A Chance to Love Again

by Hutton, Callie

  “He’s sleeping, the doctor has him all fixed up, and there isn’t anything you can do for him except wipe his brow. That can wait.”

  They finished their meal in silence. “You go on into bed. I’m going to take a bath here and camp out on the sofa in the parlor. I’m a light sleeper, so if Will calls out for anything I can hear him.”

  She looked for a moment as if she would argue, but then shrugged and left the table, stumbling to the bedroom. After cleaning up, he checked on Rachel, fast asleep. He took another blanket from the closet and covered her. Being that tired, she needed the extra warmth.

  He sat alongside her on the bed for a while, just watching her in slumber. He smoothed the hair back from her forehead, then leaned down and kissed her lightly.

  Watch out, Mrs. Stevens. I’m about to begin the campaign to make you mine.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Since Big Bob’s housekeeper had moved with them to Arizona Territory, Rusty had never replaced the woman as a measure to cut expenses. Now that Rachel was adamant about working at the ranch while Will recuperated, she took on the task of housekeeper. A position Rusty planned to make a permanent one, but with the title of ‘wife’ attached to it.

  So far they’d gotten along quite well. While he wouldn’t say she had forgiven him, they were pleasant to each other, and the two of them, along with Will and Amelia, sat down in the evening to a meal like a real family.

  Amelia had cut back working in the cookhouse so she could concentrate on her schoolwork. Rusty was happy to discover Amelia was not illiterate, which, given her upbringing, he had suspected. She brought homework each day for Will to complete, so he was keeping up with his class.

  Taking up the slack in the cookhouse was a logical expansion of Rachel’s duties. Pretty soon she was so busy with taking care of Will, checking his schoolwork, keeping up with the housekeeper tasks, and cooking for the men, that Rusty rarely saw her outside of their family meal. That had to stop. Every time he told her he wanted to talk to her, she was either racing into the house, or out the door.

  At least he had convinced Rachel to move into the ranch house since she was his official housekeeper, and no one would think twice about her living under his roof as an employee. No one except Michael, of course, who sent a curt note to him, reminding him that Rachel was his employee, not his plaything, and he was getting his shotgun readied for a visit.

  Damnation, the man needed to use his shotgun on his sister, not on him. But no matter, tonight he was going to talk to her if he had to bind and gag her and drive her into the woods.

  He caught her coming out of Will’s room after she tucked him in for the night. Before she could whip past him, he threw his arm around her shoulders. “Time for our chat, darlin’.”

  “It’s late, Rusty. I have to do some preparation for breakfast tomorrow, and . . .”

  He continued to walk her to the front door, where he snagged her coat off the hook and slung it around her shoulders. “Breakfast preparation can wait.”

  “No, the men want—”

  He swung her around and cupping her face in his hands, took her mouth in a possessive kiss. All the pent up desire and longing for the last several weeks burst forth, setting him on fire. She attempted to pull back, but he wasn’t letting go, and eventually she let out a soft moan and leaned into him.

  Her hands slid up his arms and she encircled his neck, pulling him closer. He moved her head one way and then the other, taking the kiss deep, plundering her mouth like a fine dessert. His thumbs grazed her cheeks, then his fingers slipped into her hair as his mouth continued to sip at her nectar.

  He released her mouth and kissed the soft skin under her ear, nibbling on her ear lobe, then sucking it.

  “Rusty, the children.”

  “Are in bed.” He pulled back and regarded her with piercing look. “Where I want us to be.”

  She shook her head. “No. I’m not that type of woman. I can’t behave that way.”

  “Come with me.” He gripped her hand and led her outside. He tugged her all the way up the path to the small house that she and Will lived in for years. He opened the door and allowed her to pass through.

  She turned and crossed her arms over her chest. “We can’t do this. It’s not right.”

  He leaned his wrists on her shoulders and touched his forehead to hers. “If we go to bed tonight, it will be because you want it. I brought you here to have a long overdue conversation.”

