by Linda Broday
Hug? Get up close and let him put his arms around her? She’d never had a hug from a man before and found the idea of sharing one with Cooper enticing, but scary. He didn’t much seem to be in the mood for such things. What if he pushed her away? His rejection would hurt too much.
“Come on, now. It’s just one little hug,” Jenny persisted. “For goodness’ sake, it won’t kill you.”
“I don’t have time for such foolishness,” Cooper growled.
“It won’t take but a minute. What are you so afraid of? Delta won’t bite you.”
“I just don’t think this is a good idea.”
Not only had he spurned Delta when she first arrived in town, he was spurning her again. Pain spread like long, gnarly fingers through her chest.
Jenny glared. “You’re not leaving this room, buster, until you hug and make up.”
Delta rose at the same time he did and slowly moved toward him. When she stood in front of him, he reached over and gave her shoulder a couple of pats.
“There. You happy?” He scowled at Jenny.
“That’s the most pitiful thing I’ve ever seen. Ben could do better.” With a strange gleam in her eye, Jenny shook her finger. “Now do it right.”
Just when Delta was ready to give up and sprint for the outdoors, he opened up his arms and she walked into them. At first he seemed hesitant. However, the minute their bodies touched, he drew her tightly against him. She felt far from threatened by his fierce need, knowing he wouldn’t hesitate to release her if she wanted free. However, she couldn’t have moved if her life depended on it.
Tears stung her eyes as she breathed in the pleasant scent of him. The strong beat of his heart was strangely satisfying. Being so close to him, feeling the power of his body around her, gave her a sense of warmth and safety for the first time in her life.
Then his lips brushed her ear and sent a whole slew of tingles dancing up her spine.
“I don’t know if I’m in heaven or hell,” he whispered.
Heat flooded her face. The hug had meant nothing to him. He wanted nothing to do with her. This was only a game to him, something to mollify Jenny. Maybe he wanted to see just how big a fool she was. And like a fisherman who reeled in a big dumb catfish on the line, he’d hooked her, and now he was making a game out of the whole thing.
How many times would he reel her in, only to throw her back so he could do it all over again?
Twenty
Delta’s eyes felt as though they had sand in them when she crawled out of bed in a Monday morning dawn. She’d tossed and turned all night, kept awake by memories of Cooper.
After they had hugged at Jenny’s insistence, he’d pretty much kept her at arm’s length. But all afternoon she caught him giving her strange stares, as if he was trying to decide whether to throw her back in or keep her.
He didn’t touch her again until it came time to leave. His sooty gaze darkened when he helped her into the buggy, and he’d held her hand for several long beats of her heart.
Of course, she didn’t know what it all meant, if anything. Maybe he treated all women like that. Trying to figure out Cooper Thorne was an exhausting job.
She’d best keep her thoughts on things she could understand.
On her way to work, Delta stopped in the Battle Creek Gazette office.
The editor, Jacob Quigley, as the lettering on the door proclaimed, glanced up when she entered. Wearing a green visor, he was hunched over a printing press and appeared to be typesetting. Some years older than she, he had a very fair complexion, so the slash of ink on his cheek stood out like black blood.
She quickly told him what she wanted. Between the two of them, they wrote the advertisement and she paid him.
He shook her hand. “It’s a pleasure doing business with you, ma’am. You’re lucky to have gotten this in on time, this being a weekly periodical and all. Next edition comes out bright and early tomorrow. Your ad will be in it. Let me just say, I think it’s a wonderful idea to have a women’s club.”
“Thank you, Mr. Quigley.”
“Looks like you’ve settled in just fine. At least that’s the report I got from Granny Ketchum.”
“Yes, I do believe Battle Creek agrees with me. I guess Granny reports, as you said, quite often then?” She offered it in a teasing manner but was puzzled when his face turned bright crimson. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it came out. Please forgive me.”
“Don’t give it another thought. I could never be upset with someone so beautiful and intelligent.”
