“Oh, Jake! I don’t know what to say!” Deidre’s eyes danced with happiness as she stared at the brand-new stove. “Thank you!”
Jake chuckled when she threw herself into his arms and kissed his cheek.
“You’re the best brother ever.”
“Helps that I’m your only brother, I imagine.”
His quip was lost on Deidre, who went back to admiring the gleaming ACME Steel Regal Range. It had doors and drawers and an oven that baked food evenly, whatever that meant.
“When can we get it into the kitchen, Boyd?” Deidre was the only one who called Web by his given name, and it always gave Jake a start to hear it. “I can’t wait to begin cooking on it. Just wait and see what tasty meals I’m going to make for you now.”
“There’s incentive, Web.” Jake grinned.
He muttered something under his breath and then sent a look at Rez. “Can you rustle me up some muscle for tomorrow morning?”
“Sure, boss.”
“All together we ought to be able to get that ol’ relic out of the kitchen and this newfangled thing into the house and hooked up.”
Squealing with excitement, Deidre hugged Web around the neck. He laughed and swung her a few inches before setting her down. If two people ever loved each other and weren’t afraid to show it, Deidre and Web were them. Deidre, particularly. She was always good for a hug, and if Jake didn’t watch it, she’d kiss his jaw a couple of times. Kinda embarrassing when it was for no other reason than he’d made it home alive and in time for supper.
“This is one of the best days of my life. A new, modern appliance for my kitchen and two new friends who have promised to help me learn how to use it.” Deidre turned to Jake. “I’m so thrilled that you’ve brought them for a visit. You can’t imagine. I’ve been needing to talk—things only ladies really care to discuss, although I’ve chewed off Boyd’s ear.”
“And that’s all right, honey.” Web winked at her.
“You’re so patient with me.” She looped her arm around his. “Even so, it’s nice to have ladies to talk things over with. I can already tell the three of us will get along just fine. God knew I needed female fellowship, more than I get at church on Sundays.”
Her admission caught Jake off guard. “Well, it certainly had to be of the Lord then because I had no intentions of inviting them . . . at first.” He glanced toward the main house. “Where are Em and Iris now?”
“Getting settled in the guest room.”
Rez removed his hat and wiped his forehead with his sleeve. “They sure are pretty ladies. Bluest eyes I ever saw.”
Jake decided he’d best lay down the law right now. “Watch yourself, Rez. These two are husband hunting by their own admission—well, just Iris admitted it.”
“Husband hunting?” The man grinned. “You don’t say . . . ” He chuckled. “I just might let myself be their prey.”
“That’s up to you. Just stay away from Emily Sundberg.”
Three pairs of eyes fixed on him.
“I have it on good word that she’s spoken for.” That’s the best he could do to recover, and it seemed to work.
“How did the funeral go, Jake?” Deidre peered up at him. “Did you manage all right?” Sadness crept into her gaze.
“All went smoothly, thanks to the Sundbergs, Iris, and the Schulzes. The service was a fine memorial and tribute to Granddad. Afterward the Sundbergs hosted a luncheon in Granddad’s home with help from all the ladies at church. The house was full of friends. Even a state senator showed up to pay his respects.”
“Is that right?” Web seemed impressed.
“To hear it does my heart good.” Deidre smiled.
“I didn’t have to do hardly anything.” Jake would forever be grateful. “All I had to do was convince Aunt Bettina and Uncle Dwight to return to Chicago, which I managed with Mr. Schulz’s help.” Jake relayed the crux of the story.
“Ma would be livid!” Deidre stepped away from Web and dropped her hands onto her round hips. “After what Aunt Bettina put Granddad through all these years, you’d think she’d show some respect.”
“She showed none.” Jake stifled a yawn. “But can we discuss this in greater detail later? I’m tuckered out.”
“Of course. Go take a nap. I swept up your cabin, washed the linens, and remade your bed.” His sister transformed into a regular mother hen.
“You didn’t have to do that in my cabin, but I’m grateful.”
