Town Social

by Simmons, Trana Mae

  Charlie tipped her chin up. "I ain't no virgin, neither, Cassie. Does that make me unfit for you? And I do love you. I've always loved you."

  Sobbing, Cassie flung herself into Charlie's arms, and his face broke out in a huge smile. Sunny knew she should leave them alone, but she had to ask one more question.

  "Mary's husband...." She couldn't bring herself to call the man her father. "He's been dead for several years. But there were still regular deposits in my mother's account. Her lawyer told me."

  Charlie shrugged, but Cassie pushed away and looked up at him. "You sent the money, didn't you, Charlie? You took care of Sammy and Sunny."

  "Well," he drawled. "That there silver mine up in Denver just kept payin' off. And seemed like the more money I put into those danged horses, the more I made off them. I figure we've probably waited too long to have us any young'uns of our own, Cassie, honey, but I'm right proud I'll soon have me a niece and a little great niece."

  He turned his beaming face on Sunny. "Right proud," he repeated. "Hope you can accept that."

  Sunny blinked away tears and nodded, then shoved her chair back, pulling her hand free from Jake's. "I...need to be alone for a while," she said.

  "Sunny." Jake shoved his chair back and reached for her, but she backed away.

  "Please. I really need to be alone." She rushed past him and down the hallway to her bedroom. Closing the door behind her, she leaned on it, fighting new tears.

  A bastard. I'm a bastard. From the sound of it, her father had been a different kind of bastard. He'd slept with two sisters, using them against each other, then refusing to marry the one having his child — probably as revenge against Cassie.

  She wondered if Mary had any idea that her daughter and son had a half-sister, quickly realizing she couldn't have. Only Cassie and Charlie knew the truth, and now she and Jake.

  Jake. Oh, God, she couldn't ever tell him she loved him now. He'd never want anything to do with a woman who was born a bastard. Why had she ever come to Liberty Flats? Why had she ever wanted to know the truth of her parentage?

  She thought of her mother — the same age as she was now — alone and with child. Alone because she had become with child by the man her sister loved and had lost the love of her sister as a result. Three lives had been shattered by the man who had fathered her.

  And her mother had never married again. Well, not again, but ever married at all. She'd allowed men to escort her to various functions. She'd danced with men at balls and never lacked for partners. But she'd never let any man get closer than a dance to her.

  Sunny remembered romanticizing that sometimes. Thinking her mother too much in love with her husband's memory to ever love another man. Thinking the reason her mother would never talk about her father was because she couldn't bear the pain of speaking of him.

  How wrong she had been. There was pain for her mother in remembering the man who fathered her child, but not the romantic type pain about which Sunny had idealized. She wondered if the pain her mother felt could have been half as bad as what she was feeling now, with her heart ripping in two, knowing she would never have that one final chance to tell Jake she loved him. She would live with the shame of being a bastard for the rest of her life, never having the courage to take a chance on some man marrying her out of pity.

  ~~

  "Damn it, boy, go after her," Charlie said in exasperation.

  "She said she wanted some time alone," Jake replied in a low voice.

  "Yeah, that's what Cassie told me nineteen years ago," Charlie said with a sneer. "That she wanted to be alone. She was lying her fool head off, too, just like that Sunny gal is now. You love her, don't you?"

  Jake met his eyes steadily. "With everything in me."

  Cassie reached across the table and laid her fingers on his arm. "Then go to her, Jake. Tell her. Don't throw away the chance you can have together."

  "She...I don't know how she feels," Jake said.

  "Hell, ask her!" Charlie ordered. "Maybe you don't know it, but everybody else in town can see that little gal's in love with you. Get in there and find it out for yourself."

  Jake shoved his chair back and rose. He walked out of the kitchen, and down the hallway, his bootheels thudding softly on the carpeted floor. At the bedroom door, he lifted his hand to knock, thought better of it and reached for the doorknob. The door opened easily, and he saw Sunny lying on her bed, eyes open as she stared at the ceiling.

  "Go away," she said in a miserable voice. "Please. I don't want to talk to anyone."

  "I'm not going away, Sunny," he said as he crossed the room and sat beside her. "And you do need to talk. You've had a hell of a shock just now."

