An Unexpected Dilemma Bride

by Elliee Atkinson

  Daryl nodded. “Yeah. Johnny. I’m sure he’ll be here when he can.”

  “That’s not going to make his pa mad?”

  “I hope not. Lord knows that family doesn’t need that.”

  Heath shook his head. “I have an idea it wouldn’t matter where the boy went, his pa would be mad anyway.”

  “Someone should do something about him,” Daryl said in a low voice, his eyes focused on the horizon. Heath didn’t say anything at first.

  “What can we do?” he asked finally.

  Daryl didn’t respond.

  “We can’t kill him, Daryl,” Heath said seriously.

  Daryl jerked his head to the side to look at his friend. “That thought hadn’t crossed my mind. I was thinking more along the lines of running him out of town. But that would leave his wife and children either to flee or stay and if they stay, how would they live?”

  “Can the mother do anything?”

  “Not that I can tell. Nothing except take care of those four children. I don’t think she’d have the strength to do anything else.”

  “Are the kids going to the schoolhouse?”

  “Not the younger two. Twins. Real young.”

  “Ah.” Heath edged his horse to come up next to Daryl’s as they moved down the hill. “Does the kid know how to get here?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure he’ll be along shortly. If he did go to school today, I don’t think the teacher has let them out yet. I don’t know what time she does, to be real honest with you.”

  Heath shrugged. “I reckon if he… hey, is that him there?”

  Daryl looked where Heath was pointing and smiled. “That’s him, all right.”

  The little boy was skipping through the field, heading toward them. They were amused by his antics as he attempted to avoid all the cow dung in the field.

  “Why is he coming through that way? Don’t ya live in the other direction?”

  Daryl laughed. “How quickly you forget, friend. He was probably coming from the schoolhouse.”

  Heath threw back his head and laughed with Daryl. “Where is my mind?”

  “Taken by a certain dark-haired lady, I presume,” Daryl replied.

  “You’re right, doggone it. I can’t get her off my mind.”

  “You should be preoccupied. If you’re not, it’s not real.”

  “I don’t know about that. Hey there, son! Where’s your steed?”

  Johnny lifted one hand and waved at them, running the last bit of distance in a straight line, since there were no cow patties there. “Daryl! Hi, Daryl!”

  “Hello, Johnny.” Daryl reached down with one hand as Johnny held up his hand. The big man scooped up the boy and swung him around to sit behind him.

  “What are you doing today, Daryl? Fixing a fence? Working the field? Herding cattle?”

  “We’re messing with the cattle today, Johnny,” Daryl said, winking at Heath.

  “Messing with them? I don’t understand what you mean.”

  Daryl chuckled. “It means we’re going to wait until they are asleep and push them over to see what it looks like.”

  Heath snorted, making Daryl’s chuckle become a full-on laugh. Johnny looked at Daryl’s profile and then over at Heath with a confused look. “I… I…”

  “He’s joshing you, Johnny. He doesn’t mean it. We’re not going to do that. He’s just trying to make you laugh.”

  Johnny nodded. “Oh. Do they look funny when they are on their side?”

  Daryl glanced over his shoulder at him. “Can’t rightly say I know, Johnny. I’ve never done it. They’re pretty sturdy and heavy creatures. I don’t imagine it would be easy to do.”

  “I couldn’t do it,” Johnny shook his head. “I’m not strong enough at all.”

  “No, I suppose you aren’t. But we don’t do that anyway. We don’t want them to get hurt.”

  “If it hurts them, I don’t want to do it at all,” was Johnny’s reply.

  “That’s settled then. We don’t do it at all.” Daryl turned back to the front and urged Prince down the hillside, following several of the cattle as they moved to the far end of the pasture.

  “How is your mother?” Daryl asked. “I haven’t seen her in town lately.”

  “She’s been staying with the babies. They been sick.”

  “Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “There’s something going around. I haven’t got sick yet though.”

  “I hope you don’t.”

