Juliette cleared her throat.
No reaction from the excited group.
She tried again to get their attention by stamping her foot.
This time Wilma glanced up. “Oh, hello, Juliette.” She then looked back at the woman.
“May I ask what’s so important that I can’t get waited on?”
Stanley looked up. “I’m sorry, Miss Cramer. We’re just celebrating Miz Wagner’s good news. What can I do for you?”
“What good news?”
Wilma was all smiles when she said, “Esther and Doc are going to have a baby. Since I was the first person she met in Settlers Ridge, she wanted me to know. Isn’t that exciting?”
Juliette raised an eyebrow. “You’re kidding.”
“No, I’m not.”
Shaking her head, Juliette turned up her nose and said, “I don’t see why you’d want to have a baby with an old man like the doctor.”
“He’s not that old,” Esther snapped at her. “Besides he’s a wonderful man and a wonderful father.”
“Well, I guess at your age you wouldn’t think he’s old. But I still don’t see why people of your ages would want to act like a young couple in love and then have a child.”
“We both love children and we also love each other.”
“Falling in love and getting married and having a baby is for people like Lance and me. Not old people like you.”
“You should be ashamed of yourself, Juliette,” Wilma said. “Just because you don’t have a man who’s interested in you, doesn’t mean every other woman around doesn’t have. Esther and Doc make a wonderful couple, and they’ll be great parents.”
“I’ll have you know Lance is in love with me. He just hasn’t told everyone about us yet, but I’m sure he eventually will.”
Stanley glanced at Wilma then ducked his head.
Esther looked confused and didn’t say anything.
Wilma laughed and said, “If that’s so, then why did Lance come in here and ask me if I thought Grace would like it if he took her on a picnic?”
“You’re lying.”
“Why would I lie? I’m sure they’re sitting on a blanket in some romantic spot and having a lovely meal. And I don’t know what else they might be doing.”
Juliette was furious. “If this is so, I’ll make her sorry she ever tried to take my man.”
Wilma shook her head. “Give it up, Juliette. Take it from me, there’s no way you can make a man love you if he doesn’t have those feelings for you.”
“We’ll see about that. I’ve decided I want him and I’ll get him yet.” She flipped around swinging her satin skirt and knocking a line of shoes off a table. She didn’t pause to say she was sorry and certainly not to pick them up as she went out the door. It slammed so hard behind her it was a wonder the glass didn’t break.
* * * *
Frank Olsen came into the hotel kitchen. “Got a prisoner for you to get a supper plate for tonight.”
Henrietta looked up from the pie crust she was rolling out. “Just one?”
“Yep.” Frank chuckled. “Bryce came by and said he arrested a man trying to rob the bank. The idiot didn’t get past the chairs in the lobby where he sat down and passed out with his unloaded gun in his hand.”
Effie turned from the stove where she was basting a beef roast. “That sounds like something Kemp Newton would try.”
“He’s still trying to keep his nose clean since he’s on probation for trying to rob Miss Purdy’s Dress Shop. This man was one of the cowboys that lost everything he had to that Parnell man in a poker game at the saloon.”
“Poor fellow,” Henrietta said.
The bell in the lobby rang and he turned around. “Better see if that’s a paying customer.”
He found Luella Baldwin, the mayor’s wife standing in front of the desk. “Hello, Mr. Olsen.”
“Mrs. Baldwin, how can I help you?”
“I came by to talk to Henrietta about an idea I had. Do you mind if I take a little of her time?”
“Of course, I don’t. Henrietta’s in the kitchen making pies, but I can go get her or if you like, you’re welcome to go back there.”
“Why don’t I go to the kitchen? She might take pity on me and offer me a cup of coffee.”
“I’ll show you the way.” He opened the door to the dining room for her. “By the way, is this a secret or can you tell me what you’re planning?”
“I don’t mind telling you. I was thinking it might be a good idea to have a summer festival in a few weeks. I thought it would help the town get over this awful plague we’ve had.”
He paused and looked at her. “That’s a wonderful idea. I’m sure Henrietta will be happy to help you anyway she can.”
“Thank you, Mr. Olsen.”
They reached the kitchen door. “Henrietta, Mrs. Baldwin’s here to discuss a plan for some kind of town party.”
Henrietta looked up. “Good. I like parties. What kind of party is it, Luella?”
“I was thinking of a picnic and a dance. Sort of a festival to help this town get out of its doldrums.”
“Oh, how wonderful. Come in and have a cup of coffee, and we’ll have your festival planned in no time.”
Frank left the women chatting in the kitchen and went back to the lobby. He wished he’d stayed with the ladies when he saw Juliette Cramer coming down the street. He said a silent prayer that she wouldn’t come into the hotel.
Unfortunately, his prayer wasn’t answered in the way he hoped it would be, but luckily she stayed only long enough to find out Grace was not working. She then stalked out, and Frank could tell she was furious. He didn’t bother to wonder why because he couldn’t remember a time he’d seen her when she wasn’t mad or was on the verge of getting upset about something.