“You’re welcome. Now there’s plenty of time before dinner.” She smiled and sighed at her new stove. “It’ll be the last dinner I serve from my old stove, and I don’t feel a mite sad to see it go. Not when this beauty is waiting for me.” She rubbed her palms together. Anticipation glimmered in her gaze.
Web churned out a short groan. “And you’d best pray I can fit it into your kitchen tomorrow.”
“I know you’ll figure it out.” Jake grinned and lifted his two leather suit bags, which had once belonged to Granddad. Rez picked up the trunk that Jake had filled with odds and ends from the house. He’d also placed the brass lockbox, containing his grandparents’ jewelry, inside the locked trunk. He’d made sure to insure it with the railroad, although the contents were priceless and irreplaceable. Deidre would be happy to have Grandma’s pretty things.
He strode the distance across the yard to his cabin. Inside his place, Rez set down the trunk.
“Thanks, man.” Jake set down his suit bags.
“No problem.” His gaze traveled the circumference of the living area and parked at the tiny hallway leading to the one bedroom in this place. “You want me to carry it farther?”
“Nah, I can manage.”
“Okay, and it’s nice to have you back, Deputy.”
The title put Jake on alert. “Anything going on I should know about?”
“Tornado came through here last Sunday evening.”
“Yeah? Web didn’t say anything.”
“Probably didn’t want to frighten the ladies.”
“Maybe. But, for your future reference, they get tornados in Wisconsin, and Em and Iris don’t scare that easily.”
“Good to know.”
Rez rub his dark, stubbly jaw, reminding Jake that he could use a shave too. A bath and a shave and a set of clean clothes. He’d sure gotten soft those few days in Wisconsin, although he had to say he’d enjoyed all the refinements life offered there. He’d been content—first time in a long while. In fact he nearly forgot the pain he sometimes felt whenever he set foot on this ranch.
Rez touched the rim of his hat. “See you at supper.” He grinned. “I’m happy there will be two more pretty faces at the table tonight. I can gaze on them while I eat instead of lookin’ at ugly cowboys.”
Jake wasn’t amused. “Watch yourself, Rez. I ain’t warning you a second time.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be on my best behavior.”
Jake saw him out.
“But you don’t mind if I would, perhaps, take a little stroll after supper with Miss Hopper?”
“It’s up to her. But if she agrees, I’d keep in plain sight if I was you.”
“I’ll do that.” Rez sauntered off the porch and headed toward the yard.
Jake closed the cabin door. Lord, am I going to spend the next weeks fending off ranch hands and cowboys?
CHAPTER 18
IRIS YAWNED. “I believe Mrs. Webster said she’d have a couple of men carry in a bathtub for us. Won’t a bath feel wonderful after sitting on the train since Wednesday morning? It’s Friday afternoon and I, for one, cannot wait until tomorrow night for a bath!”
“Iris, please listen to me.”
“I am listening.” She opened one of her bags and began unpacking her things, hanging her skirts on one side of the oak wardrobe.
“Jake is not your destiny.”
“I beg to differ. I’m here in Montana, aren’t I?”
Exasperation mounted inside of her. “Last night while you slept, Jake asked me to tell you aga
in—he’s not your destiny.”
“He is my destiny, but I’m not in love with him. Did I forget to mention that?”
“Yes, I believe you did!” Emily’s temper began to simmer.
Iris twittered out a laugh. “Of course I’m not in love with Jake. He’s actually got his heart set on someone else.”
“He does?” Emily felt her heart twist, as if it were being wrung out to dry. “What are you talking about?” Surely Jake would have mentioned that he was interested in someone else. There had been plenty of times he might have slipped in that bit of information.
“I imagine it’ll come out soon enough. He’ll likely be heading back to Manitowoc sometime soon.”
Emily stared at Iris, wondering if she should believe her. “Is this a joke?”
“I’m not joking. In fact, I was initially very attracted to Jake’s ruggedness, as you well know, but Friday night I could tell he was attracted to this other young lady.” A look of remorse wafted across Iris’s face. “A pity. But I soon got over my disappointment.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Do you think I would lie to you, Emily?” Iris met her gaze and held it. Her expression held not a single trace of amusement. “I would never lie to you, and I swear Jake has his heart set on someone from Manitowoc. I saw it with my own two eyes.”
