Heart and Hand: Gold Sky Series

by Carter, Rebel

  If her husband had touched anyone…

  “With a friend,” Will told her, his gray eyes cutting through her dispassionately.

  Julie flinched, but she pushed her way past Forrest who had already moved toward Will.

  “Who?”

  Will shrugged. “Not important.”

  “Oh, it’s not? I was worried sick over you last night. I didn’t sleep a wink, and you were out with a ‘friend’?” Julie’s hands tightened into fists, and Will smirked when he saw it.

  He cocked his head to the side. “Bothered, wife?”

  The way he said wife wasn’t lost on Julie. It sounded like a curse, and she felt some of her fight slip out of her spine at the way Will spit the word out at her. It was awful. Forrest didn’t miss the tone either, and he reared on Will like an avenging angel.

  “Don’t you talk to her like that,” Forrest growled, stepping in front of Julie. “You got hurt, and that’s fine, but don’t you come home to us smelling like a whore.”

  “Language,” Will chided with a mirthless laugh.

  “I’m not going to let you push us away, and I’m sure as hell not letting you treat Julie like this. When it was just us, that was was one thing, but you will not do this to her.” Forrest jabbed a finger at Will. “I’m taking her to the schoolhouse. She’s got a dance to plan, and you’re going to do right by her and help. When I leave, you will take care of her. You will honor her. Now go wash that filth off yourself.”

  Forrest gave Will one last angry look before he wrapped an arm around Julie and led her toward the buckboard. “Come on, little bird.”

  Julie followed him, but she couldn’t help but glance at Will over her shoulder as they went. He still stood where he had been a moment before, but he watched her now. His gray eyes weren’t the same cold flint they had been before, and he took a hesitant step toward them.

  “Jules…”

  “Wash up,” Forrest ordered, voice snapping like a whip, not stopping in his march toward the buckboard with Julie in tow. “Now.”

  Will snapped his mouth shut and gave them a quick nod before he ducked into the house. Julie let out a shaky breath when Forrest settled her in the buckboard. She bit back tears; all she could think of was the smell of the sweet perfume on his skin.

  “How could he?” she whispered, blinking through her tears. She felt sick to her stomach at just the thought of him near anyone else but them.

  How could she ever have his hands on her again?

  “He didn’t break his marriage vow to you,” Forrest said woodenly. He eased the buckboard into motion with a heavy sigh. “Will is a lot of things, but a liar isn’t one of them. He’d never take another woman to bed while you’re married to him.”

  “But he smells like—like a bordello!”

  “I suspect he was at the Yellow Rose brothel.” Forrest nodded along at her words. “But that doesn’t mean he made use of the women there.”

  “Then how do you explain the smell?”

  “Brothels smell like the inside of a penny perfume drum, darlin’. The minute you set foot in there you stink of it. No helpin’ it,” Forrest said with a sure nod. “Men get hurt, and they run to where their ego will be stroked. I know him. He spent the night drinking, talking about you, and licking his wounds.”

  Julie dabbed at the tear that slid down her cheek. “Are you sure?”

  “Positive.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because it’s what I would have done,” Forrest told her.

  “You better never do that when we fight.” Julie crossed her arms over her chest. “I can’t take this. I want to burn his clothes this moment.”

  Forrest smiled. “I know. I saw it on your face the second you smelled it on him. Don’t blame you. I’m just sorry that I have to go. I’d like to stay here and help put this to rights.”

  “It’s just poor timing.”

  “Poor is putting it mildly,” Forrest muttered. They had come to a stop now in front of the schoolhouse, and he turned to face her, catching her hands. “Trust me. He wasn’t unfaithful to you, or us. He was an idiot. A hurt idiot who needed to blow off some steam.”

  Julie bit her lip. Everything in her screamed at her to not listen to Forrest, everything but her heart. Her heart said to trust her husband’s assessment.

  “I’ll talk to him.”

