The Cowboy’s Frontier Courtship

by Maya Stirling

  Instantly, everyone began to crowd their way up the stairs. Logan looked at Abby and Kirsty one last time. Both women were waiting patiently, finishing the preparations prior to Abby making her entrance. Lucas would be impatiently waiting for his bride at the front of the church. Logan could just imagine how nervous Lucas must be at this moment.

  Taking Jack and Alice by the hand, Logan said: "Let's go. We don't want to keep Abby waiting, do we?"

  Miss Hannigan glanced approvingly across at Abby and then followed Logan and the children toward the church stairs. They were the last to reach the open doors. Turning, Logan saw Abby and Kirsty walking slowly toward the church. Kirsty leaned her head close to Abby and said something. Whatever it had been, it had the instant effect of making Abby smile.

  Spaces at the front had been allocated to Logan, the children and Miss Hannigan. There was one space at the end of the pew. A Bible had been placed on that space. Logan knew it was where Kirsty would sit after she'd accompanied Abby into the church. Just thinking about Kirsty sitting alongside him in church made Logan's heart fill with good feeling.

  The church was full to the brim. Every seat was taken. There was the steady murmur of voices. Seated next to Jack, Alice held Miss Hannigan's hand. Logan saw Lucas turn his head and peer, wide-eyed down at him. Logan nodded and smiled at Lucas. Lucas didn't smile back.

  Logan had been right. Lucas was pale with fright. Logan held onto the laugh which bubbled up inside him. Everything would be fine in a short while, he told himself. And then, once Abby was his wife, Lucas would wonder why he'd been so terrified.

  Music started up from the small church organ on the other side of the room. The bridal entrance music echoed all the way up to the high roof of the church.

  Logan heard sudden movement behind him. Voices gasped with appreciation. The music rang out as everyone turned their heads to watch Abby advance into the church. Logan craned his neck around. Alongside her, Kirsty walked slowly, glancing occasionally at the base of Abby's dress. Just to make sure there wouldn't be any problems, Logan guessed.

  Logan glanced at Lucas. He'd turned and was gazing at his bride with genuine wonder on his features. Logan felt his heart warm. This was what it was all about, he told himself. This was why he'd come back. During his years away from Inspiration, he'd thought often about how special the town was. He'd come to realize that he'd turned his back on something unique. The kind of place where a man could settle down and raise a family. Make a good life for himself and those he loved.

  Watching Abby as she took her place alongside Lucas, Logan told himself that there was no place like Inspiration. Kirsty sat down next to Logan. Now that she was close, Logan could appreciate how beautiful Kirsty was. He caught the aroma of her intoxicating scent. She looked wonderful in the blue dress. Kirsty smiled nervously at Logan and then nodded to the children who both waved at her.

  Then it was time for the pastor to begin the ceremony. Kirsty glanced one last time at Logan, smiled tentatively, and then turned to face the couple who were about to become man and wife.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  It was early evening and the wedding celebration had been in full swing for a long time. The floor of the town hall was packed with people dancing and laughing. Music filled the air, provided by the group of fiddlers up on the stage. A few, long tables had been set out around the room. The remains of the feast which had been enjoyed by those seated at the tables over the last few hours were still visible in the form of empty plates and half-filled glasses. On one side of the table, taking pride of place in front of the stage, with their backs to that stage, sat the newly-weds, Mr and Mrs Lucas Bradford.

  Kirsty smiled contentedly. Abby was laughing at something Lucas had said in her ear. In fact, Kirsty reflected, Abby hadn't stopped smiling since emerging from the church as the latest married woman in Inspiration.

  Similar tables were placed around the room. All the guests seemed to have enjoyed themselves, Kirsty reflected. Now, though, things were starting to wind down. One or two people were starting to make their way out the doors over to Kirsty's left. She guessed some folks just didn't want to overstay their welcome.

  Kirsty was standing at the edge of the dance floor. She held a glass of sarsaparilla drink. Her feet were sore and she was beginning to feel a little bit tired. It seemed like every man in the room had wanted to dance with the cousin of the bride. All except one, she told herself.

