7. Chapter 7
7
The men of Hartlock Ranch were not relaxed when we walked toward the church.
An afterthought of a building, with white paint peeling on the wood boards. There were two arched, stained-glass windows with roses. The stone path winding to the scuffed double door entrance hadn’t been swept. Somebody attempted a garden, but it was now overgrown with weeds.
Still, nothing could quieten the peculiar mix of nerves and excitement I felt as we entered. Bram’s lower lip dropped out even further as Ruck waved him along an empty pew at the back. He hadn’t been happy to wash and dress in the uncomfortable clothes I’d made for him. It was half empty, but Hale warned me not to expect much.
Summer brought more work than any other time of year, and Misery Creek inspired little in the way of faith. The priest at the front gave a welcoming smile. After being surrounded by powerful alphas, it was strange to see a human. His sparse gray hair was slicked back, and his forehead was shiny with sweat. He looked like the peddlers who camped out on the corners in Breton City.
The church was like a hot box, and I regretted wearing gloves. I’d wanted to dress up and thought I’d done a decent job. Everyone was speechless when I came down the stairs in my buttercup yellow dress with matching gloves. Hale wrapped our fingers together and placed them on his thigh. He wriggled in the seat, trying to find comfort. Was he as affected by me as I was him?
“Welcome, everyone, unfamiliar faces and old ones. My name is Father Thomas, and today I want to talk about generosity.”
Father Thomas rested his curious gaze on me for a beat too long, his balding head shined as he ducked his head to look at his notes. I let his voice wash over me, more interested in taking stock of the other people in church. I was going to make a life here, and I hoped to make some friends. A redhead turned in her seat, and I caught her eye. She offered me a shy smile before the man next to her nudged her shoulder, and she looked toward the front once more. The sermon went by quickly, and I dragged Hale to the front to introduce myself.
“Father, thank you for the sermon. I’ll take it to heart.” I lied. Perhaps it was sinful not to pay closer attention. But I’d like to see anyone try to concentrate with their alpha husband holding their hand and pressing their muscular thigh against them.
“The new Mrs. Hartlock, you're all the town has talked about for weeks. I hope Hale is treating you well. I see you convinced him to attend. That shows promise for your hasty union.” His gaze flicked to my stomach, but his lips tipped, and I knew the man was teasing us both. I’m sure there were a dozen other rumors about why we were married, being pregnant the least of them. He shuffled a pile of paper and tucked it under his arm.
“You know what they say, Father Thomas, a pleasant wife, is one who gets her way,” Hale said.
Father Thomas chortled and dipped his head before leaving to speak to the waiting crowd. There was a mixture of Designated and human. The intermingling scents didn’t affect me, not with my tea. I’d become used to the potent mix of Hale, Ruck, and Oliver.
Ruck and Oliver loitered on the edges, the latter tugging at his collar. They’d combed their hair and shaved. Except for Hale. He was wearing a stiff brown suit, one that smelled like the paper box it’d been stored in for years. It buckled over his wide shoulders, very smart despite its age. But his beard was thick and unruly.
“Oliver and I are going to run a few errands. Shall we meet back at the cart in an hour?”
“Of course, enjoy Madam Silver's.” Hale laughed, and Ruck punched his shoulder.
“Who is Madam Silver?” I interjected, pulling off my gloves. The sun was beating hard, and sweat trickled down my back. Oliver shot Hale a dark glare and strode off without a word.
“No-one, I was just stirring them up.”
“Shall I mention the absence of the mayor and his daughter, then?” Ruck stepped back like he expected Hale to swing at him. Hale pursed his lips in furious silence while Ruck’s hazel eyes warmed with mirth. Hale nudged Bram toward Ruck with a scowl.
“Help Ruck out with his jobs, and he might get a sweet for you.” Bram ran off after his brother, shiny shoes kicking up dust in his haste.
“We could get lunch at the diner. They do a fair steak.” Hale offered.
“Perhaps we could join you?” A low voice chased us, and I turned to see the redheaded woman who stared at me throughout the service. She gave me a shy little wave. Hale’s shoulders slumped slightly before he greeted the strangers.
“Esta, this is Mr. Baylark and his wife, Mrs. Baylark, and Mr. Baylark’s cousin, Mr. Tenn. This is my wife, Esta.” Hale puffed out his chest, and it pleased me to know he was proud of me. That he was happy to claim me as his wife. Mrs. Baylark pressed her neat, nimble fingers together in excitement. Her smile was carefree as her husband, not the man who sat next to her in church, moved closer.
“Hale, I never thought I’d see a day where you were married.” He waved toward the end of the street. “Let us buy you lunch as a wedding gift.”
