Wild Western Women Spring Into Love: A Western Historical Romance Box Set

by Kirsten Osbourne

  "But I need the bakery."

  "And I need it closed."

  They looked long and hard at one another and Bella felt regret. She liked Luca, but they wanted different things. He ran his hand through his hair, leaving a white streak of flour. She giggled and then reached up to dust it out.

  "What if we don't talk about the success or failure of the bakery until my six weeks are up." She couldn't believe she was saying this. Offering him a chance to get to know her when she knew they would eventually fight over her dream.

  His dark eyes grew large and he smiled. Reaching down, he kissed the top of her nose and then a quick swipe on the lips. "I like that idea. And since we're not going to discuss the closing of the bakery, why don't you go on a picnic with me tomorrow?"

  "I can't. Your father and I are having a bake off tomorrow. But what if we go on Sunday when the bakery is closed."

  He nodded. "I like that idea. I will take you after church."

  He gripped her by the waist and slid her down to the floor. "I best be going before your friends come down and see what we've done."

  "Yes, you should probably leave."

  She walked him to the door. "Goodnight. Luca."

  "Buona notte, fiera bellezza," he said softly and kissed her on the forehead as he walked out the door.

  Her heart leaped into her throat at the sound of the Italian words. She didn't know what he said, but they warmed and made her feel special. She watched him go as she closed and locked the bakery. The man was dangerous and she couldn't seem to get enough of him. No man had ever made her feel like this. She couldn't wait until Sunday.

  Saturday morning Franco and Bella stood behind the counter at the bakery, selling their deserts and watching the people in town cast their ballots. They had a steady stream of townsfolk and after they tasted the two pastries, they were buying bread and cookies and anything else Bella had prepared. They were selling the bread as fast as it came out of the ovens. And everyone would walk into the shop, take a deep breath and go aww...the smell of the yeast and sugar, a sweet inhalation.

  At four o'clock, the crowds began to clear and the shelves were almost bare. They were out of cookies and the last loaves of bread had just gone into the oven. Everyone was exhausted, but joyous because they knew the event had been very successful. Franco had gone home to rest, tired and happy after spending most of the day helping her sell.

  The bell above the door dinged and Bella looked up from the last loaves of bread she was sliding into the oven. Tim Barton strode into the room, a scowl on his face. He gazed around at the women standing behind the counter and at the display of turnovers and castagnole. His lip curled into a snarl. "You are all harlots of the devil."

  Diamond rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Well, if I'm a harlot, I'd like to know who I've been sleeping with."

  Bella had to bite her lip to keep from snickering. The man was obsessed with women earning money and yet she was determined he was not going to ruin her day. "May I assist you, Mr. Barton? I'm just about sold out today, but I do have a couple of loaves of fresh bread if you're interested or you can sample the turnovers and the castagnole and vote on which dessert and baker you prefer."

  No matter how much he provoked her, she was not going to let him affect her. Today had been beyond glorious and sales had been brisk. She was happy and wanted to remain that way. And tomorrow she was going on a picnic with Luca.

  He glared at her. "My great-grandfather built this town and he made it law that no woman should own a business. You have defiled his name, broken a biblical law, and riled the citizens in this town."

  Bella glanced at her friends. "What did you girls do? Stand out in the streets and dance? That's against the law in New Hope. No dancing. I thought you were just handing out free samples of bread."

  They giggled. "Do we have any sweet bread or cookies left you can give this man. I think he needs some sweets."

  Callie shook her head. "We're starting businesses so we can take care of ourselves and not be dependent on a man. Is that so bad?"

  "It's biblical that no woman shall own a business."

  "Excuse me," quiet little Georgia said in her sweet southern voice. "My pappy was a preacher of the gospel. I was raised in the church and I don't remember that verse you're speaking of. And while men are to be head of the home, the woman plays an equal role as his helpmate and wife."

