Her only frustration was that Miles refused to talk about Ruby to Ray. In a fit of curiosity one day after she’d gone with Miles to an ice cream social, she asked him—as Ray—how the day had gone with his sister, Ruby.
Miles had said they enjoyed their time, but that he didn’t believe it honorable to talk about Ruby to Ray behind her back. He’d been stern and brooked no further discussion of the subject, leaving Ruby frustrated she couldn’t at least use Ray as an avenue of information.
As she walked arm-in-arm with him to the Silver City Inn for supper, the problem of Ray niggled at her. She loved her job and had no desire to give it up. But if Miles’ ultimate intention was to marry Ruby, she’d have to get rid of Ray. She’d never be able to hide him from Miles, and her conscience—which she’d conveniently been ignoring while she enjoyed Miles’ company—became louder and more insistent by the day.
It was time to formulate a plan. Maybe Ray should go East.
“Ruby?” Miles asked. “You look like you’re miles away.”
Ruby almost laughed. If he only knew. “I was thinking about my family.”
“Speaking of which, I was just saying we’re having a family supper this weekend at my brother Isaac’s ranch.”
“That sounds very nice,” Ruby said.
Miles stopped walking near the side of the road and faced her, taking one of her hands in his. “I’d like you to come with me and meet my family.”
Ruby froze and took a moment to clear her throat and swallow. He wanted her to meet his family at a large gathering. Elation and dread mingled in her gut. They both knew inviting her indicated how serious he was about her. A man didn’t do such a thing unless he saw a future together. Was she ready for that? She didn’t know, but she wanted to find out.
But it also meant Ray needed an excuse to vamoose. Ruby would sit down with the ladies at Della’s and they’d come up with a plausible plan.
With that stewing in the back of her mind, she smiled and squeezed his hand. “Of course I’ll go. I can’t wait!”
Chapter 5
Miles fidgeted in the seat of the carriage he’d hired to travel from Virginia City to Palmer, where his brother Isaac lived.
As many times as he chided himself for his nerves—remembering he was a grown man for Heaven’s sake—he still couldn’t manage to banish them completely. He’d never brought a woman to meet his family, and had no idea how they’d react.
When he told Isaac, his older brother had grinned ear to ear, which didn’t bode well for Miles. How could he have known, after all, that despite his years of staunch claims that he’d never marry, he would run into Miss Ruby Jackson one day? He only hoped they had the decency to treat Ruby with respect, rather than to tease her as he expected them to tease him.
On the other hand, if Ruby became a member of the family—which Miles had come to hope she would—he had no doubt they’d accept her and welcome her with open arms.
He just had to suffer their indignities until then.
As they passed through Palmer and turned onto the road that led to the Collins’ Lazy D ranch, Ruby rested her hand on his knee. “Are you all right?”
“Of course I am.” The words came out gruffer than he’d intended, but she didn’t seem fazed.
“You’ve been awfully quiet the closer we get to your brother’s place.”
He felt obliged to warn her rather than have her face any surprises. He was confident she’d field their comments with aplomb, but she deserved to be prepared.
“I’ve just been thinking that I hope my family will go easy on you. I anticipate they’ll be merciless to me, but you don’t deserve that.”
She cocked her head and scrunched her brows in a gesture that brought Ray to mind. Miles wondered what plans Ray had for his day off, and he felt guilty for not inviting him along, too. Ray didn’t seem inclined to discuss his life outside of work, so Miles became accustomed to thinking of Ray only in the context of the mine. He had to remind himself that Ray didn’t live there, and now imagined him alone in his time off.
Vowing to invite both Ruby and Ray to his own home in Virginia City in the near future, he said to Ruby, “I didn’t even think to ask Ray what his plans were for today, I was so anticipating spending time with you.”
Ruby’s smile sweetened. “Ray went to the farm to be with Mother and the family, but it’s kind of you to think of him. Now, will you tell me why you think your family will be merciless to you?”
Miles grabbed the brim of his hat and lifted it off his head enough to run some of his fingers through his hair, before replacing the hat, a gesture he used to help him collect his thoughts. “I’m thirty-six years old, Ruby. I’ve spent my entire adult life doing the kind of work I love while my brothers met and married women they loved. I’ve claimed staunchly and on many occasions that I intend to remain a bachelor until I die of old age. I suspect since I’ve never brought a woman to meet my family, my brothers and their wives will feel free to bedevil me about doing so now.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ve grown up with three brothers of my own. I’m sure I can handle myself with yours.”
He grinned and patted her hand, still on his knee. He’d found himself smiling a lot more since meeting Ruby. Even though it felt unfamiliar, he liked it.
“They’ll love you,” he said.
Once he’d proposed to Ruby—as he planned to this evening after supper—he looked forward to meeting her family and reassuring them she’d be well taken care of.
If he were being honest with himself, which he always tried to be, his plan to propose had him fidgeting more than introducing Ruby to his family.
It was a big step, but one he had decided he was ready for. He’d never met a woman like her, or one who captivated him so completely. Between her beauty, intelligence, and spirit, she stood out among the usual meek, docile women he’d met. He liked that she challenged him, and even if that led to a rocky marriage, he’d prefer that over bland and passive.
