But not before she mumbled, “Go away.”
More knocking made her grind her teeth. Suddenly the knocking stopped and the door flew open. Becky’s voice boomed like a fraternity mother’s.
“It is of no consequence to me if you sleep the entire day away. However, I seem to recall someone asking me to be sure she was up in time for church services.”
Callie groaned. “Already? I just got to bed.”
“That was more than six hours ago. Now, if you’d like, I can send Rand up to fetch you when he gets here.”
She threw the pillow off her head. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.”
Having seen the rapport between Rand and Becky, Callie feared the taskmaster just might carry out her threat, for her own amusement if nothing else.
Willing her legs to slide off the bed, Callie managed to sit up and rub her bleary eyes. “Okay. I’m up.”
Becky smiled. “Good, now get a move on. You’ve got less than an hour to get ready.”
She moved in a slow kind of hurriedness. Her body did what her brain told it to, but her brain was slow to give any instructions. What she did, or how she did it was a mystery.
When the clock struck ten, Callie had just finished dabbing on some lipstick. She checked her reflection in the mirror: hair tied back with a black velvet ribbon; snug fitting gray dress with black and white trim around the high collar; high-ankle boots with all their discomfort.
Dignified and proper, if she said so herself.
Descending the stairs and making her way to the kitchen, she rummaged the sideboard for something quick to eat. A plate of biscuits called to her. She broke one open, drizzled on some honey, and devoured it before she realized how dry it was. Pouring herself some coffee, she drank heartily, not minding the hot liquid on her throat.
Becky poked her head in the door. “You have a gentleman caller, Miss Callie.”
As Callie left the kitchen, she saw Rand standing near the bar looking nervous as a colt. When he saw her, he removed his hat and smiled a sunshine smile.
“Good morning, Miss Callie. If you don’t look as picture perfect as this beautiful day, no one does.”
“Why, thank you, sir. Flattery will get you...well, we’ll see what it gets you,” she said in a lowered voice.
Rand raised an eyebrow. “Shall we go?” He lifted his arm for Callie to take.
The muscular forearm belied his gentle manner and Callie sensed it was just one of many paradoxes about this man. Oddly enough, she liked the mystery of the complexity. She liked knowing there was always something new to discover about him.
“Just a minute,” Becky reprimanded. She hurried toward them with some sort of white, frilly hat in her hands. “A proper lady wears a hat to church.” She handed Callie the hat.
“But I hate hats. They’re so...so restricting.”
“Stop whining and put it on. You don’t want everyone in church staring at you.” With a relenting sigh, Callie mashed the hat atop her head and allowed Becky to pin it in place.
They left the saloon and strolled leisurely down the street. Rand seemed to be in no hurry to get to the services. On both sides of the street people were dressed in their Sunday best and heading for the church. Callie felt a kind of kinship as folks nodded and bid them good morning.
“Everyone is so friendly. I feel like I belong.”
He patted her hand on his arm. “That’s what’s so great about Way Out West. The uptight modern world is far behind. Here we get back to when people enjoyed each other and the simple things in life.” He stiffened. “Most of us, anyway.”
Callie followed his stare. Up ahead, coming out of the general store, was Tyler. He headed straight for his horse hitched to the front post and stuffed his purchase into his already laden saddlebag. As he untied the reins, he spied Callie and Rand approaching on the boardwalk.
“Well, well. Look what we have here. Mr. Tough Guy and his saloon girl out for a Sunday stroll.”
With his eyes straight ahead, Rand whispered to Callie, “Ignore him,” and kept walking.
Tyler mounted his horse and prodded it down the street close to the boardwalk, keeping pace with Rand and Callie. “I missed being able to sit in on your game last night. I did pretty well, but it would have been a whole lot sweeter if I’d taken a share of your money.” When Rand didn’t answer, he continued. “Maybe another time. Will I see you at the tables tonight? Or,” an indecent snicker salivated out of his mouth, “have you two got other plans?”
