Cowboy Charm School

by Margaret Brownley

  She ripped the calendar off the wall and dumped it into the wastepaper basket. Brett was gone, and that was that. It was time to let go and move on. Time to turn her back on the past and face the future.

  A future without Brett.

  * * *

  Three days later, Kate walked into the kitchen to find her aunt cooking breakfast.

  Kate poured herself a cup of coffee. “I heard you pacing the floor last night. Is everything okay?”

  Aunt Letty turned the flapjacks with a spatula. “What? I can’t have a sleepless night if I want to?”

  “I worry about you.”

  Aunt Letty made a face. “It’s my job to worry about you. Not the other way around.”

  “There’s no reason to worry about me,” Kate said.

  Aunt Letty grew serious. “Those rangers in town brought back everything that happened, and it occurred to me that my plan to live forever might not be as foolproof as I’d thought.”

  Kate sighed. Her aunt wasn’t the only one disturbed by the rangers’ presence. They were a constant reminder of all that she’d lost, and she couldn’t wait till they left.

  Her aunt’s voice grew husky. “I worry about something happening to me and you being left all alone in the world.”

  “You know that’s not going to happen. Number one, nothing’s going to happen to you. And number two, we have many good friends and neighbors.”

  Her aunt laid her spatula down and turned from the stove. “After your uncle died, our friends gathered around, and I’ll always be grateful for their help and support. But when I woke in the middle of the night and couldn’t sleep, it was you who was there to comfort me. It was you who wiped my tears after everyone had gone home. It was you who gave me a reason to go on living. That’s what family does.”

  “So, what are you saying, Aunt Letty?”

  Aunt Letty reached in the cupboard for two plates. “I just want to know that no matter what happens, you will always have someone to comfort you in the middle of the night. Someone who will wipe your tears and see that you’re never alone.”

  Kate drew in her breath. She hated knowing she was the root of her aunt’s distress, and it only confirmed what she already knew. Though she still had two weeks till the Independence Day dance, it was time to give Frank the answer he’d so patiently been waiting for. Had worked so hard for.

  What she had with Frank was the real thing. Whatever she’d felt for Brett hadn’t been real. It had been crazy and confusing and, more than anything, unnerving. No one could possibly live in such an unsettled state. Love based on friendship seemed far more stable, and that’s what she needed right now.

  That’s why Frank was the better choice. He never made her feel flustered or unsure of herself. Marrying him meant having to make allowances, of course. She’d have to keep her animals at the house, but it was a small price to pay for her aunt’s peace of mind.

  Delaying the inevitable was no longer an option, not just for her aunt’s sake, but for her own.

  * * *

  Three days later, Aunt Letty stood by the shop window ready to turn the sign to open. “Ready?” she asked, a look of uncertainty on her face.

  Kate glanced at the ring on her finger and forced herself to breathe. This ring had a larger stone than the previous one. Was that why it felt so strange?

  Since her aunt was looking at her funny, Kate forced a smile. Her engagement to Frank had seemed to take a weight off her aunt’s shoulders. She even looked better. More rested.

  “Ready,” she said.

  “You don’t sound ready. And what’s with the glum face? A bride-to-be is supposed to have the look.” Aunt Letty motioned with her hands. “You know, that special glow of happiness that spells love.”

  “You said I had the look,” Kate said.

  “That was before your last wedding. I’m talking about now.” Aunt Letty tilted her head. “You’re not worried about something going wrong again, are you? Someone stopping the wedding? If you are, you can put your mind at ease. I’ll have my shotgun with me, and if anyone tries anything, he’ll have to deal with me.”

  Kate sighed. If she was worried about anything, it was Aunt Letty and her shotgun. But since all the trouble in town, her aunt didn’t go anywhere without it. “Nothing’s going to happen.”

  “It better not.”

  Since her aunt was staring at her, Kate tried to emulate the look. Whether she succeeded or not, she didn’t know, but her aunt turned to the window to switch the sign. She then unlocked the door. Almost instantly, people flooded the store, led by Mrs. Tremble and her dog, Mitzie.

