KeepingFaithCole (4 page)

“Lucille, I’m sure—”

“Never mind. You don’t have to answer the question.”
Embarrassed by her own outburst, Lucille now sought to regain control of her
emotions. “I already know why I’m not married, why I don’t have any man
courting me.”

“You do?”

Lucille nodded. She glanced up at Kat with a smile. “Why,
there just aren’t any good prospects. Seriously, the men here in Sunset have
nothing to offer, so what am I supposed to do?”

“They don’t measure up to your expectations. Is that what
you mean?” Still juggling Joel in her arms, Kat came around, pulled up a
cushioned chair, and plopped down into it. She gathered her daughter close. “Are
you sure that’s the problem? Or is it, perhaps, that your expectations are a
bit too high?”

“Too high? Of course not. That’s a ridiculous thing to say.”
A memory played through her mind. Her thoughts went back to a summer’s day
several years before, to the time when Kat first fell in love with Joshua
Barron, the man she went on to marry.
Don’t
set your sights too high
. That’s what Lucille had said. She warned Kat
about getting hurt and having her heart broken.

Kat hadn’t listened to Lucille. Instead, she’d listened to
her heart, she’d fallen in love, and despite a few obstacles along the way,
she’d pursued her dreams. They’d all come true.

“What about Tom?”

“Tom Henderson?” Lucille’s heartbeat quickened. She glanced
again toward the back of the store. Charlotte was still busy. “What about him?”

“He’s clearly got eyes for you. And don’t tell me you
haven’t noticed the way he looks at you.”

“Well, yes, but…”

“But nothing! He’s a fine man, Lucille. And a damned
handsome one, too.”

Lucille laughed. “I see your husband hasn’t stopped you from
cursing yet.”

“Why should he? Joshua accepts me as I am, and I accept him
completely. That’s what love is all about. That’s what makes marriage work.”

Running a hand over her brow, Lucille closed her eyes. How
bothersome to have Kat Barron giving her advice about love and marriage. Even
more irksome that Kat would bring up Tom Henderson. Her cheeks burned. Tom had
kissed Kat once, and Lucille had made light of it.

He’s not a real man, she’d said.

Now that she’d gotten better acquainted with the tall,
soft-spoken cowboy, Lucille had no doubts whatsoever about his manliness. She
hated to admit it, but she’d give anything to be the one kissing him now.

A tap on her shoulder brought her back to the present
moment.

“Sorry, I guess I got lost in my thoughts.”

“Yes, you did. And I can probably guess what those thoughts
were all about.” Kat’s playful grin seemed to light up the air around her. “Tom
Henderson is a good man, and maybe you should at least give him a chance. I
mean, if it doesn’t work out, if he doesn’t measure up…” Suddenly Kat leaned
close. “How big are his feet, Lucille? You do know what they say…”

Both girls convulsed in giggles.

“I’ll have to check out his boots.” Lucille’s imagination went
wild, conjuring up images of the rugged cowboy holding her in his arms, his big
hands caressing her, his hard body pressing against her. She was too old for
silly schoolgirl fantasies. Now a woman, she needed more. She needed real love,
not fanciful daydreams.

In short, she needed a man.

Not any man.

Despite her sentiments to the contrary, Tom Henderson was
definitely the man she wanted.

“Hush,” she whispered. “We can’t talk about him. Charlotte
is his mother,” she explained, pointing to the woman now walking toward them.

Kat looked at the package, then at her son and daughter.
“Maybe I’d better send Benjamin by later to pick up the dress. He’ll be coming
into town to see Emily Sue.” Young Ben Brooks worked at the Barron’s ranch, and
his crush on Kat’s little sister was no secret. “By the way,” she said,
stepping close and lowering her voice so that only Lucille could hear. “I know
where Tom is. He’s at the saloon.”

With a cheery wave, Kat shepherded her children out the
door.

Lucille stared after her for a moment, then whirled around. “Charlotte,
is Tom going to the dance tomorrow night?”

“Everyone in town is going. Except for you.” She shrugged.
“But suit yourself.”

“Are you really going with
Abner
Kellerman?”

