Surrounded by those he loved, he began to relax until the conversation turned to the town picnic coming up in a week’s time. It would be held in the town square, and everyone in Paradise Falls was invited and encouraged to attend. The mayor had recruited one of the local ranchers to play his violin as well as himself to strum his guitar. There would be food, games for the children as well as the adults, and then, when the sun went down, there would be dancing.
“Would you like to join us, Ryleigh?” Elizabeth looked directly at him when she asked the question. “Teague and Desi Lyn will be joining us, too, won’t you?” She grinned and raised an eyebrow. Teague tensed up once again and returned Elizabeth’s stare with one of his own.
Like Krissa, he’d grown up with her and loved her as much as he would a sister. Also like Krissa, she didn’t hesitate to share her opinions, though she was a little more circumspect. Being a minister’s wife, she’d learned to, if not curb her tongue, at least deliver her comments with a dose of sugar.
Put on the spot, knowing that if he declined the invitation, both she and Josiah would press their argument until he agreed, he gave a slight nod . . . and earned Elizabeth’s winning smirk.
“Yes, please join us. It’s bound to be a wonderful night,” Nate added and grinned in his direction as well.
Were they all in on it? Had his friends decided it was high time he put Michaela behind him and move on? With Ryleigh?
“Bethany and I will be there as well. Please, come,” Roy said, confirming his suspicion and adding to his discomfort.
Teague wanted to slap his hand against his forehead. For crying in a bucket! They were ganging up on him. Even Krissa and Oscar were looking at him. How could he be angry though? They had his best interests at heart, he was certain. Perhaps they wanted him to be as happy as they were.
With effort, he closed his eyes, removing the smiling faces of his friends from his sight. When he opened them again, his gaze fell upon Ryleigh. She tucked her hair behind her ear, leaving the rest of her raven tresses to coil over her shoulders and lay upon her breasts. His eyes followed the twisting mass and lit upon the tiny row of buttons from her neckline down. Those amethyst buttons intrigued him more than he cared to acknowledge, and the desire to undo them, one by one, skittered through his mind.
He forced himself to stop thinking about her buttons and focused on her face. “They won’t let up, Ryleigh,” he said finally. “They’ll badger and pester you until you say yes.”
She accepted the offer. “That would be lovely, thank you.”
Elizabeth smiled at him. “You know me so well, don’t you? But then, you should. We’ve been friends for years.”
Though he nodded again, his stomach tightened even more. What else did she have up her sleeve? What secret would she reveal? There were so many. That’s what happened when you knew someone for more than half your life. They knew everything about you. “He sat behind me in school. I can’t tell you how many times I had to wash ink out of my braids!” She laughed and winked at him, then grew serious. “He’s also the reason Josiah and I married.”
“He is?” Ryleigh glanced at him, that brilliant smile flashing, then back at Elizabeth.
“He arranged our introduction,” she said, her eyes aglow.
“He did,” Josiah said as he added another spoonful of Krissa’s potato salad to his plate. “I came into town, fresh out of the seminary, newly ordained and scared out of my wits. I didn’t know a soul, and I’d never preached in front of anyone except my classmates.” He chuckled with the memory. “All I had was a letter from the mayor of Paradise Falls at the time, offering me a position at the church. I met Teague as soon as I stepped off the stagecoach―he was deputy then―but I’ll never forget his warm welcome.”
If he thought his face was warm before, it doubled in heat when Josiah smiled at him. Could one die from embarrassment? He cocked an eyebrow at the man and mouthed the word stop but Josiah ignored both and continued. “When he found out who I was, he introduced me to his father, then brought me to his house where I met Mam―Mrs. MacDermott―who fed me and fussed over me like I was one of her sons. I’d never had a family. I was raised in an orphanage in Texas, but she made me feel as if I belonged. All the MacDermotts did.”