  “Is it true, is it true?” Cassie asked. Today, the young widow had her two-year-old son with her, and she jiggled him up and down in her arms.

  Aunt Letty gave a smug smile. “It’s true. The wedding is officially on. At long last, Kate and Frank are getting married. Kate, show them your ring.”

  Kate held her hand over the counter and wiggled her fingers. The sparkling diamond garnered the appropriate oohs and aahs from the crowd.

  Connie practically swooned. “Oh, it’s beautiful. It’s even more beautiful than the ring that was stolen.”

  Kate smiled and withdrew her hand.

  Mrs. Cuttwell exchanged a knowing look with Aunt Letty. Since the incident with the taffy-making machine, the two former foes had become the best of friends. “Well, all I can say is it’s about time you and Frank were wed.”

  “You simply must tell us how he proposed,” Mrs. Tremble added, pulling her poodle away from the counter.

  “And don’t tell us it was in front of the pickle barrel,” Cassie added, drawing a laugh from the others.

  “No, actually, it was very romantic,” Kate said.

  “Very,” Aunt Letty added with a nod of approval.

  “We drove to the river, and Frank recited Shakespeare.” Unfortunately, the few lines he’d quoted had been lifted from Hamlet. It was probably the first time a suicide speech had been the basis of a marriage proposal, but she didn’t have the heart to tell him that. Not when he had tried so hard to please her.

  “You’re so lucky,” Connie said, a touch of envy in her voice.

  “So, when’s the wedding?” Mrs. Cuttwell asked.

  “Saturday,” Aunt Letty said.

  The dressmaker frowned. “Oh my, that doesn’t give us much time. Does your dress need alterations?”

  Kate shook her head. “Thank you, but no. The dress fits just fine.” If anything, it was a tad loose. Mainly because she hadn’t felt much like eating in recent weeks.

  Connie heaved a sigh, followed by a sheepish smile. “My maid-of-honor dress needs to be taken out a tad.”

  Kate shot a look of sympathy at her friend. Connie had insisted she was over Harvey Wells, but there had to be a reason for her continued obsession with chocolate bonbons.

  Mrs. Cuttwell gave Connie’s waist a pointed appraisal. “Bring your dress to the shop later, and we’ll see what we can do.”

  After satisfying their curiosity, customers left with bags of candy, anxious to spread the news.

  Connie remained after the others had left. “Oh, Kate, I’m so envious. What I wouldn’t give to wed someone like Frank.” She glanced around the shop. “Though I could do without all the flowers,” she said and hastened to add, “Not that there’s anything wrong with it. It just seems that some people get so caught up in the romance that they lose sight of what’s really important.”

  Kate frowned. “Is that what you think Frank is doing?”

  “Oh no, I wasn’t talking about… I mean…you’ve been friends forever. It’s just that you and Frank used to have so much fun together.”

  “Used to?”

  “With the wedding and all that’s happened, you have to admit it’s been pretty tense around here.”

  Kate gave her friend a lo
ving pat on the cheek. “I know. But all that’s behind us, and from now on, all I want you to think about is finding your own special someone.”

  The corners of Connie’s mouth turned down. “That’s easier said than done. I’m not getting any younger.”

  “What are you talking about? You make yourself sound ancient.”

  “I’ll be twenty-two in June. Everyone I know that age is married and has a slew of children.”

  “I don’t.”

  “But you will soon.” Glancing in the direction of the kitchen where Aunt Letty was unpacking the latest shipment of books, Connie lowered her voice. “I was afraid you had fallen for that Texas Ranger.”

  Kate stiffened. She didn’t want to talk about Brett. “Not the dance again. I explained about that. What you saw that night, or think you saw, was me enjoying dancing with someone who didn’t have two left feet.”

  Connie looked unconvinced. “It’s not just the dance. I could see that you found him attractive.” A knowing look crossed Connie’s face. “Admit it.”

