How was he supposed to respond to that? He couldn’t think of anything to say, so he said nothing.
“You know, it wasn’t easy for me and Priscilla at first either,” Zane said. “You might not remember, but folks had plenty to say about the way she arrived in town. But eventually, she won them over and now, they’ve accepted her as if she’d grown up here. People will forget, but you have to give them time.”
Landry nodded. He had no choice but to give them time and hope the sheriff was right.
“Supper’s ready,” Olivia said, appearing in the doorway.
Her cheeks were flushed, he eyes sparkling. The vision took Landry’s breath away. She was beautiful, and sweet, and everything he’d ever wanted in a woman.
“Are you coming, Landry?” Olivia’s voice slipped into his thoughts, and he realized he’d been staring.
“What … oh …”
Her scent wrapped him in lavender as he slipped past her and she followed him inside.
An hour later, Landry leaned back in his chair. “You’re a fine cook, Olivia,” he said, smiling.
“Thank you.” A tinge of pink colored her cheeks.
Was she not used to compliments? The possibility surprised him. She was beautiful and kind, even if she was a bit pushy when it came to helping people who didn’t want to be helped. But she obviously had a good heart, spending her time helping those less fortunate.
She got up and hurried into the kitchen, returning a minute later with an apple pie and a pitcher of cream.
Just as she set it on the table, a loud thump shook the door. She hurried and opened it. A boy she didn’t recognize stood on the porch. “Is the sheriff here?” he asked Olivia, his voice panic-stricken.
Zane’s chair scraped across the floor and he appeared in the doorway to the dining room and crossed to stand beside Olivia. “What is it?”
“You gotta come quick, Sheriff. There’s a fight … Lester Baines … he …” The boy leaned forward, bracing his hands on his thighs as he tried to catch his breath.
Before the boy finished his sentence, Zane grabbed his hat from the hook behind the door. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he called out, then bounded down the porch steps, the boy hurrying behind him as fast as his short legs could move.
Olivia stood at the door until Zane and the boy disappeared around the corner, then came back into the dining room. and repeated what the boy had said. “I don’t know anything more,” she said. “Now please, let’s finish dessert. There’s nothing we can do, and I’m sure Zane will be back soon.”
Although she set a slice of pie in front of each of them, it seemed their appetites had disappeared. Finally, Olivia got up to clear the table, but Priscilla took the plates out of her hand and put them back down. “Why don’t you and Landry go into the parlor or out onto the porch and talk for a little while? I’ll wash up the dishes.”
“Oh, no—”
Priscilla gave her a gentle shove. “You cooked. I’ll clean up. I insist.”
“All right then,” Olivia said. “The porch?” she asked Landry.
He nodded.
Night had fallen while they were having their meals, and only a full moon illuminated their surroundings.
Her glance searched the shadows for Zane. “I hope there’s not too much trouble …” she murmured.
“Lester Baines has always been a troublemaker,” Landry told her.
“I don’t know him.”
“You’re better off that way. Lester and my brother were friends.”
“And now?”
“Lester’s still here and Tobias … he just got out of prison a few weeks ago.”
“Will he come back to Rocky Ridge?”
“I don’t think so,” Landry said. “He talked about heading down Texas way.” He didn’t add that even though he wanted his old life back, he was afraid that Tobias was too angry now to pick up the pieces. It made him sad to think that the bond they’d once shared was gone.
“You don’t want to see him?” Olivia asked quietly. “I don’t have any brothers or sisters, and I always thought how nice it would be to have family.”
Landry shook his head. “I do, but I want the brother I used to have. He’s not the same man now. I keep hoping he’ll change back to the man he used to be, but I’m not sure he can.”
“I’m sorry …”
“None of it would have happened if Tobias hadn’t …” He let the rest of the words die on his tongue. “I’m not blaming him. It was my own fault for looking up to him, I suppose, and for trying to pay him back for what he’d done for me.”
“What do you mean?”
