The Bounty Hunter's Bride

by Victoria Bylin

  That’s how she’d felt at the punch bowl. Not a single man had asked her to dance. The rejection had reminded her of embarrassing times in Wisconsin. After she’d broken the engagement to Virgil, she’d become a wallflower. A pariah. Unloved and unwanted by anyone. She hadn’t been bothered when the rancher left her alone. She wanted only Beau, but after the third man walked away looking pinched, she’d faced a hard truth. She didn’t measure up.

  Dani didn’t understand. She tried to be kind. She had a good mind and pitched in wherever she could. The blue dress fit perfectly and flattered her figure. She’d seen Beau’s eyes when he’d helped her into the surrey and silently thanked Adie for being a tad bit bold. Riding to town, she’d imagined dancing with Beau but not the way it had happened. He’d cut in on Pastor Josh because he’d been worried about someone like Andy, not because he wanted to move with her to the music.

  He cared about her, but he cared more about killing Clay Johnson. That was the sad, hard truth.

  “Dani!”

  His voice roared over the music. She felt bad for hiding but didn’t want to be found sniffling like a child. She reached in her pocket for a handkerchief, felt Lucy’s embroidery and burst into tears.

  “Dani!”

  He sounded close to panic. Hurt or not, Dani couldn’t let him suffer. Hoping the darkness would hide her puffy eyes, she raised her voice. “I’m over here.”

  Beau walked through the pines, stirring the needles as he peered into the shadows until he found her against the tree. “Why are you out here?”

  “I’ll go back in a minute.” Her voice quivered.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Then why did you leave?”

  “I needed air. That’s all.”

  She could smell the starch of his shirt, the bay rum he’d splashed on his jaw. Even blind in the dark, she felt Beau’s nearness. So much remained unsaid. Unfinished business. Unspoken promises. With the moon turning the meadow a pale green, Dani flashed on Patrick’s failure to share his true feelings. He’d left her with a mountain of doubt. She wouldn’t do the same to Beau. He deserved to know how she felt.

  Before she could find her tongue, he aimed his chin at the schoolhouse. “I’ll walk you back.”

  “Not yet.”

  “It’s not safe out here.”

  I love you. The words were strangling her, but Beau’s eyes stopped her from saying them. Bitterness glinted in his dilated pupils. She could hear the tension in his voice. She’d felt it in his hands when they’d danced. She longed to spill her heart, but not with Beau on the verge of a rant. She turned on her heel and fled.

  He grasped her arm. “Dani—”

  She sidestepped to avoid him, then left the shelter of the pines. A full moon lit the meadow, turning the grass into shimmering blades. The next thing she knew, Beau had his hand on her shoulder. Without a word, he spun her around. Their gazes collided in the dim light that revealed her tearstained cheeks.

  “You’ve been crying,” he said. “Tell me why.”

  “No.”

  “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

  She didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t tell Beau that she loved him, but neither did she want to turn away. She settled for the easiest truth. “Tonight reminded me of the dances in Wisconsin.”

  “Why?”

  She gave a rueful smile. “After the fiasco with Virgil, no one ever asked me to dance.”

  Beau hesitated. “Josh asked you tonight.”

  “He’s a minister!” Dani couldn’t believe her ears. “It was like dancing with my father.”

  “I cut in, didn’t I?”

  She huffed. “That was like dancing with my brother.” It hadn’t been, but that’s how she saw it now.

  His eyes stayed locked on hers. “Is that how you felt?”

  “No.” Her voice squeaked. “But no one else asked. Josh danced with me out of pity. You did it out of worry.”

  “You’re wrong.”

  She could at least be honest. “I know what I saw.”

  “I know what you didn’t see.” He was still holding her arm, lightly, but she felt the warmth of his grip. “I was standing right behind you. If a man didn’t measure up, I gave him the evil eye.”

  “You what?”

  “I chased the men off—all of them.”

  “You don’t have that right!” Not even her brother had been so high-handed. “Why did you do it?”