“Yes, I am, and I intend to have a good time.” For the first
time since she’d come to work at
Miss
McIntyre’s Dressmaking Establishment
, she smiled. She was really quite
pretty, Lucille noted. “Everyone needs a chance to kick up their heels now and
then,” Charlotte said. “Nothing wrong with having a little fun.”

“Watch the shop for me for a few minutes,” Lucille ordered,
pulling off the dowdy apron she wore. “I’ve got a quick errand to run.” Without
looking back, she marched out the door, setting the bell tinkling wildly.

Chapter Three

Across the street she went,
down the road a bit, her steps quick and determined. Lucille knew she was about
to do the most foolish thing she’d ever done in her life, but she wasn’t about
to stop.

She was always too worried about too many things, always
thinking about the worst possible consequences. For once, she was going to
forget what other people thought.

She pushed open the swinging doors and marched into the Red
Mule saloon. For a moment she couldn’t see more than dark, shadowed figures.
She nearly turned and fled, but then a voice called out.

“Lucille? What in hell are you doing in here?”

The voice belonged to Tom. Taking a deep breath, she lifted
her chin and headed directly at him. “I could ask you the same thing, but I
know what you’re doing. You’re getting drunk on Friday night, same as you
always do.”

“Something wrong with that?”

“Well, yes, and no. I mean, well…” She had no idea what she
meant. Looking at Tom left her both flustered and excited. “Is that invitation
to the shindig tomorrow night still open?”

His eyes narrowed. “You said you weren’t going.”

“I know what I said, but it’s a woman’s prerogative to
change her mind.”

“A woman’s…what?”

“Prerogative,” she repeated. “Never mind.” She’d have to
remember to use common words with Tom. No wonder it was so difficult to talk to
him. “It just means that women have the right to say one thing and do another,
that’s all.”

“Sounds awful confusing.”

She heard the guffaws of the men standing by Tom. Her cheeks
blazed. The last thing she intended was to get into an argument with the
blasted man.

“Are you going to invite me to the dance or not?” She
stepped closer and looked up. “I’m willing to go with you.”

“You sure about that? Or are you going to use that
prerogative thing and change your mind again?”

Lucille stamped her foot. “Would you listen to me, please? I
said I’ll go to the dance with you.”

“I don’t believe you.”

A frantic urge seized her. Before she could stop herself,
she threw herself against Tom, stretching up on her toes to plant a huge, wet
kiss on his mouth. At once, his arms went around her. A thrill ran up her spine
as he pulled her close. Oh, the kiss!

When he finally drew away, she was breathless.

“Now, does that convince you?” Acting as nonchalant as
possible, she walked away, then stopped and looked over her shoulder. “You can
pick me up tomorrow at six.”

Her knees went weak, but somehow she managed to get out the
door before she collapsed.

What had she done? She’d kissed Tom Henderson!

And she’d liked it. She’d liked it a lot.

* * * *

“What was that all about?”
Caleb Bryant stood beside Tom. Both men stared at the swinging saloon door
where Lucille McIntyre had just exited. “Looks like you’ve got yourself a date
tomorrow night.”

“Yeah, looks that way.” Tom
scratched his head, trying to wrap his brain around what had just happened.
Lucille had come in and had literally thrown herself at him.

What in hell was going on?
Suddenly he wasn’t sure he wanted to take the pretty brunette to the statehood
celebration. Sure, he’d been sniffing around her for years, a horny dog wanting
a little pleasure, but she’d never given him the time of day before.

It had become a bit of a
game. He chased, she ignored, and those were the rules. Now she’d made it clear
she wanted to be caught, and he didn’t have a clue what he’d do with her.

Not that it mattered much.
She wasn’t serious. Even if she went to the dance with him…well, he could never
measure up to Miss Lucille McIntyre and her high-and-mighty expectations.

Or could he?

Lately, his life had become
filled with new possibilities. Good things had come flying his direction. Just
that morning, Wes Randall had put him in charge of the horses at the ranch. He
had a new colt for Tom to break and promised him a bonus if he succeeded.

