Returning to the front of the building, she took another look around. Even though the house was in need of a ton of work and a coat of paint inside and out, it was perfect for her needs. She was certain she and Angelina could fix it up in no time at all.
Humming softly, she walked back to town only to come to an abrupt stop. She had forgotten one little thing. She didn’t have any money. Maybe she could get a loan from the bank. And maybe not, since she didn’t have anything to put up as collateral. But maybe the bank would be willing to take a chance on a new business. After all, a new business would be good for the townsfolk and good for the town.
Hopefully, the bank president would think so, too. Well, Kelsey thought, smoothing the front of her skirt, she’d never know if she didn’t try and there was no time like the present!
Filled with purpose, she marched down the street to the bank, took a deep breath and stepped inside.
It looked just like a bank in the Old West should look. There were two tellers behind wooden cages. A bank guard stood to one side, idly thumbing through the morning newspaper.
A middle-aged man with a pencil thin moustache and a shock of white hair sat at a large desk located behind a wooden rail. He wore a natty pinstripe suit, matching vest and a black cravat. A gold chain spanned his ample belly.
He looked up when she entered the building. When she didn’t go to either of the tellers, he rose and walked toward her. “Good afternoon. I’m Linus Piedmont, president of the bank. May I help you?”
Kelsey put on her best smile. “I hope so. My name is Kelsey St. James and I’d like to take out a loan.”
“I see.” He opened the small wooden gate in the rail. “Come in, won’t you? Please, be seated.”
Kelsey sat in the hard, ladder-back chair in front of the desk, her hands folded primly in her lap.
“I don’t believe I’ve seen you in town before,” Mr. Piedmont said, resuming his seat behind the desk.
“No, I’ve only been here a short time.”
“I see. Do you have family in Grant’s Crossing?” he asked. “A husband?”
“No.” She wondered if mentioning Pete Muldoon’s name would be a plus or a minus.
“It isn’t company policy to loan money to single women. How much did you wish to borrow?”
“I’m not sure. I think about seven hundred dollars.”
He lifted one brow. “And what do you have for collateral?”
“Well, nothing, but you’d have a note on the property. I intend to start a new business.”
The banker put his elbows on the desk top and steepled his fingers. “What property? What kind of business?”
Kelsey frowned. Was he leering at her? Good Lord, did he think she meant to open a bawdy house? “A coffee shop,” she said, holding onto her temper. “I want to buy the house at the end of town.”
“The old Williams place?”
“Yes, that’s the one.”
“And you want to turn it into a coffee shop? You mean, a place that just sells coffee?”
“And cookies and cheesecake. A place where the town’s ladies can gather,” she said, her excitement growing as she expanded her idea. “The men congregate at the saloon and the barber shop and the blacksmith, but the ladies in town really don’t have anyplace where they can get together to sit and talk, well, except the mercantile, but that’s hardly a place conducive to conversation.”
Mr. Piedmont leaned back, his brow furrowed. “You want me to lend you seven hundred dollars so the ladies in town will have a place to sit and gossip?” He shook his head. “I doubt if their husbands would approve.”
Kelsey stared at him in disbelief. Their husbands wouldn’t approve? Give me a break!
“I’m sure it will be a good risk,” she said, again holding her temper in check. “I know quite a bit about selling and marketing.”
“Indeed?” he replied, looking skeptical. “And where did you acquire this knowledge?”
“Time and experience, Mr. Piedmont.”
“Well, Miss St. James, unfortunately, time and experience count for very little when one is applying for a loan of that size. I’d like to help you out, really I would, but you’re new in town, you have no husband, no references and no collateral.”
Inwardly seething, Kelsey clenched her hands in her lap to keep from screaming. She was a successful businesswoman. Back home, she handled accounts worth millions of dollars and this…this idiot refused to lend her a paltry seven hundred dollars.
Piedmont rose, indicating the interview was over.
Kelsey took a deep breath. “Won’t you please reconsider?”
“I’m sorry, no. Good day to you, Miss St. James.”
Biting back the urge to call him a spineless chauvinistic toad, she gained her feet and left the bank.
Standing on the boardwalk, Kelsey glanced up and down the street, hoping, somehow, that she would wake up and find herself at home. A foolish hope, at best. Muttering, “Now what?” she turned down the boardwalk toward the hotel.
She was about to open the door when Reese stepped out. As always, the sight of him did funny things in the pit of her stomach. Today, he wore black boots, black trousers and a black leather vest over a white shirt.
“Hey, girl,” he said, smiling. “I was just about to come looking for you.”
“Oh, why?”
He pushed his hat back on his head. “Do I need a reason?”
“I guess not.”
Canting his head to one side, he regarded her through narrowed eyes. “Somethin’ troublin’ you?” he asked. “You look a mite upset.”
“You’ve got that right!”
