“Maggy is right—your food is incredible. Any establishment you set up is sure to do well.”
Her cheeks flushed an attractive shade of pink. “How do I know you aren’t just saying that?” she teased, though her blush and the sparkle in her green eyes showed she appreciated his compliment.
He’d thought her beautiful from the first moment they’d met. And while he’d kept things between them appropriate and above suspicion ever since, he hadn’t failed to notice that she’d only grown lovelier the last seven years. She’d also lost most of her timidity since coming to live at the Running W, which West had been relieved to see. Vienna wasn’t weak, regardless of what Chance had made her believe about herself. She was strong and lovely and full of faith. Her blond hair had also once been silky to the touch, and he figured that hadn’t changed, though he’d long ago lost the right to test that theory again.
“Is something wrong?” She threw him a puzzled look, which alerted him that he’d been staring at her and hadn’t answered her initial question yet.
Clearing his throat, he faced forward again. “No, nothing wrong. And the promise of your cookin’ after a long day working on the ranch isn’t something I’d joke about.”
“Thank you,” she said with a light laugh. “Hattie is going to miss you and the wranglers.”
West tightened his grip on the reins, making the horses toss their heads. Only Hattie? “We’ll miss her, too.”
“Is Thurston going to take over as foreman soon?”
He welcomed the change in topic. “Not sure.” West still needed to save more money if he wanted to build his dude ranch and procure the necessary livestock for it. But with Vienna leaving now, the thought of staying at the Running W for much longer held less appeal to him.
When they reached Bertram’s ranch, West helped Vienna down from the wagon. Several ranch hands eyed them curiously as they approached the main house. Bertram met them on the porch.
“Howdy again, McCall, Mrs. Howe.” He removed his hat and held it to his chest as he added, “Like I said earlier, it’s a real shame about Chance, ma’am. I’m sorry for your loss.”
West sensed Vienna’s tension from where he stood beside her. Bertram clearly had no idea what kind of husband his friend had been.
“Once again, I appreciate that, Mr. Bertram. And thank you as well for coming to the service.”
“What can I do for you?” the man asked as he clapped his hat back on.
Vienna’s gaze flicked to the barn. “You mentioned this morning that you have Chance’s...” She looked back at Bertram and raised her chin a notch. “I mean my horses.”
“That I do.” Bertram dipped his head in a nod. “Well, I got twenty of them, anyway, and a couple colts, too. Chance said I could keep three of the horses since I was carin’ for the rest.” He eyed Vienna as if unsure if she’d honor her late husband’s promise or not.
She offered him a quick smile. “I think that sounds like a fair exchange. Can I see the other horses? I can’t bring them home for a while longer, but I’d like to look at them.”
“Home?” Bertram scratched at his jaw. “You’re going back to the HC Bar?”
It was Vienna’s turn to nod. “I am.”
“Well, I’ll be...” The rancher waved them forward as he moved toward the barn. “Chance said you didn’t like ranching. Though that’s a nice-sized spread you got there.”
“It is,” Vienna said, apparently choosing to ignore Bertram’s first remark.
Inside the barn, the rancher showed them several of Vienna’s horses before leading them to a nearby pasture to view the rest. West could see Vienna was as relieved as he was to find all of them looking hale and well cared for.
“They all look very fit, Mr. Bertram.” Vienna offered him another smile. “Thank you for taking care of them.”
Bertram flushed red. “It wasn’t a problem, ma’am. I wanted to do my part to help Chance...and yourself.” He turned to West, a flicker of wariness in his eyes. It was the same look the rancher had given West after he’d interrupted Bertram’s conversation with Vienna at the cemetery. “Did you need somethin’ too, McCall?”
“Nope. Just here to drive Mrs. Howe to and from the Running W.”
His expression relaxed. “So you’re really going to start up the HC Bar again, Mrs. Howe?”
“It’s going to require some work and capital, but yes.”
Bertram led them back toward his house. “You planning on doing it alone?”
“Most of it,” she said, her tone slightly on edge, her shoulders tense.
If the rancher noticed the shift in Vienna’s demeanor, he ignored it. “A ranch is a lot more than one person can handle, especially if that person is a woman on her own.” He hooked his thumbs in his belt loops as if he was the authority on ranching and Vienna knew nothing about it. West barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
“Yes, I was raised on a—”
Bertram’s words ran over hers. “Seems to me Chance wouldn’t take kindly to no one looking out for his widow.”
“I don’t really—”
He leaned a little closer to Vienna as he continued. “I think there are those around here who’d readily agree with him, Mrs. Howe. Young bucks such as myself who might be willing to finally settle down when there’s a pretty woman and a ranch in need of helping.”
Was the man proposing to Vienna? West’s gut churned with disbelief and intense annoyance. Vienna’s face had lost all of its color.
“Of course any courting would need to wait a bit on account of Chance’s only been gone a few days.” He shot a glance at the sky and shook his head before he lowered his chin and grinned at Vienna, seemingly unaware of the awkward strain he’d created. “But my offer would still be good when your mourning was done, ma’am.”
She visibly swallowed, her cheeks still pale. “I...um...thank you for your concern, Mr. Bertram.” The rancher looked ready to crow until Vienna added, “However, for the foreseeable future, I have no plans to court anyone or to marry again.”
Relief washed through West, sweet and liberating, though he hadn’t really expected Vienna to take Bertram’s proposal seriously. The thought of her marrying any of the local ranchers didn’t sit right with him. It wasn’t jealousy, though, he told himself. He had no claim to be jealous. It was more a feeling of tight uneasiness in his chest like the tautness in the air before a heavy storm.
“I see,” Bertram said in a clipped tone, his brow furrowed. “No chance you’ll be changing your mind, then?”
Vienna gave a firm shake of her head. “No.”
“Still worth a try, I suppose.” The rancher shrugged. “I’ll keep the horses until you come to collect them.”
It looked as if she tried to smile but failed. “Wonderful. I’ll return in the next few weeks. Thank you.”
West followed her to the wagon and assisted her onto the seat. She wordlessly settled her skirt around her feet.
“That was kind of Chance to give him three horses,” he said as he drove away from Bertram’s ranch. “The others look well.”
She gave a wordless nod, silent anxiety emanating off her in waves.