Bertie (Pendleton Petticoats Book 6) Read online

  “Maybe I don’t want to be safe, Bobby. Maybe I want to be loved. Wildly. Passionately. Completely.” Bertie stood and would have marched off but Riley entered the arena. The horse he rode was so large, it looked more like a Clydesdale than a saddle bronc.

  As the behemoth equine twisted and turned, trying to unseat Riley, Bertie’s knees gave way beneath her and she plopped back onto her seat. Bobby placed a comforting hand on her back as she held her breath and prayed for Riley to survive the ride.

  Not only did he survive, he placed with one of the high scores.

  As soon as he was safely away from the horse, Bertie turned to Bobby. “Not another word about Riley or Nik, or I won’t speak to you the rest of the month.”

  “But, Bert…”

  She placed her hand over his mouth. “Not one word.”

  Bobby reluctantly nodded and Bertie removed her hand. They sat in silence watching the rest of the riders compete. At the end of the event, Riley took the first place score with Garrett placing second. Several men teased Garrett about letting one of his hired hands best him then congratulated Riley on his ride.

  The crowd began to disperse. Some of those who lived a distance from town packed up their things and headed home. The rest of them wandered back toward downtown where an illuminated night parade would roll down the main street.

  Bertie and Bobby accompanied the extended Nash family to Caterina’s restaurant where they ate a light meal before walking back to Ilsa’s shop to watch the parade.

  Riley appeared out of the gathering darkness and stood next to Bertie. His unique masculine scent enveloped her senses before she felt his presence behind her.

  She turned around and greeted him with a smile. “Congratulations on winning the bronc riding event, Riley. I’m so proud of you.”

  “Thank you, Bertie. When I saw the horse I’d drawn to ride, I thought I might just cast up my accounts right there, but I really wanted to win that prize money.” Riley grinned at her and jingled the coins in his pocket.

  “What will you do with your winnings?” He started to speak, but she placed a hand on his arm and gave it a squeeze. “Wait! Don’t tell me. You’ll spend it on improvements at your place. Is that right?”

  “How could you guess?” Riley asked, reeling from the warmth of Bertie’s hand on his arm and the jolt racing all the way to his toes at her touch. “Maybe you’ll come over sometime and give me some suggestions for what you think needs the most improvement.”

  The look she gave him held a hint of challenge. “Maybe I will.”

  The parade started and everyone turned their attention to the beautiful floats the various organizations in town decorated and illuminated with lanterns and candles.

  When the last float disappeared down the street, it was time to call it an evening.

  Riley escorted Bertie to Garrett’s surrey and assisted her in the back.

  Before he could walk off to get his horse, Aundy smiled at him. “I hope you’ll come to the house, Riley. Li promised to have a fireworks show ready for us and Bertie made two cream pies this morning.”

  “How could I refuse fireworks and pie?” Riley tipped his hat to Aundy with a hint of a smile. “I’m gonna ride home and check on my stock, then I’ll come over.”

  “How’s that new gate working for you, Riley?” Garrett asked as he picked up the reins and released the brake.

  A grin broke across Riley’s face. “It works like a charm. It sure saves me a lot of time by not having to ride all the way around on the road. I appreciate you putting it in for me.”

  A few days after Riley began working at Nash’s Folly, Garrett asked Riley to help him install a gate in a fence. It just happened to be the fence across the road from Riley’s house. Instead of riding all the way around the border of Nash’s Folly and coming to the house on the main road, Riley simply opened the gate, rode across the edge of the wheat field, opened a second gate and went through the pasture, arriving on the back side of the barn. Each morning and evening, he checked the fences along his route and saved someone else the need of having to ride them.

  “I do believe it was one of my better ideas.” Garrett smirked and tapped the reins across the back of the horse. The surrey moved into a line of automobiles, buggies, and wagons traveling at the pace of a snail down the street and out of town. “We’ll see you in a little while, Riley. At the rate we’re going, you’ll beat us there. Don’t eat all of the pie before I get home.”

  Riley waved a hand and walked off to locate his horse.

