Melinda Heads West (8 page)

“Has anyone ever told you that you can be a little stupid? A nice lady doesn’t travel alone in these parts. She certainly wouldn’t visit establishments like that, either. Have you thought about what would have happened to you if you had ridden along with Gibb? Have you considered that at all?”

“Yes,” Mindy said. “I thought about that as soon as I saw him. I could have been lying there alongside him.”

“Only if you were lucky! Those men would have carted you off with them … for more than an afternoon ride into the country.”

Mindy blanched. That thought had not occurred to her.

“What if Lucas, here, or — me — weren’t gentlemen?”

She snorted. “Perhaps I
would
have been better off with the Bylers, if
you
represent a gentleman.”

Boone stared hard into her green eyes. “I’m being serious. You have to be more careful. What if we leave you in Tipton and you go off on another harebrained adventure?”

“I don’t plan to go off on another adventure, Gary Boone! I didn’t plan on this one! And besides, when I get to Tipton, I’ll be no concern of yours, anyway. What do you care?”

Rubbing his hands and holding them in front of the fire, Lucas joined in. “You two never stop, do you? Can you leave go for a while, at least?”

“Stupid,” Boone said. “You can’t fix stupid. My momma always said you can love it and you can pet it, but you can’t fix it.”

Mindy’s body drew up into a hard line. “How dare you say something like that! You don’t know me! You don’t know anything about me!”

It was Boone’s turn to snort. “I reckon I do. We’ve spent every minute together for the last … six days. I’ve seen what I need to see to sum you up pretty well.”

“Well, that makes two of us! And do you want to know what I’ve decided? You’re a heathen! A filthy, good-for-nothing heathen! You can’t see anything past the end of your nose!” Mindy stood up and walked off into the woods.

The two men stared at each other. “Do you think she’s gone off to take care of business, or decided to walk on to Tipton without us?” Lucas finally said.

Boone cursed and stood up. He stalked to the edge of the forest line. “Mindy! Mindy?” He glanced back at Lucas, then straightened his shoulders and strode into the brambles.

Boone heard the sound of sobbing and it wrenched his gut. How many times had she cried in the last few days? Enough to wash away every sin he’d ever had, that was for sure. Too bad it wouldn’t work. He crept up to her softly. “Mindy, are you okay?”

“Yes! Of course I’m okay! I’m always okay! That’s my lot in life. When my brothers got hurt and had to be stitched up, it was my job to do it. When my friends got married and asked me to stand beside them, it was my job to do that, too. When my dad died and my mom fell apart, who took care of
her
— even though I was falling apart inside? Me! And I was fine. I have to be fine. There’s no other choice.”

Boone stepped up to her, backing her against a tree. “You don’t have to carry the weight of the world, Mindy. You could ask for help.”

“From who, my little brothers? You?”

“Maybe.” He leaned in and looked into her eyes. The night enveloped them, creating a quiet place where nothing moved. He raised a calloused hand to her cheek. “So pretty.”

“Pretty?” Mindy said, with a voice that trembled. “Not me. Never.”

“Yep. Even with the mud and the mess, you’re one of the prettiest things I ever saw.” Boone smiled, and Mindy stared into his black eyes.

Boone leaned in closer … closer. Softly, his lips touched hers, surprised when her lips turned up to tentatively meet his. He stepped closer, placing one hand on her slender waist. As she leaned into the kiss, he pulled her even closer, deepening the experience for both of them.

Mindy made a small sound at the back of her throat, and Boone’s head started to burn. He placed his arms around her and pulled her against him, changing the small, innocent kiss into something more. He swam in the moment. Plunging headfirst into waters that he knew were dangerous. His heart stepped in, crinkling in an odd sort of way as it dashed itself against the rocky borders of possibility.

Reluctantly, Boone pulled back. He leaned his forehead against hers, breathing deeply.

• • •

Mindy gasped. “What was that?” she said softly with a faint smile. Her breath whispered past his face.

“That was a kiss, Mindy. You said you’d never had one, remember?”

Suddenly Mindy remembered the rocking stage and her fear that they were all about to plummet over the edge of the cliff. She remembered her panic and the crazy things she had shouted. They came flooding back to her now and she shrank in embarrassment.

