by Caroline Lee
“Well, I’ve been busy.”
Nate laughed then, and Cam smiled to hear it. The younger man had little to laugh about for the first part of his life; he’d been born with Indian blood in a time and place when Indians were despised. He’d fought and struggled until Ash Barker had taken him in and raised him as a brother. The two were inseparable, and had built a fine business together. When Ash had married Molly, almost seven years ago now, Nate had gladly accepted her and her sisters as part of his family. He was still the kind of man who didn’t often share what he was feeling, but he couldn’t disguise his good heart. “So? You gunna tell me about it? So I can at least tell Molly and the boys?”
“Not Ash? Don’t you think he wants to hear how much I’ve screwed up my life?”
“I think Ash only cares that you’re married, so he can commiserate when Molly’s in a snit.” Cam dipped his chin in acknowledgement. “So how’d you screw up? Serena said your bride is—and I’m quoting her here—‘uncommonly beautiful’.”
Cam had to smile then. “Yeah. Yeah, she is.” He told his friend everything. About how he’d found her and Jacob, and how she’d attacked him first thing, and how he made her feel so right that he did everything in his power to convince her marry him as soon as possible. About how well she was adapting to life on the Open Skye, and how much he liked having her around, and how she and Jacob were making his world a better place.
“All that, and she’s beautiful?”
“She’s the most stunning woman I’ve ever met. She doesn’t realize it, though. She’s half-Chinese, and has spent her life thinking that made her less…worthy. Less beautiful. But she’s wrong.” Nate didn’t say anything, and Cam knew why; the younger man had spent his life feeling the same way, but he didn’t have anyone to convince him otherwise.
Speaking of which… “How’s Wendy?”
“What?” The question had taken Nate entirely off-guard, judging from the way his voice rose incredulously. Cam tried not to look smug. Nate’s feelings for his sister-in-law’s sister were no secret, at least not to Cam. The younger man had confessed years ago that Wendy—whom he’d met when she came to live with them after Molly’s marriage—made him feel complete. They’d grown up together, and her decision to travel to St. Louis to teach school had been hard for her family to bear… but it’d devastated Nate. The fact that she hadn’t come back yet, after more than two years, was tearing him up.
“Wendy. In St. Louis?” As if Nate could possible forget her. “How’s she doing?”
The younger man turned away and mumbled something.
“What?”
“I said I don’t know, alright?” He wouldn’t meet Cam’s gaze. “She stopped writing to me.”
“Really?” Cam sat up. Once, when he’d mentioned Nate’s feelings to Molly, the older woman’s answer had confused him. Nate’s afraid he isn’t good enough for her, but she feels the same about him. It had seemed stupid to get so wrapped up inside because you didn’t just sit down and talk it out, but Cam had admitted that he wasn’t the first to give relationship advice, not by a long shot. Still, if Molly had been right, and Wendy cared for Nate, why had she stopped writing?
So he asked “Any idea why?” after he realized Nate wasn’t going to elaborate.
“She still writes to Molly and the rest of the family. And Serena, of course.”
“But not you.”
From what he could see of Nate’s profile, those high cheekbones looked gaunt, and his eyes hollow. Nate looked like a man who’d given up, who was struggling to let go.
“No.” He finally whispered. He swallowed. “I figure she’s met some slick city man who’s wooing her like she deserves.”
“Did she say anything about him to her sisters?”
“No. But her letters aren’t the same. They’re awkward, like she doesn’t have anything to say to us anymore.” He forced himself to shrug. “I guess we’re part of her past.”
Cam knew that the Murray sisters had grown up in Chicago, but he’d always thought they seemed happy here in Wyoming. It was possible, though, that Wendy had found a place in the city again.
There didn’t seem anything to say, except, “I’m sorry.”
Later, they’d turned the small herd westward towards the creek, and were heading to look at the fence Nate had mentioned, to see if it needed fixing. The younger man broke their companionable silence. “So… back before you got all into my personal business, you mentioned that you’d screwed up things with Tess. You wanna talk about that?”
