Love Finds You in Last Chance, California

by Miralee Ferrell

  Alex crossed her arms over her chest. “And he’s newly widowed, still grieving his wife, and raising a small child. Although I must admit I am curious to know where she fits into the picture.”

  “It’s a small town. I’m guessing it won’t be a secret for long.”

  The sound of staccato footsteps heralded Mabel and Clara’s approach. “Is she gone yet?” Mabel stopped near the counter and peered around the front of the store.

  Elizabeth smiled at the woman. “Yes, Mrs. Gurney, she’s gone.”

  Mabel drew herself up and lifted her bony chin. “A word of advice, young lady. That one’s a scarlet woman. It’s not seemly to talk to someone like her.” She cast a disdainful glance at Alex. “Not that it bothers some people, I’m sure.” She sniffed and turned away. “I need a spool of thread.” She placed it on the counter and stood with her back to Alex.

  Elizabeth glanced at Alex and back at Mabel. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with showing Christian charity to a stranger. Jesus taught that, you know. He sat with publicans, tax collectors, and sinners, and He willingly forgave them.”

  Clara placed her plump hands on the counter and leaned forward. “I’ll bet we won’t see her darken the door of our church coming to ask forgiveness.”

  A shocked look crossed Mabel’s face. “I certainly hope not. If she does, I’d expect Parson Moser to ask her to leave. People like her don’t belong in polite society.”

  Alex stepped forward, her hands clenched into fists. “Well, if you two represent ‘polite society,’ I don’t blame her for staying out of it.”

  Mabel glared and took a step back. “Well, I never.” She sputtered and spun toward Elizabeth. “I’ll get that thread later. Good day.” She seized Clara’s arm and dragged her from the store.

  Alex sagged against the counter, shame engulfing her. “Oh, Elizabeth, I’m sorry my temper made you lose a sale.”

  Elizabeth shrugged. “I don’t care.” Her face lit with a small grin. “It’s not like they have a choice. Michigan Bluff is too far to ride for a spool of thread.”

  Alex smiled in spite of herself, and Elizabeth squeezed her arm. “I have an idea. How about we get a bite to eat?”

  “You bet; I’m starved.”

  Elizabeth’s elbow bumped Alex’s side and she leaned close to hiss in Alex’s ear. “Is that Carter Foster coming out of the hotel?”

  Alex looked in the direction Elizabeth was gazing and saw the well-dressed, tall figure standing near the door. “Yes. He’s stopped by the ranch a couple of times recently and been quite nice.” She sensed Elizabeth’s curiosity bump up a notch, but she’d wait until they were alone to answer for that statement.

  A smile lit Carter’s handsome face. He slipped his hat from his head and bowed as Alex stepped onto the boardwalk a few feet away. “Miss Travers, Miss Anders. You’re both looking lovely today.”

  Elizabeth smiled and tipped her head. “Mr. Foster, what brings you to town? I heard you’ve taken on some new hands and expanded business out at your place.”

  His eyes narrowed just a mite, but then a smile replaced the shadow of a frown that had started to form. Had Alex imagined it, or had Carter taken Elizabeth’s comments as a reprimand for hiring two of her wranglers?

  “Just taking a break to eat some of Georgia’s cooking. How about you ladies?”

  Alex laid her fingertips on Elizabeth’s arm and squeezed. “We’re stretching our legs. Elizabeth’s been cooped up in the store and needs fresh air. I wish you a good evening, Mr. Foster.”

  “It’s Carter. We’re friends, remember?” A lazy grin creased his face. “In fact, I wonder if you’d mind my calling on you sometime in the next few days.”

  Alex drew back a half step and furrowed her brows. “Call? On me?”

  He chuckled and crossed his arms over his chest. “On the prettiest lady in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Present company excepted.” He nodded at Elizabeth and smiled.

  Alex didn’t reply but simply stood, feeling glued to the boards under her feet. Call on her? Whatever for? She’d already told him she had no intention of entertaining his proposal of marriage. No matter what he’d said, she knew Carter well enough to understand that business was foremost in the man’s mind. A small shock shot through her arm and she jumped, realizing that Elizabeth had pinched her.

