Her Heart's Desire NH2

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  “Tom is still clumsy,” Sally commented with a wry grin. “So it doesn’t seem like much has changed.”

  “Sometimes he isn’t clumsy,” Jessica argued. “He’s very good when it comes to farming.”

  “That’s a good thing, too,” Sally added. “But I’m sure he misses Joel. I hear Joel doesn’t know what to do now. David won’t go after him, no matter what Joel’s done to get his attention. I hear Joel even hid his good boots. David just put on his old pair and went right out to the barn as if nothing happened.”

  “Did he ever get his boots back?” Rick’s mother asked.

  Sally nodded. “The same afternoon.”

  Rick’s mother smiled. “Then it sounds to me like David knows how to handle Joel better than Tom did.”

  “I think so, but you know, I think Tom enjoyed it, even though he protested,” Sally said before she collected Jenny’s and Rick’s mother’s empty glasses. “Are you done, Amanda?” she asked, noting that she’d barely touched her drink.

  “For now, yes.” Amanda handed her the glass. Holding onto Nelly’s hand, she helped the baby stand. “It won’t be too much longer and she’ll be walking all over the place. That’s when the real fun begins.”

  Sally put the glass on the fireplace mantle. “Your drink is here whenever you want it.”

  “Thanks, Sally.”

  As the women continued talking, Sally took the empty glasses into the kitchen. Her mother and Jenny were checking the pumpkin pies.

  “Did I do alright?” Sally asked.

  “You did fine,” her mother assured her. “You said this is Ethel Mae’s recipe?”

  Sally nodded. “She got it from a woman whose husband found gold.”

  Her mother poked the pie with a fork before glancing her way. “So California really has gold in the hills? I haven’t heard any success stories out there.”

  “Most people aren’t finding any. This woman’s husband did, and he wrote the good news to her and now she lives with him. She and Ethel Mae became friends almost as soon as they met.”

  “How is Ethel Mae’s son?”

  “She says he’s a charmer just like his pa. He’s only three but he likes to follow his pa around and talk to the customers of the hotel. The patrons think it’s adorable, especially the women, and Ethel Mae says when the women are happy, so are the husbands.”

  “I don’t think your pa would argue with that.” Her mother winked at her and studied the fork. “The pie is done. You did a good job on this one, Sally.” She placed the fork on the worktable and turned her attention to mashing the potatoes. “So, is there anything else new with Ethel Mae?”

  Sally mixed the cranberry sauce and nodded. “She’s expecting another child next summer.” She scanned the huge large amount of food on the worktable. “I think you have enough here for everyone.”

  “I hope so. I’d hate to think someone won’t get enough. I even have two turkeys. If that doesn’t satisfy the men, then the pies should.”

  “We can only hope,” Jenny quipped. “Should we set the table?”

  “Yes,” their mother replied. “I can’t think of anything else to do.”

  Sally joined Jenny in collecting the dishes to take out to the dining room. “I hate to think of all the dishes we’ll be washing later today,” she told Jenny.

  “It’ll be worth it,” their mother replied with a large grin on her face. “It’s so nice to have all of my children and grandchildren together.”

  Amused, Sally followed Jenny out of the room and whispered, “I don’t understand how she can spend all day in a hot kitchen, cooking for an army, and look like she’s in heaven. It’s my idea of torture.”

  “I think she feels useful,” Jenny replied.

  Probably. Sally, however, would be happy if she never had to host a Thanksgiving meal for a group as large as her family. She and Jenny set the table. Jenny finished first, and left the room so Sally had the room to herself. It was a relief to get a moment of peace and quiet, so she took her time.

  Now that she no longer lived in this house, it was easy to forget how loud a bunch of adults and children could be, but she had to admit she was enjoying the day immensely. She and Rick had picked up his parents who lived only eight blocks from them and had a nice ride out to her parents’ house. And now they were getting ready to eat, something her growling stomach was very happy about.

  On her way to the kitchen, someone grabbed her by the arm and pulled her aside. “Rick?” she asked once her shock wore off. “I thought you were on the porch with the men.”

  He squeezed her hand and gave her a smile that made her go weak in the knees. Even after all this time, he had the ability to excite her, and though his hand was cold from being outside, she hardly noticed. He led her into a small bedroom and shut the door behind him so they were alone.

  “I have something for you,” he said.

  “Is it my Christmas present a month early?” she asked.

  “Not quite, but it does have something to do with Christmas.”

  “Really? What is it?”

  He pulled a mistletoe out of his pocket and held it over their heads. “Richard told me if I use this, I can get a kiss from the woman I most desire, and after a lot of thought, I decided to pick you.”

  She giggled. “After a lot of thought?”

  “Well, there are so many women to choose from.”

  “I see. It was a tough choice, was it?” Though she tried to sound stern, she couldn’t stop laughing.

  “Actually, it was easy to decide who to kiss. What troubled me was picking the best place to kiss you. Do you know how hard it is to get you alone around here?”

  “Hmm… I suppose since you managed to hunt me down, you might as well get your reward.” She kissed him and stepped back. “There you go.”