He didn’t answer for quite some time, trying to find the right words to explain what had happened. Olivia sat, waiting patiently, and he appreciated that.
He looked up at the night sky. The sight of those stars never got old, not since he’d spent so much time never seeing the sky.
“After my ma died, my pa took to the bottle. He was a mean drunk, and more times than not, it was Tobias that made sure I got fed. He made sure I had clean clothes to wear and that I went to school. He’s the one who stood between me and my pa and took the beatings intended for me, too. So I looked up to him, wanted to be just like him.”
Olivia rested her hand on his forearm, her gentle touch sending streaks of heat through him to settle low in his belly. He’d felt a woman’s touch since he got out of prison, but never one that wrapped around his insides and made him feel … soft. And … cared about.
“But sometimes because you care about somebody, you ignore your gut instinct or accept things you shouldn’t.”
“If you’d rather not talk about it …” Olivia began.
“I do want to. You know I’ve been in prison, and Zane likely told you why.” He turned to face her. The lamplight gave her face a golden glow.
“He said you were convicted of robbing the bank.”
“I was.”
“Will you do it again?” she asked.
“No.” The word came out strong and sure. That much he could guarantee.
She smiled up at him. “That’s all I need to know.”
“You’re too trusting,” he admonished her.
“I prefer to trust people until they give me reason not to rather than the other way around.”
He used to think that way, too, until he’d found out the hard way that sometimes, trusting somebody could destroy your life. “It’s easy to get hurt that way.”
“I suppose that’s true,” she agreed, “but sometimes trust is all you can give someone.”
A resigned sigh escaped his lips. Resigned because she was exactly the kind of woman he’d been looking for before he went to prison. And the kind of woman he didn’t deserve now.
He wanted to kiss her. Wanted to feel her lips against his. Wanted to feel his arms around her, her softness against him.
What would she do if he kissed her? Would she slap him? Never speak to him again?
And what would he do if he kissed her? Would one kiss be enough? Or would it only make him want her more?
He shouldn’t do it. He’d regret it. But he couldn’t stop himself.
As if she sensed the war going on inside him, her lips parted, her eyes searching his. And if he wasn’t wrong …
He took a step closer, his hand reaching up to cradle her chin. For a moment, he didn’t move, just took in the invitation in her eyes, then lowered his lips to hers. At the first touch of the softness of her lips, heat swept through his veins, settling low in his belly.
He kept the kiss as gentle as he could, sensing he might scare her if he deepened the kiss the way he was tempted to.
Lord, he wanted her. He’d never wanted a woman more. But she wasn’t a saloon whore. She was a lady, a lady who was too good for him.
He released her lips and gazed down at her. Her eyes sparkled, her breath coming in short gasps. He glanced at her lips, desire like a whirlwind inside him.
“Landry?” Her voice was bar
ely more than a whisper, but the invitation was clear. He swore, closing the gap, needing to feel her sweetness again more than he needed to breathe. He was lost!
***
Heavens! What was wrong with her?
The taste of Landry’s lips intoxicated her. In the furthest recesses of her mind, she knew she should wrench herself out of his arms, should slap him for his boldness, and evict him from her house. And her life.
The night was warm and the lamp inside illuminated the porch. She breathed deeply, taking in the heavy perfume from the rosebushes growing near the porch.
And Landry’s unique scent – soap, leather, male.
Eyes closed, she tilted her head, allowing Landry more access to her lips. Her curves molded to the hard planes of his chest, and she could feel his heart beating steadily through the thin fabric of her blouse.
His fingers grazed her throat, then wrapped her hair in his fist, the pressure of his lips on hers growing stronger. Her body tingled, heat and something she couldn’t define surging through her limbs.
The sensation was so exquisite she wanted to stay like this all night. Forever.
Suddenly, his hands gripped her shoulders and eased her away from him. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “But I’ve been wanting to do that since the minute I saw you in that alley.”