  Bella stared at Georgia, learning something new about her friend. She was the quietest of the group and she'd never given them much information about her past. But she was a preacher’s daughter.

  "The law is the law," Tim said, his voice rising. "I will do my best to see you shut down."

  "Just like you tried to shut Abigail down. I think that law was eradicated," Bella said quietly.

  Bella had reached her limit. She was tired, she wanted to close the door on this man, but tried to be nice. Now she was ready for him to leave.

  "She was the exception. It was not removed for new businesses," he said defiantly his voice rising.

  Bella stared at him. "What does it matter? Am I taking business away from you? No. While I appreciate this friendly welcome call, if you're not going to purchase something, I have other customers who are waiting. I wish you well, Mr. Barton and hope that someday your daughter will not face the same barriers as women our age."

  That was the wrong thing to say. His face turned red. She should never have mentioned his innocent daughter.

  "My daughter will know her rightful place in this world. Married and taking care of her home and family," he said almost shouting.

  Diamond opened the door of the bakery, giving him a hint it was time to go. "Well, good for her. Hope she marries a great man who will take care of her and she never has to try to raise her children alone or needs a bank account or has to earn a living."

  Her words went right over his head.

  "I will get you closed down. Just wait and see," he said and walked out the door.

  After he left, the women all huddled together.

  "Can he shut you down?" Georgia asked.

  "I don't know. I'll talk to Abigail and Jack. He would know. But let's not let him ruin things. We've had an exceptional day today and I couldn't have done it without all of you."

  "And now we are more determined than ever to make certain you're successful," Callie said, smiling at the group.

  "To success," Georgia said and raised her hands in the air.

  They all followed suit yelling success just as the next customer walked in the door.

  "After this customer, let's count the votes and call it a day.”

  After they had counted the votes, Georgia smiled at Bella. “You won by two votes.”

  She frowned remembering how upset Franco had been when he lost. It was so close and the old man had helped her more than she could ever repay him. It was an easy decision. “No, Franco won.”

  “But Bella,” Georgia said in her sweet southern drawl.

  “After everything he’s done for me, it’s the least I can do.”

  Callie shook her head. “Franco will be happy.”

  Luca felt anxious as he drove the wagon toward the stream on the edge of town. The fall day was gorgeous, though the trees had yet to start changing colors. The air had turned cooler, but still summer refused to give up and change completely over to fall. The nights were still warm enough to leave the windows open and the days still needed a good breeze.

  Bella sat next to him, her hip occasionally bumping against him as the wagon bounced on the road.

  What was he doing? He liked this woman, and yet, here he was trying to stop her from making the bakery a success? Morally it felt wrong, and yet it would help him accomplish his dream. He needed the sale of that damn bakery if he was going to make the vineyard a success.

  "I didn't see your father at church this morning," she said. "Is he okay?"

  "He's fine. Just tired and I told him that he should stay home and rest today. No going to town. Strangely, he
listened."

  This woman was even watching over his father. His sister liked her, his father wanted him to stay away from her, and now he'd developed this fiendish plan to make her fail. It was wrong, but he was doing it.

  "Is his health that bad?" she asked.

  What could Luca say? After his mother died, his father had almost worn himself out. Luca had been wrong not to notice it before he actually collapsed. But even if he'd seen it coming, he didn't know if his father would have listened to him.

  "When my mother took ill and eventually died, he buried his grief in working. He worked longer hours and took on even more of the baking. Everything mother had done, he did, plus running the business side of things.

  “Eventually, he just wore himself completely out. He wasn't resting well at night and one day he collapsed. The doctor told him he had to slow down or he was going to die. I took over the bakery, and eventually, we made a family decision to close it and focus our interests on the vineyard."

  "Vineyard? You haven't told me about the vineyard. You're growing grapes. For wine?"

  He laughed and pulled the wagon to a halt beside a gurgling stream. Right now, the water was low as the heat of the summer had depleted the water. But soon the fall rains would come and it would once again be flowing at a high level.