Now, Jake Walker thought he
might have tracked Sally down, said he’d found a record of her marriage. Maybe
she’d be coming home soon.

His mother was still sober,
still working, and even enjoying an unexpected courtship from
Abner
Kellerman. The thought made him laugh.

Hell, yes! Life looked good,
and with Lucille McIntyre, it was looking even better.

* * * *

In Tom’s estimation, the
town of Sunset, Colorado, had never seen a more glorious dawn, a brighter sky,
or a more golden morning. Nature itself seemed to sense the coming celebration
and had dressed herself in her most brilliant colors. The air was sweet with
the perfume of thousands of summer flowers that blossomed on the hillsides.
Truly, this was a day unlike any other.

As he strolled along the
main street early that afternoon, there was a frenzy of activity around him.
Everyone worked together, hanging streamers, painting signs, fixing tables of
food, and as they worked, they laughed, they chatted, they hummed, they sang.
The social hall opened at three that afternoon, but most folks planned to
remain at home a little longer, resting up for the dancing that would begin at
nine. First, of course, would be the huge banquet sponsored by the merchants of
Sunset, then there would be speeches by the mayor, as if he personally had
something to do with the cause for jubilation.

Jake Walker, owner of the
Red Mule, had ordered champagne, and from four to five that afternoon, he’d be
serving drinks for half-price. A fine celebration, indeed.

Tom had quite a busy day. He
stopped by
Oswalt’s
Bath House to scrub the dirt and
straw from his body and dab on a bit of spicy-smelling aftershave. After
Lucille had thrown herself at him the night before, he’d tucked a few coins
away in his pocket. Today he used them to buy some of that special shaving soap
at the barber shop, along with the aftershave. He’d even paid Clyde Shepherd to
give him a professional shave instead of doing it himself. Expensive, yes, but
Lucille was worth every penny.

With his hair slicked back,
his boots polished, and the wrinkles pressed out of his best shirt and pants,
Tom cut a dashing figure. When he called for Lucille at six that evening, he
thought he caught a look of approval in her dark brown eyes.

And, oh, how sweet she
looked! He never paid much mind to women’s fashions, couldn’t tell you one
style of dress from another, but he knew what he liked, and he definitely liked
the pale lavender shade of Lucille’s fancy gown. He especially liked the
neckline…not so low as to invite unwelcome stares from men or to suggest any
indecent thoughts, but dipping enough to make a man yearn for more. Tempting,
yet tasteful. Her long skirts rustled as she walked beside him and as he helped
her into the wagon.

“You look mighty fine
tonight, Miss Lucille.”

“Thank you.” She folded her
hands in her lap.

“Much better to see you
wearing that color than that tiresome black.”

She stiffened. “You know
this is wrong, Tom. I should be wearing my mourning clothes.”

“Right.” He clamped his
mouth shut and figured he’d better keep quiet before he said something else
wrong. Neither of them spoke again until after they’d reached Sunset and he’d
parked the wagon. Not only the social hall, but the entire town was abuzz with
laughter, music, drinking, and dining.

“I’ve never seen so much
excitement at one time and in one place before,” Lucille murmured, pressing
close to Tom’s side as they approached the social hall.

He slipped his arm around
her, half expecting her to stiffen and pull away. To his surprise, she didn’t.

“Tom! Lucille!” Caleb Bryant
came to greet them, with sweet Molly Munroe on his arm.

Tom saw his mother hanging
onto Dr. Kellerman, could tell with one look that they were both already under
the influence, but for tonight he wasn’t going to worry about how much his
mother drank, what she did, or who she chose to do it with. Tonight, anything
went.

* * * *

Overwhelmed by the noise and
confusion, Lucille edged closer to Tom.

“Can I get you something,
sweetheart?” he asked.

The endearment grated on her
nerves. She found it quite presumptuous that he would use such an affectionate
term, but before she could speak up, the crowd around them parted, pushing
Reverend Gilman toward the front. He offered a blessing on the food, then spent
a good ten minutes praying for the salvation of the entire
new
state of Colorado.

