A Bride's Dilemma

by Blythe Carver

  Knox was amused by the smooth flow into graciousness. He gave the man a warm smile and held out his hand.

  “Sheriff Robert Knox. It’s good to meet you, Mr. Banks.”

  6

  Melissa listened to Noah chattering on in his baby talk, telling his mother all about his day with Aileen, the kids’ nanny. Melissa moved her eyes around the table, seeing her brothers, their wives, the children, but not really paying attention to them.

  She couldn’t get her mind off the problems she was having with Jonah. If he had been seeing another woman behind her back, it would have been so easy to break things off with him. But in Shady Forks, Jonah would never have been able to get away with such a thing. The only way he would carry on with another woman was if she was going up into the woods when he cut down trees, and even then, his coworkers would have seen and said something. The Winchester family was much more popular than Jonah Bell.

  Even with his suspicious behavior, Melissa still wanted to trust that Jonah could be the man he used to be. There had been a time when she would have done anything for him. She remembered the feeling, and it made her heart melt for him.

  Maybe he’d just gotten in over his head. It was a possibility. She didn’t keep track of how many games he played, whom he owed, what he was gambling on. He was a grown man. She didn’t want to be responsible for him or his behavior.

  But she loved him. At least she had. What kind of woman was she that she could let her love slip away just because the man she loved was going through a hard time? What did that say about her?

  Maybe she should try to be there for him. That would mean asking him about what she’d seen. If he needed money, she could offer him some.

  The thought of taking from the Winchester family fortune to pay off any debts her future husband might have before they were even married set off alarms in her head. If he needed it now to pay his debts, what did that say for after they were married and he had access to the Winchester wealth?

  Rich and Nate wouldn’t let anything happen to her or their fortune, though. They were a lot smarter than Jonah.

  Eddie, her five-year-old nephew, launched himself from his chair, and Melissa realized the children were done and leaving to get ready for bed. He and his brother and cousins made far too much noise as they left the room, but they were all pleasant sounds, and the adults watched with smiles as Aileen shuffled the children out. Their mothers, Theresa and Annie, were also leaving as they did every night to help the little ones get settled in.

  Annie stopped behind her chair and leaned over to her, setting one hand on Melissa’s shoulder.

  “Talk to Rich and Nate, Melissa. You need their advice.”

  Melissa felt her cheeks heat up as her brothers both turned curious eyes toward her. She glanced up and nodded at her sister-in-law. “Yes, all right. I will.”

  The men watched their wives leave the room, nodding and accepting the kisses they blew through the air. Then they both returned their gazes to their sister.

  “What’s going on, Mell?” Nate asked, tossing his napkin on his plate and sitting back, looking satisfied.

  Melissa was quiet for a moment, unsure where she even wanted to start when it came to talking to the two men about it. She didn’t want to hide anything from them. It was just jumbled in her mind. She finally blurted out, “I think there’s something wrong with Jonah. I mean, not something physically wrong, although if there was, I certainly wouldn’t know. He hasn’t opened up to me about anything in six months or more.”

  Rich, the oldest of the three siblings, sat forward, narrowing his eyes at her. “By open up, you mean what exactly? Has he always been someone who confides in you?”

  “I thought so,” she replied. “And I mean just talking to me about how he’s feeling and what he’s doing. He used to, so I’ve noticed the difference. And now I’m seeing him with these strangers in town and… I don’t like it. I know both of you have to be suspicious, too. After Saturday night and then him not showing up at church to sit with us. He hasn’t been speaking to me. I really feel like he’s avoiding me. How can I say he’s my betrothed when he doesn’t even talk to me?”

  She’d worked herself up into a little frenzy and forced herself to calm down, taking slow, steady breaths. Her heart was pounding.

  Rich and Nate were quiet for a moment, watching her.

  “I’ve been worried about him for a while, Mell,” Rich said in a low voice. He was subconsciously tapping one finger on the surface of the table in front of him. “I didn’t say anything to you because I respect your decisions and opinions. I know you aren’t stupid, and I don’t need to tell you anything you will quickly see for yourself.”

  Melissa nodded. She knew her brother wouldn’t have let her go too far if Jonah didn’t straighten up.

  “I was just waiting for you to say something,” Nate added. “And let me apologize now, Melissa. The two of us have been talking about this since we’ve started seeing Jonah change. Those men in town, I don’t know them. Neither does Rich. That means we can’t know what influence they have on Jonah.”

  Rich had been turned at an angle. He straightened up and leaned forward more. “Mind you, we aren’t going to tell you what to do or forbid you from seeing him. Nothing like that. But we would have warned you what you were getting into if Jonah didn’t change. Now that you see it, what do you suggest? We’re both willing to help you, no matter what you choose.”

  Melissa appreciated the respect her brothers had for her. Unfortunately, this was one occasion when she wished they would put their foot down with her, forcing her to take action in whatever form they felt necessary. All so that she didn’t have to take responsibility for the consequences, which there invariably would be.

