I rushed to Minnie, taking her trembling body into my arms. “Were you hurt?” I ran my hands over her, reassuring myself that nothing had happened to her other than a major fright.
“Oh, Roy. I was so scared. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t come along.”
“What were you doing in there with that angry bull?” I asked, once I’d recovered from my own terror at seeing my sweetheart in danger, questions abounded, as did a bit of anger. She could have been seriously injured… or worse. And what would I have done without her?
For the first time, my true feelings for Minnie came to the forefront and nearly overwhelmed me.
I loved her. The little maid with the big brown eyes and a penchant for trouble was the most precious thing on earth.
“I-I wanted to get some of these flowers,” she held up the bedraggled bundle of Juniper Jewels she still clutched in her hands.
“Didn’t you see the bull?” I asked, incredulous. She was often distracted but this was a new level of distraction, which could have been deadly.
“I climbed the fence to get the flowers, but I never expected for there to be an angry beast there too,” she cried, looking up at me with dismay.
“Well, sweetheart, why do you think they put the fence up? To keep the flowers from escaping?”
I’d told her never to go back there for more flowers. But apparently she had because there they were all over the top of a picnic basket. I’d never paid much attention to flowers, but after that incident, I’d looked for more of the bright colored blossoms and the only place they were still blooming was in Chester’s pasture.
I’d have to have a word with her about that. My palm itched when I thought about smacking her pert bottom.
But first I had to buy the damned lunch she’d made.
Pastor Ellis held up the basket for all to see. “Now looka here at this one, fellas. This here’s a lady who likes flowers.” He opened the lid and peeked inside. “Oh, and she’s made a nice apple pie too. It smells delicious. Let’s open the bidding at—”
Before he could even start the auction on that basket, I raised my hand and called out my bid. “Two dollars!”
A few folks gasped and turned to stare at me, including Minnie. When she saw me, her face lit up in a big smile that warmed my heart. All I wanted was to make her smile.
Because no one made me as happy as she did.
“Well, now, that’s a determined feller right there,” the pastor said. “That’s the highest bid we’ve had all day. I guess our deputy sheriff likes apple pie.”
I gave Minnie a wink and she blushed.
“Two dollars has been bid on this basket. Anybody want to go higher?”
A few folks chuckled at the notion and a couple of others looked at me like I was an idiot for spending my money so freely.
There was plenty more where that came from.
“Three dollars!” a voice boomed from the other side of the gathering. The crowd quieted and everyone, including me, turned to find out who’d spoken.
Lloyd Carter.
I should have known. He was a boarder at Mrs. Campbell’s, just like me, except that I went out and worked hard every day to protect the town, while no one was really sure what Lloyd did. His hair hung over his face and his shoulders slumped. I’d noticed him paying attention to Minnie and I didn’t like it. Not one bit.
He shuffled forward and glared at me in challenge, not unlike Chester the bull.
I met his glare and then turned my back to him, giving my attention to the auction. “Four dollars.”
Minnie squeaked and covered her mouth with her hands, her doe-like eyes gazing at me in shock.
All eyes turned to Lloyd to see what he’d do. Four dollars was more than most men earned in a month.
“Five dollars,” he said, unflinching.
Well, I was tired of this. “Twenty dollars for the basket.”
Everyone turned to Lloyd, but he just scowled at me. “City slickers,” he spat out, then turned and left.
There was a moment of awkward silence as he skulked away and then Pastor Ellis cleared his throat and said, “Well, come and get your meal and your gal, Roy.”
No one needed to tell me twice.
Chapter 2
Minnie
“Twenty dollars?” I nearly fainted.
Lizzie grinned at me and gave me a little push off the bench we were sitting on. “Go on, get your man.”
As Roy came up to me, people in the crowd clapped and cheered. I didn’t know what to think. My heart thudded in my chest, he literally took my breath away when he strode purposely in my direction.
He took my hand and gave me a big smile, then went to Pastor Ellis and paid him the money. Who carried that much with them? My head spun trying to put all the crazy pieces together.
“Enjoy yourselves,” Pastor Ellis handed over the picnic I’d made then leaned toward Roy and whispered, “I perform weddings, too, you know.” Then winked before we headed for the line of trees at the edge of the church lawn.
My legs were like jelly. Twenty dollars? He’d paid that much for my lunch?
Was he crazy?
“Crazy about you, Minnie,” he said before he spread out the picnic blanket on the ground.
When I cocked my head and gave him a confused look he simply said, “You mumble to yourself when you’re nervous.”
Taking my hand, he helped me to sit on the ground, then positioned himself next to me. Very close next to me. So close I could smell the soap he’d used that morning.
We’d been in close quarters before. He’d even kissed me a time or two, when Mrs. Campbell wasn’t looking. But this was the first time he’d made such a public show of saying I was his girl. Claiming me.
I didn’t know what to make of it. Of course, it was what I wanted. Who wouldn’t want Roy? He was sweet and funny and brave and also very generous.
I just didn’t know what he found so special about me.
“Everything, Minnie. Everything about you is special. Even the way you talk to yourself.”
