With no prospects after a short, failed courtship with Mitch Banks, who owned the mercantile, it was time for her to think of a future.
Olivia adored two things: medicine and children, and she would find a way to have both. At the moment, she wasn’t sure how she’d manage it since Matt’s ranch was quite a ways from town. It was something she’d have to discuss with him before they married. A decision had to be made as to how she’d be able to continue assisting her father and maintain a household.
The mining camps brought many more people to the area and the clinic was busier than it had ever been. It was far too much work for her father to practice alone.
After she lifted her hand and placed it in the crook of his proffered arm, Matt led her down the steps and they walked toward her home in awkward silence.
From under her lashes, she studied Matt’s profile. He was tall. She guessed probably six feet tall, easy. His wavy, sandy-brown hair barely touched the collar of his shirt. There was a small scar above his upper lip, a product of a fistfight, no doubt, and a cleft in his chin that made him almost too attractive. She wondered why he’d agreed to court her, as the man always remained quiet, rarely starting a conversation when around her. It was always her who was pressed to come up with topics for them to discuss.
She took a resigned breath. “Tell me, how is your father doing?” She asked even though her own father kept her updated on the man’s poor condition. Stricken with consumption, Matt’s father wasn’t expected to live much longer. It had been a miracle he’d survived the winter.
“As well as can be expected, I suppose. The only reason I came to town was because we were short on sundry items and Ma doesn’t want to leave his side.” Matt motioned to his wagon outside the mercantile. “I’ll be on my way back as soon as I walk you home.” He turned to her and her stomach pitched at his serious expression. Did he plan to say something she may not be prepared to hear?
“Ma is asking when we’re getting married. Thinks it would be good to do it before Pa…” His eyes shifted away as he swallowed visibly.
“Oh.” She couldn’t quite figure out how to tell him that he’d never asked her to marry him as of yet. He’d not even tried to kiss her once. “We do need to discuss everything. We’re barely getting to know each other. To be honest, I don’t feel as if you’re overly interested in marrying me. As a matter of fact, I haven’t seen you in weeks. Not since I went to see your father last.”
They stopped walking and stood under an oversized oak tree. His eyes went to her lips and she braced herself for what would come next. When his lips pressed to hers, she allowed it. The kiss was soft and swift. Olivia looked into Matt’s eyes and noted they’d darkened.
Their actions would cause tongues to wag, so Olivia quickly scanned the street. No one seemed to pay them any mind. Everyone was still focused on the hotel.
Matt studied her face for a beat before looking past her and his shoulders fell. “I’m interested in you, Olivia. It’s just that with all that’s going on with Pa, I don’t have time to properly court you. The ranch takes all my time. I’ll tell Ma we need more time. I’ll do better with this courting thing.”
Courting thing? “I agree.” Olivia let out a breath she’d not realized she’d been holding and they resumed walking. “I’ll come out to the ranch and visit in a few days. Perhaps we can spend a few minutes getting to know each other better. The weather has been so strange lately. If spring wasn’t so reluctant to come, I’d suggest a picnic.”
The sounds of hooves got their attention. In the distance, a horseman approached with the animal galloping at full speed. The rider brought the horse to a stop next to the clinic and Olivia recognized who it was.
Matt’s eyes narrowed at Bronson Cole, who dismounted clumsily.
Bronson’s brilliant blue eyes locked with hers for a moment before going to where her hand lay on Matt’s arm. With assured grace, the youngest Cole sauntered toward them and her stomach pitched.
Over six feet of fine-looking, muscular cowboy made his way nearer. Although he held his left shoulder with his right hand, he managed to still look menacing when his flat eyes connected with Matt. His hat was tipped back and a strand of burnished hair fell over his brow. The blue gaze slid to her and his lips curved into what she could only describe as a sinful smile. Despite his size, the man moved with smoothness that kept her rapt attention.