Callie took in a deep breath and opened her mouth but Rand pressed her hand against his rib cage. “Ignore him.”
“Well,” Tyler shifted in his saddle, adjusting his dirty hat, “if we can’t sit together, maybe I’ll at least have the pleasure of Miss Callie waiting on me. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was avoiding me last night. But I’m sure it was just a coincidence. A woman with that kind of spunk is just itching for the right kind of man to tame her.”
Rand jumped from the boardwalk and grabbed the horse’s bridle, stilling its forward movement. With teeth clenched and hatred burning in his eyes, Rand spoke low but distinctly.
“I’m warning you, Tyler. You stay away from the lady.”
“Or what? You’ll sic the Sheriff on me? Yeah, we had a nice chat last night. Seems he’s got some unfounded suspicions. Now I wonder where he could have gotten them?”
“If you’ve got a bone to pick with me, deal with me. Just leave the lady out of it.”
Rand released the bridle and Tyler quickly pulled on the reins to steady the horse. With a sinister grin, he raised his hat to Callie. “Have a nice day, ma’am.” An evil chuckle roared from his throat as he spurred the horse down the street. It echoed in a cloud of dust at the outskirts of town.
Rand rejoined Callie on the boardwalk. She noticed his tightened jaw and pulsing temple as they continued their walk toward the church, but at a faster pace.
“Why do I get the feeling there’s more between you two than just some bad blood from a card game?” she asked.
Rand took a deep breath. “It’s a long story, but nothing for you to be concerned about.”
“Oh? Then why were you warning him to stay away from me?”
He stopped and turned to her. “Because I care for you, very much. He sees that and he’ll try to use it to get to me.”
“And why is he trying to get to you? Maybe I can help.”
He touched her face with the back of his hand and she inclined her head to soak in his gentleness.
“I’m not altogether sure what he’s after. I need some time to sort it out. In the meantime, it’s you I want to think about and be with. Now let’s get to church and enjoy our Sunday together.”
Chapter Eight
Inside the quiet little church, simplistic with its pale blue walls and pecan colored pews, Rand struggled to collect his thoughts. Now that he knew who Tyler was, he had to figure out how to deal with him. He had to get to the bottom of this.
Yet what he knew didn’t amount to a hill of beans. For certain Tyler was up to no good, with Rand the likely target, but until he had proof, Tyler would remain a guest at Way Out West.
The churchgoers joined in the hymns with the small choir of four. Beside him, Callie lent her sweet voice to the melodic swell of each refrain, drawing Rand closer to her side. Though Rand did his best to sing along, his mind wandered back to Tyler and the scene outside the general store. Something screamed for Rand’s attention but damn if he could put his finger on what.
The man had been dressed in work clothes and his saddlebags stuffed. With what? Where could he be going? There was nothing outside of town except a few working farms and miles of open range, which buffered the town from the real world.
What could Tyler Thornton possibly want in the desert-like land?
The preacher’s voice seeped into Rand’s subconscious. “Even unto death, our souls live on. Our bodies may be buried beneath the earth, but our souls shall rise in
celebration.”
Buried. Rand sat up straighter. A shovel. That’s what he’d noticed sticking out of one of Tyler’s saddlebags! What did he need a shovel for? There was nothing out there worth digging, nothing between here and the way station. Unless...
Callie shifted beside him. He patted her hand assuredly while his mind raced forward. A plan quickly formed. His week of quiet rest in the one place in the world where he found any peace at all was about to take a dramatic about-face.
He had no choice. If this town he’d worked so hard for was to remain intact, he needed to stop the Thornton brothers before it was too late. And he had to be sure Callie was safe.
* * *
Leaving the cool of the little church and stepping out into the warm sunshine, Callie wished she hadn’t chosen the high-collar, dark-colored dress. But before she could think about finding some shade, she found herself in front of the preacher greeting his congregation.
“Rand! Nice to see you again.” The preacher, a tall man with thinning hair, pumped his hand vigorously.