* * * *
It was late when they arrived back at the hotel, so Grace told Lance it would be best to leave her at the backdoor. She had a key for the kitchen, but not the front door which would be locked this time of night. She just hoped Effie had gone to her quarters and was not in the kitchen cleaning up or preparing for the breakfast crowd.
“I had a wonderful time today, Lance,” she said as she turned the key in the lock.
“So did I. We’ll have to do it again soon.”
She nodded. “That would be nice.”
“Do you want me to come in with you?”
“I don’t think you should. They’re all probably in bed, and I don’t want to wake anyone.”
“I understand, but I’m going to stay right here and make sure you’re safely locked inside before I leave.”
“You don’t have to do that. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
He tweaked her nose. “Then say I’m doing it for my peace of mind.”
“As you wish.” She started to step through the door, but he put his hand on her arm. “Yes?”
“This.” He leaned down and kissed her gently. “Good night, Grace.”
“Good night, Lance.”
He continued to hold her, and she didn’t pull away. He leaned down and kissed her again. This time with a little more passion.
When he raised his head she said, “I better go in.” Though she didn’t really want to. This night was perfect and she wished it didn’t have to end.
Lace touched her cheek. “I know you should go, but it’s hard to see such a good day come to an end.”
“But you ended it in a perfect way.”
“How?”
She smiled at him. “By kissing me the way you did, Lance.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Then maybe I should kiss you again just to make sure I did it right.”
Before she could answer he pulled her tight against him and kissed her thoroughly. When he released her he muttered, “Now, I’ll let you go in, but you have to promise that I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I promise,” she whispered as she slipped through the door.
Once inside, she turned the key and waited. In a few minutes, she h
eard the jangle of his spurs as he walked away. Smiling to herself, she eased down the back hall. She didn’t light a lamp until she was in her own room. She made sure the curtain was drawn before she removed her clothes and took a quick sponge bath. She then dropped her white cotton gown over her head and blew out the light. Slipping between the sheets and hugging her pillow close to her chest she let her mind drift to the events of the day. Especially the picnic and the kisses she and Lance had shared. Oh how she wished she could experience those kisses again and again. She could almost feel his arms around her and his body pressing over hers. It was the best feeling she had ever had, and one she never dreamed she’d have again. Then he kissed her good night. Not once, but three times. And that last kiss was also something she never dreamed she’d share with him. But now she had, and she wanted more. There was no way she could deny her feelings for Lance Gentry any longer.
She was in love with him. Deeply and hopelessly. She supposed she would always be in love with him. Though nothing would probably ever come of it, she was going to enjoy his company as long as he wanted to be around her. As she drifted off to sleep, she was hoping this would last a long, long time and would contain many more kisses.
Chapter 16
Lance went up the back stairs to his room. He was letting his thoughts run wild. How could he have been such a cad with Grace? She was one of his sister’s best friends, and she’d always been a good friend to him, too. Why did he toy with her feelings the way he had today? She was going to think he wanted to marry her or something. It would never occur to her that he liked kissing beautiful women like her without wanting anything serious between them. She was the type to want to be married and to settle down with a man and have a family. Not someone who only wanted to have a little fun without it growing into anything serious.
Of course he knew why she’d feel that way. She was a beautiful woman and she trusted him completely. He could tell she also liked him, maybe more than as a big brother, though she’d never said anything about her feelings. But the other reason he’d almost gotten out of line with her was that she felt so right in his arms and her lips set him on fire as no other woman’s ever had. And there had been other women in his twenty-nine years. Several in fact, but none of them stirred him on the inside the way Grace did. She was no longer that pig-tailed little girl who snuck around with his sister and aggravated him. She wasn’t the young teenager he had to pull out of the deep end of the creek, because she fell in and hadn’t learned to swim. Though she still had the limp, she wasn’t the young girl who everyone thought would lose her foot when the limb of a tree in the schoolyard had blown off in a thunderstorm and almost severed her right foot.
No. All of that was her past, but this was the present. Grace was now a grown woman. A woman some man was going to make his before too much more time passed. Lance was sure he wasn’t that man, but he was also sure that he’d see that no man ever took advantage of and hurt this grown-up Grace. She was too special.
He pondered all these muddled thoughts and decided the best thing he could do for her was to temper his actions when he was around her. No more flirting. No more showing her special attention. And definitely no more passionate kisses.
With this settled in his mind, he blew out the lamp on the side table, dropped his clothes on the chair beside the narrow bed and climbed under the covers expecting to fall asleep, but this didn’t happen.
In the dark, all he could think about was the way Grace had felt in his arms. The way her mouth tasted to him, and the way her heart beat against his chest. The way the feel of her made his pants get tight and his manhood grow large. He wasn’t sure he could ever stop these feelings. But he knew he had to. She was at least nine or ten years younger than him. She wouldn’t want to tie herself to an older man. She needed a man nearer her age. But could he ever let her spend her life in another man’s arms?
He still hadn’t found an answer to his dilemma when he drifted into a fitful sleep
* * * *
“Good morning, Miss Grace.”