  “Oh, I suppose so, Carter….” Her voice drifted off. Entertaining Carter wasn’t something she looked forward to, but hospitality demanded a certain degree of civility.

  “Wonderful.” He placed his high-brimmed hat on his head, grinned, and nodded. “I’ll leave you to your stroll, ladies. Have a good day.” Without a backward glance, he stepped off the boardwalk, unwrapped his reins from the rail, and swung into the saddle.

  Alex stared after him. Why hadn’t she said no? Because Papa would’ve expected her to be cordial. One visit wouldn’t obligate her, and her sense of duty would be fulfilled.

  The wire cutters caught on the inside seam of his pocket and lodged there. The man cursed and pushed them in deeper then yanked hard. The sound of ripping fabric increased his venom. He’d ruined his last pair of decent trousers. The boss had better be willing to kick in some extra money for this job. The tightly stretched wire would be tricky to nip without springing back and wrapping him up in its treacherous spines. He’d best hurry—no telling if someone might come down the trail. He’d been warned not to get caught, but he didn’t need the reminder. They still considered horse theft a hanging offense in some parts of the country. He might not be stealing and selling ’em off, but a Travers wrangler might not see it that way.

  Gripping one section of the wire with pliers and cutting the adjoining section, he moved it aside, careful to not let it whip out of control. With the last strand nipped, he pulled all three and wrapped them around the nearest post. His horse had wandered a few yards down the fence line, and he trudged over and caught up the reins. He hated fences, hated working, hated taking care of someone else’s nags. He deserved his own ranch.

  Finding gold would be better—then he wouldn’t have to work. The horse snorted and sidestepped, earning a hard yank on the bridle. Time to go. He swung into the saddle and laid his spurs to his mount’s sides. His gelding lunged forward, covering the ground between the freshly cut fence and the small band of horses milling a hundred yards away. Good. Looked like they were rarin’ to run. A loud shout and a swing of his rope accomplished what he hoped. The horses took off through the opening and, seconds later, disappeared into the trees.

  One more notch in his boss’s belt for pulling this off. He’d rather have kept the horses moving and taken them to a buyer. The sale of a few dozen of these horses would bring in quite a sum. He rubbed his chin and grinned. Maybe…

  No. He’d seen what the boss did to those who double-crossed him. Better keep to the plan. No sense gettin’ himself killed—no amount of money was worth that.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Alex hurried down the staircase, intent on getting to the kitchen in time to help with supper preparations. Ranch chores had consumed most of the day, and she’d barely had time to clean up and slip into a dress.

  She met Uncle Joe at the bottom of the stairs, where it opened onto the entry. Approval sparked his gaze as he took in her feminine garb. “I think your ma had the right idea when she insisted you be trained in the ways of a lady. You look mighty fine tonight.”

  “Why, thank you, Uncle.” Alex stretched up and planted a light kiss on his cheek. “I guess it’s nice to be noticed once in a while.”

  “Huh. Seems like you’ve been gettin’ plenty of noticin’ these past few days.”

  Her eyebrows rose and she took a step back, inspecting his face. “Meaning?”

  “That young man, Justin. Don’t tell me you haven’t seen him peekin’ at you whenever you wear a dress to the supper table.”

  “No, I haven’t. And I think you’ve got quite an imagination.”

  He shook his head and grunted a negative. “
Figured you’d seen it your own self, or I’d not have mentioned it. But don’t let it go to yer head, Alex. He’s more’n likely passin’ through. Wouldn’t want you settin’ your sights on him and havin’ your heart broke.”

  Alex grabbed his arm and pulled him into her office. “Uncle Joe! What if he’d heard you? I’m not setting my sights on him, and my heart is not in danger.”

  “Humph.” The old gray head wagged, and Joe rapped his cane on the floor. “I’m not blind, lass. I’ve seen you lookin’ at him when you think no one’s watchin’. I’m just warnin’ you, that’s all. Hate to see you hurt.” He slipped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a brief hug then left the room, his cane echoing off the wood floor.