In an attempt to hide her quickening breathing, she took a step away from Matt. Fortunately he was also distracted by the cowboy and didn’t seem to notice.
In more ways than one, Bronson Cole was trouble.
For goodness sakes, whatever was the matter with her? The last thing she needed right now was to be attracted to someone other than her future husband.
She gave Matt a quick glance, as she didn’t know how the two would greet each other. The last time she’d seen them together was when they’d gotten into a fistfight in front of the saloon over some trouble started by Mitch Banks, after Bronson’s twin, Grayson, spoke to her.
The men maintained eye contact. Although they managed to remain civil, she felt the tension in the air, as they appeared to size each other up.
“Olivia.” Bronson once again met her eyes. “Matt.”
The men glared at each other for a moment and then Bronson turned his attention to her. “I was hopin’ someone would be at the clinic. Need to get stitched up.” He pointed to his shoulder. “Fell off my horse back a ways and cut it up pretty bad on a sharp rock.”
Matt shook his head. “Drinkin’?”
“Riding too long without sleepin’.” Bronson replied through clenched teeth.
Before another word was uttered, Olivia motioned toward the clinic. “Of course, Bronson. Come on, we’ll get you patched up.” She looked to Matt who stood by looking across the street, acting more interested in the goings-on at the hotel than them. “Matt, please don’t wait on my account. Bronson can walk me home as soon as I finish. I look forward to seeing you when I come out to your home in a couple days.”
After another hard stare at the other man, Matt nodded and leaned to kiss her cheek. “I will see you then.” He remained in place next to her, keeping vigil. Olivia could only huff at his overtly proprietary display after weeks of none at all. Men were such strange creatures.
Bronson walked alongside her toward the clinic and Olivia swore she felt heat emanating from his large body. He waited for her to unlock the door, her hands suddenly unsteady at the thought of being alone with him.
“What’s going on at the hotel?”
Thankfully, the crowd of people who’d gathered took his attention away from her trembling hands. She glanced over her shoulder. “Trying to find a way to deal with all the miners and the sudden population explosion. Something about them causing trouble.”
“Ah. I say leave them be. Most of them are harmless.”
“I agree.” They entered the darkened clinic and Olivia went through and quickly lit several lanterns to give her enough light to see properly then led him to the back room. “Take your shirt off. Let me get a good look at the wound.”
“I’m glad I stopped for a swim in the creek, otherwise I’d be embarrassed to be in such close proximity to you.” Bronson grimaced when lifting his arm to remove his shirt over his head, so Olivia neared and helped. It did not escape her how intimate the act was as she slipped the clothing from his wide shoulders and off his arms.
She removed a bloodied, crude bandage from his upper arm to find a long angry gash that made her wonder how he’d managed to ride into town at a gallop and not groan in pain with every step the horse took. Upon closer inspection, she noticed a light sheen of perspiration on his brow. “Painful, huh?”
He lifted his eyes to her and nodded. “Yep, it’s gone from stingin’ to a sharp throbbin’ pain. I washed it out and wrapped it as best I could, but it kept bleedin’. Thought I’d get you or your Pa to doctor it up before going home. You know how Ma is.”
Indeed she did.
Elizabeth Cole was a force to reckon with. The beautiful lady with golden-brown hair was fiercely protective of her husband and sons. And although she was sometimes overbearing, one could not help but like her. Olivia always enjoyed spending time with her when she got the opportunity. Not only was Elizabeth the matriarch of the Cole family, she was also the sheriff’s cousin. Just recently, the sheriff’s adopted daughter, Grace Dawson, now Grace Cole, married Bronson’s oldest brother, Ashley.
It always struck Olivia as comical how fearful the three huge, strapping Cole brothers were of their mother.
“So are you planning to keep this injury a secret from your mother?”
The crooked smile Bronson gave her shouldn’t have made her knees weak, but it did. “Yep. She’s been overly emotional lately and I don’t want to be forced to stay in bed for days just because she’ll get the urge to nurse me.”
