Crossroads (Chance City Series Book Three)

by Robin Deeter

  Ray knew she was under almost constant pressure of one sort or another and he wanted to give her a respite from it. Never had he imagined that he would fall in love with a woman, much less one like Carly. She was so strong, brave, and beautiful that there were times when he didn’t feel worthy of her. Being with her made him want to be a better man, the kind such a wonderful woman like her deserved. As he laughed when Benny stole her from Vern, he vowed that he would become worthy of her.

  *****

  Not long after Carly and Ray had arrived, Brock’s wife, Daphne, and Leigh Decker drew Nora off to the side.

  Daphne’s dark eyes lit with mischief. “So it seems like things are still going well with Wheels.”

  Nora giggled. “I feel like I’m dreaming sometimes. He’s so wonderful. He’s everything I could want in a man.”

  “And it doesn’t hurt that he has an adorable monkey,” Leigh teased her.

  Nora said, “That’s the best part.”

  The women laughed together and talked for a while. Daphne kept casting surreptitious looks over her shoulder until Brock caught her eye and winked at her.

  “Nora, I think Wheels wants you,” she said.

  Nora looked where she pointed. Vern, Cy, Carl, and Johnny were all lined up side by side near the stage, but Wheels was nowhere to be seen. Her brow furrowed in confusion, Nora approached the smiling men. The musicians stopped playing and a hush settled over the bar.

  “Wheels? Where are you?”

  “Right here, sugar. Come closer.”

  His voice came from behind the other men, whose grins grew even bigger as they parted. Nora’s jaw dropped open. Before her, Wheels somehow knelt on one knee, using his cane to keep his balance.

  “What are you doing?” she asked quietly.

  He smiled at her. “Honey, I never thought I’d find a wonderful woman like you, but it turns out that you were right under my nose the whole time. You make my life better in so many ways and I know what a lucky fella I am to have you. You’re the only woman who’s ever seen the man I am inside, not just a man in a wheelchair. There are so many reasons why I love you that it would take too long to say them. Nora, I want to spend the rest of my life loving you. Will you marry me?”

  She gasped and put a hand to her mouth when he brought his free hand out from behind his back, revealing an open ring box in which a lovely diamond ring glittered. Tears sprang into her eyes and she couldn’t speak around the sudden constriction in her throat. Love so powerful that it made her heart ache surged through her as she walked up to him and nodded.

  “Yes, Carter, I’ll marry you,” she managed to get out.

  Wheels grew misty-eyed over her acceptance. Balancing carefully, he removed the ring from the box and took her left hand. When he slipped the ring on her finger, he kissed her hand and gazed lovingly up at her.

  The crowded saloon disappeared as Nora’s eyes met his. Everything but Wheels ceased to exist as she took his face in her hands. “I love you, Carter, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life loving you.”

  Not caring about being seen, she pressed her lips against his, conveying her deep emotions in a soft, lingering kiss. Applause broke out and the happy couple was surrounded by well-wishers.

  Nora had been so pleasantly shocked and preoccupied by Wheels’ proposal that she’d failed to see that his braces had been rigged to hold him in place. Vern and Carl helped him get them off so he could get back in his chair. The music started back up and Wheels pulled Nora down onto his lap so that they could dance.

  Holding onto Wheels’ broad shoulders as he took her on a long spin, she laughed, her heart soaring with joy. When Wheels stopped, he embraced her tightly.

  “I love you so much and I swear I’ll make you happy every day.”

  “You already do,” Nora said.

  As she let him go and got up, Doug and Amelia approached them.

  “You’re already a part of the family, but I’ll welcome you to it anyway,” Doug said.

  Wheels shook his hand. “Thank you, sir.”

  Amelia kissed his cheek. “We’re so happy to be gaining such a wonderful son-in-law.”

  “Thank you, Amelia. I promise that I’ll take good care of her,” Wheels said.

  “You’d better.” She teasingly shook a finger at him.

  Nora said, “That’s enough with the warnings. No need for that.”