  He frowned. “That’s not exactly what I had in mind.”

  Finding this game fun, she raised her eyebrow. “No?”

  “No. I was thinking of something more like this.”

  He reached out and pulled her into his arms. He lowered his head and kissed her. She melted against him and returned his kiss, her heart racing at the thrill of being so wonderfully loved.

  “I think I’m going to be sick, and I haven’t even had Sally’s pie yet,” someone grumbled from under the daybed.

  Startled, Sally spun around and rushed for the bed before the little rat could get away. She lifted the bed’s cover in time to see Joel trying to scamper away. In one swift motion, she grabbed his foot and pulled him out from under the bed. “Joel Patrick Larson! You have no right to spy on people.”

  “Don’t be so hard on him, Sally,” Rick said while she grabbed the little weasel by the back of his collar and pulled him up.

  “You’re strong for a woman,” Joel squeaked, trying to undo the first button on his shirt.

  “Joel’s been going around and spying on other people in this house,” Sally told Rick. “The little rat deserves what’s coming to him.”

  “So let’s give it to him. Let him go,” Rick insisted.

  Sally judged the wisdom in doing so, but she was intrigued by what Rick had in mind so she obeyed.

  Joel straightened his shirt and adjusted his tie. “You got quite the grip there, sis.”

  “Well, don’t you forget it,” she warned him.

  She expected Rick to give Joel a piece of his mind, but to her surprise, Rick ignored Joel, wrapped her in his arms, and kissed her again. Had she not been too stunned, she would have pulled away from him.

  Joel gagged and rushed out of the room, mumbling something about how he wouldn’t be able to eat anything at supper.

  When the door shut behind him, Rick stopped kissing her and chuckled. “That’s how you make sure he doesn’t spy on us anymore.”

  “That was rather devious of you.” She ran her hands up and down his arms. “But very clever.”

  “You think so?” he asked.

  “My only regret is that I didn’t think of it.�
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  “Well, we can’t all be perfect.”

  Before she could respond, he was kissing her again, and any thoughts she had for a clever comeback eluded her. Giving up on the verbal sparring she could have had with him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him in return, content to let the rest of the world fade away.

  Coming Soon in the Montana Collection:

  another historical western romance…

  Mitch’s Win

  When Mitch Grady goes to a saloon to take his wayward brother home, he finds that his brother’s horse isn’t the only thing being offered in a poker game. Heather Curtiss’ brother has bet her as well. Vowing an innocent woman won’t be forced to give up her virtue to a disreputable gambler, Mitch joins in the game of poker, and with luck, he wins and frees Heather.

  Heather sees this as her chance to get away from her brother and appeals to Mitch’s kindness to marry her, offering to help him care for his ailing mother and the two children under his roof. He agrees, and they become husband and wife.

  But Heather isn’t exactly sure what her new role as a wife means, and her brother hasn’t gone away. Can she find her happily ever after with her prince charming? Or will her uncertainty and brother ruin everything?

  Sneak Preview of Mitch’s Win…

  Chapter One

  Lewistown, Montana

  November 1890

  Heather Curtiss pulled the hood closer around her head, hoping no one realized she was a woman—and a young one at that. She’d considered herself naïve to the ways of the world until tonight. Scanning the boisterous saloon, she shivered and hugged herself for what little comfort she could find.

  “What’s wrong with your brother?” a dirty man asked, his voice gruff as he glanced in Heather’s direction.

  Next to her, her older brother, Abe, picked up his cards and shrugged. “He’s the quiet type,” he lied and sorted through his cards.

  She took note of the two jacks he had in his hand. The other men at the round table studied their hands. She couldn’t remember the men’s names, except for John who seemed to be the self-appointed leader of the poker table. Not that their names mattered. As soon as tonight was over, her brother would give her part of his winnings so she could go live with their aunt in Maryland.

  She closed her eyes and prayed he’d win this hand. If he did, they could go. The pile of cash on his side was a good amount, and the pile in the center of the table wasn’t shabby either. Just one more winning hand. Surely, she could endure the suffocating smoke and rowdy drunk men who were singing along with the scantily clad woman putting on a song and dance number on stage. Fortunately, Heather’s back was turned to her so she didn’t have to watch the sordid event. Taking a deep breath, she pulled the cloak tighter around her, glad everyone thought she was Abe’s brother instead of his kid sister.

  Abe took a shot of whiskey before he placed three cards, face down, on the table. “Three,” he told the dealer who proceeded to give him three new cards.

  She gripped her cloak and held her breath as he picked up the cards. He had a jack and two sevens. Her brother had said getting the same cards was a good thing, and he slid his hand under the table so he could give her the “winning hand” signal. It was a code he said he’d use with her so she would know if he was lucky or not. And from how often he used it that night, it seemed he was having a good night. She had to fight back a cry of relief.

  Three men, including her brother, made a play of betting while one folded and left the table in favor of joining the men who were watching the woman on stage. She watched her brother and had to admit he remained very calm under the circumstances. She couldn’t remember him very well. He was eighteen when she was born, and then he went west before coming back to Montana when her mother’s friend sent him a letter telling him their parents were dead and Heather needed a relative to take care of her.

