“One, no one has to know it was me who gave you the money. Two, you can always fire Gus, and three, I’m in no hurry to get the money back.” He searched her pretty face.
She shook her head. “I’ll know.” Tears filled the depths of her eyes once more. “I promised Jack I’d protect James’s inheritance, and now I’ve let them both down.”
Clayton wanted to protect her and the kids. He didn’t want to fall in love with her and he really didn’t want to do anything foolish, but at the same time Clayton knew he’d never let Gus have James Fillmore’s ranch. His fiancée had taught him that women were fickle and money would set them to running into another man’s arms. Nope, he wasn’t about to fall in love with Maggie, or any other woman for that matter. “No, you haven’t. I’ve got an idea, but you’ll have to agree to it.”
He looked to Dinah, who shivered against him. Clayton tried to shield her small body from the cold wind. He softened his voice and offered the little girl what he hoped was a warm smile. “Dinah, dry your eyes and let’s go to the restaurant and get a big slice of peach pie.”
She rubbed her face on the sleeve of her pretty coat. “All right, Clayton. I like peach pie.”
He turned back to Maggie. “We’ve got a couple of hours yet. We’ll go have dessert and coffee and figure something out.” Clayton expected her to protest but instead she stood up, wrapped James tighter in his blanket and nodded.
Maggie started walking down the boardwalk. “The closest restaurant is at the hotel. I’ve been there a couple of times and they make a pretty good peach pie.”
“Yours is best,” Dinah said. She looked up at Clayton with big hazel eyes.
“Sissy makes the bestest pie crust.”
“I’m sure she does.” He watched the gentle sway of Maggie’s dress. Was it crazy to go to the extremes he was about to, just to help her keep her word to her late husband? Or had God intended this all along?
Maggie pushed through the door of the Grand Hotel where warm air enveloped them. Clayton and Dinah followed. He was curious as to why the hotel was called Grand. It wasn’t all that big and he’d seen fancier ones.
She turned to the right and walked into the small restaurant. Once they were all seated, she said, “I can’t even begin to think of a solution, Clayton.”
The waitress took their orders of coffee, milk and pie. As soon as she left their table, he leaned toward Maggie. “What if I told you I know how to take care of the back payments, get rid of Gus and make sure that James keeps his inheritance?”
Her eyes turned a deep shade of green. “I’d say that would be wonderful.” Maggie tucked James closer to her. She smiled down into the baby’s open eyes.
“You might not like my plan.”
She smiled across at him. A heartwarming smile that made him think his plan might just work. “Well, I won’t know until I hear it.”
The waitress brought their drinks and pie on a large tray. She set Dinah’s milk in front of her before serving the adults their coffee.
Dinah picked up her milk and took a big drink. She smiled with a milk mustache. “It’s cold.”
“And the pie is warm.” The waitress winked at Dinah. She set a dessert plate in front of each of them and then left once more.
Clayton took a deep breath and then said, “We could get married.”
Maggie dropped the pie-laden fork she’d just raised to her lips. “Excuse me?”
He rushed the words past his lips before he lost his courage. “It wouldn’t be a real marriage. I’m not looking for love and I’m not even sure if marriage is fair to you, but it will take care of your current problems.”
Dinah looked from one adult to the other. “You going to marry Clayton?” she asked. Her innocent question reminded them that the little girl was old enough to understand their conversation.
“I don’t know, Dinah. We’re just talking. Go ahead and eat your pie.” Maggie smiled at the little girl.
Clayton tried to read Maggie’s face. What must she be thinking? Was she going to hold out for true love and lose the ranch? Unable to decipher her expression, he took a bite of the dessert. Its sweetness coated his tongue and caused his stomach to churn. Or was it the present topic that had his belly in knots?
Dinah looked to Clayton. Seeing him chewing, she nodded and went back to eating.
He felt Maggie’s gaze upon his face. She asked, “How is it not fair to us? You are the one who would be giving up your freedom. I can’t ask you to do that, Clayton.”
“I believe I was the one who brought up...” He paused, then whispered, “Marriage.”
She frowned. “Yes, but...”
Clayton stopped her. “Look, I’m not giving up anything. My fiancée left me for the banker’s son. Which is fine because I want to be a doctor, and as a doctor, I wouldn’t really have time for a real family anyway. I’m not interested in falling in love, so it isn’t hurting me at all. But you have to realize that love is off the table, and as a doctor, I will be away from you and the kids a lot of the time.”
She swallowed hard, then admitted, “I’m not interested in love either. The only reason I married James’s father was to put a roof over our heads. Don’t get me wrong. Jack was a good man and never mistreated us, but it wasn’t a love match. I answered his mail-order bride ad and shortly afterward came to the ranch. We were married six months and then he died.” She paused. “You should probably know, I really don’t trust men not to leave when the going gets tough, and I have no intention of falling in love either. Not now, not ever.”
Clayton’s impulse was to tell her that as long as she wanted him to be around he’d not leave her. But the hurt in her eyes spoke volumes, and he knew she’d never hear him over the echoes of the disappointments in her past. “So, are you saying a marriage of convenience would work for you?”
“How will it help my situation?”
So, she wasn’t ready to commit to his suggestion just yet. “Well, I could catch the bank up with your payments, and if I’m your husband there wouldn’t be any gossip. You can fire Gus and explain that your new husband is taking over running the ranch until James is old enough to take the reins. And then, we’d make sure that the ranch grows and will be something James will be happy to inherit.” He returned to eating his pie. Maybe if he let her have a few minutes to think about it, Maggie would see that this was her only solution.
Dinah gulped her milk. “Sissy, can I have some more pie?”
Maggie pushed her untouched dessert toward her sister. “You can have mine. I’m not hungry.”
“Thanks.” Dinah pulled the plate to her and began eating once more.
“What about your dream to be a doctor?” Her soft question took him by surprise.
Clayton’s head came up and his gaze met hers across the table. “I’ll still study while working for the Pony Express and the ranch. When the Pony Express stops, I’ll continue helping you with the ranch while studying to be a doctor. I’m not giving up on that dream.”
She took a sip of her coffee. After several long moments, she asked, “Are you sure you want to do this?”
He didn’t know what more he could do besides propose to her. Clayton pushed his chair back and walked around the table. He knelt on one knee and asked, “Maggie Fillmore, will you marry me?”
Maggie felt as