Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
Many days, Zach came home early with the excuse that he wanted to work with the mustang.
But Amelia suspected he’d had his fill of dealing with Sobel, and she harbored a tiny hope that more and more he enjoyed her presence.
Just as she increasingly enjoyed his. Not that she would admit to herself how she wished he would change his mind and ask her to stay. No, that would be foolish.
As had become his habit, he went to the corrals to continue working with the unbroken horse. She followed. Only, she reminded herself over and over to make sure no disaster befell him.
Often, he joined her at the fence to watch the horse. He was there today, having returned midmorning with the news that all was quiet with the herd. His elbow brushed hers as they both leaned on the top rail.
Zach’s attention shifted to the trail leading to the house. “Wagon coming.”
The approaching conveyance brought with it a tail of dust.
“No one I recognize. I wonder what he wants. One way to find out.” He swung over the fence and strode toward the laneway.
The men spoke to each other. Zach gestured toward her, and the stranger nodded.
Amelia forgot to breathe. Who was he, and what did he want with her? She didn’t have long to wait. He and Zach crossed to her.
Zach cleared his throat. “Miss Pressly, this is Jacob Wells.”
The man from the Dakotas. Her face felt cold, her hands clammy. She forced herself to concentrate. Mr. Wells was tall and slim, well built. He was clean-shaven, his skin darkened by work in the sun. His hair was the color of rich soil, and his eyes a pale gray.
“Miss Amelia—may I call you Amelia?”
She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, had forgotten how to breathe, but he took her silence for permission.
“As soon as I read your letter, I knew you were the right woman for me. I couldn’t wait for more correspondence to go back and forth, seeing as we both want to get married and get on with our lives.
So here I am. They assured me there’s a preacher in Golden Valley who would marry us.
And then I’ll have the pleasure of taking you to your new home.
” He rattled off the words. Words she had longed to hear.
Home. Belonging. Someone who wanted her.
She shifted her gaze to Zach. Why couldn’t he be the one?
“I’ll leave you two alone to make your plans.” He disappeared into the barn.
Amelia’s gaze followed him out of sight. Then she forced in a strengthening breath and brought her attention back to Mr. Wells. Though she supposed she must call him Jacob.
“Can we walk a ways and talk?” he asked.
She couldn’t fault his manners, nor his way of talking. Though why was she trying to fault him? She found her voice. “Certainly.” But she would not take him to the slope where she and Zach had watched the sunset. Nor to the hollow of flowers.
Instead, she indicated the trail past the bunkhouse.
He glanced around with keen interest. “This looks like a nice place. Is this where you grew up?”
“I was raised in Ohio, but I came here expecting—” How did she explain this without making the man think he was second choice? Which was not a good way to start plans for a marriage. “I came here by mistake.”
“I see. But no matter. How soon can you be ready to leave? I don’t wish to rush you, but I need to get back as soon as possible.”
There was no reason for delay except that she needed time to get used to the idea of marrying this man. Time to make sure someone would take care of the family. Gil was too often incapable of the task.
Could she hope that seeing a man ready to marry her and take her away might jar Zach into action?
“Can you wait a week?” Would it be long enough for Zach to realize that she cared for him, that she wanted to stay and help him with his family, and so much more?
Jacob graciously agreed he’d stay in town for a week until they married and could make the return trip on the stagecoach. “It was a rough journey as I’m sure you remember.”
“I do remember.”
“But I intend to court you.” His smile was warm and sweet. Everything she longed for. Only she longed for it from Zach. He’d claimed a large portion of her heart, whether or not he wanted it.
His gaze was as warm and sweet as his smile, Jacob continued. “I’ll spend the nights in town. But I’ll be here every day. I look forward to getting to know you better.”
She wanted to say there was no need for him to travel back and forth. It was a long journey, and she’d be busy. He might as well spend his time in town taking in the sights. Maybe he’d like to go to the goldfields, even try his hand at panning.
But they were all excuses and nothing more.
Zach stood inside the barn, hidden in the shadows, as Amelia and the Dakota farmer wandered past the bunkhouse. The farmer spoke, and Amelia nodded. No doubt they were making travel arrangements and—
His ribs closed in, threatening to crush his heart.
They would be making wedding arrangements.
He shut his eyes and tried not to think of them standing before Pastor Stone vowing faithfulness to each other for the rest of their lives.
Slow, deep breaths did little to calm his erratic heartbeat.
The pair retraced their steps and headed toward the house. Amelia glanced toward the barn. Zach drew back into the shadows. He would not interfere with her chance at the life she’d dreamed of. A farm like the one she’d grown up on. A life she was familiar with. Her own sweet little family.
Amelia lifted Poppy and introduced the child to her prospective new father.
Zach groaned and tilted against the nearest post at the thought of another man getting the baby’s affections, watching her grow into the beautiful young lady she’d no doubt become.
He didn’t want to watch any more of Amelia with her future husband, but he couldn’t stop himself.
The man touched Poppy’s cheek, and she pressed her face into Amelia’s chest. It would take time for her to warm up to the stranger.
But hadn’t she come almost immediately to Zach?
Not that doing so meant anything.
Amelia introduced the man to Pa and Kat.
Even across the distance, Zach could see Kat’s expression grow hard.
Pa fussed with a button on his shirt. His gaze went to the horizon. He took a step toward the edge of the porch, then stopped as if uncertain what he meant to do.
Zach understood that Pa wanted to escape this upset in his routine. When Amelia left, Zach would have to keep a close eye on his father to make sure he didn’t wander off. A groan slid up Zach’s throat. He’d again be torn in different directions—keeping Pa safe versus dealing with Sobel.
