Cowboy Groom Read online

  Aunt Mary chuckled. “Delay won’t change anything.”

  As Stella took her place at the table, she pretended not to hear Aunt Mary’s comment and hoped no one would notice her hot cheeks that surely were as pink as morning roses. She signaled to the children to bow their heads, and she did the same.

  Bruce didn’t pray, and she stole a look at him. His gaze went from her to his aunt, puzzlement obvious in his expression.

  Aunt Mary must not have said anything to him about two weeks. Stella’s shoulders relaxed, and she drew in a slow breath.

  Bruce shrugged and bowed his head to say grace. “Amen.”

  The air hung silent and heavy across the table as Stella wondered what she would say to him to explain her embarrassment. But she needn’t have worried.

  “I have two barns,” Donny said between mouthfuls. “One my papa built and one the uncles built. So, I’m going to have a great big farm. Papa always told me I was a born farmer. Mama, what does that mean?”

  Stella realized she wasn’t paying attention and collected her thoughts. “I suppose it means you understand about crops and animals.”

  “Yup. I sure do. Can’t wait for our animals to come home.” He perched on the front of his chair. “Could I go with Uncle Bruce to get them?”

  “Not this time,” she said, without giving it any consideration. He was too small to ride that far and having him would only hinder Bruce.

  “Ahh.”

  Blossom blinked back tears at her brother’s disappointment.

  Stella studied her two children. She wanted to do everything in her power to make them happy, but there was no way she could grant this request.

  “Tell you what,” Bruce said. “How would it be if I give each of you a ride on my horse right after dinner? Before I leave.”

  Both children nodded and smiled.

  Bruce’s words came back to her. He wanted to see the joy in people’s faces and do what he could to add to it. He was certainly doing that for the children and for that, she admitted a bit of affection for the man.

  Aunt Mary cleared her throat, bringing Stella’s attention her direction. The older woman smiled and nodded, her gaze going from Bruce to Stella. “Two weeks,” she mouthed.

  Stella turned away. Let Aunt Mary have her hopes and dreams. It wouldn’t change anything.

  The children gulped their food and stared at Bruce as he ate more slowly.

  “We’re done,” Donny said.

  “Uh huh. I see that.” Bruce held up his cup. “I think I’ll have a refill.”

  Stella wondered at his delay as she rose to get the coffeepot. She was about to fill his cup when he held up a hand to stop her.

  “Are you two anxious to get going?” He spoke like the idea was a surprise.

  “Yes.” Donny squirmed right off his chair and stood at the table.

  “What about you?” Bruce asked Blossom.

  “I ready now.” She scrambled from her chair and headed for the door.

  Bruce laughed. “Guess I’m done too. Thanks for the meal, Mrs. Reynolds.” He planted his hat on his head and left the house, a child clinging to each hand, and made his way to the barn.

  Stella watched. He was good at bringing joy to her children’s lives. She couldn’t deny it.

  “You’re discovering he’s a good man, aren’t you?”

  She didn’t turn away from the window at Aunt Mary’s question.

  Aunt Mary continued. “He’s struggled with his past. It’s often been tossed in his face, as if it has anything to do with the sort of man he now is. If anything, he is a better man for the things he’s dealt with, and I include Louella in that. I’m assuming he told you about her?”

  “He said she was hurtful when he didn’t want to court her.”

  “Both she and her father were cruel. Made him feel unworthy.” A beat of silence in which Stella hoped Aunt Mary was finished.

  But Aunt Mary wasn’t. “I wouldn’t want to see him hurt again.”

  Stella spun around to face the older woman. “I have no intention of either saying cruel things to him or judging him for his past.”

  “That’s reassuring.”

  Stella hurried to the kitchen to clean up from the meal. But was she guilty of judging him for her past? Hadn’t she suggested he might be like his pa—a wandering man? Was she being cruel in doing so?

  Not intentionally. But perhaps she was being unfair.

  He liked to bring joy into other’s lives. She’d seen that and liked it.