Delta thanked him again and emerged from the office wearing a satisfied smile. Quigley was most helpful. In fact, he seemed pleased that she’d placed the ad with his newspaper. As though she had any other choice. She thought it a bit odd that the town only had one of everything and again wondered why. Had they tarred and feathered any rivals and run them out of town?
However, she was glad for only one of Cooper. Handling two of him would severely stress her abilities. Without a doubt, Cooper would take great satisfaction in sending her on her way. Hopefully without the tarring. Nothing was a sure thing where he was concerned, though. His comment about not knowing if he was in heaven or hell as he’d hugged her hammered in her ears. It had been a rather odd thing to say, and she still wasn’t sure what to make of it.
One thing she did know—Cooper Thorne’s touch had deeply affected her. She’d wanted to stay against his broad chest forever. His arms were so strong, and when he wrapped them around her, she’d felt safe and cherished. Yet despite his amazing strength, he was extremely gentle. Still, she harbored no illusions that if Jenny hadn’t forced him, he never would’ve allowed it.
That brought her thoughts to Jenny. What must she have thought when Cooper hugged Delta as he did? Even though Jenny had instigated it, the embrace was far more than a polite show of friendship. And then he’d kissed her ear and murmured that odd statement. Jenny must’ve been deeply hurt. Odd that she hadn’t seemed to pay it any mind.
Immersed in her thoughts, Delta failed to see Rand step into her path until she plowed into him. He quickly steadied her.
“Whoa there, pretty lady,” he said, grinning.
Righting her bonnet, which had angled over one eye, Delta grimaced inwardly. “I’m so embarrassed. I wasn’t paying attention. Forgive me, Rand.”
“You were sure deep in thought.”
“Just woolgathering. Nothing very interesting, I’m afraid.” She wasn’t about to confess the truth. No, he’d tell her she was a foolish woman. In fact, she didn’t want to share her growing feelings about Cooper with anyone.
“There is nothing boring about you, Miss Delta. I’m glad we ran into each other. I was hoping to see you.”
“Why’s that, Rand?”
“I’d like permission to call on you at Mabel’s this evening.”
Oh, dear. Despite Rand’s vow that she was safe, did he pin his hopes on the fact that they could be more than friends? It wasn’t going to happen, though, and the sooner she straightened him out, the better for everyone.
“That would be nice. I need to talk to you about something.”
“Until tonight then.” He tipped his hat and she went on her way.
A surprise came a few hours later when Mabel delivered a letter that was addressed to Delta. “This just arrived on the stage and I brought it right over.”
“Surely there’s some mistake.” Delta scanned the flowing handwriting on the envelope. It had her name on it, all right.
“Open it. Might be important.”
“I doubt that.”
She glanced at the smudged left corner where the return address was. When she finally made out the word Cedartown, an icy panic swept through her. It could only be from Langston Graham. Well, she wanted nothing to do with her gutless father.
“Aren’t you gonna read it, dear?”
&nbs
p; “Thank you for bringing this to me, Mabel.” She jammed it into her pocket and hugged her friend. “I’ll see you at supper.”
The mercantile kept her busy, and that was good. She didn’t have time to sort through her feelings about the mysterious letter or Cooper or Rand.
While her ability to straighten out the kinks in her life seemed near impossible, at least she had no trouble fixing one thing. When John Abercrombie fired up the potbellied stove midafternoon to make coffee, she threw the unread letter into the flames. Watching it curl up then turn to ash restored some semblance of peace.
The remainder of the day crawled. At last she locked up and headed to Mabel’s. Jenny and Ben joined the boarders in the dining room that night, so it was a joyous occasion. Everyone had heard the reason for Jenny’s dark bruises, so their presence didn’t cause any awkward moments.
“How was your day, dear?” Mabel asked Delta as she passed her the plate of fried chicken.