  “I care about you.”

  Her breath hitched. “You mean as a friend.”

  “I mean—” He sealed his lips, then slipped his arms around her middle and held her gently against his chest. His lips brushed her hair, her temple. When she tilted her face up to his, he kissed her lips. The caress held all the restraint he’d shown in the kitchen, but this time his arms were around her. She felt…wanted.

  Beau raised his face from hers, then tucked her head under his chin where she heard the pounding of his heart.

  “You’re beautiful, Dani. Any man—”

  “I don’t want any man.” The truth had to be told. “I want you, Beau. I love you.”

  “Don’t.”

  He’d spoken firmly but hadn’t let her go. Dani took it as a confession. “Why not?”

  “I can’t love you back. At least not yet.”

  He kissed the top of her head, then released her. Warmth filled Dani from top to bottom. Beau hadn’t denied his feelings for her. He’d gone to war with them. It was a battle he had to win for himself, but Dani intended to fight at his side. She looked into his eyes. “It’s because of Clay Johnson, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.”

  “There are other ways to find him,” she said. “You could hire a detective.”

  He shook his head.

  “What about the law? Sheriff Dawes—”

  “Isn’t much of a lawman.”

  Dani’s heart sank. “The U.S. marshals?”

  “They don’t care like I do.” Beau turned his back on her. “I don’t expect you to understand. What I feel goes beyond reason. Bringing Johnson to justice is something I have to do.”

  “For Lucy,” she said.

  Beau shook his head. “She’d call me a fool.”

  “Then why keep going?”

  “If I give up now, I’ve wasted five years.”

  “You could waste five more.”

  “I know that, but I can’t rest until Johnson’s dead.”

  Dani felt as if she’d stumbled into a grave waiting for a body. The hole was deep and dark with slick slides. She didn’t know how to climb out. Beau hadn’t said he loved her, but his kiss had given her hope. She braided that hope with love and faith, then prayed silently that God would be merciful to this man who’d lost so much.

  “What are you going to do?” she asked.

  “Same thing as before. As soon as the adoption’s final, I’m leaving. You’ll have a farm and three little girls.”

  Dani’s heart squeezed with loneliness. “You were right, you know.”

  “About what?”

  “I want more. I want a husband.”

  He turned around but didn’t come closer. “I care for you, Dani. I won’t say how much because there’s no point. I’m leaving.”

  “But you’ll come back.”

  Beau shook his head. “It could be months, even years. I won’t ask you to wait for me. There are some good men here. Find one who’ll love you and the girls.”

  Beau meant well, but she’d had it with his domineering ways. “Isn’t that for me to decide?”

  “No.”

  Dani’s temper flared. “It’s not for you to decide, either.”

  “All right,” he said. “We’ll toss a coin. Heads you marry the rancher. Tails you waste the next five years of your life waiting for a man who’s so filled with hate he’s not worth knowing. Is that what you want?”

  “You’re not filled with hate. You love the girls.” Do you love me, too? She didn’t ne
ed to voice the question. Beau could see it in her eyes. In his, she saw the answer but knew he wouldn’t say it.

  He angled his chin at the schoolhouse. “Go dance with the rancher.”

  She refused to budge. “Do you know what I think?”

  “What?”

  “You’re tired of the chase but too stubborn to admit it.”

  “You bet I’m tired.” His voice shook with fury. “I want this fight to be over, but it’s not. That almighty God of yours let a killer get away.”

  “I could be angry, too.” She’d lost Patrick, yet that suffering had brought her into Beau’s world and given her a new life. “We don’t always understand why things happen the way they do, but we can still trust God to know our needs.”

  “That’s rubbish.”

  “It’s true.” She set down her pride. “The letters from Patrick, do you know what I realized?”

  “What?”

  “He’s been reunited with Beth. He’s happy now.”

  Beau sneered. “Tell that to the girls.”

  “They’ve suffered,” Dani admitted. “But it’s just for now. They’ll see their parents in Heaven. I can’t explain the in-between times, but I know that love matters.”