  “I hope not, too. Ma says I’m not contagious so I can go out. So you don’t have to worry.”

  Daryl and Heath smiled at each other.

  “Thank you for thinking of our welfare, little man,” Heath said, giving Johnny a thumbs-up. Johnny grinned wide.

  “Johnny, you know Heath, don’t you? Heath Bartley.”

  “I haven’t met him in person,” Johnny said. “Until now. But you’ve talked about him before.”

  “He has, has he?” Heath said. “I’d like to know what he said.”

  Johnny’s face turned serious again. “Oh nothing bad, Mr. Bartley. Not ever. He has only said you are his friend and he talks to Ma about the things you do on your ranches for fixing things and stuff like that.”

  “Oh?”

  Johnny nodded vigorously. “He’s your friend!”

  Heath smiled at the boy, turning the smile to Daryl, who nodded.

  “I know he’s my friend. Has been for a long time.”

  “That’s what he tells Ma.”

  “You talk about me a lot, Daryl.” Heath laughed. “We might as well be brothers.”

  “If we were brothers, we might not have the friendship we have.”

  “We’re gonna snag us a couple of sisters, though,” Heath grunted.

  “Heath, not in front of the boy,” Daryl scolded him.

  “Sorry about that, Johnny,” Heath replied respectfully.

  He laughed when Johnny looked at him like he had no idea what he was apologizing for.

  “So other than being exhausted, you say your ma is okay?” Daryl asked over his shoulder.

  Johnny looked off into the distance. “She’s okay, Daryl. She’s not a very happy person. She cries a lot.”

  Daryl’s heart ached for the woman. He and Heath shared a look. They both knew what the woman was dealing with.

  “I wish there was something I could do for her,” Daryl said quietly.

  Johnny shook his head. “You’d have to make my pa be a different person. I wish you could do that, Daryl. I wish you were my pa.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  GIVE IT TIME

  GIVE IT TIME

  He looked in the mirror and ran one hand through his hair. He was surprised that he felt nervousness in his stomach. He inhaled deeply and looked at himself, appraising his features. Would she think he was handsome?

  Did it matter?

  He had met many women in Louisville. He’d never met Lily or Laura. Heath had told him several times to come to the wash area, where the women volunteered to do the washing for the hard-working men in town for a small fee. It was better than some of their other options.

  He straightened his vest and adjusted his belt. With a nod of approval, he stepped away from the mirror to go out to his horse. He stopped, leaned back and checked himself once more, smiling at himself.

  Chuckling, he went out the door.

  As he rode to Heath’s ranch, he thought about what he would say. He hoped she was pretty, but the options were small in western towns. If he was sure to get married, it would be easier in the cities on the East coast, where there were more women. However, Daryl liked the western atmosphere. The heat was dry and the crops were good, when you knew how to properly care for them. It was a process of nurturing. Heath preferred living animals – horses, pigs, cows. Daryl preferred to grow food. He was good at it.

  The ride was short and before he knew it, he was dismounting in front of Heath’s house, tossing the reins to the young man who stood waiting. Daryl was reminded
of Johnny. The boy often came out to his house first thing in the morning and brushed his horses, taking care of them as if they were his own. Daryl had a soft spot for the boy and his mother. It frustrated him that he could do nothing to help them.

  He shook his head as he went up the steps to the front door. He didn’t want to think about Esther and Johnny’s problems at that moment. He was about to meet a woman for a date, of sorts.

  “You better have made some good grub,” he mumbled as he lifted his hand to knock.

  The door was opened by a pretty blond woman with flashing blue-green eyes and a nice figure. His first thought was that she was wearing a pretty dress. He couldn’t recall having that thought about the other women he’d met with possible intentions.

  He took off his hat and inclined his head. “Evening. I’m Daryl Parker. Heath is expecting me.”

  Her smile widened and she stepped back, holding the door open. “Yes, he said you were coming. It’s good to meet you! I’m Laura, Lily’s sister.”

