When the boy could no longer sit still, Posey sent him outside to play. “You and Agnes stay out of trouble.”
“Yes, Mama!” Nate hollered as he charged outside and leaped off the porch. Agnes bleated and chased after him as he raced around the yard.
Posey decided to get in a little work on a quilt she was hurrying to finish for Mrs. Owens. The feathered star pattern of dark burgundy on white made quite a striking contrast. She slipped on the leather thimble Tad had made for her a few weeks ago, marveling that he did such kind, thoughtful things for her.
Maybe he really did care for her more than she knew.
Or maybe he thought of her as another sister. She knew he missed his sister, Gloria, even though there was quite an age difference in the two. Perhaps if he’d been around Gloria he would have done similar gestures.
As Posey quilted tiny, even stitches, she let her mind wander from the life she’d built for Nate, with Tad’s generous assistance, to the saddle maker who quietly went through his days while giving so much of himself to others.
Many of Tad’s characteristics were the same ones she’d admired in John. Yet, the two men were so very different. John never knew a stranger, loved to talk to and tease everyone. While Tad had a playful side, he was much more reserved around people he didn’t know well and sometimes around those he did.
Lost in her thoughts, she finally glanced up at the clock on the wall, shocked by how long she’d worked.
Goodness only knew what sort of shenanigans Nate had gotten into outside.
Posey stuck the needle into the fabric, removed her thimble, and rushed outside.
The dog and goat were as conspicuously absent as was Nate.
“Nate? Where are you?” Posey called, walking all around the house and not finding him anywhere. She looked up in the trees to see if he’d somehow managed to climb up one, but they didn’t reveal a hiding spot.
She ran out of the yard and over to the barn. A search there didn’t reveal her son. He wasn’t in the chicken coop, the cellar, the wagon shed, the smokehouse, or outhouse.
Desperate to find him, Posey ran toward the orchard, hoping he’d wandered back there instead of off somewhere else. “Nate! Answer me, baby!”
The only sound she heard was the echo of her own voice on the breeze.
Chapter Six
“I think you’ll like this pair better for ranch work,” Tad said, handing Thane Jordan a pair of smooth leather gloves from a stack behind the counter.
The rancher tugged them on and flexed his fingers inside the tan leather covering. He spread his fingers then turned over both hands and examined the stitching on the palms.
“These look like they’ll have a good bit of wear in them, Palmer. Why don’t you add three pairs to that box of supplies?” Thane took off the pair he wore and handed them to Tad.
He added two more pairs of gloves to a box that held saddle cleaning supplies, a braided leather whip Tad had just finished making that morning, and two coils of new rope.
“Is there anything else I can help you with this afternoon, Thane?” Tad asked as he tallied the man’s purchases.
“No, I think that’ll do it for today.” Thane took money from his pocket and handed it to Tad. “How long do you think it’ll take you to make those spur straps?”
Tad handed Thane his change and closed the cash register. He glanced down at the notepad where he’d written the custom order for Thane’s new spur straps. “As soon as Leroy has the silverwork ready, it shouldn’t take me more than a day or so to finish.”
Thane nodded his head. “Perfect. He said he should have the silver ready in two weeks.” The man looked around Tad’s well-stocked store. “Who would have thought when we first moved to town that we’d have so many conveniences here now?”
Tad grinned, recalling the primitive lifestyle many of them endured upon arrival in the area. As they’d matured, the town had also grown. Baker City had much to offer families now, a far cry from its rough days as just a mining town.
“Things have certainly changed.”
Thane picked up his box of supplies and headed toward the door. “Thanks, Palmer. See you at church on Sunday.”
“I’ll be there,” Tad said, starting to turn toward his workroom when a long whistle from Thane drew him to a halt.
“What in the…” Thane’s words lingered in the air as he gaped out the window.
Tad hurried to the front of the store and threw open the door. The two men stepped outside and watched as Nate Jacobs proudly walked down the street. A flop-eared black and white dog, its bright pink tongue lolling out of its mouth, flanked him on one side while a prancing goat wearing a wreath of flowers around her head kept step on the other.
