Chance Of A Lifetime (10 page)

“Fun.” Jamie waved the mallet exuberantly before losing hold of it again.

“Hold on there.” Bryce took the small tool. “I’ll be right back.” He made his way to the barn and grabbed the drill. The handle was small, so it didn’t take long to make a hole through the end. Bryce grabbed some twine and headed back to Jamie.

“Here.” He knotted the twine through the new hole, then looped the other end around Jamie’s wrist. “Now you’ll be able to get it whenever it jumps out of your hands. Mallets are tricky that way.”

“Yes.” Jamie nodded seriously. He dropped the wooden hammer over the side of the board, then pulled it back using the twine. “Wurks!” He beamed and began thunking at the pegs again. After a few clumsy swipes, he managed to knock one of the pegs farther in.

“Looks like you’ve got things under control,” Bryce told him. “I’ll leave you to it.”

“‘Kay.”

“Boys drank that water faster’n fish.” Hattie wiped her hands on a tea towel. “Working up quite a thirst out there.”

“I’ll bet.” Daisy looked up from kneading bread dough. “Jamie all right? I hope he ain’t bothering ‘em iff ‘n he gets bored.”

“Happy as a raccoon with summat shiny.” Hattie smiled. “Bryce drilled some holes and steadied in some pegs. Jamie’s out there bangin’ away with a tiny mallet.”

“Oh?” Daisy hoped her son wouldn’t come back from that little adventure with bruises dotting his hands. No, Bryce would watch over him. Jamie could have his fun and be fine. “That’s nice.”
I wonder how many times Bryce has had to pick up that mallet
.

“Works out well,” Hattie said, answering Daisy’s unspoken thought. “Bryce even drilled a hole in the mallet handle and tied some twine to it so Jamie can yank it back if it falls.”

“That’s clever of him. Right smart.” Daisy dropped the dough back in a big bowl and covered it. “It’s nice for Jamie to be out working with the men.”

“Bryce doesn’t say much, but he’s a thoughtful one.” Hattie slanted Daisy a look she couldn’t decipher.

“He says plenty without running his mouth,” Daisy defended. “A body cain’t always rely on words.”

“I know. It’s why he’s so good with the animals—he has a kind heart that speaks for itself.” Hattie smiled. “He’s taken an interest in Jamie. Logan would never have thought to do something like that peg board.”

“Maybe not.” Daisy smiled. “Logan’s too busy holpin’ grown folks.”

“He does have a heart for the people of the holler.” Hattie’s love shone through her voice. “Bryce tends to the animals and the children. I noticed it at the sang when they first got here—children like bein’ ‘round him.”

“Jamie shore does. He ain’t had a man around afore.” Daisy drew a deep breath. “It’ll be hard on him when Bryce goes back to Californy.”

“Maybe.” Hattie shrugged. “I know Logan’ll miss his brother greatly, and I’ve grown fond of Bryce.”

“He grows on you.” Daisy thought of how Bryce had quietly undertaken to spend time with her son and come up with ways for him to do things she’d never thought possible. “I didn’t take much notice of him before yore wedding, but then, suddenlike, he’s become a big part of Jamie’s life.”

“Jist Jamie’s?” Hattie raised her eyebrows.

“All of us.” That was the closest Daisy dared come to admitting how much she’d miss Bryce for her own sake, not just Jamie’s.

“Seems to me, a man don’t go out of his way and befriend a child without good reason.” Hattie looked meaningfully at Daisy. “From what I hear, betwixt sprucing up our cabin and takin’ care of this wonderful stove, you two stuck together whilst Logan and me were off on our honeymoon.”

“I …” Daisy started to deny it but quickly shut her mouth. He’d done a lot for her that she’d never asked. On those occasions when his hands closed over hers, a bolt of heat shot straight down her spine.

Cain it be that I didn’t misinterpret the look in his eyes? Could a man like Bryce Chance—tall, strong, capable, and able to have any woman he wanted—possibly be interested in me? Shorely not
.

“I see.” Hattie found her answer in Daisy’s silence. “What about you, Daisy? Could you find room in yore heart and family for a man like Bryce?”

Yes
. The answer came so swiftly it shocked her. She closed her eyes to clear her thoughts.
But he’s so different from Peter. How could I even think of caring for another man that way when the love of my life is gone forever?
Tears welled in her eyes.

“Don’t talk nonsense, Hattie Thales—ahem, Hattie Chance.” Daisy squared her shoulders and vigorously scrubbed the already-clean table. “Jist ‘cause you have a happy second marriage, don’t mean I’ll get a chance.”

“And here I was thinking that a certain Chance might be jist what you need.” Hattie delivered that parting shot and sailed from the cabin.

“But yore wrong, Hattie,” Daisy muttered even though no one was around to hear the words. “The last Chance is leavin’ town. Soon.”

“A barn raisin’? At this time of year?” Hattie gave voice to the questions Daisy wouldn’t ask. “What for? We’ve already got one!”

“I know,” Logan placated. “But I’m taking my share of the ranch in part cash, part livestock, sweetheart. The milk cow’s getting on in years, and the mule’s come up lame. I aim to bring in a few head of cattle and some horses, but we don’t have enough room in the barn as yet. They’ll be arriving on the train’s cattle car in two weeks. I’ve already arranged for the conductor to stop at the bend before Hawk’s Fall so we can pick ‘em up.”

“We can’t leave them outside with winter comin’ on,” Bryce added.