  Daryl nodded. “I thought you must be. I’m sure he said Lily had dark hair.”

  “That she does,” Laura laughed. “They are in the den. Would you like to join them?”

  He grinned. “I reckon that’s why I’m here. Something smells good. Heath been cooking all day?”

  Laura shrugged, never losing her smile. “We’ve only been here a short time. It was like that when we got here, though, so I’m assuming so. Is he a good cook?”

  Daryl thought quickly of the few times Heath had cooked anything for the two of them. “I reckon he is,” he replied. “But I can’t say for sure. He hasn’t cooked many dinners for me. He’s never tried to court me.”

  Laura laughed again. “That would be an awkward situation, wouldn’t it?”

  “Yes, it would be. Quite awkward, as a matter of fact.” He joined her in laughter.

  Laura pushed open the door to the den and looked up at Daryl.

  “Oh, ladies first.” Daryl held out his hand to indicate she should go in the room. Her smile made her eyes crinkle and she went in, still holding the door open for him.

  “Thank you,” he said.

  She nodded.

  “Daryl!” Heath stood up from the table where he had been playing cards with Lily. “I’m so glad you made it.”

  “Wouldn’t miss it, Heath. Thanks for inviting me.”

  “Of course, Daryl. Come and sit down. Join us. We’re playing gin.”

  “Sounds good to me.” Daryl sat at the table across from Laura and looked up at her. “Is this going to be men against women or...” He nodded toward Laura.

  “Let’s go with you two on a team and me and Lily on a team. You know, you can learn a lot about someone by being partners with them in a game.”

  “Oh?” Lily looked at Heath. Daryl could see she was already smitten with him. He held in a grin.

  Heath smiled at Lily. “Yeah, you know how they react when something doesn’t go right. You either blow up or keep going.”

  “What if it’s somewhere in the middle?” Laura asked. “I mean, what if I just blow up a little bit and then keep going?”

  Heath chuckled. “I wouldn’t know what to do in a situation like that.”

  “Sit back and watch,” Lily said knowingly. “I’ve played games with her and sometimes it’s a sight to see.”

  “Oh, now you are insulting me!” Laura pretended to be hurt, sticking out her lower lip.

  “All right now, girls. No bickering or I’ll have to make you go out in the yard to settle your differences.”

  Everyone laughed at that. “You are a card, Heath!” Lily said, laughing the loudest of them all.

  The four of them played for the next several hours, breaking into their conversations with laughter and loud praising when they won a hand. Laura turned out to be a good gin player. She and Daryl won hand after hand, until Lily looked like she wasn’t having much fun anymore.

  “I’m sorry, Lily,” Laura said, noticing her sister’s downtrodden face. “I will try not to win so often.”

  Lily smiled at her. “You don’t have to dumb down to meet me on my standards, Laura. You’ve always beaten me at card games of all types. I don’t expect this to be any different.”

  Heath grunted in amusement. “You could have told me your sister was a master at cards. I wouldn’t have invited her to play!”

  Lily and Laura laughed.

  “Is that dinner ready yet, Heath?” Daryl asked. “I’m about to starve to death.”

  “Funny, you don’t look like you are.” Heath purposefully eyed Daryl up and down, one eyebrow raised. “You really don’t.”

  “Are you saying I’m fat?”

  “Not a chance, friend. All that right there is muscle. You hear that, Laura? All muscle.”

  Laura and Lily shared a glance and a smile. “Yes, I can see that, Heath,” Laura said, purposefully staring at Daryl’s arms and chest. He lifted his hands and covered his chest. She looked up at him.

  “You’re making me feel like a piece of meat at the butcher shop,” Daryl said, his cheeks red but his lips smiling.

  “I do like to go to the butcher shop,” Laura said, leaning forward to rest her chin in her hand.

  “All right, let’s eat.” Heath pushed back his chair. “I’m sure that roast is ready and rarin’ to go. I know I am.”