  The good-natured teasing and conversation continued. Carly looked on and smiled until her gaze settled on a lone figure standing over at the bar. The misery and longing in Sly Lone Wolf’s eyes brought a lump to her throat.

  “I’ll be back, Ray,” she said, rising from their table.

  Approaching Sly, Carly gave him a sympathetic smile. She made sure that they were alone.

  “Sly, I’ve never had the chance to thank you.”

  He arched an eyebrow at her. “For what?”

  Carly blinked back the tears that burned her eyes. “For loving Catherine so much and for making her so happy. She and I talked about you often and she loved you so much.”

  Sly could only stare at Carly as a vice grip of pain threatened to suffocate him. “You knew?”

  Carly nodded. “Yes, and I was so happy for you both. I tried to convince her to make your relationship public, but she was always so scared of our father. I told her that—”

  “Stop!” His voice was quiet, but fierce. “Thank you, but I just can’t.”

  Swallowing hard, Carly held her emotions in check. “I’m sorry. I only wanted you to know how much I appreciated the happiness you gave her. I won’t mention it again. Excuse me.”

  Sly let out a frustrated sigh as Carly quickly moved away and left the bar. He closed his eyes as regret for his sharp words set in. Rough hands grabbed his shirt and he suddenly faced Ray, whose eyes smoldered with anger.

  “What the hell did you say to upset her?”

  “We were talking about Catherine. I—”

  Ray growled in disgust and released Sly with a hard shove, going after Carly. He found her standing outside, looking up at the moon.

  “Are you all right?”

  She shook her head as the moonlight illuminated moisture on her cheeks. “I should’ve pushed Catherine harder about going public about her and Sly. They might be married with a baby on the way instead of her lying in the cold ground. I’m supposed to be smart, but I feel so stupid sometimes.”

  Ray put his hands on her shoulders. “What happened to Catherine wasn’t your fault, honey. It was your father’s. You have to stop blaming yourself. You might be the mayor, but you can’t control every situation, even the ones in your personal life.”

  She clutched his suit jacket. “Why didn’t I see what Dad was up to? I wish I’d picked up on some clue. Damn him! I wish he was dead and my little sister was still with me. I miss her so much, Ray! So much.”

  Carly leaned her forehead against his chest, sobs shaking her body. Ray’s arms wrapped around her and she let him comfort her, taking strength from his embrace and his words of comfort. After a few minutes, she drew back from him, swiping angrily at her tears.

  Meeting her gaze, Ray wondered at the suddenly fierce expression on her face.

  “If Catherine’s death has taught me anything, it’s that you should never waste a moment because you can’t get it back again. I’ve decided that I won’t let any more opportunities slip by me. I don’t want to have any regrets because I kept my mouth shut or didn’t act,” she said.

  “What are you talking about?”

  Carly took a deep breath, her features relaxing into a smile. “I’m talking about you. I hated you because you represented something I wanted—the freedom to live my life as I chose, not how others thought I should. You also scared me because I was so woefully lacking in experience with men.”

  Ray’s eyebrows rose. “I did?”

  “Yes. I’m a spinster by societies standards and there you were, the most virile, handsome man I’d ever seen, taunting me. I was so angr
y, but mainly because I secretly desired you. You were right about that. I was such a hypocrite,” Carly said.

  With a sheepish smile, Ray said, “You made me angry for a lot of the same reasons. I’ve never laid eyes on such a beautiful woman and after one dance with you, I couldn’t get my mind off you. I’m just sorry for how our first time happened. I should have been gentler.”

  Carly shook her head. “No. Don’t be. I’m not. I didn’t have time to be nervous and I wouldn’t change it even if I could.”

  “You wouldn’t?”

  “No.” Holding his gaze, she ran her fingers over his jaw. “I’m not going to waste any more moments. I’m not going to let any more opportunities slip from my grasp. I love you, Ray, and I want to marry you as soon as possible.”

  Ray inhaled sharply and held his breath, certain that he’d misheard her. How was it possible for a good, refined woman like her to have fallen in love with such an unworthy man? He might doubt her words, but there was no mistaking the look on her lovely face. Humbled beyond belief, Ray felt the prick of tears behind his eyes.