  "Yeah," she scoffed. "It's not every day a person finds out they've been born a...."

  Jake clapped a hand over her mouth, stilling her words. "Damn it, listen to me." She jerked his hand free, and he let her, and she flounced onto her side with her back to him.

  "Go away," she repeated.

  "I've already told you I won't go away. Sunny, please look at me."

  She shook her head, resisting when he took her arm and tried to turn her toward him. She scooted further away, and his hand fell to the bed.

  "I'd really like you to be looking at me when I say this, Sunny," he said quietly. "But if you won't, I'm still going to say it." He swallowed, then took a breath, wishing he'd asked Charlie to roll him a smoke so he'd have something to do with his hands. But, hell, he didn't even smoke. He gripped his knees, biting back a mocking grin when he realized his fingers had been trembling.

  "This afternoon," he told Sunny's back, "I wasn't just exercising Dusty. I was looking over some land Charlie had told me was for sale over on the far side of his ranch. Between him and Mary Lassiter's. It's got water to it — the same water that runs on through to Charlie's place. Comes out of those hills north of us."

  He waited for a minute, hoping Sunny would at least comment and let him know she had an idea of what he was trying to say. If anything, he noticed her back get more rigid.

  "There's a real pretty spot there," he finally said. "Be a good spot for a house. Man don't need as much range if he raises horses instead of cattle. I don't guess I ever told you, but I've got some invested in Charlie's ranch, too. Reckon I've got a good start of a herd with my share."

  Sunny spoke at last. "I wish you luck, Jake. I hope you'll be happy there."

  He heaved a huge sigh. "I won't be happy at all unless you'll share it with me, Sunny. I'm asking you to marry me. Be my wife."

  She didn't even hesitate. "No."

  His heart dropped down to his stomach. "You won't even think it over?" he asked.

  "No."

  He frowned at his knees, his fingers clenching until they ached. "I love you, Sunny," he said, his voice gruff with suppressed emotion.

  She gasped, and from the corner of his eye he saw her pull a pillow to her chest, then bend her golden head to it. "Go away," she said in a muffled voice. "Please go away."

  Ever so slowly, he forced his fingers loose. Ever so slowly, he forced himself to stand. Ever so slowly, he forced himself to walk away, when he really wanted to fling himself on the bed and gather her close. Beg her to reconsider.

  He closed the door quietly behind him, jamming his fingers in his back pockets and walking down the hallway. At the kitchen door, he paused when Cassie and Charlie looked up at him hopefully.

  "I won't be needing the land, Charlie," he said. Head bowed, he left the house.

  ***

  Chapter 20

  A while after Jake left, Cassie walked Charlie out into the back yard, where Charlie tied the pony's lead rope to his saddlehorn.

  "I wish I didn't have to leave right now, sweetheart," Charlie said. "But that mare's fixin' to foal and it's her first. I should be there."

  "You go on, Duckie. I'll try to talk some sense into my niece's stubborn head when she comes out of her room."

  Charlie gave her a steady look, then reached into his trous
er pocket. "I was gonna wait 'til you came out to dinner tomorrow evening, but after what happened today I don't want no doubts in your mind. I want you roped and wearing my brand so everybody, including you, knows who you belong to."

  Charlie handed her the small box, and Cassie took it with shaking fingers. "I...there's still things to settle. The fire...."

  "I more than paid for that fire damage with the donation I made," he said. "But if there's any other consequences for you, we'll handle them together. And we'll talk to Fred later. What with all the money I've spent there lately, including buying this ring from him, I think Fred will be reasonable. You'll probably just have to sit through a lecture about how foolish women are, then listen to Fred advise me how to handle you sometimes for your own good."

  Cassie felt her temper flare — at the same time realizing how much she was enjoying having feelings again. She'd been dead inside for so long. Another long-forgotten emotion peeped its head into her consciousness, surprising even her when she said coquettishly, "It's so nice having a strong man to lean on, Duckie."

  Charlie roared with laughter, and she flashed him a wicked smile. "Why do I have the feeling," Charlie asked, "that I've just been manipulated? And that this won't be the last time?"

