Tad's Treasure (Grandma's Wedding Quilts Book 12) Read online

  “Looks like Tully, Maggie, and Thane are at it again,” Posey mused, settling Nate back onto the seat next to her.

  “So it would seem,” Tad said, amused. “I don’t think Tully Barrett has changed much since he became the sheriff.”

  Posey giggled as the riders raced back by, apparently vying for first place in a contest. “I’m glad. Tully keeps things from ever being dull, especially the way he, Thane, and Maggie are always up to something.”

  “I agree,” Tad said, walking alongside the wagon as Posey released the brake and snapped the reins, sending the team into a slow walk toward Main Street.

  “Will you join us for supper, Tad? I feel like I owe you something for helping clean up the mess Nate made of Mr. Lambery’s saddlebags.”

  “You don’t owe me anything, Posey, but I won’t turn down an invitation to one of your fine meals.” Tad smiled up at her. “Is there anything I can bring?”

  “No. Just yourself and your appetite.” She offered him an imploring grin. “Maybe your fiddle if you’re in the mood to play after we eat.”

  He nodded in agreement. “I think that can be arranged.”

  “We’ll see you at six,” Posey said, then guided the wagon around the corner. Tad watched her wave at Maggie Dalton, who had won the competition against Sheriff Barrett and Thane Jordan.

  He should have refused Posey’s invitation and stayed away from the woman.

  But when it came to her, Tad didn’t possess a single lick of sense.

  Chapter Three

  Posey was glad she’d already completed most of her errands before trouble found her son in the form of mud pies.

  If the little scamp wasn’t so sweet and charming, she’d be completely exasperated with him. Loveable and smart, he made it nearly impossible to remain upset with him for long.

  She’d known when he’d begged to wait by the wagon while she ran into the bank that he’d most likely get into some sort of mischief. Only gone a few moments, she had no idea how he filled Mr. Lambery’s saddlebag with a mud pie so quickly. Nate had dutifully behaved while she stopped by the feed store for a load of supplies then went to the mercantile to pick up a few things she needed. The bank and post office were the last two stops on her list before heading for home.

  Unfortunately, Nate got into trouble before she got as far as the post office.

  If it wasn’t for Tad’s intercession, she wondered what Joe Lambery would have done to her son. The man was a shiftless, lazy schemer on a good day. Threatening children didn’t seem far-fetched at all considering his other transgressions.

  No, Nate was lucky he chose to get in trouble right across the street from Tad’s saddle shop. If she hadn’t already felt so indebted to the kind-hearted man for everything he’d done to help her since John’s death, she might have asked him to keep an eye on Nate.

  If he happened to see her in town, he frequently took the boy back to his shop, allowing her the luxury of shopping in peace without worries of what Nate would get into.

  For reasons she couldn’t explain, Nate behaved well for Tad. Whatever the man said or suggested, her little boy did without question.

  It might have left her baffled if she hadn’t experienced a similar feeling anytime she was around the handsome man.

  Tad was so different from John.

  Posey had met her husband when she was fifteen. He’d hired on as a hand at her uncle’s ranch. With both her parents gone and no other living relative, Posey had moved to Uncle Hiram’s place when she was twelve. Her uncle did his best to raise her properly, but Posey had learned to ride, shoot, and work cattle right alongside the men. Then John, who seemed so worldly at the ripe old age of eighteen, rode onto the place and into her heart.

  Despite her uncle’s protests, she’d married John a week after she turned sixteen. A few months later, John decided they’d journey further west where he’d heard people were striking it rich in gold mines in Eastern Oregon.

  After a tearful goodbye with her uncle, she left her Colorado home. On the way to Baker City, Oregon, she and John became friends with a young man named Theodore Palmer, who’d just left his home in Virginia.

  Upon their arrival in the mining town, the two men set up a tent for Posey to live in then went to work in a mine. Before long, they started making money. The day John carried her across the threshold of the house he’d built for her a few miles from town, Posey thought all her dreams had come true.

