“Well, we’ll just stop and ask him, then maybe he and Ben will go fetch Etta. Give us a chance to set some ground rules,” Lisbet said with a smile, as Ben pulled at her.”
“Lisbet, I wanna tell ya…”
“Rayne, not now,” Lisbet said gently.
†
Lisbet and Rayne walked along the lakeshore, as Ben, Etta, and Harry played in the meadow.
Rayne bent over and picked a wildflower. She brought it up to her nose and breathed in its sweet scent. With a smile, she offered it to Lisbet.
With a sad smile Lisbet took it, as she recalled the past. As she absently twirled the flower, she spoke, “I…thank you for sayin’ what you did to that…woman, I appreciate it. I just don’t appreciate you havin’ Ben around her or havin’ him see you strike her.”
“Lisbet, I didn’t take Ben to meet her, she saw us—me walkin’ down the street and ran after us. And yeah, I reckon I didn’t think. I mean, before I really knew what I was doin’, my hand made contact with her cheek. I apologize that I let myself react that way.” Rayne cast her eyes to the ground, as they walked on.
“I’ve never seen you like that, you was so… angry.”
“She shoulda listened to me and stayed away from Ben and me, and she shouldn’t have said anythin’ to you, let alone the things she did.”
Lisbet stopped walking and looked at Rayne. “What difference did it make what she said, or how she said it? What do you care? I mean you threw everything away that matters to us for her? Why does what she said matter?”
“I didn’t know what I was doin’. Look. a while back I was involved in a shootout. I took a bullet to my shoulder which knocked me off my horse. When I hit the ground, I hit my head on a rock. I passed out, and when I came to I was in this room with the doc and Maddie takin’ care of me. I couldn’t remember anything before livin’ here in Telluride. I remembered Etta, Harry, and the folks here in town, my name and job, but nothin' about you or Ben or the ranch back home. I believed her when she said that we had a relationship. I questioned it, but was really messed up with the pain and painkillers. I honestly didn’t know what I was doin’.”
“What do you expect me to say here, Rayne?” Lisbet wiped at the tears then wrapped her arms around herself.
“I don’t know. That you can forgive me, that you can see a way for us to work this out…I? I don’t love her. Hell, I don’t even like her.”
Lisbet raised her hands. “Stop it, Rayne. You aren’t makin’ it any better. This was a bad idea. What was I thinkin’?” Lisbet put one hand on her hip and pushed at her hair with the other.
“No, this was…Lisbet, please…”
“How? How was this a good idea? You are tellin’ me that you’ve had sex with a woman that you threw us away for, and you don’t even like her?”
“I was manipulated, she lied to me.”
“And you still bedded her, even knowin’ that ya didn’t like her? How does that even make sense to you? And how do you expect me to look past that?”
Rayne took a few steps closer to Lisbet, who didn’t move, and tenderly reached up to wipe the tears away with her thumb. “I wasn’t in my right mind. I swear to God, this thing with her…she is the only time I strayed.”
Lisbet just cried, her tears falling.
Rayne cautiously wrapped her arms around the blonde and brought her closer. She breathed in the scent of Lisbet’s hair and closed her eyes, praying the moment would last.
Lisbet sank into the embrace and allowed her arms to wrap around the tall woman and held tightly.
Chapter Eleven
Clinton Hawks walked into the saloon, stood at the entrance, and glanced around the room. His eyes stopped on a tall, voluptuous blonde. He saw Rebecca Fiore look in his direction. He watched, as with a laugh and a backward toss of her head, she gently slid her hand off the shoulder of the man she had been chatting with and moved away from the bar. With her hand placed on her hip, she walked towards the sheriff, her hips gently swaying from side to side, a true smile growing on her red, kissable lips.
Clinton took his hat off and walked towards the approaching woman. Before he could say anything, he heard Maddie calling him. He turned his head slightly and, as he saw the redhead approaching him, he swore under his breath. “Miz Maddie.” She came to a stop directly in front of him. ”I was just headin’ to the…”
“I know where ya was headin’, and Rebecca can just wait a second. I wanna know what the heck is goin’ on with Rayne. Just who is that blonde that rode into town thinkin’ she got a claim on her?” Maddie’s lips tightened.
