Sarah's Surrender (6 page)

Jack nodded. “Sure. I need to find out where to register for the lottery first.”

“I saw a poster somewhere that told where to get in line.”

“Let's fetch Sarah and eat lunch. Then I want to find where the registration takes place so we can get there first thing in the morning.” Jack stood and stretched.

“But we don't have to sign up for two more days.”

“I know, but with this crowd, I'm sure the lines will be long. We'll probably have to be there all night.”

Luke stood and yawned again. “Sure hope it doesn't rain tomorrow night.”

Jack nudged him in the side. “Hey, you want to surprise Sarah? She doesn't know you're here.”

Luke grinned. “That sounds like a grand idea.”

S
arah scowled and covered her ears. Why was someone hammering so early in the morning? She yawned and stretched then bolted upright in the bed. That wasn't hammering. Someone was knocking on her hotel room door.

“Sarah? It's Jack. You ready to get something to eat?”

“Um … yes. I need a few minutes though. Is the dining room downstairs open now?”

“I think so.”

“Why don't you go on down and get a table?”

For a moment, Jack didn't respond, and she wondered if he'd heard her. “All right. See you downstairs.”

She had planned to rest for a short while, not fall asleep. Sarah hurried to the chair on which she'd laid out her skirt and top. She pulled on her white blouse, glad she'd kept undergarments and shoes on, and then she slid her skirt over her head. She made quick work of pinning up her hair then grabbed her reticule and pulled open the door. Sarah's heart jolted and she emitted a squeal as she jumped back at the sight of a man leaning against her door frame. Luke? What was
he
doing here?

“Surprise, pretty lady!” His lips curled into his trademark grin, and he straightened.

Her heart pounded as if she'd run a race. The nerve of him to frighten her like that. Had he followed her here, hoping to change her mind about marrying him? If so, he was bound for disappointment. She crossed her arms over her chest. “What are you doing here?”

His grin dipped for a moment before he reinforced it. “That's not the greeting I expected.”

She lifted her chin, refusing to be moved by his charm. “I sure didn't expect to find a man stuck to my doorjamb, either.”

He yanked off his hat and curled the brim. “My apologies for scaring you. I didn't mean to do that. I was hopin' to surprise you.”

“You certainly accomplished that, but you didn't answer my question.” Had he followed her to El Reno? Did he think she was incapable of caring for herself, even with Jack here? If he thought she'd marry him because he chased after her, he would be sorely disappointed. It was time she was on her own. Gathering her composure, she stepped into the hall and locked her door.

“You know that I've wanted land for a long while. How could I pass up a chance at a free claim?”

She studied him to see if he had another agenda, but his clear blue eyes held only honesty. Maybe he hadn't followed her, but she still wished he hadn't come. She wanted a fresh start. Wanted to prove to herself and those who knew her that she was able to live on her own. Would Baron and Jo or Gabe and Lara show up next?

“Jack's waitin'. I reckon we should go downstairs.” He offered his arm to her.

She wanted to ignore it, but there was no point in hurting his feelings. She looped her arm through his, hating the bolt of awareness that streaked through her. Why did she always feel that spark whenever they were close? When she'd held on to Jack's arm, she hadn't experienced it. Luke was a decade older than her but far closer to her age than Jack, so maybe that was the reason. Both men were handsome with striking blue eyes, although Jack's hair was brown where Luke's was blond.

As they descended the stairs to the lobby, a trio of young women looked their way. They were dressed in frilly, colorful day gowns. Were they looking at her? Sarah glanced at her dark blue skirt. Was it too far out of style? Her heart jolted. Or were they eyeballing her because she was a half-breed?

To her shame, she realized as she and Luke walked toward the dining room entrance that the women were gawking at
him,
not her. One smiled and ducked her head, cheeks turning ruby red, while the other two smiled and stared unabashedly. As they neared, a pretty blond fluttered her lashes at Luke. He tipped his hat at the trio then glanced at Sarah and smiled as if unaffected by their admiration. This wasn't the first time she'd been with Luke when women had ogled him. He was a tall, tanned, well-built cowboy, and a woman couldn't help staring at him. She certainly had a time or two.

She breathed in the fragrant aromas as they stepped into the dining room. The area held more than a dozen tables, all of which had people sitting at them. She searched for Jack and found him in the back corner of the room when he stood and waved. Luke guided her toward him, weaving between the tables.

As she neared the table for six, she noticed an older man and a woman who looked about her age sitting at the table with Jack. Both men rose as she and Luke stopped by the table.

Jack nodded at them. “The dining hall was full when I arrived, and Mr. Hawkins and his daughter graciously offered to share their table with us.”

Sarah smiled at the pair, not missing the fact that the woman's gaze quickly passed over her to linger on Luke. “Thank you. It is kind of you to allow us to join you.”

Jack held out a hand toward them. “This is Sarah Worley, my sister, and a friend of ours, Luke McNeil.”

“Harold Hawkins, and this is my daughter, Nannette.” The man's brown eyes gleamed with pride as he glanced at his daughter.

A shaft of jealously streaked through Sarah. Her father had been a scoundrel when he first took her from her dying mother, much to Sarah's objections. She had to give him credit for changing his life, but even so, they'd never been close. He'd sent her money and visited a few times over the years she lived with Gabe and Lara, but he'd always seemed uncomfortable there. As if it were the last place he wanted to be. The harsh way he had treated Jo was more than likely the reason. If not for her watching Gabe with his children and Jack with Cody, she wouldn't know what a loving father was like. She wasn't sure she'd ever marry, but if she did, she wanted a man who'd love their children and treat them as if they were special.