  Logan was seated at the same table as Abby and Lucas. The children sat next to Logan. They were shouting something in Logan's ear, desperate to be heard above the noise of the music and the cacophony of voices from the hundred or so guests crammed into the town hall. It truly was a celebration, Kirsty told herself.

  Kirsty recalled the speech Lucas had given during the meal. He'd spoken well. Most importantly, he'd spoken of his love and adoration for his new wife, Abby. His words had touched Kirsty deeply. She knew Abby had made a good decision. Kirsty was sure Abby would be happy for the rest of her life with Lucas. The Lord had delivered Abby safely into the hands of a good man.

  Throughout that meal, Kirsty had seen Logan glance across at her from time to time. Every one of those glances had been filled with appreciation and barely-disguised approval. Every one of Logan's glances had made Kirsty feel good. But, Logan hadn't spoken to her once.

  That was what had made the last couple of hours so frustrating. Logan hadn't said a word to Kirsty. Sure, he'd been polite and courteous. But, each time she'd gone anywhere near him, he'd put up a barrier between them. His gaze had become steady. His lips tight. Not once had he asked her to dance with him. It was almost as if he was freezing her out again.

  Kirsty felt frustration well up inside her as she glanced across at the table. A group of five children, all about the same age as Jack and Alice, came to the table. Soon, Jack and Alice were dashing off into the crowd of dancers, apparently bent on causing innocent mischief with their new-found friends.

  When Kirsty looked back at the table again, she saw Logan stand. Tugging on his jacket, he paused a long moment. His gaze settled on Kirsty and she felt her heartbeat quicken. Logan sure looked handsome today. He wore a dark suit, waistcoat and freshly-polished black boots. His tall figure filled out the suit with casual ease. Standing there, watching her the way he was doing, she sensed his confidence. And when he started to walk slowly in her direction, she saw the assurance in his purposeful movement.

  Kirsty swallowed, realizing she was suddenly nervous. He was going to ask her to dance. If he did, what would people think? Seeing Kirsty and Logan dancing together, would the townsfolk start to wonder again? Would it even reawaken the recently buried scandal?

  She turned and looked at Logan. Kirsty saw him gaze out across the heads of the people gathered on the dance floor. Was he thinking the same as her? Was he worried about how it would look of he asked her to dance?

  Kirsty dragged in a deep breath. Swallowing the remainder of her drink, she layed the glass down on a nearby table. Her heart was pounding furiously. Turning, she looked around at the nearby faces. No-one was paying her any heed. So why was she worrying about dancing with Logan Kincaid?

  Then, Logan was within touching distance. Kirsty straightened her shoulders and searched her mind for some clever words. None came.

  A few moments passed, agonizingly slowly, and then, inexplicably, Logan was walking right past her.

  He didn't even turn his head to look at her as he strode away from Kirsty. She watched his back as he weaved his way through the crowd of guests.

  Shock rippled through her. How dare he just ignore her like that! Indignation twisted in her middle. Looking feverishly around, she tried to see if anyone had noticed what had just happened. But, thankfully, everyone was carrying on as normal.

  Frustration sweeping sharply through her, Kirsty stamped the heel of her right boot once on the wooden floor. Why had Logan done that? Her jaw tightening, she peered through the crowd and saw Logan making his way out of the hall
and through the double doors. Frowning, Kirsty considered what she should do.

  There was only one thing to do, she told herself.

  Striding through the crowd, she made her way to the door and out onto the boardwalk. Main Street was quiet. The thundering sound of dancing footsteps and the melodious tunes echoed out across the deserted street.

  The sky was a deep shade of blue. It would be dark soon. The evening air was cool. Kirsty wrapped her arms around herself and peered up and down the length of her side of the boardwalk. There was no sign of Logan. She frowned, wondering where he might have gone.

  She saw a movement across the other side of the street.

  Logan.

  He was walking slowly southward down that side of the boardwalk. He didn't turn to look at her.

  Stepping down from the boardwalk, Kirsty made her way across the dusty street. Once on the other side, she picked up pace, eager to catch up with him. In the shadows cast by the buildings, she could see the bulk of Logan's wide, hunched shoulders. Her footsteps thudded on the wooden planks of the boardwalk. She wondered where Logan was headed. He seemed unaware that she was rapidly catching up with him.

