Boot Hill Bride (13 page)

scratched with long nails. Jagged, bleeding abrasions covered

their arms and faces as they continued to scrape and scuttle,

howling and yelling at each other.

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Boot Hill Bride

by Lauri Robinson

Danny J should have known this day was coming, Howard

surmised. No man can have two number one women. It had

been a conversation held by several men, himself included,

once or twice over the past few years.

A crowd had formed, besides men from his work site and

women from Danny J's, several town folks ran up the street

to gawk and cheer. Howard twisted about, looked for

someone he could pass Randi to. He figured he'd better step

in and put a stop to Corrine and Opal's battle before they

blinded one another with their nails.

Both of his brothers were on the other side of the women.

He tried to catch their attention, but their gazes were glued to

the billowing petticoats and long legs of Corrine and Opal as

they rolled around the ground.

Opal scrambled to her feet, stumbling to gain her footing.

The next instant, she squared a little pearl-handled derringer

at Corrine's heaving bosoms.

"No!" Randi yelled, and Howard had to increase his hold to

keep her from leaping forward.

"Opal! Put the gun down!" he shouted above the roar of

the crowd.

Danny J stepped forward, stationing himself between the

two women. "Opal!"

"Move out of the way, Danny! You was mine long 'afore

she came along!" Black kohl smeared across Opal's face made

her look like a raccoon. A very pissed off raccoon.

Danny held up one hand. "Opal—"

"No, I've had enough! She's gotten away with enough!"

The gun shook as Opal shouted. "I told you about that gal she

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was hiding in the alcove, but you didn't do nothin' about it. All

I wanted was a new red dress, Danny. A red one, not some

blue thing she picked out!" Her eyes settled on Danny. "Move

or I'll shoot ya both!"

"Opal, you're not gonna shoot anyone!" Danny yelled.

Corrine sidestepped around Danny, a matching derringer

clutched in her hand. "We'll settle this fair and square, Opal."

"No!" Danny reached out, but Corrine was quicker, ducking

away from his grasp.

The gun in her hand waved at the other woman. "On the

count of three, Opal. One, two—"

A shot rang out followed by a loud, pain-filled wail. Smoke

swirled from the end of Opal's gun.

With a terrorized scream of her own, Randi wrapped both

arms around him and buried her head deep into his chest.

Holding her tight, Howard brushed her billowed hair away

from his face to see who'd shot whom. Wide-eyed with shock,

he watched Danny J slither to the ground. Both Opal and

Corrine threw their guns to the dirt and flew to Danny's sides,

screeching and howling all over again.

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Howard guided Randi into the tent and assisted her to sit

on the edge of the bed. "Are you doing all right?"

"Yes," she half-mumbled while bobbing her head.

The tent flap slapped open before he had a chance to say

anything more. Ma looking more flustered than a startled

grouse flew through the opening. "What the devil was goin'

on out there? Who got shot? Are they dead?"

"Ma—"

She didn't stop talking to listen. "The caterwauling was

enough to make skin crawl, and I couldn't see past the crowd.

Speak up now, who was it?"

He walked over and twisted her back toward the door with

both hands. "Just some girls down at Danny J's. Bug and

Snake can tell you about it." He gestured toward Randi with

his head.

Ma's eyes grew wide. "Oh, all right," she whispered, but

before she stepped out of the tent she added, "Her folks are

here to see her."

A stream of ice water ran through his veins, and a twitch

formed in his cheek. He flinched at both. "We'll be out in a

minute."

Ma nodded and tugged the canvas flap shut behind her

exit. Howard ran his hands over his face. Not only had he

barely slept last night, his body still ached from holding

Randi's lush, perfect body for hours, and now he had to deal

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with her irritating father again. He took a fortifying breath

and was about to turn around when the flap opened again.

A hand holding a folded telegram stretched into the space.

"This just arrived for ya," Ma said, waving the note.

He took it, and her hand disappeared. Unfolding the paper,

he quickly read a single line. 'Looking forward to meeting

your in-laws stop Skeeter stop.' A smile tugged on his lips.

Perhaps there is a God, and he loves me
. Howard tucked the

paper into his pants pocket and turned to Randi.

Expectant brown eyes gazed at him. He mustered up a

smile, just for her, one that came from the center of his

chest.

"Doing all right?" he asked.

"Yes," she said and scooted over as if to make room for

him to sit next to her.

He crossed the room and sat in the space. For lack of

anything better to say, he said, "I'm sure Corrine is just fine.

There's no need to worry."

"I imagine you're right." Her gaze floated around the

room.

"Do—"

"I—"

They started simultaneously, both stopping so the other

could speak. "Go ahead," he encouraged after a moment of

silence.

"I was just going to ask if fights like that happen a lot,"

she said.

"I don't rightly know. That was the first one I saw."

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She gave an agreeing nod. "Me, too." Her head began to

shake negatively. "I can't believe Opal shot Danny J."

"It was just a flesh wound. He'll be fine."

Her gaze settled on the far wall, and she nodded again.

Another long silence ensued. He swallowed, rubbed his

chin, swallowed again, and then finally said, "Well, I guess

your pa is here to see you."

She didn't make a move to rise. "Yes, I heard Ma say

that."

"You don't have to see him, if you don't want to."

"Yes, I do." Her shoulders slumped as she let out a long

sigh.

He wrapped an arm around her, and her head slipped onto

his shoulder as if it belonged there.