“Thank you, Reverend. Just had to come see the new cross. It looks great. Just what the newly painted steeple needed.”
“Ain’t it the truth. Without the generosity of some dedicated members, none of it would have been possible.” The preacher smiled and adjusted his spectacles. “And who might this lovely lady on your arm be?”
“Reverend Simms, I’d like you to meet Miss Callie.”
The Reverend reached for her hand. “It’s a distinct pleasure to meet you, Miss Callie. Are you a friend of Rand?”
Callie hesitated, unsure how to answer. Up until Friday, she’d never set eyes on Rand.
Rand jumped in, apparently sensing her uneasiness. “She’s a very special friend.” He squeezed her hand at his elbow.
“Well! I can see that you both have very good taste. Miss Callie, you won’t find a better man in these here parts. I’m sure those who know you would say the same about you.”
Callie blushed. “Why, thank you. It’s very comforting to know Rand comes so highly recommended from a man of the cloth.”
“Oh, you’d hear the same from anyone in town.”
“Thank you, Reverend, for pleading my case,” Rand said, “but I’m afraid it’s I who’ll have to convince her in the end.”
They both laughed. Callie laughed hesitantly, unsure about what Rand had to convince her of.
“Well, good luck, my friend,” said the Reverend, “and Miss Callie, you’re welcome to visit any time.”
They moved along away from the milling congregation. The heat of the sun penetrated Callie’s dark dress and she looked around for something that would provide shade. There was none. Just the church, the small grass lawn and the dirt road.
She looked up at Rand in his black suit and noticed tiny beads of sweat forming on his forehead. But even in the heat, he seemed cool, collected. A man of control, a man in charge.
She began to unbutton the tiny pearl buttons of her collar when she felt Rand’s strong hand cover hers. Their eyes met. She noticed the warmth in his brown eyes, eyes that caressed every square inch of her face.
“You should leave it buttoned. It’s only proper.” Before he removed his hand, he fingered the gold heart and chain beneath the placket and smiled. “Why keep it hidden?”
She dropped her gaze. “It didn’t exactly go with my dress, but I couldn’t bear to take it off.”
“I’m glad,” he said, removing his hand and taking hers. He tugged, leading her behind the church. “Follow me.”
A small grove of trees shaded a garden area fully overgrown with the summer’s bounty. Black-eyed susans, wisteria, roses. All vied for top billing. A narrow walking path seemed even narrower with the bulging beds of chrysanthemums and marigolds. The mixture of sweet scents changed with each step forward.
Hand in hand they walked to a wooden bench just big enough for two at the center of the garden. Rand urged her to sit before taking a seat beside her. “A little cooler?” he asked.
“Yes. This is very nice, and so beautiful.”
He nodded. His eyes searched hers yet he seemed distracted. “Callie, I’ve only known you three days, yet I feel a strong bond, something bigger than I’m sure either of us expected.”
Callie’s eyes grew wide and her pulse raced. Why the serious tone? What was he about to do? Propose to her? Tell her he couldn’t see her again?
Rand gripped her hands, the tension in his voice moving through his fingers. He rolled his thumbs along the backs of her hands raising goosebumps up her arm.
“I wanted to spend the better part of the day with you, but something’s come up and I need to check it out. Can I ask you to join me for dinner later?”
His serious tone chilled her skin. “Yes, of course.” She noticed how his shoulders slumped and again, he looked at her through distracted eyes. “Rand, what is it? There’s something you’re not saying.”
He squeezed her hands as though afraid to let her go. “Ah, Callie, you’ve come to mean so much to me, the last thing I want is for us to be separated.”
“Separated? You said you’d be back for dinner.”
“I may have to leave tomorrow.”
“But you said you were here for a week.”
“There’s something I have to take care of on the outside.”
“Tyler,” she said, tugging her hands free. “It has to do with Tyler, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, but please don’t ask me to explain. If I do leave, you’ll be well protected while I’m gone. I’ve given Becky and Sheriff Clayton instructions. You can trust them.”