Josiah took a bite of his salad and swallowed, then continued with his recollection. “They were the first ones to come into church, leading the rest of the town, on the following Sunday morning. Shamus in front, as proud as a man could be. Mam beside him as she always was. They sat in the first row. All of them. Teague, Kieran, his soon to be wife, Mary, and her young son, Matthew. Eamon, who was leaving the next day, shiny, new U.S. Marshal badge pinned to his vest. And Brock, visiting from Pueblo, where he was sheriff. After church, Mam invited me to dinner . . . very much like this . . . ”
He gestured to everyone around the table before his gaze came to rest on his wife. “They were all there, but it was Elizabeth who took my heart from the moment I saw her.”
“He was so shy!” Elizabeth exclaimed with a grin. “He could barely talk to me, which was odd because when I saw him on the pulpit earlier, he was nothing less than charismatic and commanding. Teague must have seen me looking at him and Josiah returning my stare, and before I knew it, he was taking me by the hand and introducing us.”
“Still, it took a lot of encouragement from Teague before I could even ask you to go to the town picnic with me.” He sighed as he covered her hand with his.
“And I’m so glad you did.” Elizabeth’s eyes met her husband’s, then she turned to him.
Uncomfortable, Teague acknowledged the unspoken gratitude in her gaze, and then glanced at Desi Lyn at the next table. He grinned. His niece had brown-sugar glaze on her cheeks, chin, and fingers, not to mention smears on her shirt. Apparently, wiping her hands on her shirt was faster than using a napkin. So much for the manners he and Mrs. Calvin were trying to teach her, but then, she looked like every other child sitting at the table.
His eyes drifted from his niece to Ryleigh, who hadn’t said much while they ate, and he had to stifle his laughter. She, too, had brown-sugar glaze on her cheeks and fingers. She held a rib and bit the meat off the bone, getting more on her cheek. Her gaze met his over the bone in her hands. She tilted her head and smiled, completely unaware of the delectable picture she presented.
Elizabeth rose from the table as Ellie began to wail from her bassinet. “Ah, I’m being summoned. She’s probably hungry. If you’ll excuse me?”
“I remember that warm welcome.” Celia rose as well and started collecting the used dinner plates, stacking them at the end of the table. “I was so nervous when Nate told me he wanted to go home to practice medicine instead of staying in Connecticut.” She took his plate from him, then patted his shoulder. “He talked about Paradise Falls and the wonderful people all the time, and I knew how much he missed it, especially the MacDermotts, who’d been like family to him. Truthfully, I thought he was making it up. There couldn’t possibly have been such a perfect place filled with such lovely, loving people. I was wrong.”
She chuckled and continued, contentment shining on her face, “Two months later, we were here, and Teague was there when the stagecoach stopped. The first thing he did was hug Nate and then, as if he’d known me all his life, hugged me.” She laughed again. “I didn’t quite know what to do, so I hugged him back.”
Teague groaned as he glanced over at Ryleigh. Her attention was on Celia, and she seemed to be hanging on every word as his friends impressed upon her what a good man he was. He shouldn’t be upset with them for playing matchmaker, if that’s what they were doing, though he had no doubt his suspicions were accurate. He’d done the same. Neither Elizabeth and Josiah, or Krissa and Oscar would have met, fallen in love, and married if he hadn’t been for him and his encouragement. Strange, thinking about it now, they hadn’t encouraged him to pursue Michaela McKinley. In fact, they had done everything they could to dissuade him.
• • •
Ryleigh dropped the final rib bone with the others on the plate, wiped her mouth and hands of sweet, sticky glaze, and rose from the table to help Celia clear the dishes from the children’s table. She’d been quiet, listening while everyone talked and came to several conclusions, one of which she’d already known. Teague MacDermott was well-loved by his friends.
She glanced at him now, the sun highlighting the blush of embarrassment on his cheeks. He was modest, too, clearly uncomfortable with the information his friends had imparted. Most surprisingly of all, he seemed to be a natural-born matchmaker.
What of himself? He wasn’t married as she had discovered. As far as she knew, he’d never been. Krissa had mentioned a Michaela, who had knocked him off his feet, but then, almost in the same breath, said that she’d left town.