"No, you don't. I can tell him you're not up to it."

"He'll just wait until I am up to it. Besides, he expects me,

and no one keeps Thurston Fulton waiting." A grain of

aggravation flavored her words.

Howard wasn't sure how to respond. He'd be happy if he

never had to see Thurston Fulton again, happier still if Randi

never had to see the man again. But he was her father, and if

there was one thing Ma had instilled in her sons, it was that

family was all a man had in the world. A heavy weight settled

on his shoulders. Like it or not, it appeared Thurston Fulton

was now his family as well. He leaned over to press his cheek

against the top of her hair.

His mind was flapping about like a tweety-bird in a wind

storm. What surfaced and came out his mouth almost

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surprised him. "Randi, do you want to stay here? Want to

help get the hotel and restaurant started?"

She went stiff in his hold.

He held his breath. Would he ever master the ability of

small talk? Probably not, his big old mouth just took to

spurting when it wanted to. But damn if his heart didn't want

to know her answer.

"Yes. Yes, I do." She hesitated for a moment before

asking, "Do you want me to stay?"

The air locked in his lungs slipped out, and he closed his

eyes. "Of course I do," he admitted, knowing he'd never said

a sentence that held more truth in all of his life. The whole

thing was complicated, had him twisted in more knots than a

rope ladder. It was almost as if he couldn't imagine what life

had been like without her and really didn't want to return to a

life without her. And damned if he didn't know how it all had

happened.

"I..." She shook her head, as if to stop herself from

speaking.

"You what?"

She didn't move.

"You what?" he repeated.

"Well, I just don't want my being here to interfere with

your plans." She bit her lip. "My—uh—family can be a bit

tiresome. I don't want them to interrupt your work."

He slipped his other hand into his pocket, pulled out the

note, and flipped it open with his thumb. "Well, about that,"

he said. "I have a plan."

"A plan?"

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His lips brushed the fluff of her hair before he sat up

straight. "Yes, a plan." It was a gamble, he knew, him against

her father, but he took the bet and held the note before her

eyes.

She scanned the telegram. "Meet your in-laws?" Her gaze

moved to his face. "Skeeter? Your brother who lives out by

the badlands?"

He nodded.

"He wants to meet my father?"

Not wanting to influence her decision making, he didn't

speak, just nodded again.

The most adorable sparkle he'd ever seen appeared in her

eyes.

"Tell me your plan," she whispered with a hint of delight.

A chuckle rumbled up his chest, but he quelled it. He had

to tell her the truth.

"I have to warn you, Skeeter doesn't think much of

politicians."

She grimaced. "He doesn't? Why not?"

"He's had to deal with a lot of politics with his fossils."

"Oh." A thoughtful frowned formed on her face. "Will he

hurt them?"

"No, not physically anyway. Lila won't let that happen, but

Skeeter might mentally badger them, and his friend, Buffalo

Killer, might frighten them."

Her brows formed perfect arches. "They know about us,

about the-the marriage?"

"I sent Skeeter a wire yesterday."

"Why?"

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"Because it's going to be hard for me to get things done

with your father and Belinda here," he said, hoping she didn't

see through his somewhat white lie. "Your father said he

wanted to meet the rest of my family."

"What about Belinda?"

"She'll go with him."

Her lips quivered and puckered, as if she was fighting a

grin from forming. It finally won out.

"For how long?"

He shrugged, tried to look as if he didn't relish the thought

of getting rid of her father and the irksome Belinda.

"As long as they want."

"And that will give you time to focus on your hotel," she

said, clearly a thought coming out aloud. She stood up and

smoothed her skirt with both hands before she held one out

to him. "I believe I like your plan." As her fingers wrapped

around his, she added, "I believe I like this plan very much."

Hand in hand they left the tent, and Randi fought hard to

keep her wondering mind at bay. He'd said he wanted her to

stay. And if her father and Belinda left—went to see Skeeter,

she would have time to concentrate on helping with the hotel.

She could cook, and help Ma sew, and she wouldn't have to

worry about Belinda putting a stop to it all.

Her father and Belinda didn't stay long, especially not after

they heard of the invitation to travel to the badlands. While

Howard explained traveling directions to her father, Belinda

took her arm, forcing her to walk to the black rented carriage.

They stopped near the gray mare hitched to the buggy,

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standing in a small amount of shade from one of the only

trees about, a lonely elm with tear drop leaves.

Randi stared at the branches, having no idea what Belinda

wanted, but instantly braced herself for whatever was about

to come. She could only imagine it would be how she must

never be seen wearing an apron or serving a meal. It just

wouldn't be seemly for the next governor's daughter to look

like hired help. She'd heard it all before, too often to forget.

Belinda glanced about, assuring their privacy no doubt,

and then took a step closer. She raised one long finger and

pointed it sternly at Randi's face.

"You better not ruin this."

Randi lowered her gaze to her toes, wondering exactly

what
this
she pertained to this time.

"You almost ruined your father's chance at becoming

governor by running off. Edward Keyes had already paid a

tidy sum to wed you."

"What?"

"You heard me. We need a goodly sum to repay him, and

it's up to you to get it."

"Me?" A glob of dread settled in Randi's stomach.

"Yes, you. You better make sure the Quinter family forks

over a hefty donation to your father's campaign."

Randi glanced around, spied her father and Howard still

standing near the outdoor table.