McKinnon's Bride (Willow Grove, Texas Series Book 1)

by Sharon Gillenwater

  Jessie smiled and looked back in the mirror. “I think it might fit.”

  “We have a dressing room right over here if you’d like to try it on.”

  “Yes, I would.”

  “I’m Lydia Hemphill.” She led the way to a small room situated between the men and women’s clothing sections. “Ty said you’re Cade’s new housekeeper. Mrs. Monroe, was it?”

  “Yes. Jessie Monroe.”

  Lydia glanced across the store at Cade. “You’ll be the envy of half the women in Willow Grove.”

  “I’m only his housekeeper,” Jessie said sharply. “With separate living quarters.”

  “Of course. Everybody knows Nan had a place of her own. And he’s too fine a man for anyone to believe he would do anything indecent. But the women will be jealous about the way he looks at you.”

  Taken aback, Jessie stopped in the dressing room doorway, staring at the young woman. “What do you mean, the way he looks at me?”

  “Like you’re the only woman in Texas.”

  Jessie laughed and shook her head at the fanciful notion.

  Miss Hemphill sighed softly. “Don’t you realize the man is smitten?”

  “Well, I don’t know about smitten.” Other words came more readily to mind. Persistent. Arrogant. Seductive.

  “Trust me, he is. He’s always nice to the ladies, teases them and such. But when he looks at you...well, it’s obvious he has deep feelings for you.”

  “Miss Hemphill, you’re a romantic.”

  The young woman grinned. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

  Jessie wanted to tell her that it was a foolish notion, that the harsh realities of life would break her heart. But who was she to shatter a young woman’s dreams? Perhaps Miss Hemphill would never discover that romance was only an illusion. “As long as you don’t expect the impossible.”

  “Oh, I don’t. I’m practical,” she said with a laugh. “When you’ve changed clothes, come out and check the dress in this mirror. The light is better here. If it needs any adjustments, I’ll mark them for the seamstress. There’s no charge for alterations.” She pointed to a hook on the upper part of the door. “This will latch it, to keep anyone else from accidentally walking in on you.”

  Jessie went inside the fitting-room and closed the door, fastening the latch. Though the walls went all the way to the floor and were about eight feet high, there was no ceiling. A full length mirror was attached to the wall, with a chair in the corner. She hung the rose pink dress on a hook and began to unbutton her dress. Though she was certain no one could see inside the fitting-room, removing her clothes in a public place felt strange, especially when she could easily hear Miss Hemphill and Asa Noble exchange greetings. She guessed they were only a few yards away from the cubical. She was not one to eavesdrop, but in this instance, she couldn’t avoid it.

  “Can I help you find something, Mr. Noble?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I’m considerin’ going to church tomorrow. I need something to wear, but I ain’t real excited about gettin’ all gussied up.” His tone changed, gentled a bit. “I believe Cade mentioned that you attend the same church he does?”

  Smiling, Jessie pulled her old dress over her head and draped it over another hook. Was the young lady the reason Asa had decided to get religion?

  “Every Sunday,” replied Miss Hemphill. Jessie imagined her smiling at the older, but handsome cowboy.

  “Do I need to buy a suit?” He sounded as if that would be a terrible thing.

  “The Lord doesn’t care what you wear, Mr. Noble. I’m sure He’s just glad you’ll be there. As am I,” she added softly.

  “Truly, ma’am?”

  Jessie quickly pulled the rose dress over her head so she wouldn’t miss the young lady’s reply.

  “It’s always good for a man to have an interest in God.”

  “Even if I’ve never been to church before?”

  “Never?”

  “No, ma’am. Not once. Reckon that lowers your opinion of me.” Disappointment threaded his voice.

  Jessie barely knew Asa Noble, but what she had seen impressed her. He’d been kind to her children, respectful to her even when he caught her and Cade about to kiss on the back porch. Her fingers slowed as she buttoned up the dress.

  “But you’re planning to go now. That’s the important thing,” said Miss Hemphill, her voice slightly muffled. “Ah, here is it is. This white shirt, along with a good pair of trousers, would do nicely. No need for a suit. This one should fit you.”