  “That’d be for the best.” Forrest kissed her gently before hopping out of the buckboard and pulling her down beside him. “I’ll send word when I can. And I know you’re going to pull off this dance even if Rosemary threw you to the wolves.”

  “Caught that, did you?”

  “She’s not as subtle as she likes to think.” Forrest rolled his eyes and then gave him a warm smile. “But I know my little bird is resourceful, and she doesn’t quit. You’re going to do this, and it’s going to be done in fashion.”

  “Thank you, Forrest.” Julie smiled at his vote of confidence. “That means a lot.”

  “Of course. Now go on inside before you catch a cold.” He leaned forward, kissing her, and Julie found herself throwing her arms around him before he could pull away.

  “I’ll miss you,” she whispered against his chest.

  “I’ll miss you too.”

  “Come back to me. Safe.” Julie pulled back, giving him a stern look.

  “Of course.” Forrest saluted her, which made her giggle despite the morning's earlier drama. She kissed him one more time and then turned to go up the stairs, except instead of hurrying inside like she normally did, she stood on the steps of the schoolhouse and watched until Forrest disappeared from sight.

  She prayed he wasn’t gone long, but most of all she prayed that he came back to her safely. She couldn’t handle the thought of losing one husband when it already felt like she had lost Will.

  * * *

  Julie turned her face up into the sun and breathed out. It was a beautiful day, with the longer daytime hours providing plenty of warmth and light when the school day ended. She had just sent the last of the children home with arms of ribbons and string. She had assigned an “art project” to the students, allowing each of them to choose from the collection of random fabrics she had found when taking stock of the school’s inventory. If she added a little twine to the fabric, then she had the raw materials for fabric garlands which could be used as decorations.

  The students knew they were for the dance, and Julie knew the parents would as well, but that wasn’t something a little handwritten note, a task in itself that she somehow accomplished over lunch, couldn’t take care of.

  This year’s dance would have the theme of celebrating everything Gold Sky, and that most certainly included the children.

  It was a stroke of genius, really. But Julie wasn’t able to enjoy her quick thinking, not with the morning’s heaviness hanging over her. She should be happy with her progress, but all she could think of was Will and the mess that lay in front of her.

  Any thoughts where she felt sorry for herself would have to wait, because right now Julie was on her way into town to see Alice. Hopefully, she would find a partner in Alice for planning the spring dance. There was something so self-assured about the other woman, and Julie knew she couldn’t fail with Alice at her side.

  She had just knocked on the door when, again, like the very first time she had been in front of it, the door flew open.

  “I was wondering when I would see you today.” Alice gestured for her to follow after her, already moving down the hallway.

  “You were?” Julie asked in surprise. She closed the door and hurried after Alice, who was halfway down the hallway by this point. “How did you know?”

  “Kind of hard to miss Will when he’s on a rip about something.” Alice tossed over her shoulder. “Was in fine form last night.”

  “Oh, that.” Julie sighed, fingers twisting in her skirts. She went into the room Alice had entered and glanced around the cozy kitchen.

  Alice looked up from fixing a kettle for tea
. “What do you mean?” She raised an eyebrow.

  “I mean, that’s not what I’m here about.” Julie sighed, taking a seat at the kitchen table in the corner of the room.

  Alice’s hands stilled. “It’s not?”

  Julie shook her head. “No. I came to ask for your help planning the dance. I was hoping you would agree to co-chair the committee for it?”

  Alice closed her eyes and blew out a sigh. “And I just went and—” she bit her lip with a grimace— “brought up Will.”

  “Indeed.”

  “I’m sorry, Julie.” Alice sighed.

  “It’s all right.”

  “It’s not, but you should know that Will didn’t do a thing with anyone last night.” Alice came to the table and took a seat. “He drank his weight in whiskey and passed out in one of the girls’ beds. A feat only accomplished after he passed out at the bar. Wouldn’t go near their rooms beforehand on account of him being ‘married to the prettiest woman in town.’”