  Beau crossed his arms. “You don’t know squat.”

  “I know you’re living in the past.” Dani could scarcely believe her boldness, but Beau needed to hear what she had to say. “Lucy would be ashamed of you. She’d want you to live a good life.”

  Beau stared at her with burning eyes. Dani ached to reach for his hand but resisted. She loved him and wanted to help him, but only God could soften his heart. Until he made peace with the past, the future glimmered beyond their reach. They were trapped in the present between hate and love. Dani didn’t like the tension between them. Believing love would win, she held out her gloved hand. “I’m sorry we argued.”

  Beau looked at her fingers, cotton-white in the dark, then took her hand and squeezed. “I am, too. Let’s go inside.”

  “I’d like that.”

  She didn’t expect to dance again, but she could stand at Beau’s side. At least that’s what she hoped until they reached the front of the schoolhouse where he stopped in the yard. “Go on,” he said. “I have an errand to run.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “The Silver River.”

  “Oh.” If he left, the rancher and others would ask her to dance. She didn’t want to dance with anyone but Beau. She squeezed his hand. “Could we go home instead?”

  “I have to see Wallace.”

  Before she could tempt him with cake, the doors to the schoolhouse opened and the crowd spilled into the yard. Ellie spotted Beau and ran up to him. “The fireworks are starting! Let’s get a good spot.” The child gripped her uncle’s hand and tugged.

  Dani looked at Beau. His expression changed from a mulelike stubbornness to the way T.C. looked with a ball of string.

  “Sounds like fun,” he said to the child. He turned to Dani, who’d been joined by Emma and Esther. “We’ll stay for the fireworks.”

  With the girls clutching their hands, they walked to the field behind the schoolhouse, the one where they’d kissed in the pines. Someone launched a rocket that exploded into a giant star. It lit up the sky then faded to nothing. Beau reached for Dani’s hand and squeezed. The show lasted for ten minutes, with each burst of light soaring into the dark and filling the night with hope. The girls clapped and cheered. Even Beau had an air of joy as the manmade stars filled the sky with sulfur and smoke.

  When it was over, Esther yawned.

  Dani looked at Beau. “Do you still want to go to the Silver River?”

  He glanced at Esther, then ruffled her hair. “The girls are tired. We’ll head home.”

  Dani smiled her approval.

  For tonight, Beau had put love ahead of hate. He made a good uncle. He’d be an even better father. She didn’t know what tomorrow held, but God did. Silently she prayed for a future with Beau, one full of stars and sleepy children.

  Chapter Fifteen

  When Beau saw Trevor Scott driving his buggy into the yard, he knew the man had bad news. Tomorrow at twelve noon, he and Dani were supposed to sign the adoption papers in the presence of a judge. Something must have gone wrong to pull the attorney away from his desk. Dressed in a suit and a bowler hat, he’d come on a formal call.

  Beau had been questioning the choice he’d made, to chase Clay rather than stay in Castle Rock, with every waking breath. Aside from his feelings for Dani, he’d lost more of his heart to the girls. He wanted to be a part of their everyday lives, not a favorite uncle who showed up once a year with presents. They needed a man who’d be a father to them. Someone who’d teach them things and chase away boys when the time came.

  Once the judge signed the papers, Beau would be free to leave. Howie had agreed to work for the rest of the summer, and Josh had offered to help Dani with any hiring she had to do. The alfalfa had sprouted, and Beau had finished the silo. Two days from now, he expected to be riding into the heart of Sparrow Canyon.

  “Hello, Morgan,” Scott called. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “What happened?”

  “I’d like to speak in private. Is there a place—”

  “This way.”

  Beau led the attorney to the side of the barn where he sat when he couldn’t sleep. Dani wouldn’t see them. Earlier she’d lugged the washtub into the backyard and asked for his dirty clothes. Confident he and Scott would be alone, Beau indicated the only chair. “Have a seat.”