“Hey, don’t bite my head off.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, it’s not you, it’s just…” She waved her hand in a broad sweeping gesture that encompassed the whole town. “I don’t belong here and I can’t get home and I don’t want to spend the rest of my life working in that smelly saloon and…”
“Whoa, girl! Come on,” he said, taking her by the arm and leading her back into the hotel. “Let’s get a cup of coffee and talk this over.”
The hotel was closed, but a word and a smile from Reese and the waitress who had been sweeping the floor let them in. Even though the room was deserted, Reese sat with his back to the wall. He ordered coffee and a slice of apple pie and after a moment, Kelsey ordered the same.
“Why do you always sit like that?” she asked, dropping into the chair across from him.
“Like what?”
“Like you expect someone to come up behind you and shoot you in the back.”
“It could happen.”
“Is someone after you?”
“Several someones,” he muttered.
“Really? Why?”
Settling back in his chair, he crossed his arms over his chest. “I was playing cards in Amarillo a couple of years back. I caught a fella dealin’ from the bottom of the deck and I called him on it. He pulled a gun on me and I killed him.”
“Oh, my.”
“Yea. I went to jail. There was a trial. Judge said it was self-defense but the man I shot had brothers and they didn’t see it that way.” He shrugged. “There were three of them. Now there’s only one.”
She didn’t have to ask what had happened to the other two. Their fate was clearly written in Reese’s eyes. “Is the other one still looking for you?”
He nodded curtly.
“You said you were wanted by the law, too.”
“They’ve probably forgotten about me by now. It was a long time ago.”
“What did you do?”
He shrugged. “Robbed a bank in Kansas City and another one over in Hays.”
Kelsey blinked at him and then she laughed.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she said, wiping tears from her eyes. “It’s just that when we were having dinner one night soon after we met, you told me you were wanted by the law in a couple of other places and I remember thinking you might be
a bank robber. Turns out I was right!”
“Think that’s funny, do you?”
“Well, sort of. Why did you rob a bank?”
He looked at her as if she wasn’t too bright. “Why does anyone rob a bank? I needed a stake. Didn’t amount to much more than a few hundred dollars either time. But enough about me. What’s got you looking so down in the mouth?”
“Oh, that.” She blew out a sigh. “I went to the bank to get a loan.”
“Why do you need a loan?”
“I want to buy a house. The Williams house. Do you know it?”
“That old place out at the end of town?”
“Yes.”
“Whatever for? Hell, the hotel’s in better shape.”
“I want to start a business.”
He stared at her in much the same way Piedmont had. “What kind of business?”
“A coffee shop.”
He grunted softly. “Why?”
“I don’t like working in the saloon and I thought a coffee shop would be a nice addition to the town, a place where the women can go and just…well, you know, sit and chat.”
He frowned. “Why do women need a place to sit and chat?”
“Oh! You sound just like that idiot, Piedmont!”
“I don’t mean to interrupt,” the waitress said as she delivered their order. “But I think it’s a wonderful idea. A place just for ladies.”
Kelsey looked up at her and smiled. “Thank you.”
The waitress smiled back. “You let me know when it’s open, you hear?”
“I’ll do that.”
Beaming, the waitress hurried toward the kitchen, no doubt to spread the latest bit of gossip.
“So, how much money do you need?” Reese asked.
“I’m not sure. I was hoping to borrow seven hundred dollars.”
Reese leaned forward, his fingertips drumming on the tabletop. “I can let you have it.”
“You can? You will?”
He shrugged. “Sure.”
“Oh, Reese, that’s wonderful! And I’ll pay you back. What would you consider a good rate of interest?”
“Fifty percent?”
“Fifty percent!” she exclaimed, then, seeing his grin, she shook her head.
“I won’t charge you any interest,” he said. “Just consider me a partner.”
“Really?”
“Why not? I’ve got the money, you’ve got the know-how, we’ll split the profits.”
“So you think a coffee shop will make money?”
“I don’t know, but you seem to think so and that’s good enough for me.”
“To us,” she said, lifting her coffee cup in a toast.
“To us,” he repeated.
* * * * *
Leaving the hotel, Kelsey and Reese went to find the owner of the Williams place. They found Esau Williams at the barbershop, deep in a discussion with half a dozen other men about the price of beef.
Reese took Esau aside and told him they were interested in buying his house. Forty minutes later, the paperwork was done and Kelsey had the deed and the key to the house in her hand. She was a homeowner at last!
“Let’s go look at it,” she said.
“Now?”
“Yes, now.”
Kelsey looked at the place through new eyes as they waded through the weeds up to the front porch. She would paint the house white, with yellow trim, plant flowers along the walkway, maybe put a couple of tables on the porch so the ladies could sit outside when the weather was nice. New curtains at the windows, maybe yellow to match the trim…
“You look like you’re about to pop,” Reese remarked as she slid the key into the lock.
“I’ve always wanted to be in business for myself,” she admitted, opening the door.
Reese shook his head. “Women in business,” he muttered. “It ain’t natural.”
“Excuse me?”
Laughing, he held up in hands in a gesture of surrender. “Hey, I was just joshin’ ya.”