  Glancing around, Kirsty saw that she and Logan were alone on the street. Music drifted across the street from the open doors of the town hall. She'd moved so quickly, she felt her breath catch in her chest.

  Finally unable to contain her frustration any longer, she called out. "Logan!"

  He halted abruptly and turned his head slowly. She closed the final few steps separating them and came to a stop.

  "What?" he asked and lifted a brow. "Are you following me, Kirsty?" he asked. His voice was low and contained what she was sure was a slight hint of amusement.

  Kirsty tilted her head. "Where are you going?"

  "I just needed some fresh air," Logan replied and gazed up at the darkening sky. "It's a beautiful evening."

  Thrusting a hand against her hip, Kirsty frowned. "Why have you been ignoring me?"

  Logan quirked a brow. "Have I?"

  "You know you have," Kirsty insisted. "All evening. Not to mention those times you've been out at the homestead in the last couple of weeks."

  Logan lifted a hand and tipped the front of his hat up from his forehead. "How can I explain, Kirsty?" he said. His brows furrowed. "It's complicated."

  "Try me," she snapped. Kirsty felt impatient. Now that she was with him, and no-one was around to pry, she was desperate to know why he'd been acting cool toward her.

  Logan sighed. "I figured you and Abby had more than enough to deal with. Planning the wedding ain't something to be done by halves." He grinned. "You both sure did a fine job."

  Kirsty knew he was trying to be evasive. "That's not the only reason you've been keeping away from me, is it?"

  He frowned. "Me and the children have been to your place plenty of times this past couple of weeks," he objected.

  "Being there was one thing," Kirsty retorted. "Acting the way you did was quite another."

  Logan took two steps toward Kirsty. His boots made firm, heavy sounds on the wooden boardwalk. Even here, in the soft shadows, she could see the sudden darkness in his gaze. When he spoke, his voice was low and emphatic. "I would never do anything to hurt you, Kirsty. Or offend you. That's the last thing I'd want. You know that, don't you."

  Kirsty met Logan's fierce gaze with one of her own. "Do you still worry that people will think badly of me when they see us together?" She paused and then added softly: "Or are you afraid they'll think badly about us?"

  Kirsty realized the danger of even hinting that she and Logan had any kind of connection. That they were more than just close friends. But, there was no denying the strength of her feelings. And now, standing inches away from him, she felt the power of his attraction as keenly as she'd ever felt it.

  Logan nodded slowly. "As I said. I wouldn't want to do anything to cause you pain, Kirsty. It's that simple. I saw how you reacted when we were out there at the orchard." Logan sighed. "I stepped over the line when I kissed your hand. And I've felt bad about it ever since."

  Kirsty gasped. "That's not true, Logan." She tried to harness her chaotic thoughts. "You didn't offend me. I was just surprised. That was all."

  "Are your sure?" he asked sounding skeptical. Lowering his head, he sighed. "You know I only want the best for you, Kirsty. Nothing else will do."

  The affection for Logan which she'd been trying so hard to contain suddenly broke free. Now it was her turn to take a step toward Logan. A sudden urge awoke within her. She wanted to reach up and touch the side of Logan's face. The way she'd done before. She wanted to feel his smooth skin. Anything to reassure him that there had been a terrible misunderstanding. She realized that pushing him away, keeping him at arms length, had hurt her as much as it had hurt Logan. She could hear the pain in his voice.

  Suddenly, from somewhere nearby, Kirsty heard the sound of a door opening. Footsteps sounded on the boardwalk. Logan's eye flashed brightly as he glanced over her shoulder. Then, abruptly, Logan reached out and clutched Kirsty by her upper arms. Dragging her quickly toward her right, Logan guided her into the darkness of an alcove.

  Kirsty's body crushed up against Logan's powerful physique. His arms embraced her as he drew her into the protective darkness. Kirsty gasped as she settled the side of her head against Logans hard chest. His scent overwhelmed her senses. She could hear his heartbeat, thundering frantically. He felt warm and strong.

