Chase Wheeler's Woman (18 page)

But the boy had fallen back to sleep.

Letty Sue smiled and set the bowl down. She fingered soft blond locks of hair resting on his forehead. “Rest, little one.” Then a deep yawn stole from her mouth. She scooted down next to the child and, overcome with fatigue, closed her eyes, certain she’d hear him if he awakened again.

Chase entered the darkened house. Not one lantern burned in any room, which seemed curious. He managed to make his way to the parlor and strike a match to light the closest lantern. With the dim yellow beam as his guide, he made his way to Letty Sue’s room.

There, on the bed, lay two sleeping forms. Letty Sue’s body curled around the young one’s, her hand resting on the boy’s shoulder.

Chase couldn’t help but smile.

Yet the news he had wasn’t good.

He wondered if he should waken them both.

The boy needed liquids.

Chase pulled up a chair and sat down. The movement was enough to cause Letty Sue to stir. Her head lifted and, through the shaft of dim light, she squinted until her eyes focused on him.

Lifting her skirts carefully, she rose from the bed.

Chase stood and, taking her hand, guided her out to the hallway.

Letty Sue, looking sexily rumpled, spoke with excitement. “He woke up, Chase. I fed him some broth.
He took the entire bowl. He’s got the most amazing eyes, soft and blue like shallow lake waters.”

Chase thought
she
had the most incredible blue eyes he’d ever seen, but now was not the time to say it, much less even think it. “Did he say what happened?”

She shook her head. “He didn’t speak, not one word.”

Chase rubbed his jaw, the spiky stubble reminding him he was in need of a shave. “I don’t have much to tell. The sheriff hasn’t heard anything about a missing boy. No one’s come looking for him. I asked around town. Not one soul knows a thing about him. Sam and I rode back out to where we saw the mustangs, and searched for signs of his folks. We didn’t find anything.”

“Maybe, now that the word’s out, we’ll hear something in the next few days.”

“That’s what I’m counting on. But the boy woke up. Now that’s good news. Should we wake him to give him more liquids?”

Letty Sue shook her head. “He’s so fatigued. The morning’s soon enough. I’ll make up another batch of broth and hopefully he’ll get some strength back.”

“You look tired. Go on back to bed.”

She nodded. “I’ll sleep next to him. There’s plenty of room, and if he wakes up, I’ll hear him.”

“Want me to sleep in there, too?”

Letty Sue’s brows lifted and her face flushed pink. She searched his eyes then, confused.

He explained, “I meant on the floor. I can watch out for him, too.”

Her cheeks went rosy red and, apparently chagrined, she protested, “No, no. You’ve been out all day. You must be exhausted and you need your rest. I’ll care for the boy. We’ll be fine.”

Chase thought it a good notion, too, because sleeping in the same room with Letty Sue, breathing in her scent and watching her sable tresses spill over the pillow, would most likely not allow him much sleep at all.

And he was just too doggone tired to fight those cravings tonight.

Chapter Fourteen

M
orning sun streamed into the kitchen through blue checkered curtains. Letty Sue squinted, adjusting to the golden light as she entered the room. Chase sat at the table sipping coffee.

“Morning,” she mumbled, then stretched reflexively. Her cotton robe opened. Chase’s gaze followed her movements, his eyes focused on the open flap. With a quick pull, she brought the fabric taut and tied it up.

Tired as she was, she found herself not in the most cheerful mood today. She’d spent the last few nights with the boy, tending him. She wasn’t sleeping as soundly as she was accustomed to, but it was worth the effort, because the child was recovering. Doc Ramsey said he’d be out of bed in just a few days.

“I was thinking about asking Sally if her family would take the boy in,” Chase said, taking a sip from his coffee mug.

“Why in heaven would you want to do that?” she snapped.

Chase’s lips pulled down in a frown. He turned the mug around in his palms. “I’ve given the situation a good deal of thought. So far, no one’s come to claim him, and I can’t run the ranch and watch out for the boy at the same time.”

Appalled at the notion, Letty Sue fixed him with a stare. “
You
don’t have to. And he’s certainly not going to the Hendersons. They have enough children of their own to fill up Fort Worth.”

Chase brought his palms up. “Then who? The town has no orphanage and I doubt—”

“Me, Chase, who else? I’ve been tending him the last few days, in case you’ve forgotten.”

