“You look real fine, Miss C. You can be sure that as purty as you are, Mr. Houston will notice. He’ll like what he sees, too.”
Coralee puffed out a breath. “I did not dress to please him.”
“I should hope not. That boy done burned his bridges years ago.”
He’d done more than that. He’d cut too deeply into her heart, leaving a wound that refused to heal. There was now an impassable chasm where the road to his friends and family once lay. He was on one side, she the other. And that’s how it would remain.
Sally pulled the curling irons from the stove to cool. “It will serve him right to see what he could have had if he’d treated you like the gem you are.”
Although Coralee appreciated the loyal maid’s support, she’d worked hard to forgive Houston. She still had a ways to go, but there was satisfaction in knowing she wasn’t the impressionable young girl he’d left behind, apt to be swept away by a few compliments, should they come her way. “You’re a dear. You know that, right?”
The kindly woman chuckled. “I just says what I think.”
Coralee chose a necklace from her jewelry box, held it up to her throat, and studied the effect in the looking glass. “I think these will do, don’t you?”
“Nicely. Let me help you with that, child.” Sally took the string of pearls and clasped it around Coralee’s neck. “Every time I see these lovely beads, I think of your sweet momma. She was mighty happy with your daddy. I know she’d want you to find yourself a fine feller like she done. It’s high time you did. Take your old Sally’s advice. Don’t let what happened with Mr. Houston all them years ago stand in the way of your happiness. If some rugged ranchers ask you to dance tonight, then dance.”
“I don’t plan on staying that long. I’ll be back to see to Daddy as soon as I can.”
Sally took Coralee’s face in her hands. “I’ve knowed you since you was knee-high to an armadillo, my precious girl. You have a good heart and have been the best daughter a father could ask for. But I knowed your daddy long before you did. He wouldn’t want you missing out on life on account of him. He’d want you to march up to El Regalo with your head held high and have yourself some fun. So, go do that. I’ll see to him.”
Coralee stood, slipped a handkerchief inside her sleeve, and scooped up her fan. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Sally. It’s not easy watching him travel this path. He was such a strong man.”
“You’re strong, too. Now, skedaddle.” Sally waved her off with the back of a hand. “And don’t you show up back here too soon, or you’ll have me to deal with, you hear?”
“Yes, ma’am.” She gave Sally a mock salute and dashed downstairs to wait for her brother in the entryway. Her boot heels clicked on the marble tiles as she paced.
Five minutes passed with no sign of Calvin. Coralee checked his room, but he wasn’t inside. She headed outside, lifting her skirts to keep them from getting dusty, and found him in the pen with the bull. Again. “You said you’d be ready.”
Calvin thumped the longhorn’s side. “I meant to, but this fellow appears to be ailing. I’ll finish up with him and ride over to the Harts’ place as soon as I can. You can take the buggy. I had Gene get it ready for you.”
“You insist I go, and now I have to show up alone?” She feigned irritation. “Fine brother you are.”
He grinned. “I’m your favorite brother.”
“You’re my only brother.”
They’d tossed the same words at each other many times over the years, but the game never grew old. Calvin could be a mite irritating at times, but he’d been her rock when the world around her crumbled. She was still mourning Houston’s choice to put his dreams and aspirations before her when Daddy began forgetting things. She’d often wondered if Momma had suspected that he wasn’t himself, prompting the promise Coralee had made to Momma as her earthly life drew to a close.
The trip to the 7 Heart passed quickly. The steady clop of the horse’s hooves on the hard-packed road and the rustle of the grasses swaying in the breeze kept her company. In order to rein in her thoughts, which had an annoying tendency to turn toward a certain gold-chasing fortune seeker who preferred California to the Great State of Texas, she concocted a possible menu for the Christmas Eve Ball. She could almost taste the delicious desserts.
She reached the ranch and stopped in front of the huge barn. A ranch hand rushed out to help her. He surveyed her with appreciation. “Evening, Miss Culpepper.”