  And then Nate had arrived, making her feel even more blessed than she deserved. He’d been such a beautiful baby. She and John had spent hours studying each little toe and finger.

  Life had been so perfect. They had good friends, a lovely home, and a bright future. Up until the day John died, Posey had lived in a constant state of harmony.

  Dark, clawing pain had settled over her for a long time after John’s death. With prayers, time, and Tad’s dependable presence, she’d finally made her way out of her devastating grief and embraced life once again.

  The depths of despair she felt upon losing her husband had convinced her that her heart had died that day, too.

  Now, she knew better.

  Slowly, sweetly, almost imperceptibly, she’d fallen in love with Tad Palmer. She couldn’t even look back over the past four years and pinpoint the moment she’d realized she loved Tad.

  He’d gone from being her husband’s best friend and her rock during her overwhelming grief to being her best friend, champion, protector, and encourager. Tad was one of her many reasons to smile, even if he didn’t realize it.

  For the most part, Tad was quiet and reserved. Yet, he’d become someone the town depended on. She knew Sheriff Barrett often called on Tad when he was in need of an extra deputy. Tad could be found helping several ranchers in the area, like Thane Jordan, or providing a hand wherever it was needed. She’d even seen him assisting the new lumberyard owner one evening as the man burnt his brand onto stacks of fragrant pine boards.

  Tad was also generous. He contributed to the widow and orphan funds, anonymously purchased supplies for those in need, and did little things for people without them ever knowing who was their benefactor.

  If Posey hadn’t been watching Tad so closely, she would never have known half of the charitable things he’d done.

  But watching him was one of the things that brought her great pleasure.

  Heat suffused her face as she brought to mind a vision of Tad’s broad shoulders and muscled form. She’d memorized everything about him from the thatch of thick, dark hair on his head to the scruffy beard on his face that didn’t quite hide the dimple in his all-too-attractive chin. Square jawed, blue eyed, and with lips that appeared to have been sculpted by an artist, it was a wonder the man remained unwed.

  Thoughts of him marrying anyone made her stomach clench in pain. More than anything, she wanted Tad to be happy, but the thought of his happiness coming from another woman left her agitated and unsettled.

  So badly, she wanted to be the one he loved.

  But even after all this time, he seemed completely indifferent to her, to her feelings for him.

  Afraid if she finally worked up the courage to tell him the truth he’d rebuff her, she’d remained silent, admiring him, longing for him without letting on how she really felt.

  Today, though, as he stared up at her, she thought she’d seen something flicker in his eyes. Something that gave her hope that perhaps not all was yet lost.

  If it hadn’t been for Nate pointing out the sheriff racing like a wild hooligan through town with his friends, she wondered if Tad might have actually kissed her.

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Posey Jo Jacobs,” she admonished herself.

  “What’d you say, Mama?” Nate asked, leaning against her side.

  “Nothing, baby.” Posey bent over and placed a kiss on his forehead. “What do you think we should make for supper tonight?”

  “Meat! Tad likes meat and potatoes.” Nate grinned up at her. “And pie!”

  “P
ie and meat, hmm?” Posey smiled. “You sound like your papa. He always liked meat and pie, too.”

  “My papa was Uncle Tad’s bestest friend, huh?” Nate looked to her for confirmation of the fact he already knew.

  “That’s right, baby. Uncle Tad was your daddy’s best friend. They worked side by side for a long time in a mine and then Uncle Tad opened his saddle shop.”

  “Uncle Tad said I look like Papa. Do I, Mama? Do I look like him?” The hopeful look on her son’s face tugged at Posey’s heart.

  She shifted the reins to one hand so she could cup his chin with her other as she looked him square in the face. “You look exactly like your daddy. Your hair is a little lighter than his was, but you have his eyes and nose, his smile and strong chin. You even have the same cowlick in your hair right here.” She ran her fingers through a spot near Nate’s temple where his hair always looked unkempt despite her best efforts to tame it. “I think you’ll grow up to be a fine, wonderful, handsome man just like your papa.”

  Nate remained silent for a few moments as Posey returned to holding the reins with both hands. She guided the team off the road onto their lane.