So, even though they’d only courted for a few short months he chose not to prolong things or allow her to get away.
They pulled into the yard at the ranch in early evening. Miles took a moment to attempt to see it through Ruby’s eyes.
The property was large, a business that ran several hundred head of cattle, but also bred and raised horses.
Many of his brothers’ children, and those of Isaac’s friends Nellie and Diego Morales, played in the yard, running and laughing and squealing as the sun made its way down for the day. They ranged in age from toddlers to early teens.
A quick glance at Ruby found her smiling at their antics. So at least she wasn’t put off by that many children.
“Miles.” His brother Isaac called to him from the porch where he sat with their oldest brother Wyatt, and Diego, the head cowhand at the ranch.
Miles stepped down from the carriage and went around to the other side to offer Ruby assistance, then tucked her hand around his elbow. It was meant as a gesture to reassure her, but he drew as much or more strength from it.
He led her to the porch but before he could introduce her, Isaac stood and bowed.
“We meet again, Miss Jackson.”
Ruby made a small curtsy next to him and said, “Indeed we do, Mr. Collins. Thank you for inviting me into your home.”
“You’re quite welcome. But honestly, we had a motive. We needed proof that any woman would see fit to spend time with Miles.”
“Very funny,” Miles said.
“By the way, this is Miles’ oldest brother, Wyatt, and my friend, Diego Morales.”
Diego, in his always quiet way simply nodded.
“We didn’t believe it,” Wyatt said, puffing on a cigar before standing to greet Ruby. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am. And kind of surprised you actually exist.”
Ruby smiled. “Miles is a fine man. I don’t know why you’d think I wouldn’t want to accept his affections.”
“I wouldn’t argue Miles’ character with y
ou, ma’am,” Wyatt said, retaking his seat. “He’s always been a good man. But he’s a stubborn and opinionated man, too. So when he digs his feet in and swears up and down he’ll never do something, then turns around and does it, well, it’s our prerogative as brothers to torment him about it.”
Ruby nodded. “I suppose that’s fair.”
“What?” Miles said, not sure she’d really acknowledged their right to tease him.
Isaac burst out laughing, Diego smirked, and Wyatt grinned around his cigar.
“I like her, Miles,” Wyatt said. “She’ll fit right in.”
At that moment Isaac’s wife Beth popped her head out the door and said, “Are they here yet?” And when she saw Miles and Ruby she stepped outside, smoothing her apron. “There you are,” she said.
She hugged Miles, then extended her hand to Ruby.
“Beth Collins, this is Ruby Jackson,” Miles said. For Ruby’s benefit he added, “Beth is Isaac’s wife.”
“I’m pleased to meet you,” Ruby said.
“Why don’t you come inside and I’ll introduce you to everyone else,” Beth said.
A nervous frisson skittered down Miles’ spine. Did he want to let Ruby out of his sight? To subject her, alone, to all the women and remaining children? And Sam, who was undoubtedly inside as well? It would be overwhelming for her, and he felt an obligation to make this easier on her.
“I’ll go with you,” Miles said.
“Now, Miles, she’ll be fine,” Beth said. “You stay here with your brothers. I’ll send Sam out.”
Miles glanced at Ruby, raising his brows in silent question. Do you want me to go with you?
She smiled and patted his shoulder. “I’ll be just fine.”
Then Beth took Ruby by the hand and Ruby disappeared into the ranch house.
Isaac laughed again. “You should see your face, brother.”
Miles worked to school his features as he sat in an empty chair. “My face probably shows my worry about throwing poor Ruby to the wolves five minutes after arriving here.”
Wyatt snorted. “If she can survive that, you’d better marry her as consolation.”
Their youngest brother, Sam, stepped out onto the porch a few minutes later. Tall, slim, and dirty blond, Sam’s only resemblance to the rest of the Collins brothers was his jawline and devilish smile.
“Your lady friend is holding her own, if you’re concerned about that,” Sam said as he leaned against the porch railing. “Oh, and it’s good to see you, Miles.”
Miles relaxed just a bit with Sam’s report. “Good to see you, too. How’s the newspaper business?”
They passed the next half hour in the kind of easy conversation Miles missed. Through the years he and his brothers had often argued and found themselves at odds, and adding Emmett and Diego to the mix hadn’t changed that, but always in the end they came back together and compromised because for each of them, family meant more than anything else. A few times Miles had pushed them, especially in the early years when he’d begun managing the Kiss of Fate gold mine, the mine Beth and Isaac had stumbled on before they were married. But his brothers had always reeled him back in.
When Sam’s wife, Daisy, announced supper was ready, all the children in the yard stampeded inside, followed by Miles and the other men.
“Where’s Emmett?” he asked, just noticing him missing.
“Accident out at the Shadow Ridge ranch. He went to treat the injured,” Wyatt said.
Which made sense, since he was the local doctor. As the husband of one of Beth’s friends and partners in the Kiss of Fate mine, Emmett was as much family as the rest of them.
