Tomasina stood quickly, tipping her chair. “Save your jokes. You’re a disgrace.”
Will felt her pain and betrayal as though it was her own. Hannah had become her friend. She’d defended James. He was her escape from Cowboy Creek. Will knew that Tomasina valued loyalty above all other traits, and James had betrayed that loyalty.
With tears in her eyes Hannah rocked the baby in her arms. “We met in Harper, Kansas. I was on a mission trip. I’d never traveled alone before. James was handsome and charming. I’d never laid eyes on anyone like him before. He made me feel special. Worthy. We talked about the future. We had plans. I thought we were getting married. I thought he loved me. Truly I did.” Her watery gaze appealed to the small audience. “He left before I could tell him I was expecting.”
Holding her hands over her mouth, Tomasina gasped. “James. How could you?”
“I didn’t know,” James cried, his voice strangled. “I didn’t know about the baby until Cowboy Creek. I didn’t even know Hannah would be here.”
“She has a name.” Hannah leaped from her chair and loomed over James, fiery color suffusing her pale face. “Her name is Ava. She’s your daughter!”
Will wrapped one arm around the girl’s trembling shoulders and led her back to her chair. “It’s all right, Hannah.”
Simon arrived with tea. He set the tray on the table and quietly backed out of the room. Agitated, the young woman clutched Ava against her chest.
Tomasina paced in front of James, her expression fierce. “Is this why you’ve been difficult since we left Harper? I’m not blind to who you are, but I expected better of you. Someone like Hannah deserved so much more. You should be ashamed of yourself. Be a man for once in your life. Take responsibility for your actions.”
James clutched his head in his hands. “I’m a drover. How am I supposed to support a family?”
The door swung open once more, and Noah appeared with Reverend Taggart.
His expression bewildered, he approached Hannah.
Clearly panicked, the girl backed away from her father. “He doesn’t know.”
Noah rubbed the back of his neck at the point where his scars disappeared beneath his shirt collar. “Miss Taggart, your father is worried about you. Nothing more.”
Tears streamed down her face. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Ava is my baby. She’s James’s daughter.”
The reverend collapsed onto a chair.
Hannah’s father was silent and bewildered. His gaze shifted around the room, skittering over Ava, as though he didn’t know where to look or what to say.
A rush of emotion flowed through Will. He recalled the first time he’d held little Ava. He knew what he needed to do.
He gently took the infant from Hannah. “Why don’t you let the reverend hold the baby?”
She reluctantly handed over Ava. Will crossed the distance and presented the reverend with his grandchild. Reverend Taggart shook his head then leaned away.
Recalling how Leah had forced the issue on him weeks ago, Will pressed closer. “Meet your granddaughter, Reverend Taggart.”
Ava’s mouth worked, and her hands curled into fists atop the knitted blanket.
The reverend blinked back tears, and Will felt his own eyes burn.
James watched the meeting, his own expression unreadable.
Tomasina approached Will and Noah. “Someone should fetch Leah. This poor girl had a baby four weeks back, and she’s had absolutely no care. No support. She’s been hiding her condition from everyone for months.”
Noah glanced at the new mother. “What about Doc Fletcher?”
“Let’s let Leah decide,” Tomasina said. “Hannah needs the support of another woman right now. Someone who understands what she’s been through.”
“Understood.” Noah replaced his hat. “I’ll fetch Leah, and if you don’t need anything else, I’ll be heading home after this.”
“We need to talk,” Will said. “This isn’t the time or the place, but we need to talk. Soon.”
A crease appeared between Noah’s eyes. “About what?”
Will hesitated. “It’s a long story. Daniel and I will come by your place the day after tomorrow.”
“You aren’t building another opera house, are you?”
Will’s laugh was devoid of humor. “Nothing like that. The day after tomorrow. Before lunch.”
“Sure.”
“Good.” Finally broaching the subject assuaged some of his guilt. “See you then.”
Noah glanced at the reverend and the baby before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.
The reverend held out his index finger, and Ava wrapped her tiny fingers around his. He blinked rapidly. “She’s beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.”
Hannah sniffled. “She is.”
Reverend Taggart leaned forward and wrapped one arm around his daughter’s shoulder, pulling her into an awkward embrace over Ava. “You poor dear. You’ve been carrying this burden all alone.”
Hannah leaned back and wiped at her eyes. “I’m fine. Truly. Telling people feels good. I’m so relieved, I feel a thousand pounds lighter.” She turned to Will. “I’m sorry I came here under false pretenses. I know you were expecting a bride.”
“None of that matters, Hannah. This is your home, and we’re all here to help you.”
The reverend had yet to look at James.
Will cleared his throat. Only one question troubled him. “Why did you leave her with me?”
“I didn’t mean to.” Hannah flashed an abashed smile. “James said he was staying at the hotel, in room 311.”
James made a sound. “I was staying at a different hotel. The Drover’s Place, room 113.”
“I get my numbers mixed up.”