“Nope.” Cam softened his denial with a cheerful grin. “But fair’s fair.”
Nate’s laugh was an ironic bark. “Yeah.” His lips pulled into a tight smile. “So, how’d you screw up so bad?”
Taking a deep breath, Cam held it for a moment before letting it out in a great huff. “I went and fell in love with her.”
After a moment’s pause: “And that’s a bad thing?”
“Only if she doesn’t love me back.”
“And does she?”
“Hell, I dunno, Nate.” Cam pulled off his hat and swiped his forearm across his forehead before mashing the hat back down. “I haven’t known her that long.”
“She sounds pretty special, though.”
Cam sighed. “Yeah, she is.” Another deep breath. “And I do love her. I’m not about to tell her, though, and have her laugh at me.”
“Because you don’t think she loves you?”
“I keep hinting, and she told me outright to stop feeling that way. Sounds to me like she doesn’t return the feeling, right?”
Nate sighed. “Yeah.” Then, letting his horse pick her way up a little rise, he let loose another harsh bark of laughter. “Shoot, Cam. We’re two of a kind, aren’t we?”
“You mean both of us in love with women who won’t love us back?”
“Who’d have thought it?”
Put like that, there really wasn’t anything Cam could do but laugh with his friend. It wasn’t pleasant laughter; there was more hopelessness than there ought to be. He knew that Nate didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning Wendy from some slick city dude. The younger man was good and honorable, and had always loved her, but the fact that she went off in the first place, and now had stopped writing, meant that she didn’t return his feelings.
But Tess… Cam was married to her, dammit. He wasn’t going to give up on her yet. He had a lifetime to win her love. To convince her that he was worthy of it.
Worthy of her.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Molly Murray Barker jumped down off of the wagon, and then turned to pick up the carefully wrapped cake. She knew her sons—Noah was four, and Pete was six—wouldn’t have any trouble climbing down themselves, and she left Annie to lift little Rose down. Her sister had always loved taking care of babies, but once the boys got older she’d lost interest. Molly knew Annie was thrilled to finally have a little girl to play with. Sure enough, she was soon cooing tonelessly to the baby.
With a final command to her sons to behave themselves, she climbed the steps up to the front porch of the MacLeod home. Of course, it had been the Selkirk home first, but Molly had never been particularly fond of Stanley Selkirk—a harsh, intimidating man—and knew that Serena hadn’t wanted the land. When Sebastian offered to lend Cam the money to buy the ranch, she’d been thrilled. Cam had worked hard for so long, and finally had the chance to grasp his dreams.
And he was married! She just couldn’t believe that! Well, she could believe that he was married—he was handsome and hard-working, a combination any young miss would like—but she couldn’t believe he’d gotten married so quickly. Why, the Barkers hadn’t even known about it until Serena and her aunts came to visit Annie. And after hearing about Nate’s conversation with Cam, she became all the more determined to meet this new wife of his, this wife who refused to give her love away.
A few moments after her knock, the door was opened by the most exotic woman Molly had ever seen. Tess Mac
Leod—because of course it had to be her—was no taller than Annie, but at twenty-two, a woman grown. And just as Serena had said, she was absolutely beautiful, in a striking sort of way.
Noting the wary expression, Molly smiled cheerfully. “I am so sorry for dropping in unexpectedly like this, Tess, but once we found out Cam had married, I just had to come meet you. I’m Molly Barker.”
Tess’s dark eyes flicked to Annie holding the baby, and the two boys, and recognition dawned. “Of course.” She stepped back to invite them into the foyer. “Serena told me all about you. Cam promised we’d come visit, but things have been so busy lately…”
“No need to apologize! I just hope you don’t mind us dropping in like this. It was so exciting to hear that Cam found a wife, and then to hear all about you from Serena and Agnes and Agatha… well, I just couldn’t wait any longer.” The smaller woman didn’t respond to Molly’s enthusiasm. In fact, Molly didn’t think she’d ever met a more serious-looking person, for all of Tess’s beauty.
