by Diane Darcy
“She should. We’ve talked often enough.”
His mother’s eyes widened at that. “How so?”
“Well… the thing is…” he finally blew out a breath and decided to just tell her. “I met her on the day she arrived in town, and she mistook me for the local handyman, and I let her.”
His mother’s eyes widened once more. “Boone William Jackson!”
He lifted one shoulder defensively. “I want a girl who wants me for myself. Is that too much to ask?”
“And you’re the local handyman, are you?”
Again, he hunched his shoulder.
She waved a hand in the air, erasing any unpleasantness. “Well, regardless of all that, she doesn’t want a womanizer. You can’t fault her for that.”
“She should’ve known I’m not one.”
“Well, that’s fine then. If you can’t forgive her, you can’t. As I said, I saw her at the library earlier in the week. There was a man who was looking very interested in her. Perhaps he won’t be so particular.”
Boone’s jaw thrust out stubbornly.
His mother was not subtle in the least, never had been, and he wasn’t falling for any of this.
So why were his fists clenching?
He straightened. “I need to get back to work.” He didn’t need to be thinking about a girl who didn’t have an ounce of faith in him.
“That’s fine, dearest. Just don’t hold a grudge for too long. There are too many single men in this town that will be glad to step up if you’re ready to step down.”
His teeth clenched. As always, his mother knew just how to get to him. He’d never stepped down in his life.
Regardless, he didn’t react. He just climbed the stairs, and got back to work. Pushing, lifting, and pushing against the wood again.
Maybe if his arms ached enough, his heart wouldn’t.
Chapter 9
The next day Boone finally hunted Dorothy down.
He found her in a saloon, laughing with two men, and having a good old time, while his life fell apart at the seams.
Resentment built within him once more.
No doubt if Lucy saw him enter, she’d think he was there to drink himself under the table, or head straight into a strumpet’s bed. Probably both at the same time.
His anger hadn’t cooled in the least. In fact, he’d hardly slept a wink as he’d pictured Lucy believing him a lush and a womanizer.
Neither had ever been true. Was it too much for her to simply put her trust in him? He didn’t know her either, and was he going around thinking poorly of her?
No.
So, days later, it still stung.
Ultimately, he decided Dorothy was to blame and had gone looking for an explanation. His inability to find her had only upped his temper and when he stopped beside the laughing woman he threaded his thumbs in his belt loops to keep from strangling her. “Dorothy. You want to tell me why you tried to ruin my life?” His voice sounded low and dangerous even to his own ears.
Dorothy glanced up and gasped, her hand flying to her heart. She looked like she was going to faint. “Oh, Boone! About the other day. I really am sorry. Truly sorry. I don’t know what got into me.”
She hadn’t looked sorry when he came in.
Her eyes darted. “I feel so bad about all of that. I hadn’t heard you were courting anyone, I swear it. And I didn’t realize until it was too late.”
With a lift of his chin at the two men, they quickly stood and made their way to the bar.
“Even if I wasn’t, why would you try to ruin my reputation that way?”
Dorothy swallowed, and tears filled her eyes.
He hardened his heart. “An explanation, if you please.”
“I really am expecting. I just wanted some security. And… and I was thinking about all of the men in town and out of everyone I was sort of wishing that you really were the father of my child.”
“Me?”
“Well, yeah. You’re rich, good looking, personable. I don’t really like men much, but you’re better than most.”
Exasperation rushed through him. “Dorothy! I offered to help you get back home to Illinois after your husband died, didn’t I? You took the money but you didn’t go. I don’t understand what more you want of me?”
More tears filled her eyes. “I don’t know. It just seemed like a good idea at the time.” She shrugged. “I do want to go home now and I need money. My family will help me, but I thought… I don’t know what I thought.” She leaned forward and put her elbows on the table and her face in her hands.
“I guess I thought if I went back with some money and wasn’t dependent on my parents it would go better for me. I could say I was a widow and show up with some nice, ladylike clothing. I just couldn’t bear to go home empty-handed.”
Against his will, her explanation touched something inside of him, and some of his anger melted away. “Why didn’t you just ask me?”
“I don’t know! I’m just not thinking rationally right now.” Her face was pinched with bitterness and she placed a hand over her belly.
Boone’s breath left him in a sudden rush. He took another, and exhaled slowly this time as he tried to gather his thoughts. He couldn’t believe he was going to do this. He wasn’t even positive she was expecting a baby and knew this could all be a swindle. But he pulled out his wallet anyway and gave her some money.
She slowly sat back and looked up into his face, her expression one of shock.
Well, why shouldn’t she be shocked? He was as well.
She quickly snatched up the money. “Truly?”
“Yes. I still retain some feeling for your husband, though you’ve strained it mightily these last days. Go home to your family. This was never supposed to be the life for you.”
She sniffed again, and nodded. “After my Teddy died, I guess I went a bit wild.” She shrugged. “I know that’s no excuse, but…”
He didn’t want to get into it. “I’d better not hear about this from anyone, do you hear me? I don’t need every down-on-their-luck coming after me.”