  Kate bit her lip. “Maybe.” There was no sense denying it. Connie wouldn’t believe her if she did. “Didn’t you?” she asked, feeling defensive.

  Connie studied her with narrowed eyes. “Maybe a little.” She hesitated. “But I can’t help but wonder if you stayed with Frank because he’s the needier of the two.”

  Kate stared at her. “The needier?”

  “Now don’t get all in a huff. It’s just… You know how you’re always trying to fix things? If ever an animal or person is sick or in trouble, you immediately try to make things right. You dole out candy and fortunes like a doctor dispenses medicine, and it almost always makes a person feel better. It’s one of the things I love about you.”

  “So, what are you saying?”

  Connie grimaced as if searching for the right words. “I can’t help but wonder if the ranger had been needy in some way, you might have chosen him over Frank.”

  Kate gasped. “That’s…that’s…crazy.”

  “Is it?”

  “There was no choosing. Brett and I had nothing in common. He wasn’t even interested in me.” Belatedly, she added, “Nor I in him.”

  “If you say so,” Connie said, sounding as doubtful as she looked. “Still…you haven’t been yourself since he left town, and that has me worried.” Her expression softened. “Oh, Kate, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. You know I think the world of you and Frank. I just want you both to be happy.”

  “I do know that,” Kate said. “And I feel the same about you. Now will you stop worrying? There’s nothing the matter with me. I’ve just been busy. You know we’re breaking in a new employee.” The woman’s name was Janet Mason. She’d never worked outside the home before, but now that her children were grown, she had been looking for something to do. “It’s not easy teaching someone the art of making candy.”

  Connie’s forehead creased. “Are you sure that’s all it is?”

  “Absolutely.” Kate picked up a paper bag. “Now, how about some bonbons?”

  “I better not,” Connie said with a wistful sigh. “I’ll never fit into my bridesmaid dress. But I’ll take one of your fortunes. And it better be a good one.”

  “How about this one?” Kate asked, pulling a slip of paper out the box. “‘Love is just around the corner.’”

  Her good humor restored, Connie laughed. “I just hope that corner is on planet earth.”

  33

  Brett stared at his dog, fists planted firmly at his waist. “Okay, where’s the boot?”

  For an answer, Ringo slanted his head and cocked an ear.

  The boot in question belonged to the ranger captain.

  Brett was already in hock for two pairs of boots, a gun belt, a metal flask, and a sheathed knife. Not good. So far, no amount of training had convinced Ringo to give up his outlaw ways. Nothing on the ground was safe. Training an old dog to paw the straight and narrow was hard, but so was trying to convince a bunch of men of the virtue of neatness. They were just as much to blame for Ringo’s constant fall from grace. If they would stop leaving their belongings around, the problem would be solved.

  Next to Brett, the man everyone called Cannonball Charlie laughed. “Do you think he’s gonna tell you?”

  Brett let go of Ringo’s collar. “If he knows what’s good for him, he will.”

  Okay, so he was talking through his hat. It would be easier to find the Lost Dutchman’s Mine than Ringo’s hiding place. He had tried tricking the dog into showing him, to no avail. Ringo was as fast as he was smart and could vanish in the chaparral quicker than a flea could hop on fur.

  Since nothing could be done till morning, Brett joined the company of men around the campfire. Ringo sprawled next to him, head resting on his paws, looking as innocent as a newborn babe.

  Brett pulled out the letter in his vest pocket—a letter addressed to his brother.

  He hadn’t fully forgiven Paul for stealing away Deborah, but he no longer had the heart to carry a grudge. He also better understood the difficulty in walking away from a woman you loved. He couldn’t blame Paul for his inability to do what he had hardly been able to do himself.

  Walking away from Kate had been the most difficult thing he’d ever done. He’d been so close, so very, very close to telling her how he felt. Oh, Kate…

  Kate!

  He replaced the letter and reached into his vest pocket for the little slip of paper that Kate had given him. He’d held on to it all this time and still hadn’t been able to bring himself to read it.