  A chorus of “me, too”s went around the room. They all stood and followed Heath through the door of the den, down two doors and into the dining room.

  “This is a lovely setting you have, Heath,” Lily admired the gold-trimmed plates and glasses. The gold matched the color of the handles on the utensils.

  “Thank you, Lily.”

  Daryl watched the two of them as they related comfortably with each other. He looked at Laura several times, wondering if they would be as comfortable. He hoped so. He wanted to give it a try. However, he was too shy to ask and too afraid of the consequences that might occur if he let his heart wander in her direction.

  He watched her talking to her sister, eating her food gracefully, dabbing at the corners of her lips after every bite. After every single bite.

  He admired her. He was trying not to stare. Her beauty on the outside seemed incomparable to what she held inside. He could imagine her soul, shining like the brightest beacon. He wanted to court her. He wanted to know more about her. He wanted to be hers.

  That time will come, Daryl thought. Just be patient and give it time.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  COURTING TIME

  COURTING TIME

  So…”

  Daryl looked down at Laura as they walked through the garden at her and Lily’s farm the next day. Heath had been the one to arrange it. He and Lily were currently inside, sitting in the den. He could see them sitting on the couch in front of the side window. They were laughing about something.

  “Yes?” he asked when she didn’t continue.

  “I hear you are one of the most eligible bachelors in Louisville? Lily tells me that you have all the women talking about you in town.”

  Daryl felt his face get hot. He didn’t know what to say. He never knew what to say when it came to that topic. It was brought up more often than he was comfortable with. He didn’t think of himself as incredibly handsome or strong, though his self-esteem was strong. He kept his ego in check. It could often be a struggle when three or four women walking down the street would stare, giggle and flirt with him incessantly. He just wanted one woman to love, one who would love him back for who he was inside. Someone he had some things in common with, but not everything. He wanted his woman to be unique, not just an off-shoot of himself. “That’s what they say, yes.”

  “You haven’t shown any interest in any of them? Why not? I have a lot of friends, all lovely women.”

  Daryl shook his head. “It’s not that simple for me. Just because a lot of women think I’m a good catch doesn’t mean it’s easy for me.”

  “But you can just pick and choose.” She looked up at him
with a soft grin. “Should I feel very lucky right about now? You’ve chosen to spend an afternoon walking in the garden, playing cards, and eating a nice lunch with me. I should feel special.”

  He chuckled. “Do you?”

  Laura looked up at him again. “I might.”

  “That’s very flattering.”

  “I don’t know why it would be. You just said you get constant attention. How can mine make you feel flattered?”

  “Because you are a beautiful, charming woman. A man would be foolish not to want to get to know you better.”

  “Please, tell me about yourself.”

  Daryl shook his head. “There’s nothing much to say about me. I’m just a cowboy trying to get through life as happily as possible.”

  “Family?”

  “I have a sister who moved with her family to Wickenburg last year. I have two nephews and a niece. Our parents died about ten years ago.”

  “I’m so sorry, Daryl. They died at the same time?”

  “Yes, it was an unfortunate accident. I’d rather not go into detail.”

  Laura shook her head. “No, no. If you aren’t comfortable talking about it, I really do understand. How about I tell you about my family?”

  “I’d like that very much.” Daryl put one hand on her elbow and directed her to a white iron bench near where they were walking. She smoothed out the back of her skirt before sitting. “This is a pretty design,” Daryl said. “Did you pick it out?”

  “I didn’t buy anything in this place,” Laura said. “Our parents did.”

  “You own this house?”

  “We do. Both of us.”

  “That’s great. Not many women own property these days.”

  “I think you might be surprised by how many do. We are left property through inheritance and there’s nothing the government can do about that.”

  “I don’t think they would really get involved, would they?”

  “They haven’t with me.”

  “So is it just you and your sister? Are your parents still alive?”

  “Momma and Papa moved to the East Coast some years ago. My grandparents live in Virginia and kept boasting about how green and beautiful it is out there, so they finally went back.”