Tess led them into the parlor, and when Pete playfully shoved Noah, Molly glared them both into stillness. The room was as elegant as she’d remembered, but with Serena’s knick-knacks missing. Instead, the wing-back chairs bracketed a table with a stack of books, and there was a basket of mending on the floor. Some of the spots on the wall were bare, where Serena and her aunts had taken paintings to their home in Cheyenne, and the big clock on the far wall was gone as well. But Cam and his father had filled the room with a few of their own things, and Tess was making it feel even homier.
The biggest changes to the room, however, were the blocks and miniature soldiers spread around the floor. Pushing some out of the way with the side of her foot, Tess smiled tightly, apologetically. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting company, and we’ve turned this room over to Jacob anyhow. He makes so many messes, but keeping a room formal just seemed silly…”
Tess trailed off when Molly put the cake down on a nearby table and took the smaller woman’s hand. Looking down into those surprised dark eyes, Molly said truthfully, “It’s the most wonderful thing I’ve seen all day, Tess. This room—this house—was too formal and too empty for Cam and Ian. You’ve brought life into it, and making it into a play room seems like an ideal solution.” She squeezed Tess’s hand and then dropped it. “Where is Jacob, anyhow?”
Surprise still evident in her expression, Tess gestured towards the settee, which Molly now saw had a blanket draped beneath it. “In his fort. He hid as soon as he heard the door.”
“Mrs. MacLeod?” Tess started at the sound, and turned to Pete, who was practically vibrating with anticipation. “Can me and Noah go look in the fort too?” Molly had seen the way her sons had eyed the wooden soldiers, and knew that they were dying to play with Jacob’s toys.
A small smile softened Tess’s features, and suddenly Molly understood her draw. She saw the allure in the exotic tilt of the eyes, and the creamy cheekbones. Just like she’d always thought her brother-in-law was a handsome man because of his mixed blood, she saw Tess’s sensual appeal.
“Of course.” Tess’s voice was huskier than it had been a moment ago, and Molly was pleased to know that the smaller woman was showing them her true self. “I think that Jacob would be excited to meet you.”
She crossed to the settee, and gestured the two boys towards her. Bending down, she lifted the blanket just enough for Molly to see a mop of light brown curls. “Jacob, two friends came to visit. Can they bring some soldier men into the fort?”
“Yah! Ho-sies too!”
Pete had already scooped up two wooden horses, and Noah had a handful of soldiers. Tess backed away and Molly’s sons dropped to their bellies and wiggled underneath the settee. Their rear ends and legs stuck out, of course, but they were soon chattering happily about the battles being waged.
Tess excused herself, and returned within minutes with a tray and three cups of tea. Molly was impressed that she’d fixed them so quickly, and when she commented on it, Tess looked embarrassed. “My father always said that tea was essential to a person’s well-being. He always had water boiling for a cup, and I guess old habits…”
Remembering that Nate said Tess’s father had been Chinese, Molly smiled understandingly. But she could tell that the smaller woman didn’t want to talk about her family. So, taking Rose from Annie and setting the baby on the floor to chew on a block, Molly began to tell Tess about her family and her home. Soon, Cam’s wife’s shoulders relaxed, and she even smiled as she sipped her tea.
When Rose crawled towards her, Tess moved the empty teacup aside and scooped the little girl. Bouncing her on one knee, Tess cooed “Aren’t you a pretty girl?” Rose grinned, drool pooling behind her two bottom teeth, and Molly felt her heart melt as it always did. Tess quickly mopped up the baby spit, and the two women fell to talking about babies and children, and soon began to grow quite comfortable with one another.
Molly watched Tess watch Annie, and saw the way the girl’s eyes were riveted to the women’s lips. Annie hadn’t been born deaf, but lost her hearing at a young age. That fact, combined with Sebastian’s oralist teachings, meant that with practice, Annie was able to read lips, and even speak herself. She still preferred the sign ‘language’ that Wendy had developed, but she gamely kept up with the lip-reading. The thought of Wendy caused Molly a pang, as it always did. She hadn’t seen her middle sister in over two years, and missed her terribly. Her letters had lately turned formal and scarce, and Molly feared for the younger women, alone in a big city. Wendy would have loved meeting Tess, to hear about the other woman’s adventures.