  She sighed. “Have either of you talked to him at all?”

  The brothers looked at each other.

  “Do you want us to?” Rich asked in a voice that expressed his surprise.

  “I think it would be enlightening to see if he will talk to you and what he has to say. Every time I’ve tried to get him to talk to me, he’s run off like he doesn’t know who I am.”

  Nate seemed irritated. His frown made Melissa feel better because it affirmed someone actually cared. It was obvious Jonah didn’t. Whenever Melissa felt unloved, she knew she could turn to her family to let her know how valued she was.

  “I’ll say something to him for you,” Rich said, “but before I do, maybe you should try one more time on your own. If it doesn’t work and he actively ignores you or, God forbid, runs away from you, you come tell us. We’ll go have a talk with him. If anything, he can’t keep you betrothed when you could be free to find another man to love. One who won’t ignore you when times get tough. Marriage takes work if it’s going to work, and two people are going to be happy together.”

  Melissa nodded. At that point, she wasn’t sure she would ever be able to find happiness with Jonah. The way he had been treating her had done a lot of damage to the way she felt about him. She didn’t want to marry a man who could act like she wasn’t even alive, even for a short time.

  The love Jonah had given her in the past made his new behavior even harder for her to deal with. It hurt more than she expected it would.

  “I don’t know where he is half the time,” she remarked, trying to think of a way to confront him.

  “Try the corner deli in the early hours,” Nate suggested. “He goes there every morning for a fresh cup of coffee before going to the lumber mill.”

  “He does?” Melissa wasn’t sure if that was something she should know.

  Her brother nodded. “Yep. Seven sharp. Show up, and you won’t miss him.”

  Melissa wanted to be important to the man she married. She wanted it to be impossible for him to avoid her and not talk to her for a week or more. She didn’t want to be ignored for even a day.

  It was pushing ten days since he’d said even a word to her.

  7

  The air was crisp and cool when Melissa ro
de toward the corner deli in the main business area of Shady Forks. Just as her brother had said, she could see the large form of Jonah Bell sitting at an outside table, his eyes down on a folded newspaper in his hand.

  Melissa stopped where she was, some yards away, her heart pounding in her chest. She shouldn’t be so nervous. She could remember being excited and happy when she spotted Jonah out and about. Now she was anxious and anticipated being hurt by him. It shouldn’t be that way.

  She pulled in a deep breath and forced herself to finish walking over to him. She tried to look like she was strolling casually so no one would know she was tied up in knots inside.

  Melissa dropped into the chair set at an angle to him, making herself smile whether she wanted to or not.

  “Jonah. I’ve been trying to get your attention for over a week. Have you been all right?”

  When he looked up at her, Melissa was overwhelmed by a familiar feeling. She saw a softness in the big man’s eyes that had always taken her heart before. It succeeded again.

  “I’ve been really busy, Melissa,” he replied in a voice that wasn’t unkind. “I’ve had some things going on that I have to take care of. No need for you to be involved or worried about it.”

  Melissa had to decide if she wanted to accept that bland excuse or push the point.

  If there was one thing Melissa was not known to be, it was a wallflower. She was outgoing and liked to talk and be friends. She wasn’t used to keeping things inside.

  In the end, it was impossible for her.

  Her chest was so tight it was hard to breathe. But she pushed the words out anyway.

  “Jonah, I know there’s something going on. I wish you’d talk to me. You know if you are having any kind of trouble at all, I’m here for you. You do know that, don’t you?”

  Jonah had resumed reading his paper. When she spoke, he lowered the paper and gazed at her. Melissa tried to feel the way she had before his change in behavior. She searched her heart for the love she’d felt just as she searched his eyes for what she used to see.

  Neither made an appearance.

  “There’s nothing you can do to help me, Melissa,” he responded, his voice low. “It’s nice of you to offer. But there’s some things women just don’t understand. And if you can’t understand, you can’t help. Isn’t that right?”

  Melissa’s cheeks were burning. She felt belittled even though what he was saying was probably right. And it didn’t have anything to do with her being a woman and not understanding. It was because Jonah had turned to gambling, and that was something Melissa couldn’t understand.

  “I have a problem with that, Jonah,” she said, trying to approach the topic carefully. “I think you have been frivolous with your money, and that could eventually have something to do with me. You must understand that. If we get married, you would have some access to my family's money. I don’t want to put that in jeopardy.”

  Jonah narrowed his eyes, leaving them on her unblinking for a prolonged period of time. She shifted in her seat, feeling a little uncomfortable under his hard gaze.

  “You think I’m gambling?” he asked in a menacing way.

  Suddenly Melissa wished she had brought one of her brothers along for security. The thought had never occurred to her.

  “I think that’s always a possibility,” she responded softly. “I think it’s something I need to find out about. It affects me.”

  Jonah continued to stare at her. She searched his face. When he spoke again, she was caught off guard.

  “You really care about me, don’t you, Melissa?”

