A Chance to Love Again

by Hutton, Callie

  “Quarters, Mr. McIntyre?” Will grinned. “That’s like what the cowboys sleep in, right?” He skipped over to Rusty and took his hand, while Rachel attempted to pull herself together. What the devil was the man thinking, to kiss her like that?

  What were you thinking to kiss him back like that?

  She fussed with her topknot which wasn’t on top anymore, nor a knot. She soon gave up on that, and hurried to the chest in her bedroom to get clean sheets for both children’s beds.

  ***

  A week later, Rachel prepared a list for her monthly trek into town for supplies. Amelia arose in the same surly mood. But after years of being shuffled around, it was no surprise.

  Amelia and Will seemed to get along well, but with Will’s perpetually happy demeanor, most people took to him immediately. Rachel had tried to persuade Amelia to do some schoolwork so she could go into the high school when classes started up again after the summer. She was mainly interested to know how far along the girl was since she declared upon her arrival that she was finished with school.

  Until Rachel was able to assess her schoolwork, it was important to keep the young girl busy so she stayed out of mischief. And at her age, mischief could be a serious matter. With nourishing food, Amelia had already started to put on a little weight, and the pallor of her skin had receded. Rachel hated to think the girl had not received sufficient food when she was with her grandparents, but her ravenous appetite seemed to prove that.

  One area that needed work was Amelia and her father. Although he tried very hard to talk to the girl, she was determined to keep him at arm’s length. Having been dumped in his lap, and having no knowledge of him before she was dropped off, it would take a long time, and a lot of patience on Rusty’s part.

  Rachel had been delighted to discover the girl had a desire to cook, and was even helpful to her in the kitchen.

  “I’ll be going into town this morning, Amelia. I do that once a month to pick up supplies. Did you want to go with me?” Rachel folded the long list of needed items and tucked it into her cloth bag.

  “No, Mrs. Stevens.”

  Thinking Amelia would like to get away from the ranch for a while, Rachel was surprised when she turned her down. “Are you sure? A little break might be nice.”

  “Actually . . .” The girl blushed furiously.

  “What?”

  “Well, Mac said he was going to make some pies for tonight, and I thought I’d stay and watch him. Maybe help a little bit.”

  “That’s wonderful, honey. Do you need me to pick up anything for you from town?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t have any money.”

  “Nonsense, your daddy will pay for anything you need.”

  The mulish expression was back. “I don’t need anything.”

  “Very well.” Rachel left the cookhouse and called for Will.

  “Ma, Rusty said I could ride with him today. I don’t want to go to town.”

  Since their kiss last week, Rachel had stayed mostly out of Rusty’s way. He seemed happy to avoid her as well. When she thought back to how wanton she’d behaved, and how her son caught her in that embrace, her face would flame anew. Best to push all of that aside, and pretend it hadn’t happened.

  Rusty strode up behind Will. Much to her annoyance, her gaze immediately dropped to his lips. The lazy grin that broke out on his face told her he knew where her thoughts had wandered. Stiffening her spine, she raised her chin. “I don’t think leaving you here by yourself all day is a good idea.”

  “I won’t be by myself, Ma. Mr. McIntyre and me have things to do.”

  She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at his comment and serious expression. Since Rusty stood behind Will, he had no reason to hide his grin.

  “I assure you, ma’am, I will take good care of the boy. He actually helps me quite a bit by jumping down and looking at things close hand and reporting back. Helps get rid of all that energy Will is blessed with.”

  Will getting close to Rusty, Amelia living in her house, and that kiss. It was all a bit too much. She didn’t want involvement with this man. But, somehow they were being pushed together from all sides. A day away from it was just what she needed.

  “Very well, but I want you to promise me you will listen to everything Mr. McIntyre says. No going off on your own, understand?”

  “Yes, Ma. I promise.” He jumped up and down, his face and body full of enthusiasm. Lord, this was not good. Hopefully when school started up again in another few weeks, she could get him away from his cowboy adoration.