Olivia laughed. “I’ll keep your secret. It’s kind of nice to know you’ll owe me.”
“Women,” Bronson mumbled then jumped when she dabbed the cut with antiseptic. “Ouch, that stings.”
“Not as much as the stitches will.”
He blanched when she held up the needle. His eyes darted around the room as if searching for an escape.
Olivia leaned into his line of vision. “Are you scared of needles, Bronson?”
“Nah.” If possible he paled even more. “I just don’t like ’em.”
She pushed his face away from his shoulder. “Look away then.” It didn’t help. As the needle entered the first time, he fell backwards across the table at a dead faint.
A giggle escaped and Olivia looked around as if expecting to be caught laughing at the passed out male. “Yep, I’d say you’re scared of needles, Bronson Cole.”
Once she managed to lift his legs onto the exam table and position him so she could finish stitching the wound, she continued with the task at hand. It took longer than it should have as her eyes kept roaming from his bare chest to the flat stomach.
Her cheeks on fire, Olivia took a deep breath. “I shouldn’t be attracted to you. Not in the least. You are nothing but trouble, Bronson Cole.”
Chapter Three
“I can’t believe it.” Elizabeth Cole passed a basket of bread to Bronson and frowned. “I can’t imagine what happened to that poor girl and her son.”
Bronson kept his eyes on the food on his plate. “I’m hopin’ she made it out alive and maybe went to her sister’s house.”
“I’m going to hold on to that thought. Perhaps she accidentally set the fire herself and escaped. Of course, that doesn’t explain the barn burning down, too. I’m sure they are somewhere safe.”
“Let’s hope so. It could be that the wind carried a burning ember to the barn, things like that happen,” his father, Hank, interjected. “I hope it wasn’t done on purpose. Who would do something like that? Torch a house of a defenseless woman with her young infant?”
The food on his plate lost its appeal and Bronson couldn’t help but wonder if he was not meant to marry. He’d lost the opportunity with Laura Foster. A year back, he’d set his eyes on Nora Banks, the local school teacher, who later admitted to him she was in love with his brother. Now she was married to Grayson, his twin, and they had their first child. A boy named Logan, after Nora’s maternal grandfather.
If only he’d asked Laura who her sister was or where, exactly, the woman lived.
Bronson promised her he’d return in the spring and she’d agreed to consider moving to Alder Gulch. She’d told him her sister lived near there. Now she was gone and he had no idea who the sister was. If Laura was alive, there was a chance she’d moved in with her kin.
“How about some pie?” His mother’s concern-filled eyes met his. “It’s your favorite.”
He accepted the offering and ate, not truly tasting it. “Ma, I don’t think I’m meant to find a wife. I won’t get married. And that’s all right with me.”
No one spoke and he flushed, not looking at either of his parents. His mother’s hand covered his and he avoided looking at her, feeling like a weakling for uttering the words he wished to take back.
“You know what I think, Bronson? The right woman will come into your life and take it over, and before you know it, you’ll be knocked off your feet.”
“Ma, you read too many romance novels.” He had to smile at her earnest expression.
“I’m serious, Bronson. You spend too much time working and not enough socializing. Mark my words, you’re not going to see it coming.” With a mischievous smile curving her lips that made him wonder what she was up to, his mother went back to eating her dessert.
No use in arguing and telling her she was wrong. It was time to give up on love. He’d concentrate on work, keeping the ranch ledgers straight and maybe even build his own house eventually. Sometimes, one had to accept fate. He’d still look for Laura Foster, but it would not consume him.
After dinner, he followed his father to the family room. “We’re going to be busy the next few weeks around here. But right after that, I’m going to spend some time clearing out part of my land and figure out where to build my own home.”
His father sunk into his favorite chair and looked into the flames in the stone fireplace. “What’s your hurry? Ashley just moved out and your Ma is having a hard time getting over that. Give it a bit more time, son.”