Luke shook Mr. Hawkins's hand then tipped his hat to the woman. “A pleasure to meet you both.” He pulled out the chair next to Jack's for Sarah, and once she sat, he dropped down in the chair on her left.

Jack leaned forward, turning his head toward her and Luke. “Mr. Hawkins is a newspaperman from Kansas City. He and his daughter have come to cover the lottery.”

“Oh?” Sarah focused on Miss Hawkins. “Do you also work for the paper?”

Miss Hawkins covered her mouth and giggled. “Oh no. Father would never allow that, but I do transpose his notes.” She leaned forward as if conveying a secret. “His handwriting is atrocious, and I'm the only one who can decipher it.”

“Nannette,” her father scolded, his cheeks red beneath his closely cropped beard.

“I do like to travel, too,” the vivacious young woman continued, as if her father hadn't said a word. “So I usually jump at the chance to see new places.” She cast a quick glance around the dining room. “Although I have to say, this is one of the more backward places we've been to.”

Sarah tried to view the room through Nannette's eyes. She'd stayed in nicer hotels on the shopping trips she'd taken to bigger towns, but she failed to find fault with this one. The furniture was nice, and obviously the bed had been comfortable since she'd fallen asleep so quickly.

Luke cleared his throat. “It's admirable of you to help your father as you do.”

Miss Hawkins's gaze latched onto Luke's, her eyes gleaming. “That's kind of you to say so, Mr. McNeil.”

He shook his head. “Call me Luke. Everyone else does.”

Sarah frowned. Luke never met a stranger, and he had no sense of propriety. Besides teaching Sarah to read and speak properly, Lara had taken plenty of time to teach Sarah what was proper and what wasn't. She knew manners and etiquette enough to know that you don't refer to someone you just met by his Christian name.

“And you must call me Nannette.”

Her father cleared his throat as the waitress stopped at their table. “I do believe it's time to order.”

They each relayed their requests, and then the waitress moved to another table.

“Do you plan to stay in town until the lottery?” Mr. Hawkins smoothed his mustache with a thick finger.

“No. We don't care to live in the hotel for several weeks. We're only staying long enough to get registered. Then we're returning to my brother-in-law's ranch, where we all live,” Jack offered.

“I take it you're all staying in this hotel?” Mr. Hawkins asked.

Jack stirred some sugar into his coffee. “Not exactly. I had requested two rooms, but when we arrived, they'd only had one for us, so I gave it to Sarah.”

She stared at her lap, greatly relieved he'd left out the part about possibly sharing the room.

“Oh, that's a shame.” Miss Hawkins shifted her gaze from Jack to Luke again.

Sarah squirmed in her seat, uncomfortable with the woman's open admiration of her close friend.

Miss Hawkins batted her lashes as if she had dust in them. “So, where will you stay since the hotel is full?”

Luke shrugged and leaned back in his chair. “It won't be the first time we've slept under the stars.”

After picking up her napkin, Miss Hawkins gave it a shake then placed it in her lap. “But if I'm not mistaken, we may get rain today.”

Jack grinned. “The rain's good for washing off the dust.”

Miss Hawkins frowned, but then her eyes lit up as if she'd thought of something. “Please excuse me while I ask Father a question.” She leaned over and whispered something in his ear.

He lifted one eyebrow and studied his daughter for a moment. “If you're sure that's what you want to do, you have my permission.”

A brilliant smile enveloped the pretty woman's face. “Thank you. I have the perfect solution.” She turned to Sarah, sending a chill skittering up her spine. “You can stay with me, and Mr. Jensen and Luke can share the room you vacate.”

An hour later, Sarah returned to her room with Jack and Luke following. She'd much rather have a room to herself than share with prissy Nannette. The woman's idea had merit though, especially with the storm clouds on the horizon and thunder in the distance, but she wouldn't admit it out loud. And she certainly couldn't begrudge her friends a bed for the night.

“Are you sure you don't mind sharing a room with Miss Hawkins?” Jack gazed at Sarah with apprehension filling his eyes.

Sarah smoothed out the blanket she'd lain on while resting and fluffed the pillow. Thankfully, she hadn't hung her nightgown on one of the pegs on the wall. “Of course. It's only for a few nights.”

Luke leaned against the doorjamb. “We appreciate it. I don't mind sleepin' outdoors, but it's uncomfortable in the rain.” He straightened. “I'll walk Sarah to Nannette's room then head back to the livery to get my gear.”

Jack nodded. “I'll go with you. Still need to find out where the registration booths are.”

Sarah packed her brush in her satchel and glanced around the room, reluctant to join Nannette. The woman had been kind, but Sarah hadn't liked the way she'd flirted with Luke—not that it was any of her business. But still … “That's all of my belongings.”

Luke crossed the small room in three long-legged steps and took her bag. “You ready then?”

“Why don't we drop off my bag, and then I can accompany you and Jack to look for the booths.”

“If you're sure you want to fight that crowd again.”

She wasn't, but right now the crowd sounded better than spending the afternoon in Miss Hawkins's presence. “I'll be fine.”

A few minutes later, they knocked on Miss Hawkins's room on the third floor. With the door at the end of the hall open and two large windows at half-mast near the stairway, a warm breeze attempted to cool the long hallway. But with the moisture in the air from the approaching storm, the breeze failed to stop the sweat trickling down Sarah's temple and spine.

Jack knocked on the door of room 303 and stepped back. Quick footsteps came their way, followed by the door opening.

Nannette beamed a smile as her gaze skittered past Jack and Sarah, landing on Luke. “Why, I didn't expect all three of you.” She stepped aside. “Please, come in.”

Sarah shot a peek at the men beside her. It had been stretching propriety for her to be in the hotel room with two men she knew and trusted with her life, but it was something altogether different for Miss Hawkins to invite them into hers.