck while he wondered how he got there. His body ached, and his skin felt hot. One look at his hands revealed that his sunburn was so bad that his skin had formed blisters. His face must be just as bad, if not worse.
He tried to stand but the room spun and he fell back onto the thin mattress. He pressed his fingers over his eyes and willed his equilibrium to return.
“You mustn’t get up before you’re ready,” a woman told him.
Removing his hands from his eyes, he blinked at the image before him. Her golden hair was pulled back in a bun, but stray strands fell over her shoulders in winding curls. The sunlight behind her gave him the impression that she had a halo around her head. For all he knew, she was an angel, though he’d doubted he deserved a pleasant afterlife, not after all he’d done.
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