Joseph pushed his friend’s hand away. “Call it what you like. It doesn’t change a thing.”
After a long silence, Sam finally spoke. “Hey, they’re holding up the box with the big green ribbon for auction. That’s Katie’s box.”
Joseph sucked in a long, steadying breath, praying he could stay indifferent. “Well, then, you better pay close attention.”
The bidding began at fifty cents, working up to two dollars, then three, three-fifty…
Joseph could almost feel the intensity coming from Sam. He knew the man was focused on one thing only. Securing Katie’s box lunch for himself.
Five dollars, five-fifty, six dollars…
“I’m bidding against money bags over there,” Sam whispered in a conspiratorial tone. “From the looks of him, he must be some wealthy rancher. Ah well, he doesn’t know how competitive I can be, Joe.”
He wanted to cheer his friend on, but felt as if he’d betray his own heart if he were to root for Sam. While sleep eluded him again last night, Joseph had decided that he’d do his best to congratulate Sam and Katie if they were to marry. But each step they took to the altar would twist the noose around his heart a little tighter.
Seven dollars, eight dollars, nine dollars.
For a split second, Joseph thought about raising his hand and getting in on the bid—all he had to do was make sure he was the last one called upon. But he couldn’t do that to Sam. And he couldn’t do that to Katie.
This is for Katie’s sake.
Ten dollars, eleven dollars…thirteen dollars.
A hush came over the crowd as the auctioneer spoke. “Seems we have a high-priced lunch here, folks. The young lady who dolled up this box with all this frippery and what-not must be quite a catch. Do I hear fourteen dollars?”
“Fourteen dollars,” Sam called out triumphantly, as though he’d just obtained the state of Colorado in some land auction.
“Do I hear fourteen-fifty?” the auctioneer queried, then paused. “Fourteen going once…going twice…. Sold! To Mr. Garnett for fourteen dollars!”
Sam let out a long, wistful sigh. “That, my friend, was money well spent,” he said, his victorious grin glaringly apparent in his voice.
Joseph’s heart tightened inside his chest. It didn’t matter a coyote’s hide what he wanted or that the mutual attraction to Katie was undeniable. What mattered was what was best for Katie.
He held out his right hand to Sam and forced a smile to his face. “Congratulations. You won,” he said, feeling the full, painful brunt of those words. “I’m sure you didn’t waste one cent of your money.”
After an awkward silence, Sam moved his hand up to grasp Joseph’s arm. “You feeling okay? You look a little pale.”
“I’m fine,” Joseph shot back as he jerked his foot down from the fence railing. He willed the irritation out of his voice. “Just not used to all this activity, I guess. I think maybe I’ll go back home when the auction is over.”
“You’re welcome to join Katie and me for lunch.”
“Now who’s being ridiculous?” He reached toward the fence, carefully feeling for his cane. “You may be a great lawyer, Sam, but you’re a lousy liar.”
“All right, so you got me there,” Sam retorted, placing the cane in Joseph’s hand. “Are you sure you don’t want to stick around? Ben and Zach are here. I could find them for you.”
“I’d rather not.” Hearing another round of bidding begin, Joseph grasped his cane between both hands, wondering if he could trust his sense of direction enough to make the seven blocks home, alone. “I think they had plans of their own.”
“Apparently,” Sam remarked with a low chuckle. “Zach’s in on this round. Whew! That rancher he works for must be paying him good money.”
“I don’t think so. He probably just has a stash saved from his poker days.”
Joseph pulled his head around and stared at the murky silhouettes of the buildings behind him, trying to decipher where, exactly, he was on the square. But everything appeared roughly the same height. Not one detail, large or small, could he make out through the dense haze.
“He must. The bid is already up to nine dollars.”
Curious now, Joseph turned his attention back to the auction. “I wonder what young woman he’s set his sights on.”
Sam clucked his tongue quietly. “I don’t know, but it looks like he’s got some pretty stiff competition going with Ethan Hofmann.”
Ten dollars, eleven, twelve…
“Neither one of them look like they’re ready to drop out,” Sam informed. “Ethan has those big meaty arms of his folded over his chest. I think he’s trying to intimidate your little brother. If you ask me, he does look modestly imposing.”