“Well now, Maddie, I don’t rightly know Rayne’s business. From what Harry tells me that blonde is her wife, that’s what Etta told him. They’ve come to join her and build their home here.”
“I need her to go back to wherever she came from. You know that me and Rayne was gettin' serious. Send her away, Sheriff.”
“Miz Maddie…I ain’t got cause to send her away. I woulda thought, in your profession, you understood that there is generally a Mrs. at home that he, you know, the man you’re screwin’, or she in this case, ain’t leavin’,” Clinton’s eyes locked with Rebecca’s. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna get me a lousy beer.”
“Sheriff,” Maddie’s voice grew shrill with anger.
The sheriff, who had begun to walk away, stopped and turned on his heel. “Maddie, stop it. Ya ain’t gonna convince me that whatever it was tween you and Rayne was anything more than distraction. You knew damned well she was already committed elsewhere. Or don’t ya remember all them letters ya burned? I know about em, and I know ya had someone read em to ya. So ain’t no use cryin’ to me about how much ya love her.” With that, Hawks once again headed to the bar, Rebecca half a step behind.
Maddie stood there staring at the two as they walked away, her blood boiling. How dare he talk to me that way? She spun on her heel and stormed out of the saloon, not caring one bit that she’d left a fella waiting for her.
†
At the bar, Clinton ordered a bottle of whiskey with two glasses, then he and Rebecca headed upstairs to her room. Clinton sat down at the foot of the bed, while Rebecca poured them each a glass.
Clinton sat staring at the floorboards, and Rebecca sat next to him, handed him a glass, and gave a weak smile.
“Clint, you’re thinkin’ too much. You’re worryin’ whether I’m confused about my part in this thing that we got goin’ on.”
Clinton immediately brought his head up. “No…No, of course not. Why would you think…?”
“Clinton, I heard whatcha told Maddie. I know full well the married ones always go home to their wives. I ain’t got no illusions about us, honey,” Rebecca gently rubbed his back.
“Don’t that bother you, though? Darlin’, you should want more than this.”
“Honey, I made peace with the road my life took a long time ago. I have a roof over my head, food in my stomach, and a place to lay my head.”
“You’re a sweet gal, though, ya should be at home waitin’ for a man to come home to ya.”
“Yeah, maybe, but that ain’t the way life turned out. I’m here instead, so I gotta make the best of it. Men like you don’t leave their wives for a woman like me. I don’t know why you come see me, but ya do. And the fact is that I like ya. Hell, I love you. I love you a lot, but like I said, I ain’t got no illusions. Ya come see me once or twice a week, and we have a good time. I can live with that.”
Clinton took a deep breath and looked at Rebecca with a small smile tugging at his mouth. “Yeah, we do have a good time, don’t we? Ya know, she knows about us, Sarah knows. I think, at times, hell, I get the feelin’ that she’s happy that I see you. Does that make sense?”
“I suppose that makes some sense. Why you think that is?” Rebecca scooted up on the bed and rested against the wall.
Hawks scooted up as well. “Ah hell, I don’t know. Maybe she don’t think I understand what her day is like, or she don’t like that
I spend so much time here in town and not with her.”
Rebecca laughed. “Most say their wives don’t understand ‘em. Ya wanna know what I think?”
Hawks turned his head and looked at the woman and chuckled. “What, what do you think in that pretty little head of yours?”
“I think it’s a reason men use to excuse the fact that they cain’t keep it in their pants. Let me tell ya a secret; most men believe that they cain’t be a hundred percent honest with us. Ya’ll think that we would think less of ya if ya told us that you get scared once in a while, or that ya hurt. We wouldn’t, and we don’t. It’s nice to know that the one you’re with ain’t afraid to show tenderness, to cry if ya need.”
“Aw hell, is that a fact?”
“Yup, ain’t that why we get on so good? You talk to me and tell me things that worry you and that you’re afraid of—things you don’t tell your wife. Ever wonder about that?”
“You're easy to talk to. You don’t judge me.”
“There ya go.”
“Thank ya for the lesson, now come here.” Hawks reached for Rebecca and pulled her to him.