“Good morning, Mr. Danforth.” Grace smiled at him. “What would you like?”
“I think I’d like hotcakes with eggs.”
“I’ll bring them right out.” Grace hurried to the kitchen.
“Have a good time yesterday?” Effie asked as she walked in.
“Yes, it was nice.”
“Thought it would be.” Effie looked at her. “What does that cowboy want?”
“He wants hotcakes and eggs and believe it or not that’s not a cowboy. It’s Mr. Danforth.”
“Well, I dang. He looked all right as a tenderfoot, but he makes a plum purty cowboy.”
Grace laughed. “You’re not going to start two-timing your sheriff, are you, Effie?”
“Not at all. Nobody’ll ever be better looking than that man.” She poured hotcake batter in a sizzling pan. “As Miz Henrietta is famous for saying, it don’t hurt to keep your options open.”
Grace laughed again.
Henrietta walked into the kitchen. “What’s so funny, ladies?”
“Effie has decided she’s seen a man almost as pretty as the sheriff.”
“My goodness. Who is he?”
“Mr. Danforth has decided to become a real cowboy and I have to admit, he does look nice dressed that way.”
Henrietta smiled. “Now, Grace. Don’t tell me you’re about to let some handsome stranger come between you and the sheriff.”
Grace blushed.
Henrietta patted Grace’s arm. “I didn’t think so. Of course, it never hurts to keep your options open.”
Both Effie and Grace laughed.
Henrietta shook her head. “I’m glad you’re in such a good mood. Just wanted tell you that Luella and I decided the town festival will take place during the Fourth of July celebration. Luella will direct everything, but I know we’re going to have to help. I hope neither of you mind. Of course, we have plenty of time to work on it”
“Of course, we don’t mind helping, do we Effie?”
“Nope.” She put a plate on a tray. “Now go take this to that cowboy. I bet he’s hungry.”
* * * *
Rocky bent over the still form sprawled on the cabin floor. Feeling for a pulse that wasn’t there, he looked up at Nelson. “What the hell have you done now?”
“The bastard back-talked me.”
“What did he say?”
“What difference does it make?”
“It makes a lot, Nelson.”
“Told me he was going to turn me in to the law.”
“He would have never done that. Did you have to hit him so hard?”
“I just gave him a little tap on the chin.” Nelson started out the door of the barn. “Don’t fret, Rocky. He’ll be all right.”
“Not this time, Nelson. His skull is split. You’ve killed him.”
Nelson raised an eyebrow. “How’d his skull get split?”
“Looks like he hit his head on the corner of the rock fireplace.”
“It was an accident, Rocky. I didn’t mean to kill him.”
“Think the law will look at it that way?”
“I don’t give a damn, because the law will never know about this.”
Rocky frowned. “How will you keep them from knowing?”
“You’re going to bury him, that’s how.”
“That might work for a while, but don’t you think he’ll eventually be missed?”
“We’ll worry about that if and when it happens.” Nelson again turned toward the door. “Now take care of this. I’ve got to get to the saloon early this afternoon. I heard there was going to be a bunch of cowboys there who got paid for driving a herd to the railroad. I want to be there to help them spend their money.”
“Don’t you want me to come with you?”
“Meet me there after you finish up here. Just get it done before Shawn gets back.”
“Where is he anyway?”
“McCormick told him about some wild mustang
s beyond the north pasture. Said he wanted to see if he could find them.”
“And you let him go alone? You know that could be dangerous.”
“Hell, it wouldn’t hurt the mama’s boy to learn life ain’t easy. Now, go saddle my horse and then come back here and clean up this mess.”
Rocky shook his head and looked disgusted. “Whatever you say, Nelson. Whatever you say.”
* * * *
Virgil looked up at Grace when she put his plate before him. “Thank you, Miss Grace.”
“You’re welcome, Mr. Danforth. I hope you enjoy it.”
“I’m sure I will. The food here is wonderful.”
“I’ll tell Miss Effie you like her cooking. I’m sure she’ll be pleased.”
He started to say something else, but a couple of cowboys came in, and she moved away to wait on them. He turned back to his food, but his mind wasn’t on what he was eating. He couldn’t help wondering if she had a fellow who was interested in her, or if she was spoken for. If not, it might be worth his time to get to know her better. But now wasn’t the time to explore that thought. He’d decided he’d waited long enough for his brother to come into town. He was going to ride out to the ranch where Shawn was staying to talk with him. Besides, Grace was too busy at the moment to realize his attention to her was a serious attempt to get to know her better.
* * * *
Just past noon, Lance headed to the telegraph office. He decided he’d make good on his promise to put some distance between himself and Grace and not be there today when she brought lunch to the jail. He crossed the street and met Virgil “I see you took my advice and changed your attire.”
Virgil chuckled. “I hope I don’t stick out too much in these duds.”
“Not at all. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you were a local resident.”
“Good. I want to look like I know what I’m doing when I rent a horse.”
Lance lifted an eyebrow. “Going somewhere?”
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