Heart of Mine (Bandit Creek) (6 page)

Unfortunately, she hadn't found a solution to the problem with her father, but she had until Friday to come up with something. In the meantime, she'd deal with Jake. Feeling stronger for her decision, she set out to make supper. Whether Jake deigned to come home or not, Laura was going to make a fine meal. Even if she was to eat it alone, she wasn't going to wallow any longer. From this moment forward, she was going to make sure that Laura Gibbs had some happiness in her life. Since nobody else was concerned enough to see to it, she was going to see to it herself.

Donning her apron, Laura went down to the root cellar. Using the garment as a bowl, she filled it with carrots and potatoes--she didn't think she'd ever get used to having so much to choose from--and made her way to the kitchen. Movement out the window caught her attention. Horse and rider were charging toward the yard, churning a cloud of dust behind them. She recognized the man in the saddle and, despite her unwavering resolve to stand up for herself her heart began to gallop as fast as Jake's incoming horse. Judging by the speed of his arrival and the fact that it was the middle of the afternoon, she knew his grandfather must have told him she'd been in town.

No doubt he'd come to reprimand her. Well, he was in for a surprise, wasn't he? Laura dumped the vegetables on the counter, wiped her hands. She watched Jake rein in his animal and tie it to the hitching rail. Apparently, he planned on leaving again once he spoke his piece. Laura took a deep breath and shot her chin upward. She wasn't the only one who was going to get a talking to.

When Jake came in the door, Laura was sitting at the table. Though she planned on standing up for herself, she was going to do so in a calm, logical manner.

His cheeks were red; his hair showed the impression of the hat he always removed before stepping into the house. He smelled of the wind. No matter that it wasn't a real marriage, Laura couldn't prevent her body's reaction to him: racing heart, damp palms, a clutch in her belly when his gaze connected with hers. It would be so much easier to be a wife in name only if every time she saw him she didn't wish he'd open his arms and welcome her within them.

"I spoke to my granddad," he said, taking a chair at the table.

"I figured you must have, to be home at this time of day." She ignored his grimace and carried on. "Jake, I can't stay confined here all day. I'm not used to being idle and there is only so much I can do around the house. Once summer is here, I'll have a garden to tend, but until then I refuse to be all but penned like one of your animals. Yes, I went to town, and no, I won't apologize for it. And," she said when he opened his mouth to argue, "I'd like you to start coming home for supper. We're married, and despite your feelings about that, I don't think it's asking too much for you to come home. If you want to…" her face felt engulfed in flames. "If you
need
to go out afterward," she said referring to the brothels, "I won't stand in your way."

She inhaled deeply. There. She'd spoken her mind. It may have been past time she did, but her hands shook nonetheless. The trembling only intensified the longer Jake remained quiet. He regarded her carefully, his expression as solid as the mountains outside the window. His breathing filled the silent room. He was close enough to touch, but she would never dare. Instead, she dropped her hands to her lap.

Jake's expression softened. His lips quirked; humor danced in his eyes. "Is that my lecture for the day?"

"I'm hoping this will be your one and only."

Laughter rumbled from his chest. "From what I've been told, where wives are concerned, there is no such thing as only one lecture. At any rate, I'm not angry you went to town. You're right; I isolated you and I'm sorry for that. From now on, you can do what you like."

What she'd like is to be taken in his arms and to feel his lips on hers. Laura cleared her throat. "I'd like us to get along, Jake. We had an unconventional beginning, but I don't want to argue with you every day and I don't want you to avoid me. I'd like to think if you gave me a chance, we could, at the very least, become friends."

His smile reached his eyes. Laura had never seen a more beautiful sight.

"I'd like that, Laura. As I'd like to take you to supper tonight. How does a meal at the Golden Nugget restaurant sound?"

"You want to go out for supper? With me?"

"I'm sorry that surprises you. It's not a good reflection on me, but yes, I'd like to take you out. Can you be ready in an hour? I took the liberty of arranging a carriage to come for us."

Could she be ready in an hour? She could be ready in ten minutes, sooner if she thought he'd change his mind. "Yes, an hour will be more than enough."

"I look forward to it."

Warmth spilled from her heart and filled her chest. It wasn't love, it wasn't even friendship, but it was a start.

FOUR

Nearly every table in the restaurant was filled. With his hand on the small of her back, Jake guided Laura toward the most private one, the one he'd made certain would be held for him before he'd headed for the house earlier. Eyes sharp as daggers dug into his spine as he and Laura weaved their way to the rear of the establishment. The whispers taunted him. Not because he heard his name amid them, but because he heard Laura's. Surely, if he heard them so did she.

Yet she continued to walk through the restaurant, head held high, shoulders back. He couldn't help but admire her mettle. In fact, when he looked back upon it, he realized she'd never lacked for spirit. Other than the lone tear she had shed in his bed that first morning, he'd seen nothing but strength from her. She'd been stoic at their wedding. She'd stood up to him when he'd come to take her from Angeline's Dress Emporium, and today, heck if she hadn't surprised him with her little speech.

His lips tugged as he thought about it. If he hadn't already decided--with a little help from his granddad--that he couldn't continue to live the way he'd been living, her lecture would have gone a long way toward swaying him. As it was, he was more than ready to come back home. He'd missed settling down after a long day and enjoying a coffee after supper before his fire. He certainly wouldn't miss falling asleep on the sofa in his office or spending too much time at the Powder Horn. Starting tonight, things would go back the way they were before he'd gotten married. Well, with the exception that he would no longer be alone.

They came to the appointed table. Jake stepped behind Laura and held the chair for her. She hesitated a moment, as though she didn't know what to do, but then, with a hush that had taken over the dining room, she took her seat. Jake moved around to his chair and settled in.

