Richard offered her a shy smile. “You’re a handsome woman, Mrs. Blanchard. It’s been six months since your husband passed. I thought it an acceptable time to do so.” He shook his head. “Unless you’re not willing to have me court you.”
“I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone then.” Lee stomped out before Genny could answer, Sophie hot on his heels after a final scowl at Richard.
“I lost my wife ten years ago and realize life has gotten a bit too lonely in my house. I’ll admit I’ve got a bum leg and a grumpy disposition in the morning.”
Genny choked on the laugh that wanted to burst forth at the thought Richard considered himself grumpy. He had no idea what grumpy was.
“Otherwise, I own the bank and have all my teeth.” He let loose a small chuckle. “Sounds like I’m offering myself up at a horse auction.”
This man had no idea who she was, where she’d come from or even how damaged she was, even if it was all on the inside. “Mr. Newman, I don’t know what to say. I’m flattered, truly I am. You’re a handsome man and I’ve seen more than one lady in Tanger cast her eye in your direction. Why me?” She couldn’t help but be blunt, something she and Lee had in common.
“That’s a fair question. I noticed you after I first arrived in Tanger, when your husband brought you into the bank. He was taking care of his business and you stayed by the door with your daughter, playing jacks on the floor.” He smiled, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners. “You didn’t seem to care much about money or about anything else but being a good mother. That told me a lot about your character. Then, well, I had a few conversations with Gabby Sheridan.”
Was he blushing? Genny had never had such a strange conversation with a man before. He’d noticed her over a year ago, yet he’d waited until she was a widow for six months before he came courting.
“Mr. Newman—” she began.
“Richard please, call me Richard.” He put his hand on hers.
The warmth from his skin felt comfortable, but there wasn’t even a smidge of spark. When she touched Lee, it felt as if she’d stuck her hand in hot coals. That alone told her what her answer should be to Richard’s request to court her. Yet what promises had she made to Lee? None except with her body and deep in the recesses of her heart.
Genny looked at Richard, the man with money, stability and an apparent attraction to her. Any woman with a lick of common sense would smile pretty and snatch him up with both hands. She, unfortunately, was never known for having common sense, and who could blame her? No one in her life had taught her what common sense was.
Richard was looking at her, waiting for her to speak. What was she going to tell him?
Lee slammed the post digger into the ground with as much force as he could muster. It wasn’t as much as he could have three years ago, but more than he could have two weeks ago without the harness. The nail was firmly hanging onto the wooden handle as he repeated the process. The corral needed a lot of work, and replacing the missing posts was only the first step.
Sophie sat on the ground near the gate, watching him work, fetching things from the barn as he needed them. He tried not to think about Genny inside with Richard, what they were talking about, or what they were doing.
Sweat rolled down the side of his face and down his back as the sun rose in the sky. Thumping the shit out of the dirt should make him feel better, but it didn’t. What he really wanted to do was run back in the house and throw Richard out on his ass. The banker didn’t deserve it, of course. He was actually a good friend to the Blackwoods and a good choice for a widow like Genny.
That didn’t stop Lee from wanting to beat on his chest and howl.
He set the post digger aside and wiped his brow on his sleeve. The replacement fence post sat on the ground a few feet away. It had been in the back of the barn, a bit musty but useable. Once upon a time old Henry must’ve thought he’d fix the corral. Good thing too, because he suspected Genny didn’t have money to buy any lumber and certainly not the strength to make what she needed from the woods beyond the edge of the property.
Richard had enough to buy her an entire new corral and pay someone to build it. Lee dug the nail hook on his harness into the wood and pulled up, allowing him to pick up the post and carry it back to the hole.
“Don’t offer to help or nothing, brat.”
She stuck out her tongue at him. “I can’t lift that thing.”
Lee slid the post into place, guiding it with his legs as splinters dug into his knees. When it was set in the hole, he looked over at Sophie. “Now get your little fanny over here and fill in the dirt.”