“Zach can take care of himself.” Joseph chuckled, knowing that given Zach’s respectable size and surprising agility, Ethan Hofmann didn’t stand a chance. “Zach hasn’t said a thing about being smitten by some lady. Do you know whose box it is?”
“No idea. I just paid attention to the one Katie set on the table. Sparkling green—”
“Ribbon. Big flowers. I know,” Joseph cut in, irritated.
Thirteen, fifteen, eighteen…
“What is Zach thinking spending money like that?” Joseph ground out under his breath. He nudged his friend’s arm. “Does he look drunk? He vowed he hasn’t been drinking, but if that boy’s drunk, when I get done with him he’ll wish he’d stayed out on the ranch mucking stalls.”
There was a long pause as the bidding continued to escalate. “He doesn’t appear unsteady on his feet. And he sure doesn’t look like he just dragged himself out of a saloon. He looks sound to me, Joseph.”
Twenty dollars, twenty-one.
“Folks, we must have ourselves some kind of royalty livin’ here in Boulder, with the price this box is bringin’,” the auctioneer bantered even as laughter rolled through the crowd. “Just look for the bright pink blush, fellas. You’ll know who fixed up this perty little number with the blue frippery and—what are them—little daisies?”
Joseph braced a hand on the fence, genuinely amused at the expectancy swirling around the square. “Can you tell who’s got the telltale blush?”
“Hard to tell who the box belongs to. Seems like all of the ladies have been pinching their cheeks today.”
Twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-three-fifty.
“What in the world is he thinking bidding more than half a month’s wage?”
“I don’t know. But he’s looking over this way and has a smile a mile wide. Ethan, on the other hand,” Sam added, in a sympathetic tone, “appears to be noticeably uncomfortable right about now. He’s all red-faced. I can see the perspiration on his brow from clear over here. Either his collar suddenly got tight or he’s bidding out of his league.”
Joseph threw his head back and laughed, and for a blessed moment in time, he felt normal again.
Twenty-five, twenty-seven, twenty-eight.
“Twenty-eight-fifty going once…going twice…sold!” Mr. Heath proclaimed as the crowd broke out into loud whoops and hollers. “Folks, that there is the highest price we’ve ever had a box go for. Zach, I ain’t heard of you playin’ the tables lately. What with money like that, it must be burnin’ a hole in them britches you’re wearin’.”
A fresh round of laughter burst across the square, Joseph’s and Sam’s included. Joseph shook his head, trying hard to wipe the smile off his face. “Here we all thought he was starting to make good decisions. Be responsible. Guess he had a relapse.”
Sam jabbed his arm. “Young love. Gets a man every time.”
“Foolish love, maybe,” he retorted. But Joseph couldn’t deny that had he been bidding and that had been Katie’s box, he would’ve done the same thing. He would’ve spent more if needed.
“He’s coming this way,” Sam whispered. “Try to go easy on him. I’d hate to see that look of pleasure he’s flaunting like a prized mare turn sour.”
Joseph slid a hand over his freshl
y shaven jaw. Shoving a hand on his hip, he pulled his shoulders back and tried for his best concerned, older brother look.
Zach came up beside him and grasped his arm. “You owe me twenty-eight-fifty, Joe-boy!”
“Twenty-eight-fifty?” he echoed, unable to wipe the smile from his face. “You’re a funny man, Zach. You know darn well I’m not paying your bill for some lady’s—”
“You sure will, Joe-boy. And you’ll do it gladly, too.”
Joseph just laughed. Leave it to Zach to go to some wild extreme just for a laugh.
“Why, I would’a bid twice as high for Katie’s box to put a smile back on your face.”
It’d been four hours since the auction and Katie still felt the heat of embarrassment as she walked with Joseph to the barn where the dance was about to begin. She supposed she should be flattered, but the idea that someone would pay such an outrageous amount for anyone’s box lunch, let alone hers, was awkward, to say the least. And that Zach would bid as if he owned the town and then gleefully dump the bill in Joseph’s lap was downright mortifying.