There was only space on the boardwalk for two, so I slipped in beside Mrs. Baylark.
“Please, call me Lucinda. So, how do you like Hartlock Ranch? I’ve been dying to meet you ever since Emory, Mr. Tenn, mentioned there was a new beta in town.” She pulled out a handkerchief with a lace edge and pressed it into my hand. I unfurled it and hummed over the intricate work.
“Did you make this?” The sweet gesture moved me. Especially from a stranger. Lucinda gave an emphatic nod before her expression shuttered slightly. “I hope that isn’t overstepping. It’s just that Misery Creek has so few women, and the ones that live here can be kind of…”
“What Lucinda means to say is that people can be close-minded in these parts. They stick with the people they grew up with, and it’s hard to break out of those molds.”
Lucinda tripped on her skirt, and Emory caught her by the elbow, righting her with a nervous clearing of his throat. I couldn’t say I was surprised. The city had similar customs. People associated with those their families trusted. My father was an outlier in that account. He rose above his station and forced others to note him. But he was never liked for it. He considered Daniel’s interest in me a sign that human social circles were going to accept us. I never had the heart or the courage to tell him the truth. Daniel wasn’t his friend, and he never would be.
“I understand. Well, I hope you won’t hold it against me that I’m an outsider.”
Lucinda reached out to grab my hands and gushed with wide eyes.
“Of course not. I would love to be friends.”
We shared wide, open smiles. Dust kicked up from the carts and horses filling the road, each person turning their face to stare at me as they passed. I caught the startled gaze of a prune-faced human as she passed us, and she quickly looked away. I rubbed my chin, looking at Hale with barely concealed distress.
“Do I have something on my face?”
Emory darted between us and held open the door to the diner.
“No, it’s just rare to see someone new in town,” Hale explained, planting his hand on my back and guiding me to a booth. “Diane, can we have some menus, please?”
The server, a stout human lady, pursed her lips, turned her back as though she hadn’t heard him. Lucinda squeezed in between Emory and Mr. Baylark, and I perched on the end, with Hale at my right.
Mr. Baylark plucked a napkin from the middle and laid it over his lap. “New faces bring out the curious, especially someone rumored to be Hale’s new wife.”
“The most eligible bachelor of Misery Creek finally gave the other guys a fighting chance. Perhaps I’ll get someone to look my way for once.” Emory winked.
Lucinda flapped a dismissive hand at Emory. “You’d have the ladies lining up if you washed behind your ears more often than once a year.”
“You might be right,” Emory let out a laugh. “I guess I’m destined to be single forever.”
Diane brought over a stack of menus and slapped them on the table with a wordless scowl. Mr. Baylark let out a quiet laugh.
“I hope the food is better than the service.” My eyebrows scrunched together. Hale placed his hand on my thigh and squeezed. For a moment, my rumbling stomach was forgotten. His touch had a way of scrambling my thoughts.
“Trust me, there is a reason this diner is still here.”
“So, Hale was a popular marriage prospect?” I asked.
Hale pursed his lips. What did he expect? I was curious to know more about my husband and if these new friends were going to tell me all about it, why wouldn’t I ask? Emory let out a guffaw and Mr. Baylark hurried to add. “Hale even captured the attention of the most self-absorbed person in town. Why, if it wasn’t for the drama—”
Hale cleared his throat and cut Mr. Baylark off with a wave of his hands. “What Garcell is trying to say is that Hartlock Ranch is one of the wealthier ranches. Prospects are limited out here in the wildlands.”
Emory and Garcell looked like they wanted to argue but stayed silent as Diane came over to take our order. I’d met plenty of intolerant humans in Breton City, and she looked to be another one by her dark look.
“Coffee for you?” Hale asked, his thick eyebrow raised.
I hesitated. Caffeine wasn’t recommended for omegas, and I always abstained. It was too strong a brew for our hormones, and I didn’t need one more thing to make me feel off-kilter. I shook my head, not willing to tempt fate. The tea was the only reason Hale sat beside me without disgust, and I wouldn’t jeopardize that for anything.
Everything would be fine. Hale would get to know me and understand I wasn’t using him selfishly. Eventually, I would have to come clean, but maybe I could find another solution. I’d passed the doctor’s office. They might know of a scent-blocking method.
“Did you all grow up in Misery Creek?” I asked as Diane left to put our orders in.
“There are a few towns scattered around here, back when the gold was first discovered. But Misery Creek is really the hub for them all. The last stop before the true wildlands.” Lucinda shivered, and Emory lifted her shawl over her shoulder.
“The gold?”