Will recalled how Hannah tended to be early or late when caring for Ava. She obviously mixed up her numbers quite often. A soldier beneath his command had had a similar affliction.
“Once you realized your mistake,” Will said, “you were stuck. So you offered to help.”
“To be near Ava. I was hoping... I was hoping for time. To work out an arrangement with James. He didn’t know about the baby right away. I wanted him with me because he loved me, not because of Ava. Not out of responsibility.”
The drover had remained relatively silent since the arrival of the reverend. Will stepped toward him, and Tomasina blocked his path.
She punched a fist into her opposite hand. “I’ll speak with James.”
Aware of their audience, Will grasped her shoulders and pressed his forehead against hers. “Don’t kill him.”
“No promises.”
He chuckled. “Never change, Tomasina Stone. Promise you’ll never change.”
Her hand fluttered against his chest. “That’s the whole problem, though, isn’t it?”
Before he could call her back, she’d approached James. Her melancholic expression had given him pause. Didn’t she realize he loved her just the way she was?
He felt as though he’d been bushwhacked. His surroundings melted away, and an overwhelming sense of clarity overcame him.
He couldn’t let her go, not now. Not ever.
He loved her.
Chapter Twenty-One
With Hannah and her father deep in conversation over the baby, Tomasina pulled James aside. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know, Tom. I honestly don’t know. Hannah deserves better.”
“You’re right...she does.” Tomasina poked a finger in his chest. “If Hannah deserves someone better, then it’s high time you became that man. You took advantage of an innocent girl. You’re the father of her child.”
“It wasn’t like that. I loved her.” He flushed. “I do love her. But I can’t be the person she needs. I
had to leave her. Don’t you understand?”
“No. I don’t.”
“I can’t change.”
Her green eyes sparked with anger. “You’re an idiot, James Johnson.”
“Ah, c’mon, Tom,” he scoffed. “We’re two of a kind, you and me. We can’t live in one place. That’s a slow death for people like us. You know that better than anyone.”
“You’re a coward. For the first time in your life you were forced to take a good, hard look at yourself, and you didn’t like what you saw. You’ve been lucky for a lot of years, but your luck ran out. You can’t hide from this. Being the man Hannah needs won’t be easy. Being the father Ava needs will be even harder.”
“How do I start?” Raw anguish coated his plea.
“You have to face the reverend first.”
“I can’t.”
“The boy who joined the Confederate Army at the age of fifteen was no coward. What happened to that boy?”
James looked away. “They kicked him out for being too young, remember?”
“I’ve said it all along, James. You’re a man with something to prove and no way to prove it. Courage is courage. Whether you’re facing a bullet or an angry father. You want to prove you’re brave, now is the time.”
“Courage. I never thought of it that way.”
“I’ve known you for a lot of years, James. We’ve been through a lot together. You’re a good man. You’ll be a good father. You can even be a good husband.” She chucked him on the shoulder. “Treat Hannah as good as you treat that ugly fringed vest and you’ll be the happiest couple in Kansas.”
He swallowed hard, working his jaw back and forth. “Do you really think so?”
“I know so.”
“What about you, Tom?” he asked, his gaze searching hers. “We had plans. Will you be all right?”
Her throat tightened. “You’re a better man already. Before today, you wouldn’t have given a thought to my feelings.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“I’ll be fine. I was running, too. I have to find my courage, as well.”
Lifting a brow, he gave her a curious look. “What were you running from?”
“Never mind me. You have other things to worry about.” She grinned. “It’s a sour pill to swallow, I’ll tell you that, having to take my own advice.”
“Thank you, Tom.” He pulled her into a quick embrace. “I’m grateful to you. For everything.”
“You’re welcome.”
He stood, and she saw the change in him immediately. Something in his heart had shifted. He pulled up to his full height, and she sensed in that moment he’d finally grown up. He’d finally become a man.
James faced her. “I want to apologize. You were right. I knew what happened between me and Hannah in Harper was wrong, and I hated myself for it. For the past year I thought I got away with something, but it was eating at me.” His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, but he managed to go on. “When I saw Hannah in Cowboy Creek, I knew I had to make things right, but I couldn’t. I thought Hannah was better off without me. I’d lost you. I’d lost your pa. I felt like I’d lost everything, and I was angrier than I’d ever been.”
He rubbed his eyes with a thumb and forefinger. “At myself mostly. I took my anger out on you because I didn’t know what else to do. Then, last night, Hannah told me about the baby. I think in my heart I always knew. Rumors about that abandoned baby have been floating around town for weeks. The timing was right... Hannah was here. I knew, but I didn’t want to face the truth.”
“I accept your apology.” Tomasina pumped his hand in a firm shake. “We both had to grow up. You were right about me, you know. I can’t be a drover any longer. The men don’t respect me without Pa around.”
Regret flitted across his expression. “You could earn their respect.”
“That’s the thing, James. I don’t want their approval anymore. I’d rather spend my talent on people who appreciate me.”
“I’m real relieved to hear that.” His shoulders sagged. “Because thinking about you with those drovers, all alone, terrifies me.”