At the time, she hadn’t been sure whether to protest or just let things fall where they may. When she’d realized what Zach had intended all along, it had been painfully obvious that Joseph wasn’t pleased. He was stiff with tension and looked as though he might snap his cane in two—his hands were fisted so tight. If he’d been a lesser man he probably would’ve flat-out refused to oblige Zach and his innocent, good-natured gesture.
Instead, Joseph had forced a half smile on his face and picked up the expensive box, then escorted Katie out to the mountain stream. It’d been awkward at first, but after they’d settled at the stream’s bank, where the melodic trickle of water gurgled around bends and over rocks, and the sun’s warmth peeked through the luscious pines and hearty aspens, Joseph seemed to relax. They’d slipped into the kind of easy conversation she treasured with him.
Katie cherished every single moment of the afternoon. She’d just spent four blessed hours with Joseph and she hoped she could be content with that.
“There you two are,” Sam called jogging across the street toward them. “You were gone so long I almost rallied the Rangers and sent them out after you.”
Katie peered up at Joseph to see his mouth suddenly pull into a taut line. The awkwardness she’d sensed from him earlier this afternoon multiplied tenfold.
“Guess I lost track of time.” Joseph released his gentle hold on her arm. “That’s easy to do out by the stream.”
Sam glanced her way. “He showed you our old haunt, eh?”
A wistful feeling came from deep within as she stared up into Joseph’s face. “Actually this is the second time. It’s such a peaceful, serene place. So picturesque.”
“How about you, Sam? How was your lunch?” Joseph asked.
“I’m glad to say that I had a nice time.” There was a mischievous gleam in Sam’s eyes as he narrowed his gaze on her. “But I could’ve sworn I was bidding on your box, Miss Katie Ellickson. I just know I saw you set a box with a big green ribbon and flowers on the table. I figured it had to be yours.”
“Oh, I’m sorry for the confusion, Sam. Mine was the one with the pale blue ribbon… Well, you know that now, I guess. For some reason, that other box had caught my eye and I wanted to get a better look at it.” With a certain amount of irony, she silently recalled holding the box. “Perhaps it was the flowers. They were just so…so large.” She remembered Julia’s potent, recognizable scent that had lingered like some caustic odor around the gaudy package. “You must’ve been glancing my way when I set it back on the table.”
“Hmm.” With a furrowed brow, Sam tapped his forefinger against his lips. “Apparently.”
Joseph angled his head toward Sam. “So, what lucky lady was fortunate enough to go on a picnic with you?”
Sam paused. “None other than Miss Julia Cranston.”
“Really?” Joseph’s mouth twitched with a barely bridled grin. “I hope you had a nice lunch with her.”
Feeling a giggle working its way up her throat, Katie set her hand to her mouth and coughed to ward it off. Honestly, she felt genuinely sorry for poor, unsuspecting Sam.
“I’ll admit, I was disappointed that it wasn’t you, Katie,” he said, slicing his warm gaze to her. “Nevertheless, I did enjoy myself,” Sam assured, giving her arm a tender squeeze before he clapped Joseph on the shoulder. “I must say, Joseph, I was taken aback when Zach handed over his…prize.”
Joseph dragged in a breath. “So was I.”
Sam passed a slow, studying gaze from Katie then back to Joseph. “Is there any reason in particular why he’d do that?”
“You’ll have to talk with him about that.”
Hugging her arms to her chest, Katie peered up at Joseph. “I hope that Zach won’t really make you pay all that money.”
“Don’t worry about the money.” He focused down at her, his eyes…those beautiful, dark amber-colored eyes radiant with instant warmth that seeped all the way to her toes. “Spending time with you would’ve been a bargain at ten times the price.”
Katie silently drank in the moment, reveling in the unexpected show of affection from him.
“Well, kids, the fiddles are tuning up.” Sam pulled her out of her small indulgence and nodded toward the large barn. “That means the barn dance is about to start. Do you enjoy dancing, Katie?”
“I love to dance,” she breathed, then leaned toward Joseph and quietly spoke. “Do you want a guide into the barn?”