“Yore right.” Daisy threw in her two cents. “We’ll spread the word. Folks oughtta be glad to come and lend a hand, what with all Logan and Hattie done for ‘em.” Logan had come to the holler and used his affability to get to know folks personally. He found out who could carve and who could trap fine pelts, then went to Charleston to arrange selling it all. Daisy’s lace would be the most recent addition, so she knew from experience just how grateful they all had cause to be.

“Holler’s full of good people,” Logan agreed. “Bryce and I’ve arranged for the lumber to come two days from now. Thick beams enough to build onto the existing structure. Between now and then, Bryce and I’ll be carving a door outta the far wall so it’ll all end up being one big barn.”

“Yep.” Bryce rocked back on his heels. “Going to get the word out. We’ll be raisin’ it next Saturday, if all goes well.”

“Logan Chance, that’s only four days from now!” Hattie shook her head in disbelief. “We have to get ready! You better hitch up the wagon. Daisy and I need to go to town to buy supplies. There’ll be a lot of mouths to feed come Saturday, even if people bring vittles with them.”

“No problem.” Logan made his way toward the door. “That’s why we told you early in the morning. We oughtta have plenty of time for a nice ride to the mercantile.”

“Oh no, you don’t.” Daisy caught Bryce’s arm as he followed Logan. “Hattie and I’ll go. You and Logan have a lot of work ahead of you.”

“What do you mean?” Bryce asked.

“Believe it or not”—Hattie bit back a grin—“we’re gonna need those pie tins.”

“Pie tins,” Logan grumbled as he squeezed beside the stove. He was thinner than Bryce, so he had to contort himself into the hearth. “What on earth possessed you to use pie tins?”

“Daisy’s idea.” Bryce handed him the tools so Logan could start disassembling the stovepipe.

“Where’d she get a cotton-headed notion like that?” Logan demanded, clanking around.

“I don’t know, but I’m mighty glad she did.” Bryce jumped to Daisy’s defense. “Just you wait until you try to move this thing. I never would’ve moved it more than a yard if it wasn’t for her ‘cotton-headed notion.’”

“All right, I didn’t mean anything by it.” Logan came as close to apologizing as anyone could expect. “But how’d you go and forget to take ‘em off before you put it together?”

“Not sure.” Bryce thought about how fast he’d worked to pull this whole thing off. He’d botched it so badly, he didn’t want Daisy to think he was inept.

“Huh?” Logan craned his neck to stare at Bryce. “You must have been distracted by something.”

“I don’t know.” Bryce wished his brother would quit staring at him and get back to work. “We tried so hard to get this thing together, it’s not surprising we overlooked one tiny detail.”

“We?” Logan kept right on staring.

“Me and Daisy.”

“Aahh.” Logan raised his eyebrows. “Distracted by a woman. Makes sense to me.”

“Hey, don’t talk like that.” Bryce started, surprised at his own anger. “Daisy wasn’t in the way at all. I couldn’t have gotten this thing up and running without her.”

“I didn’t mean she was in the way or messed up, Bryce.” Logan grinned at his brother. “Sounds to me like it wasn’t her fault at all. Just how much time have you two been spending together?”

“Daisy’s an honorable woman,” Bryce thundered.

“I know.” Logan held up his hands in surrender. “But seems to me you’ve taken quite an interest in her son.” He paused for a moment, but there had never been a time when Logan didn’t speak the full weight of what was on his mind. “I think you’ve taken a liking to Jamie’s mama.”

“We’ve become friends,” Bryce hedged.

“Just friends?”

“She’s a beautiful woman with a fine boy.” Bryce wouldn’t come any closer to admitting his attraction. “Daisy’s worked hard to build a life for herself and her son. I have a lot of respect for her.”

“I see.”

Bryce waited for Logan to say something else, but for once, his chatty brother worked in silence.

What does he see?
Bryce wondered.
Since when does he let a subject drop without having the last word? Well, whatever it is he thinks he sees, he’s wrong. Daisy doesn’t need me, and I’ve got a life back in California. Doesn’t mean we can’t be civil to each other while I’m here. Logan’s just twisted things in his mind
.

“Ouch!” Logan’s head banged against the hearth wall.

“Well, what do you know?” Bryce teased. “That was a pretty loud clunk. Must be somethin’ in there, after all.”

“Pot roast?” Miz Willow sounded off.

“Warming in the oven,” Daisy answered.

“Rabbit stew?” she demanded.

“Simmering on the range,” Hattie responded.

“Mashed taters? Carrots?” Miz Willow peered at them.

“Taters keeping warm on the stove next to the stew,” Hattie said readily. “Carrots are already boiled and in with the pot roast.”

“Bread? Corn bread? Biscuits?” The old woman read off her list.

“Four loaves, one pan, and two batches waiting in the breadbox,” Daisy ticked off.

“Another loaf in the hearth nook, up in the wall jist high enough so the stove doesn’t block it, and another pan finishing in the new oven,” Hattie added.

“Coffee cake?” Miz Willow was obviously determined not to miss a thing. “Apple pies?”

“Two cakes covered on the table.” Hattie pointed. “One pie cooling on the windersill, and another bakin’ in the old ash oven.”

“Anything I missed?” Miz Willow looked around in satisfaction.

“We’ve got cool fresh milk and lots of coffee for drinking,” Daisy mused. “We set out half a barrel of apples in the shade. Butter and honey are covered and on the table, along with preserves. The egg salad is keeping cool in the well.”