“I hope she’s well.” Laura shook the tall man’s hand.
“Can’t complain,” he said with a smile. “Cade,” he said in greeting.
“Hawley,” Cade grumbled behind her. The two men shook hands. “What brings you out here?”
Trace shifted his gaze to Laura for a moment before going back to Cade. Slowly, he said, “I got news that might be of some interest to you.”
Laura eyed the two men. There was some kind of unspoken communication going on between them. Cade frowned. He handed his fishing pole and the fish he’d caught to Jonah. “Take these into the house. Miss Laura will tell you what to do with them.”
Jonah nodded, and ran for the house.
“Come water your horses at the trough,” Cade said, motioning for Trace to follow him toward the barn. Laura stared after him for a second, but turned her attention back to Sally when the two men headed for the barn with the buggy and saddle horse.
“Will you stay for supper?” Laura asked. She gestured with her chin toward Jonah. “As you can see, the fishing was very good.”
“I don’t think so,” Sally said, rocking the baby in her arms. “I just came along with Trace to see how you’re doing.” Her gaze followed the men as well.
Laura couldn’t hide the smile on her face. “We’re doing very well.” Her face flamed. “Come up to the house while the men talk.” She led the way up the porch and into the house.
“You can put those fish in a pail, Jonah, and fill it with water so they stay fresh. Then you’d best go wash the smell from your hands.”
The boy nodded eagerly, looking glad to be sent back outside with the men. Sally faced her, tilting her head with narrowed eyes in a calculating gaze as soon as the door shut behind Jonah. Her lips twitched in a smile.
“So, Cade is still here, I see. And, I don’t ever recall seeing you this happy. You haven’t left your head uncovered in ages.”
Laura matched her friend’s smile. “We’re business partners in the farm,” she said evasively.
“Business partners?” Sally’s eyebrows shot up. “Watching you come down that hill, you looked like a happy family. What are his intentions?”
Laura broke eye contact, and moved into the kitchen. She removed the fishing poles that Jonah had tossed on the table, and propped them up against the wall.
“He hasn’t made his intentions known.” She faced her friend again.
“But you want more than a business arrangement, don’t you?” Sally asked softly, and placed her hand on Laura’s arm. She shook her head dismissively, and laughed. “What a silly question. One look at you, and I know it’s what you want.”
“I haven’t been this happy since . . . in a long time.” Laura pulled a strand of her loose hair over her shoulder, curling the ends around her fingers. “Cade makes me feel things I don’t think I ever felt for Noah.” Guilt flooded her with the admission.
“I couldn’t be happier for you.” Sally reached her arm around Laura’s shoulder and gave her a quick hug, taking care not to squeeze the sleeping baby in her arm. “You deserve to be happy, and you’ve been alone long enough.”
“He hasn’t done or said anything that would indicate he wants a courtship.” Laura glanced at the ground. Her cheeks grew hot again. That wasn’t entirely true. “He kissed me, but other than that, he’s been a perfect gentleman. He refuses to take the spare bedroom in the house, and sleeps out in the barn.”
“Well, if he’s kissed you, then it’s about time he courts you. I think that usually comes first. Maybe he’ll take you to the Fourth of July Picnic at the end of the week,” Sally said with a smug tone. “That might be the perfect opportunity to start a formal courtship.”
“Maybe,” Laura replied, avoiding eye contact. The thought of going to a social function had been inconceivable just a few short weeks ago. Now, her heart sped up like that of a young girl’s, thinking about the possibility of Cade taking her on a formal outing.
“If I hurry, I think I have the perfect material to make a dress,” she said. She hadn’t done anything with the fabric Cade had bought for her. She’d been saving it for something special, and this might just be the right occasion for it.
“We can go together,” Sally said, her eyes widening with excitement. “Ethan and I can stop here on the way to Elk Lodge and pick you up.”
Laura laughed. It felt so good to be carefree again. “Cade hasn’t asked me, yet.”