Had she met the man before? She couldn’t recall. “Good evening, Mr….”
“Call me Cody.” He smiled, his blue eyes twinkling. “Everyone does. I’ll park your buggy and water your horse.”
“I would appreciate that. I’m sorry you’re stuck here with the animals when everyone else is having fun.”
He held out a hand and helped her from the buggy. “Some of the other fellers and I are taking turns. When my shift is over, I’ll come find you and whisk you onto the dance floor. I’m light on my feet. I’ll be light on yours, too, when I step on them, that is.” He winked.
She laughed. It had been ages since a man had flirted with her. She shouldn’t encourage the cocky cowboy, but this could be her opportunity to show Houston that even if he’d walked out on her, she was still able to capture a man’s attention. It didn’t matter that Cody seemed the kind of fellow who would dance with anyone in a skirt. “I think I could survive one number. My boots are sturdy.”
“I’ll see you later then.” He doffed his hat, grabbed the bridle, and led the horse away.
Coralee tugged the hem of her jacket into place, brushed the dust off her skirt, and steeled herself for what lay ahead. You have nothing to fear. Houston’s just a friend from your past. At least, he had been her friend.
The scent of barbecued steaks beckoned her to come closer. Not that she was hungry. Her stomach felt a bit queasy. No doubt from the heat, or perhaps it was the interaction with the blond, blue-eyed ranch hand to whom she’d promised a dance. Despite having enjoyed whirling over the dance floor when she was younger, she hadn’t done so in quite some time. On the rare occasions when she attended a ball or a barn dance, she tended to keep busy serving refreshments. But she was here now, and she intended to enjoy herself.
She reached the yard where the festivities were taking place. Conversations buzzed all around her as people ate from plates heaped with steaks and the side dishes prepared by the Harts’ excellent cook. She was pulled into one group after another. Some of the women, members of the committees on which she served, had heard the news about the Christmas Eve Ball and wanted to know how they could help. A few folks asked after her father, and she gave them the usual vague responses, protecting his privacy as he’d begged her to when he was still somewhat lucid. But not one person mentioned Houston’s return, which was odd, given that the party was being held in his honor.
And there he was, standing on the porch with his father on one side of him and Travis on the other. She froze. Houston stopped speaking and stared at her with parted lips. She licked hers and struggled to breathe. The moment went on and on, rendering her powerless to move. Heads turned, looking from Houston to her and back again. “Aha! I knew it.”
Clarice Spanner’s grating voice restored Coralee’s senses. She turned and responded with practiced civility. “Miss Spanner. How nice to see you.”
The busybody’s eyes shone with satisfaction. “When I mentioned the invitation at our meeting yesterday, you went as white as that blouse you’re wearing. There’s a special connection between you and Houston Hart, isn’t there?”
“I knew him before he left, but so did many of the people here.”
“He hasn’t looked at anyone the way he just looked at you. If I’m right—and I usually am—you two were sweethearts at some point. But things didn’t work out, did they? A romance with a tragic ending, I suspect.”
“Oh, look. There’s Patty Brown. She had an idea for the ball she wanted to tell me about. If you’ll excu
se me.”
Miss Spanner caught Coralee by the arm. She resisted the urge to shake the woman off. “I know there’s a story there. I have a nose for sniffing out such things.”
Of that, Coralee had no doubt. “If you must know, Houston and I went to school together. He left town. He’s back. That’s it. Now, I really must speak with Patty. Enjoy the party.”
Coralee made her escape and wove her way through the crowd until she reached the carpenter’s wife. “Good evening. I thought now would be a good time to discuss your ideas for the ball, if that’s all right with you.”
“I quite agree.” Patty cast a disapproving glance in Miss Spanner’s direction. “That woman might be a talented seamstress, but she’s a nuisance. But enough about her. We’ve more important things to discuss. If you’d like, we could do so over dinner. The scent of those steaks on the barbecue has my mouth watering.”
