Romancing Adrienne

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  “I didn’t mean to scare you off. I’m sorry.” He rubbed his hand up and down her back. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad you had the courage to leave California. If you hadn’t, we never would have met.”

  “Thank you, Trevor. You’re probably the first man to pay me a sincere compliment.”

  He winked at her. “There’s more you’ll be receiving.”

  Mrs. Gallows appeared from the door. “I see that you two are working things out. How wonderful! I told Bronson to leave you alone, Adrienne. He had his eye out to court you but I had a feeling that you and Trevor would resolve your differences. You two are meant to be together.”

  She grew uneasy. Clearly, the woman was misunderstanding the situation.

  “Yes, Mrs. Gallows. We’ve worked things out,” Trevor quickly replied. “We’re good friends.”

  She relaxed. At least he said it for her.

  “Are you ready to make dinner?” the woman asked her.

  “Yes, I am.” As she followed her into the inn, she was aware that Trevor was close behind her. It’s hard to concentrate when he’s near me. She was grateful that she would be in the kitchen so she could cook with a clear head.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Trevor had been biting his tongue around Clark all day, and the knowledge that he was staying for supper only served to irritate him even more. Clark made it clear that he intended to court Adrienne, and Adrienne’s comment that she was actually considering being with Clark and would see him again on Saturday didn’t sit well with him. He didn’t need Clark’s smooth talking to interfere with what he was trying to do. Adrienne was going to be his wife, not Clark’s.

  Trevor went to the dining room and waited for the meal. Clark sat on the other side of the table. Trevor wasn’t sure what to say to him. He took a deep breath and looked around the room. The problem was that Clark was actually a nice man who would treat Adrienne well. But I would treat her well too. So it was up to her.

  Clark had picked up a copy of his book and was flipping through it.

  “If you’re in the mood for a comedy, I recommend the Rocky Mountain Oysters play,” he said.

  Clark glanced up at him. “I figured I should do some reading while we wait for supper.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t mind.” What he really wanted to do was join Adrienne in the kitchen and offer to help her, but he knew that she and Mrs. Gallows had everything under control. He remained quiet while Clark read through a couple stories.

  Clark chuckled. “Your brother-in-law didn’t realize what Rocky Mountain oysters were?”

  Trevor grinned. “He had no clue. It was priceless to watch the expression on his face when Luke told him what it was. But to Jake’s credit, he ate all of them without flinching.”

  “I guess rich people wouldn’t know that.”

  “Did you know Adrienne came from a wealthy background? Her father arranged a marriage for her that she didn’t want so she ran away. She’s got nothing now.”

  “The poor girl must be scared. It was a good thing she had you to get her through it. Did you come from a wealthy family too?”

  “Hardly. My family did alright but we were up to our eyeballs in debt until Jake came along and helped us out. Since then though, we’ve been careful with our money. I guess it was a bad move on my part when I took all my money on the train. I don’t have a dime to my name anymore.”

  “I heard about the robbery. I wonder where the robbers are.”

  “They’re probably long gone.”

  “What an ordeal to go through.” He paused. “I hope you don’t mind my asking what happened between you and Adrienne. I mean, you seem like a nice enough man.”

  Trevor appreciated the compliment. “We didn’t really know each other. People seem to think we did, but we didn’t. She bumped into me on her way off the train.”

  “Oh. I didn’t realize that.”

  “Whenever we try to explain it, people just hear what they want to hear instead of what we’re actually saying.”

  “So, do you two get along or not?”

  “We did manage to get over our differences.”

  “I admit that I do like her. She’s a good woman.”

  Trevor nodded. “Yes, she is.”

  Clark sighed. “I guess we are both trying to court her.”

  “That’s clear to me too.”

  “Well, as they say, ‘Let the best man win.’”

  Trevor nodded. Once he threw Melissa into the mix, it would be easier to fend Clark off.

  The women came out with the meal and Mr. Gallows entered the room.