Sally leaned forward, and whispered, “Then we’ll just have to plant the seed in his head. Men can be a little thick sometimes when it comes to these sorts of things. Maybe he doesn’t even know about the picnic.”
That made sense. “I suppose I could ask him.”
Sally was about to speak, when the front door opened. Jonah marched inside, followed closely by Cade and Trace. Both men wore serious looks. Laura’s eyes sought Cade, who was already heading toward her. He looked downright angry.
Stopping directly in front of her, his features softened slightly. She tilted her head toward him, her forehead wrinkled.
Before he could say anything, Sally cleared her throat. “As I was saying, Laura,” she said, louder than necessary. She stepped up between Cade and her. “You should come to the Fourth of July picnic this Saturday.” She shot a calculated glance at Cade. “I’m sure there will be plenty of nice gentlemen there who’d be interested in sharing lunch with you, or even a dance.”
Cade stared from her to Sally. He looked to be mulling things over in his head. Sally’s brows rose as if she were challenging him. Finally, he frowned slightly.
Sally leaned toward him. “Unless there’s already a man willing to take her,” she whispered loud enough for all to hear.
“Sally, quit your matchmaking,” Trace said in a disapproving tone, but his lips twitched and his eyes twinkled as he said it.
Cade shot an annoyed glance at Sally, then reached for Laura’s hand. The smile vanished from her face when he looked at her. The tension in his body was almost palpable.
“Miss Laura, I was telling Cade that I heard the Diamond K’s been buying up a lot of the smaller farms in the valley,” Trace said, breaking the silence, and the tension, in the room. “Mostly the ones that butt up against the mountains like your place.”
Laura shook her head. “Why would that concern me? I’ve already told Jack Kincaid that I’m not selling my farm.”
Trace glanced from her to Cade, looking almost uncomfortable. “There’s something I’d like Cade to come and check out. It’s just a hunch at this point, but I think Jack is conducting some kind of mining on those properties. Cade asked me weeks ago to come and tell him if I heard about anything unusual going on in the area. There’s something I think he should see.”
Cade’s grip on Laura’s hand tightened. “I’m trying to get to the bottom of why Jack wants your farm. I think I figured it out, but I need to go with Trace to be sure.”
Laura shook her head, her forehead wrinkling. “Now? It’s late in the day.”
“The sooner I find out what he’s up to, the quicker we can do something about him harassing you.” The muscles along his jaw tightened.
“It’s nothing to get alarmed over, Miss Laura,” Trace said. “If you’d feel better and don’t want to stay on your farm alone, you’re welcome to stay at the Red Cliff. I know Katie would enjoy the company.”
Laura looked from Cade to Trace, then shook her head. “I’ve got animals to take care of here.” She wasn’t going to simply leave her farm unattended. She stared at Cade.
He ran his free hand across his jaw, and glanced quickly at Sally, then back at her. “I need a word alone with you. Outside, in private.”
“Of course.” Her voice trembled.
Laura looked from Cade to Sally to Trace, then back to Cade. Sally’s brows rose the way they always did in a silent question. Cade took her hand more firmly in his, and led her out the door without a further word.
“What’s going on?” Laura asked after they’d walk
ed a good distance from the house.
Cade stopped, and faced her. His lips twitched, and he looked more relaxed. “The day you got your dander up because I was gone all day, I asked Trace to keep an eye and ear out for anything unusual going on that might concern Jack.”
“What did he find out that’s so important that you have to ride off so late in the afternoon?” Laura angled her head up toward him, her eyes narrowed. This was not how she’d envisioned this day to end.
Cade took a step closer. An uneasy smile spread across his face. Still holding on to her hand, he reached for the other. Laura shuddered involuntarily as chills of delight spread up her arms when Cade’s fingers caressed her palms.
He cleared his throat, and stared at her intently. “Laura, I’ve been meaning to tell you all day, that I want more than a business partnership. I don’t want what’s happening between us to remain strictly business.”
Laura’s breath caught in her throat. She quickly closed her gaping mouth. Her knees weakened when his words began to sink in.
