Luke’s Runaway Bride (9 page)

“Because this is where he grew up. Where we both grew up.”

She stared up at Luke in surprise.

“When his folks passed on, Daisy and Nathaniel bought it from him. They were trying to help him raise capital for his surveying business. They paid a pretty penny for it, but at least Daniel got what he needed.”

His sarcasm wasn’t lost on her.

Another thing Daniel had kept from her. She glanced up at the hills. Why hadn’t Daniel told her about any of this? “Why did you bring me here?”

“Before I tell you, I want to give you something.”

She had to run to keep up with his long strides. “I’m tired of these games. What’s this all about?”

They stepped into the stable. He slipped into one of the empty stalls, reaching for something tucked high between the boards. He came back with something in his hand, something she couldn’t see. “I’m going to give you something so you’ll believe I’m telling you the truth. I want you to trust me.”

“If you can make that happen, you’re a magician.”

“Call it magic, then.” Extending his hand, he unfolded his palm, offering a shiny little pistol.

She swallowed and stared up at him. He was serious.

“Go ahead. Take it. It’s loaded, so be careful. You can use it on me, or you can listen to what I have to say.”

Her heart began to drum. She glanced at the boy. Adam was preoccupied with a mare and foal, out of earshot.

She grabbed the gun, stepped back and pointed it at Luke. “You’re so damn cocky. What makes you think I won’t pull the trigger?”

His gaze dropped to the barrel. He gulped and his eyes glinted. “I’m betting you won’t. I’m betting you’re a listening type of woman.”

“You’re the most arrogant, conceited—”

“It’s about Adam.” Luke glanced earnestly toward the boy, who was climbing to the top of the boards. “That’s why I brought you here. That’s why Daniel and I are fighting.”

She looked at the boy, then back at Luke. He didn’t make sense. “What are you talking about?”

Luke looked her square in the eyes and calmly said, “Adam’s father, the one he’s been waiting for, the one we’ve all been waiting for, is Daniel.”

J
enny’s mouth felt as dry as dust. She stared into Luke’s clear dark eyes. His expression stilled, and she felt the color drain from her face. A voice of alarm whispered in the back of her mind. It couldn’t be. Adam was not Daniel’s son. Luke was mistaken.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have blurted it out like that,” Luke said, his black-clad figure towering over her. “I should have warned you.”

Stunned by his accusation, Jenny blinked. She absently watched the light bounce off an unruly lock of hair that touched his collar.

Her arms grew weak. She looked down at the gun in her hands. Lowering it, she stepped away and slumped against the rough boards for support. Her long skirt fluttered around her ankles.

Slowly, her gaze sought the quiet little boy. A dozen yards away, sitting in a pile of straw, his face barely visible behind his unkempt hair, Adam stroked the foal’s white muzzle.

Daniel’s son?

She shook her head. “It’s not true.”

“It
is.
”

She watched Adam whisper something to the colt with the sweet affection only a five-year-old could give.
Her
Daniel could never desert this child. Gooseflesh rose on her arms.

Luke turned his face away from her to the heartwarming picture of boy and animal. A streak of sadness touched his composed features. “It’s hard to believe.”

“He doesn’t look like Daniel. He could be anyone’s boy.”

“Maria said he was, and I believe her.”

Maria. A real woman with a real name.

“Maria Ramirez was twenty-one when she started working in my saloon.” He slid a hand into his pocket. “She’d come straight from Mexico. She could barely speak English, and was about as innocent as that foal over there. When Daniel started coming around every lunch hour to have her serve him meals and drinks, I warned him to stay away. She was very naive when it came to men. I thought he listened, because I never saw them together after that, but I guess I was wrong.”

Jenny’s lips tightened with sympathy. That situation would be horrible for any woman to go through alone. And poor Adam! With his mother gone, he needed a father now more than ever.

But Jenny couldn’t allow herself to believe Daniel was responsible, because if she did…

Rebellious emotions flared in her chest.
Luke
was the criminal, not Daniel. Luke was the one who couldn’t be trusted. “Daniel wouldn’t keep this from me.” Running a moist palm along her skirt, she tried to regain her balance, tried to deny the accusation. “He would have told me.”

“Told you what? That he’s a fool? That he deserted the woman and the boy?”

Suddenly woozy, she backed away.

“Listen, I’m sorry you had to find out this way. And half of me doesn’t know whether I should be telling you. But I figure you’ve got a right to know the truth.” He draped his arms over the stall, leaned against the boards and continued watching Adam. “Don’t use Daniel’s silence as proof he’s not the father. He’s kept a lot from you. Did he tell you about this ranch? Or about Daisy and Nathaniel?” He hooked his boot onto the bottom board. “Or much about me?”

She struggled for air. There had to be a reasonable explanation. “He—he hasn’t had time. We’ve only been courting a couple of months. Half the time, he’s been out of town scouting for the railroad.”