As much as she hated to admit it, she’d wanted it, too. And now that she’d tasted his lips, she wanted more. She wasn’t exactly sure what ‘more’ was, only that something deep inside her craved it.
He placed another light kiss on her lips. “I have to go.”
“Now? It’s still early and—”
“I need to go. Right now.” Turning, he bounded down the porch steps. As he disappeared into the night, the door opened.
Priscilla exited the house to stand beside her on the porch. “Landry left?” she asked.
Olivia nodded, wishing she knew what she’d done to send him hurrying away.
Chapter Five
The next day, Olivia studied the bags and cans on the shelf behind the counter in Todd’s Mercantile the next morning. “A half pound of raisins and two pounds of sugar please.”
Cammie Todd let out a laugh and shook her head good-naturedly. “I swear you go through more sugar than anyone else I know.”
Olivia chuckled. She and Cammie had become friends when she’d joined Priscilla’s knitting circle soon after Olivia had settled in Rocky Ridge. “You know how much I like to bake, and the children at the orphanage love it when I bring them treats. I planned to make cookies this afternoon but I didn’t have enough raisins.”
“You spoil those children,” Cammie commented, filling a scoop with sugar and pouring it into a paper bag. She set it on the scale beside her and watched the dial until it stopped, then added more until it registered two pounds. “I wonder if you’ll spoil your own children as much when you have them.”
Olivia’s smile faded. Having grown up as an only child, she’d always hoped for a large family one day. But time was running out. Even though she knew of two gentlemen in town who were interested in courting her, she couldn’t imagine marrying for anything less than true love.
Not only did she have no romantic feelings for either of the two men, until a few days ago, she hadn’t met even one man in town who stirred any emotion in her at all.
“Anything else I can get for you?” Cammie asked.
Olivia shook her head. “Not today, thanks.”
A few minutes later, Olivia left the mercantile, her basket over her arm.
She’d stopped to admire a bonnet in the milliner’s window when she saw caught sight of Mrs. Lundstrom, the town busybody, out of the corner of her eye.
As if Olivia had a bullseye on her back, Mrs. Lundstrom hurried toward her. “Good afternoon, Olivia,” she said. “How are you? I haven’t seen you since that unfortunate incident the other day.”
Olivia returned her greeting. “I’m fine, thank you.”
“I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard what happened. Why, this town is going to ruin.”
“I also heard that …” Her voice lowered to a whisper and she slid a glance to the side, checking to make sure no one was within earshot. “That ex-convict saved you. How fortunate for you that he just happened to be nearby.”
Sarcasm laced Mrs. Lundstrom’s voice. Did she think Landry had something to do with it?
“It was very fortunate.” Olivia met her glance steadily. “If Mr. Mitchell hadn’t happened to be there, I don’t like to think about what would have happened.”
“What was he doing there anyway? The livery is at the other end of town. Unless the two of them were friends …”
Knowing Mrs. Lundstrom’s reputation for being the biggest gossip in town, Olivia was well aware she had to be careful with any information she offered. Still, what had happened was common knowledge, and it surprised her Mrs. Lundstrom hadn’t already made a point of digging out every detail. Or perhaps she had, and she was hoping for a juicy tidbit that no one else knew.
“I see …”, Mrs. Lundstrom said once Olivia explained why Landry was close by when she was attacked, “but you do realize those kinds of people … I wouldn’t believe everything you hear …”
Olivia plastered a smile on her lips. “Oh, believe me, Mrs. Lundstrom, I don’t.”
“Terrible what this world is coming to,” Mrs. Lundstrom muttered. “A man like him walking around free as a bird among decent God-fearing people …”
Olivia couldn’t listen to her any longer. Normally, she hated any kind of gossip, but in this case … A tiny smile creased her lips.
“But did you hear about what he did yesterday?”
“Who?”
“Mr. Mitchell.”
Mrs. Lundstrom’s lips pursed and a frown creased her forehead. “Why no, I didn’t. What did he do?”