  "Why, Duckie, I really do mean it. I'm tired of being alone, so you better get used to having me right there by your side." She opened the box, tears misting her eyes when she saw the diamond solitaire and matching wedding band. "They're beautiful, Duckie," she said with a heartfelt sigh.

  "Well, you only get one of them for now," he said gruffly. Removing the solitaire, he placed it at the tip of her ring finger. "And you don't get that 'til you give me that final yes. Will you marry me, Cassie, sweetheart?"

  "Yes, Duckie," she breathed.

  "And?" he asked with a quirked eyebrow.

  "I love you, Duckie," she replied. He started to push the ring onto her finger, but she stayed his hand. "And?" she asked.

  He chuckled, and tipped her chin up. "I love you, Cassie, sweetheart." He kissed her as he slid the ring onto her finger, then stared down at their clasped hands, turning them back and forth so the ring caught the sun's rays. "This is forever, Cassie."

  "Forever," she agreed. "And just so you can get used to the idea, I want to show you this." She pulled her own box out of her skirt pocket and lifted the lid. "This was my father's wedding band. It's going to be my brand on you the day we get married."

  "I'll be proud to wear it, sweetheart." He kissed her gently again, then mounted his horse. "If you need me, send someone out to the ranch. Otherwise, I'll be in to pick you up tomorrow afternoon around five. I borrowed Theresa from Mary for tomorrow and she'll fix dinner for us this time. If you want, you can be looking around for a housekeeper, but I've got a hankerin' to have a meal cooked by my own wife at least now and then."

  "I've got a hankerin' to cook quite a few meals for my own husband," she replied. "Soon as you get rid of that monstrosity of a stove and order one of those new ranges I showed you in the catalog."

  He grinned and touched his hat brim. "Already done told Fred to order one. See how easy I am to manipulate?"

  Touching his heels to his horse, he rode away, leaving Cassie standing in a cloud of love until he disappeared from sight. She turned back into the house, biting her lip as she entered the kitchen and stared at the table, where so much had happened that afternoon. Darn her silly niece. Hadn't she learned anything from listening to the airing of the mistakes Cassie had made herself?

  She thought back on her relationship with her mother, recalling how she had been so determined to ignore the advice passed on to her once she reached her independent teen years. She and Sammy had giggled together, knowing their own dreams would come true without fail — knowing the whole world was open to them. Raised with love and freedom, they had never doubted they could avoid the pitfalls and bad decisions the adults made.

  Until their safe, happy world crashed around their ears.

  Had she been alive to witness the detestation Ian McAllister had wrought on her daughters' lives, she knew now how badly her own mother would have hurt. She knew because she had opened herself up to love again and cared for Sunny and Teddy so dearly. Her mother would have talked herself hoarse, trying to make Cassie realize Ian McAllister was not the man for her. Her mother had been hesitant right from the start about Ian, she recalled. But she also knew her mother would have been around to pick up the pieces and help her put her life back together, had Cassie not listened to the warnings which came with her mother's love.

  Perhaps that would be all she could do for Sunny — be there to help her pick up the pieces, as Sammy would have been for her daughter.

  She went to check on Teddy and found the child awake. Rowdy lay on the foot of the bed, his tail thumping and brown eyes wary as he watched her approach. "Oh, stay right there, dog," she ordered. "How are you feeling, Teddy?"

  Teddy pursed her lips and rolled her eyes upwards. "Well," she said after a few seconds. "My arm hurts a little bit yet, and I gots a couple aches on my shoulder and backside. They's not worth talking 'bout, really, but Doc said I gots to tell every place I hurts. Mostly, tho', I'm awful hungry. Miss Ginny left some chocolate cake with the lemonade."

  Cassie laughed tolerantly, aware how wonderful it felt to laugh lately. "You can have a piece of that cake after supper, Teddy. But if you want, you can have a glass of lemonade now. And if you feel like it, you can come into the kitchen and sit with me while I cook."

  "I do feel like it." Teddy nodded her head emphatically, and Cassie helped her scoot off the bed. "Where's Sunny?" she asked as they headed into the kitchen.