“Hi, Uncle Tad!” the boy called, waving his hand wildly in the air.
Thane chuckled. “It looks like he stopped by a circus on his way here. Good luck with your very own Pied Piper.”
“I’m convinced the goat could have her own act,” Tad said quietly, then lifted a departing hand to Thane as the man hurried down the steps and grinned at the boy and his animal pals.
Tad hunkered down and Nate ran up the steps to him, taking a seat on Tad’s bent leg. “What brings you to town, Nater?”
“Mama and I gave Agnes a bath and she wanted everyone to see how pretty she looks.”
“Agnes or your mama?” Tad teased.
“Agnes!” Nate giggled and placed a hand on the goat’s head as it moved in front of them and bleated softly.
“I see you, Miss Agnes, and that is quite a fetching flower arrangement on your head.” Tad chuckled when the goat appeared to smile at him, eating up his words of praise.
“Mama made her the crown. She said Agnes gets to be a princess today.”
“Is that right?” Tad stood and lifted the boy in his arms then waited as the dog and goat wandered inside his shop. He shut the door and herded them all to the workroom. He pumped a bowl full of water and set it on the floor. The dog slurped at it noisily but the goat took dainty sips, as though she was trying to live up to her temporary royal title.
Tad took a breath and inhaled a perfumed scent that made his thoughts immediately go to Posey. “Did you give the goat a bath with your mama’s soap?”
Nate nodded his head, accepting the glass of water Tad gave to him. “Mama wasn’t mad, but she told me to use the kitchen soap next time instead of her bath soap. But Agnes smells pretty now, just like Mama.”
“Yes, she does,” Tad said, taking another breath before realizing how pathetic it was to be so desperate to be closer to Posey that he was inhaling deep whiffs of the goat as a substitute.
Annoyed with himself, Tad picked up Nate and set him on his tall workbench. “What are you and your mama doing today?”
“Mama cleaned the barn and the chicken coop, and we gaved Agnes her bath.” Nate took another drink of water then set the glass aside. “Then we had a picnic outside and went to the orchard to get the flowers for Agnes’ crown and we sat in the trees and Mama sewed ‘em together. You should see the trees, Uncle Tad. They’re beautiful! There are white flowers and pink flowers, and they’re floating down like fluffy snowflakes!”
“Is that so?” Tad asked, removing the lid from a glass jar on the end of the counter and handed Nate a piece of licorice. The boy eagerly took it and bit off a chunk.
“Thanks, Uncle Tad.”
“You’re welcome.” Tad ruffled his hair. “What else did you do today?”
“Well, me and Mama worked on our numbers and letters. Guess what?” Nate excitedly wiggled back and forth on the bench.
“What? You’ll have to tell me or I’ll never guess,” Tad said, wondering what had Nate so excited.
“I can spell Mama’s name and Agnes’ name and Spot’s name!”
“You can?” Tad feigned a dubious expression. “That’s a lot of words for a little boy to know. How about you spell your mama’s name for me?”
“Mama is M-A-M-A, but her grown up nam
e is Posey. I can spell it, Uncle Tad. P-O-S-E-Y.” Nate beamed. “See! I spelled it!”
“You sure did! That’s great, Nate. Good job!” Tad patted the boy on his back then leaned one elbow on the counter, entertained with what excited the youngster. “You’ll be the smartest one in your class when you start school next fall.”
“Mama says if I keep up my studies, I’ll do good.” Nate bit off another piece of candy and chewed it.
“What brought you and your mother into town? Is she at the mercantile? You don’t usually bring Agnes and Spot with you.” Tad watched the boy’s face, taken aback by a look he’d seen before, usually when Nate did something he shouldn’t.
Nate ducked his head and stared at his feet.
Tad used his forefinger to nudge up the little chin until the boy had to look at him. “Nate? What’s going on? Where is your mama?”
Nate shrugged. “At home, I guess. She was working on a quilt when we left.”
Tad straightened and stared at the child. “When you left? What do you mean when you left? Did you come into town by yourself? Did you leave without asking her?”