  Setting the brake on the wagon, he climbed down and then turned to help Bella alight. The feel of his hands touching her waist had his mind wandering in directions he shouldn't be going. He promised himself this picnic and the kisses before it were just to woo her away from the bakery. To divert her attention and help him to close the business.

  Yet, his body wasn't responding like a disinterested suitor. Oh no, when he looked at Bella, he wanted to do more than kiss her. He wanted to touch her silky skin and explore her womanly curves. And that made him feel even more guilty.

  Setting her on the ground, he reached in the back for the basket of food Cara had helped him prepare and the blanket.

  "Let's find a spot along the creek," he said. Taking her by the hand, he led her to the creek's edge. "This should do."

  They spread the blanket and then she sank onto the quilt. "Did your mother make this quilt?"

  "No, it came from my grandmother who came over from Italy. There was a famine and her sister wrote to her and said come to America. She met my grandfather while she was here and never went back," he said, sitting down beside her. "Are you hungry?"

  "Starving. Callie fried eggs for breakfast, and well, they were a little tough. We're trying to help her learn to cook."

  He leaned back wondering how a woman didn't know how to cook. His sister had learned at a very young age and often made dinner for the family while they worked at the bakery. "How can she not know how to prepare food."

  "Easy. When the servants do all the cooking, you never have to learn, until you no longer have servants and then you're on your own. Callie's family is wealthy," Bella said.

  "I can't imagine," he replied, wondering if he could give up the cooking to a servant. But then again, when Cara had been ill or something had happened, he'd often stepped in and taken care of the meal for the family.

  "Not everyone has a family like yours. I haven't met your brother, but you all seem to care about each other. Your father keeps telling me not to think too harshly of his son. That you have a good heart."

  Luca smiled. "And do you think harshly of me?"

  She laughed. "Only when we discuss the bakery, which we're not going to talk about today, remember."

  Oh, the bakery, that evil thing between them that he wished he could solve somehow, but didn't know how to fix.

  He leaned back on his elbows. "What about your family. Are they a loving group?"

  She glanced at the river and sighed. "My mother is quiet and very withdrawn. My father makes all the decisions."

  Luca stared at her. There was something odd about the way she spoke about the family who raised her. She had very little to say about them. She didn't gush about her people the way he would if he was describing his family. "Are they loving people?"

  With a sigh, she gazed at him and shrugged. "I guess my mother was when I was little, but the nanny took care of me and my sister."

  He couldn't imagine another person taking care of the children in the family besides the mother. "You had a nanny? What exactly did she do?"

  Bella must have come from a wealthy family to have had a nanny. Why did she need the bakery then? What was she not being honest about?

  "Oh, Beatrice was very good to us. She arranged our clothing. Took us to the park, and if we had a birthday party we attended, she took us."

  "When did you see your mother?"

  Bella smiled. "Every morning she came in and had tea with us and talked to us about what we were going to do that day. Then at night, she would come up and kiss us goodnight. If we saw her in the house during the day, we could go into her parlor if she didn't have guests. But mother was very active in society. Often times, we wouldn't see her for days because she was planning or hosting a big party."

  Luca thought of his own mother and how she had been there at his side right up until the day she'd died. He couldn't imagine anything being more important than your children. No parties, no teas, not a single social event.

  "Where does your family live?"

  She glanced at him, her brown eyes, shadowed with anxiety and then glanced out at the gently babbling river. "Boston."

  "I know you're friends with Miss Vanderhooten. Is that how you came to be here in New Hope? You're so far from the people who love you, and I couldn't imagine my brother or sister moving so far away. Don't you want to go home?"

  A sarcastic laugh escaped her lips. "Yes, I came out because of Abigail, but no, I don't want to go home. You're a man. You don't know what it’s like to be a woman. You're a commodity to be sold at auction to the highest bidder who has the right credentials. I want to live my life the way I think is best, not the way my father wants."