“Rand, I’m not helpless.” She turned to face forward. “I can take care of myself.”
“No. Tyler is very dangerous and there’s no telling what he might do. Becky and Clayton will be my eyes while I’m gone.”
To her surprise, tears filled her eyes and a lump formed in her throat. As he said, they’d only just begun to know each other, now she feared losing him. And she didn’t even know why.
He drew her into his arms, letting his strength support her. “Callie, Callie. Why couldn’t I have met you six years ago? Just when I’d given up hope of ever finding any happiness in life, you came along and lit the way.” He moved back to look into her eyes. His thumb wiped a rolling tear from her cheek.
“Six years ago I wouldn’t have been ready for someone like you.”
“And now?” His tone was heavy with anticipation.
She smiled sheepishly through tears. “Now, I’m afraid my disappointing past has left some ugly scars.”
“Maybe we can heal them together.” Rand’s mouth took hers in a promising kiss.
* * *
Callie paced in front of the saloon door, then back to the large window looking out onto the busy street. She’d been like a sentry for the past hour but had no idea why or what she waited for. Until she saw Rand again, she couldn’t keep still. He’d tried to allay her fears, but he’d only managed to stir them even more. If Tyler was up to no good, what would happen when Rand found him?
After their talk behind the church, he’d walked her back and left her at the saloon entrance. Anxious to get out of her hot clothes, she’d quickly changed into a comfortable skirt and a white cotton blouse before stationing herself by the door to wait.
Although much cooler now than in her church dress, she felt a rush of heat wash over her whenever she thought of Rand’s kiss. It’d been full of promise, yet if he left in the morning, there was no guarantee she’d ever see him again.
Callie swiped away a few stray hairs that had fallen in her face and remembered how Rand’s gentle fingers had smoothed her hair behind her neck yesterday. Closing her eyes, she saw the field once more and relived the closeness they’d shared.
As she opened her eyes and gazed out the window again, she noticed a man leading a horse down the center of the street. Her heart stopped. It looked like Rand, yet his clothes were all awry and dirty and he walked with an odd sort of l
imp.
She stared, waiting for him to get closer, looking for some sign of recognition. Slowly, he doffed his hat at someone on the boardwalk, an act she’d seen him do a number of times, and knew without a doubt it was Rand.
“Becky, he’s back! I think he’s hurt.” She ran out to the street to meet the bedraggled gambler, rushing into his arms, not caring who watched.
“You’re hurt! What happened?”
Rand eased an arm around her shoulder, brushing aside her long hair and resting his cheek on the top of her head.
“I’m a little bruised, but nothing a hot soak won’t cure.”
“Why are you limping? Did you meet up with Tyler?” She had a million questions, but couldn’t get them out fast enough.
They’d reached the saloon and Rand stopped to hitch the horse. Becky, waiting at the steps, took the reins from him.
“No. I rode out about a mile. In the distance I could see a horse but no rider. I decided to move in and investigate, but I didn’t see the wire until it was too late. My horse spooked and threw me, I’m ashamed to say.”
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of, Rand,” Becky blurted. “Even the best riders get thrown when their horse is spooked.”
“Thanks, Becky. Unfortunately, right now I don’t feel like one of the best riders.”
“What wire?” Callie asked, confused.
Rand grunted as he tried to find a comfortable stance. “Someone, probably Tyler, apparently strung a wire across the road to trip up any surprise visitors.”
“Well, come on in and sit down,” Becky urged. “You don’t look like you could stand another minute. By the way, why didn’t you ride back? Your horse looks okay.”
His eyes downcast, he shuffled his boots in the dirt. “Thanks for the offer, Becky, but I really need to get back to the hotel.”
Callie, who’d been silently inspecting the tall proud man, realized he was hiding something. She noted small tears in his pants on the leg he favored. His coat had bits of greenery and what looked like brambles stuck to it, and dried blood spattered his hand.
“Rand,” she said, “do you need medical attention?”
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