“I . . . I don’t want . . . I mean, I want –” Words failed her.
He pulled her closer. “The last four years, I never thought I could care for another woman, but you’ve proved me wrong. I was drawn to you the minute I first laid eyes on you.”
Laura swallowed. “It’s been hard for me, letting go of Noah, and my baby, but you and Jonah have given me so much, and I care so much for him…and you,” she said, her voice trembling. Her vision blurred.
Cade reached up and slid his hand along her cheek, then to the back of her head, drawing her closer.
“Laura.” Cade leaned forward. His voice had gone deep and husky. He tilted her head up to him. “I love you.”
He lowered his head, hesitated slightly, and kissed her. Laura wrapped her arms around his back and leaned into him. Cade loved her! Warmth radiated inside her, making her knees go weak, and she clung to him. Giddy with happiness, she returned his kiss, holding nothing back.
Cade eased away first, his breathing labored.
“I love you too, Cade,” Laura whispered.
He touched his forehead to hers, and they both smiled. Her heart pounded fiercely in her chest, and the world spun precariously around her. Surely she’d fall over if Cade wasn’t holding her in his arms. He pulled her tightly to him. His thumb caressed her cheek, swiping away the tear she couldn’t hold back.
“I just want to hold you for a moment, remember what this feels like, until I get back,” he murmured. He pulled his head back slightly, and a genuine grin spread across his face. Laura’s heart melted at the sight.
“Would you do me the honor of letting me escort you to the Fourth of July Picnic this Saturday, Mrs. Engelman?” he asked, his grin widening.
Laura rose up on her toes, trying to be completely at eye level with him. She pressed her lips together and tilted her head.
“A man who asks a woman to a social event should not be keeping secrets from her.”
Her false anger faltered instantly, and she smiled. An almost pained expression passed through Cade’s eyes.
“I would love to go to the picnic with you,” she whispered quickly, and pressed her lips to his.
Cade’s arms clamped around her, and he hugged her tightly to him again, nearly cutting off the air to her lungs. His arms trembled. When he eased up, he cupped her face between his hands, and tilted her head so she had no choice but to read the torment in his eyes.
“Cade, we’re running out of daylight.” Trace’s voice called from the house.
Cade frowned. “Laura, I know it’s a lot to ask, but I need you to trust me. When I get back, I swear to you, I will tell you everything about me.”
“I love you, Cade. Why can’t you tell me what’s going on right now?” Her brows drew together.
He pressed his lips to hers, and released her. Regret and trepidation flashed in his eyes, but so did the emotion to which Laura clung. Love. His jaw clenched.
“Because I have a lot of explaining to do, and you might feel very differently about me once you know the truth.”
Chapter Seventeen
Cade pulled his tired horse up to the homestead, and peeled himself from the saddle. He’d ridden half the night to get back to the farm, and the long ride had taken a toll on his horse as well as him. He cast a quick glance up at the sun above him, and dragged his hat from his head. A wipe across his face revealed what he already knew. He was covered in grimy trail dust.
This was definitely not how he wanted to look and smell, coming back to Laura after he’d been gone for several days. When he’d left with Trace several days ago, he swore he’d be back that night and, come what may, tell her the truth that had been eating at him for weeks.
He led the gelding to the corral by the barn to allow the animal to drink, and lifted the saddle from its back. Heading into the barn, which was nearly finished with repairs, he filled a bucket with oats, and headed back to the corral. Patting the animal’s neck, he dumped the grain into the feed trough, and went back for some hay. He glanced toward the house.
Jonah or Laura should have noticed him by now. He frowned, guilt flowing through him. When he’d left with Trace Hawley, he’d said that he’d be back that night. His fingers tingled, eager to touch Laura, pull her to him, kiss her, and tell her again that he loved her, before he came clean with the truth.
The guilt of keeping secrets from her had chased him into his dreams each night, and it was more than time that he was honest with her. She might tell him to get off her land, and that she didn’t want anything else to do with him. He wouldn’t fault her for it.