  Slipping the last button through the buttonhole, Jessie looked in the mirror. Her mouth fell open. She had never worn anything so stylish. Nor could she remember any other dress making her look so attractive. It accented the curves of her bosom and small waist. The color brought a delicate glow to her cheeks and brightened her eyes.

  She turned around, looking over her shoulder in the mirror. It was a perfect fit, right down to the length. As she stared at her reflection, the conversation between Mr. Noble and Miss Hemphill resumed.

  “I’m a mite nervous about going,” he said. “Not sure what to expect, or worse that I might doze off or something.”

  Miss Hemphill laughed. “You wouldn’t be the first person to do that. Usually, the minister’s sermons are interesting enough to keep my attention, but on a warm day, I sometimes get drowsy.”

  Mr. Noble chuckled. “Maybe we should sit together and keep each other awake.”

  “An excellent idea. I’ll meet you outside the church about ten ’til eleven.”

  “I’ll look forward to it. What kind of dress trousers do you recommend?” His voice trailed off as they moved away.

  Jessie waited a few more minutes before opening the fitting-room door and walked out, going over to the mirror. Miss Hemphill had been right, the light was better there. And the dress even prettier in the sunlight. The patter of small, running feet caused her to turn around.

  “Ellie, don’t run in the store,” she said with a smile.

  Her daughter instantly slowed to a walk, an awed expression lighting her face. “Mama, you’re beautiful.” She stared at Jessie for a minute, then turned to look up at Cade as he and Brad caught up with her. “Isn’t Mama beautiful, Mr. McKinnon?”

  “Yes, she is, Ellie.” His appreciative gaze swept over Jessie from head to toe, then moved back up to her face. “She’s lovely.”

  Jessie’s heart lurched. Everyone else in the store—even the store itself—seemed to disappear. Admiration shimmered in his eyes, along with something so incredible she refused to give it a name.

  “Are you gonna wear that to church tomorrow?” asked Ellie.

  “Not this Sunday. But I’ll ask Mr. McKinnon to put it away for me until pay day.”

  “I’ll buy it for you,” Cade said quietly.

  “Thank you, but I should wait.”

  “We can just add it to the pile.” When he moved his hands, Jessie realized his arms were full of things for her children. A pretty red dress, straw hat, and black shoes for Ellie; along with a baseball bat and mitt, pair of new pants, and a shirt for Brad. She glanced at her daughter, who was wearing a new pair of brown everyday shoes and carrying a baby doll. Brad had on his cowboy boots, a Stetson hat, and carried a baseball mitt, baseball, and his old shoes.

  “Two mitts?”

  Cade grinned. “One’s for me.”

  “Cade, that’s too much.”

  “But I need it so Brad and I can play catch.”

  Jessie shook her head, trying to ignore the sparkle in his eyes. “I wasn’t talking about your mitt.” She motioned at the other things. “I meant everything else.”

  “I’m having fun. And I’ll be even happier if you let me buy that dress for you. You can pay me back. Besides, if I buy it, you can get it wholesale. Half price.”

  That got her attention. “Half price?”

  “Yep. Shouldn’t pass up a deal like that.”

  Jessie hesitated for just a minute. “Oh, all right.”

 
; “That’s my girl,” he said softly.

  Ellie tugged on his sleeve. “I thought I was your girl.”

  “You are, honey.” He met Jessie’s gaze as she turned around. “Reckon that makes your mother my woman.”

  Cade’s woman. As bittersweet yearning filled her soul, Jessie caught her breath. What would it be like to belong to this decent, honest man? A man she could be believe in and trust. To be secure and cared for, teased and pampered. To know safety in his touch, gentleness in his caress. To be loved by him.

  She shivered with longing, trembled in fear. Shaking her head in denial, Jessie turned and fled into the dressing room. Though she knew all too well life’s harsh realities, she was still prone to foolish notions.

  Even a broken heart could dream.