“I don’t talk to myself,” I defended, though without much conviction since I was aware of this very embarrassing habit I had of occasionally saying my thoughts out loud. Sometimes, if I caught myself doing it, I pretended to be singing. I’m not sure I fooled anyone, least of all Roy.
He set out the plates and food then lowered his face within inches of mine. “Lying will get you a trip across my knee, Minnie. Remember that.”
“W-what?”
I glanced around to see if anyone else had heard his scandalous statement, but we were far from the others. I suppose folks figured that twenty dollars bought Roy a bit of privacy too.
“You heard what I said, Minnie. No use pretending you didn’t. You’re my girl and now everyone knows it. That means if you misbehave, I’m going to take you over my knee and discipline you.”
“Y-you can’t do that,” I gasped, though a funny feeling fluttered around low in my belly when I allowed his words to sink in.
Roy’s dark gaze held mine for a moment before he put his mouth next to my ear. “I’ll put you over my knee, push your skirts up so your bottom is uncovered and then I’m going to apply my palm to the cheeks of your backside until it is red and you are begging me to stop.”
Then he raised his head and held my gaze again. My whole face flushed, though I didn’t know why. Embarrassment? Or something else?
“Are you all right, Minnie?” he asked, as though he’d just mentioned that the corn seemed to be growing well this summer. He held up a glass of water for me and I took a sip.
“I feel… I’m not sure what I feel. Excited and fluttery, I guess. Maybe it’s just the thrill of the box social. I’ve never been to one before.”
Roy smiled at me and my insides got all warm and the area between my thighs pulsed. “I think excited is probably the most accurate description,” he said. “Have you ever felt that way before?”
I paused and looked
away.
“The truth, Minnie.”
“O-only around you, Roy. When I’m with y-you, I feel … different. But, in a good way,” I added to make sure he understood that I liked it, even if I wasn’t sure what it was.
“That feeling you have,” he said as he wiped off a peach with a napkin, “is desire. The way a woman desires a man. Her man.” He took a bite of the peach, his white teeth sinking into the flesh.
I watched his mouth as the juice from the peach lingered on his lips. Why did such a thing make me feel lightheaded?
He used the napkin to wipe away the peach juice on his chin, then held the piece of fruit out to me. “Have some, Minnie. It’s delicious.”
I did as he told me, though my breath was shallow and my skin tingled all over. It was a tasty peach, but I knew there was something else happening to me besides a love of good produce.
Sweetness spread across my tongue as I chewed. Roy watched me in a way that made this all feel very intimate. Almost too intimate, but I held his gaze while I worked the soft flesh in my mouth then swallowed.
“Good girl,” Roy said, his voice raspy, as he moved even closer to me and wiped peach juice from the corners of my mouth with the napkin.
“When we are married, I will lick all the juice from you. Everywhere.”
Astonishment rocked my body to its core. The comments about licking me and my juices… well, I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant but it seemed naughty and delicious all at the same time and I certainly wasn’t opposed to it.
But what shocked—and angered—me was his assumption that we’d marry someday. Of course that was what I wanted. Dreamed about, though I’d told myself not to get my hopes up. Not to get ahead of myself.
However, his high-handed manner struck a nerve deep within me and indignation and rage coursed through me.
I pushed him away and he sprawled on his back across the picnic blanket, a look of surprise on his face. I jumped to my feet and glared down at him.
Roy lay there, stunned, his jaw hanging open.
Well, he’d have to do better than that.
“Roy Gantry. Just because you spent twenty dollars to have lunch with me doesn’t mean you own me. If you want to marry a girl, even a poor orphaned maid like me, you have to ask!” I might not have realized how loudly I was speaking…probably shouting… until I spun on my heel and noticed all the other picnickers staring in our direction.
I stomped away.
It was possible I’d just made the biggest mistake of my whole life.
* * *
Roy
“She’s not here. Even if she was, I wouldn’t let you in.” Mrs. Campbell crossed her arms over her chest and blocked the doorway to her boarding house.
“But I live here, too.”
“Not if you’re going to belittle my hired girl like that. Treating her like a two-bit...wait twenty dollar… well, you know what I mean because even though I’m mad as heck at you, Roy, I ain’t gonna start using foul language. But mind yourself, because I am close. Very close.”
Now, it wasn’t as though Mrs. Campbell greeted each of her boarders with a warm hug and a plate of cookies each time they returned at the end of the day, but I’d never seen her this worked up.
I guess I couldn’t blame her. I’d messed up. Bad. Real bad.
Minnie’d stomped away from the gathering at the church and I’d watched with my mouth hanging open. I figured she’d cool off in a few minutes and come back, but that didn’t happen. The other couples returned their attention to their meals and companions while I sat there trying to understand what had just happened to me.
There was anger in her eyes when she’d told me off, but beneath that, I could see she was hurt. I’d caused that. And I had to make amends. Immediately.
After I stuffed everything back into the picnic basket and snatched up the blanket, I went looking for her at the most logical place. Her home.
