The ones she wrote now were for the local folks. Howard
had hired two scruffy-haired boys to deliver the notes post
haste. A smile tickled her lips, and a tiny giggle did emit as
she thought of the two boys now. Ma Quinter wasn't one for
scruffiness no matter how down on your luck a person may
be, and by the second day, the boys were delivering the
notes dressed in bright blue knickers and red shirts, complete
with little black arm bands. Their once unruly hair was also
well greased and parted on the side.
Her darling husband, upon seeing three other boys—
younger brothers of the invitation delivery ones—standing
near the front gate, had quickly found jobs for each of them,
and Ma had just as quickly completed uniforms for those
three. One now stood beside her, he couldn't be more than
seven or eight, and it had become his job to gather the return
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reply cards from the basket hanging on a hook near the front
gate.
She looked over and met his sparkling blue eyes.
"How many today?"
He handed her several notes. "Twenty-two. Add those to
the others and we got us a total of over three-hundred."
Randi nodded, not smiling quite as brightly as the child. "I
don't know where Mr. Quinter thinks all these people are
going to fit."
Willie glanced around. "Whatcha mean? This place is big
enough to hold pert near everyone in Kansas."
"That's right, Willie," Howard's voice sounded from the
doorway. "And if we do run out of room, we'll just put the
band in the street."
"The band? Is the Cowboy Band gonna play here?" Willie's
eyes lit up like the sun on a summer day.
"Sure enough," Howard said, flipping a coin toward the
boy, who caught it mid-air. "Quitting time, you find your
brothers and run on home now."
"Yes, sir, Mr. Quinter." Willie paused in the doorway as if
just remembering his manners. "And, thank ya, kindly, sir,"
he said, holding the coin up.
Howard nodded an answer, and Randi rose to meet him
where he'd stopped beside her chair in his office.
"You, Mr. Quinter, are going to have more people here for
this grand opening than you will know what to do with," she
said teasingly.
He shrugged nonchalantly, while his eyes took on a bright,
knowing shimmer. "That's all right," he said, lowering his
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head. His lips brushed against her ear as he whispered,
"Because I have you, and I already know what to do with
you."
That was really all it took to turn her into little more than a
puddle, but Randi did her best not to melt and slapped his
chest playfully. "You're incorrigible."
"Perhaps I am," he stated, nuzzling the skin behind her
earlobe with the tip of his nose.
It was no use, and she was only making herself miserable.
Slipping her hands around his waist, she gave in, liquefying
against his solid stance.
"Delightfully incorrigible," she said before their lips met.
Thankful his arms held her up, she snuggled her head
under his chin when his lips left hers. It took several minutes
before she had her bearings back enough to stand on her
own.
She lifted her head to ask a question she'd been
pondering. "Shouldn't the Timmer boys be in school?"
"Not right now," he said, his hands roaming her back.
"Why?" The question was almost a groan due to the way
his touch made her blood swirl with heat.
"Because school is closed for planting."
"Planting?" The room now spun around her.
"Yes, schools are closed so the kids can help with planting,
once the crops are all in the school will open back up."
She tried to focus on the conversation, but her hands
explored his back, massaging the hard muscles beneath his
soft cotton shirt. The feel of him was tantalizing, the simple
touch made her excitement thud in her veins.
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"The Timmers aren't farmers?"
"Nope." He said, running soft kisses along her neck.
"What does their father do?"
He straightened and set her a small distance away. "I don't
think they have a father, at least not one that lives with
them."
The space or perhaps the thought made her heart sad.
"Oh, it's just all those boys and their mother?"
He moved to the desk, shuffled through the replies Willie
had brought up. "Yes, but I think she has a couple of
daughters as well."
"How does she feed them all?" Randi wondered aloud.
"She did some odd jobs, laundry and such," he paused and
lifted his head to look at her, "but I've given her a job here,
at the hotel." His voice held a touch of apprehension.
She read his eyes, realized he waited for her reaction. Her
heart fluttered a touch. What did he want her to say? Her
mind scampered about, searching for the right answer.
"Randi?"
The truth was all she had. "I think it's very nice of you to
offer her a job. What will she be doing?"
"Cleaning. We might have to hire someone to assist her."
His eyes floated nervously around the desk as his hands
flipped through a few sheets of paper.
All of a sudden it hit her.
She held her lips tight, wouldn't let the smile form.
"How about her daughters? How old are they? Perhaps
they could help, at least when they aren't in school."
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His gaze locked with hers, and a twinkle sparked in one
eye. His lips curled up, and he reached out a hand. "That's a
good idea." He tugged her closer.
Randi went willingly, wrapped her arms around his waist.
"You've hired a whole passel of workers, why were you
nervous to tell me about Mrs. Timmer?"
He kissed her, a soft, loving kiss that made her heart sing
with happiness. When he lifted his head, he explained, "They
were all men. This was the first woman I hired, and I didn't
want you...I hoped you...Aw, hell," he muttered, "I don't
know what I thought."
The happiness bubbling in her chest grew. She framed his
cheeks with both hands. "Did you think I'd be upset?" It was
amazing, knowing someone loved her so much they worried
about upsetting her. The thought also gave her a sense of
power.
A faint blush rose in his cheeks as he admitted, "I hoped
not, but I..."
She pressed a hand to his lips. "I love you," she
whispered.
His eyes lit up like a match flare, and his hold on her
tightened. "You do, don't you?" he asked, breathlessly.