At supper the night before, Zane had asked Landry if it was true that he’d helped Mr. Mooney repair his roof. Landry had seemed uncomfortable talking about it, but finally admitted he had. Then he’d quickly changed the subject.
Olivia described what had happened, taking her time, all the while knowing whatever she said would spread like wildfire.
“I’m sure he had an ulterior motive,” Mrs. Lundstrom pointed out when she was done.
“I’m sure you’re right. He was likely being a good neighbor by trying to prevent Mr. Mooney from injuring himself.”
“Hmmph,” Mrs. Lundstrom sputtered. “Well, dear, you’re young and naïve. Mark my words, he’s up to no good.”
Olivia bristled. It was people like Mrs. Lundstrom who made it impossible for anyone to get past their mistakes and move on. “Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Lundstrom, but I do my best to forgive, as the Bible says we should. Now I’m sorry I don’t have time to talk more. I really must hurry. Good day.”
Before the woman had a chance to respond, Olivia hurried away. She didn’t trust herself not to say something she might regret. Anger rushed through her. The woman was insufferable, but for once, her gossip might be helpful.
***
The Lucky Shamrock was full when Landry wandered in once he’d taken care of his evening chores and closed the main door to the livery for the night.
He’d been busier than usual that day. He didn’t know why, but he wasn’t about to question it. Even the new dentist in town had stopped by to ask him to look at the wheel on his buggy.
Landry sidled his way to the bar, rested one booted foot on the rail, and said, “Beer,” in answer to the bartender’s questioning glance.
Ansel opened the spigot and filled and glass, then slid it down the smooth surface of the bar before he moved away to tend to another customer.
Landry lifted it to his lips and took a long swallow. The liquid cooled his mouth, his insides warming as he swallowed and it flowed down.
He needed sleep, and he hoped that exhaustion from working more than twelve hours straight and the beer would be enough to keep thoughts of Olivia out of his mind long
enough that he could get some shuteye.
He never should have gone to church, never should have agreed to have supper with her, and he definitely never should have kissed her.
One of the biggest mistakes you’ve ever made, Mitchell, he chastised himself. Some things couldn’t be undone, and the memory of the warmth of her lips on his was one of them.
A voice calling his name drew his attention. He turned. Four men sat at a table, a deck of playing cards in the center. He recognized two of the men as hands from one of the ranches outside of town.
“Got an empty seat here,” a ranch hand he knew only as Reese said. “Want to sit in?”
He didn’t. All he wanted to do was finish his beer and head back to the livery to sleep. But this was the first time anybody had asked him to play poker since he got back. If he ever wanted to get his life back, it wouldn’t be a good idea to refuse.
“Thanks.” Picking up his glass, he jostled his way to the table and sat down.
“I’m out,” he said two hours later. He drained his beer, then scooped up a few coins off the table. “Thanks for the game.”
He got up, said goodnight and left the saloon. The air was cool and fresh after the smoke in the saloon, and for the first time since he’d come back to town, he thought he might still have a chance to turn things around.
***
“We have to do something for the children,” Olivia said to Almira a few mornings later as they chopped vegetables in the orphanage kitchen. “I’ve never seen them misbehave so badly.”
Almira set down her knife and began kneading her hand. Olivia couldn’t help but notice the older woman’s enlarged knuckles and misshapen fingers. Rheumatism, she’d told Olivia once. It bothered her in damp weather.
“It’s the rain.” Almira’s glance strayed to the large window overlooking the gardens. “They haven’t been able to get outside to run around, and the only way for them to use up their energy is to fight with each other.”
It had been raining for what seemed like forever, and looking at the slate gray sky outside, it seemed it was never going to stop. Olivia had been feeling out of sorts herself, but she suspected it had more to do with the way Landry had left right after kissing her senseless than the weather.
Landry's Back in Town (Rocky Ridge Romance Book 1) Page 5