  “He’s such a nice young man, isn’t he?” Aundy commented. Bertie leaned back in the seat and remained silent.

  “Riley’s a hard worker, that’s for sure. He knows his way around cattle, horses and farming. He said his father taught him everything he knew before he passed away.” Garrett guided the horse down a side street in an effort to get away from the heavy traffic in the heart of town. “I couldn’t think of anyone better to have for a neighbor.”

  Pleased to hear Garrett and Aundy thought well of Riley, Bertie recalled her brother’s words of caution. Did she care about him more than was wise? Did she care about Nik more than she realized?

  The two men were so different, it made it challenging for her to compare her feelings for them. Unable to untangle her emotions in her tired state, Bertie focused her thoughts on Aundy and Garrett’s conversation.

  “Riley doesn’t seem quite as…” Aundy paused as she searched for the right word, “gloomy as when he first arrived. Don’t you think he smiles more, seems more at ease than when we first met him?”

  “I think you women with all your romantic notions tend to notice that stuff more, but he has been joking around with the men the last week. I even saw him play a prank on Glen the other day.” Garrett looked back at Bertie. “Perhaps our summer helper is the reason Riley found his smile again.”

  The gathering darkness hid the blush that rose to her cheeks as Bertie shook her head. “And you claim we women have fanciful notions of sweet romance, Garrett. Shame on you.”

  Aundy and Garrett both laughed. Garrett changed the subject to the funny comments Tony and Grant made during the boring speeches at the park and how happy he was his team beat Kade’s in baseball.

  By the time they arrived back at the ranch, Garrett had both women laughing over some of the jokes he’d heard that afternoon.

  He stopped the surrey near the side yard and helped the women out before continuing to the barn. Nik and the hands set out chairs while Li fiddled with the fireworks he planned to set off in the pasture closest to the bunkhouse. Buckets of water sat nearby, ready to douse any wayward sparks.

  Although Aundy had invited their family and friends to join them, only Nora and J.B. ventured out to see the display. With Lars and Kade both working, Marnie and Caterina thought it best to take their children home and put them to bed. Tony and Ilsa didn’t want to be out late with Laila. Grant and Lacy had gone to visit her family on the reservation right after the bronc riding.

  Overhead, the moon shone brightly, nestled against a blanket of stars. Through the muted light, Bertie watched Riley ride up to the barn and leave his horse there. Before approaching the group, he gave Mud a fond pat on the neck.

  Bertie and Nora passed out slices of pie and glasses of cold tea then took seats facing the pasture.

  Without intending to do so, Bertie found herself seated between Riley and Nik. As she took a bite of her pie, she let her gaze wander over both men.

  Nik rarely sat still. Energy and a vibrant zeal for life exuded from him as he kept in constant motion. Even now, as he sat ready to watch the fireworks, he jiggled one foot then the other. Handsome, sweet, charming and entirely fun, Nik was the embodiment of every girlish dream Bertie had ever had about the man she might someday love.

  Riley, on the other hand, sat perfectly still as he leaned back in his chair with his boots crossed at the ankle in front of him. Even though he’d remarked how much he enjoyed the day, sadness lingered aro
und his eyes and the solemn set of his mouth. A mouth, she noted, that she very much wanted to kiss. His full bottom lip had enthralled her from the first time they’d met. Although he possessed nice manners, Riley was good-looking in a more rugged, untamed way than Nik. Despite his efforts to hide it, she knew he had a gentle spirit and kind heart.

  She thought of the fan he’d given her that morning. It warmed her heart to know he’d thought enough of her to purchase the simple gift.

  Riley lacked the innocence so clearly evident in Nik. Life had weathered him at an early age. Regardless of the circumstances, Bertie doubted Riley would ever have a fun-loving attitude like Nik. It just wasn’t in his nature, even if he had smiled and laughed more that day than she’d seen him do in the past weeks.

  Perhaps there was still hope for him.

  A loud pop overhead exploded into a brilliant display of color as Li lit the fireworks. Bertie joined the others in expressing their delight in the beautiful show Li provided. As the last one popped and a shower of gold, red and green sparks trailed down from the heavens, Bertie clapped her hands and bounced on her seat.