  Chapter 9

  It had been almost two weeks since their first trip to town, and Cade had tried hard to not crowd Jessie. He hadn’t missed the longing in her eyes when he called her his woman, but it had been overshadowed by fear. Fear that made her tremble and flee.

  Afterward, she had been pleasant enough company but even more cautious than before. So he had tread carefully, been respectful, and tried to make her laugh. He often succeeded, such as that first Sunday in church when Asa walked in, and he glanced up at the ceiling to see if the roof held. Then he realized that his old friend was escorting Miss Hemphill, and his mouth fell open. Jessie teased him about catching flies, making him chuckle, then smugly told him she had detected a budding interest between the two in the store the day before.

  He had seen Lydia helping Asa find a shirt and trousers but hadn’t noted any hint of anything else going on. Of course, he’d been clear across the store. Eventually, it dawned on him that Jessie had been in the dressing room and likely overheard their conversation. But when he started to ask her about it, she had already turned her attention to the minister who picked that inconvenient time to begin the opening hymn. He doubted she would have shared what she overheard anyway, given her aversion to gossip.

  He talked to Asa later, who told him he had just been following his advice about sitting with a pretty lady to keep him awake during the service. Cade wasn’t sure how much of the sermon his friend heard.

  Probably about as much as he did with Jessie sitting beside him, their arms brushing on occasion and his fingers touching hers as they held the hymnal. He’d actually been relieved when Ellie grew restless. He settled her on his lap and let her play his fingers like a piano. He still didn’t hear much of the sermon, but at least he wasn’t so focused on the lady beside him.

  He’d come to town again for a regular meeting of the county commissioners court. Finished with business, he decided to stop by the store and see Ty. He found him in the office, writing up an order for another freight car load of merchandise.

  Cade paused in the doorway, resting his hand on the frame, and grinned at his brother. “Spending all the money again?”

  “Have to spend it to make it.” Ty leaned back in his desk chair and stretched his arms over his head. “But that’s all right. We’re gettin’ richer by the minute.”

  Chuckling, Cade wandered over to a second chair beside the desk and sat down. “Maybe I should quit ranching and open up another business.”

  “You’d go loco in a week.”

  “Yep. Start shootin’ up the town and probably half the customers to boot. Though we could use another livery stable and wagon yard. Lowery’s stable was full when I got here this morning. I had to tie Mischief in front of the courthouse for a while.”

  A speculative gleam lit his brother’s eyes. “I don’t know of anything special going on in town. If he’s full in the middle of the week, what do people do on the weekend?”

  “He said he’s been stringing a line out back for the extra horses and putting the wagons in the vacant lot next to his. He seemed to think having too many customers is a nuisance.” Cade grinned as Ty leaned forward and began to scribble something on a piece of paper. “Think he’s more interested in expanding his freight business.”

  “He can have it. But I’ve been thinking about starting a stage line between here and Fort Concho.” At Cade’s raised eyebrow, Ty laughed. “This time we wouldn’t have to fight Indians along the way. And I don’t intend to drive. We can find someone else to take care of that part. A stable and wagon yard would fit right in.”

  Cade considered the plan, slowly nodding. “We could arrange with the ranches to keep the additional teams. You’d need some meal stops, maybe even an overnight one.”

  “Can’t do it until we get a half-way decent road.” Ty’s eyes twinkled with merriment. “Know anybody on the commissioners court we could talk to?”

  “Don’t think you’ll have to do much talking. We received a petition this morning from several folks south of us, asking for the road to be improved.” Cade shook his head. “It needs it. It’s hardly more than a wide trail in some places. Every time I think about Jessie and the kids coming through that country by themselves, I feel sick. In fact, I’d planned to bring it up this morning, but Terrell and the other ranchers beat me to it.”

  “So what was the vote?”

  “We’re looking into the costs and how to go about it. But I don’t doubt for a minute that it will be approved, along with at least two bridges over the creeks, possibly three if we can afford it. The country is settling up. If we want our town and county to keep growing, we have to build a good road to Fort Concho to get them here.”