Chapter Twelve
It had been a week or so since Rayne and Lisbet had their picnic, and there had been no other contact between them. Rayne wasn’t happy with that, but true to her word, Lisbet didn’t keep Ben from her. Rayne was still working hard on kicking the laudanum need. The one good thing she could say was that the headaches were becoming less frequent, a fact Rayne was happy with.
One morning, when Harry dropped Ben off, she asked about Lisbet. “What do you want me to tell ya, Rayne? She’s hurt, and she’s angry.”
“Jesus, I know that. Dammit, how the hell can I make it right if she won’t give me a chance?”
“I don’t know. Maybe ya finally find that damned ranch you came here lookin’ for. Maybe ya move outta town, outta this damned hotel room, and behave like ya want her back.”
“What the hell are ya talkin’ about, I do want her back. Again, how…”
“I said to behave like it,” Harry shouted. “Do ya make it a point to stop by the house to pick Ben up, or take him home? No. Do ya stop to see her? Again, no. Maybe just maybe, you doin’ some of that would tell her ya want her back.”
“Harry. She won’t talk to me.”
“Have ya tried?” With a trace of disappointment in his voice, he continued, as his eyes looked around the room, “Aw shit, I gotta go. I told Etta I’d pick her up and we’d go for a ride in the country.” He put his hat back on before he turned to leave. He stopped just before he turned the knob and looked back at Rayne. “This would be a good time for you to stop by, maybe an impromptu outing as a surprise.” He winked, opened the door, and left, leaving Rayne staring at his retreating back.
“Son of a bitch, I think he is on my side. Wouldn’t ya say, Ben?”
“Son a bitch,” Ben repeated.
“Uh, Ben, don’t you dare ever say that in front of your momma. She’ll have my hide.” Rayne wiped her hand over her face. She looked at Ben then smiled as she processed the idea. “Hey Ben, what do you say about goin’ fishin’, maybe have a picnic? We can stop by and see if we can talk Momma into joinin’ us.” The more she thought about the idea, the more she liked it.
“Come on, let’s go down to the dinin’ room and see if maybe Katie would fry up some chicken for us, some biscuits, and a couple pieces of pie. That sound good to ya?”
“Yeth!” the little boy shouted with excitement.
“Alright then, let’s go talk to Katie then get a wagon and head over to Harry and Etta’s place and pick Momma up.”
†
Lisbet heard the whining of horses and pulled the lace curtain back to look outside just as the wagon pulled up. When she opened the door, she saw Rayne jump down and heard Ben excitedly holler, “Momma go fishin’ wiff us? Ma said we have chicken and pie. Mon, let’s go peas?”
Rayne had taken her hat off and was fiddling with it. “Um he’s a tad excited. I was just thinkin’ that it’s a nice day, and maybe you’d like to join us for a picnic, maybe do some fishin’.”
“I don’t know. I don’t think it’s a good idea. I mean, this is supposed to be your time with Ben.”
“Lisbet, ah hell, the truth is, I’d like it if ya joined us. I know Ben would love it, and I ain’t sure you’ve had a chance to see some of the beautiful spots around these parts. In fact, if ya don’t mind, I’d like to show ya a piece of property I been lookin’ at. What do ya say?”
“I…I…okay. I suppose I can fry up some chicken for us. It’ll take a while. Think ya’ll would mind waitin’?” She wasn’t sure she’d given the right answer. A big part of her was excited and nervous, and she was afraid Rayne wouldn’t want to wait.
Rayne smiled, but before she could answer, Lisbet was saying, “I’m sorry, of course, you don’t want to wait. I don’t know what I was thinkin’, you and Ben should go on and enjoy the day.”
Rayne felt as if a rug had been pulled out from under her. With confusion, she said, “I don’t…don’t ya wanna go with us? I mean, we can load up in the wagon and stop on the way through town at the hotel dining room to pick up the basket Katie is fixin’ up for us. I…I guess I was just assumin’ that you’d say yes, so I asked before we left to hitch up that there wagon if she’d do that.”
“You did? I mean, of course, I’d like to go with you. I didn’t think…”
“Seems to me that we’ve been doin’ a lot of not thinkin’,” Rayne replied with a slight smile, “Come on, let’s get goin’.”