“Is that what this was? A pity kiss?” Mindy took a step back as her face drained of color. Quickly she reached and struck Boone across the face.

“What? Pity? Did that
feel
like a pity kiss?” Boone demanded, placing a hand to his blistering cheek.

“I don’t know. I’m stupid, remember? How would I know the difference?” She turned from him and marched back toward the fire. Over her shoulder she said, “I’ll be sure and ask your wife when we meet.”

Boone slapped his forehead. His wife! Of course! He’d forgotten about the picture of his sister, again. There was no telling what Mindy thought of him, after kissing “another woman.”

Figuring she still considered him a shiftless good-for-nothing, Boone shambled back to the clearing where the two others sat. Mindy and Lucas were involved in an animated conversation about their hometowns. Boone was relieved to see that she was no longer sad, but entranced.

“My dad died when I was small,” she was saying, “which meant my mom had the burden of raising six children alone — three girls and three boys.” She sighed. “You’d love my sisters. They’re charming and witty and down-to-earth. They’re beautiful and well-mannered … nothing at all like me. I was raised with my brothers so I was somewhat of a hoyden, to my mother’s dismay.” She laughed, a sweet sound that pulled at Boone’s heart and head.

“I can’t believe you were a trouble to her,” Lucas replied.

“Oh, I was! Always getting into trouble and getting dirty. At church services, I’d run off and play with the boys, then come back with my dress in tatters and hanging with filth. Oh, I was a trial!”

“Well, you’ve grown up now.”

Mindy blushed. “Yes, but I’ve never had my sisters’ easy ways. They married respected young men in our community and take part in the social engagements of the town. They make Mother very proud.”

“And you haven’t got the personality for those things?” Lucas studied Mindy as she formulated her reply.

“It’s just that I seem to want different things. I never wanted to settle down with the fellows that came around in the early days. And as the years went on, there were fewer callers. My mother’s greatest fear is that I’ll end up an old maid like my Aunt Sarah.” She laughed again, holding her arms around her knees. “She’s probably right. I’d rather travel and see things.”

“Doesn’t it bother you, not having someone in your life?”

“Sometimes. Mostly, I miss the idea of being a mother. But I can play with my nieces and nephews whenever I want.”

Lucas caught her gaze. “It may be that things will change for you on this trip. You may meet someone you can care about.” His implication was clear.

Mindy ducked her head. “I don’t know. Tomorrow should see me into Tipton, finally, and then I’ll be able to pick up that dreadful deed and deal with the property. After that, I’ll be headed home again. Hopefully, the return trip won’t be so eventful!”

From across the fire, Boone tensed. The idea of Mindy on her way back to Mississippi churned his gut. “You plan to travel alone back to Mississippi?” he interjected.

“Of course,” she said. “How else will I get home?”

“I’m not sure, but you can’t still think you can handle whatever comes your way! This trip should have made that obvious.”

“Maybe she’ll find someone to escort her,” Lucas said. “There’s a possibility I’ll be available.” He smiled.

“Oh, I couldn’t ask you to do that!” Mindy said.

“I do a lot of traveling. Let’s just wait to see what the future holds, shall we?”

“That’s enough about me,” Mindy said. “What are you headed to Tipton for?”

“I’ve been there several times,” Lucas offered. “I’ve found it to be a wonderful town. It’s small, but growing. A man could make a good living there. I’ve considered buying property and settling down.”

“That would be wonderful!”

“Yes,” Lucas agreed, “but plans change. I’ll wait to see what happens.”

Boone grunted and jabbed at the fire. “I think I’ll go sleep. Looks like you two would like to be alone.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Mindy asked. “We’re just talking.”

Boone and Lucas exchanged long looks. Boone made a rude noise. “I’m going to sleep. See y’all in the morning.”

• • •

Mindy glanced to Lucas and shrugged. “Men! Oh, present company excluded, of course.”

Lucas smiled and Mindy stared into his blue eyes. He was a tall man and sat ramrod straight. He was attractive in a rough sort of way. Sometimes his eyes were hooded, as if he had seen things he didn’t care to remember. He was used to giving orders and being obeyed. Someone had said he’d been an officer in the war and she could believe it. Lucas didn’t speak often, but when he did his words were precise and clear, and brooked no argument.