The food was delicious, what little of it Coralee was able to choke down. Her appetite had long since vanished. She enjoyed the company of Patty and her husband, Giles, but the moment they shoved their plates back, she excused herself.
As though drawn by some invisible force, her gaze scanned the crowd until it landed on Houston, seated between Travis and a young boy who had his full attention, presumably Travis’s new son. Houston removed his hat and placed it on his nephew’s head, causing the young fellow to beam.
Coralee hid behind a large shrub and studied Houston. The years had been good to him. He’d been attractive enough at eighteen, but at thirty he was tall, dark, and more handsome than ever. His shoulders were broader, his hair longer and slightly mussed, which she found strangely appealing.
His clear blue eyes hadn’t changed. His gaze was as penetrating as ever. She’d done her best to appear calm and unmoved when he spotted her earlier, but those few moments when their eyes had locked stirred feelings long buried. Love, anticipation, and exhilaration. She’d felt them all back then.
But they’d been followed by disappointment, confusion, and a pain so intense that she’d vowed never to give Houston the opportunity to hurt her again. Calvin didn’t have to worry about that happening, because she wouldn’t let it.
The sound of musicians tuning their strings brought her back to the present. Since she had no desire to dance, she started for the barn. She’d come to Houston’s party, talked with his guests, and let him know she was here. Having fulfilled her obligation—and satisfied her curiosity—she was free to leave.
She’d taken two steps when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
“You weren’t thinking of slinking off, were you?” The cocky cowboy who’d helped her with her buggy grinned. “I hope not, because you promised me a dance, and I’m holding you to it.” He held out his arm. “Shall we?”
Cody had thwarted her escape. Since she had led him to believe she’d accept his offer, she might as well enjoy herself. She slipped a hand around his elbow and smiled. “My leather-reinforced toes and I are ready.”
They reached the dance floor as the lively strains of the first number filled the air. He took her in his arms and set off. Contrary to his warning earlier, he was an accomplished dancer. Not as good as Houston, but—
What was she doing thinking about him? He was back, but that changed nothing. For all she knew, he didn’t even want to be here and had only come to get what was coming to him. Since he’d shown that he was only out for himself, that made sense.
Cody led her in a turn. As she twirled around, she caught a glimpse of Houston wearing a scowl the size of Texas. So he didn’t like her dancing with someone else, did he? That wasn’t her problem. He should have considered the consequences when he’d made his choice all those years ago.
She looked up at her dance partner, who’d fired off another of his quips, and laughed.
Chapter Four
Jaw clenched, Houston leaned a hand on the table where he’d eaten his meal with Travis and his new family and watched as Coralee glided over the dance floor, laughing and having a grand ol’ time. She wore a dress as vivid a shade of blue as the darkening sky. Puffy white sleeves peeked from beneath her elbow-length jacket. A perky little hat rested on her upswept hair. Several springy chocolate-brown curls trailed over her shoulders.
He hadn’t seen such an impressive display of ringlets since he’d left Texas. The hardworking women in the small California town where he’d lived had opted for more serviceable styles. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed seeing Coralee’s curls—and the comely woman herself.
The brown-eyed beauty obviously hadn’t missed him. The dancing had only begun, and yet she was out on the floor in the arms of a presumptuous ranch hand. He shouldn’t be surprised. She’d always favored men who spent their days tending cattle. He could imagine what she thought of him out in California running a hardware store. Not that her opinion mattered. He’d made a success of the business, and he’d done it on his own. If he could do that, he could make ranching work out, too. If he wanted Pa’s approval, he had to.
Pa joined him. “Do you plan to stare at her all night, son, or take action?”
Houston forced himself to remain calm. “I have no intention of dancing with her.”
“Why not? She’s still good to look at.”
“She turned me down.”
