Chapter Four #2
Henry threw them a grin and a wave, which was returned by the blonde girl, and he led the way to their table.
Seth trailed a few steps behind. As the other two sat down, Seth remained standing awkwardly behind his chair, and the smell of perfume struck him almost immediately.
It was something he hadn’t smelled in a long time.
It wasn’t unpleasant, but the memories of perfume like that made his stomach churn with everything it was worth.
Hazel Hamilton had worn perfume, and it all smelled the same to him.
She herself was the same as all women, for that matter.
Not to be trusted.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen!” called Louise Williams, the boardinghouse owner.
She’d sprung to life from the rocking chair that sat just by the fire.
Her long salt-and-pepper hair was done up in a braided bun.
She hopped over to the table, crow’s-feet tugging at her eyes stretched as she smiled at the men, clearly excited for their arrival.
The three brides-to-be turned to her with happy smiles, their faces warm from the glow of the firelight that was just enough to illuminate their beautiful features.
Seth’s eyes were inexplicably drawn to Annabelle.
She was breathtaking—even more so today than yesterday.
Her hair, still fixed in braids, was shinier than yesterday, a little less frazzled, a little more tidy.
Her face looked a little less flushed and sweaty, and her clothes had been freshly pressed.
She looked like she’d had a good night’s sleep.
It was funny, looking at her now. He’d thought she was beautiful yesterday, and that had been before she’d cleaned up.
Yet her behavior was completely at odds with her appearance.
She sat there at the table with them, but she seemed to be off in her own head as she cracked her knuckles and stared blankly down at the surface of the table.
Seth watched her for a moment, puzzled. She was gorgeous—yet withdrawn from the conversation.
He couldn’t really blame her. The other men were talking loudly with the other two brides and Louise. They all already spoke with each other like they’d known each other for years. It was a lot to take in for him. He could only imagine how Annabelle felt.
He turned his hat in his hands, the felt prickling at his calloused fingers. “Louise,” he grumbled, nodding a hello. “Ladies…”
Their gazed turned to him, and he trailed off, his eyes darting to Annabelle.
When she looked up at him, he felt a lump form in his throat.
“Ma’am…” he choked. You’re here on a courtesy.
Not because you want to be. …But when her eyes met his with that same steady, faintly challenging gaze as the day before, his world started to spin.
For a moment, he faltered.
“Mr. Whitman,” she said smoothly, silkily.
A little too smoothly. It seemed almost fake. Seth flushed despite himself. “Just Seth is fine, ma’am.”
“Annabelle is fine, then, too.” She gave a laugh that sounded almost mocking, and Seth bristled… but there was an odd pang in his chest, a tightening of his throat, that forced him to look away quickly, pretending she didn’t have an effect on him.
There was something about her. Something… different.
Somebody cleared her throat—Louise. All too slowly, Seth realized that silence had fallen across the table, and most of the dining room had gone quiet, too. Scowling, he stiffened. He could feel people staring. He always hated that.
I didn’t ask for any of this.
“Don’t just stand there,” Henry said cheerfully. “Come on and have a seat next to her!”
Seth wanted to growl, but he didn’t. He nodded once, and scooted a nearby chair next to Annabelle at the table.
“So, I hear you’re a rancher,” she said in a low voice, as if she already knew him—knew exactly what kind of man he was.
He didn’t like that one bit. Didn’t like the way she sized him up with those piercing eyes of hers, as if she could read him like a book he hadn’t even written.
“I am,” he replied shortly, the words coming out more curtly than he’d intended.
Annabelle gave him a small nod. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“None of it good, I bet,” he muttered, his gaze shifting to Louise—a notorious gossip—but she merely shrugged and offered a telling smile.
He shook his head, suddenly feeling eyes on him all over again.
He didn’t like being watched. It always made him feel like he had to pretend.
He had never been good at pretending, and he certainly wasn’t good at politicking, which was exactly what this felt like.
“Louise tells us the ladies are preparing a meal for us,” Henry piped up.
Seth immediately shook his head. “Oh, no. I can’t eat. I don’t have time. I need to get back to the ranch.”
“Come on,” Henry said, his booming voice enough to split Seth’s quick-developing headache in two. “The girls have gone through all the trouble of coming here, you know.”
Seth wanted to refuse. He wanted to go back to his ranch, to the familiar safety of his fields and animals, but he knew that Henry wouldn’t have asked him to town if it wasn’t a big deal—or if Mayor Klein wasn’t somehow forcing his hand.
He let out a quiet sigh. I can’t back out now.
At least, not yet—not until he made good on his promise to his friend. After all, Pa had always told him that a man was only as good as his word. He had to go through with this, if only for the sake of his own integrity.
“So… everyone here is quite familiar already, I see,” he observed dryly.
Annabelle nodded, smiling. “Henry and Jack came by this morning and had an early breakfast before fetching you. We all got to know one another a bit better,” she replied.
“Guess it’s still a little too familiar for my taste,” Seth grumbled.
Annabelle merely gave him a thin smile and looked away. She didn’t say anything, but the way she looked at him told him that she agreed with his observation.
“Seems like they’re getting along well,” he observed, trying to break the stiff silence between them. “When are your friends settling everything about moving in with Henry and Jack?”
“We won’t be moving in anywhere before there are weddings!
” Annabelle replied sharply. She was sitting ramrod-straight, her head held high, her pale face suddenly becoming red.
He shook his head. “Well… I’m glad to hear you have standards,” he managed coldly.
He didn’t have time to be intrigued by the likes of her.
“Excuse you?” she asked stiffly, turning flaring eyes on him. “What exactly is that supposed to mean?”
Seth blinked at her, taken aback. Why was she continuing to push back? More to the point, did she even really want to get married here? She sure didn’t seem like the nice, cheerful mail-order bride. She didn’t seem to be very agreeable.
“Well?” she demanded, lifting an eyebrow.
“You came here to marry men you don’t even know!” he said defensively, and Annabelle’s face grew thunderous. Apparently, his attitude was making her blood boil. Ironic, all things considered— Seth could definitely understand that.
“And you’re supposedly one of the men getting married to women you don’t know!” she shot back.
“I ain’t marrying anyone!” he bellowed. Especially not you!
“Can’t handle a little challenge, Mr. Whitman?” Annabelle baited him through gritted teeth.
Seth curled his lip at her. “You wouldn’t know anything about a challenge, little lady.” She was clearly an entitled brat, traveling west for no other reason than to be made someone’s wife.
“Is that so?” Annabelle challenged, brow raised as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“I’d say it is.”
Annabelle narrowed her eyes at him. “Shows just how much you know,” she muttered contemptuously.
Mad as a snake, Seth shot up from his chair, ready to yell.
“Seth!” Henry bellowed. “Enough!”
“You’re right,” Seth growled. “It’s enough, partner. Enough for me.” He pushed past the chairs and the tables and right out the door of the boarding house.
Muttering curses under his breath, he ripped carelessly at his knotted reins around the hitching post, untying Skip. Then he swung himself onto his saddle, reins snapping in his hands. He probably shouldn’t be so rough with the stallion, but right now, he didn’t care.
The only thing he wanted to do was get back to his ranch. Fast. “Giddyap!” he barked, his voice sharp enough that Skip shied beneath him before cantering forward. His hands gripped the reins so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He didn’t even know why he fuming.
The brown leather saddle creaked beneath him as Skip’s powerful muscles strained, carrying them back home twice as fast as they’d come. Hooves pounded against the dirt, sending dust flying behind them as Seth’s mind raced.
Annabelle.
Her name twisted in his gut like a knife. He knew better than anyone the simple truth: Women were trouble.