Kelsey went from room to room. The curtains were faded, the floors covered with dust, but the building seemed solid enough. There was a dry sink and pump in the airy kitchen, along with the pie safe and several large cupboards. The two bedrooms were fairly small, but adequate for her needs. The living room was large and square, as was the dining room adjacent to the kitchen. She figured five or six small round tables would fit comfortably in the living room. She would need a sideboard and maybe a love seat. She had no idea where she would get the furniture she needed. Did people send back east when the things they needed weren’t available in town?
She was standing in the kitchen, imagining how it would look once it was painted and furnished, when she heard the sound of footsteps. They were too light to belong to Reese. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Angelina standing in the doorway.
“Hi,” Kelsey said. “Welcome home.”
“Home?” Angelina frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I just bought this place,” Kelsey said.
“You did?” Angelina glanced around. “Why?”
“I woke up with a great idea.”
Angelina grimaced. “You think buying this dusty old place was a great idea?”
Kelsey smiled at Reese, who had followed Angelina into the kitchen. “We’re going into business,” he said.
“We are?” Angelina asked, frowning.
“Yep. You and me and Kelsey.”
“What kind of business?” Angelina asked suspiciously.
“We’re going to open a coffee house,” Kelsey said.
Angelina frowned. “What’s a coffee house?”
“A place that sells coffee and cookies and cheesecakes. It’ll be great, you’ll see.”
“What’s Reese going to do?”
“He put up the money.”
Angelina looked at him and shook her head. “You’re as crazy as she is.”
He shrugged. “A body has to do something crazy every now and then.”
“So,” Kelsey said, “first thing tomorrow, I’ll start cleaning the place up. Then we’ll see about some furniture…new curtains…dishes…” She did a slow turn around the room. “I’ll need to find some coffee pots and experiment with flavors and things.” She looked at the old wood stove and grimaced. “I’ll have to learn how to bake in that monster.”
“I’ll help you clean after school,” Angelina said.
“Thanks, Angie,” Kelsey said with a grin. “This’ll be fun.”
Angelina and Reese exchanged dubious looks.
“Fun,” Angelina said dolefully.
“Right,” Reese said.
“You’ll see,” Kelsey said.
The chiming of the courthouse clock reminded Kelsey that she had to be at the Square Deal in less than an hour.
Reese and Angie followed Kelsey out of the house, waited while she locked the door.
“The Crossing House Cafe,” Kelsey murmured. “That’s what we’ll call it.”
Chapter Fifteen
Kelsey got several orders wrong that night, but maybe that was to be expected, since she was preoccupied with redecorating the Williams house instead of concentrating on what Pete was saying. Her house now, she amended with a smile. She had changed her mind about the color scheme. She had originally thought to do the house in shades of yellow and green but had decided to go with blue, lavender and pink instead, thinking the colors would be light and cheerful and feminine.
Reese grinned at her every time she glanced his way. And every time it made her heart skip a beat.
Kelsey was more than ready for a break when six-thirty rolled around.
She met Angelina at the hotel a few minutes later.
“How was school today?” Kelsey asked after they had ordered their dinner.
Angie shrugged. “Same as always. My teacher says I’m doing real good.”
“That’s great!”
Angie nodded. “I met a boy today…”
“At school?”
“N
o, he’s out of school.”
“Then where did you meet him?”
“I was at Osgood’s, looking at some dress material, and he was there with his father.” Her cheeks grew pink. “He smiled at me. It was such a nice smile,” she said dreamily. “His name is Danny Hamilton and he lives out on West Road.”
“He told you all this today?”
Angie nodded. “While his father was talking to Mr. Osgood. Danny asked if he could take me to the church social Saturday night.”
“And what did you say?”
“I said yes!”
“Angie, I haven’t even met him.”
“What difference does that make?”
“Well…I’m responsible for you.”
“I don’t need anyone to be responsible for me,” Angie said heatedly. “I’m almost sixteen!”
“Let’s not go through that again.”
“Hey, squirt,” Reese said, tugging on a lock of Angelina’s hair. “Is Kelsey giving you a bad time again?”
Kelsey glared at him as he pulled out an empty chair and sat down. “I’m not giving her a bad time. She met a boy and she wants to go to some church dance with him.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Reese asked. “She’s a big girl.”
“Nothing’s wrong with it,” Kelsey said, “except that I haven’t met him.”
“Ah. Well, I’ve got a good idea,” Reese said. “You go to the dance with me and we’ll both keep an eye on her.”
“I have to work,” Kelsey said.
“Just take the night off,” Reese suggested. “You’ll be quitting soon, anyway.”
“I guess I could,” Kelsey remarked thoughtfully.
“It’s settled then.” Reese grinned, looking incredibly pleased with himself.
Angie groaned. And then she looked at Kelsey. “I’ll need a new dress.”
“We both will,” Kelsey said.
“Well, hell,” Reese said, glancing from one female to the other, “maybe I’ll pick me up some new duds, too.”
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