Jenny watched the boy shovel dirty straw from under the horses. He disappeared with it out the stable doors, and she and Luke were alone. “I’m sure he planned on telling me about this ranch—about everything—before the wedding. He…he hasn’t had time.”

Luke swung around and gripped her by the shoulders. The heat of his palms burned through her blouse into her skin. “How much time does a man need?”

She struggled beneath his grip, overwhelmed by his bulk and his touch and his accusations. Why was he so full of animosity? Why would he make up this lie?

She ripped out of his grasp and tumbled backward, still holding the gun. “What’s this really about? You’ve been consumed with rage since the moment I met you.
Why?
Are you trying to ruin Daniel? Are you…are you jealous of your friend’s success?”

He swiped the back of his hand across his mouth. His eyes narrowed in disgust. “That’s ridiculous.”

“I see the flash of lightning in your eyes every time you talk about him. Why? He’s built up a fine business, a place in society. He’s engaged to be married—”

With a sharp intake of breath, Luke stepped toward her. The thunderous look on his face stopped her from going further. “You think I’m jealous he’s engaged?”

She held her ground. She would never back down from this man. “You kidnapped me, remember? What am I supposed to think? And you’ve…you’ve tried to kiss me every time we’re alone. You might have Daisy and Nathaniel fooled, but you can’t fool me.” Her voice rose. “Of course you’re trying to break us up, telling me this story about the boy. You’re crazy—”

“No!”

“You’re trying to keep me from the man I love!”

His eyes grew fierce. “This has nothing to do with you and Daniel.” A chill clung to his words. “I hope you
marry him tomorrow.
”

Clenching her teeth, she sputtered, “I’ve heard enough.” She spun on her heel, whirling to escape.

“Oh, no, you haven’t.” He grabbed her arm, twisting her to face him, inches from his face.

“Leave me alone,” she warned, struggling to break free. How dare he touch her!

“What I care about is the boy, and you’re staying in Cheyenne until we settle this.”

Her breath burned in her throat. Then, realizing she still held the gun, she planted it against his chest and cocked the trigger. In response, he dropped his hand from her arm. Inclining his head, he stepped back nice and easy. That was more like it.

She swallowed. “Don’t you ever touch me again, do you understand?”

Hiking up her skirts, she pivoted to flee, but he grabbed her by the waist.

“Let me go!” She kicked him hard in the shin.

“Owww,” he hollered, stumbling back.

Glancing down at the gun in her hand, she gave a humorless laugh. “I almost believed this gun was loaded. I almost trusted you—”

“No, don t!”

She squeezed the trigger just as he leaped for her hand. A bullet zinged through the air. The sound of splintering wood echoed above their heads. Horses neighed. Her body crashed against the boards. Luke slammed against her, both of them breathing hard.

The gun
was
loaded.

He hadn’t lied to her about that.

Stunned, she gazed up into his face. He peered down at her and taking a deep breath, stepped away.

Untangling her limbs from his, she dropped the gun from shaking fingers to the straw below. Her heart was beating like a runaway horse. What was she doing here, so far from home, and so alone?

What did Luke want from her? Even if she wanted to, how could she help Adam? What could she possibly do if his real father couldn’t be found?

The mare circled in its stall. Adam came running through the stable door. “What’s wrong? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, Adam.” Red-faced, Luke beat the dust from his pants. Keeping his eyes fixed on her, he bent down and scooped up the gun. He straightened and rubbed his hand over the boy’s head. “I was showing Jenny a gun and it went off by accident, that’s all.”

They peered up at the shredded hole between the roof rafters. She shrank back, mortified. Someone could have been shot. She gulped. Did she do that? What was happening to her? What kind of effect did this man have on her?

“The gun went off by accident?” Adam scratched his head, his eyes filled with doubt. “You never—”

“It went off in Jenny’s hands.” Luke headed toward the nervous animal. “I’ll let the horses out into the front pasture. Why don’t you go to the house and tell Daisy and Nathaniel what happened? I’m sure they heard the gunshot. They’ll be worried.”

Jenny watched as Adam nodded. The poor innocent boy, trapped in the middle of all this. Lord, how could anyone walk away from a child?

And he was so young and tender, having just lost his mother. He desperately needed a father. Daniel would never, ever desert his own son. Would he?

But why hadn’t he told her about any of these people?

Adam mumbled to himself as he walked past her. “Fallin’ off tame horses, shootin’ off guns by accident…”

Her cheeks grew hot.

“Go on now, Adam.” Luke patted the mare to soothe it. It simmered down. Glancing over the horse’s withers at Jenny, he shook his head. “I don’t know why, but I always seem to lose my head around you. I should have kept my cool.”

She didn’t care for any of his explanations. What she wanted was for him to hitch a horse and buggy, because she was leaving the ranch.