Delta selected the wishbone part of the breast and handed the plate to Jenny. “Business kept me hopping. Seems everyone in town came in.”
“I’m not surprised,” Violet said. “You’ve made the store a very inviting place, especially for the women.”
“And for the men too,” Nat Rollins threw in. “By the way, you haven’t been by the hotel yet to get a gander at that heel that came off of Abigail Winehouse’s shoe.”
“I do apologize, Mr. Rollins. I mean to rectify that. How about I come in during my lunch hour tomorrow?”
Nat Rollins beamed. “That would be just fine, Miss Dandridge.”
“Give us an update on the women’s garden club,” Mabel requested.
“I put an ad in the Battle Creek Gazette this morning, and it’ll come out in tomorrow’s edition.”
Violet clapped. “This is so exciting.”
“What’s this about?” Deputy Charlie Winters frowned.
Jenny related all the details, or as many as any of the women knew at this stage, and a discussion ensued.
“I think it’s a crazy idea,” the deputy blurted. “Gonna rile up a whole passel of folks. Sheriff Strayhorn ain’t gonna like it one bit.”
“Be that as it may, it’s something this town has needed for a long time,” Mabel argued. “Just took Delta moving here to set things in motion. People will change their tune soon enough. And our kids need a teacher.”
“I’ve long bemoaned the fact that we desperately need a school but couldn’t get anyone interested,” Jenny declared. “The children’s education has been sorely lacking. I’d like to see Ben learn things that I can’t teach him.”
Nat raised his hand. “I second that. Our kids will be nothing but ruffians if we don’t do something.”
Mabel stood and raised her glass. “Three cheers for Miss Dandridge.”
Delta’s face grew warm. “Thank you. It means a lot to have your support.”
Upstairs, after she’d helped Mabel with the dishes, Delta paced and fretted, hoping she’d say the right thing when Rand arrived. Her thoughts flew back to what Cooper had said right before he kissed her that day in his parlor. You’ll do what? Live in sin with Rand? You won’t. Women like you won’t throw your reputation to the wind. You want it all or nothing. How right he’d been.
She nearly jumped out of her skin when a light tap came at her door.
“Dear, you have a visitor,” Mabel announced.
“Be right down.” She smoothed her hair and went downstairs.
Rand sat in the tiny parlor with his dove-gray Stetson in his hands. He rose when she entered. “Miss Delta, you’re a lovely rare rose.”
A blush heated her cheeks. “Thank you.” She started to take a seat when Rand put a hand on her arm.
“Please, I was hoping you’d take a walk with me.”
Dreading where this might lead, the last thing Delta wanted was to be alone with him. Still, she didn’t need an audience for what she had to do.
“I’ll get my shawl from my room.”
When she returned, he opened the door for her and they walked into the night air. She drew her wrap closer and lightly accepted the elbow he offered. He directed her to a spot away from the lighted house behind them. Their shoes crunched on the pebbly path.
“Rand, I don’t think I should go very far.”
“Scared I’ll scoop you up and carry you off, like a pirate with his treasure?”
Delta chewed her bottom lip. “Not exactly.”
Truth was, she wasn’t sure what he intended, and that put her at a disadvantage. One thing for sure, she wasn’t afraid of him. She knew he’d never hurt her. She considered him a friend, but that’s all he’d ever be. Could he accept that?
“Relax. I’m only kidding.” He bent down. Picking a wildflower, he stuck it in the hair at her temple.
“It’s a nice night.”
“That it is. Springtime is my favorite season of the year. It’s about renewal and rebirth. I’m glad winter is over.”
“Do the winters get bad here?”
“Sometimes. For brief spells. What were they like in Georgia?”
“Pleasant for the most part. I only recall it snowing once during my life, and that lasted for just a few hours. Sure was pretty, though. It put a thin coating of white on everything, then the sun came out and melted it all away. Almost made me think I dreamed the whole thing.”