  He shook his head slightly. “You shouldn’t love me, Carly. I don’t deserve it. I’m a hustler and you’re a—”

  Carly put a hand over his mouth. “Were a hustler, Ray. That’s in the past. You accused me of not believing that you could have dreams and ambitions and you were right. I never thought about soiled doves or hustlers having the desire to be other than what they were. But I was so very wrong. You’re more than a hustler, Ray. You’re like a caterpillar. There’s so much more in you than that and I can’t wait to see what emerges from the cocoon.”

  He smiled and cupped her face in his hand. “You surprised me, too. You’re not quite the bitch I thought you were.”

  Carly burst into laughter and he joined her, embracing her and kissing her forehead.

  Sobering, Ray made her look into his eyes. “I’ve only had a few people believe in me before and it means so much that you do. I won’t let you down. I promise to support you as much as you do me. We need each other. But most importantly, I love you, too.”

  Carly’s smile seemed to light up the night, it was so bright. “You love me?”

  He nodded. “Yeah, I do.”

  His kiss was slow and sweet and Carly’s pulse rose as he held her. She broke away from him, giving him a wicked smile.

  “Take me home and show me.”

  A grin spread across his face. “That’s a great idea, Mayor Branson.” He offered her his arm.

  She took it and then giggled as he pulled her along quickly. They carried on playfully as they walked to their carriage and left, intent on their mission. Unable to hold back their passion, they didn’t make it home until much later that night. The elegant carriage became a romantic haven where they celebrated the change in their relationship from simply lovers to two people who now shared a blossoming love.

  Chapter Twelve

  “No fair! I’ll never catch you!”

  Wheels laughed as Butch dejectedly hollered after him. He slowed down so his nephew could catch up. “You’ll just have to keep trying, son,” he said. “One of these days, you’ll be able to catch me. Heck, it’ll be me trying to catch you in a few years.”

  Butch’s blue eyes gleamed. “I’ll try to take it easy on you when you get old.”

  Wheels playfully punched him in the stomach. “I ain’t gonna be old for a long time. Now get on to school.”

  Ginny and Stevie reached them, laughing as Ollie ran with them.

  “Uncle Wheels, can Ollie come to school with us?” Ginny asked.

  Wheels ran a hand over her hair. “No, sweetheart. Miss Sherman won’t like that because no one will pay attention. Y’all go on now. Don’t get me in trouble by being late.”

  Reluctantly, the kids ran to the large, red school house. As he watched them go, Wheels prayed that he’d be taking his own kids to school one day. Pulling his thoughts away from anything troublesome, he whistled for Ollie, who was following Ginny. The monkey stopped, turned in Wheels’ direction and then looked back at Ginny.

  Wheels whistled again and patted his leg. Ollie sprinted back to him and jumped up in his lap. Turning around, Wheels was surprised to find himself face-to-face with Luther. He put a restraining arm around Ollie, who grimaced at Luther.

  Luther leaned on a crutch and sported a cast on his opposite wrist.

  “I heard congratulations are in order,” Luther said, sheepishly. “I’m happy for you.”

  “Thanks,” Wheels said. “I gotta go.”

  “I’m glad that Ollie’s all right, Wheels. I’m sorry,” Luther said.

  Wheels backed up carefully so he didn’t run into anyone. “Thanks.”

  He maneuvered adroitly around Luther, leaving the man quickly behind, not trusting himself not to say anything stupid. The best thing to do was to avoid Luther as much as possible. Based on Ollie’s grimaces and the way he trembled, he remembered Luther’s brutal treatment of him.

  While Wheels had never before had cause to fear Ollie, he didn’t trust his pal not to go after Luther. That would be very bad. Capuchins might not be the biggest of the monkeys, but they had considerable strength and cunning. Ollie was no exception to that and he didn’t want to take any chances of Ollie becoming aggressive.

  To distract Ollie from his fright, Wheels took him to Silver’s and let him pick out some fruit and a toy. Mr. Silver got a kick out of Ollie, who liked to push the buttons on the cash register and put the money in the drawer slots. Mr. Silver had to straighten them a little, but Ollie did a fair job of it.