  “Mama?” Nate gave her another questioning glance.

  “What is it, sweetheart?” Posey glanced at him before returning her attention to stopping the wagon then directing the horses to back it into the open shed where she kept it out of the weather.

  “Would it be bad if I want to grow up to be like Uncle Tad? He’s smart and funny, and he’s awful nice to me.”

  Posey smiled. “It would be a grand thing to want to grow up like him, Nate. I can’t think of a man I know that’s any better than your Uncle Tad.”

  “Oh, good!” Nate jumped down from the wagon the moment it stopped and took off running. He opened the gate to a pen on the side of the barn and giggled as a goat rushed out and rubbed against him. “Hi, Agnes. Did you miss me?”

  The goat bleated in response and trotted after him as the boy raced back to the wagon to help Posey unload it. She handed Nate bags and baskets he could carry while she unloaded the heavier items.

  No doubt, Tad would willingly unload everything for her when he came for supper if she asked him to do it, but she liked to be self-sufficient. As she struggled to drag a heavy sack of grain to the barn, she began to second think her decision to ask Tad for help.

  She took a deep breath and hefted the bag, barely scooting it inside the barn before her strength gave out.

  “Whew! I think that’s enough of that for right now,” she said, dabbing at the moisture gathering along her hairline with a handkerchief she pulled from her pocket.

  Nate giggled and ran across the yard with the goat trailing along beside him like an obedient dog.

  Posey shook her head, gathered the box of foodstuffs she’d purchased at the mercantile and headed into the house to prepare dinner. The rest of the sacks in the wagon could wait until tomorrow.

  Inside her kitchen, Posey stoked the stove and put away her purchases then started to go change. In a moment of vanity, she decided to leave on the new pink dress that made her feel feminine and attractive. Vainly, she’d hoped Tad had noticed she wore a new gown, but he hadn’t given any indication. Then again, he’d never commented on her appearance. Most likely, he looked at her as he would his sister.

  Discouraged, but determined to do her best to catch his eye, Posey slipped on her fullest apron and started meal preparations. As soon as she slipped a pie in the oven to bake, she began heating a curling iron.

  While it heated, she peeled potatoes then set them to boil. Finished with the task, she took down her hair, combed it, and pinned it up again. She added a few well-placed curls around her face and left three long tendrils hanging down her back along the right side of her neck.

  Nate ran inside just as she completed the hairstyle. The goat bleated and followed him into the kitchen.

  “Not in the house, Nathaniel John Jacobs! Agnes has to stay outside.” Posey waggled her finger at the door.

  “Aw, Mama, Agnes just wants to have dinner with us. Why can’t she stay?”

  Nate gave her such an imploring look, Posey wanted to give in. Instead, she scowled when the goat sidled toward the linen cloth covering the table.

  “Outside, this instant, young man, before she eats my tablecloth and your supper. Now scoot!”

  Nate scuffed his toes all the way to the door, but the goat obediently followed him outside.

  Posey sliced thick pieces of smoky ham and put it on to fry, then opened a can of corn she’d preserved from her garden last fall and set it to heat. She topped slices of bread with butter then sprinkled them with cheese she’d shredded and a few dried herbs. As soon as Tad arrived, she’d pop them into the oven to toast.

  After removing the pie from the oven, she hurried to set the table. She was just about to call Nate inside to wash up when she noticed Tad riding up to the house on his saddle horse.

  Admiration filled her as he rode up to her front gate with the sun at his back. He cut such a striking figure, all she could do was stare for the length of several heartbeats. Tad appeared strong enough to take on any challenge life might throw his way. She wondered, then, why it was he seemed so hesitant to pursue a relationship with her.

  Maybe he just didn’t find her attractive. Perhaps he didn’t experience those tingling feelings throughout his whole body each time they accidentally touched as she did. The thought that her fascination with the man was entirely one-sided made her nervous and unsettled.

  Nevertheless, for one evening she vowed to be bold and brave. She would act as though she was a carefree, charming young woman, not a widow with a puckish son, a loony goat, and a small farm that needed more work than she could give it.

