Where the Heart Leads (26 page)

“Y-yes.” It was hard to believe he could still love her, but it was in his eyes, in his touch, soft in his kiss when their lips met. Nothing was more tender than that kiss.

Nothing.

When he broke away, he wiped away every tear with the pads of his thumbs. “Don’t worry. There’s always next week.”

Next week. Her spirit fell. What if this happened again? “Mother is determined to keep us apart.”

“She’s just mad that everyone knew about us the second I bought that ring in town. Popular opinion will keep her from interfering.”

If only that were true. Aumaleigh bit her bottom lip, keeping that thought to herself.

“I’ll head home now.” He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

It left her feeling warm and safe inside, cozy and snuggly. She could feel his heart in hers, she could feel his love. Her fingers twined with his. She held on tight.

“Aumaleigh!” Cook opened the screen door. “Get in here, girl!”

Gabriel winced, but whatever his reaction was, he didn’t let it show. He squeezed her fingers once before stepping back. His fingers left hers. He hopped down the stairs.

It took everything she had to watch him go.

“Get in here.” Maureen marched onto the porch and grabbed Aumaleigh by the ear.

“Ow!” Her protest only seemed to make Mother madder. She was yanked into the kitchen, scolded and shamed in front of the kitchen staff. She kept her head down as she peeled potatoes for the ranch hands’ supper. Defiance burned inside her, raging hot.

This was her chance for love. Her one big chance. She was never going to let it go. Mother was not going to destroy it.

Later that night after she’d been released from her chores, she spotted something sitting on the outside lip of her bedroom window sill. The warm night breeze blew in the scent of wild roses.

Flowers Gabriel had picked and left for her. It was hard to believe he could love her so much.

Gabriel smelled coffee carrying to him on the warm puff of breeze. Around him the foals frolicked, running and kicking up their heels while their mamas watched. He had hoped it was Aumaleigh, but the moment he saw Burton, Beckett and Zane coming his way, he knew he was in trouble.

And he knew why.

“Brought you some vitals.” Burton handed over a tin cup and plate.

“We appreciate you helping us out last night.” Beckett came to a stop next to Burton.

“It was good you stepped up to help.” Zane squared his shoulders.

All three men looking at him made him dread what they were going to say next. Maybe they thought he’d let Aumaleigh down long ago and he’d come to do it again.

“The sheriff over in Deer Springs is going to let me join in on the hunt. I’m going to get home and get some rest, then head over.” Zane knuckled back his hat. He had a powerful presence, like a man who always did right. “The sheriff knows Milo, and he’s committed to catching the men who shot his friend.”

“We all think the Klemp brothers are going to keep running,” Burton added, a strong, lifelong cowboy. He radiated the honor of his trade. “But we’ve thought that before. The man who was after Verbena, he got away and came back. Something like that’s hard to forget.”

“So we and the deputies are going to keep an eye on this town.” Beckett planted his hand on his hips, a natural leader, the kind of man who stood for what was right. “Seth, Adam and Tyler are in on this too. We’d like to ask you to join us.”

Gabriel’s hand shook, nearly spilling his coffee. That wasn’t what he was expecting. Not at all. “I’d be right happy to help out.”

“Good. Glad to have you with us.” Beckett’s grin said everything Gabriel could have hoped for.

That was one obstacle down. He had her family’s approval. Now all he needed was hers.

It felt like a long day, and it wasn’t over yet. Aumaleigh had spent half the day cooking ahead to help make up for the fact that she wouldn’t be working that evening, and also cooking up a few extra meals for Iris’s family.

As she drove through town, she dodged school kids racing through the streets, freed from their prison of school. Their happy shouts and squeals put a smile on her face as she went over the errands she had yet to run—bakery, mercantile, newspaper office.

“Aumaleigh!” Fred leaning against the railing in front of the post office, sunning himself on this fine day. “Did you hear all about the Klemp brothers?”

“Yes, I did.” She pulled Buttons to a stop and hopped out of her buggy.

“And here I felt sorry for the one who was limping.” Fred shook his head. “Guess you never really know about folks. Wonder what they were doing in town? Aside from stealing from us, that is. Living in George’s cabin. I heard the Deer Springs sheriff is furious mad. Brought in a huge posse to hunt ‘em down.”

“That’s what I heard too.” Aumaleigh grabbed a crate from the floor of her buggy and hefted it into her arms. Good old, Fred. He was always full of speculation. “My theory is that the boys wanted a new start, but couldn’t leave their old ways behind them. My nieces felt sorry for Junior too. They were going to offer him a job.”

“I heard that too. Don’t think I’m gonna let a pretty lady like you carry something heavy. Not when I’m alive and kicking.” Fred came over, took the box from her and escorted her up the steps. “What’s this I hear about you and Gabriel Daniels?”

“There’s no more new news to get out of me, Fred.”

“Rats. Here I was hoping for a good scoop. Well, a man’s gotta try.” He pulled open the bakery door. “I’m hoping things work out for you. I think he’s got a courting look in his eye.”

“Thanks for carrying the crate for me.” She laughed. “I adore you, you know.”

“Everybody does.” Fred winked, sliding the crate onto a nearby empty table.

“We certainly do.” Dottie circled the counter with a cookie in hand. “No good deed goes unpunished around here, or at least it’s rewarded with a cookie.”

“That’s right.” Rhoda agreed from behind the counter. “I just heard some gossip about you. Your wife was in here not an hour ago for some of our cinnamon bread—”

“—it’s a favorite of mine,” Fred admitted.