  Heather just turned eighteen and had only spent two weeks with him as he took care of their parents’ things and made arrangements for her to live with her aunt. Unfortunately, her brother was broke, so he had to win enough at poker to secure her future. He claimed to be good at the game, and from what she saw, he was, though she wondered if he was that good, why was he broke? And that made her wary of him. But if she could get a ticket for the train, then she wouldn’t have to worry about how much she could trust him or not.

  The men showed their cards, and she held her breath as she waited for all of them to reveal what they had. Then Abe set his cards down and the others grumbled. “Sorry to disappoint, boys,” he said with a wide grin as he collected all the money in the pile.

  She took out the sack she brought with her, and he started putting the money into it when the man with the gruff voice called out, “You ain’t going to leave when you’re on a winning streak, are you?”

  Abe glanced up at the unshaven man. “My kid brother needs to go to bed.” He continued putting more money into the sack. “Got to get ready for church in the morning, you know?”

  “Seems to me like he needs to stop being so shy and join the game,” the man said, turning his cold gray eyes to her.

  She momentarily shivered but remembered that the cloak concealed her so he couldn’t tell she was a woman.

  “You know,” the man continued, as he pulled out a gold pocket watch from his pocket and flipped it over in his hand, “It’s a shame I won’t get a chance to win some of that money back.”

  Abe glanced at the expensive watch and stopped putting his winnings into the sack. Heather’s gaze went to her brother who was scanning the remaining piles of money on the table. She grabbed his arm so he’d look at her. When he did, she shook her head. They had enough for what they needed. The best thing they could do was count their blessings and get out of there.

  Another man at the table said, “I brought two horses tonight. One to put up for a bet, should the pot get good enough.”

  The man with the gruff voice chuckled and rubbed his big belly. “Yep. The higher the stakes, the better the winnings. Go on and go, Abe. I’m sure you’ll have a good time with what little you got.”

  Good. They were letting her brother go without a fight. She stood up and started collecting the rest of her brother’s winnings.

  Abe put his hand over his winnings so she couldn’t collect any more. “It wouldn’t hurt to sit in for a couple more hands.”

  “There you go!” one of the men cheered before he downed a shot of whiskey.

  She made eye contact with her brother and shook her head. No. They had what they needed. There was no point in getting more. She willed for him to understand all of this as she reached for more money, but he blocked her hand so she couldn’t get anything else.

  “Sit down and relax,” he told her, a determined look in his eyes that made her stomach tense into one huge knot.

  After what seemed to be a long moment, the man with the gruff voice said, “You heard him. Sit down and relax. The night’s still young and so are we, right boys?”

  The men chuckled as the one closest to her shuffled the deck. She scanned the three men at the table before turning her eyes to her brother. Making one last attempt to plead with him, she leaned forward so he could see her mouth the words train ticket.

  He patted her hand and motioned for her to sit. “Don’t worry. I won’t risk anything I’m not willing to lose. You’ll be sure to get your share.”

  The man with the gruff voice laughed. “That brother of yours is going to get some of your winnings even though he just sat there?”

  Abe shrugged and took the cards dealt to him. “He’s my good luck charm.”

  “You have a strange good luck charm.”

  Still worried, she sat down, her hands clenched in her lap. This wasn’t good. It wasn’t good at all! Her brother was getting greedy, and she couldn’t think of a way this could possibly end well. She had the sinking sensation that she wouldn’t get that train ticket after all.

  ***

  An hour later, M
itch Grady grumbled as he pulled his horse to a halt in front of the saloon where the other man stopped. This was the last place he should be, but once again, he found himself here. Shaking his head, he slid off his horse and tied the reins to the post. He took off his hat and ran his hand through his dark brown hair. This was the last time he was coming here. He’d had enough of this. He couldn’t keep coming here to save his little brother like he was a child.

  When they were growing up, it was bearable. But now that he was twenty-five and his brother was twenty, it was time to let Boaz face the consequences of his decisions. And starting tomorrow, that’s just what would happen. He couldn’t keep running around to get Boaz out of his latest jam, even if it’d break their mother’s heart.

  Mitch turned to Boaz’s friend who remained on the horse. “I won’t be coming here again. You be sure to make that clear to Boaz. So if he ends up in trouble, you’ll be bailing him out, and I don’t care if you’re broke.”

  Without waiting for him to answer, Mitch entered the saloon. It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the smoke-filled room where men drank, played poker and did other things he’d rather not think about. He scanned the crowd for his brother and finally found him at a poker table with two other men and a young woman.

  Shocked, his gaze went right back to the young woman who couldn’t be older than eighteen. She wasn’t a prostitute. He could tell that by the scared look on her face. She wore a brown cloak that covered her entire body, except for her hood which had been pulled off her head.

  He made his way to the table. His brother was in danger of losing all of his money again since the spot next to him that should contain his winnings was empty. All of his money, along with everyone else’s was in the middle of the table. But none of this explained what a decent woman was doing in a place like this.