  ***

  No matter how hard Rusty tried to push the kiss to the back of his mind, he failed. He’d had several women over the years since Beatrice, and was always able to walk away when it was over. Not so this time. That was what he got for messing with a ‘forever’ woman. ‘Forever women’ got into your blood and under your skin until you were tied in knots. And women being the unfaithful creatures they were, they were all best left to a once-in-a-while thing.

  He watched the exchange between mother and son. She tried unsuccessfully to keep Will from spending the day playing at being a cowboy. Although the kid was young, it was doubtful he would love college and all that it offered as much as he loved riding the range and tending to the cattle. When he looked into Will’s eyes, he saw himself at that age. Once it was in your blood, it was hard to get out.

  Much like ‘forever women.’

  “Are you going into town alone?”

  Rachel tugged on her driving gloves. “Yes. I do most of the time. Why?”

  “I just wonder how safe it is for a woman traveling alone back and forth.”

  “I’ve never had a problem before.”

  “Except when you got stuck in the mud.” He winked at her.

  “One trip out of the dozens I’ve taken. I’ll be fine.” She bent and bussed Will’s cheek. “Be good. Mind Mr. McIntyre and don’t cause trouble. Remember this is his work, not a game.”

  “I know.” he rolled his eyes and glanced red-faced at Rusty. “You’re treating me like a baby, Ma.”

  The genuine smile of deep love as she gazed upon her son softened Rachel’s face, leaving Rusty with a yearning so strong to see that love directed at him that he broke into a sweat.

  You’re getting yourself into deep trouble here, buddy.

  “Let’s go,” he snapped at Will. He had to get away from her and these feelings before he did something incredibly stupid, like haul her against him and kiss her in front of her kid and the whole world.

  He and Will headed to their horses and saddled up. They were no more than a few yards from the barn when the questions started. But this time Rusty’s unease grew as they rode.

  “Mr. McIntyre, did you kiss my mom again?”

  “Ah, no.”

  “Why not?”

  “Why not?” How the hell was he supposed to answer that question?

  “Do you like my ma?”

  “Of course I like your ma.” Rusty ran his finger along the inside of his neckerchief. He glanced up at the sky. The sun was strong, July heat in Oklahoma could dry a man up.

  “Why don’t you marry her?”

  “Marry?” Lord, his voice squeaked worse than when he was still wet behind the ears.

  “Yeah, then we could all live in the same house. Me, you, Amelia and my mom. Wouldn’t that be great?”

  “Ah, people don’t marry just so they can live in the same house.”

  “Why do they marry?”

  Damnation. Why was he the one answering these questions? Why wasn’t Rachel here, raising her kid?

  Rusty pulled himself up in the saddle and gave Will what he hoped was a serious-business look. “That is something you need to talk to your ma about.”

  “Oh. Do you think she’ll ever let me get a puppy?”

  ***

  Rachel waved goodbye to Mr. Wells and headed out of town. Gathering supplies had taken more time than usual this trip. Her list had been longer, some of
the items needed were still packed in shipping boxes in the Wells’ back room, and she had to wait for them to be opened. She glanced up at the sky, glad to see clear blue, and no problems with coming storms. She pulled the brim of her bonnet down to block as much of the setting sun from her eyes as she could.

  The wagon was loaded down with the usual supplies, with the addition of some bright pink calico and blue and white gingham, so she could sew a couple of dresses for Amelia. She was a pretty little thing, but her clothes were too small and well-worn. Her grandparents had not taken very good care of the girl.

  She sighed when she thought about Amelia and Rusty. They still dealt with each other as strangers. Which, of course they were. Just because someone had been presented as your blood relation didn’t mean you had to feel any love for them. Particularly when you’d been dumped in their lap at fourteen years of age.

  Rusty deserved quite a bit of credit, however. He did try to reach the girl, but she was cold and aloof, rejecting all his efforts. Instead, she turned to Rachel and clung to her as if she were her lifeline, which she supposed made sense. It wasn’t necessary for Amelia to feel anything for Rachel, and there was no pressure to accept her as a parent. So they had developed a friendship.