  Adrienne set the large plate of Swedish meatballs next to the rice and peas that Mrs. Gallows set down.

  Adrienne looked at Clark and Trevor. There was an empty seat next to both of them.

  “You may sit next to me,” Clark offered.

  She glanced at Trevor, shrugged and sat next to Clark.

  Trevor hid his annoyance with a smile. That’s alright. She’ll be sitting with me for the rest of our lives. She’s only sitting next to him tonight. He wasn’t going to let one minor setback deter him from his goal.

  For a moment, he thought of his family. His homesickness came and went but mealtime was hard since they always gathered together at the table to talk about their day and share some laughs. He didn’t relish another night in his room, though it gave him time to write.

  “Trevor, you look thoughtful tonight,” Mrs. Gallows noticed.

  “Oh, I was just thinking of my family,” he replied. “I have to a letter to send out tomorrow so they’ll know where I’m at.”

  “That’s right,” Mr. Gallows nodded. “The post office is open from ten to two. I will take your letter in since you’ll be at the farm.”

  “Thank you, sir. I also got one for Mr. Adams.”

  “Do you miss your family, Adrienne?” Clark suddenly asked her.

  “It’s a long story but yes,” she replied.

  “I heard you come from California.”

  “Yes.”

  Mrs. Gallows gave a gasp. “That reminds me. Adrienne, I heard you saw the crooks who robbed the train while you were working today.”

  Trevor’s ears perked up at this turn of events.

  “I did,” she replied. “But when I got the sheriff, the men were already gone. The sheriff said he’ll make some wanted posters.”

  “I doubt that they would stick around,” Clark commented. “If they’re on the run, they’ll want to be inconspicuous.”

  Trevor cleared his throat. “How did you recognize them? They wore masks.”

  “Oh, that was easy. One had the gruff voice and the other had a birthmark on his hand.”

  He frowned, feeling uneasy. “Did they realize you recognized them?”

  “No, I don’t think so.”

  “You should probably be around other people at all times, just to be on the safe side.”

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Clark added. “We don’t want you to risk getting hurt.”

  Trevor grumbled under his breath. The only saving grace he had was residing in the inn with her. If Clark lived in town, Trevor might never get a chance to be alone with her.

  “Well, let’s hope the sheriff catches them soon,” Mrs. Gallows said.

  The group nodded.

  After a couple of moments, Mr. Gallows spoke up. “Clark, I was wondering how things are going on your family’s farm.”

  Clark looked up at the old man. “The farm is great.”

  As Clark rambled on, Trevor imagined what it would be like to come home every night and be alone with Adrienne. He caught himself smiling, looking off to nowhere in particular, when Mrs. Gallows asked him about the play he was working on. He turned his attention back to the table and answered her question.

  ***

  Trevor spent the rest of the week complimenting Adrienne and lightly touching her hand whenever he could. He was relieved when Clark didn’t come into town. He really didn’t need that kind of competition. T
he more he got to know Adrienne, the deeper he fell in love with her, and he didn’t want Clark to come in between them. After all, he had his future kids to think about. They wouldn’t exist if Clark got her.

  On Friday evening after dinner, he went to the Harper house with Adrienne. The cool evening was clear so it would be a good night for viewing stars, which was something he figured the kids would enjoy.

  “I must admit that you continue to amaze me,” he told her on their way there.

  “Really? How?” she wondered.

  He took her hand and held it. He was happy when she didn’t pull it away. She was getting use to his touch. “You have a big heart for people. I heard you made some pre-made dinners for Elijah and Patty Baker. It will be nice for them to be able to focus on their newborn.”

  “I like to cook. It wasn’t a big deal to do that for them.”

  He grinned at her. “You’re a humble and graceful woman. Any man would be lucky to be in your presence.”

  She blushed. “You really are doing well with romance, Trevor. I think Melissa will be glad to see you tomorrow. I tell her how wonderful you are.”