“You want me to talk to the girl you were with? I could find her and explain—”
“Absolutely not!” He was still mad at Lucy, and she didn’t deserve an explanation. “I’m doing you a good turn here, so don’t make me regret it!”
She lifted a placating hand in the air. “All right. Whatever you say.”
“That’s what I’m saying.” If Lucy couldn’t believe him, want him for who he was, then he didn’t want anything to do with her. It might be unreasonable but that was how he felt.
He gave Dorothy another long stare, tipped his hat, turned and left the saloon.
Boone hadn’t come in to work for days now.
At first, that had been fine by her. She’d thought perhaps shame had kept him away. But she finally admitted that she missed him.
And she felt bad about the way things had ended. She really liked the man, but all the same, acknowledged he wasn’t for her. She just wished she didn’t keep thinking about him.
She left school and got a ride home with the Beekman family again, and the noise and chaos of children released from school simply left her yearning for Boone once more.
When she arrived home, she was greeted by Mrs. Collier, who, nosy as always, asked about her day, achievements, and who she’d talked to.
Alone in her room, Lucy admitted it. She felt lonely. Which only highlighted the fact that she hadn’t before. Even being new in town, her time with Boone had been fun, exciting, and now she missed it.
She decided to go for a walk before dinner to try to lift her spirits.
She headed down to the Mercantile to get a few things, and was shocked when she came face-to-face with the woman who’d confronted Boone just the other day. The beautiful woman expecting his child.
She quickly turned away, having no desire to talk to her.
“Wait! I… I need to tell you something.”
Even though Lucy wanted to t
urn and simply walk away, she lifted her chin instead, determined to brave it out.
The other woman looked resolute. “Listen, I told Boone I wouldn’t talk to you. And I swear I would never have gone looking for you, but here you are and it seems fate-like, doesn’t it?”
“Does it?” She tried to freeze the other women with her tone, but Dorothy simply smiled.
Lucy could feel other people watching them, but still refused to be the first to back down.
Dorothy looked around at the people giving disapproving stares and it seemed to deter her for a moment and her shoulders hunched. A look of insecurity flashed across her pretty face, but then her resolve seemed to harden.
She lowered her voice. “All I’m sayin’ is that meeting you like this seems like maybe I’m supposed to tell you something. He don’t want me talking to you, but after what he did for me, I have to make things right for him before I leave town. Even though he told me not to.”
Lucy didn’t react.
“Men. You know how they are. Once their pride is involved, it takes forever for them to come around again.”
Lucy lost some of her embarrassment as the others in the store, one by one, drifted away and the other woman’s words slowly sunk in. “What is it you’re trying to say?”
“Just that I was lying. Boone’s a good sort. I sure wouldn’t mind him being the father of my child, but he ain’t. He don’t frequent the ladies, if you know what I mean.”
Anger flared in Lucy’s chest.
“If that’s true, then why would you have said such a thing?”
The other woman looked slightly ashamed, and slightly belligerent. “It’s just, he was nice to me once. And I shouldn’t have said it, but I wished it was true, so I did. Sometimes, I just get so angry at men in general, you know? And I don’t think before I speak.”
Tears filled the other woman’s eyes. “And now that Boone is helping me anyway, now I wish I hadn’t ruined things for him, you know?”
Lucy swallowed as emotions seemed to rise up within her. Shock. Shame. Horror. “So, he is not the father of your child?”
Dorothy shook her head. “No. He’s not. No way he could be.”
Dorothy could not know the impact her words had. Lucy was left reeling over the way she’d deserted Boone the other day without so much as a backward glance.
He was a nice man, she liked him, and she should have believed in him.
No doubt he was furious with her, and for good reason. Even in their short friendship, if he’d believed foul things about her, she’d have been gutted. “Where is he?”
“I don’t know. The mining office, maybe. Or the red mansion on Granite Street.”
She remembered the place. Was he doing maintenance work there? So he could avoid her at the school? What if he was let go from his position because of her? She needed to see him and apologize. “Thank you, Dorothy, for telling the truth.”
The other woman grinned. “So, did I fix things?”
Lucy found her heart had lightened considerably. “I do believe you did.”
“You know, you might not want to tell him that I told you all this. Let him think you came up with the idea all on your own.”
“Thank you.” Lucy didn’t know what she was going to do, but as he’d been nothing but honest and upright with her, she could do no less.
Even if he never spoke to her again, the man deserved a heartfelt apology.
Lucy headed to the red house on Granite Street.
Once there, she found herself nervous. This was so inappropriate. She had no doubt that her mother would expire on the spot if she saw Lucy tracking down a man at his place of employment.
Was she really going to do this?
She had to. She hadn’t even given Boone a chance to explain himself, and he had every right to be furious with her.
Before she lost her nerve, she climbed the curving stairs, walked across the wide porch, and knocked on the door.