Bronson lowered into another chair across from his father. “I need a purpose, Pa. Something to do besides working. I feel like something’s missin’.”
“In that, you are correct. When a man gets restless, sometimes it just means he needs some worthy project to keep him busy. I think clearing out the land would be a good project. Get Josiah to help you. It’ll keep the young buck out of trouble.” His father referred to a ranch hand and Bronson’s friend.
“Thanks, Pa.”
“I know it hurt you to find that woman gone, son. It’s possible her husband came back and they were going to leave their home for whatever reason. Maybe he decided to burn it down. Some folks do that to keep squatters away.”
“I hadn’t considered it.” Bronson’s chest constricted. “You know, Pa, more than anything, that makes sense. I need to keep from thinking about that woman anyway. She might still be married.”
“You just wait. You’re probably restless because both your brothers are settled and you’re wondering when your turn’s comin’.” When Bronson frowned, Hank laughed and slapped his knee.
“Nah. I don’t mind staying single a few years longer. There’s no hurry.”
“Famous last words.”
Chapter Four
The Corson’s ranch was situated only half an hour from town. The main house, a well-built, sprawling log home, stood in the middle of the land with fields on one side, stable and animal pens on the other. A small spring fed a pond that provided water for the family, plants and animals.
Olivia brought her small buggy to a standstill a short distance away from the ranch to take in the landscape. Several horses grazed in the green fields and numerous cows grouped nearby, some lying and others standing, under the shade of a large oak.
Prepared for what would hopefully be a pleasant visit with Matt’s family, she shook the reins to urge the horse forward. No time like the present. She thought to herself. It was time she became accustomed to his family. Learn their ways, if she was to marry Matt and meld into the family fold.
Legs stretched out in front of him, Matt sat on a chair on the front porch. He didn’t seem to be doing much more than keeping an eye out for her, which she found endearing.
Upon spotting her, he got to his feet and went down the steps to wait for her to bring the horse to a stop. Olivia waited for him to near and assist her down from the buggy.
His hazel eyes met hers momentarily, but he then directed his attention away. “Hello, Olivia. I hope your drive out was pleasant.”
Olivia studied his face and noted no appearance of warmth whatsoever. He didn’t wait for a reply but, instea
d, leaned into the buggy, took out her bag and handed it to her. No hug of welcome, not even an attempt to touch her arm or hand. She realized he waited for her to reply.
“Yes… It was pleasant enough. I’m shocked at how cold it has gotten suddenly.”
He grunted and looked to the partly clouded sky. “Saw Ol’ Man Grimes in town the other day. He said we were due for a late snowstorm. Worse than the one ten years ago.” He shrugged. “I don’t think it’ll be as bad as all that. But just in case, can’t have you staying here too long. I’ll escort you back to town once you look Pa over. Go on in, Ma’s in the back with him. Won’t hear you if you knock.” He grabbed her horse’s reins. “I’ll take your horse to the barn and fetch him some hay and water.”
She waved him away. “You don’t have to escort me back to town. I’ll be fine. It’s only a few miles. No need to stable the horse, I won’t be long.”
She looked at the sky. “I don’t want to ignore Ol’ Man Grimes. As we all know, he’s always right. But I doubt the storm of the century would start out so beautifully.”
After Matt left, pulling her horse to the side of the house, she climbed the stairs and entered his family’s home. The interior of the spacious cabin was dim and Olivia waited just inside the door for her eyes to adjust. She’d been at the Corson home several times to check on Matt’s father when her own dad could not come and knew her way to the bedroom. Nonetheless, she felt uncomfortable walking in on someone who wasn’t aware she’d arrived. “Hello? Mrs. Corson?” Medical bag in hand, she moved in the direction of the bedroom.
A door opened. “Olivia.” Mrs. Corson’s wan face appeared from behind the door. “I didn’t know you were here.” The woman attempted to smile but failed. “Please come.” She motioned for her to go into the room.
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