Bess snuggled closed to Ernie. “I love surprises.”
He waggled his eyebrows. “I know.”
The tender scene tugged at Rebecca’s heart. “Make sure you have her back before dark, Ernie Wade.”
Bess rolled her eyes. “Rebecca McGuire, I’m old enough to be your mother.”
Ernie touched the brim of his hat. “I’ll have her back, Mrs. McGuire.”
Rebecca grinned. “See that you do.”
The couple walked to the picket fence. Ernie opened the gate for Bess. The older woman howled with laughter then sashayed past him. He gave her bottom an affectionate pat and the two walked hand in hand toward town.
Jealousy tugged at Rebecca’s heart. That was the way it was supposed to be between a man and woman—a husband and wife—and she wanted that with Cole.
And in that moment, she knew.
She wanted more than Cole’s trust. She wanted his love.
Chapter Seventeen
Cole stared at the cracked tumbler full of untouched whiskey. He tapped his fingers against the sticky saloon table as he waited in the darkened corner for Judd. Seth said the farmer had spent most of the morning in the saloon and likely would return soon. Damn, but he hated the waiting.
He reminded himself for the fifth time in the last hour that Judd likely wouldn’t give him any trouble. The man had no real use for Dusty. Still, he couldn’t quite shake his worries. There was always the chance that Judd wouldn’t give him the boy.
He rose from his chair and strode to the swinging doors. He opened it and sucked in the warm afternoon air.
He should have been at the mine. The evening shift would be starting soon. There were walls to be timbered.
But dreams of money and wealth paled now.
His thoughts were only for Dusty, Mac and Rebecca.
His family.
Like Dusty and Mac, he had never belonged anywhere until Rebecca. She had created their family and now was their center, the glue that held them all together.
“You gonna sit there all day nursing that drink?” Seth barked. He sauntered up to the table. His stained apron clung to his wide waist and a bar towel hung over his shoulder.
Cole traced the rim of his glass. “You kicking me out?”
“No.” Seth pulled out the seat across from Cole and sat down. “But I’ve been wondering why a man with such a beautiful wife is sitting in the Rosebud.”
“I’m waiting on Judd.”
Seth’s expression tightened. “I figured as much. If it were me, I’d just wait Judd out. He’ll slither back under his rock soon enough. He always does.”
“Judd and I need to settle a few things now.” He had to be certain his family was safe.
“I don’t want any trouble in my saloon.”
“There won’t be any trouble.”
Seth snorted. “You two are trouble waiting to happen.”
Cole nodded. He couldn’t deny part of him wanted to beat the devil out of Judd—give him a little of what he’d dished out to Dusty. But he’d resolved there would be no trouble, unless it was absolutely necessary.
Seth sighed. “Go on home. I’ll send word when he arrives.”
“Thanks, but I’ll wait here.”
Seth straddled a chair across from Cole. “You’re worried.”
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
“Boy, you’ve had more than you could handle since you came back to town.”
Cole scowled. “Meaning?”
“Rebecca’s done got under your skin.”
Silent, Cole sipped his whiskey. The old bastard always had a talent for reading minds.
Seth chuckled. “I remember the way you was when you were with Lily. You was kind and respectful, but your gaze didn’t trail her around the room. And you sure never got all tied in knots when she danced with another man.”
Cole shifted, uneasy.
“And you could walk away from her without a worry in the world. Now you’ve gotten tangled up with a woman that you can’t walk away from and it scares the hell out of you.”
“Rebecca and I have children. It’s a different situation.”
“Men walk away from children all the time.”
“Not me.”
“Rebecca’s different. She always has been.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Seth pulled a cheroot from his vest pocket and lit it. “I remember when you came to town three years ago.” He inhaled deeply and released a stream of smoke. “You weren’t here to visit your ma’s grave or Lily.”
Cole cocked an eyebrow. “Really? Then why did I come back?”
“To see Rebecca.”
“Bull.”
“I remember how angry you was when you heard she’d eloped. You drank until you couldn’t see straight and then you went looking for Lily.”
“What’s wrong with a man visiting a friend?”
“She was a substitute.”
“Like hell.”
“Lily was a smart gal. She knew you’d always had eyes for Rebecca.”
“Now, I know you’re crazy or drunk.”
“Sane and sober as a judge.”
Cole reached for his hat. “I’ve heard enough of this.”
“I always admired your spunk, even when you was a little fellow. Your ma weren’t the best at mothering and I know you suffered for it.”
“That’s enough, old man.” Cole rose but he didn’t leave.
“I know you closed off a good part of your soul to get past the hard times, but it’s time to open up again.”
Cole crushed the brim of his hat in his fist. He’d faced down renegades and outlaws, but never had he been so afraid. It was as if this time, there was more to lose than just his life.
“If you’re smart,” Seth persisted, “you’ll forget about Judd. He’ll leave town. Then if you’re real smart you’ll leave this saloon and go home to your wife. It’s where you belong.”
The doors to the saloon swung open and Judd staggered in. Cove
red in dirt, he made his way toward the bar. “Seth! I want a drink.”
Seth moved to stand but Cole shook his head. “Let me take this one.”
Seth nodded. “Let it go, Cole.”
“Sorry, Seth.” Cole strode over to Judd who smelled of pigs and urine.
Judd banged his hand against the bar. “Seth!”
Cole tossed his hat on the bar. He reached for a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. He filled both. “We need to talk.”
Judd took one glass and tossed back the whiskey in one gulp. “I ain’t got nothing to say to you, McGuire.”
“Too bad, you’re gonna talk.”
Judd rose to his feet. He was a good six inches shorter than Cole, but he was powerfully built, his chest and arms thick with muscles from years of hard labor.
“It’s about your boy.”
Judd sniffed. “If he’s causing trouble don’t expect me to fix it.”
Cole clenched his fists. “The boy’s done nothing wrong.”
“Dusty’s done nothing right since the day he was born.”
Cole stared at his knuckles, scraped up this morning while he was wielding a pickax. He flexed his hand as he tried to shake off the urge to ram his fist into Judd’s face. “I don’t agree.”
Judd narrowed his eyes. “I’m not interested in talking about that brat.”
“He’s living with me and my wife,” Cole said tersely.
Judd took Cole’s untouched drink and swallowed it. “Wife? Ah, that’s right. Some of the boys at the saloon last night said you married that high-and-mighty Mrs. Taylor. That little miss and I had a run-in this spring. She didn’t like the way I was teaching my boy a lesson with the business end of my belt,” he snarled. “She’s the one that deserved a lesson in keeping her nose out of other people’s business.”
If not for the white-hot anger roiling inside him, he’d have enjoyed the flash of pride he felt for his wife. Rebecca was a hellcat when it came to her children.
Still, thinking of her facing Judd alone made his blood run cold. She was no match for him.
Cole kept a tight rein on his emotions, choosing his words carefully so he didn’t reveal his anger. Striking a bargain with Judd was more important now than his own anger. “Rebecca would like Dusty to stay with us.”