  Donny’s voice drew her back to the window. He sat alone in the saddle with Bruce leading his horse. Donny’s grin spoke of his great enjoyment.

  Stella shifted her attention to the horse. Tried to keep it there. A big gray horse with black socks. A handsome animal. But her gaze refused to remain on the horse. Instead, she looked at Bruce. He said something to Donny and patted the boy’s leg then led the horse down the path.

  As they turned to retrace their steps, she had a good view of Bruce’s face. She couldn’t stop staring at him. The wideness of his smile as he helped her son said more to her than any of the words of promise he had spoken. This man cared about Donny. Cared about Blossom. Cared about making them happy. What more did she need?

  Yet she couldn’t deny she wished for more though she couldn’t say what it was. Wouldn’t confess to it, even if she knew.

  He led the horse back to the barn, helped Donny dismount, then lifted Blossom to the saddle. He stayed at her side, holding her steady as he guided them down the path.

  She could see Blossom’s big smile. Heard her distant laughter. Stella smiled, her heart filled with joy.

  She’d forgotten Aunt Mary was watching.

  “I can’t see what he’s doing, but knowing him as I do, I expect he is giving the children a ride, just as he promised.”

  Stella murmured a yes.

  “I remember a time shortly after I took him in. He was so eager to please. I had only to mention a task I needed done, and he ran off to do it. He scared me half to death one day. I heard a noise in the back and went to investigate. That little boy was chopping wood. I grabbed the axe and stopped him. He said he had done it before. I believed him. But I told him that until he was bigger, I didn’t want him doing it.”

  Stella turned to watch her. Aunt Mary wore a bemused expression and had a faraway look in her eyes.

  “He seemed surprised and said his pa taught him. He then went on to say his pa made him. Told him he was big enough to take care of himself and help around the camp. I didn’t probe, but I guessed his pa expected more than help. He expected Bruce to do all the work. It was later that he admitted to that fact.” Her gaze hit Stella with the force of a hammer. “I’ve done my best to make him understand that my love is given freely. Love has no price. He believed it for a few years. But Louella made him think otherwise.” She dabbed at her eyes. “It’s why I agreed that we should leave town.”

  “Wait. He said he left because you were in danger.”

  “Pshaw. I doubt anyone would have truly harmed me, but I saw that he would never be accepted in that town.”

  Could it be true that both of them were willing to leave for the sake of the other? “He was fortunate that you found him and rescued him.”

  “It’s been as good for me as him. I believe that God put the two of us together. Just as I believe He has put the two of you together.”

  “I’m sure we’ll have an amicable business partnership.”

  Aunt Mary laughed. “I believe you’ll have much more than that very soon.”

  Stella shook her head. “You are quite the optimist.”

  “I have prayer on my side.”

  Unable to argue against prayer, and not wanting to admit the ray of hope that shone into her heart at the idea, Stella turned back to the window.

  Bruce came toward the house. He carried Blossom, and Donny clung to one hand. The three of them were laughing.

  Stella’s hungry gaze followed them. Before she could
analyze the sensation, the trio reached the door, and she choked back her confusion.

  9

  Bruce stepped into the house and put Blossom on her feet. He straightened and glanced toward Stella. Why did she look so…so…? He couldn’t think how to describe it though his first thought was she seemed full of longing. He glanced to Aunt Mary. Her brown eyes glowed with warmth.

  He’d seen that look many times in the past when she approved of something he’d achieved. Aunt Mary was always encouraging and supportive. Always telling him he could do whatever task he had set a course for and then cheering when he did it. He couldn’t think what she approved of this time. Perhaps the way he enjoyed the children? Or was it his decision to marry Stella and give all of them a home? He grinned at her. Her joy was his joy.

  “I’m going now to get the livestock.”

  Stella blinked as if returning from a distant place in her thoughts.

  He wondered where she had gone and if it involved him. This learning to know and trust each other was like walking on unstable ground. He wasn’t sure what he’d find with his next step. It would simply take time to work things out. “I need directions. Walk me out?”

