Sounding incredulous, Micah said, “I repeat, have you even met or spoken to her?”
Eduardo had no doubt his friend believed he had taken leave of his senses. He wasn’t so sure he hadn’t, but he placed a hand over his heart. “In good time, my friend. All in good time.”
Micah clapped him on the shoulder. “Come on, Romeo. We’ve finished our business with Joel and Hope’s expecting us for lunch. You can daydream about the pretty widow on our way home.”
“I suppose we must go.” He exhaled, reluctantly willing to leave town but unwilling to let anyone derail his plans.
Micah untied his horse from the hitching rail in front of his brother’s law office and mounted. “Have to say this is the first time I’ve known you to be shy about flirting with a woman.”
Determination steeled Eduardo’s resolve as he swung onto his gelding. “Never before has a woman been so important to me. You will see. One day, she will become my wife.”
The two rode toward Micah’s ranch.
From where she stood on the walk, Celia had known the men watched her. One was the youngest Stone brother. Identifying him was easy because the three Stone men looked so much alike.
But she hadn’t yet met the handsome man dressed as a Spanish Don. He fit the description she’d been privy to of Eduardo Montoya, one of the wealthiest men in this part of Texas. At least, that’s what she’d overheard while helping in her parents’ store.
He certainly cut a dashing figure in his black clothes trimmed with silver buttons. She wondered if he was entitled to dress like Spanish nobility or if he merely played a part. The silver on his saddle flashed in the sunlight and she questioned the safety of such a display.
One thing she’d noticed in her few days in town and working in her father’s mercantile, she heard tidbits of local gossip whether intentionally or not. She wondered what the gossips had to say about her. Probably best she didn’t know. Most people she’d met were friendly but there were a few prunes eager to criticize everyone.
Wasn’t that true everywhere? Yet she thought an unusual pall lay over Radford Crossing. The town definitely needed a large dose of cheer. As a matter of fact, she wouldn’t mind a measure for herself. With a sigh, she went back inside the store.
Later that afternoon, ringing of the bell over the door alerted her to a customer and she turned from straightening shelves.
With a gasp of pleasure, she walked toward the newcomer. “Hello, Rosalyn. How can I help you?”
Rosalyn Stone glided to greet her wearing a gorgeous blue dress and matching bonnet. They exchanged a hug.
Her friend smiled. “I came to see how you’re settling in.”
She fought to keep sorrow from her voice. “Pretty well. I’m sure you remember adjusting to a new environment from when you and Lucy moved here.”
Rosalyn raised her eyebrows. “Although I left New Orleans when I married, this is very different from there, isn’t it?”
She forced a smile. “Like another world.”
“And going from a New Orleans debutante and a member of high society to working in a mercantile—even a nice one like your father’s—requires a giant change in lifestyle.”
“So far, the transition isn’t as hard as you might think.” Before she could add more, the bell over the door jingled again and two middle-aged women entered.
Rosalyn leaned near. “Oh, dear, no privacy with those two here. Why don’t you slip over to our house tomorrow and we’ll have tea and a nice chat?”
“I’d love to. Would three be convenient?”
“Perfect. I’ll see you then.” With a smile and a wave, Rosalyn departed.
Taking a deep breath, Celia addressed the customers, “May I help you find something?”
A peek at my Christmas story Mistletoe Mistake, originally included in the box set, Wild Western Women – Mistletoe, Montana
Chapter One
Mistletoe, Montana, July 1, 1890
Sheriff Riley McCallister stood with his head bowed as Preacher Bart Nichols conducted the funeral for Doctor William Jones. The crowd included most of the folks in town and many from across the county. Doc was beloved for his kindness and compassion as well as for his medical knowledge.
A vice wrapped around Riley’s chest. He gulped to swallow his grief before he bawled like a baby. Will had been his best friend, the man who’d mentored Riley since he’d drifted into Mistletoe four years ago. The doctor advised and listened to Riley talk as he worked through decisions. Will was more like a father should be than Riley’s real parent ever had been.
After the funeral, John Gibson, the town’s lawyer, kept step with Riley. “Shame the doc couldn’t diagnose and treat his own heart ailment.”
Riley shook his head. “Sometimes there’s nothing to do. What’ll the town do without a doctor until we have a new one?”
John clapped him on the back. “He’ll be missed by everyone. Sorry, Sheriff, I know you and the doc were close friends.”
“We were. Thanks. Played chess with him most every evening.”
“Townsfolk look to you to solve their problems. Guess that weighs you down, but you do a good job. What’re your plans about this?”
Riley rubbed his jaw. “Will Jones graduated from Cornell University Medical School in New York. Figured that was a good place to start. I sent a long wire telling them to send us a doctor right away and spelling out what we need and what we offer.”
“You heard back from them?”
“A Doctor Callahan will be here first of August. Until then, let’s hope no one needs medical treatment.”
***
August 1, 1890
The conductor walking down the train’s aisle called, “Mistletoe, Montana next stop. Coming into Mistletoe.”
Doctor Shannon Callahan straightened her hat as the train chugged into the station. In a few minutes she’d meet the townspeople who would be her patients. Her heart beat so loudly she was certain passengers around her could hear.
What if Mistletoe’s citizens didn’t like her? What if she didn’t like them? What if the house the town provided was hideous or so flimsy the cold poured in during the long winters? What if her father was right and she was making a huge mistake in coming here?
Worrying herself into a quivering wreck was pointless. With hisses, jerks, and clanks, the train stopped. She picked up her medical bag and her valise and made her way to the exit. The conductor helped her step down. From the baggage car, her two trunks were plunked onto the platform.
Apparently she was the only passenger to disembark. After a burst of steam, the train huffed into motion. A group of maybe two dozen people stared at her but no one spoke. Beyond them, behind the town, magnificent mountains met the bluest sky she’d ever seen.
Squaring her shoulders and raising her chin, she walked toward the waiting group. “Is one of you waiting for Dr. Callahan?”
A tall, lanky man wearing a badge stepped forward and frowned at her. If not for his scowl, he’d be one of the handsomest men she’d ever seen. His long legs made short work of his stride toward her.
His dark brown eyes held questions. “We were expecting Mistletoe’s new doctor, but …” he assessed her from her hat to her toes and back again, “But, well, you’re a woman.”
“You’re good at recognizing clues. I’ll bet you’re a great sheriff.” She faced him with unwavering determination. “I’m Doctor Shannon Callahan.”
Angel For Christmas Page 15