  Her arms dropped to her side and she straightened. “Very well. As long as we both keep our clothes on.”

  “Darlin’, if we take our clothes off it will be our mutual decision.”

  She snorted and walked to the sofa. She pulled her coat closer around her as she sat.

  “Are you cold, sweetheart? I can start a fire.”

  “No. We won’t be here that long.”

  Rusty took a deep breath and joined her on the sofa. “We have a few things to discuss, but first I want to repeat what I said once before. I love you, Rachel Stevens.” He held up his hand as she started to speak. “No. Allow me to finish. I love you, I want to marry you, and help raise your son. I also want you to be a decent mother for Amelia. She’s never had one.”

  “Oh, no. You’re not going to drag the children into this.” She hopped up and rested her hands on her hips. “If memory serves, it was your vile and contemptible accusations that drove me away. I cannot even consider marrying a man who doesn’t trust me.”

  “Come here.” He held out his hand. She hesitated at first, then joined him once more on the sofa.

  “I wasn’t completely honest when I told you about Beatrice, the woman I was planning to marry.”

  She tilted her head, giving him a questioning glance.

  “I told you I returned to the bunkhouse because I needed to get another pair of gloves. Well that part was true, but I believe I purposely left my good gloves there because somewhere deep inside I knew Beatrice was cheating on me. Things she said, looks she cast at the other men. Finding her like that only proved what I had suspected for some time.”

  “I don’t understand what you’re trying to say.”

  “Honey, with love comes trust. You can’t love someone you don’t trust. I didn’t love Beatrice, because something in her behavior told me I couldn’t trust her. But for some reason, I turned that experience into believing all women were the same way. And I reacted the way I did when I found you with Michael because I had just realized I loved you, and because I did, I needed to trust you, and that scared me.”

  He hopped up and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m making a mess of this. I know exactly what I mean, and what I feel, but I can’t tell you, because it all comes out wrong.”

  “What do you feel?”

  “Terrified.”

  She raised her eyebrows, but said nothing.

  “I am terrified that I’m messing this up so bad that you’ll walk out that door and I’ll never get another chance to make it right. I love you so much, it kills me every day to know I could lose you at any time. I need you like I need air.”

  “Oh, Rusty.” She stood and came toward him, and for a moment he thought she was about to walk past him and out of his life. Then he saw the glimmer of tears in her eyes, and the soft smile on her lips. “I love you. And I’m scared, too. Marriage to Billy wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t something I wanted to do again. Don’t you see? We’re both taking a chance. But if we don’t take a chance, we will never have that air we both need to breathe.”

  He pulled her to him, and buried his face in her shoulder, holding her tightly against his body. “Thank God.” He took a shuddering breath, and then leaned back and grinned. “I thought for sure I made things even worse.”

  “Frankly, you almost did. But I think I saved you.”

  “You will always save me.”

  He slid his hands inside her coat and around her soft body. “Remember what I said about taking our clothes off?”

  “Yes.”


  “Well?”

  “Well, what?”

  “Well, how about it?”

  “How about what?”

  He put his mouth to her ear and whispered. “How about taking off our clothes and making use of that bed in the next room?”

  “But it’s cold in here.”

  “Oh, darlin’, trust me. You won’t be cold for long.”

  ***

  Three weeks later

  “Rachel, you look beautiful.” Amelia danced into the room, swirling around so her own dress flared outward. “You are a beautiful bride.”

  “And you are a beautiful bridesmaid.” She glanced lovingly at her soon-to-be stepdaughter.

  “I’m so happy you chose me to be your bridesmaid. I’m surprised you didn’t ask your sister, Ellie.”

  Rachel chuckled. “Ellie doesn’t want to have anything to do with weddings. She says they make her itch. She’s much more comfortable with her life as a schoolteacher and women’s right advocate. In fact, it was all my aunt Tori and I could do to even convince her to come. She said something about me ‘succumbing to the enemy.’”