“You don’t have to worry about me anymore. I’ll find my way. Take care of your family. Take care of yourself.”
He shucked his leather vest and slung the material over a chair. “If I’m going to ask for a lady’s hand in marriage, I’d best look the part.”
“I’ve always hated that awful fringed thing.”
“I know.”
She motioned Will over. “Cowboy Creek is about to throw another wedding.”
Will hoisted an eyebrow. “I’ll tell the reverend to put away his shotgun.”
Running his hands through his hair, James stepped forward. “Do I look all right?”
Will shrugged out of his jacket. “Take my coat.”
With murmured thanks, James slipped his arms through the sleeves.
Tugging her lower lip between her teeth, Tomasina studied the reverend’s fierce expression. James was in for a tough time. The reverend wasn’t going to let him off easy. She hesitated. Torn between wanting to help James and knowing he was better off standing on his own two feet.
Will made the decision for her.
He wrapped an arm around her waist and urged her toward the door. “He’ll be fine.”
They stepped into the lobby and discovered a crowd of people remained.
Simon scurried toward them. “What happened? Is it true about James? If he didn’t rob your suite, then who did?”
Will held up his hands. “The show is over. We have proof that James is not responsible for the robberies.”
Several of the men called out questions.
Quincy Davis pulled a bench from the wall and stood on top of the seat. “I know you all want answers. I propose a special meeting of the town council to address these issues. Tomorrow afternoon in the Cattleman Hotel ballroom. Bring your questions and your concerns.”
Exhausted, Tomasina rubbed her eyes.
Will placed a hand in the small of her back. “It’s been a long day. I’ll have Simon bring you some warm milk.”
She stifled a yawn behind her fist. “How do you always know the right thing to say and do?”
“I wish that were true.” He took her hands in his. “Will you come to the meeting tomorrow?”
“Why?”
“I need you. The business leaders need your suggestions.”
“I’ll come, but I don’t know if I can help.”
“You’re an asset to the town.” He looked as though he was going to say something else then stopped himself. “You’ve made Cowboy Creek a better place, Tomasina. You’re tired. I’ll walk you to your room, and you can get some rest. I’ll explain everything in the morning.”
“I’ll miss Ava,” Tomasina said. “Even with all her fussing and all the uproar she caused.”
“I’ll miss her, as well. I’m grateful she’s back where she belongs. Perhaps we can assume the role of her unofficial godparents.”
“I don’t think James or Hannah will mind. Having cared for Ava, I think we both realize they’ll need plenty of help.”
They paused on the landing. The lobby had emptied, and the hotel was quiet. Will leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. His fingers tangled in her hair. He pressed her close and deepened the kiss, pulling her nearer than she thought possible. Her heart thrummed in her chest. When she was shaken and breathless, he stepped back.
She staggered a bit and steadied herself with a hand against the wall. “What was that for?”
“You ask too many questions, Miss Stone.” He wound a red curl around his index finger. “It doesn’t matter if you’re standing in the sunlight, moonlight or candlelight. Your delightful hair will always be my undoing.”
&nbs
p; With a sigh he released the curl against her cheek.
She absently touched the lock.
He descended the stairs once more and paused at the bottom. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Sleep tight.”
In an instant he was gone, leaving her shaken and confused. She turned slowly and made her way to her room, her feet dragging. Once inside she caught sight of her bedroll and tent bundled together in anticipation of leaving with James. How quickly her plans had changed.
When Simon brought her a tray, she handed him the bundle. “Can you chuck this in with the rubbish? I won’t be needing it anymore.”
She’d changed. For the better. For good. And she was ready to start her new life. She didn’t need her drover’s clothing anymore. She opened the wardrobe and touched the dress she’d donned as Texas Tom. She wanted to keep the memory of her performance at the opera house. The costume was a symbol of the friends she’d made in Cowboy Creek.
Tugging her lower lip between her teeth, she recalled Will’s face when she’d lassoed him. He was a good sport.
He was also the only person who ever called her Tomasina. Not Tom or Texas Tom. She was Tomasina to him. She’d been searching for her true identity when he’d seen the truth all along. She didn’t have to be the best drover, the best laundress, the best maid or even the best waitress for him. He’d supported all her efforts and comforted her when she’d failed. He admired her. They’d argued, they’d fought, they’d danced. They’d even kissed.
She wasn’t Texas Tom any longer. She was Tomasina Stone.
She was also in love with Will Canfield, even with all his rules and regulations. Even though he was building the largest house in Cowboy Creek. Even though he was nothing like any of the men she’d known in her life.
No, that wasn’t true. In a way, he was most like her pa. They were both honorable. They both looked out for their crew. They both knew what they wanted in life and how to get it.
Why couldn’t she have fallen in love with a stinky old cowboy? Someone who wouldn’t mind if she wore trousers and practiced her sharpshooting. Someone who ate peaches straight from the can in front of a campfire. Someone who didn’t have his sights set on politics.
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