“At the dance on Friday night?”
Emily tried to remember who Jake danced with on Friday night, other than herself. There had been quite a few young women eager to be his dance partner. “Jeanette McCoy?”
“No.” Iris rolled her eyes. “Jeanette prattles far too much. Besides, she’s hardly a match for Jake.”
Emily thought she was a match for Jake. But she couldn’t be the person Iris was talking about or her best friend would have come right out and told her so. What’s more, Emily already knew Jake was a practiced flirt.
Emily’s breath caught. She’d been such a little fool, enjoying Jake’s attention last weekend and their stolen moments on the train when Iris slept. To think that someone else had actually caught his eye! But that figured. Emily already proved she couldn’t catch a man’s eye, much less hold it.
“Tell me who she is.” Emily sat down on the edge of the double bed they’d share tonight. “Ruth Ellen Porter? Geraldine Grant? Helda Tverberg?”
“I can’t say, Em. It’s not my news to tell. Jake will have to tell you.” She gave Emily a pitying look.
“But—”
“I know we’re best friends and we tell each other everything, but my keeping quiet is for your own good.”
“I don’t understand.” She felt deflated.
“Well . . . ” Iris paused, a petticoat in hand. “If I tell you, you won’t believe me.”
“I will. I promise.”
Iris shook her head and then peered out their bedroom’s window. “Why, here comes that Greg Flores. He’s so handsome and strong. He’s carrying that bathtub by himself!”
“You’re not going to tell me, are you?” Emily felt doubly wounded.
Iris spun from the window. “Do you realize, Em, that if I marry Mr. Flores, my name would be Iris Flores.” She laughed. “Flores means flowers in Spanish.” Another fluttery laugh. “Get it? Iris Flowers?”
“Some best friend you turned out to be.” Emily stared down at her skirt. She felt hot, tired, and quite crabby at the moment.
“You’ll thank me later.”
At the knock on the door, Iris rushed to answer it. Emily stayed where she sat on the bed, her back to the action. She heard Mr. Flores bring in the tub and Iris gush over his physical strength.
“Aw, it was nothing, Miss Hopper.”
“Please call me Iris. My friends do.”
“All right. I would like to be your friend. And please call me Rez.”
Emily rolled her eyes then peeked over her shoulder at the pair when a moment of silence ensued. They both looked star-struck.
“Mrs. Webster is heating the bathwater. She’ll be in shortly.”
“Thank you, Rez. I’ll see you later.”
“Until then, Miss Iris.”
“Oh, no miss, please. I’m trying to get rid of that title.” She laughed.
Emily resisted the urge to gag at the overused pun. And if Iris thought for one second that Emily would play chaperone, then her friend had another think coming.
The ranch hand finally left, and moments later Mrs. Webster arrived with buckets of heated water. She made two trips, pouring all four into the tub.
“You’ll find soap and clean towels over there by the washstand. Take the afternoon to bathe, get settled, and rest. Supper will be about six o’clock.”
Emily sat quietly by, listening.
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Webster.”
“Deidre. Please. And you’re welcome. It’s nice to have you here—both of you.”
Emily sent a smile over her shoulder. She didn’t want to appear rude to their hostess.
“I hope you’ll be comfortable here.” Deidre ran a hand over her straight brown hair, coiled and pinned at her nape, except for those shorter, rebellious strands that hung loosely around her face. “Originally this was my parents’ room. Jake and I had rooms in the loft, but when Boyd purchased the ranch, he built an addition with a larger bedroom for us and a kitchen for me. Also, plenty of space for guests.”
“We’ll be quite comfortable.” Emily stood and eyed the lacy curtains gracing the window. “It’s a perfectly cozy room, and you’re very kind.”
“Not really. Just desperate for female companionship.” She smiled. “We’ll chat more later.”
“Indeed.” Iris’s gaze widened with what Emily recognized as enthusiasm.