  “That was the most wonderful thing I’ve ever seen!” Bertie leaned back in her chair to find Nik had draped his arm across the top of it. Too excited to pay his action any mind, she looked to Riley. “Did you enjoy it?”

  “I did, Bertie. It was quite a sight to behold.” Riley stood and glanced down at Bertie as Nik subtly slid closer to her. “But I really should get home. Thank you for the pie. It was delicious.”

  “You’re welcome.” Bertie hopped up and followed Riley as he walked over to where Garrett and Aundy spoke to Li.

  “Thank you for inviting me this evening.” He reached out his hand to Garrett then turned to the bunkhouse cook. “It was a grand display, Li.”

  Li grinned while Garrett good-naturedly slapped Riley on the back. “Glad you made it, Riley. Don’t worry about coming over here too early in the morning. We’ll all be a little lazy getting up and going tomorrow.”

  Riley nodded his head, tipped his hat to Aundy, and started toward the barn. Bertie hurried to keep up with him.

  “Do you need something, Bertie?” Riley asked without turning to look at her.

  Miffed at his sudden curt behavior, she grabbed his arm, effectively stopping him.

  For several long moments, he glared at her hand. Bertie wondered if her touch unsettled him as much as it did her. The skin of his forearm beneath her palm was warm. Tingles trailed from the point of contact up her arm and down to her toes. Even though she knew she shouldn’t touch him, be alone with him, she couldn’t will herself to walk away.

  She trembled slightly and took a deep breath. “What’s wrong, Riley? You seem upset, more than usual.”

  “I’m not upset, Bertie, just tired. It’s been a long day.” Riley inclined his head toward the house. “You better go back to the house — back to Nik.”

  “Back to Nik? What’s Nik got to do with anything?” Bertie moved her hand up his arm without thinking about her actions or the response it might draw out of him.

  The rock-hard strength of his upper arm stiffened and he released a whoosh of air.

  With a quick glance at the others milling about the yard, he grabbed her arm and propelled her around the side of the barn, out of sight of everyone.

  For a moment, memories of Richard Kent forcing her through the dark descended upon her like a swarm of locusts. Under the weight of her fear, she stumbled and fell forward. Before she hit the ground, Riley swept her into his arms and leaned with his back against the barn.

  He lowered his head so close to hers, the fiery flames flickering in his eyes were visible in the moonlight.

  “Riley?” That one word held questions, consent, and care.

  “Is Nik courting you, Bertie?” His voice was low and strained.

  “Courting me?” A sigh rolled out of her, wondering what interest Riley held in her relationship with Nik. “Nik and I are just friends. Good friends.”

  “How good?” he asked. Slowly, he closed the distance between his mouth and hers.

  “What does it matter to you, Riley? Why do you care?” She couldn’t shift her gaze from his lips. They hovered so close to her own.

  His hold tightened on her. “Oh, I care, Roberta Elizabeth. I care more than I should and far more than you know.”

  Riley’s lips brushed against hers so softly, she wasn’t sure they’d actually touched. He lifted his head and looked into her face, searching for something he seemed to find before he whispered her name again, making a tremor of anticipation race through her.

  Just before his mouth claimed hers, Aundy called for her. Riley jerked his head up and set her on her feet so fast, she took an awkward step back to maintain her balance.

  “Run along, Bertie. Happy Fourth of July to you.” As though nothing had happened, he sauntered to the corner of the barn then turned back. “You might want to reconsider letting Nik court you.”

  With that, he mounted Mud and rode off across the pasture toward his place.

  Bertie put a hand to her chest, willing her pounding heart to resume a regular beat. Aundy called for her a second time, so she lifted her skirts and ran around the barn and back to the yard.

  A ferocious longing for him made her lips itch to touch Riley’s. In light of his comment regarding Nik, she might never know the pleasure of tasting his kiss.

  Chapter Twelve

  Bertie hid her smile as Sadie tapped the end of a pencil against her lips and drummed the fingers of her other hand on the table.