Lisbet blushed, as she realized that Rayne was right. They had both done a lot of assuming. “Let me get my bonnet. Ben, let’s go fishin’ with Ma.”
The two walked a squealing, excited little boy towards the wagon. With a big smile, Rayne held her arm out to help Lisbet up onto the wagon. They made a quick stop at the hotel dining room and headed out of town.
†
“You know, Willow Springs was beautiful, but I have to say that this place is the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.” Lisbet glanced at Rayne then at the passing scenery.
“Yup. I gotta agree with you, and I can’t wait to show you the place I got my eye on. It has a creek runnin’ through the property that forms a little lake. It’s about a hundred acres, prime land. It’s beautiful, almost as beautiful as you,” Rayne said softly.
Lisbet blushed, as she glanced at Rayne’s tanned face. She looked like she was about to be hung, and Lisbet couldn’t help but smile. She unconsciously bit her bottom lip. “Is that a fact?”
Rayne glanced over and a look of relief washed over her face. “Uh…yeah, it is.” She flashed the same cocky smile that always made Lisbet’s heart skip a beat. Rayne looked up. “Look up at those pines and firs up there on them slopes, standin’ so tall and sturdy. I want our ranch to be just as sturdy as them trees. I want our family’s roots to run just as deep as them trees’.” She cleared her throat. “Hey, Ben, this here lake I’m takin’ ya to feeds off a creek that comes right off the river. Now, let me tell ya, last time I was there I caught a fish so big it damned near fed the whole town.”
Ben gasped before squealing in excitement. “That big fish! I catch big fish too. Momma be right proud iffin I do!” He looked at Lisbet and continued, “Momma, would ya?”
“Of course I would, honey. Would you be proud of me if I were the one to catch a fish that big?” Lisbet winked at Rayne and smiled.
Ben giggled. “Yup.”
“What about Ma? Ya think maybe she would be proud of me?” Lisbet glanced back to Rayne.
Rayne nudged her hat and glanced up at the clouds in the sky. “Hey Ben, look up at that there cloud. What do you see?”
“Duck!”
“I see one big fish!” Lisbet looked up at the sky, too, before she started laughing.
“Oh, ya do, do ya? Yeah, I suppose you could say that one there’s a fish…a minnow. I think it looks more like a little minnow to me. But don’t worry, darlin’, I be
t it’s a sure sign that you’ll catch somethin’.”
“Oh, thanks for that vote of confidence.” Lisbet laughed.
“Yup, anytime, darlin’, ya can always count on me,” Rayne teased. “Hey, look over there, Ben. Just this side of the tree line.” Rayne pulled the wagon to a stop and pointed off to her right. “Ya see it?”
Off to the right, just before the trees, stood a doe with her fawn, grazing on the sweet grass of the meadow. “I bet just about anything that just behind them trees is the buck.”
Lisbet sighed at the sight. “This is just so amazing, Rayne. Thank you for sharing it with us.”
“I wanna share everything with you.” Rayne reached out and grabbed ahold of Lisbet’s hand. When Lisbet pulled back, she let the smaller hand go and grabbed the reins to signal the horses to start moving again. “We’re just about there. Do ya remember how I taught ya to look for worms, Ben?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. While I tether the wagon and unload the picnic basket, you can start lookin’ for some.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Ben smiled.
†
The small family arrived at a suitable spot, got their blanket and lunch spread out, and before long, Rayne had Ben set up with his line in the water.
“Now, I’ll be right over there, so if ya feel a tug on your pole, let me know. Okay?” With a nod from Ben, she turned her attention to Lisbet. “So, let’s get your pole ready for that huge fish you’re aimin’ to catch.” The statement caused Ben to giggle.
“Hey now, I am perfectly capable of catching a big fish. He is too much like you, Rayne, I swear.”
“I didn’t say anything,” Rayne said defensively.
“Ya didn’t have to,” Lisbet said with a sparkle in her eye. “Give me that. I can bait my own hook, thank you very much.” When Rayne turned the hook over to her and held out a worm, she crinkled her nose. “Can it stop wigglin’, and why does it have to be slimy?” she complained.
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