Leaving, Deidre closed the door behind her.
Emily liked her. As for her brother . . . was he really attracted to someone back in Manitowoc? He’d shared so much with her that Emily thought surely he would have said something about a romantic interest.
“Stop frowning, Emily. You’ll get wrinkles before your time.”
Sitting back down on the doublewide mattress, Emily didn’t care if she developed a face like an old apple core. Who would care? She’d die an old maid for sure now. If she couldn’t marry Jake, she didn’t want anyone else. In truth, she’d fallen in love with Jake the summer he spent in Manitowoc with Mr. Ollie.
“And you’re pouting. I sense it from here. Quit it. Proper schoolteachers do not pout.”
“Oh, please . . . ” Emily hurled a glance at the ceiling. “I hardly deserve a scolding on propriety from you.”
“I’m unconventional, not improper.”
“I beg to differ.”
“Tell you what.” Iris walked around the bed. She tipped her head and the blonde curls around her face swung lightly. “You can take the first bath. Afterward have a nap. I’m sure when you wake up you’ll have a new perspective.”
“Thank you.” Emily stood and gave her best friend a sharp look.
“That’s the brightest idea you’ve had in a very long while!”
Iris had been right. After a bath and a nap Emily felt like a different person. No more moping and pouting. As long as she was here, Emily decided she might as well enjoy herself.
Dressing in a simple ivory shirtwaist and a navy skirt, Emily opened the bedroom door and walked into the main part of the cabin. Furniture, which appeared to have been made from sanded and refinished logs, had been placed cozily around a stone hearth that occupied an entire wall. No fire burned in it today, however; Emily guessed the temperatures outside had reached nearly eighty degrees. Nearby, a long wooden table had been neatly set for supper. A savory smell wafted from the adjacent kitchen, and Emily’s rumbling stomach reminded her that her last meal had been breakfast.
Iris strolled in from the kitchen carrying a bowl filled with mashed potatoes. “You’re awake.” She smiled.
Emily returned the gesture, and Iris’s features seemed to relax.
“Are you feeling better?”
�
��Much better. Thank you.”
Their hostess followed with a plate of biscuits. She placed it on the table then brushed straying locks of light brown hair from her handsome face, which, Emily saw now, appeared wind- and weather-worn.
“May I help you with anything, Deidre?”
“Nothing, thanks.” She indicated to one of the four benches. “Make yourself comfortable while I ring the supper bell.” She headed for the back entrance of the cabin. “The men should be already washed up.”
Emily walked to the table and peered into the tureen. It appeared to be meat and vegetables in rich brown gravy. “Smells delicious.” Her stomach gnawed at her.
“Doesn’t it, though? I’ve never eaten hare stew before. Have you?”
“Hare—as in rabbit?”
“Exactly.”
“No.” Although Poppa, Eden, and Zeb talked of making a meal of roast rabbit on hunting excursions.
A bell clanged loudly for several seconds. Emily fought the compulsion to cover her ears.
Deidre returned and the men came traipsing in through both doorways. Emily kept her gaze carefully averted from Jake.
Jake greeted them. “You look real pretty this evening, Em. You too, Iris.”
“How nice of you to say so,” Iris replied.
The compliments made Emily bristle. What would his true love say about his flattering other ladies? She recalled how he told her more than once that she was the most beautiful young woman he’d ever seen. Of course, she took it as his way of trying to make her feel better. She’d been disappointed over Andy’s behavior.
Iris gave her a nudge. “Jake complimented you.”
“Oh, thanks.” She sent a furtive glance his way. He looked fine himself, clean-shaven, his hair combed, and a loose-fitting beige shirt beneath a tan, leather vest.
He caught her eye and grinned. So much for averting her gaze!
“I don’t believe you ladies have met Charlie Dietz yet.”
Mr. Webster’s voice drew Emily’s attention. She noticed the older man beside Jake. His face resembled crumpled brown paper, and his short white hair provided a startling contrast.
“Welcome to the Ready Web.” Mr. Dietz’s voice sounded as coarse as gravel, albeit his tone was polite.
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