  He forced aside his annoyance. She had been hinting about how good he and Melissa were for each other, but now she was coming right out and saying it. He stopped and turned to her.

  Surprised, she also stopped. “Is something wrong?”

  It was time to take things to the next level before Clark got a hold of her the next day. “I am at the part of my play where the main characters kiss. I haven’t kissed a woman before, so I was wondering if I could kiss you and see what the experience is like so I can best write about it.”

  She seemed startled, though she was shyly smiling. “Perhaps Melissa would be best suited for that.”

  “But I intend to write the scene tonight.”

  “Well, there are people walking around us.”

  “We’re only a few feet from the Harper house. We’re practically out of sight of everyone with all the trees surrounding us. I do need help with being romantic.”

  She hesitated.

  He took off his hat and wrapped his arms around her, making sure he didn’t hold her too tightly. “If you don’t want to, that is fine. I hope you didn’t find me offensive.”

  “There’s nothing offensive about you, Trevor.” Though she didn’t hug him back, he did note that her hands rested on his arms. “You are pleasant to be with.”

  He winked at her. “You do find a way into a man’s heart. If you would rather wait for the kiss, I’d understand.”

  As he was about to pull away from her, she stopped him. “I suppose one kiss wouldn’t do any harm. I mean, it would be for your play, and you do have a deadline to meet.”

  “Yes, that is true.”

  “I haven’t kissed a man yet, so I don’t know how good I’ll be at teaching you how to kiss.”

  “Then we’ll have to learn together.” He leaned toward her and gave her a light kiss. His heart raced with excitement. “What did you think? Did I do alright?”

  She nodded. “You did just fine.”

  He was pleased that she seemed to enjoy it as much as he did. “Perhaps, it would be more romantic if the kiss lasted longer. Maybe, it should be like this...”

  He kissed her again, but this time he tightened his hold on her and deepened the kiss. He felt her arms go around his neck as she leaned into him. When the kiss ended, he could hardly concentrate on anything but how wonderful she felt.

  “Yes, that’s the kiss to go with,” she whispered.

  Oh Adrienne, just wait until we’re married. I’m going to kiss you like that all the time. He forced himself to back away from her. Placing his hat back on his head, he smiled and took her hand so they could continue their walk to the Harper house. “Thank you,” he said. “That was the perfect kiss.”

  She didn’t say anything as he led her along with him.

  I’ve startled her, but in a good way. He knew enough from watching people to know that she was in love with him, though she was determined not to admit it. Once she did admit it though, he had no doubt that she would be a passionate wife. He couldn’t wait for them to get married.

  When they reached the Harper house, the kids ran out to meet them. He let go of her hand so he could toss each kid in the air. She giggled at the scene. He winked at her. You just wait, sweetheart. Someday, these will be our kids I’ll be tossing around.

  The time passed by quickly for him. He was impressed with the way she handled the children. They made sure to behave with her. She didn’t tolerate much fighting between the siblings. “We are here to have a nice and pleasant evening,” she told three of the kids who had been hitting each other. “I grew up an only child and things got boring most of the time. Be glad you have one another. Someday, you’ll grow up to be best friends.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” The three children nodded.

  He grinned at the troublemakers. “You listen to Adrienne now. She knows what she’s talking about.”

  They nodded and played nicely after that.

  He went over to her and kissed her on the cheek. “You do a wonderful job with children. Why do you insist on not having some of your own someday?”

  She blinked. I spooked her again. The poor thing needs to get over her fear of marriage. “I never thought children were a bad thing,” she said. “I just want there to be more to marriage than having them, that’s all.”

  “You’re so great. A man would be foolish not to appreciate you for who you are. You have a lot more to offer than having children.”

  “Thank you for saying that, Trevor. I do like to think there’s more to marriage than all of that. I was an only child because my mother got sick after I was born, and the illness left her barren. It’s possible that I wouldn’t be able to have children.”