  Justin hung his lariat on his saddle and swung the saddle onto a rack on the wall of the barn. He’d rubbed his horse down and turned him out in the small pasture allotted to his stallion. From the sounds emanating from his stomach, it must be near suppertime. His mouth watered. No matter what the fare might be, it would be good. No doubt about it, Martha was the best cook he’d encountered. He’d made a point of telling her how much he appreciated her care of Toby the past few days along with her excellent meals.

  Hoofbeats in the lane leading to the house drew his attention. None of the wranglers were due in this early, but something could’ve happened. He tugged off his gloves, tucked them into his hip pocket, and headed out the open barn door.

  Alex emerged from the house wearing a soft yellow dress, and the sight of her feminine appearance jolted his heart. Not that she wasn’t attractive in her ranch garb, but he was partial to the way she looked now. Her face turned his way for a moment, and he caught his breath when their eyes met and locked. What did he see in those blue eyes before they swung back down the lane? She didn’t return her gaze to him but kept it fixed on the rider approaching the house.

  Davis rode at a hard trot into the yard and pulled his sorrel gelding to a halt in front of the house. “Miss Travers?” He glanced at her dress before his eyes found her face, and then he swept off his hat. “Got unsettlin’ news, ma’am.”

  Alex shaded her eyes against the sun and looked up at the wrangler. “What’s happened?”

  He swept his sleeve across his glistening forehead. “Found the fence over on the north side of the ranch cut. Horse tracks leading out toward Carter Foster’s place.”

  “Cut? You’re sure it was cut, not broken?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Nipped as clean as you please. Found a set of boot prints and a place where someone set his knee in the dirt to cut the bottom strand.”

  Justin narrowed his eyes and stared at the man. The day he’d come, Frank had reported missing horses—now Davis. Frank had gotten angry when pushed for information. Davis hadn’t given him any reason for suspicion. Except…

  A memory tried to surface, and Justin dug a little deeper. That day in town. The saloonkeeper had told Davis to head back to the ranch when he’d had too much to drink. That wasn’t a crime, and lots of cowhands drank. But that wasn’t the only time he’d seen the man; he was sure of it. He shook his head. It might pay to keep an eye open on Alex’s wranglers.

  Alex crossed her arms and frowned. “Did you go after the horses?”

  “No, ma’am. Thought I’d come report in first. Sorry; guess I should’a taken off after ’em.”

  She waved her hand in dismissal and then signaled to Justin. “Davis, you’ve met Justin Phillips. He’s a good hand at tracking. Take him and find those horses.”

  Davis tossed a glance at Justin and gave a bare nod. He settled his hat back on his head and jerked his horse back a few steps.

  Justin nodded toward Alex, glad she’d chosen to send him. “I’ll saddle my horse.” He swung around and headed toward the barn.

  Dust rising down the lane and the dull thud of horses approaching stopped his progress. Two men pulled dusty, sweat-caked horses to a stop near the porch. He didn’t recognize one, but the other man looked familiar. He gave a small nod as the memory returned. It was the rider of the bay gelding they’d met while returning from their hunt for Alex’s missing horses.

  The two men doffed their hats as Alex stepped to the edge of the steps. “Alexia, someone’s cut your fence.” The dark-haired man on the bay spoke in a ringing voice that carried to where Justin stood near the barn.

  Alex raised her hand and motioned. “Justin, can you step over here, please?” She turned back to the man riding the tall sorrel gelding. “I’m sure you know my wrangler, Davis. He rode in a few minutes ago with the news.” She tipped her head toward Justin. “Carter Foster, this is my new hand, Justin Phillips. Justin, Mr. Foster has a ranch that borders mine.”

  Justin gave a curt nod but didn’t speak. Foster didn’t appear interested in Alex’s wranglers and ignored the introductions. He sat erect in his saddle, a firm grip on the restive horse sidestepping in front of the porch. The man appeared almost a dandy in his dark-brown brushed trousers and matching jacket. The russet-colored hat perched on his dark hair looked new, and the boots showed little to no wear.

  Alex rested her hand against a post. “I appreciate your letting me know, Carter. Did you find any of the horses?”

  Foster nodded and kept his gaze on Alex. “Some of the stock drifted to my place. Tim here found them and reported to me.”

  Alex glanced at the man but did nothing else to acknowledge his presence.