Clearly irritated, he shook his head. “I haven’t forgotten, Letty Sue. But your stage leaves day after tomorrow. Or have
you
forgotten?”

Letty Sue had forgotten, momentarily, but she’d also failed to tell Chase her new plan, one she’d conjured up last night. “Chase, I’m not leaving. I couldn’t possibly. I’m sending a wire today to inform Mama.”

Along with a long letter of explanation about the turns her life had taken in the past few weeks. Letty Sue could barely believe she was a married woman now, with a child to raise. As much as she’d like to, she couldn’t keep certain truths from her mother. But she didn’t explain everything in detail, either. Mama would have to wait for the rest. Letty Sue had enough to think about at the moment, rather than worrying over her mother’s sensibilities right now.

“You’re not leaving?” Creases lined Chase’s forehead and his eyes narrowed. “How come?”

“The boy. Oh, and I think since he’s going to be living with us, we should give him a name. Since he hasn’t spoken to tell us his real name, I’d like to call him Jake, after my father, Jacob.”

Chase blinked. “You’re staying because of the boy?”

“Yes, well, someone has to care for him. He’s so sweet, and fragile still. Until we find his folks, Chase, he’ll stay at the Double J. I’ll raise him.”

“You?” The dubious look he cast her injured her feelings. He didn’t believe her capable of too many things, much less raising a child.

Twisted-foot Woman
.

The name still gnawed at her, and although Chase hadn’t teased her recently, she knew he still thought of her as a bungling, inept child.

Shaking his head, he protested, “You don’t know a thing about children, Letty Sue. You’ve admitted that already, and tending him for a few days is quite a bit different than actually raising the boy.”

Letty Sue’s temper flared. Challenged now, she boldly met his gaze. “I know I’m probably not the best person for the job, but mind you, Chase Wheeler, what I don’t know about child rearing, I’ll learn. You and I both know what it means to be raised by one parent—the difficulties, the feelings of rejection, not really fitting in. Jake has no one…except us. I won’t turn him over to anyone but his real parents.”

Chase glared at her, a cold metallic look she recognized
from their initial meeting weeks ago. She stared back, determined to press her point. Chase Wheeler could not and would not change her mind.

As he contemplated her arguments, his anger abated considerably, softening the angry lines contorting his face. “You’re giving up your trip East.”

“I know. This is more important.
He
is more important.”

“It won’t be easy.”

“I know that, too. The child needs a home.”

“That’s a fact, but—”

“The boy is staying, Chase, and so am I.”

Chase stood, taking one last gulp from his mug. He jammed his hat on his head and strode toward the back door. “The boy needs a home, Letty Sue. We’ll give him one. But don’t go getting fancy notions about all this and don’t give up your heart. The boy’s parents might show up any day to claim him.”

Relieved, Letty Sue sighed wearily once Chase walked out the door. At least he hadn’t put up much of a fuss about her staying. But he’d known betrayal from a woman he had once trusted, and it was clear he’d not allow anyone into his heart. The wounds caused by Marabella’s duplicity were still too raw.

Perhaps in time Chase might learn to trust Letty Sue some, but the boy had already softened the hard edges of the man’s tough outer core. She saw it every time he looked at little Jake, every time he ruffled his sunny blond locks. There was no mistaking the fact that he cared for Jake.

Don’t give up your heart
.

Chase’s warning echoed her own dismay.

As far as Letty Sue was concerned, that might have already happened. She may have given up her heart to one adorable, golden-haired boy as well as her mule-headed, handsome husband.

Letty Sue fretted terribly over Jake, who was sandwiched between her and Chase on the buckboard wagon.

“Relax, Letty Sue. He’s not going to fall out.”

“I know,” she said, keeping a hand on the boy’s thigh. When the wagon jolted from a pothole in the road, all she could think about was how easily her lunch basket had flown off on the day of the social. Heavens, Jake couldn’t weigh much more than that overstuffed basket. “But this is his first time off the ranch since we found him.”

“It was your idea to take him to town. You wanted to get him fitted with some new clothes.”

“He does need clothes, Chase. With him being so small, it’s best I have him with me to make sure of the fit. And he’ll see Doc Ramsey while we’re in town.” Letty Sue worried over taking Jake out today, although he did appear to be much stronger. It had been a week since they’d found him out on the range. “I think he’s strong enough to travel, don’t you agree?”