“And I’ll take that picnic hamper back too.” Mrs. Campbell grabbed the flower-adorned basket and yanked it from my grasp before turning her back to me and slamming the door in my face. To emphasize her annoyance, I heard the lock on the other side slide into place.
I stood on the porch of the boarding house. The boarding house where I lived and which held all my belongings, and wondered what to do next.
I felt awful about the way I’d treated Minnie. I hadn’t meant to offend her and I fully intended to marry her, I guess I’d just left out a crucial step in between. The proposal.
Would she even still have me after this?
I wouldn’t know until I asked. And I couldn’t ask until I located my errant sweetheart.
My stomach grumbled and I lamented that I’d sent Minnie running before I’d had a chance to eat.
This was going to be a long day.
Taking a deep breath, I focused on putting my emotions aside and used my lawman’s brain to figure out what to do.
Would Mrs. Campbell lie to keep me from finding Minnie? There was one way to find out. I stepped off the porch and strolled around the side of the building to the small window that marked Minnie’s room at the back of the boarding house. I peeked in, but the room was empty.
I was relieved, however, to see that her personal possessions were still there. She hadn’t run away.
Of course, I knew she was willing to take off with just the clothes on her back, if she was determined.
Fortunately no trains would be stopping in Juniper Junction until the next day, so I had some time to find her and make amends if she had gotten it into her head to leave town.
I rushed off to the only other place I could think of, the home of Matt and Lizzie Foreman.
As I trotted down the street, an image of Minnie, back ramrod straight, marching across the church lawn after telling me off, flashed into my mind.
It was like a punch in the gut.
I’d made plenty of mistakes in my life, but this one had to be the biggest. And I had to fix it. Get her back. She was mine.
Lizzie came to the door when I knocked, though I could see Matt in the background, shaking his head at me like he couldn’t believe what a dunce I’d been.
That made two of us.
“If you’re looking for Minnie, I don’t know where she is. And if you’re not looking for Minnie, get off my porch.” Lizzie, who had grown up as an heiress in St. Louis did her best to blend in with the other folks in town, but when she had to, she could put a man in his place with just a glance and a few choice words.
I appreciated her loyalty to Minnie, even if it stung my pride a little to have her talk to me that way.
I took my hat off and held it in my hands. “I beg your pardon and apologize for interrupting, but I need to find Minnie.”
“You sure do. How could you?” Lizzie was working up a full head of steam and Matt, holding baby Daniel in his arms, just kept shaking his head. It’s possible he was laughing at me.
That was the least of my worries.
“I know I messed up. I just need to find her and apologize and try to explain.” There was a note of desperation in my voice. I was surprised it wasn’t worse.
“She loves you, Roy. She’s the sweetest, dearest person on the planet. She’s only been here a little while but folks in town love her. And then you go and humiliate her in front of everyone.” Fire flashed in Lizzie’s eyes.
She was right, of course. About all of it. I told her so.
“Well, then you need to find her and fix this mess. I hate to think what she might do. She’s got pride, you know. Just because she’s sweet doesn’t mean you can just walk all over her.”
“Please, Lizzie. Please. Can you help me find her? She’s not at the boarding house. Do you know where else she might have gone?”
Lizzie glared at me for a moment and then her countenance softened a bit. “Sometimes she likes to walk down by the Windy River when she’s got some thinking to do,” she finally said.
“Thank you!” I nearly grabbed her and k
issed her but thought better of it and turned to go find Minnie.
“You’d know that if you paid more attention!” Lizzie called after me.
Chapter 3
Roy
As I hustled toward the Windy River, I passed several townsfolk on the street. I tipped my hat and said hello. Most ignored me. One elderly gentleman who was sitting on his porch enjoying the late afternoon sun saw me go by and yelled out, “You better make this right, Roy. You can’t treat Minnie that way.”
I was new in town, just as new as Minnie, and people were rightfully cautious of recent arrivals. However, Minnie seemed to have charmed everyone instantly, just as she had me. I might not have been up for citizen of the year, but I hadn’t encountered hostility. Most of the people I’d arrested or cited for violations had been at least cooperative.
But, my reputation had taken a quick slide down shitter lane in the course of an afternoon.
And I hadn’t even meant to offend my sweet Minnie.
Arrogant.
I’d been arrogant and presumptuous. A couple of my worst qualities.
I had to make things right. I didn’t give a hang about what folks in town thought about me, at least not compared to how awful I felt about upsetting Minnie.
I made it to the path along the river. Trees lined one side and the river formed the barrier on the other. It was a restful place and many of the folks in the area liked to stroll here when they had a rare bit of free time.
The nearby forest also provided a bit of cover for sweethearts in search of a moment of privacy for a quick kiss. Or two.
In the distance I saw a woman walking alone. Since most everyone else in town was either at the box social or at home hurling insults at me, I assumed it had to be Minnie. The diminutive frame and glossy brown hair confirmed my suspicions.
I paused for a moment to watch. Not just strolling along as usual, or even ambling as though she was sad, this woman was angry. She stomped down the path, arms pumping and when I listened closely, I was sure she was talking to herself.
Cowboy’s Demands: Brides of Juniper Junction, Book Five Page 2