With a sigh, she scampered over and squatted beside him. She was obviously used to sitting in and likely playing in the dirt.
“Mama likes you.”
Lee snorted. “Is that why she’s in the house courting with the rich banker?”
“She didn’t invite him. Besides I told her to marry you.”
“You did what?” He could hardly believe his ears.
“Told her to marry you.” She let the dirt slide through her hands. “You make her smile.”
The child’s explanation was so simple yet it said so much.
“What did she say?” His heart thumped loudly and it wasn’t from hard work.
“I dunno. That man got here and I left.” Sophie looked up at him, her expression so much like Genny’s, he realized then he was hopelessly lost, completely, utterly in love with Genny and her daughter. “I think you’re a much better Daddy than Pa ever was.”
Lee stared at the girl, more shocked than he could imagine. “Daddy?”
“Well, yeah, you teached me stuff like the alphabet and ’rithmatic, and made me do chores.” Sophie sounded so matter-of-fact Lee choked on his spit.
“Your pa never did that?” Lee wouldn’t be surprised, considering how much Henry hadn’t done around the farm.
“No, he was hardly around. Sometimes he hit me and Mama. I didn’t like him much even if he was my pa.”
Lee tightened his hand on the fence post until his knuckles popped. Men who used their fists on women and children were lower than the bugs under rocks. Then he marveled at how amazing Genny was to be strong enough to survive a husband who beat her, ran around with whores and left her to starve on a farm. He wished Henry was still alive so he could beat the shit out of him.
God, to have a family, to have a woman to love, a brat under his feet. It was so much to wish for, to hope for. More than a one-armed fool deserved.
Lee focused on Sophie’s hands instead of Genny, and what she might be doing in the house with Richard. It wasn’t his business what they were doing, dammit. Just because he’d spent time in bed with Genny didn’t mean shit. Genny needed a husband, one who could support her, not one who wore a handmade harness to do work around the farm. It didn’t matter one whit that she’d been a child of two parents who hadn’t been married or that she’d grown up in such a hellhole. She was a good woman who deserved better than what life had already given her. That didn’t mean Lee or what he couldn’t give her.
Lee was a temporary farmhand, fixing things up and bringing in the crop, that’s all. He couldn’t expect her to settle for him when she could have the most eligible bachelor in town next to Gideon. Richard was a good man and he’d treat Genny right.
“Need any help?”
He’d been focusing so hard on Sophie, he let out a shout when Genny spoke from behind him. Sophie giggled, the little sucker.
“No, I don’t. Go back and entertain Richard.” He looked down at Sophie who looked back up at him.
“Thorns are sharp today, Mama.”
He had no idea what the brat was talking about, but she’d filled in the hole pretty well. “Now scoot back so I can stamp the dirt down.”
Sophie got to her feet and waited by his side. He could feel Genny behind him, her stare glued to his back as he pulled the nail free with his right hand. He stamped the dirt as hard as he could, trying desperately to get rid of the anger
bubbling inside him. It was as if he had absolutely no control over his temper. If she stayed, he might just let loose on her again.
“Fetch me that mallet with the fat top from the barn.” Lee probably should have been surprised Sophie was doing what he told her to, but he was too distracted by Genny.
After the girl went into the barn, Genny touched his shoulder. He flinched.
She sucked in a breath. “We made no promises, Lee.”
“Don’t you think I know that? Jesus, you can choose whatever you want to do with your life, and Richard is obviously a good choice.” Lee’s voice felt as rusty as the nails he’d pulled out of the old fence post. “We enjoyed each other’s company is all. I don’t expect more than that. Richard is the best man for you and we both know it.”
He trembled as he waited for her to walk away, to tell him to go to hell, anything. His stomach clenched so hard he tasted bile in his throat, even as his heart hoped for more, so much more.
Genny watched him as he spat words at her, trying to drive her away and into Richard’s arms. The logical choice would have been to do just that, but he was halfway back to Tanger by now. She’d already let her heart make a choice.