A cascade of warmth rushed over her. She met his gaze,
knowing her eyes danced as brightly as his.
"Yes, I do," she stated. "With all my heart."
His exhale sounded as if he'd been holding his breath for a
year. "And I love you," he said, little more than a whisper.
"With all my heart and soul."
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The happiness racing in her veins made her giggle with
delight, before a touch of seriousness tickled her spine. She
cupped his jaw.
"I've told you before how much I love you."
His cheeks were bright pink. "I know, but with everything
going on..."
She pressed a finger to his lips. "I think I've loved you
since I woke up in your bed. And I'll never stop."
"Speaking of beds..." the words slipped out as his mouth
met hers. He caught her up in both arms and carried her
through their apartment to their bedroom without ever
tugging his lips from hers.
It was sometime later, when they both had re-dressed and
meandered arm in arm down the stairs that they realized
company had arrived. Howard flashed a wide, bright smile
and increased his footsteps, dragging her along beside him.
"Who is it?" she asked, not recognizing the red headed
woman hugging Bug.
"It's Lila and Skeeter," Howard answered, his voice filled
with happiness.
Though the sun was shining bright and hot, a cold breeze
brushed over Randi, made her shudder with thoughts of what
Thurston Fulton and Belinda may have done while staying
with Lila and Skeeter. She hadn't yet told Howard about
Thurston being Markus. After all, she really had no proof, and
no idea what could be done about it. The weight of the world
once again fell upon her shoulders. It had been one thing to
know she was the daughter of a money-hungry politician, but
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to be the daughter of a corrupt outlaw somehow seemed even
worse.
"Hello, little brother," a tall man, with a smile as wide as
the Arkansas River, shouted as he walked towards them.
"Hey, Skeeter," Howard stretched his arm toward the man.
Skeeter brushed the hand aside and wrapped both arms
around Howard. Along with a growling bear hug, Skeeter
patted Howard on the back. When he released her husband,
he turned to her.
"And you must be Randi."
Before she had a chance to speak, Skeeter grabbed her
around the waist and squeezed the daylights right out of her.
Gasping for air, she laughed, "Hello."
"And I'm Lila, this ruffian's better half," a strikingly
beautiful woman said as she stepped forward to wrap Randi in
a welcoming hug as soon as Skeeter let her go.
"Hello. It's nice to meet you," Randi said, praying the blush
heating her cheeks wasn't apparent to everyone. She glanced
at both Lila and Skeeter, trying to read behind their eyes, to
see if there was some form of abhorrence or disgust lingering
from their visit with Thurston and Belinda. Seeing nothing but
bright, sincere smiles, Randi let a touch of her uneasiness
melt away. Of course the comforting touch of her husband as
he rested an arm around her shoulders helped chase the
doubt away more thoroughly.
"I wasn't expecting you this soon," Howard said.
"We wanted to get here in time to help with the
preparation," Lila said, glancing toward Ma's tent when a
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shriek sounded. "Dear, I believe that's your daughter," she
said, flashing a bright smile at Skeeter.
"So it is," he said, brushing a kiss on his wife's cheek. "I'll
be right back."
Howard grabbed Randi's hand. Yes, he'd known she loved
him, but wouldn't ever tire of hearing it, and the way she'd
repeated it over and over while they flounced around the bed
had filled him with more satisfaction than if he'd just ate two
Thanksgiving dinners. Now, seeing his older brother and
family, just added to his contentment.
"Wait up," he shouted to Skeeter, tugging on Randi's hand.
"We want to see the kids, too."
"Yes," Randi agreed, hurrying along beside him. "Ma has
told us so much about the children. I can't wait to meet
them."
"Come on." Skeeter waved, already rushing toward the
tent. "Kendra gets a little nervous when I'm not around."
Howard stopped in his steps and turned to meet his sister-
in-law's smiling gaze. "A little nervous when he's not
around?" He frowned, wondering what had happened, his
niece was too little to even know what nervous was.
Lila laughed and pointed to Skeeter who was ducking into
the tent. "He has his daughter spoiled rotten." She tucked an
arm into the crook of his free arm, his other one was right
where it should be, holding Randi's hand. "And I'm afraid,
Charles is right behind her." Lila's smile grew. "And I wouldn't
have it any other way. Come on, let me introduce them to
Randi."
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Skeeter exited Ma's tent, a child on each hip. Kendra, with
red curls that matched her mother's, and Charles, with blond
ones to match his father's, each had their faces tucked tight
to Skeeter's shoulders making introductions difficult.
In between kissing the tops of his children's heads,
Skeeter explained, "They were sleeping when we arrived so I
laid them down in Ma's tent." He planted another kiss on each
set of curls before adding, "But they woke up scared not
knowing where they were."
Howard almost laughed out loud. Half of him thought it
quite amusing the way his older brother doted on his children
like a mother hen, the other half of him felt a tinge of
jealousy with it all. His gaze went to Randi. Her eyes
shimmered, and he knew why. She was thinking along the
same lines as he—the day when they would have little ones.
"I suspect a wet diaper might have something to do with it
as well," Lila said, wrapping her hands around Charles. "Come
here, big boy, let Mama change you." The baby snuggled into
her breast, and she turned to Randi. "Care to join me?"
"Of course," Randi answered, and Howard couldn't help but
give her a loving squeeze before she slipped away to enter
Ma's tent behind Lila.