Nate’s lip puckered out at Tad’s concerned tone and his eyes welled with tears, but he didn’t speak.
“Nathaniel John Jacobs! Did you run off without telling your mother where you were going?”
Barely perceptible, Nate’s head bobbed up and down.
Tad tamped down the desire to yell at the boy. Losing his temper wouldn’t help anything. Instead he picked up the child and held him at eye level. “Nate, it’s really important you never leave without telling your mama where you are going. If she tells you no, it’s because it’s what’s best for you. And you shouldn’t walk all the way into town by yourself. That’s dangerous.”
“But Agnes and Spot comed with me and they keeped me safe.” Nate’s lip quivered and tears threatened to spill. He sniffled and rubbed a hand beneath his nose. “I just wanted you to see how pretty Agnes looks. Spot wanted to show off, too.”
Tad patted the child’s back comfortingly. “Just promise you will never, ever do something like this again. Your mother is probably worried sick about you.”
“Oh, I don’t want Mama to worry.” Nate squirmed against Tad. As soon as his feet touched the floor, he started to run, but Tad grabbed him in mid-step.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Home!” Nate said, pushing against Tad to set him down again. “I gotta get home to Mama.”
“Just hold your horses, Nater. I’ll take you home. Weren’t you listening to what I said? It’s not safe for you to walk all the way home alone, even if you have Agnes and Spot along. Now, settle down while I lock up the shop and then I’ll take you back to your mother.”
Nate nodded and quieted. He used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe his nose and face while Tad locked the back door.
He took Nate’s little hand in his and led him to the front of the store. A sharp whistle brought the goat and dog racing to the door. “Come on, you three, let’s go.”
Tad pushed open the door and the boy, goat, and dog raced outside. He locked the door then took Nate’s hand in his again and started the walk out to the Jacobs’ farm. Posey’s place was only about a mile or so from town, but Tad couldn’t fathom what had inspired Nate to walk all that way by himself.
Even if he had wanted to show off the goat, he would have thought the little one would have been tuckered out after the trek into Baker City.
They’d only gone a few blocks down Main Street when a cloud of dust signaled a rider racing into town.
Spying them, Posey hauled back on the reins and drew the horse she rode to a sliding stop. Before Tad could do more than blink in surprise, she was off the horse and on her knees in front of her son, hugging him to her while tears streamed down her face.
“Oh, son, I’m so happy to see you.” She hugged him so tightly he squirmed for freedom.
“You’re smooshing me, Mama!” he finally said, pulling away from her.
Posey ran one hand over his hair while another trailed over his back, making sure her precious boy was in one piece. “Baby, you scared me half to death! What were you thinking, leaving without asking me?”
Nate’s lip puckered again. At the worried look on his mother’s face, he burst into tears. “I’m sorry, Mama. I didn’t mean to be naughty.”
He threw himself back in her arms, sobbing against her neck. Posey’s tears dripped down her cheeks and fell on the boy’s brown head as she held him close.
To add to the rumpus in the middle of the street, the goat and dog crowded close to the boy, pushing against Posey. Tad held the reins of the horse and observed, debating what he could do to help. The dog whined while the goat bleated and tossed her head, sending flower petals dancing into the air.
“Okay, you four, that’s enough. I think it’s time for someone else to take over as the afternoon entertainment around here,” Tad said, grasping Posey’s arms in his hands and lifting her to her feet. He took Nate from her and held the boy on one arm while he offered his other to her.
She took it and together, they walked over to the park. Tad got Posey and Nate settled on a bench in the shade then hurried to the drugstore located a few blocks from the park. He returned with three dishes of ice cream.
Nate perked right up at the sight of his treat. While he enthusiastically ate his ice cream, sharing a few bites with Agnes and Spot, Posey spoke quietly to Tad.
“I’m not sure rewarding his bad behavior is a good idea, but who am I to turn down ice cream?”
Tad grinned at her, grateful she’d stopped crying and seemed to be on the way to regaining her good humor. “I think Nate understands what he did was wrong and he won’t do it again. He was just so proud of Agnes and wanted to show her off.” He chuckled and pointed his spoon at the goat. “I swear she was mincing down the street like she was in a parade.”