She laid her hands on his shoulders, not caring that he was covered with sweat or shaking. He made a noise when her forehead pressed against the center of his back, something between a moan and a sob. Genny hadn’t been given much in life, she’d taken what she could before, but this time, it had to be given. Lee had shown her what it meant to put everything he had into what he did, against all odds and common sense.
“Lee,” she managed to get past the giant lump in her throat. “I don’t want Richard.”
He stilled and she was certain he was holding his breath.
“I want you. Hell, I think I even lo—”
Before she could finish her sentence, he swung around and yanked her against him. His lips came down hard on hers, branding her, telling her what he felt without words. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hung on to the sweaty, stinky man she’d gone and fallen in love with.
“Well at least the fancy man is gone. Mama, are you gonna marry the one-armed grumpy man?” Sophie’s voice broke through the haze of emotion surrounding them.
They broke off the kiss and Genny looked into Lee’s brown eyes. When she saw hope and love hidden behind the ridiculously long lashes, she knew the answer to the question.
“Why of course I am. That is if he’ll have me.”
She hadn’t seen him smile, really smile, since he’d been at the farm. He was simply stunning, his beauty snatching the breath right from her body. Two weeks seemed like a lifetime, but it’s all the time that had passed. Her life had changed so drastically since she’d driven Ned into Tanger to beg Gabby for help. She’d had no idea that simple trip would bring Lee into her life, into her heart.
Lee closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers. “Are you sure?” he whispered against her cheek.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
Lee kissed the end of her nose. “Then I guess I’ll marry you.”
Sophie clapped her hands together and hooted. Genny laughed as he picked her up and swung her around. She’d never felt so happy, so loved, so blessed.
Chapter Eight
The mood in the wagon on the way to Tanger was much different than the last trip to town weeks earlier. Sophie wasn’t whining or complaining. In fact, she was singing songs under her breath as she perched on the seat between the two of them. Lee drove the wagon, holding the traces with his right hand while they were wrapped around the hook on his left.
Genny sat beside her daughter, happiness bubbling inside her like a spring. She held onto the feeling, savored how wonderful it felt. After many years of simply existing, Genny was finally living.
“Are we gonna go to the preacher today?” Sophie piped up.
Lee glanced over at Genny with a tiny smile. “Yeah, we’ll see him today, but we’ll have to wait until your mama gets a proper wedding dress before we get married.”
“Oh, Mama doesn’t care what she wears. That blue dress is good enough.”
Genny laughed. “Well it might be nice to have a new dress. I can get material from Mr. Marchison and make something in a few days.”
“I don’t want to wait that long. Can’t I be a Blackwood today?” Sophie crossed her arms and scowled at both of them.
Lee nudged her with his elbow. “Unofficially you are. In fact, you can tell people you’re Sophie Blackwood.”
“Yay!” she whooped, while Lee and Genny smiled at her.
Life was nearly perfect, even if the farm was in bad shape, they needed money and help, and there wasn’t enough food to last the winter. Genny didn’t care one whit about those things, at least for the next day or two. She was getting married and this time, she did the choosing and the asking.
It was nearly dinnertime and there were plenty of folks out on the streets in Tanger. Many of them nodded, waved or called out a greeting to Lee and Genny. For the first time, Genny felt welcome in town and she attributed it to the man she’d asked to marry her.
“Why don’t we stop at the restaurant and have dinner first?” Genny’s stomach was finally settled enough to have food. It had been twisted up for days and now she felt as free as a butterfly in search of a flower.
“The restaurant?” His voice sounded strained.
“Doesn’t your family own it? I thought Gabby told me you used to live there.” Genny couldn’t quite see his face with the black hat shading it.
“Yeah, I did.” He blew out a breath. “I should have told you why I left.”
Genny didn’t know if she should be nervous or not. Zeke had told her quite a bit about Lee, but obviously not everything. “Sophie, climb in the back so Lee and I can talk.”