A butler answered. Tall, thin, balding, and with an air of superiority that Lucy was well-acquainted with. The man would have fit right in in New York City. She suddenly wished she had a calling card. “Hello. My name is Miss Lucy Rickman. I’m looking for Mr. Newby. Is he here by any chance?”
The butler, wearing all black, looked down his long, thin nose at her. “There is no one here by that name.”
“Oh. Was he here earlier? Did he say where he was going?”
“Why would you assume that I would keep track of the local handyman’s whereabouts?”
Lucy tried not to feel intimidated and drew herself up. She kept her voice as calm as she could as she said, “I’m sorry, I was told he might be here.”
“Oh, really? By whom?”
She didn’t want to admit that it was by a local fallen woman. “Do you know where he is, or don’t you?”
The man paused for a long moment before finally answering. “Actually, I do. Mr. Jackson has hired the man to work at the hotel. He’s to help with the swimming pool. But don’t expect me to keep track of the man’s whereabouts for you in the future.”
His tone fired her anger. “You couldn’t have just said so?”
He shut the door in her face.
Insensitive dolt. No doubt his employer was much the same.
She considered giving up on finding Boone, but as she knew where he was right at the moment, decided she’d better push forward before she lost her nerve. It was a sure bet he wouldn’t be seeking her out anytime soon and she wanted to get this over with. He deserved to see her eat humble pie. Even if he never wanted anything more to do with her.
She headed down into the town again.
She’d never walked so much in her life as she had since arriving in Butte, and the hills were strengthening her legs.
When she reached West Park Avenue she heard footsteps behind her and turned to see a familiar looking man and realized it was the man from the library.
Feeling suddenly menaced, she stopped and pretended to study a display in a store window and the man walked by.
She let out a breath. This town was making her crazy.
She needed to find Boone, apologize, and then as exhausted as she was, perhaps she’d take a nap.
And cry herself to sleep.
Chapter 10
Boone couldn’t believe it when he saw Lucy in the hotel standing by the front desk.
She was hard to miss.
She stood out among the workers in her pretty amber gown, her blonde hair gleaming under the gas lights, her profile as perfect as he remembered, curse her.
She was talking to one of his many workers, and when she glanced around, he ducked back into the hallway.
What was she doing there?
The man she was talking to rounded the desk and started in his direction. Once he turned the corner, Boone grabbed him by his shirt front and pulled him against the wall until they were both out of sight. “The lady at the front desk. What did she want?”
The man gaped at him, then pulled himself together and nodded his head deferentially. “She’s looking for Mr. Newby, Sir. I’m headed out to find him right now.”
Well, blast it!
“I’ll take care of this. Go about your business. In fact, go check up on the woodworkers on the third floor. I’d like you to supervise them and make sure the wardrobes are being placed correctly.”
Enthusiasm lit the younger man’s gaze. “Yes, sir!” he said before scampering away.
What could Lucy possibly want with him? He was still angry with her and considered simply leaving. But if he did, someone would no doubt go and get the real Mr. Newby.
Did he care?
He found that his curiosity insisted that he did.
He wanted to know what she wanted and there was only one way to find out.
Blowing out a breath, he headed around the corner and when Lucy spotted him, her pretty face lit up.
He stumbled a step. Her outright acceptance was a good sign, he supposed, but he found he couldn
’t return her smile. “Miss Rickman. How can I help you today?”
Her sky-blue eyes flickered at the use of her surname. “Hello, Boone.”
Now it was Boone, was it? Fine. He found he liked her saying his name, but he just didn’t like that he liked it so much. Blast her, all over again! He remained silent, hoping nothing in his expression gave his confusion away.
“I’m…” She glanced down awkwardly, then glanced around at all the workers. Finally, in a low tone, she said, “Boone, I’m here to apologize.”
Now that did surprise him. In his experience, women rarely apologized. Not even his own mother. “What for, exactly?”
“For believing, even for a moment, that Dorothy woman the other day. I left you behind without even giving you the chance to defend yourself against such spurious accusations.” She took a breath. “I’ve gotten to know you in recent days and when you denied the accusation, I should have stayed staunchly by your side as a true friend. I’m sorry that I believed her, and I’m sorry that I didn’t stand beside you.”
Well, then. He could feel himself softening toward her at the pretty speech. “How did you find me?”
She swallowed. “Dorothy told me you were working at the red house on Granite Street. I went there, and Mr. Jackson’s butler told me where to find you.”
His anger came rushing back full force. “So, you spoke to Dorothy, did you?”
“I did.”
Anger blistered through him.
For a moment, he thought she’d seen the light and knew he was innocent of fathering Dorothy’s child. But no, Dorothy had tattled despite his wishes. After he’d specifically told her not to.
Women!
Couldn’t they ever keep their mouths shut?
He fumed in silence for a moment.
“Do you want me to leave?”
His name was called from across the room, and he gladly turned away for a moment, only to realize it was Mr. Newby headed in his direction.