Pa nodded. “She did, but she hasn’t said yes to anyone else.”
He’d wondered about that. A woman with Coralee’s many attributes could have had her pick of the eligible bachelors. Maybe not during the war, but after. There was no shortage of single ranch hands around now, one of whom had already claimed a dance with her. “What Coralee and I had no longer exists.”
Pa grunted his acknowledgment and rubbed a thumb over his weathered jaw. “If you want your share of the ranch, you need to find a wife, right?”
“Right.”
“The way I see it, no woman here would consider taking up with you if they think you’ve come back to mend your fences. If you act as skittish as a colt around Coralee, they’re likely to think that’s what you’re up to. Haul your hide out there, and prove ’em wrong.”
As much as it galled him to admit it, Pa had a point. Six months of the year he’d given his sons to fulfill his terms were gone. Three of Houston’s brothers were already married. If one dance with Coralee could put an end to the speculation and give him a shot at finding a bride of his own, perhaps it would be worth it. Provided Coralee didn’t humiliate him in front of everyone. “I’ll consider it.”
“Don’t take too long. The clock’s ticking.” Pa clapped a hand on Houston’s shoulder and left.
The music faded, and the couples flowed from the dance floor. Coralee stood a respectable distance from her partner, said something to him, smiled, and made her way through the crowd. Houston lost sight of her for a few moments. She emerged at the edge of the gathering and strode toward the barn.
He took off after her, not so fast that he would draw attention, but fast enough to catch up to her before she reached her destination. “Corrie!” His pet name for her had slipped out.
She came to an abrupt stop. Her hands fisted at her sides. Not a good sign. She turned around slowly and waited until he reached her before speaking. “Good evening, Houston. What do you want?”
“Dance with me. Just once.”
She blinked several times, her mouth agape. “Why should I?”
“Because I’m the guest of honor, and I asked you.” He didn’t like pressuring her, but people had gathered and were watching them. If he was to show everyone that things between Coralee and him were over, he needed her to agree.
She inclined her head and looked at him with narrowed eyes. “Your father put you up to this, didn’t he?”
“I make my own decisions.”
“You can’t fool me, Houston. You’ve evidently come back to secure your share of your father’s ranch. And in order to do so, you’ll need to take a wife, won’t you?”
“What gave you that idea?” Did the whole town kno
w about Pa’s proclamation?
“I’m observant. The Hart brothers, who’ve had nothing to do with women for ages, are suddenly marrying up with remarkable speed. It stands to reason you’re here to find a bride, too. Or did you find yourself a wife out in”—she spoke through pursed lips, as though the word tasted bitter—“California?”
“I’m not married.” Yet. If he wanted to claim his share of his father’s ranch, he would have to be by New Year’s Eve, but he’d never considered any woman before, other than Coralee. Not that he had any intention of renewing his offer. If getting her to dance with him was this much of a challenge, he’d be an utter fool to think about asking her to do anything more.
“I hope you don’t consider me a candidate, because if that’s the case, you’re sadly mistaken.”
“No. I don’t. I mean…” He removed his hat, raked a hand through his hair, and mashed the Stetson back in place.
Coralee said nothing, just watched him with a puzzled expression on her face.
“Why did you come?” he asked. “Evidently, you weren’t even going to talk to me.”
“I was being neighborly.” She moistened her lips the way she had earlier—soft, supple lips he’d kissed a number of times in his youth.
Focus, Houston. “Then how about sharing a neighborly dance? Just the one. You can go home after that, and I won’t trouble you again.”
She started. “Calvin was supposed to be here by now, but I haven’t seen him. Have you?”
He shook his head.
“His best bull was ailing. That must be what’s keeping him. A man can’t leave an animal in distress.”
“Does he need any help? I could send someone over if he does.”
“He’ll be fine. My brother is quite capable of tending his herd.”
Seven Brides for Seven Texans Romance Collection Page 26