“Do I have to?” she whined.
“Yes, now scoot.” Lee was already acting like her father. It warmed Genny’s heart to see how well the two of them had taken to each other. She’d had doubts they’d get along at all when Lee first arrived at the farm—now he had become the father Sophie so desperately needed. It would devastate both she and Sophie if Lee left their lives.
After the girl grudgingly climbed into the back, Genny moved next to Lee so their thighs were touching. “Now tell me.”
He slid a glance at her and she saw guilt in the depths of his brown eyes. “I rebuilt that restaurant with Zeke and my cousin Gideon. We own half of it together. The other half is owned by Cindy Cooley—she lives upstairs at the mill. Anyway, it burned down if you remember, and we rebuilt it, opened it and almost closed it within a month. None of us could cook worth a damn. We were lucky to convince Margaret Summers to be our cook.”
He swallowed and licked his lips. Obviously whatever he had to say was about Margaret. Her stomach tightened at the thought.
“I, uh, sort of asked her to marry me in the spring. She said no and I left the restaurant for Gideon to run alone.” He said it fast as if it was painful and he wanted it done quickly.
Genny wasn’t sure if she should be jealous, upset or angry. He’d asked this woman to be his wife. “Do you love her?”
Lee blew out a breath. “Margaret was the first woman to treat me like a man, not a cripple. I think I wanted it to be love.” He turned to look at her for the first time since he’d starting talking about Margaret. “It wasn’t.”
He was telling her he loved her without actually saying the words. She touched his cheek. “I love you too, Lee.” His eyes widened so she leaned forward and kissed him quick. “Now let’s go to the restaurant and have dinner. I want to meet the rest of your family.”
“Aw, stop kissing already. Ain’t you supposed to be married before you do all that?” Sophie stuck her head between them.
Genny kissed her daughter’s forehead and tugged one braid. “Mind your business, Sophie.”
“Are you sure?” Lee was asking more than one question and Genny knew it.
“Never been
more sure of anything in my life.”
With a heart lighter than he’d felt in his life, Lee pulled the wagon up behind the restaurant. She loved him. Holy Christ, she loved him. Nothing else mattered. Nothing.
While he released Ned from the traces, Genny helped Sophie down and straightened them both out. The girl popped up beside him and took hold of the horse’s bit.
“I can bring him to the stable. It’s important to take care of your horse so he can take care of you.” She blinked up innocently as Lee stared down at her.
Lee wondered if the girl would ever stop surprising him. She recited word for word what he’d told her the first day they’d been together. Perhaps things were finally working out and God would gift him with what He’d withheld for so long.
After getting Ned settled they went into the restaurant. Margaret was nowhere to be seen, but at least half the tables were full. A young girl with dark brown hair Lee didn’t recognize was serving plates of hot food. He nodded to a few folks as he made his way to the kitchen, Genny and Sophie behind him.
He pushed open the door to find Margaret slicing meatloaf at the table. Her apron was smeared with flour and gravy, and her hair had the same frizzy halo it always did. Lee had wondered what he’d feel when he saw her again, if he would be angry or hurt, but he didn’t feel either of those things. He felt relief.
She glanced up and stopped slicing. “Lee. I didn’t expect you.” Her gaze moved behind him. “Hello.”
Genny walked around him and held out her hand. “Hello. I’m Genevieve Blanchard. I’m happy to meet you.”
Margaret set down the knife and shook Genny’s proffered hand. “Hello, I’m Margaret. Welcome to Elmer’s Restaurant.”
Sophie looked up at him. “You’d better not change your mind and want to marry her. She’s too pretty for you.”
Lee was surprised when he barked out a laugh. “Meet Sophie. She’s, ah, a girl who likes to speak her mind.”
Genny swooped her up in a hug. “You have got to stop doing that, girl.” Sophie squealed in her mother’s arms.
Lee: Devils on Horseback, Book 4 Page 12