Chase let out a long-suffering sigh. “I told you so, yesterday, about half a dozen times.” He peered at her over Jake’s head. “He’s going to do just fine.”

Letty Sue nestled the boy closer to her and glanced
at his sweet face. Many of the bruises had healed, and he seemed more than interested in the scenery, his big blue eyes wide with curiosity, as they headed to town.

Less than twenty minutes later, Chase pulled the horses to a stop, setting the brake on the buckboard once they reached the livery. He jumped down, then reached up for Jake. When the child hesitated, looking to Letty Sue, she nodded her encouragement, and then Jake flew into Chase’s arms.

Chase held him with one arm while helping Letty Sue down with the other. But instead of setting the child down, Chase chose to carry him.

“He’s a bit unsettled right now. I think some candy from the emporium might help that situation.”

Letty Sue agreed and they walked in that direction.

A short time later, Jake was busily chewing on salt-water taffy, his hands and face a gooey mess. Prancing through the emporium, he eyed many of the items on the shelves with a sense of wonder. Letty Sue picked up a few trinkets she noticed him viewing with longing, tucking them under the clothes she’d already chosen for him. She’d surprise him with the small toys later.

Measuring britches up against Jake’s body, Letty Sue tilted her head, imagining them on the boy’s slim form. “I think these will fit with suspenders.”

Chase’s smile was slow and easy. “He’s going to have more clothes than an Eastern dandy, Letty Sue.”

She chuckled, glancing at all the clothes she’d picked out already. “Well, he needs more than one pair of britches, and some underthings, shoes and
socks. And of course, he needs something nicer for church on Sunday.”

Chase’s face paled. “Church?”

“That’s right. It’s only fitting we take him to church. Wouldn’t hurt you, either, Chase Wheeler,” she said, smiling coyly.

Chase frowned and decided to wait for them outside. He leaned against a thick post and lit a cheroot. Puffing hard, he contemplated his life on the Double J. He hadn’t bargained on any of this when he’d agreed to help Joellen out with the ranch and her troublesome daughter.

Now he was married to her and had a boy to raise. At least until Joellen returned. But the boy complicated matters. If they didn’t find his folks, Chase wondered how he could turn his back on them and walk away.

He hadn’t planned on a family when he took this job.

Now, through unforeseen twists of fate, he had one.

Temporarily, at least.

Chase was certain Joellen and Jasper would provide a loving home for Jake, and Letty Sue completely adored the child. They would become Jake’s family, if his own weren’t found.

But the question remained, could Chase walk away?

He had other troubles as well, keeping his hands off Letty Sue being first and foremost.

He’d had mixed-up, jumbled feelings when she’d decided to leave for the East, but had been relieved
that at least the temptation would be gone. She’d not be there for him to witness her attempts at cooking a decent meal, hearing her softly muttered curses when supper didn’t turn out as planned. He’d not have to endure the long nights, knowing she was in the next room wearing a next-to-nothing cotton gown to bed. He’d not have to witness the soft look glowing in her eyes when she glanced at the boy.

Letty Sue had a body made for loving. Chase was her husband and by law had every right to claim her as his. But he’d vowed not to touch her, not to compromise her innocence.

He cursed the day he’d married her.

Yet he couldn’t fathom the thought of her in another man’s arms. He couldn’t abide the notion of Letty Sue one day giving to another man what he so desperately wanted for himself.

He was sentenced to living with a beautiful wife he couldn’t have and raising a boy who could easily steal his heart.

Chase flicked the cheroot to the ground and stomped it out. If only it was as easy to extinguish the burning he felt deep within.

Letty Sue strode up, lacing an arm through his and holding Jake with the other hand. “I think we bought out the store,” she announced gaily, wearing a cheerful smile.

Chase took her parcels. “

“We’re ready for Doc Ramsey now.”

Jake’s head snapped up at the mention of the doctor, his clear blue eyes round with fear.

Chase lifted the boy carefully, bracing him on his hip. Jake wrapped one tiny arm about Chase’s neck. “Doc Ramsey’s all right, Son. He’s just going to make sure your bruises are healing just fine,” he told the boy. Then he added with an exaggerated wink, “And that your… Letty Sue is doing right by you.”