Ryleigh carried a stack of dishes into the house, careful not to drop them or trip over the hem of her gown as she went up the steps. Celia was right behind her. Krissa and Bethany followed, each carrying more dishes as well as the leftover food from the table, all of them such close friends that they were comfortable in each other’s kitchens.
“So, has he asked you yet?” Krissa stood with her hand on her hip and directed her question to Bethany. The woman turned bright red, which matched her hair, and shook her head as she placed her stack of dishes on the work counter beside the sink.
“I don’t know why he’s hesitating. He’s loved you for as long as I can remember.”
“I know he loves me, but it’s a big responsibility to take on a widow with two young boys.”
“Nonsense! He loves your boys as much as he loves you.” Krissa grinned as she pulled aprons from a drawer and started to pass them around. “I’ll talk to him.”
Again, the woman shook her head, her face still aglow with mortification as she tied the apron around her waist. “No, don’t, Krissa. When he’s ready, he’ll ask.”
“Hmmm. Stubborn man. Doesn’t know a good thing when it’s staring him in the face.”
Ryleigh listened without saying a word until Krissa turned her attention on her and handed her an apron. Like Bethany, her face warmed beneath the woman’s scrutiny.
“What about you, Ryleigh? Ever been married?”
The bluntness of the question surprised her, but it shouldn’t have. She knew Krissa well enough to know the woman said exactly what was on her mind. With no hesitation. Or diplomacy.
And Father thinks I’m outspoken. He should meet these women. And yet, she wasn’t offended. Or even embarrassed as she gave her the same answer she’d given Teague just last night. “Never been asked.”
The women gathered in the kitchen exchanged glances, and she definitely saw Celia wink at Krissa.
What were they planning?
From what she’d seen, none of them were above a little matchmaking, hence the invitations to her when they knew Teague would be there. Did they think she and Teague MacDermott would make a nice couple? The thought not only amused her, but gave her pause.
Ryleigh hid her smile as she watched Celia sink a stack of dishes in the water she’d just prepared, grabbed a washcloth, and began scrubbing, all the while looking over her shoulder. “You know, Teague has never been married, either. It’s a shame really. He’s such a good man.”
Ryleigh stifled her hoot of laughter even as her face grew a little warmer. Apparently, they did think she and Teague belonged together. These women, as friendly and lovely as they could be, were definitely playing matchmaker in their own, not-so-subtle way. They’d put professionals to shame. She already knew Teague was a decent, caring, compassionate man. He intrigued her in more ways than she could count. And of course, she couldn’t forget that kiss, which had curled her toes in her shoes, and left her wanting more.
But marriage? No. There were too many stories to write, too much to do with her life before she settled down, if she ever did. Marriage had never really been in the cards for her anyway. She’d accepted that long ago.
“He came close once,” Bethany added as she placed some leftover food in the icebox.
“Too close, if you ask me.” Krissa handed Ryleigh a dish towel. “I just . . . didn’t like her. I know that’s terrible for me to say, but I didn’t.”
“She didn’t like us very much, either. I think she was jealous of the time Teague spent with us.” Celia handed another clean plate to Krissa to dry. “I invited her to dinner several times, but she always found an excuse. She didn’t even want Teague to come by himself, and he’s been to our house almost every Friday night since Nate came back home. Wanted him all to herself. I heard some of the things she said to him. They weren’t very nice.”
“What are we talking about?” Elizabeth breezed into the room, a freshly changed, fed, and content Ellie on her hip. The baby gurgled. Celia glanced at her as she handed a clean dish to Ryleigh.
“You just sit, Lizzie, and rest.” She nodded toward the troop of women cleaning the kitchen and drying the dishes. “We’ll take care of this.” She started washing another plate but continued to speak over her shoulder. “We’re talking about Michaela McKinley.”
“Oh.” Elizabeth placed the baby in her highchair and handed her a hard biscuit to chew on, then, ignoring the order to sit and rest, started a pot of coffee. “It’s not nice to talk about people when they’re not here to defend themselves.”