  While Amelia was turning to Rachel, her son was becoming much too attached to Rusty. Will had begun to walk like Rusty, imitating his loose-limbed stride. He cocked his hat in the same way as his idol, and yesterday she’d caught him casting Rusty’s lazy grin at her.

  For a minute there, when she was about to leave for town, it appeared Rusty would grab her and kiss her again. The look in his eyes had her stomach fluttering and her palms damp. When he abruptly turned to Will to mount up, the bond had been broken, and she wasn’t sure if she felt disappointment or relief.

  She couldn’t afford to allow this attraction. Will was her priority, and raising him properly was what she needed to concentrate on. Romance was for young lovers. She was past that stage. Marriage had not been so overwhelmingly wonderful that she was ready for a repeat.

  Rambling along the familiar path, her thoughts full of the people in her life, she didn’t notice the sound of approaching horses until they were right behind her. In a matter of minutes, three riders surrounded her wagon. She glanced briefly in their direction, didn’t recognize any of the men. Nodding politely, she stared straight ahead, aware of the shotgun under her seat, wishing it were on her lap.

  “Hey, missy, can you tell us how far to Guthrie?”

  She turned to the man who asked the question. He hadn’t seen the inside of a bathtub for quite some time. He grinned at her with his two front teeth missing. She really wished her shotgun was on her lap.

  “If you’re going to Guthrie, you’re headed in the wrong direction. It’s behind you.”

  “Is that right?” He grinned again, and looked across her to the man on her other side. “Did you hear that, Sam? It seems we’re heading in the wrong direction.”

  The other man laughed as though that was the funniest thing he’d heard all day. Rachel’s heart pumped double time, but she took a deep breath and told herself not to panic. They were probably just being friendly.

  “Maybe we don’t want to go to Guthrie after all. Maybe we just want to ride along with you.”

  Oh, God. She was in trouble. Dusk had settled in, and she was still a good three miles from the ranch. There never was a whole lot of traffic on this road, but she prayed for someone to come along.

  “What do you say, missy? Can we all just ride along with you?”

  The man named Sam guffawed again at the first man’s question.

  “Suit yourself.” She barely got the words out of her dry mouth. Why had she been so sure that she would be all right? Getting a wheel sunk in the mud was bad enough. This time she could be in a worse mess. She kept her face forward, plodding along, hoping the men were just teasing her and would soon be on their way.

  The third man came up from behind her and grabbed one of her horse’s reins. “I think it’s time we stopped this pretty little gal and had us a party.” He yanked on the reins until her horses stopped.

  All the terror she had been holding down rose to her chest as she screamed at the top of her lungs. The first man jumped from his horse onto her wagon and clamped his filthy hand over her mouth. He bonnet fell off her head, dangling on her back. She shoved her elbow back, hitting his soft middle. He only grunted and wrapped his arm around her waist, dragging her out of the wagon. She bit his finger, and he cursed and grabbed a clump of her hair, yanking so hard tears rushed to her eyes.

  Once they were on the ground, the man named Sam grabbed her feet. She kicked and screamed again, but the hand wrapped around her mouth muffled the sound. With the first man’s arm snug around her waist and Sam holding her feet, they raced into the bushes. They threw her on the ground, her hip striking a tree limb. She opened her mouth to scream again, and a dirty rag was shoved into her mouth.

  Rachel gagged, terrified she would vomit and choke to death. The third man placed his boot on her middle. “Stop wiggling around, girly, and this won’t take no time a’ tall. Hell, if you lay back real nice you might even enjoy it.”

  Both of her hands were pulled behind her back, and tightly bound. She now lay on the ground with her arms restrained and the rag stuffed into her mouth. Kicking out, she caught Sam on his chest as he knelt in front of her. He brought his hand back and slammed his fist into her face, causing lights to burst in her head.