She didn’t want to be pulled into anyone’s problems. As heartsick as she was for Adam, there was nothing she could do for him. Mostly, she wanted to be rid of this place and this man, and all his dirty accusations. Daniel would explain everything to her until it all fell into place.

But something in Luke’s gaze nibbled at her conscience. His eyes, almost black, shimmered in the light.

His jaw tightened. “Adam is a fine boy. One a father should be proud to acknowledge.”

She glanced down at her hands and played with her fingers. “You never told Adam about your…your suspicions?”

“You can call them suspicions if you like, but they’re facts. No, I never told him. Not yet. But I’m not the only one in town who knows, and there’s no way I can keep it a secret forever. Sooner or later, the boy will hear the rumors. I prefer he hear the truth from me—from us.”

When she didn’t comment, he continued. “Daniel is legally registered as Adam’s father.”

Jenny started. “Who registered the boy? Daniel?”

“Maria.”

Jenny paused. “So it’s down to her word against his.”

“He’s been paying Maria two dollars a month since Adam’s birth. Not much money—it was more of an insult than a help. If he’s not the father, why do you think he did that?”

Jenny didn’t want to hear any more, but she pulled herself together. “I don’t know. Did you ask him?”

Luke nodded. “He says he felt sorry for her.”

“Oh.” It was possible that’s all it was. Jenny hadn’t asked Luke the obvious question yet. “What does Daniel say about your allegation that he’s the father?”

“He insists the kid is mine.”

Jenny’s mouth dropped open. Oh, of course; she hadn’t thought of that. Maybe Luke was the one who was trying to shirk his responsibilities.

His mouth twisted. “In order for the kid to be mine, you know what had to have happened, don’t you?”

She stepped back, feeling suddenly hot in the musky air of the stables.

“Well, it never happened.” Luke scanned her face, as if he were well aware that she was judging him. “Although it may not seem like it, Daniel and I used to be close once. I used to respect him a great deal. If he’d just come and meet Adam, things would fall into place. Maybe seeing the kid would drag Daniel back to his senses.” Luke looked away, gulped and turned back. “Maybe marrying you would, too. And then you could raise the boy together.”

Jenny started. She hadn’t even thought that far ahead. But if it were true, if the boy were Daniel’s, what then?

No, it wasn’t possible Daniel could have fooled her so completely. She was a good judge of character. “I don’t know what you want from me, but…but I can’t help you.” She squared her shoulders, pressed her heels into the dirt. “You think I’d believe you over a fine, upstanding citizen like Daniel? While he was giving a charity ball for widows and orphans, you were assaulting two women. A man like Daniel, who’s concerned about orphans, wouldn’t…wouldn’t desert his own son.”

Luke’s jaw quivered.

“Maybe there’s something Daniel and I could do for Adam,” she said. “Maybe when I get back to Denver, we could arrange for the widows and orphans organization to find him a proper home.”

Luke flinched at her words.

“When I get back, I’d…I’d be happy to help in any way I could. I know the head of the orphanage, a friend of mine, Mrs. Peters.”

He shook his head in disbelief.

Her chest rose and fell. She rubbed her face with her hands and groaned. “Please, let me leave now. Daniel will explain everything to me. I’ll ask him. He’ll tell me the truth. Please, just take me to see Olivia.”

Luke pulled off his black hat and played with the brim. Dark locks fell across his forehead. “All right,” he finally said, wiping beads of perspiration from his brow. “I tried my best. I can’t keep you here against your will.” He glanced up at the hole in the rafters. “You’re too spirited, and someone’s bound to get hurt. That’s not my intention at all.”

Her insides fluttered. “Will you play any more tricks?”

“No.” He said it with such honesty and compassion that her throat tightened. But he looked so defeated, standing there with his hat in his hand.

Her heart would
not
go out to him, she warned herself. “Can’t you see,” she pleaded, stepping closer, “how confusing this is? How am I supposed to know who to believe?”

Luke stepped closer. He lifted her hand, his unexpected touch sending a ripple cascading down her spine, and placed her palm over his heart. Then he flattened his own hand over hers. She felt the heat of his flesh beneath the cloth, the pounding of his blood. She felt the passion in his words, his stance, his gaze.

“You’re not supposed to know it, you’re supposed to feel it.”

She withdrew her hand, feeling as if it had been singed in a flame.

“I don’t understand how you can ride down the main street of town,” Jenny said, sitting in the buckboard beside Luke. The setting sun drifted behind the Laramie Mountains as they wove their way along the busy street. “Aren’t you concerned the sheriff might arrest you?”

Luke sighed and glanced at her. She apparently expected an answer. The circles under her eyes were deeper than they’d been this morning. Her lack of sleep was catching up to her. Daisy’s faded, heavy shawl wrapped around her shoulders seemed to accentuate just how young and pretty she was. And hardheaded.