  Justin took a step forward. “Tracks?” He doubted the man worked his own ranch, much less had the ability to track a lost horse.

  “Nothing that lasted after Alexia’s band of horses went over the top of them.”

  She nodded. “I’ll send Justin and Davis over to bring them back and mend the fence. Any idea who might be responsible?”

  Foster braced his hands on his pommel and leaned forward. “None. But there’s no need to send your hired men. I put two of my men on it already. Your horses are back on your land, and my men are repairing the fence. I figured you’d want to know as soon as possible.”

  “Thanks. You’ve gone out of your way to help, and I appreciate it.” She gave him a warm smile. “You’ve got a bit of a ride back to your ranch and I’d hate to see you make it on an empty stomach. Can I convince you to stay for a cup of coffee and some pie?”

  Foster cast a quick look at Justin and then smiled. “Don’t mind if I do. Tim can care for our horses.” He swung down off his horse, handed the reins to Tim, and stepped up on the porch in one long stride. “Maybe your man can unsaddle and turn them out?”

  Alex turned to Davis. “Consider yourself off for the night.” She swung toward Justin as though she’d only now remembered his presence. “Would you put up Carter’s horses?”

  Justin nodded and turned away, but Foster’s voice covered the distance. “What do you know about Phillips? He’s new here, isn’t he?”

  Alexia’s reply was unintelligible, but Justin slowed his steps just the same. “Regardless, you need to be careful.” Foster’s clear words continued.

  Justin swung around, a hot retort on his lips, but the two on the porch stood with their backs to him. Foster offered his arm to Alexia and gave a slight bow. “I must say I can’t remember a time I’ve seen you looking more beautiful.” She placed her hand in the crook of his elbow, and they turned toward the door.

  Justin covered the distance to the barn with eyes that barely registered the sights around him. Foster’s wrangler had preceded him with the horses and stood just inside the barn door. “Here.” The man shoved the reins into Justin’s hand when he approached. “I’m takin’ a smoke. This is your job, not mine.” He swung on his heel and disappeared out the door.

  “Just as well,” Justin muttered. He needed time to think. He took the two geldings into the barn, swung a stall door open, and released the first horse. After securing the second gelding, he stripped off the saddle and started to work. Thankfully, he didn’t need his mind on this task. He turned his thoughts back to the house.

  Could the man be more to A
lex than just a friend? It wasn’t his concern who courted Alex—she was his boss, not his sweetheart. But something about Foster rankled even though the man had appeared helpful enough.

  The question remained, Who had cut the fence? Justin had no reason to suspect Alex’s wranglers. He’d not form an opinion yet, but he planned to inspect the ground surrounding the cut portion of fence. Fences didn’t cut themselves, and someone stood to gain.

  First, missing horses the day he’d arrived, and now the fence. Something wasn’t right, and Justin intended to find out what.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Alex left the church on Sunday afternoon unsettled by her conflicting feelings. The sermon had challenged her heart and the gentle music had soothed her emotions. But the coolness of a number of the women as she’d taken her place in the pew near the back of the sanctuary had put a damper on her spirit. The stress of the past few weeks had taken its toll, and she felt no desire to visit. She picked up her skirt and stepped off the porch. A solitary walk in the woods would give her a chance to think.

  She’d gone only a few dozen yards when a soft voice wafted across on the breeze. “Alexia…” It sounded like Elizabeth. Alex paused and turned to shield her eyes from the early afternoon sun. Elizabeth stood on the porch step with one hand raised.

  Alex waved back and cupped her hand to her mouth. “I’ll come by later. I’m going to take a walk.”

  Elizabeth nodded and turned back inside. What a blessing to have a friend who understood and didn’t judge. Alex hitched her skirts above her ankles, not caring who noticed. She headed through the scattered trees and down a slight hill behind town, toward the spring-fed meadow. The sound of water gurgling into the pond soothed Alex’s spirits. Her eyes drifted over the apple trees near the edge of the meadow which hung with almost-ripened fruit, the wildflowers blooming near the water’s edge, and the bees buzzing from flower to flower. A breeze blew the fragrance toward her, and she sucked in an appreciative breath.