As they continued their conversation, her eyes wandered over to Boone, stretched out near the warmth of the fire. The two men couldn’t be more different. Where Lucas was fair, Boone was dark, with black eyes that spoke what he wouldn’t say. Her Tormentor was even taller than Lucas, but muscular and swarthy. He had wide shoulders that narrowed into a trim waist, and she frequently found herself watching him walk. He was confident and sure of himself, to the point of cockiness, which often made her mad enough to spit. Just looking at him could make her blood boil. And certainly, his kiss had made her bubble. There was something about Boone that made her think crazy, act crazy. Why, she’d completely forgotten about his wife! He probably thought she was the sort of jezebel her mom sometimes whispered about, returning his kiss like that. She could still feel his lips on hers there in the darkness. Mindy had never imagined a single moment could make you feel so many things at once: dizzy and safe, curious and wise, hungry and —

“ … are your brothers?” Lucas was asking.

Mindy shook herself. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear what you said.”

Lucas followed her eyes to where Boone snoozed. “Never mind. It’s getting late. We better get some sleep.”

Mindy was startled by the abrupt end to the conversation. “All right.” She turned to snuggle into the bed of soft leaves she’d made.

“I enjoyed talking with you, Mindy.”

Turning to study Lucas, Mindy replied, “Me too. You’re easy to talk with.” She blushed again and Lucas smiled. “Good night.”

• • •

When Boone awoke the next morning, there was no sign of Mindy. He glanced over to Lucas, who was adding small twigs to the fire.

Boone leaned against the ground and twisted his body. “I could stretch a mile,” he said with a grin, “but I’d have to walk back.” His eyes turned serious. “You two have a good, long talk last night?”

Lucas didn’t answer immediately. He poked the fire. When he looked up, his eyes were hard. “Is there anything you want to tell me about Mindy?”

“What do you mean? Besides, the fact she’s a pain in the backside?”

“No. If you have feelings for her. Sometimes, I get that distinct impression.”

“Me? You know we fight like cats and dogs. It’s oil and water.”

“I’m just letting you know that I care for her. I aim to court her when we get to town and get settled in.”

Boone stared into Lucas’s eyes and his black eyes grew even darker. “That’s fine,” he said. “She’ll need someone to take care of her and keep her out of trouble.”

“I need to know if that’s going to be a problem with you.”

“Heck no!” Boone stood and dusted off his dungarees. “You’re welcome to her and good luck.” For some reason the conversation was making him ill. He felt the need to hit something again, but his skin on his hand was still cracked and broken from the last time. He flexed it. “I’m going to wash up.”

As he walked to the water’s edge, he passed Mindy returning. She had washed the mud from her face.

“Don’t you have more clothes in that bag of yours?” he demanded.

“For your information, there’s only one change of clothes in there. As if it’s any of your business. I don’t see the need to destroy a second dress.”

Boone had to admit the logic of that, but was disgruntled by the amount of leg that showed beneath her tattered hem. Fully one half of her white calves was on display. Her brown walking boots did little to cover more than her ankles.

“Perhaps today would be a good day to change, seeing as how we’ll be getting into town,” he suggested with a grimace, imagining the looks she would receive.

Mindy looked down to her dress and then back at Boone. “Maybe so.”

“Do whatever you want,” he growled and continued to the stream.

By midmorning, the trio heard a welcome rumbling as they walked. It turned into a minute dust cloud, which turned into a stagecoach. Salvation had arrived. Mindy’s eyes began to tear, and it took all her control not to weep with joy.

Shorty, the wiry old man, was at the reins. He pulled the surefooted steeds to a hard stop, throwing rocks and dirt into the air. “Halloo!” he cried with a wide, snaggle-toothed smile, before leaning over the rail of the coach and spitting a brown stream of tobacco juice onto the hard soil.

“Anybody here ready for a ride?” His smile broadened at the humor of his words.

Mindy leaned against Lucas, gathering strength. “Yes,” she said quietly. “Yes. Thank You, Lord.”

The two men cheered up noticeably; their backs straightened and their eyes sparkled. “Come on, darlin’,” Lucas said, “Let’s head for Tipton!” He picked Mindy up and swung her in a wide circle.

“Put me down, you idiot!” Mindy said with glee. “You’re going to hurt yourself all over again.”