“And she said your daughter is coming to visit.” Rhoda beamed. “I’m so excited. We were friends back in school.”

“I remember.” The proud father flushed with pleasure. “She’s a good girl, coming back because we’ve been begging her to see us.”

“We’re thrilled—oops! I see a customer. I’d better go. Thanks for the cookie!” Fred scuttled off, the bell above the door jangling in his wake.

“I love him.” Dottie flushed. “If I could pick anyone for a father, I would pick him. He’s so fatherly. And sort of like Santa Claus.”

“Without the beard and the red suit,” Rhoda agreed.

“And the spectacles,” Aumaleigh chimed in. “Dottie, come over here. I’ve been going through the extra rooms at the kitchen house and I found some extra things we don’t need. I thought they would help you out.”

“You mean for my new place?” Dottie’s eye widened with surprise. The shy girl lit up. “Aw, you didn’t have to do that. I’m getting by just fine.”

“Come take a look.” Aumaleigh knew what it was like to be alienated by your family. She wished she’d made the decision Dottie had, to find a place for herself in this world.

But if she had, she wouldn’t have had this life. Maybe it was one of those mid-life things, or maybe with the nieces coming to live here in Bluebell she’d spent more time thinking about young love than she used to.

The decision she’d made in her youth had long reaching consequences, but that was true for anyone. She treasured her life here because she could see everything she had. Family, friends, a community. She had a life filled with love.

“Oh, there are mixing bowls in here, and a fry pan and, oh, Aumaleigh. A set of ironware that matches!” Dottie looked overwhelmed. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you seems too little.”

“Why don’t you think of me as your aunt. That’s what I want in return.” Aumaleigh had a soft spot for little Dottie, who was just as sweet as pie. “This way you have enough kitchenware to fix supper for a certain interested gentleman.”

“Oh!” Dottie turned beat red, but her happiness was hard to miss.

Aumaleigh gave her a hug, and the bell above the door chimed again.

Magnolia tumbled in, wild-eyed and disheveled. “Fanny Dobson and I just had a big argument in the alley behind her store. They just opened, can you believe that? They put out a sign, she had the employees she brought in from Deer Springs standing on the boardwalk giving out samples. All our school kids are there, munching on Dobson’s cookies instead of ours.”

Aumaleigh had a bad feeling. “What happened with you and Fanny?”

“She backed her wagon out of the alley and rammed into my buggy.” Magnolia fisted her hands. “I think she did it on purpose too. The cake for Bradley Calhoun’s wife’s birthday flew off the seat and hit the ground. It was a disaster. It’s nothing but crumb and frosting bits.”

“Are you okay?” Dottie rushed toward her.

“Magnolia, come sit down.” Rhoda pulled out a chair.

Aumaleigh crossed to the stove and poured a cup of tea. “What matters is you, Magnolia. Did you fall out of the buggy too?”

“Perhaps a little.” Her distress gave way as her mouth twisted into a grin. “Okay, it was funny. Maybe it was really funny. I totally flew off the seat too, but I grabbed the dashboard. Quick thinking on my part. Honestly. So I was hanging there when Carl came out onto the loading dock.”

“Wait, you were hanging on the buggy?” Dottie looked aghast. “Were you stuck?”

“No, I was just dangling there, holding onto the dashboard for dear life. I was just about to let myself down when I realized my skirt had flown up from the force of the impact and I was showing off my nice lace stocking all the way up to my knees.”

“Now I can’t say I’m the only one to show off my bare legs in this town.” Rose blew into the shop with the sunshine. “Glad to know I’m not the only one who humiliates myself around here.”

“Hi, Rose.” Magnolia dropped into the chair. “Do you know what the worst part was? Fanny climbs down from her wagon and clomps over in her man boots and says real sweetly. Oh, did I do that? I didn’t see you there.”

“Ooh!” Dottie scrunched up her face and fisted her hands. “You know she was lying. You know she did it on purpose. She’s a bully, and there’s no way to stop her.”

“You could get Nathaniel involved,” Rhoda suggested. “He’s a good attorney. She’s responsible for the damages.”

“That’s the second time I’ve been in a wreck with that buggy.” Magnolia rolled her eyes. “What if they hold that against me? Like I’m a bad driver or something.”

“You really are kind of a bad driver,” Missy came out of the kitchen to add. “Not that I’m judging, but you’re more one of those near miss drivers.”

“You know my motto. A miss is as good as a mile.” Magnolia started laughing. “You should have seen it. Wham! The cake goes flying, I go flying and poor Marlowe, the sweetest horse in the world is like,
I didn’t do anything. What’s going on?
He reached around in his traces and was checking on me, lipping me with his mouth while I was hanging there off the dash with my skirts up over my hips.”

“Wait. That wasn’t part of the story before,” Aumaleigh pointed out.

“Okay, I showed off more than my stockings.” Magnolia doubled over, laughing.

So did everyone else. Peals of laughter echoed in the bakery. Wynne came out, spatula in hand, to see what the fuss was all about.

The bell above the front door chimed.

“Magnolia, are you sure you’re all right?” Oscar stormed in, breathless, worry lining his chiseled face. “I took the bashed-in buggy to the livery stable. Seth said he’ll fix it up for you and give Marlowe some extra loving.”

“Thanks for the help, Oscar. You’re a gem.” Magnolia’s praise was genuine.

It was easy to see they all felt the same about Oscar. He was always ready to lend a hand, always helping out. He was a good man. How were they ever going to let him go back to his logging profession?