He lightly grasped her arm. “Sure. Thanks.”
“And you, Sam, do you enjoy dancing, as well?” she asked.
“Love it!” He clapped his hands once, then rubbed them together as though warming himself over a fire.
“How about you, Joseph?” she asked, steering him around a large dip in the ground. “Do you dance?”
“Does Joseph dance? I’m surprised your reputation hasn’t preceded you, my friend.” Sam reached around Katie, needling Joseph with a friendly pat. “Joseph Drake may as well have been born-and-bred nobility, the way he dances. Come to think of it, all the Drake brothers can twirl a lady around the dance floor like they stepped out of some castle ballroom.”
Sam leaned toward her and whispered conspiratorially. “The menfolk hate them for it, too. Makes us all look bad.”
“This year they’ll have two less Drakes to hate. Aaron’s not here and you won’t catch me out there doing any dancing.”
“What harm could a waltz or two do?” Sam prodded.
When they stepped into the barn doorway, Joseph stopped beside Katie and pulled his head back as if adjusting to the change in lighting. “Without my sight, I’d be like a bull in a barn full of newborn chicks out on a dance floor.”
“You never know, it might just make you feel more like yourself again,” Sam urged.
“I’m feeling like myself without dancing, thank you.” He dropped his hand from Katie’s arm and held his head high. “If one of you’ll point me in the right direction, I’ll just find my way to where all the men with two left feet line up. You two go on ahead.” With nonchalance, he gestured them away with small sweeping strokes of his hand. But his jaw muscles clenched, and his casual manner didn’t quite reach his voice. “Enjoy yourselves. Dance all night.”
Confusion tugged at Katie’s heart, threatening to tear it in two. She just couldn’t understand how Joseph could look visibly irritated when Sam showed her attention, yet seemed bent on shoving her straight into his friend’s arms.
As good and as nice as Sam was, it wasn’t his arms she dreamed of holding her. She yearned for Joseph’s strong, muscled arms encircling her, making her feel tenderly cared for…and loved.
She swallowed hard. Joseph seemed set on shutting down his feelings for her. Even if he did want her, he very well might not feel the same way knowing the truth of her past.
But she could dream. No one could steal that from her.
Several moments of silence ensued.
Sam continued to stare at Joseph as though seeing his friend for the first time, and then turned a hesitant, lingering gaze on Katie.
“Katie, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d be honored if you’d grace me with a dance before the night’s out,” he uttered calmly, suddenly lacking the excitement he’d shown only moments ago.
She glanced at Joseph, then to Sam. “Well, I—”
“Yoo-hoo, Samuel!” Julia’s shrill voice demanded attention.
The hair on the back of Katie’s neck stood on end as she witnessed the woman whisk across the wide-planked floor with graceful elegance. Her dark silky hair was pulled back in a fashionable twist and her cobalt-blue dress glimmered in the barn’s soft yellow glow. Julia’s striking emerald eyes glinted hard as steel as she shot a look of warning at Katie, then slithered up next to Sam like a snake to sun.
“My dear Samuel, the music is about to begin,” she cooed, trailing a finger down his arm. “You promised me the first dance. Remember?” she whispered, soft enough not to wake a baby. Loud enough for Katie to hear.
Sam peered at Joseph again, then with what seemed a deliberate, painstaking length of time, passed his gaze back to Katie. When her eyes met his, she found something strangely different there. Something that almost made her sad for Sam.
While he gave Katie a single measured nod, he responded to Julia. “I did promise you the first dance, Julia.”
He peered down at where Julia possessively looped her arm through his and gave the woman a genuine but dim smile as he patted her hand. “If you’ll excuse me, Joseph, Katie, I have a dance to enjoy.”
Katie swallowed hard, watching Sam lead Julia out on the dance floor with gentlemanly grace and undivided attention. He was such a good man, so warmly attentive. She said a silent prayer for him, yet wondered if it was Julia she really needed to pray for. Sam, perceptive and astute as he was, seemed to be able to see past all of the flash and flourish Julia acted out like some grand performance. She might not be prepared for the candid and guileless way with which Sam operated.
Rocky Mountain Match Page 17