  She blinked at him. She’d been stewing, angry, for so long it was hard not to feel any other way. She forced an answer.

  “Yes. Of course I do. We’re supposed to get married. How could I be betrothed to a man I don’t care about? I’m not that kind of woman. I certainly don’t need security, do I? It has to be something else, doesn’t it?”

  He simply looked at her.

  “It’s love.” She opened her eyes wide. “Isn’t it?”

  “I think there was a time when you loved me more than anything else in the world,” he replied quietly. After another pause, he continued, “and I wish you still felt that way. I don’t think you do, though. Do you.” The question came out sounding more like a statement.

  Melissa tried to think of the best way to put her response. “Things change with time, Jonah. Of course the initial lovestruck feeling isn’t going to last. That’s just the way life is. We all mature and grow.”

  “But is that the way it’s supposed to be? Don’t you want to stay in love with the man you marry for your whole life? You might not even love me now.” He studied her face. “Do you? Do you still love me?”

  Melissa blinked at him, wondering how he could even ask a question like that. And why would he ask her that when it was he who had changed.

  “Do you love me?”

  A disgusted look came to his face. “You’re not going to answer me, huh? Turning it around on me, so I have to answer the question instead.” He shook his head. “Typical of you. You can’t even say you love me.”

  Melissa’s chest tightened. This was what she didn’t want.

  “Let’s not argue, Jonah,” she responded. “Can’t you just tell me what’s been bothering you and taking your time so much lately?”

  “It’s something I have to deal with on my own. There’s no reason for me to even get you involved.”

  Melissa was quiet for a moment, wishing she had the right words to make him open up to her. “You won’t tell me what it is that’s bothering you? Is it because you owe money? Or is it something else?” She hesitated and added the question even though she knew the answer already. “Are you interested in another woman?”

  Jonah abruptly laughed but in a way that did not express humor. “Another woman? Have you lost your mind, gal? No. I have no interest in any other woman. I’ve got all the woman I need right here in you. Or do you not think you are good enough for me?”

  “Of course I am,” Melissa retorted, resentment sliding through her.

  Jonah nodded.

  Melissa was left feeling empty. She hadn’t really gotten any answers from him. He hadn’t made her angry or gotten angry with her. And nothing had changed from when she’d sat down twenty minutes ago.

  “You should go get a cup of coffee if you’re going to sit here with me until I’m done. I ordered breakfast and have to eat it before I go to work. You can eat with me. And maybe we can set up a time to get together tomorrow or the day after. That would be nice, right? That’s what you want?”

  He was acting like he was giving her a gift. She pushed down the resentment, nodding.

  “Okay. That sounds nice.”

  One more try, she thought. One more time we can go out together, and I’ll make my decision then.

  “I’m going inside to get my food,” he said, jerking one hand over his shoulder. “You want something for breakfast or not?”

  Melissa shook her head, suddenly deciding she didn’t want to spend any more time with him that morning. Maybe him avoiding her was actually a good thing. If she didn’t see him every day, she noticed his behavior more when they did meet. In her case, absence had not made the heart grow fonder. Perhaps if he’d been off to war, it would have been different. But he’d made the conscious decision to keep much of his personal life from her, and all that told Melissa was that Jonah Bell could not be trusted.

  8

  Knox rode past the restaurant, looking in the window at the people inside. They all looked so happy. It was the first week anniversary of his arrival in town. He had set up a special meeting with Mayor John Schneider and the members of the town council, including Clayton Banks. He wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted to talk about but figured the way this town went, he wouldn’t have to suggest any topics. Clayton alone would come up with topics to discuss if no one else did.

  He passed the postmaster’s office and several shops before he became aware of a com
motion in the distance. It was in front of the saloon. This time, it wasn’t a group of people surrounding Banks as he talked loudly about the next political election. There were shouts and the sound of fists landing punches as men wrestled in the dirt.

  He rode a little faster and dismounted before Bolt came to a complete halt. Vaulting himself through the sparse crowd to reach to two-on-two brawl, he grabbed the arms of the nearest man and tossed him off the other one. He did the same with the remaining men, making sure to separate them and make them see who he was so they wouldn’t punch him.

  They were all gasping for breath, bloodied and bruised, leaning over and gulping the air.

  “What is going on here?” he demanded. “What is this fight about?”

  None of the men responded, which was a first for Knox. He was used to men fighting with each other and then him when he tried to stop it. They always had something to say and were typically as drunk as they could get.

  But none of these men were talking. They were looking at each other with angry eyes, but not even one was willing to say what the fight was about.

  “Nobody’s gonna tell me, huh?” he asked, looking from one to another. “How about we all go and sit in the jailhouse until you’re ready to get along?”

  “I ain’t goin’ nowhere with them,” one of the men yelled, jerking one finger in his opponent’s direction. “Nothin’ but scum. Scum.”

  “I don’t care what you think of them,” Knox replied. “I don’t want violence in this town. Maybe you all need a little time to talk to each other about all this.”