  The girl didn’t appear to hold any fondness for book learning, especially on a beautiful summer day when there were trees to climb, a pond to swim in, and adventures to experience.

  Once a week, Aundy ventured over to the orphanage to give the children lessons so they wouldn’t forget everything they learned in school during the months they were out for summer break. Generally, she made the lessons so fun, none of the children minded remaining inside for a few hours to stay current on their schoolwork.

  Bertie drove the buggy for Aundy and sat in on the lessons, enjoying them every bit as much as the children.

  Despite their normal interest in the information Aundy shared, today they all seemed restless, Sadie in particular.

  Aware of their struggles to pay attention, Aundy cleared her throat. The children looked to her, somewhat chagrined.

  “What seems to be the problem today? You all are usually full of questions and ready to learn.” Aundy looked around the group from the oldest to the youngest.

  Eight children burst into animated chatter, all talking about how wonderful the previous day had been celebrating the Fourth of July and how much fun they had at the park. They didn’t want the excitement to end, but it had all too soon.

  Aundy closed the book she held and rose to her feet. “Let’s go outside and you can pretend to be soldiers fighting in the Revolutionary War. We can at least get in a history lesson today.”

  The children cheered and gathered up their slates, chalk, and tablets, storing them in a cupboard where Marnie kept their school supplies.

  All the children but Sadie raced out the door and down the hall. She stood and put away her things, then took Aundy’s uninjured hand in hers.

  “Aunt Aundy?” Sadie asked as they sauntered down the hall in the direction of the back door.

  “Yes, Sadie?”

  “Do you and Uncle Garrett not like babies?”

  The child’s innocent question nearly caused Bertie to choke. After moving to Nash’s Folly, it was readily apparent to her that Aundy and Garrett desperately wanted to have children. However, for some reason, they hadn’t been blessed with any.

  In fact, it seemed like a rather sore subject with Aundy. Only a blind man would have missed the way she eyed Caterina’s and Marnie’s expanding waistlines with a mixture of longing, regret, and a hint of jealousy.

  Although she dearly loved the two women, it obviously pained Aundy to see t
hem preparing to welcome babies into their families when she had none.

  Pity for Aundy filled Bertie’s tender spirit. For the most part, the woman left her in awe of all the wisdom that filled her head, and all she accomplished on any given day, even with her arm in a sling.

  The raw emotion on Aundy’s face made her seem much more real to Bertie and less like an unstoppable yet entirely likeable force.

  Aundy took a seat on a bench by the door and put an arm around Sadie’s shoulders when the child sat next to her. Bertie didn’t want to listen to a conversation that wasn’t any of her concern, yet curiosity to hear Aundy’s reply kept her feet rooted to the floor.

  With a tremulous sigh, Aundy glanced down at the young girl. “Why do you ask that, Sadie?”

  “Well…” Sadie rubbed a finger along the side of her nose and swung her feet back and forth. “It’s just that Mama and Aunt Caterina are having babies and you and Uncle Garrett ain’t got, I mean don’t have your own. I thought maybe you don’t like ‘em, since they can squall a lot and you got to change diapers and all that noisy, smelly claptrap.”

  Sadie shrugged her small shoulders and glanced up at Aundy. “But you love on Laila and Sophie, all of us, like you just plumb can’t get enough of us. So if you didn’t like kids, I didn’t think you’d be that way.”

  Aundy hugged Sadie against her side and kissed the top of the child’s tightly braided hair. “Oh, Sadie, sweetheart. I love you and Noah, and Sophie and Laila, and Brett and Ben and all the children here. I love you to pieces. It’s not that Uncle Garrett and I don’t want any babies, it’s just that we haven’t been blessed with one yet.”

  Sadie considered Aundy’s words for a moment then offered her a confused look. “Does it have to be a baby? I mean, there are loads of kids without a mom or daddy. Why don’t you take one of them for your own, like you did Nik? You adopted him when he was an orphan, didn’t you? If you want one, can you take Molly? She’s the biggest bossy-britches I’ve had the misfortune of meeting.”