Next came Jake Walker. The
owner of the Red Mule entered the social hall with a triumphant look. Above his
head he held the latest issue of
The
Sunset Gazette.
Broad black headlines shouted from the front page. A hush
fell over the crowd.

“It’s a done deal. All
official, folks,” Walker announced.

The deal had actually been
done a few days earlier, on Tuesday, August 1, but nobody meant to let a little
thing like that stand in the way of having a good time on Saturday night.

A roar of approval and excitement
rose up.

“Colorado is at last a
state, both in name and in reality.” Jake Walker read the words directly from
the pages of the newspaper. “The president, Tuesday, issued his proclamation in
accordance with the provisions of the enabling act…”

Lucille closed her eyes. The
battle for statehood had been long and hard fought. Her father would have been
proud. She missed him and wished he were standing there to see the culmination
of the efforts. As the bar owner’s deep, baritone voice droned on, Lucille
sighed.

“Are you all right?” Tom
asked.

“Yes, fine. I just wish my
father were here.”

Tom turned her to face him.
“Listen, I know you’re still hurting, Lucille, but this is a night for
celebration. It’s a time for being happy.”

“I know.” She’d come to the
celebration with Tom precisely because she wanted him to help her break through
that morass of grief and sadness she carried with her, because
he
knew how to have a good time, even if
she didn’t. She looked up into his eyes and took a deep breath. “I know I’ve
been walking around with a black cloud hovering over me, Tom. I want you to
show me how to get rid of it.”

He grinned. “I think I know
something that might do the trick. Wait here,” he told her, patting her hand.

She watched him work his way
through the crowd. When he disappeared from sight, she worried that he might
not return. Maybe he’d only been looking for a chance to break free from her
and her gloominess. Lucille continued to stare in the direction he’d gone,
holding her breath as she waited. At last she spotted him heading toward her.
She felt giddy inside.

“Here, try this,” Tom said,
handing her a drink.

She lifted the glass and
peered at the contents. Catching a whiff of the reddish liquor, she drew back.
Her nose wrinkled. “What is this?”

“Jake Walker’s special. It’s
his Red Mule whiskey, guaranteed to give you a real kick in the head.”

“A kick in the head?”
Lucille frowned. “Why would I want that?”

“It’s an expression,
sweetheart.” Tom’s grin was infectious.

She grinned back, loving the
sound of his voice. He’d called her
sweetheart
once again. This time, the way he said it sent shivers up her spine.

“What’s it supposed to
mean?”

“It means it will make you
forget all your troubles,” Tom explained, moving closer and throwing an arm
around Lucille’s shoulder.

Already her troubles seemed
far away.

“Here’s to Colorado,”
Lucille said in a cheery voice, lifting her glass.

The fiery whiskey slid down
her throat and at once she felt an odd sense of pleasure wrapping around her.
She glanced at Tom and tried to bring his grinning face into focus. She licked
her lips.

“Do that again.”

“Do what?”

“Lick your lips.”

Slowly, she glided her
tongue over her lips, aware of Tom watching, the pupils of his eyes large and
dark with desire. The giddiness returned. She felt light-headed, and
light-hearted.

“You’re just dying to be
kissed.” Tom chuckled. “Go on, admit it. Ever since you kissed me yesterday
afternoon, you’ve been crazy wanting more.”

“I—” Speechless, her mouth
opened slightly.

“We can make it happen.” He
bent forward and kissed her. She tasted the sweet alcohol on his tongue, and
her mouth craved more, more of his kisses, more of the wicked, sinful brew.

“Get me another glass of
whiskey,” she whispered. “If we’re going to celebrate, let’s do it right.”

Throughout the night,
whiskey flowed freely. Lucille’s senses reeled as laughter and music spun
around her. She soon lost track of time, but what did it matter?

“Nights like this,” Tom
whispered in her ear, “come only once in a lifetime.”

She sighed, loving the touch
of his hand against her cheek, the silky sensation of her long hair falling
loose across her shoulders.

What had happened to her
hairpins?

“You took them,” she
accused, shaking a finger in Tom’s direction. “You naughty, naughty boy. You
pulled them all out.” Smiling she closed her eyes, giggling as he swept her up
in his arms and carried her away.