  Scott stayed on his feet. “I received a letter from Harriet Lange’s attorney. She’s fighting for custody. Judge Hall put a hold on the adoption.”

  Beau couldn’t believe his ears. “On what grounds?”

  “She claims you’re unfit to be guardian.”

  “That’s ridiculous.”

  Beau didn’t drink, rarely cussed and treated women with the utmost respect. In Denver he’d upheld his badge with an integrity that still made him proud. Harriet Lange had slapped Emma for touching a teacup. The woman had a fight on her hands and it wasn’t with a little girl. Beau tucked away his temper and focused on Scott. “What’s she saying?”

  “The things I mentioned before.”

  “The Silver River?”

  Scott nodded.

  “I haven’t been since we spoke.” But he’d wanted to go. Badly. Not visiting Wallace after the dance had left Beau twisting in the wind. Late at night, he imagined Johnson watching, waiting for him. Only his concern for Dani had kept him from making a late-night ride.

  “There’s more,” Scott said. “Miss Lange doesn’t believe Miss Baxter will provide a secure home for the children.”

  Beau fought to stay calm. “That’s ridiculous.”

  “Is it?” Scott asked. “Miss Baxter is young and single. What will happen to the girls if she marries?”

  “Dani loves them. That won’t change.”

  “But surely you can see the concern.”

  Beau had shared it. He still did but for different reasons. He wanted to marry her himself. “Like I said, Dani’s loyal.”

  “That may be true,” Scott said. “But what matters is the judge’s perception. As things stand, Miss Lange and Miss Baxter are both single women. Miss Lange is a blood relative, has a small but stable income and family members who’ll provide moral and financial support. Miss Baxter is young, unemployed—”

  Beau frowned. “She runs this place.”

  “Again, Mr. Morgan. I’m talking about perceptions.”

  The attorney spoke as if he were in court, planting seeds that would grow into thoughts. Beau had used that trick, too. “What are you getting at?”

  “If you and Miss Baxter were to marry—”

  “Marry?”

  The attorney held up one hand. “Hear me out, Mr. Morgan.”

  Beau didn’t know whether to cover his ears or hang on to every word the man said. Marry Dani? But what about Clay Johnson? Bea
u had spent too many years to give up now.

  Scott laced his hands behind his back. “As I was saying, if you and Miss Baxter were to marry, Miss Lange’s case would be significantly weakened. The girls would have a mother and a father.” The attorney looked Beau in the eye. “What happens after the legalities is no one’s business but yours. An annulment—”

  “I know what you’re saying.” Beau had taken vows. He knew what made a marriage real. “When do we have to decide?”

  “The sooner, the better.”

  “I’ll let you know.”

  The attorney tipped his hat and walked back to the buggy, leaving Beau alone behind the barn. His mind spun with the possibilities. If he and Dani took vows, the adoption would be settled. He’d be free to leave, but Dani wouldn’t be free at all. She’d be tied to him until he came back or she had the marriage annulled. They wouldn’t consummate the union. He wouldn’t even kiss her again.

  Once he found Johnson, he’d come home. He’d be free to make the marriage everything Dani dreamed it would be. Cozy talks and morning coffee. Children of their own…Beau stopped himself from going down that road. If he thought too long about loving Dani, he’d go to her and drop to one knee. He’d ask her to marry him for real, then regret it every time he saw the color pink. Tonight he’d tell Dani about Scott’s suggestion. If she agreed, he’d make arrangements for the ceremony. A judge would marry them without questions, but Beau wanted Josh to do it. This would be a marriage in name only until he caught Clay, but the vows mattered to him.

  Before he spoke to Dani, he wanted to clear the plan with Josh. He headed for the barn to saddle his horse. T.C., well fed from milk and hunting mice, lay asleep in a pile of straw. Beau envied the cat to the point of sinfulness. The feline had a soft bed, food in his belly and four females who scratched his ears. Beau liked living on the farm. He had a reason to get up in the morning and went to bed satisfied with a day’s work. What more could a man ask? Nothing…except peace of mind.