  She turned to the mirror and smoothed her dress over the slight bump in her tummy. Uncle Jesse wasn’t too happy to learn his niece, whom he was giving away in marriage, was already in a family way. He’d groused until her aunt Tori reminded him that she was in the same condition on their wedding day.

  With all the changes in her life recently it hadn’t occurred to her until a couple of weeks ago that she had missed her courses. She hadn’t had one since she and Rusty made love before their falling out. The doctor said she was probably about three months along.

  “It’s time to leave for the church.” Aunt Tori entered the room, and stopped to stare at her. “Don’t you look beautiful!”

  Rachel had selected a blue watered silk with cream piping for her wedding dress. She never would have spent so much money on a frock, but it was a gift from Uncle Jesse. She wore her mother’s pearls that she and Ellie shared and a cameo that Rusty presented her with two days ago. One final glance in the mirror and she was ready.

  The church was a short ride by buggy. She, Uncle Jesse, Aunt Tori and Amelia rode together. This was so different from her first wedding. Then she had been a young girl, more in love with love than the man she was marrying. Even though her marriage to Billy hadn’t been what she’d dreamed about as a young girl, it had given her Will.

  She had wanted to wait until Will was off his crutches to have the wedding, but neither Rusty nor Uncle Jesse would hear of any delay. She smiled at Uncle Jesse insisting she and Will move into his house until the wedding. Since she was already in a family way, there weren’t any consequences of misbehavior to be faced.

  Uncle Jesse didn’t think it was funny when she pointed that out.

  The cooler weather had already set in, and the ever present Oklahoma wind made the temperature that much colder. She was shivering by the time they reached the church. Uncle Jesse escorted her down the aisle, and within minutes she was no longer Rachel Stevens, but Rachel McIntyre. A moment of surprise arose when the preacher addressed Rusty as Flanagan McIntyre.

  Rusty leaned over at her surprised look and whispered, “Now you know why I go by Rusty.”

  Two hours later they were in the middle of their wedding party at Uncle Jesse’s house. With the help of her daughter, Priscilla, Tori had prepared a mountain of food. And right in the middle of the array of dishes sat a beautiful three-tiered wedding cake.

  “How do you feel, sweetheart? You’re not too tired, are you?” Rusty handed her a glass of punch and studied her from head to toe. He’d been so solicitous since she told him about the baby. So different from Billy’s reaction when she told him about Will being on the way. He’d acted as if nothing was different, and expected her to continue with all the heavy work she normally did around the house.

  As soon as Rusty found out about the baby, he hired a housekeeper, despite Rachel’s assurances that she was fine. A minor clash flared up when he reminded her that she was ten years older with this pregnancy than she had been with Will. Truth be known, she was grateful for the housekeeper. She was, indeed, ten years older, and taking care of Will and doing some cooking for the men took its toll on her, driving her to her bed much earlier than usual.

  Spotting her sister, Rachel hurried to her side. “Ellie! I haven’t had a chance to talk to you all afternoon.”

  Ellie pulled her into a fierce hug. “Are you sure you want to marry that guy?” She motioned with her head to where Rusty stood talking to Michael.

  “Yes, I do. I love him, Ellie. I’m very happy. And, the deed is done.”

  “Huh. Love. Just another prison for women. You know, married women are the unhappiest of all classes. Single women, on the other hand—”

  “Stop!” Rachel laughed at her sister and her feminist speeches. A staunch follower of Susan B. Anthony who had died earlier that year, Ellie attended women’s rights meetings and was adamant about never wanting to marry.

  “You know one day, Ellie Henderson, you’re going to meet a man who will sweep you off your feet. Then I’ll have a good laugh at your wedding.”

  “Bite your tongue, big sister. I’m having enough problems with a man right now.”

  “Oh? Who is that? I thought you avoided men at all costs.”

  “Well, this is one man I cannot avoid. He’s the new principal at school. Mr. Max Colbert. I’ve never met a more stiff-necked, pompous, overbearing man in my life.”

  “My goodness. He has certainly gotten a rise out of you.”