The family spent the evening laughing and eating and talking. As Miles watched Ruby with his family—holding her own as Sam had said—Wyatt’s words rang in his ears. If she can survive this, you’d better marry her as consolation. Miles’ determination to propose grew as he watched Ruby jump in and help the other women, and joke with the men. She even handled the children with skill.
Once supper had concluded and all the dishes had been cleared, he couldn’t wait any longer.
He found Ruby drying dishes and chatting with the other women in the kitchen.
“Well, if it isn’t Mr.-I’ll-Be-A-Bachelor-Forever,” Daisy said. Sam’s buxom, red-haired wife always said what she thought, often irritating Miles. But tonight he didn’t care.
“I’m happy to see you, too, Daisy,” Miles said. “Ruby, I’d like to speak with you alone, please.”
His request must have come across as too formal because a circle of female frowns greeted him after he made it.
“Of course,” Ruby said. “I’ll be back, ladies.”
Miles turned and marched from the room, through the dining room and living room, and outside onto the porch. Only then did he check to be sure Ruby followed him. Now that he’d made the decision to propose, he wanted to get down to business.
“What are you scowling about?” Wyatt asked, outside again and smoking another of his cigars.
“I’m not scowling. And don’t you ever go anywhere else but this porch? It’s like you’ve grown roots.”
“Grouchy too, I see,” Wyatt said, blowing a smoke ring.
Ruby caught up with Miles and rested a hand on his shoulder. “Is everything okay?”
Miles scrubbed a hand down his face, then took a deep breath to calm himself. “Yes. I just wanted to talk to you alone, but I suppose with such a large family privacy is in short supply.”
Wyatt held up his hand in surrender, but still didn’t budge an inch.
So Miles took Ruby’s hand and led her across the yard and inside the main horse barn. When he found it empty of any other people—only horses in their stalls—he sighed his relief.
“You’re behaving as if you’re angry, Miles,” Ruby said.
“I’m not. I’m flustered, to be honest. Will you have a seat, Ruby?” He indicated a bale of hay, and she settled onto it.
“What are you flustered about?”
He cleared his throat. Nothing else for it but to dive in. He’d put thought into what he wanted to say, but at the moment he couldn’t remember any of it. Had his brothers struggled this much proposing to their wives?
“When we met, I knew there was something different about you. For the first time in my life I wanted to spend time with a woman.”
Ruby bit her lip and tried not to smile and at first he couldn’t figure out what he’d said that was so funny, until he realized what he’d said.
“That’s not what I meant. I’ve spent time with women.” That didn’t help either. He sounded like he whored around. “Not that it’s been a lot of women. Only a few. But they were all whores.”
Now Ruby stifled a giggle, covering her mouth with her hand.
“What I mean to say is, you’re a lady and the first one I’ve ever been interested in courting. I never thought I’d marry, but you’ve changed my mind.”
Ruby stopped giggling when he got down on his knee in front of her and took her hand in his.
“What I’m trying to say is, will you be my wife?”
***
Ruby yanked her hand from Miles’ and jumped up from the bale of hay. Holy mother of God. He’d taken her completely by surprise, and here she was taking Mary’s name in vain and she wasn’t even Catholic.
Had she been daydreaming about marrying Miles? Certainly. Did she think he’d propose to her this evening at his family’s home? Not at all. Now he’d put her on the spot and she had to answer him.
Daydreaming was a far cry from facing the reality of it.
Did she love him enough to marry him? Because she’d seen enough loveless marriages to know she didn’t want one. His family, though. There was so much love in that house, it filled every nook and cranny and every bit of the air around them. The place reeked of love.
It was a lot to live up to.
She turned and looked at Miles, who now stood and looked stricken that she hadn’t immediately hugged him and crie
d yes, darling!
But like him, she’d spent her whole life claiming she never wanted to be married. For him, it was easy. He’d just have a family to support, but he’d still be Miles Collins, independent man.
He was asking her to give up her entire identity. To stop being Ruby Jackson, free woman and become Ruby Collins, wife and property of Miles Collins.
That was a lot to ask of anyone.
Then, of course, there was the enormous lie she’d been telling him for several months. If he ever discovered that, would he still want her as his wife?
Looking at him, she wanted nothing more than to wipe the sadness from his face and to give him what he wanted.
She went to him, took his face in her hands, and looked deep into his beautiful blue eyes and said, “I’m sorry, I can’t.”
Chapter 6
They rode back to Virginia City the next morning in cold, awkward silence, much like the rest of the previous night had gone. Ruby had begged off the rest of the evening due to a headache and retired to her room. She had no idea what Miles had told his family, but they all said their goodbyes the next morning with grace and kindness, leaving Ruby to quietly grieve losing the chance to call them family.
Now as they returned to Virginia City over the rutted path, Ruby cringed when their legs rubbed together with each bump. The tension in his thigh matched the tension in the rest of his body. His jaw bulged where he ground his teeth, evidence that matched the humiliation in his eyes.
Ruby didn’t know how to talk to him. She wasn’t afraid of him, but his anger may as well have been a third passenger in the carriage. So, she let it go until they got back to town.
Montana Sky: Becoming Mine (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Nevada Bounty Book 3) Page 5