  “Do you hire him out?” Mr. Silver teased. “I’ll bet I’d have a lot more customers in here if people knew Ollie was running the register.”

  Wheels laughed. “Probably, but he’d eat all your fruit and get distracted by pretty women. Thanks, Mr. Silver.”

  “Well, I tried. Take care, Wheels. Glad you’re out of jail,” Mr. Silver said, winking.

  Wheels bid him goodbye and left the store. As he traveled home, Ollie sat on his lap, eating an orange, thoroughly enjoying his sweet treat. Between Silver’s and Ellis’ Machine Shop, so many people greeted him and Ollie that it took a long time to reach his destination.

  He hadn’t realized how popular he was and it was both nice and surprising. Shaking that off, he had Ollie open the door for him and rolled into the shop. He was looking forward to a full day of work so he could catch up on a lot of things that had come in for him.

  Ollie put the remainder of his orange in his mouth and jumped onto Wheels’ work bench. A rope hung over it, up which Ollie climbed and dropped into the little hammock that swung from the rafters. Knowing that his monkey would most likely eat and then sleep for a little while, Wheels got to work.

  *****

  Carl walked over to Vern’s work area and nudged him. Smiling, he motioned in Wheels’ direction. Vern looked and had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. Wheels worked on repairing a phonograph, but every little bit he stopped, staring off into space and smiling. Then he came back to himself and resumed work.

  Carl whispered, “He’s been doing that for about twenty minutes.”

  Vern replied, “You and I know what that’s like and I’m glad that he has the chance to feel like that, too. I didn’t know if he ever would. Your mama and I hoped and prayed that he would, but we weren’t sure if he’d find a woman.”

  Carl nodded. “I know. It makes me so happy that Nora has a big heart and sees what a good man Wheels is and doesn’t care that he’s in a wheelchair. She’s a good woman.”

  “You’re right about that,” Vern said. “Better get back to work before he spots us over here.”

  Carl nodded and returned to his work area, but he and Vern exchanged smiles every so often.

  *****

  Nora was just as preoccupied by thoughts of her fiancé as Wheels was with her. She finished baking bread and tidied up the kitchen. Amelia was working on the laundry, taking advantage of the sunny day to hang out the she
ets and clothing. The late April day had turned warmer and the wash would dry quickly in the sun and playful breeze.

  As she worked, Nora kept looking at her beautiful engagement ring and smiling as she thought about Wheels’ beautiful proposal. She couldn’t believe how much effort he’d put into it. Although she’d hoped with all her heart that he’d want to marry her someday, she’d never thought that he’d rig up some way to get down on one knee in order to do it.

  She chuckled as she marveled once again on his ingenuity. Her mind also drifted back to the night when he’d shown her the sort of pleasure a man would bring a woman. Her cheeks grew warm as her body shivered at the delicious memory. They’d never gotten that carried away again, but it was always there between them every time they kissed.

  Despite Wheels’ assurance that he hadn’t wanted to go any further, Nora still felt guilty that she hadn’t been able to return the favor. Of course, she wasn’t sure what to do, but Wheels could’ve shown her.

  “Nora, stop it,” she chided herself.

  Then she laughed, thinking that there was nothing wrong with wanting her future husband. Wheels was too handsome and passionate not to desire. Everything about Wheels excited her. His large hands that were strong enough to propel himself along with great speed and yet be so nimble on the piano keys fascinated her. His smile was captivating and she had a hard time resisting her baser urges towards him.

  She thought about going to see him around lunchtime, but then thought better of it because she didn’t want to interrupt his first full day back at work. Instead, she went to help her mother with the wash. As they worked, she wished for the time to pass quickly until she could go see Wheels that evening.

  *****

  The beginning of May brought strong storms to Chance City and most of Oklahoma, which was normal for that time of year. It rained hard several times a week, turning the streets into a quagmire, making walking across them difficult and nearly impossible for Wheels to traverse. He stuck mainly to the wooden sidewalks, but there were times when he had to cross the street to get somewhere.