  “Mr. Robinson was such a sweet old man. I loved going to work every day when he was principal.” Her brows drew together and she gritted her teeth. “But Mr. Colbert is awful. He tries to control everything the teachers do. Even when we’re not in school!”

  Rusty joined their group, and put his arm around Rachel. “What has you all riled up?” he asked Ellie.

  “The new principal at the high school. Mr. Colbert.” Ellie shivered. “It annoys me to even say his name.”

  “Ellie, no offense, but I have a feeling Mr. Colbert probably shivers when he says your name.” Rachel cast a warm smile at her sister.

  Ellie grinned. “You think so? I would love to know I annoy him as much as he annoys me.”

  Rusty leaned in to Rachel. “I think it’s time we left. You look tired, Will is fading fast, and Amelia is a bit too interested in your nephew, Paul. How old is he, anyway?”

  Rachel and Ellie exchanged amused glances. “You sound like an over-protective father, dear.”

  Ellie said, “Paul will be sixteen next month.”

  Rusty snorted. “I remember what I was like at sixteen. Now I insist we leave soon.”

  Ellie and Rachel burst out laughing.

  “I don’t think you have to worry about Paul, but I do feel a bit tired. It’s probably best if we leave. It’s been a long day.”

  About an hour later as they drove up to the ranch house, Rachel rested her palm on her tummy where the new baby grew and thanked God for all his blessings. She had a lovely home, a devoted husband, two wonderful children, and another on the way. At one point she never thought she would marry again. But this time it felt right. She looked over at Rusty and met his glance.

  “Welcome home, darlin’.” He leaned over and gave her a kiss.

  “Oh, stop it!” the two passengers in the back cried in unison.

  The End

  A Note from the Author

  I hope you enjoyed Rachel and Rusty’s love story. Are you interested in how Ellie and Max work out their problems? Their story, the fourth book in the Oklahoma Lover series, is available now.

  A Wife by Christmas

  In 1906 Guthrie, Oklahoma, History teacher Ellie Henderson, has been a thorn in High School Principal Max Colbert’s side ever since he took over three months ago. When she’s not flying by his office, late for her class, with books and papers jumbled in her arms, she’s attending Suffragettes meetin
gs against his orders.

  Because of her family connections, he can’t fire her, but he can certainly find someone to marry her, and keep her busy in the kitchen. And far away from his school. Max soon finds that what seemed like a good idea can turn into disaster when Miss Ellie Henderson is involved. The woman is a master at getting into trouble.

  With the Christmas season in full swing, he has many opportunities to introduce her to prospective husbands. However, the uncomfortable feeling is growing that no one is worthy of the minx…

  Get A Wife By Christmas here: http://amzn.to/IgGDhW

  Oklahoma Lover series:

  #1 A Run for Love (Jesse & Tori)

  #2 A Prescription for Love (Michael & Heidi)

  #3 A Chance to Love Again (Rachel & Rusty)

  #4 A Wife by Christmas (Ellie & Max)

  #5 Anyplace but Here (Hunter & Lida Rose) Coming in 2015

  About the Author

  USA Today bestselling author of The Elusive Wife, Callie Hutton writes both Western Historical and Regency romance, with “historic elements and sensory details” (The Romance Reviews). She also pens an occasional contemporary or two. Callie lives in Oklahoma with several rescue dogs, two adult children and a daughter-in-law (thankfully all not in the same house), and her top cheerleader husband of thirty-eight years. She also recently welcomed twin grandsons to her ever expanding family. Callie loves to hear from readers, and would welcome you as a “friend” on Facebook at www.facebook.com/callie.hutton. You can contact her through her website, www.calliehutton.com, or write her directly at calliehutton11@gmail.com.

  Other Books by Callie Hutton

  Marriage Mart Mayhem series:

  #1 The Elusive Wife (Jason & Olivia)

  #2 The Duke’s Quandary (Drake & Penelope)

  #3 The Lady’s Disgrace (Abigail & Joseph)

  #4 The Baron’s Betrayal (Marion & Tristan) Coming January 2015