Four pairs of eyes turned in her direction. Celia pursed her lips, then conceded the point. “You’re right. We shouldn’t be gossiping, but I can’t help feeling Teague dodged a bullet when it came to that woman. She was even jealous of Desi Lyn, if you can believe it!”
“I know,” Elizabeth admitted as she moved toward the baby and wiped Ellie’s mouth and chin, removing bits of the biscuit the child gnawed on, “but still, we shouldn’t. Michaela couldn’t help who she was.”
“Spoiled and cosseted?” Krissa grinned, not the least bit remorseful, as she took a handful of silverware Celia handed her and dried them, one utensil at a time.
Elizabeth didn’t say another word, but she cocked an eyebrow, and the woman closed her mouth. Ryleigh bit her lip to keep the smile from her face. She liked these women. She really did, and for once she didn’t feel as if she didn’t belong as she so often did while rubbing elbows with San Francisco society. Judging from the conversation and the ease with which they spoke, they liked her as well.
Kitchen clean, gossip spilled, Ryleigh picked up a stack of newly washed and dried plates and pushed through the back door with her backside. Cicadas chirped from the trees, and fireflies winked in the falling darkness, darting away from little grasping hands as the children chased them around the yard. Several lanterns, suspended from the ceiling of the grape arbor, had been lit as daylight faded.
Celia followed with the silverware while Krissa and Bethany brought the desserts and Elizabeth carried the baby. The men were still around the table, cigars and pipes lending their fragrance to the air. They spoke quietly while they watched the children, obviously solving the world’s problems or at least the problems in their little corner of it until Josiah turned. He jumped up and took the baby from his wife, cuddling her close, unconcerned with the biscuit in the child’s hand and the soggy crumbs wetting his shirt.
“Do you want the high chair?” Teague asked, but before Josiah could answer, he left his seat and darted into the house. A moment later, he returned with the chair and placed it beside the table, then resumed his spot, his face slightly red, not from exertion, but from embarrassment as his gaze shifted to her. Ryleigh raised an eyebrow and grinned, mentally giving the sheriff another mark in her book for his kindness. He couldn’t seem to help himself.
“Now that everyone is settled, who’s ready for dessert?” Elizabeth asked as she wielded a pie server like an expert and served everyone their choice.
When dessert was finished, it was the men who trooped into the kitchen and took care of the dishes, allowing the women to relax around the table with the last of the coffee. Ryleigh could just imagine them
all, aprons tied around their waists, dishtowels in hand. Did they gossip like the ladies? Were Nate, Roy, Josiah, and Oscar talking to Teague about her? She wouldn’t be surprised. They seemed to delight in the redness that crept up his face and his expression of utter mortification.
She turned her attention to Teague’s women friends and watched them from beneath the shadow of her lashes. Would any of these ladies ever talk about what happened the day the Logans rode into town? Krissa, the most direct of the group, had told her point blank that Teague himself would never talk about it, but then, she hadn’t either, instead regaling her with her own childhood memories of the MacDermotts.
Actually, all of his friends, including Mrs. Calvin, seemed to be really good at that. When she asked point blank what had happened that day, they deftly changed the subject. Had they made an unspoken pact? They were certainly willing to speak of other things, so why not that?
She opened her mouth, ready to ask, but realized several things at once. This was not the time or place to bring up a painful subject, nor did she want to sour the budding kinship she felt with the women. If she waited long enough, they might bring her into their confidence as they’d done about Michaela, but she couldn’t be too assertive, even though it was in her nature to be so.
Still, she lost her chance as the back door slammed and the men came outside, a fresh pot of coffee in Josiah’s hand.
Ryleigh accepted another cup, then leaned back in her chair. The boys, tired from playing in the sunshine and fresh air, their bellies full, were now engaged in a quiet game of cards on the porch, the energy they’d shown earlier gone. Even Shotgun was tired after chasing after them all afternoon. He sprawled on the soft grass beside Teague’s chair, panting as his ears twitched occasionally. She grinned. All of them would sleep well tonight. Indeed, Desi Lyn was already comfortable on Teague’s lap, her eyelids slowly closing.
A Kiss in the Sunlight Page 9