  On the boardwalk, the footsteps continued to come closer. Logan shifted Kirsty to one side, drawing her even further into the darkness. She asked herself if they were both completely hidden, or whether the advancing stranger would see them as they passed.

  Kirsty held her breath as she listened to the steps grow louder. If they were discovered, how would she and Logan explain what they were doing? Wouldn't it just start up a whole new scandal?

  Holding her head close to Logan, she felt his hand reach up and fingers curl protectively around her head. If they were discovered, maybe Logan would come up with a plausible explanation. But she knew their were limits to his resourcefulness.

  The footsteps were close now. Even and steady, they grew louder. Then, Kirsty heard them right next to her. She caught the aroma of cigar smoke as it drifted in the air. She froze, her breath tight in her chest, expecting that, any moment now, a voice would call out in surprise.

  But it didn't. Instead, the footsteps continued on past. A few excruciatingly long moments passed. Then, the footsteps faded into silence.

  Kirsty exhaled and leaned against Logan. It had been a close call. Faced with the prospect of being seen alone in public with her, Logan had made a snap decision, preferring to hide her rather than subject Kirsty to even more gossip. Once again, he'd protected her.

  Glancing up, she saw Logan gazing down at her. There was a kindness in his gaze. "You okay?" he murmured.

  Kirsty nodded. "I'm fine."

  Somewhere deep inside, she knew she should step away from Logan. That she should admit the moment had passed. They could go back to the town hall and pretend none of this had happened. But, even as she thought that, she knew it wasn't what she really wanted. Gazing up into Logan's dark eyes, she felt her heart warm.

  Logan lifted a hand, his fingertips resting beneath her chin. Lifting her face up to his, he dipped his head and his lips settled upon hers. Sensation flamed into wonderful life as Logan kissed her. Logan drew her close to him, his arms enclosing her in a warm embrace. The kiss seemed to last an eternity. Kirsty told herself she could have stayed in his arms for a long time. Joy swept through her, awakening delight. She'd tried to deny the truth of her feelings far too many times. Sinking into his embrace, she allowed herself to be swept up in the joy of the moment. It felt right to be in Logan's embrace. All the recent difficulties, all the misunderstandings, faded into nothingness as she rested in his arms.

  Moments later, Logan lifted his head and peered down into her eyes. "Kirsty," he breathed in a low voice. She lo
ved the sound of her name on his lips. "Do you know how I feel about you? Do you have any idea what I want to say to you, right now?" There was a sudden urgency in his voice, a breathless quality she'd never heard before.

  Kirsty smiled calmly up at Logan. Shaking her head, she lifted up her hand and touched a fingertip to his lips. "Don't say anything you might regret, Logan," she told him. She moved her hand, resting it against the side of his cheek.

  Logan's heavy sigh caressed her cheeks. A flash of impatience lit up in his gaze. "Kirsty MacAnliss," he snapped in a low voice. "You can be the most frustrating woman in the world. You know that, don't you."

  Kirsty grinned at Logan. "And you wouldn't want me to be any other way, would you?" she teased. Memories awakened of how they'd tormented one another when they'd been at school.

  Logan smiled and then rolled his eyes.

  Before he had a chance to say another word, Kirsty took a few steps back and checked to see if there was anyone on the boardwalk. It was deserted.

  Stepping out onto the boardwalk, she watched as Logan emerged from the depth of the alcove. Kirsty realized it would have been hard for anyone to see her and Logan in the darkness. It had been a fortunate choice of hiding place.

  "We better get back to the hall," Kirsty announced quietly. "They'll be wondering where we are."

  "You go first," Logan said.

  She wanted to say to him that they could just enter the hall together. That she didn't care what people thought. But she knew doing that would distract attention from the joy of Lucas and Abby's wedding celebration. The last thing Kirsty wanted to to was reignite a scandal, or the idle gossip, which Logan had done so much to put to rest.

  As if he had read her mind, Logan nodded. "I think you're right."

  Every nerve in her body was still tingling with the memory of the kiss. Walking away from Logan wasn't going to be easy. But Kirsty knew it had to be done.