  Julie sat up straight and looked up at Alice. “He said that?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

  Alice nodded. “He did. Repeatedly.” She grinned at her. “And often.”

  “How do you know this?”

  “Julie, I suspect there isn’t much in this town that I don’t know.” Alice smiled at her and squeezed her hand. “Thought you were coming to see what I knew.”

  Julie shook her head. “Forrest told me Will wouldn’t have, ah, taken liberties in breaking our vows at the brothel. That he had just needed to lick his wounds.”

  “He did do that. When I came by to check on him, I thought he was going to cry.”

  Julie’s eyes widened. “What?”

  “Whiskey makes a man get in touch with his feelings.” Alice winked at her. “You want to know what’s on in a man’s mind? Just fix him a stiff drink...or four, and you’ll know soon enough. Will was torn up about whatever happened. Wouldn’t say what it was. Other than that he loved you.”

  “He did?”

  “Mm, while I was there checking up on him, let’s see... what did he say?” Alice held up her hand and began to tick off fingers. “He didn’t deserve you. You make him happy. He wants a family, and you’re the smartest woman he’s ever met, and he adores you—oh, and he loves you. Did I say that one already?”

  Alice tapped her chin before she added, “I think he may have tried to wax poetic about your, ahem,” her eyes dropped to Julie’s chest, “assets, but then he almost got into a fistfight when one of the miners agreed.”

  Julie clapped a hand over her mouth and laughed at the thought. “I just, he’s very reserved around me.”

  “I bet so, but he does a lot of thinking when he isn’t talking.” Alice stood from the table and went back to the stove to finish preparing their tea. “He cares for you. I know you know this, but it’s tough for him to relax. To accept a good thing. To think he deserves the best in life.”

  “I know,” Julie sighed, looking out the window as Alice moved around the kitchen, setting teacups out and fixing their brew for them. “Forrest asked me to be patient, but it’s just difficult when things like yesterday happened. I saw him with Rosemary and went about our day without him. I didn’t want to think about her and him, together. And now this, all because I didn’t know how to tell my family about my two husbands.”

  “They are not together.” Alice fixed her with a stare. “Did you miss that I said the best? You are the best for Will, for Forrest. The only woman they’d have. He’s just scared. The words for your family...those will come. Just be patient with Will, but most of all with yourself.”

  Julie nodded along and took the cup of tea with a grateful smile. “Thank you. You’re a true friend.”

  “Which is precisely why I’m going to help you put on the best spring dance this town has ever seen.”

  “Really?!”

  “Truly.” Alice smiled at her over her teacup. “Rhodes’s wife, Lily, will want to help. And I think I know of a few other women in town who would be more than happy to help us. You might be new in town, but you’re bringing joy to the men that keep us safe, and that means you have us all in your corner when you need us.”

  Julie blinked back tears. “That’s more than I could ever ask for. I don’t know how to repay everyone.”

  “Just teach and be you. You are part of Gold Sky.” Alice smiled, putting her cup down onto her saucer, and patted Julie’s hand. “It’s what we do out here. We’re a family on the frontier.”

  Touched by Alice’s words, Julie let out a shaky breath. There had been something missing in her relationships with the other socialites of her age. Theirs had been friendly smiles cultivated with calculating moves, smiles that didn’t quite reach anyone’s eyes. It had been stifling.

  Gold Sky was the opposite of the controlled and reserved life Julie had found herself being pushed into, and not for the first time she was grateful that she had answered Forrest’s ad.

  She shuddered to think of where she would be if she hadn’t decided to marry. Her sudden role of wife to both men had put her in a new position of having two men who made it their business to ensure her comfort and happiness.

  Gold Sky indeed was her home.

  “Thank you.” Julie gave Alice a genuine smile. “Thank you so much.”