  Disoriented for a minute, she felt him lean over her and rip the front of her dress in two, exposing her breasts to the cooling night air. “Oh, yeah. We’re gonna have us a real party tonight, boys.” He grabbed at her breast, squeezing until tears stung her eyes. She rolled onto her stomach, swallowing to keep the bile rising in her throat from going any further.

  Terrified at what they were about to do, she prayed they wouldn’t kill her. Being her precious son’s only parent, she would do whatever it took to stay alive. If she had to lay still, then dear God, she would do it to survive.

  One of the men flipped her back over and held her shoulders down, the other gripped her feet. Sam stood and began to unbuckle his belt as he stared down at where he’d torn her dress. “Yeah, she’s a looker, this one. I’m fixin’ to have us a real party with this gal.”

  Chapter Five

  Rusty pulled his pocket watch out again to glance at the time. Only five minutes had passed since he’d last checked. He rested his hands on his hips and looked down the road, frowning. Dusk was settling in, and Rachel should have been back a while ago. She’d mentioned that she had a long list of supplies this time, but she’d been gone all day.

  “Mr. McIntyre, where’s my ma?”

  Rusty squatted in front of the boy and tugged on his hat brim. “I’m sure she’ll be along any minute now. But to speed things along, I’m going to take a ride to town and escort her back.”

  “What does escort mean?”

  “It means I’ll ride alongside her. Sort of like I did when you and your ma got stuck in the mud. Do you remember that?”

  “Yes. You helped us get the wagon not stuck.”

  “That’s right. But here’s what I want you to do.” He took Will’s hand and started walking toward his house. “I’m going to leave you with Amelia in your house. I want you to stay there, and get yourself ready for bed like your ma does. Okay?”

  “Can’t I go with you to escort her home?”

  He shook his head. “No. I think your ma would be happy to come home and find you’ve already had your snack and was ready to sleep.”

  “If you’re sure . . .”

  “Yeah, little buddy, I’m sure.” No doubt everything was fine and Rachel merely got a late start back. But in the pit of his stomach he felt something wasn’t right. He never should have let her go into town by herself. Hell, he had no right to tell her what she could and couldn’t do.

  Then why did he feel like she was his responsibility?

  Rusty opened
the back door to Rachel’s house. Amelia sat at the kitchen table with a glass of milk and a piece of cornbread in front of her. She gave him a curt nod, but smiled at Will. “Is your ma back yet?”

  “No.” Will frowned up at Rusty. “Mr. McIntyre is going to ride into town and escort her home.”

  “Is everything okay?” Amelia’s pinched face added to his anxiety.

  “I’m sure she’s just fine. I want the two of you to get ready for bed and stay in the house until me and your ma get back.”

  Amelia bristled at the order, but the look on his face obviously convinced her there would be no argument on this. He was growing more concerned by the minute, and was anxious to be on his way. “Do I have your word that you’ll stay in the house?”

  “Yes, sir,” Will said.

  Amelia nodded and went back to her cornbread.

  That taken care of, he strode from the house to the barn. After tacking up, he headed down the path to the road to and from town. With the sun making its descent behind the trees, soon it would be almost impossible to see anything.

  About two miles from the ranch he pulled up on the reins at the sound of a woman’s scream. His heart sped up and his stomach clenched. That was Rachel. He slapped his legs against the horse’s heaving sides and they raced toward the sound. After about five minutes, he rounded a bend and spotted the wagon on the road, but there had been no other scream.

  He slid off the horse and looked around, but saw nothing. “Rachel!”

  She didn’t respond, but male voices and sounds of a struggle came from the woods. Pushing aside branches, he made for the sound. Ignoring any small animal holes, he continued to shove aside foliage. He reached a small clearance and rage boiled up in him, practically making his head explode.

  Rachel lay on the ground, the bodice of her dress ripped open to expose her breasts. Two men held her down while another one knelt in front of her, having just dropped his pants. With a howl like an enraged animal, Rusty sprang onto the man’s back, his arm around his neck, choking him.