  She nodded, and they crossed the yard together to where he’d tied Smokey.

  “You go west to a fork in the road. Take the left one. You’ll find them on the left over the next rise.”

  He stood by Smokey’s side. “Back in the house.” He wanted to ask her about that moment, but now couldn’t find the words. He tried again. “You seemed distracted. Distant. Were you thinking of how you and Frank had raised the cows?”

  “What? No. Not at all. I’ll be glad to get them back and see how the calves are doing. See if the hens have survived. Maybe even discover there are some half-grown kittens. Wouldn’t the children be pleased if there was? The grass is lush for the milk cow. I’ll get the chicken coop cleaned and ready for the chickens … I’m rattling on, aren’t I?”

  He smiled, gently, kindly. “A bit. I have to wonder why.”

  She looked past him.

  “You and I agreed we would share information as we needed to. I think this might be one of those times.” He waited, patient but determined. Secrets would not help them form a solid partnership. And if he hoped there could be more, that was his problem.

  She slowly pulled her gaze to his. “It’s something your Aunt Mary keeps saying. Two weeks, remember?”

  “I wondered what she meant by it.”

  Stella pursed her lips. “I know what she means, and it’s bothering me, especially when she says it over and over.”

  “Maybe you could explain.”

  She looked at the ground between them. “I told her how Kade and Flora fell in love in two weeks.”

  He strained to hear her words. “How can that be?”

  She explained how they’d spent time together when Flora was stranded in a storm, how the preacher had insisted they must marry, but Kade asked for two weeks to win her heart. “Now Aunt Mary thinks we can do better than that.” Stella lifted her face, her eyes unnaturally wide as if she forced herself to meet his gaze.

  “I take it you explained that wasn’t part of our agreement.”

  “Oh, I did. But I don’t think it matters to her. She says she has prayer on her side.”

  He laughed outright. “Aunt Mary’s secret weapon. Though not so secret, seeing as she tells people she is praying.” He sobered. “I’ve seen some startling answers to her prayers though.”

  Her eyes lost their surprised look. “Like what?”

  “There was the time she lost her purse. It had the money she’d saved to buy us both a new outfit for Easter. I was only about nine. I hadn’t been with her that long, and I was used to wearing less-than-new clothes, if you know what I mean. Not that I objected to something new from the store. I found the idea exciting even. But Aunt Mary was very upset. Then she said, ‘It’s silly for me to be so upset. God can see my purse. I’ll simply ask Him to show me where it is.’ She knelt by the sofa and signaled me to kneel beside her. She spoke to God like He was right in the room and her best friend.”

  Bruce heard how awed he sounded but didn’t care.

  “I got used to the way she prayed, but at the time I wished God was my friend too. I told her that when she finished, and she said He could be, and He wanted to be. What an amazing thought.”

  He smiled at Stella, seeing his awe reflected in her eyes.

  “That’s when I turned my life over to God, accepted the forgiveness offered through Jesus, and I’ve never looked back.”

  “What happened to the purse? Did she find it?”

  “Aunt Mary got up and went about her business. I stood in the middle of the room half expecting the purse to suddenly appear before my eyes. Aunt Mary laughed and said we had to let God answer in His time and His way. She sang the rest of the day and at bedtime assured me it was all in God’s hands, so she wasn’t worried.” He leaned back on his heels, smiling at the memory.

  “And?” Stella nudged him.

  Teasing curved his lips. “And what?”

  “The purse. Did she ever find it?”

  Bruce enjoyed her eagerness to know. Knew joy that he could gain her interest this keenly. “A few days later she pulled potatoes out of the bin and there it was. She’d never say if she remembered dropping it there. She only said God had answered her prayer.”

  Stella’s gaze went to the house. “There were other times her prayers were answered?”

  “Dozens, hundreds, lots and lots.”

  Her gaze flooded with challenge and caution as she brought it back to his. “Always?”