Posey laughed and the low throaty sound did things to Tad he forced himself to ignore. “She’s been acting like the Queen of England since I found Nate giving her a bath. I just hate that he used up all my good soap.”
He chuckled and took another bite of his chocolate ice cream. “I bet you have the nicest smelling goat this side of the Rocky Mountains. Maybe even the whole country.”
“I don’t know about that, but she does smell much better than she has for a long while.” Posey gave him a glance from beneath her eyelashes and licked ice cream from her spoon.
Tad’s spoon stopped midway to his mouth as he watched her tongue capture the last little bit of creamy confection from her spoon. He wanted, in the worst way, to kiss her lips. He imagined they’d taste sweet, like the caramel-flavored ice cream she ate. Thoughts of her mouth, cool from the frozen treat, warming his skin made gooseflesh ripple over him followed by a delicious shiver.
Mistaking his response to a reaction to the cold ice cream, Posey put a hand on his arm. “Did you eat your ice cream too fast?”
Tad shook his head and hurried to take another bite to keep from answering her. If things continued between the two of them as they had been the last few weeks, Tad had no idea how he’d keep from falling at Posey’s feet and confessing his feelings for her.
And that was something he just couldn’t do.
Chapter Seven
The bell jangling above his door alerted Tad to a customer. He set down the tool in his hand and hurried into the front of his shop.
His smile broadened as he saw Posey and Nate standing just inside the door.
“What’s this? No goat or dog in tow today?” he teased, lifting Nate in his arms when the boy ran to him. He tossed the child in the air twice, eliciting a happy giggle before setting him on the counter.
“The animals remained at home today, but I do have a favor to ask.” Posey gave him a long studying glance that left him slightly unsettled. He wondered what she saw when she looked at him that way.
He felt like she could see beyond the surface into his heart where his love
for her mingled with the hurts from his past.
Determined not to allow wounds from yesterday to mar the beauty of today, he shoved those thoughts aside and smiled at the lovely woman in front of him.
He noticed she wore the pink dress he’d decided was his new favorite. Everything from the color to the way it glided over her curves accented her desirability. The dark molasses color of her eyes sparkled with an inner light and her lips, those purely perfect kissable pink lips, begged for him to take a taste or two.
Tad blinked and swallowed hard, trying to focus on the words Posey spoke instead of how much he wanted to take her in his arms.
When she fell silent and stared at him expectantly, he knew she’d asked something that required him to respond.
Sheepishly, he grinned at her. “I’m sorry, Posey, I didn’t catch what you said.”
“I merely asked if you could keep an eye on Nate for a little while. I have a few appointments to attend to then I need to run by the mercantile. If you don’t have time to watch him, I’ll just take him with me.” She moved toward the counter where Nate sat playing with a stack of small square leather pieces hooked together on a sturdy ring. Tad used the samples when he was taking down custom orders.
“Nate can stay here. I don’t mind having him in the shop. And take as much time as you need.” Tad glanced at the clock. “In fact, if you’re finished with your errands in time for lunch, I’d be happy to take you two out to eat.”
Posey smiled. “That’s so kind of you, Tad, but one of my appointments includes a lunch meeting. I should be back here by half past one. If you don’t want to keep Nate that long, just say the word. You can tell me no.”
Tad didn’t think she realized the error of her statement. He couldn’t tell her no, especially when she stood in a shaft of sunlight that turned her hair into a mass of golden curls. Glad she’d removed her hat, he fought down the urge to pull out the pins confining her hair and bury his hands in the shining strands.
By force, he yanked his thoughts back on track and glanced at Nate. “I think Nater can keep me out of trouble for a few hours. Just come back by here when you’re ready. There’s no hurry or rush.” He gave her a long look. “Do you need help with anything, Posey? Is there anything I can do to assist you, other than keep an eye on Nate?”
Tad's Treasure (Grandma's Wedding Quilts Book 12) Page 6