“It doesn’t look like it, of course, but Misery Creek was a bustling gold miner’s paradise. Then the river dried up, and no more gold was to be found. Our ancestors stayed because they believed the conspiracies, that there are gold threads hidden in the land here, somewhere underneath all the dust.” Garcell said.
I knew about the gold rush. It happened decades ago, and the swaths of people who followed the riches, hoping to find enough to settle down comfortably for the rest of their lives.
“What about the wildlands? Do you venture there?”
I’d seen a map of the country once, where my father plotted out all the train lines and the proposed tracks he wanted to build. But past Misery Creek was blank. Nobody scouted into the desert. They never breached that nothingness. Hale shook his head.
“Its name is apt for a reason. There is nothing but wild, furious mother nature past this town. Those who venture to make a living out there bring tales of terror, harsh conditions, and sparse resources to survive. If they come back at all.”
“Your brother, Ruck, what about his friend, Jameson? He left some years back and hasn’t been heard from again. The wildlands attract two types of people, the mad and the foolish.”
The table turned grim as Garcell closed his mouth. All of us turned inward to our own thoughts. Hale’s hand tightened on my upper thigh, and I noticed how withdrawn and somber he now looked.
Was I mad or foolish for cavorting off into the wildlands? Birdie called me both, eyes shimmering with a surprising show of emotion. She’d brushed off my desperate hug and set her jaw with a determined frown, promising to help me with my insanity. Without her tea, I never would have made it out of Breton City at all.
“Ruck wanted to leave with Jameson. Did he ever tell you that?” Emory scrubbed at his jaw.
“Really? Why would he do such a thing?” I interjected as Hale gave a tiny nod.
“Ruck is a second son, so the ranch would never be his. He was always the kind to search out adventure and the unknown. But when our father died, he stayed to care for everyone. I wasn’t there,” Hale coughed. “I’m glad he made the decision not to leave, though it’s never been easy on him.”
“You’re supposed to be telling Esta all the wonderful things about living in Misery Creek, not making her regret her choice to move here from wherever she came from.” Lucinda left space for me to tell them where I lived, but I stepped around the subtle question.
“I am happy with my choice. The ranch is lovely. You can’t imagine how bright the sunsets are here, or the stars. Those alone are enough to convince me.”
“And how is…Bram?” Lucinda flicked a quick look at Hale, who was stony-faced again. I waited as Diane returned with our meals. A seared steak, a side of green beans, and a slice of thick buttered bread. Bram’s reputation was known from beyond the ranch, it seemed.
“Did he not look like a fine young man this morning? He doesn’t seem very fond of me yet, but I am optimistic. I will win him over.” I took a bite of my steak, flavorful juice exploding over my tongue. A moan crept up my throat, but I stifled it.
“Now you see why we put up with Diane’s hatred for our kind,” Hale whispered to the shell of my ear. He reached out and pressed his thumb to the corner of my mouth. “Some gravy.”
A teasing smile ghosted his lips, and his scent deepened. My head spun.
“Bram looked immaculate. Hale won’t mind me saying so, but I was nervous about how you would react to him. He’s a whirlwind of a child, and he’s been…” Lucinda trailed off, taking a bite of her bread before she said something untoward. Hale shrugged, his mouth full for a moment.
“You can say it. It’s not news to me. Ever since our mama died, he’s been lost. Bram was the reason I got married. He needed love that I couldn’t give him, and I hoped a woman in the house would tamp down his fury. Esta was exactly what he needed, what we all needed.”
I smiled at him, my heart squeezing.
“You know he lured me in under false pretenses? He never mentioned the half-feral child had no clue I was even coming. But I suppose I lied, too. I’m not much of a cook. I envision us eating here to get a taste of some fine food.”
The table erupted in laughter, me included. I enjoyed the rumble of Hale’s mirth as it rolled through his body, and his hand squeezed my thigh again. He didn’t let go of me, even when the food arrived.
“Esta, you cook well. Don’t denigrate yourself. But do you know what you really excel at?” Hale reached out and toyed with the end of my hair.
“What?”
“Feeding the souls of the Hartlock men.”
I could have floated to the ceiling from the praise. Maybe I would have if Hale hadn’t anchored his large palm over my thigh. A small sound of surprise escaped me, and Lucinda let out a gusting, wistful sigh. “How sweet.”
“Careful now, Hale. Lucinda will expect poetry and flowers from me if you keep being so blatantly romantic,” Garcell joked. Emory shifted in his seat like the open affection embarrassed him.
“Oh, you must come and visit us at our ranch. We have a much smaller holding, but it’s right near yours. Say you will?” Lucinda pleaded.
My stomach sated, my heart overflowing from Hale’s compliments, and I made a new friend. I was buzzing with energy, feeling blessed by my good luck.
“It would be my absolute pleasure.”