  Through the open window, she heard the creak of leather as Tad swung out of the saddle and listened as he greeted her son and his beloved pet.

  “Hey, Nate. What are you and Agnes doing?” She peeked out the window and saw Tad hunker down so he was on eye level with the boy. He reached out a hand and brushed it over Agnes’ neck, giving her a good scratch.

  “Mama kicked us out of the house. She said Agnes couldn’t stay for dinner.” Nate pouted.

  “You don’t say.” Tad’s voice held a hint of humor as he stood and looped the reins around a post near the gate. “I reckon we better make sure Agnes has some dinner out here, then.”

  “Yep,” Nate said, taking Tad’s hand and tugging him toward the barn. “I’ll show you her feed.”

  Posey raced into her bedroom and dabbed on a bit of perfume then checked her image in the dresser mirror. She pinched her cheeks, to add a bit of color, arranged a few curls around her face, and rushed back to the kitchen.

  By the time Tad and Nate stamped their feet at the back door, the meal was ready and she was just setting the last bowl of food on the table.

  “Evening, Posey,” Tad said, holding his hat in his hands as he stepped inside.

  “Evening, Tad. Wash up and take a seat. Supper’s getting cold.” She grabbed Nate’s hands in hers and directed him over to the sink. Tad pumped water while she helped her son wash his hands, then Nate insisted on pumping the handle while Tad washed.

  Together, the two of them approached the table where she stood waiting.

  Tad pulled out her chair and waited for her to be seated before he scooted in Nate’s chair then took the seat across from the boy. The chair at the head of the table remained empty — a stark reminder of the loss they all suffered when John died.

  Posey wouldn’t have cared if Tad had wanted to sit in John’s chair, but he’d never once, in all the meals he’d eaten with them, shown any inclination to take that seat.

  “Tad, would you ask the blessing on our meal?” Posey asked. She bowed her head as Tad’s rich voice filled the kitchen with words of gratitude.

  “Amen!” Nate said at the end of the prayer. He plopped his napkin on his lap then looked over the meal before him. “I’m hungry, Mama!”

  “
Then let’s get you fed, son.” Posey smiled as she dished food onto Nate’s plate, cut his meat, and moved his glass of milk away from the edge of the table before the boy could spill it.

  “This looks delicious, Posey. Do you need more meat?” Tad asked as he helped himself to a large slice of ham.

  “No. I still have a few hams, some bacon, and one beef roast left from the meat you so generously brought the last time you decided to restock my supplies.” She gave him a narrowed glare. “You do realize that isn’t necessary, don’t you? I can provide for Nate and myself.”

  “I know,” Tad said, nodding in agreement. He pointed his fork at the platter of ham. “But I have to do something to repay you for all the groceries I eat when you invite me over.”

  “Tad, you do far more work around here than you could ever eat in the meals we share with you. No matter what you say or think, I know better.”

  He grinned and took a bite of the cheesy bread. “I don’t know what it is about this bread, but it is so good.”

  Posey placed another slice on his plate. “It’s just cheese, butter, a few dried herbs, and bread. You could make it at your place anytime you wanted.”

  “I’ve tried. It doesn’t taste the same as when you do it, so I guess I’ll have to go on eating it here and you’ll have to keep on accepting the supplies I bring in trade.”

  Exasperated, she shook her head. “There’s no arguing with you, is there, Tad Palmer?”

  “Nope.” He gave her a rakish wink that made her heart skitter in her chest before he turned to Nate. “Have you taught Agnes any new tricks this week, Nate?”

  The boy shook his head. “No. I tried to teached her to bark like a doggie, but she just does this...” Nate made a series of loud goat-like sounds before Posey rolled her eyes at Tad.

  “We get the idea, son,” she said, scooting his milk away from the edge of the table again. While Nate took a bite of mashed potatoes covered in gravy, she turned to Tad. “Did you finally receive a letter from your sister? I know the last time we talked about Gloria you were hoping to hear from her soon.”