  “Can you persuade Tom Green County to take care of their part?”

  “I think so. They would benefit, too. Since it’s in my precinct, I have to go down there next week and convince them.”

  “You don’t sound too excited about it.”

  Giving his brother a wry smile, Cade shrugged. “I don’t want be away from Jessie and the kids.”

  “How are they?”

  “Good. Brad is doing well with the riding lessons. We’ve spent most of the time in the corral, though yesterday we went for a little ride in the pasture. I thought I’d take him out for an hour or so tomorrow morning. Show him some of the ranch. Give him a chance to gallop.” He settled more comfortably in the chair. “Ellie’s jealous. She’s all set for a pony.”

  “So you took her a doll house instead,” said Ty with a laugh.

  Cade grinned. “At first she didn’t know whether to be mad because I said she was too young for a pony or tickled about the doll house. But she’s been playing with it a lot, so guess she likes it. We’ve been reading every night. ’Bout finished with Around the World in 80 Days.”

  “You’re becoming a regular family man.”

  “Not as regular as I’d like.”

  Ty studied him for a minute. “You’re serious.” When Cade nodded, he continued, “How are things between you and Jessie?”

  “I don’t know. I think I spooked her a little. Came on too strong. So I’ve been trying to go slow. I know there’s something between us, but she’s afraid.”

  “Because of her first husband? She said something about not mourning for him, so I figured he wasn’t worth much.”

  “Not worth a plug nickel. So I’m trying to show her that I am.”

  “Don’t you think she could see that right off?”

  “Some of it. But she needs a man who will love her and take care of her and the family. One she can trust and depend on.”

  Understanding dawned in Ty’s eyes. “And you haven’t told her about Quint.”

  “I know what he set out to do, but we haven’t heard from him.” Cade stood, pacing across the small office and back. “He might be dead.”

  “You have to find some way to explain it to her. The longer you wait, the worse it’s going to be.”

  Cade sighed heavily. “I know. I’ll figure out something. In the meantime, we can spread the word that Jessie is at the ranch. Maybe he’ll hear about her and quit his foolishness.”

  Ty gave him an amused look. “The news about Jessie being at the ranch made the rou
nds the first weekend y’all came to town. Even some of the cowboys from ranches in the Panhandle have heard about it.”

  “What are they saying?”

  “Most folks are speculating that you’re about to get hitched.”

  “And the others?”

  “A few men didn’t think you needed to bother with marriage. Figured having her working for you and living right next door provided plenty of opportunity to take care of other needs besides grub and a clean house.”

  “Did you set them straight?”

  “Of course. Told them she’s a good, God-fearing woman who deserves their respect.”

  “Good.” Cade paused, frowning. “You should have added that I wouldn’t take that kind of advantage of a woman.”

  “I did. And I think most people believe it. But some of them, even the upright ones, look at Jessie and know they’d be hard pressed to keep their hands off her.”

  Cade slowly smiled. “I didn’t say I intended to. I don’t know for certain yet, but I suspect even God-fearing women like to be kissed.”

  Ty’s smile was bittersweet, and sadness filled his dark brown eyes. “Amanda did.”

  Cade wanted to kick himself. Ty’s wife had died in childbirth three years earlier. The babe had only lived a few hours. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be. Like I told you before, you don’t have to guard your words. I think about her every day anyway.”

  “She would be proud of you.”

  Ty smiled, a happy one this time. “Yes, she would be. Of both of us. She’d like Jessie, too. And she would scold you all day to Sunday for not telling her about Quint.”

  “I’ll give him another week to contact me or the sheriff. Then, whether I’ve heard from him or not, I’ll tell her what I know. Hopefully, it will be good news.”

  “You think that will make a difference?”

  “Maybe a little. She’ll probably be mad enough to kick a hog barefooted anyway.”

  ***

  Cade grabbed some dinner at the restaurant, then rode back to the ranch. He stopped at the house, looping Mischief’s reins around the hitching post by the back porch. When he walked into the kitchen, Jessie stood beside the table, spreading chocolate frosting on a cake.