"Everyone's staring."

"I can't help that, but I'm sorry if it bothers you."

"I've had people talking about me my whole life, Jake. It was you I was concerned about."

His first instinct was to say she should have thought of the gossip before she and her father trapped him into marriage; but he firmly set such judgments aside. What was done was done. He was through looking back and was determined to move forward. Starting tonight.

"It's not the first time I've been talked about, either." Which was the truth. Between his lack of interest in getting married and his inheritance, he'd given the folks of Bandit Creek more than enough to chew on over the years.

Laura leaned forward and dropped her voice. He found himself inclining toward her. "I always figured their lives must be even more boring than mine if I was the best they could come up with to talk about."

Laughter burst from his lips. Rather than shy away or look mortified by the extra attention he'd drawn to them, Laura chuckled right alongside him. It was, he realized, the first time he'd seen his wife smile, and it stole his breath. Tawny eyes sparkled behind lashes the same russet color as her hair. A small dimple appeared in her right cheek. Lights from the wall sconces cast a gentle shimmer over her skin. Not for the first time Jake caught himself wanting to touch that skin, to see if it was as smooth as it appeared. He'd been teased by her nearness that day he'd fetched her from town. It was nothing compared to what he felt now. Jake pulled at his tie. It wasn't normally this hot in the restaurant at this time of year.

"Would you like the wine now?"

Thank God
, Jake thought as the server appeared with a chilled bottle. Maybe the coldness of the alcohol--kept that way by the abundance of icy mountain water--would bring down his suddenly feverish temperature.

"Laura?"

"Oh, yes, please."

Charmed that she seemed so thrilled with his choice, Jake turned to the man. "Yes, Andrew. Wine would be perfect."

After the wine was poured and they'd ordered their food, Jake took hold of his glass and held it across the white tablecloth.

Laura hesitated only a moment then lifted her glass to his. No matter their less-than-auspicious beginning, they toasted to friendship. Jake watched her raise the glass to her mouth. Felt his belly tighten as her lips parted and she took a dainty sip.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "It's very good."

"You've never had wine before?"

"No." She set down her glass, turned it gently within her hands. "There was never enough money for something as fancy as wine." Ducking her head she added, "Or eating in restaurants."

He'd known, of course, that she was on the poorer side, but he'd never really understood just what that entailed. The simple things he'd taken for granted such as having a glass of wine, eating out with his uncle or granddad, had been as out of reach for Laura as the peaks of Crow and Turtle Mountain. Again it spoke of her character that she didn't complain about it, she simply stated a fact. He'd never known Laura before. He'd seen her about town, knew she was Hugh's daughter and had judged her accordingly. It was humbling to learn how wrong he'd been. Humbling and rewarding. Being attracted to his wife was a good thing, but far better that he actually liked her.

"Granddad says there's a horse in the stables you favor?"

"A Paint. I saw him that day you…"

"The day I all but dragged you out of town?"

"Well," she grinned, "I wasn't going to phrase it so harshly."

"I apologize for that. I was surprised you'd gone back to work and I didn't like the way it would reflect on me."

Dismay tugged her mouth into a frown. "I never meant it as an insult," she hurried to assuage. "I'm simply accustomed to working and never gave it a moment's thought."

"I realize that now. If I had at the time, I wouldn't have embarrassed you in front of your employer."

"It wasn't the first time I've been embarrassed either."

Perhaps not, but he wasn't proud that he'd added to the number. Their food arrived, distracting them momentarily.

"May I get you anything else, Sir?" Andrew asked.

"Laura?"

Her eyes were on her plate where the trout, wild rice, and spinach steamed. "Oh. No, thank you. It looks delicious."

"Thank you, Andrew. I think we'll be all right for a while."

"Very well, Sir."

Jake held up the bottle as Andrew moved on to wait on another table. "More wine?"

Her eyes were brighter than sun glinting off newly fallen snow. "Only a little. It seems to be making my head light."

She'd only had half a glass, but then she'd never drunk wine before. He was enjoying the pink it added to her cheeks.

"I don't remember the last meal I ate that I didn't have to cook myself."

She'd mumbled it, but Jake heard. And while he watched her savor every bite, he imagined her working at the boardinghouse cleaning, then sewing at the dress shop and then having to go home and cook for her no-account father. In contrast to the other women in the room, Laura's dress paled by comparison. It was pressed and clean, likely it was her Sunday best, but nothing could conceal the fact that the green was dull and faded. In the carriage, he'd noticed the worn toes of her shoes before he covered her feet with a wool blanket. Knowing she'd gone without while Hugh did nothing fueled Jake's anger toward the man. But at least there was comfort in knowing that Laura wouldn't be going without much longer.

He waited until she placed her utensils across her empty plate and Andrew picked up their dishes before asking, "Laura, why did you let your father tread all over you?"

He half expected her to deny it, to defend Hugh so it surprised him when she shrugged and said, "I had no choice, Jake. I had nowhere else to go and no means to get there even if I did."

"You worked two jobs," he reminded her.

"I had to, to pay the bills. And he was always there, to make sure he got the rest. I tried hiding some once. I beat him home one day and I hid a few dollars in the flour tin." She shrugged. "He'd seen enough of my pay to know how much I earned and he knew there should have been more. It wasn't two days later that I came home to flour all over the floor. He'd found it and I never bothered saving any after that."

"He made your mother work for him as well," Jake said. The memories he had of Ella Gibbs were of a meek, quiet woman huddled in a shawl with her eyes downcast as though she didn't consider herself worthy of looking anyone in the eye.

"Yes."

"Did she ever try to withhold some from him?"