Stephen’s Bride by Callie Hutton

Jace helped himself to a piece of bacon. If only things had worked out between him and Calliope, he might also have had a table full of kids and a wife he could cuddle up with. He sighed. No point in dwelling on what would never be.
    “I could use your help out at the orchard today,” Daniel nodded in Stephen’s direction as he poured cream into his coffee. “We have to trim some of the trees.”
    “Whatever you need.” Stephen shoveled his food in, trying his best to ignore the murmured conversation between Rosemarie and Daniel. His brother bent and whispered into her ear, she giggled. He laid his hand on her shoulder as he spoke. She propped her chin on her hand and stared at him while he described his plans for building a new training arena for the horses.
    The sooner he could get his own place, the better.
    Alone.
    Damn, that thought bothered him more than he wanted it to. Finally unable to take anymore of family happiness, he pushed himself away from the table. “I’ll see you outside.” Slapping his hat on his head, he left the house
    Stephen trudged to the house with the setting sun at this back. He and Daniel, along with two of the farm hands, had put in a full day in the orchard, and Stephen was tired to the bone. He still had to clean himself up and ride into town for his six hour shift at the tavern. He drew a pail of water from the pump, carried it to the barn, then stripped to his skin and washed the dirt and grime from his body. Pulling on a clean shirt and pants, he headed to the Bartlett Creek Saloon.
    The tinny music from the bar reached his ears when he was still two blocks away. The newly installed gaslights paved the way from the darkness of the prairie to the town. Another saloon a ways down on the boardwalk and across the street was doing a good business. He slid from Topaz and entered the saloon. He nodded at Jake who unwrapped the huge white apron he wore around his middle when he saw Stephen enter.
    “How’s business? Things seem to be hopping down at the Full Bucket.” Stephen asked as he took his place behind the bar.
    “Busy.” Jake hung his apron up and lumbered away. The man was never much of a talker.
    Within minutes Stephen was pouring whiskey and washing glasses. He liked staying busy because it kept him from thinking about Calliope and how much he missed her. A few of the saloon girls had given him the eye now and then since he’d started, but aside from the fact that as a married man he would never take one up on her offer, none of them appealed to him. They weren’t the right size, didn’t have the right hair shade, their eye color was all wrong, didn’t have that special smile. . .
    Hell, they weren’t Calliope.
    By the time he was sweeping up and locking the door he seriously doubted he would be able to ride Topaz all the way home without falling asleep on her back. He toyed with the idea of curling up on the floor in the back room of the saloon, but that was even more unappealing than his straw mattress in Daniel’s barn.
    With a heavy sigh, he removed his apron, hung it on the peg by the back door and left. The ride through the cool night air revived him a bit, and he was surprised to see a light on in the parlor in Daniel’s house. Hoping to grab a bite to eat before bed, he brushed Topaz, gave her a bag of oats and headed to the house.
    Rosemarie stood in the middle of the parlor, holding Lucy in her arms, crooning to her as the child slept. She looked up as he entered. “Stephen you look like hell.” She whispered the words.
    “Fine language coming out of a lady’s mouth.”
    “Whoever told you I was a lady?” She raised her eyebrows.
    He grinned at her sassiness. “What are you doing up?”
    “I think Lucy is teething. She wasn’t able to sleep, so I rubbed some whiskey on her gums and walked her for a while. I think she’ll stay asleep now.”
    “She’s probably drunk.”
    “I’m going to put her down. If you wait for a minute, I’ll fix you