didn’t he give my name and place of residence?”
He watched the confusion wrinkle her brow and he suddenly felt sorry for her.
“See?” he said, softly. “There was no theft. It was just an attempt on Daniel’s part to keep me out of Denver. Away from you and anyone else who might discover the truth. The sheriff in this town isn’t after me.”
She sighed. A look of sadness passed over her features, quickly replaced by one of stubbornness.
They stared ahead. The horse’s plodding hoofbeats echoed off the pine buildings. Their buckboard squeaked past the Cheyenne rail station and the rackety crowd shuffling on the platform. Two men zigzagged across the street, making their way from Annie’s Café to the guns and ammunition depot. On Friday nights the town came alive with shoppers, diners and strollers.
Luke took a deep breath. His town. His people.
The mercantile loomed to their right, and they turned the corner. He stole another look at Jenny.
The vulnerability in her eyes tore at him, made him want to protect her. Did she need protecting from Daniel? Or could she hold her own? He smiled softly to himself. He did admire her fiery nature.
With her hands clasped in her lap, she stared ahead. Her lips had stopped trembling, but were set firmly. Barely a word had escaped her on the thirty-minute ride, but what did he expect? She was going back to Denver, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could think of saying to stop her.
He might as well face it. From here on in, he was on his own in helping Adam.
He was on his own.
He flicked the reins.
He’d been so damn sure all he had to do was tell her the truth and she’d believe him. Wrong. Well, at least he’d tried. Tomorrow morning, when the train rolled in from Denver, he’d try once more. He’d ask them nicely, both Daniel and Jenny, to spend some time with the boy.
A quiver of emotion wove its way through his chest. Maybe he was suffering from his own delusions.
Did he have a hope in hell of getting Daniel and Adam together? Would Daniel make a good father, anyway? Or was it best just to ask him to sign release papers?
What would happen to Adam? How and where should Luke start looking for an adoptive family, if it came to that?
Is this what people had done for Luke—trying to find him and his brothers and mother a home when his father had died and left them with nothing? Is this what it felt like, trying to do your best for an orphaned boy, knowing that taking him away from all he knew and loved would probably be the worst thing for him?
At least Luke had had his ma. He couldn’t imagine what it’d feel like, as a kid, to be completely alone, like Adam was.
No. Luke wouldn’t allow himself to feel defeated. Until he came face-to-face with Daniel tomorrow and Daniel said otherwise, there was still hope. Maybe Jenny would sleep on it, and her position would soften, too. Maybe.
His body swayed with the rhythm of the buggy. A burning desire for sleep crept into his muscles. God, he was tired.
The pain in his ribs jabbed again. He grimaced and ran a hand over his bandages. What he needed was a cold beer. That’d help his ribs.
Hell, Jenny could use one, too. A good stiff drink to settle her. Couldn’t hurt. He’d like to see her smile again. That warm smile that made him catch his breath, the one she’d given him after she’d fallen off the horse, right before he’d kissed her. He had to stop thinking about that kiss. She was Daniel’s.
Hell, she might be Daniel’s, but there was no harm in showing her his saloon. It was a matter of personal pride. He would put the McLintock charm to work, the one most women found hard to resist.
From half a block away, he peered at his saloon—a two-story building, one of the oldest permanent structures in Cheyenne. Two hotel patrons sat on the balcony, fanning themselves, observing the street from under the awning overhang. On the side stairs, a young couple holding hands made their way down to the
He watched the confusion wrinkle her brow and he suddenly felt sorry for her.
“See?” he said, softly. “There was no theft. It was just an attempt on Daniel’s part to keep me out of Denver. Away from you and anyone else who might discover the truth. The sheriff in this town isn’t after me.”
She sighed. A look of sadness passed over her features, quickly replaced by one of stubbornness.
They stared ahead. The horse’s plodding hoofbeats echoed off the pine buildings. Their buckboard squeaked past the Cheyenne rail station and the rackety crowd shuffling on the platform. Two men zigzagged across the street, making their way from Annie’s Café to the guns and ammunition depot. On Friday nights the town came alive with shoppers, diners and strollers.
Luke took a deep breath. His town. His people.
The mercantile loomed to their right, and they turned the corner. He stole another look at Jenny.
The vulnerability in her eyes tore at him, made him want to protect her. Did she need protecting from Daniel? Or could she hold her own? He smiled softly to himself. He did admire her fiery nature.
With her hands clasped in her lap, she stared ahead. Her lips had stopped trembling, but were set firmly. Barely a word had escaped her on the thirty-minute ride, but what did he expect? She was going back to Denver, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could think of saying to stop her.
He might as well face it. From here on in, he was on his own in helping Adam.
He was on his own.
He flicked the reins.
He’d been so damn sure all he had to do was tell her the truth and she’d believe him. Wrong. Well, at least he’d tried. Tomorrow morning, when the train rolled in from Denver, he’d try once more. He’d ask them nicely, both Daniel and Jenny, to spend some time with the boy.
A quiver of emotion wove its way through his chest. Maybe he was suffering from his own delusions.
Did he have a hope in hell of getting Daniel and Adam together? Would Daniel make a good father, anyway? Or was it best just to ask him to sign release papers?
What would happen to Adam? How and where should Luke start looking for an adoptive family, if it came to that?
Is this what people had done for Luke—trying to find him and his brothers and mother a home when his father had died and left them with nothing? Is this what it felt like, trying to do your best for an orphaned boy, knowing that taking him away from all he knew and loved would probably be the worst thing for him?
At least Luke had had his ma. He couldn’t imagine what it’d feel like, as a kid, to be completely alone, like Adam was.
No. Luke wouldn’t allow himself to feel defeated. Until he came face-to-face with Daniel tomorrow and Daniel said otherwise, there was still hope. Maybe Jenny would sleep on it, and her position would soften, too. Maybe.
His body swayed with the rhythm of the buggy. A burning desire for sleep crept into his muscles. God, he was tired.
The pain in his ribs jabbed again. He grimaced and ran a hand over his bandages. What he needed was a cold beer. That’d help his ribs.
Hell, Jenny could use one, too. A good stiff drink to settle her. Couldn’t hurt. He’d like to see her smile again. That warm smile that made him catch his breath, the one she’d given him after she’d fallen off the horse, right before he’d kissed her. He had to stop thinking about that kiss. She was Daniel’s.
Hell, she might be Daniel’s, but there was no harm in showing her his saloon. It was a matter of personal pride. He would put the McLintock charm to work, the one most women found hard to resist.
From half a block away, he peered at his saloon—a two-story building, one of the oldest permanent structures in Cheyenne. Two hotel patrons sat on the balcony, fanning themselves, observing the street from under the awning overhang. On the side stairs, a young couple holding hands made their way down to the
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