He’d made sure her place was safe from Jack Kincaid, the man he loathed more than anything. Making sure that Jack couldn’t get his dirty hands on the Engelman farm had kept him away for nearly a week, rather than coming back with Trace that evening.
He pulled his bandana from around his neck and dipped it into the horse trough. It wasn’t nearly enough to make him look presentable, but he couldn’t put it off any longer. Heading for the house, he frowned again that no one had come out to greet him, yet.
A sudden rush of apprehension flowed through him. What if something had happened while he was gone? He’d asked Trace to come back to the farm and explain to Laura that he had some business to take care of in Anaconda, a town some thirty miles away, and would be gone for several days. Perhaps Laura had taken Trace up on the offer to go stay at the Red Cliff.
Cade quickened his steps, and was on the porch in one leap. He knocked on the door, and waited, cocking his head to the side for any noise from inside. He pulled his hat from his head, and ran a hand through his hair. His pulse increased. He knocked again, and opened the door.
“Laura? Jonah?”
A quick glance around the main room was all it took to realize that no one was home. The grandfather clock ticked loudly on the opposite wall, and the odor of something sweet, like fruit pie, lingered in the air, mixed with the faint smell of charcoal. The fire in the hearth had been banked recently.
Cade stepped fully into the house. His left hand lingered just above his hip.
“Laura?” he called again, but didn’t expect an answer.
He frowned. The two harness horses were still in the corral, along with the other saddle horse, so wherever she and Jonah had gone, they’d left on foot or with someone else. Had they gone fishing again?
He entered the kitchen, and his eyes fell instantly to the slip of paper in the center of the table, held in place by a glass jar filled with water. Cade snatched the paper out from under the jar.
“Ah, hell,” he grumbled, and pressed his lips together to keep from shouting out obscenities.
“You sure know how to make a bad situation worse, Cade,” he said out loud, and stared at the paper again.
If, by some miracle, you’ve decided to return, Jonah and I have gone with Ethan and Sally Mallory to the Fourth of July Picnic.
~Laura
Cade crumpled the paper i
nto a tight ball, and flung it across the room. He could hear Laura’s disappointment in those written words. Dammit! He couldn’t have gotten the days mixed up.
Obviously you did.
He reached into his shirt pocket, and breathed a sigh of relief. The gold band he’d had made while he was in Anaconda was still there. The chances of Laura accepting the ring were slim to none at this point.
There’s only one way to find out.
He looked like hell, and smelled worse. What time was this picnic supposed to start, anyhow? It was well past noon, but if he hurried, he could be in Elk Lodge in a few hours.
Rushing from the house, he sprinted to the barn, peeling off his shirt in the process. Thank the Lord he’d not only thought to buy an engagement band to prove to Laura that he loved her, but also a fancy shirt and jacket, and new trousers specifically for the picnic. He rummaged through his saddlebags for the clothes. He tore away the brown paper they were wrapped in, and stripped off his boots and jeans. Grabbing his bar of soap and straight edge from his saddlebags, he headed for the narrow little creek just up the slope behind the barn.
Twenty minutes later, freshly shaved and smelling a lot better, he saddled one of the horses in the corral. Making sure the ring and everything else he needed to show Laura was stashed securely in his shirt pocket, he mounted up, and pointed the animal in the direction of town.
* * *
Laura stood close to Sally, wringing her hands in front of her. Why had she allowed her friend to talk her into coming to the picnic? She’d endured stares and looks from people since the moment they’d arrived in Elk Lodge and set up their blankets on the grassy lawn at the outskirts of town. She ran a self-conscious hand down her cheek. The scars along the side of her face weren’t as visible with the way she wore her hair to that side.
Jonah had gone off with Trace and Ethan to play horseshoes with some of the other men and boys. When Cade still hadn’t returned this morning, the disappointment in the little child’s eyes tore at her heart, and may have been greater than her own.
In His Touch: Blemished Brides Book 2 Page 12