  Luca thought about his own father and how they argued over the bakery, but he was a man. And he would not let his father, as much as he loved him, decide the fate of his life. He understood and admired how Bella stood up and protected her right to choose. But moving away from the people you love. He knew he would never leave his family. His roots were here.

  "So will you return to Boston?"

  "Someday, but not now. Not anytime soon," she said. "Let's eat. I'm starving."

  She seemed to completely shut down the discussion on her family and returning to Boston. Something wasn’t right. He didn't know what, but it almost felt like she was hiding something.

  They pulled out the Caprese salad Cara created along with one of Bella's loaves of bread with baked cheese on the slices.

  "It's not much," Luca said, laying out the glass plates for them to eat on.

  "It's fabulous," Bella said. "Look what she did with the bread. I love that. And the fresh tomatoes and cheese and basil."

  "Cara likes to make her own cheese, so I can promise this will be very good."

  He pulled out the bottle of wine and pulled the cork out. "From my vineyard."

  He handed her a glass and she waited until he'd poured his own. Clinking their goblets together, he said, “Enjoy, or as Italians say, godere.”

  "Godere," she repeated and then sipped the red wine. "Very good."

  "You like it?"

  "Very much. I'm not normally a red wine person, but this has such a sweet flavor to it."

  "I'm so glad you like it. It's one of the first bottles from last year’s grapes."

  "I didn't know you had a vineyard."

  "I started it the year Mama died. I needed something to occupy my mind. I found it hard to go into the bakery after she was gone. I felt her presence everywhere I looked and my grief almost overwhelmed me."

  Closing his eyes, pain rushed over him once again. His mother's smiling face and how she loved him so much. Death had stolen his mother from the family way before her time and his
heart still ached with the loss. "She had been telling me I should start a vineyard and make wine. So I did. I tilled the soil, bought some grapes, and I've been working at it since then.

  “I hope someday it will replace the money we lost when we decided to close the bakery. I need the cash from the sale of the bakery to put in more grapes, build a wine cellar, bottles, and wine barrels. That's the reason I want to sell the bakery. Not to make your life more difficult."

  Talking to Bella was so easy and he hadn't meant to confess his reasons for needing to sell the store, it had just come out. But now she knew why he needed the money. Maybe now she would understand why she couldn't continue at the bakery after the six weeks were up.

  She looked down. "I didn't know. But if I paid you rent, wouldn't that help you."

  He shook his head. He'd ran the numbers and he needed a lot more than what she was offering a month to purchase the supplies. "Not really. But we promised we weren't going to talk about the bakery, and here we are, talking about the one thing that upsets both of us."

  "You're right. We should just enjoy today." Bella crunched into a bite of the cheesy bread and licked her lips. "This is so nice, Luca. Sitting outside in the sunshine, drinking wine, and eating cheesy bread with you. I'm really enjoying myself."

  He smiled, happy to hear exactly what he was feeling. While he reminded himself he was only doing this to distract her from her business, it didn't feel that way. It felt better. Like this was how they were meant to spend the afternoon.

  They ate the salad and the cheese and bread and finally Bella pushed her plate away. "Enough. I can't eat anymore."

  "But wait, I brought grapes from the vineyard."

  He plucked a few and popped them into her mouth. She smiled at him as she chewed the grapes. "Sweet and delicious."

  Her sweet mouth was just too tempting. He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. He could taste the grapes on her lips, the sweetness intensifying with the taste of Bella.

  Why did he enjoy kissing her so much? Why this woman who frustrated, bedeviled him and tempted him more than any woman he'd ever met. Pressing against her mouth, he could feel her falling and he fell with her down to the blanket, covering the top half of her body, crushing her breasts against his chest. His mouth moved over her warm and supple lips pummeling her tender mouth, his blood pounding through his veins. He needed her closer, he needed her beneath him, begging him to take her and if she said yes, he would have her in a heartbeat.