  Cassie settled the child on a chair. "Sunny's in her room," she said as she walked over to the counter and poured two glasses of lemonade. Returning to the table, she sat down on the chair next to Teddy and placed one glass in front of her. After contemplating the child for a moment, she leaned toward her conspiratorially. "Teddy, sweetheart, I have a confession to make."

  "A con...confession? Is that like admittin' you done something wrong?"

  "Yes, but I'm hoping something good will come out of what I did wrong, if it was wrong. You see, I know it's not polite to eavesdrop, but I overhead what you and Ranger Jake were talking about the night of the grand opening."

  "Yeah, Sunny told me eavesdroppin's not polite, but I wasn't sayin' nothing to Ranger Jake that it would bother me for you to hear."

  "That's nice of you to say," Cassie told her with a smile. "So, do you remember when you said being grownup doesn't always mean you also got smart along the way?"

  "Uh huh. Seems to me grownups make mistakes, too."

  "They do," Cassie assured her. "I've corrected one of the mistakes I made. Charlie and I are going to be married soon."

  "That's great!" Teddy said. "Did you get a ring?"

  Cassie chuckled and held out her hand. "Oh, it's bee-you-tiful," Teddy said.

  "Do you feel up to listening to a story about a mistake our Sunny is making, Teddy?" she asked when Teddy looked up at her.

  "Sure. Maybe we can figure out how to help her not make her mistake."

  "That's what I was hoping, Teddy."

  ~~

  The next afternoon, Jake read the telegram Turley handed him, then glanced at the operator's worried face.

  "You haven't told anyone about this, have you?" he demanded.

  "No. No, Jake," Turley assured him. "And you got my word that I won't. But what are you going to do about it?"

  "There's not a damned thing I can do. Except tell Sunny."

  "It's gonna break her heart." Turley shook his head sadly. "That little lady's done so much for everyone else. Why do bad things have to happen to good people?"

  "I don't know, Turley." Jake crumbled the telegram in his fist, then jammed it in his pocket. "I sure as hell don't know."

  Shoulder's slumping in dejection, he left the telegraph office. Sunny would blame him, he realized as he crossed the street to the jailhouse.
And any slight hope he had of her changing her mind about marrying him would be gone. Hell, thinking maybe if he just hung around a while longer he could court her in other ways, he already had his resignation from the Rangers written up.

  Flowers might help, but the women in Liberty Flats had scavenged the wildflowers around town and even their own gardens for the Cultural Center opening. He'd bought a box of Fred's best candy, knowing Cassie would be out at Charlie's house that evening and Sunny would be alone. He'd figured he could go by a little after Teddy's bedtime. He wasn't a quitter — and the remembrance of the few minutes with Sunny right before Teddy got hurt yesterday had given him some hope. He'd been positive she cared for him in return. She just had a lot on her mind right now, what with Cassie and Charlie telling her all that stuff yesterday.

  And now this. He should go tell her right away. Waiting wouldn't make it any easier, and there wasn't much time left for her to get used to the idea. He stared at that damned rickety chair leaning in front of the jailhouse, recalling the day so many — so few — weeks ago, when a tiny package of willful audacity had tip tapped down the walkway toward him, with him being completely unaware she was walking straight into his heart.

  He picked up the chair and carried it inside. He'd have Brad Hopkins make the new sheriff another chair. This one belonged to him. He'd been thinking about having Brad repair the seat and add some rockers, but that wouldn't happen now. Still he didn't want to part with it. Hell, when had he gotten so sentimental? The chair would just be a reminder of all he'd lost, but at least he could set it on the porch of his house some day and watch the sunsets with his memories for company.

  He had to go talk to Sunny. Hoping he could catch Cassie before she left so Sunny would have another woman there for her when she got the news, he hurried out of the jailhouse. But when he glanced down the street, he saw Charlie's buggy pulling away from the house. Cassie sat close by his side, and the buggy horse was already in a sharp trot. He'd make too much of a ruckus now if he raced to the stables and got his dun to hightail it after Charlie and have him bring Cassie back. Too many people in town would ask too many questions, and Sunny had a right to have this information first.