  It had been more than a month since he’d said goodbye to Kate, and it still hurt. Hurt like hell. No woman he’d loved and lost in the past had affected him as deeply as she had. He thought of her day and night. Everything from the blue of the sky to the stars and moon reminded him of her. He heard her name in the call of every bird, in the whisper of every breeze, in the buzz of every insect.

  Adding to his misery, he no longer derived satisfaction from his job. He’d counted on work to heal his broken heart as it had in the past, but he was no longer driven to right the wrongs of the world.

  Instead, the long hours of relentless pursuit left him feeling restless and impatient. Last week, his company had broken up a ring of cattle rustlers, yet he’d felt no pleasure.

  The nights spent in his bedroll were even worse. That’s when he found himself hankering for things he’d never thought to hanker for: home, family, wife.

  Kate.

  A burst of laughter broke into his thoughts. Next to him, Ringo lifted his head, glanced at the revelers, and then promptly went back to sleep.

  The laughter stopped, and the men continued playing the “Can you top this?” game. The stakes were high, and for that reason, the game was taken seriously. The one telling the biggest or most outrageous tall tale was relieved from camp detail the following day.

  “Hey, Tucker. It’s your turn,” one of the men called.

  Brett declined with a raise of his hand. He wasn’t in the mood for fun or camaraderie and hadn’t been since rejoining his company.

  “Another time,” he said.

  “Ah, shucks. You ain’t no fun anymore.”

  “Leave him alone,” the man they called Smoky said. “Since he got hisself a case of lovesick, he ain’t been worth a bucket of shucks.”

  The men went back to their game, leaving Brett to his troubled thoughts. Lovesick? Is that what’s wrong with me? He lifted his gaze to the sky and wondered if he would ever again be able to look at the stars without thinking of Kate.

  But that wasn’t the only thing on his mind. While Sheriff Keeler had been transporting the Ghost Riders to federal prison, Foster/Fletcher had escaped.

  He should have been the one to track Fletcher down, but by the time he’d heard the news, the captain had already assigned two other rangers. That
had been more than a week ago, and Brett hadn’t heard a word since.

  Fletcher better not have gotten away. If he had, then everything Brett had gone through in Haywire—all the pain and heartache that followed—had been for naught.

  He stared at the little slip of paper in his hand, debating whether to replace it in his pocket or toss it in the fire unread. For several long moments, he stared at it, then slowly, with trembling fingers, unfolded it.

  Just the sight of Kate’s flowery handwriting was like a stab to his heart, and he had to read the words several times before he could grasp their meaning. He sat upright and moved closer to the light of the fire to read it again.

  Before I met you, I thought I knew how it felt to be in love, but you taught me I was wrong. The depth and width of my feelings for you know no end.

  Brett sucked in his breath, and his gaze kept going back to the word love. She loved him? Was he reading that right? Kate often quoted poetry, and something about those words did sound familiar. Still, she was so careful about picking out the exact right words. His mouth ran dry. She would never write the word love unless she meant it! Again, raucous laughter interrupted his thoughts. Standing, Smoky stretched his arms, ready to call it a night. One by one, the others stood, some yawning.

  But before anyone hit the tents, they were stopped by the sound of galloping hooves. All hands flew to the guns at their sides, and Ringo jumped up, ears perked.

  Brett slipped Kate’s note into his pocket and reached for his weapon.

  “It’s just us,” a voice called out of the darkness. Ringo barked and wagged his tail as Texas Ranger Collier rode up to camp and dismounted. “We got him,” he said.

  Brett moved his hand away from his gun. That was a relief. Fletcher was behind bars where he belonged. Hopefully, precautions would be taken this time to make sure he didn’t escape again.

  The man they called Happy swung off his horse and reached into his saddlebags. “Brought you all back a treat,” he said, pulling out a white paper sack. “Anyone want some candy?” He walked around the campfire, offering it to the others.