  He shrugged, enjoying this conversation and her wariness. “I can’t say always, though I can’t recall any instances when one of her prayers wasn’t answered.” Though truthfully, he wasn’t trying. Far more fun to watch the play of emotions on Stella’s face. Surprise, awe, maybe even amusement, and then taut lines pulled at her mouth.

  “Are you suggesting we don’t have a choice in the matter? That her prayers will overrule our plans?” Her stare burned toward the house.

  He touched her shoulder, wanting to ease the strain in her expression. Was he mistaken in thinking she leaned into his hand? Were Aunt Mary’s prayers already being answered?

  He dropped his hand like he’d been stung. “No one can force either of us to do something against our will.”

  She smiled, though the tension didn’t disappear. “I guess that’s true.” She stepped back. “And here I am delaying you.”

  He took Smokey’s reins. “I can’t say when I’ll be back.” Before she could respond, he added, “But I will be back.” He swung into his saddle, touched the brim of his hat, and said, “Goodbye.” He turned at the end of the lane.

  She stood where he’d left her, her hand shading her eyes.

  He waved.

  She waved back.

  “I’ll be back,” he yelled, though he guessed she couldn’t hear him.

  He could think of no reason why he’d ever leave.

  Following Stella’s directions, he rode toward the Thomas place. At the fork in the road, he stopped when he encountered cows and an ox being driven down the dusty way. He guessed they were Stella’s animals even before he saw Kade and Flora, each carrying a squirming sack. Kade led a pack horse with several sacks on it. The squawks from that direction informed Bruce there were chickens being brought home.

  He waved at the pair of riders and helped drive the animals homeward. They went easily, the ox and the lead cow seeming to know they were headed to familiar surroundings. He eased over to talk to Kade and Flora.

  “Stella is eager to see her animals.”

  “I think Donny will be too.” Flora waved her hat at a cow who thought the grass looked inviting.

  “It’s good that she is finally at home,” Kade said. “You’ve made that possible. For that I am grateful.”

  “Me too,” Flora added. “But don’t think I’ve forgotten my warning.”

 
Bruce chuckled. “I wouldn’t likely make that mistake.” It was good to know others were concerned about Stella, but they needn’t worry. He had something here that he’d always wanted.

  Home, of course. But something far more important. He couldn’t quite put a name on the feeling. Was it belonging? Or as Aunt Mary had said, acceptance?

  Seems it was early to be jumping to that conclusion.

  Still. It was nice to think it possible.

  Stella meant to have the chicken coop cleaned out by the time Bruce returned. Besides, she needed a loathsome task to get her thoughts straightened out. She’d been so drawn to Bruce’s touch back at the barn when they were discussing Aunt Mary’s prayers that it had startled her. It was more than the touch of a man to a woman. It was as if he had reached into her heart and started it beating again. She could put it down to his humor, his amusement, or the way he told the story about an answer to one of Aunt Mary’s prayer.

  Not that she didn’t believe in the power of prayer. But like Bruce said, she—they—had a say in this matter. They weren’t simply pawns.

  Bruce had fashioned a crutch for Aunt Mary, and Stella helped her into her room to rest.

  “How is your leg feeling?” The healing burns and bone would not be without pain.

  “I’m fine, my dear, and so grateful to be in your home. I couldn’t have asked for a better place. I’ve known so much love in my life, and I’m looking forward to basking in love between you and Bruce.”

  “Aunt Mary, you can’t decide what we want to do.”

  “Oh my dear, I would never do that. I simply know what I see.”

  Stella adjusted the thin cover over her. “And what do you think you see?”

  “I see a man and woman who are utterly and completely suitable for each other.”

  Curiosity overcame Stella’s good sense that warned her not to pursue this conversation. “How are we suited for each other?”

  “You’re both committed to home and family. You are both willing to make sacrifices to reach those goals. You enjoy each other’s company. I already see that you are open and honest with each other. Besides, what God has joined together in holy matrimony will become His place of love and joy. Now leave me have a rest.”