  * * *

  Julie smoothed her hands over the front of her skirts. It had been a whirlwind day for her which hadn’t stopped the second she had set out with Alice to seek the help of Lily Rhodes, a woman with brown eyes and an infectious smile that had Julie grinning ear-to-ear in the span of a heartbeat. Lily had been delighted upon asked to join the spring dance committee, a feat she had not been invited to do in the four years she had lived in Gold Sky. It didn’t matter if they had only had a day to plan the dance, Lily assured her, it would be done and done with flair.

  From there, the women had split up in different directions to enlist the help of the town’s women in pulling off what Julie hoped would be a dance to remember.

  So far they had secured a live band and flowers for the evening. Alice was confident that she would be able to handle the food for the evening, given her connections with the restaurants of the town. Dessert had even been sorted out as Julie had promised Leslie a handsome bonus if she would work her culinary magic to produce pies and cakes for the occasion. Leslie had agreed, and had already begun to draw up a list of ingredients she would shop for the following day in preparation of the dance.

  Considering how blindsided she had been just 24 hours before, Julie was pleased with the day’s efforts. Now she waited for Will to return home for the evening. Leslie had made a meal sure to please.

  “It’s his favorite. Trust me. Perfect for a man on the mend.” Leslie pointed out the fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh bread, and sweet potatoes she had left warming in the oven. A frosted chocolate cake sat on the counter, waiting for dessert.

  Biting her lip, Julie took in the veritable feast Leslie had made and wondered just how public Will had been in his night out.

  All that was missing was said man, and Julie’s eyes darted to the grandfather clock in the foyer. She paced from the front door to the stove where she paused for a few minutes, fussing with this and that, before turning on her heel and returning to the front door, hoping to hear the approach of Will’s horse.

  It seemed an eternity before Julie heard the sound she had been waiting for. The sound of Will’s boots on the porch had her scurrying back to the kitchen where she began to pull the dishes and platters from the oven where they had been stored. She had just set down the platter of fried chicken when Will entered the dining room.

  He cleared his throat and hesitated on the threshold for a second before his eyes darted up to her.

  “Julie.”

  “Will.”

  His eyes moved down to the take in the fried chicken in front of her. “Dinner?”

  “Ah, yes.” Julie licked her lips and gave him a small smile. “I’ll finish set
ting the table if you would wash up—or we can wait if you like.”

  “No, no.” Will gave a quick jerk of his head, already rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. “Now is good. I’ll just be a minute.” He strode through the dining room on his way to fetch water for his washing.

  Julie sucked in a deep breath. She had to keep calm. This was her husband, not a stranger, but the feeling of nervousness sweeping over her was like nothing else she had ever known.

  It was hard to imagine her curt and reserved husband publicly declaring his love for her. She would have to believe Alice on the matter and hope that there was a side to Will she hadn’t seen just yet.

  Julie went into the kitchen behind Will to bring another serving dish to the table, pleased when Will grabbed the rolls and gravy to help.

  “Thank you.” Julie smiled at him, but Will only shrugged.

  “Ma raised me to help.”

  “I see.”

  Will shifted, suddenly uncomfortable. “Looks great though.”

  “Leslie assured me it was your favorite.”

  Will gave a rare grin. “She’s observant.”

  “And a dream with the house. She’s even offered to help with the desserts for the dance,” Julie said. She glanced back at the table, glad to see that everything had been brought out. “Please, sit down.” She pointed to the chair at the head of the table. “I’ll just be a minute.”

  Will nodded, sitting at the table while Julie hustled into the kitchen. She was looking for the small bottle of lager that Leslie had brought with her to complete dinner.

  She poured a glass just as the older woman had instructed her and then carried it, along with a glass of wine for herself, back to the table.

  “Here you are.” She set the glass down next to him and took her place at his left.

  She startled when Will took her hand, his fingers gentle on her skin, his palm warm against hers.

  “Dear Lord, we thank you for this bounty,” Will said, eyes closed and head bowed. Immediately, Julie’s cheeks burned with embarrassment at mistaking Will’s touch as romantic. When grace was finished, Julie was grateful for something to do with her hands, and she began to dish out the food.