Amelia handed Poppy to Kat, then strode toward the barn. Zach glanced around, but there was no place to hide.
“Zach?” Then her eyes adjusted to the dimness. “There you are. He’ll stay a week and then—”
Why didn’t she finish? Why a week? Except that a week was far too short a time.
Send him away. Tell him you don’t want to marry him. But what could Zach offer to compare to what the Dakota farmer had? Nothing but worry and uncertainty. It just wasn’t fair. She deserved the life she’d always wanted.
“Sounds fine. I assume you’re pleased.”
She didn’t answer. Her face revealed nothing, and it was too dim inside the barn for him to read anything in her eyes. Finally, she spoke. “I expect everything will work out. After all, isn’t that what Pastor Stone meant when he said God is faithful no matter where we go or what befalls us?”
If she meant the words to reassure him, they fell far short of the mark. But then, what need did she have to reassure him?
“He’s joining us at the meal… unless you object.”
“Why would I object?” Other than the fact that he didn’t want the man ever showing his face around here again. A purely selfish thought.
“It will be ready soon.” She hurried back to the house as if she couldn’t wait to return to the Dakota farmer.
Amelia had prepared a hearty dinner—one that displayed her excellent cooking.
Mr. Wells—Jacob, as he instructed them to call him—joined them around the table, but Zach didn’t feel very hospitable. The others seemed quieter than usual as well.
Poppy pressed to Pa’s side, casting suspicious glances at the stranger across the table.
Gil must have seen the wagon drive up and joined them out of curiosity.
Conversation was strained as they ate.
Gil jumped up, restless as a caged animal. He grabbed the coffeepot and filled Jacob’s cup, and then Zach’s. He muttered, “Seems a man should know a good thing when he has it.”
Zach ignored him. Just as he ignored Kat’s scowling glances. Pa, happy enough to have Poppy at his side, didn’t seem upset about a stranger in their midst.
The rest of the day stretched before Zach. He had no desire to watch Jacob courting Amelia. “I have something I need to check on.” The cowhands would wonder if he returned after leaving so early this morning. But he could ride west and admire the view.
Kat followed him to the barn. “You gonna let her go with that fella?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Why?” No mistaking her anger.
“It’s what she wants.”
Kat blocked his escape from the barn. “How do you know? Did you ask her? Are you going to go back to Pa wandering away? What about me? I need her.” She sucked in air.
“You talked about being lost in a great big sea without rudder, without pilot, and without hope. Seems to me God sent Amelia to help us get safely to shore.”
Kat’s words stung. If only he could believe that was the way it should be. “Kat, we can’t stand in the way of her finding happiness.”
His sister snorted. “’Pears to me she’s happy. You’re just too selfish to ask her to stay.”
Selfish? If she only knew. “You’re too young to understand.” He swung into his saddle.
She grabbed his leg. “You don’t see what’s right in front of your nose. Sometimes you act like a silly kid.” She stomped away.
He rode away in the other direction, returning to the herd despite his previous plans.
The grassland’s condition had steadily deteriorated due to a lack of rain.
He needed to move the cattle farther up the mountains if he could find adequate water supply.
Down here, the fight over grass and water continued.
So far, the Taggerty cowboys had been able to get the herd to the river despite Sobel’s attempts to keep them away.
Zach joined his foreman, and they rode the area, looking for better grass. If not for the drought, he would move his cows out of contact with Sobel’s cowboys, putting an end to the man’s harassment.
“How’s that pretty little gal settling in?” Morgan asked. He’d seen Amelia twice when he came to the ranch to speak to Zach.
“She’s leaving soon.”
“Leaving? Don’t tell me you’re letting a good woman like that get away?”
Zach tried for a laugh, but it probably sounded more like a wail. “She’s set on marrying a Dakota farmer. He came for her today.”
Morgan shifted in his saddle to give Zach a hard look up and down his whole length. “Did you give her any reason to stay?”
“And what reason would that be?”
“Maybe because you need her and want her?”
Zach rode away without replying. Later, he considered joining the men at the chuck wagon for supper, but he couldn’t endure the way Morgan kept shaking his head and muttering about being too stubborn to ask.
Zach made certain it was late before he got home.
Sighting a lamp glowing in the kitchen window—a lamp Amelia left burning for him—he pretended his heart didn’t jolt against his ribs.
He took care of his horse, then hurried to the house.
He opened the door to her at the table. She waited up for him.
A thrill ran across his chest. He quelled it…
or at least tried to. But what was the harm in enjoying her welcome one more time?
“Have you eaten?” she asked as he stepped into the kitchen.
“No.”
“I saved you a plate.” She pulled it from the warming oven.
“Thanks.” He glanced around. “Where’s your young man?” Ironic to call him that when he was likely ten years older than Zach. Another thing in the man’s favor.
“Gone to town. He’ll be back in the morning.”
Of course, he would. Zach’s appetite had departed, but he cleaned up his plate, pushed from the table, and hurried upstairs.
He was tired enough to sleep like a bear in hibernation, but sleep refused to come.
The next morning, he hauled his weary body from bed. With no desire to see the other man courting Amelia, offering her all the things he couldn’t, Zach paused only long enough to down a cup of scalding coffee before he left.
His imagination, his futile wishes, allowed him to see regret in Amelia’s eyes. Likely, she only regretted that Jacob wanted to wait a week before leaving.
Time to get to know her better. Time to court her.
A feral growl roared from Zach.