  “Even if that happens, you and your husband can always adopt a whole bunch of youngsters.”

  “I didn’t think a man would consider adopting kids. My father never did.”

  He shrugged. “Children are a blessing no matter how they come into the family.”

  “You are an incredible man. Melissa is lucky.”

  He frowned as she turned her attention back to the kids. Alright. This has got to stop. I’m going to marry you, sweetheart, even if I have to drag you to the altar.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The next day, Melissa and Hank showed up bright and early at the inn. Trevor noticed that she wore pants and a shirt. She is a farm girl, alright. Clark will like her. I think she’ll like Clark too. Trevor saw that Adrienne wore another dress and had her hair pulled back in a bow. She’s so pretty, but she’s a city girl. She’s meant for New York.

  He tipped his hat to her as she came out of the inn. “Good morning, Adrienne.”

  “Good morning, Trevor,” she replied.

  She seemed to be happy to see him, which was a good sign.

  “You are a pretty sight first thing in the morning,” he said. “Will you be riding with me out to the farm?”

  “Of course. But you will bring me back this time, won’t you?” she teased.

  “I promise.”

  She joined him on the horse.

  He smiled. He liked being close to her and feeling her hold him around the waist.

  “Don’t worry, Melissa,” she told her friend. “I’m only riding with him because I don’t know how to ride a horse by myself.”

  He rolled his eyes.

  Tristan came trotting up on his horse. He frowned. “I see you already found an escort,” he told Adrienne.

  “I told you I wanted to introduce you to Trudy,” she responded.

  He nodded. “That you did.”

  “Trudy is very enthusiastic about life,” Trevor said. “I think she’ll be a good wife.”

  Tristan looked happier though Trevor noted that Adrienne tensed.

  Could she be jealous? Trevor grinned at the thought that she cared enough about him to worry that he might find Trudy attractive. No one is as att
ractive as you, sweetheart.

  They rode out to the farm and Bonnie immediately ran up to him. He sighed. Bonnie was relentless in her pursuit of him.

  “Good morning, Trevor,” she gushed. “I’ve been practicing my flute playing. I hope you’ll find it to your liking.”

  “I’m sure I will,” he politely replied. He turned her to Hank who was dismounting from his horse. “Say, are you familiar with Hank Peters? He just returned from college.”

  Bonnie smiled at him. “Hank? I hardly recognized you. You really matured in college.”

  He grinned at her. “You’ve matured too, Bonnie. You’re not a little girl anymore. In fact, you’ve grown into a beautiful young woman.”

  She looked very pleased by his comment.

  Trevor breathed a sigh of relief. Now Bonnie could concentrate on Hank instead of him.

  Trudy and Clark came out to meet them.

  “I didn’t realize so many people would be here today,” Trudy said. “I hope I made enough pies for the party.”

  “You made pies?” Tristan asked.

  She nodded. “I made apple, blueberry and rhubarb pies.”

  “She makes wonderful pies,” Bonnie added. “They don’t last long around here.”

  Trevor marveled that the family ate so much and remained skinny.

  “I can’t wait to try a slice,” Tristan widely smiled. “I’m a sucker for a good pie.”

  “Oh, then I’ll make sure to save you a slice of your favorite kind. What do you like best?” Trudy asked.

  “I’m partial to rhubarb, but I like all kinds of them.”

  So far, it looked like everyone was pairing off nicely. Trevor got off the horse and helped Adrienne down so he could put his horse in the stable with the other horses for the day.

  Adrienne looked excited. “I hope that they get together,” she whispered to him. “They do go well together.”

  “Yes, they do.” And so do we, sweetheart.

  Clark walked over to Adrienne. “I’m glad you could make it out here today.”

  Trevor quickly motioned to Melissa. “Melissa Peters made the trip out here too,” he introduced. “She’s great on the farm. She knows all there is to know about farm life.”