“Thank you for this.” Rand’s lips brushed her ear, his words soft.
This was quickly turning into something she didn’t welcome. She looked around for a distraction. Nothing safe came to mind. “Rand, you know how much I think of you, how much—”
“I’m very fond of you also.”
“No, please let me finish.”
“What’s wrong? You seem nervous.”
“I’m just not sure why you brought me out here. What are we doing?”
“You once asked me what I hoped to gain by seeking your company.” The stars seemed so close, like apples on a tree she could reach up and pluck. But the apple Rand appeared to be dangling wasn’t one she wanted to pick.
She took a tremulous breath and pulled her shawl tighter against the night breeze. “I recall. And?”
He looked up and remarked, “Look, a shooting star.”
Following the white trail across the inky blackness, she thought about the trail this conversation was leaving. A flash of light, but where would it end? “It’s breathtaking.”
“Almost as lovely as you. Nature’s wonders always fill me with awe. But back to your question—here’s the thing. From the first moment we met, you intrigued me. You have a great mind, one of the brightest I’ve seen. The thing is, I’m a bachelor and have no plans to change that. You’re looking for permanence that I can never offer and I respect you too much to suggest anything less, although I sincerely regret that.” Rand loves all women for a time, but he’ll never find the altar, Cooper had said.
The brothers did, in fact, know each other well. But she was still confused. “Then you were what? Trying to seduce me?”
“Sounds rather shocking, but perhaps that was in the back of my mind. I quickly saw you would never settle for that kind of thing, though, and I respected you too much to ask. That’s the crux of it. You deserve honesty.”
“Thank you, Rand, I’m grateful to you for your frankness and I do value your friendship. But why are you telling me this?”
“I knew you wondered why I got so angry when I saw Cooper kissing you, and I want to clear up any confusion. I was furious because I had my doubts about the purity of his motives. I didn’t want him to take you lightly, to kiss you, give you hope when he had no intention of offering more. I want more for you, pretty lady. I won’t let him hurt you.”
His admission deeply touched something inside her. She laid her palm on his jaw. “Oh, Rand, you’re the kind of man who will find a sp
ecial lady someday, and when you do, you’ll forget all about this crazy notion of being a bachelor.”
“I doubt that.”
Delta met his blue gaze, shadowed by the starlight. “Never underestimate matters of the heart.”
“Which brings me to the rest of my reason for asking you to enjoy my charming company.” He flashed a grin. “Cooper has a lot to offer the right kind of woman, but it’ll require god-awful patience.”
“First you want to knock him sideways and now you’re his advocate? My head is spinning.”
“These last few days, I’ve come to view him differently. You really affect him. In fact, I’ve never seen him like this. Don’t let him slip away. He can be roped, and you’re just the one to do it.”
Delta shook her head. “He has his life to live and I have mine. Marriage used to mean everything to me, but coming here opened my eyes. There’s so much more awaiting me. The opportunities are boundless. I’ll always count you as a dear friend.” A woman like her could never have too many of those.
“Just try getting rid of me.”
“I’d never do that.”
“My brother’s nine kinds of a fool.” The words came out gruff and she suspected his male ego had taken a beating this night, with all he’d admitted.
Egos were such fragile things and men set great store by them.
“Who was she?” Delta asked softly.
“Who?”
“The woman you said I reminded you of when I first arrived in Battle Creek.”
“Rachel.” He uttered the name with reverence.
“Tell me about her.”
Rand picked up a small rock and sailed it into the darkness. “She came. She died. End of story.”
“What happened? I’d really like to know.”
“She rode into town with her father in a traveling medicine show. I helped them set up. Like you, she was beautiful, with her golden hair and sweet smile. They weren’t here long before she took ill. Doc Yates didn’t know much about scarlet fever, but he did the best he could. He couldn’t save her. Nobody could. People were terrified of getting the disease, so they burned her body and everything she touched. Didn’t even give her a proper good-bye.”