Wanting to hear them herself, but not wanting to overwhelm Tess, Molly instead drew Annie into the conversation, and appreciated the way Tess tried to speak to the girl. It was obvious she had no experience with deaf people, but she spoke clearly and politely to Annie, and earned Molly’s respect. Many people spoke louder, or spoke to Molly and expected her to ‘translate’ for her sister. By acknowledging Annie’s abilities to communicate, Tess showed that she was thoughtful and insightful. And she was obviously very kind, despite how reserved she’d seemed at first. She won the girl’s favor when she complimented Rose’s little dress, and seemed impressed—rather than surprised—when Annie admitted that she loved to sew.
“The stitching is so delicate! You have a real talent, Annie!”
Molly’s sister blushed. “Thak oo.”
“Beautiful stitches, and you’re good with children. You are an accomplished young women.”
“And she has a special touch with the foals.” Molly couldn’t pass up the chance to brag about her sister. “Ash turned all the care for them over to her.” Tess raised her brows, impressed. “Of course, the last year has been more schoolwork with Serena and Sebastian, and less baby horses, but still…”
“I miss dem.”
“I can imagine—” Whatever Tess was going to say was lost when the boys tumbled out from their fort, and soon were rolling around the floor like little puppies. Molly started to chastise her sons, but held back in favor of seeing how Tess would handle the situation. The younger woman just shifted in her chair to move a small table out of the way of the flailing arms, and then sat back to cuddle Rose. Molly liked that she wasn’t uptight about the boys playing in her space. Serena, for all of her generosity and love of children, would have been concerned for her beautiful things. Tess was down-to-earth and practical, and Molly couldn’t help but like that about her.
“I can tell that you’re a wonderful mother, Tess.” When the smaller woman looked startled, Molly asked, “What?”
“Nothing.” Tess smiled, and it transformed her face. “It’s just that Cam said something very similar to me right after we were married.”
“Well, he’s always had sound sense. For years I’ve watched him watch the boys, and now Rose,” she nodded to her daughter, who was now trying to climb Tess’s face, “and known that he’d be a wonderful father. He’s wanted a family for a long while, but I think he’s o
nly recently realized it.”
Tess laughed as the baby tried to suck on her chin. “Yes, he said the same thing to me. He’s good with Jacob.”
“Jacob me!” Her son, who was holding his own against the big boys, pointed to himself and looked inquisitively at his mother.
“Yes, honey. I’m just talking about Daddy.” Molly glanced at Annie while their hostess’s attention was taken by her son. Daddy? Annie mouthed with a raised eyebrow. Molly smiled and nodded slightly, thrilled that Cam and Tess had realized how important it’d be for Jacob to consider Cam his father. In fact, now that she was able to see the boy fully, she realized that he could pass as Cam’s child. Jacob obviously didn’t have much of his grandfather’s Chinese blood; there was a slight tilt around the eyes, and high cheekbones, but his eyes were more blue than dark, and his hair was a brown that might almost appear blonde if he spent enough time in the sun. Tess’s first husband must have had curly blonde hair like Cam.
“I’m sorry that you had to lose your first husband, and go through such an ordeal as raising Jacob alone,” Molly reached to take Rose as the baby tried to climb down herself, “But we’re so glad that you’re here with us now. With Cam.”
Was Tess blushing? It was hard to tell. “I’m happy to be here. The last years have been hard, and it’s nice to finally have a place to call home.”
“I know nothing can replace your first husband. You must miss him very much.”
Now she looked down at her hands, clasped on her lap. “Joshua and I were friends from childhood. He was an orphan, and spent time working for my father when we were both young. After my parents’ deaths, he proposed, but it was… well, it was almost a business arrangement. We were a good match, and worked well together. We trusted each other to know what was needed to run a store.”
“Well, friendship is a good way to start a marriage, I guess. It can grow into love.”